Difference between revisions of "Modding Terminology"

However, under some circumstances the reference will ''not'' be removed from the save game. (Non-removal seems to be associated with having script record variables either attached to the reference and/or pointing at the reference.) In these cases, the reference continues to exist as data in the savegame, but is not visible in the game world, and is no longer associated with the item that's now in inventory. If the item is dropped again, it will not be reattached to this old reference, but instead be given a new dynamic reference -- which will likely suffer the same problem. It appears that these left over references are ''not'' cleared from the save game by the normal three day respawn/garbage collection process. As a result, if there are lot (1000's) of these references they can have a significant affect on savegame size. Accordingly, these are called '''bloat references'''.

However, under some circumstances the reference will ''not'' be removed from the save game. (Non-removal seems to be associated with having script record variables either attached to the reference and/or pointing at the reference.) In these cases, the reference continues to exist as data in the savegame, but is not visible in the game world, and is no longer associated with the item that's now in inventory. If the item is dropped again, it will not be reattached to this old reference, but instead be given a new dynamic reference -- which will likely suffer the same problem. It appears that these left over references are ''not'' cleared from the save game by the normal three day respawn/garbage collection process. As a result, if there are lot (1000's) of these references they can have a significant affect on savegame size. Accordingly, these are called '''bloat references'''.

This copying is most evident when dropping multiple instances of identical simple items (e.g. arrows, or undamaged iron daggers). If you drop multiple such identical simple items (e.g., ten iron arrows), they won't drop as ten separate arrows, but rather as a single stacked arrow (their mouseover id will be "Iron Arrow (10)"). In this case, the game actually treats the ten arrows not as ten separate arrows but as 1 arrow x 10. (Note that this ''only'' happens for simple, dynamic items.  

This copying is most evident when dropping multiple instances of identical simple items (e.g. arrows, or undamaged iron daggers). If you drop multiple such identical simple items (e.g., ten iron arrows), they won't drop as ten separate arrows, but rather as a single stacked arrow (their mouseover id will be "Iron Arrow (10)"). In this case, the game actually treats the ten arrows not as ten separate arrows but as 1 arrow x 10. (Note that this ''only'' happens for simple, dynamic items.