How to prevent long load times

[Pam]

I'm not interested in deleting files in some obscure folder, I'm asking about ingame things that I can do to prevent it.

These files in obscure folders can help you keep your loading times reasonable.  The link that imaGleek provided tells you which cache files to delete, for example, and those should be deleted regularly.

The other tips are good, too.  Playing in Windows mode and keeping your house clear of too much clutter will both help with load times.  However, there's no away around it completely.  By the time you reach the last generations, it will be slow.

[Sportsfan]

What I meant about not being interested in deleting the files was that I'd rather be able to not have to do that and still have the game load/save fast.

I'm trying to find ways to keep the load to under 10 minutes when I get near the end.
Playing in windows mode helps the initial load time?

[MoMoll]

Don't clear DCBackup if you have Hidden Springs. I can confirm that it will mess up the Fountain of Youth to where it won't work at all.

Wish I had known that before. I've emptied the DCbackup to help game speed, so now I may have messed up the Fountain of Youth. Just great!

[MoonsAreBlue]

Wish I had known that before. I've emptied the DCbackup to help game speed, so now I may have messed up the Fountain of Youth. Just great!

See of you can restore the files from your trash bin. It should work then. You can still delete other caches, but not DCBackup.

[Jancy]

I always delete the 4 cache files and delete the items in the DCBackup folder.  I have not had any problems with the Fountain of Youth in HiddenSprings, it works just fine and as intended after the deletion of these files. I also remove the files from my screenshots folder in the EA, The Sims 3 and put them someplace else.
 
You do not want to delete the files in the DCCache folder.

[kiko94]

So here is something relative to the subject here, I would like to ask on the hardware side, I have 2 GB of ram and planning to popping it to 4+ , will that help with the loading time?
@Sports fan : I have tried playing in windowed mode, yes it loads/saves faster for me

[Saltypaws]

How big was your dynasty house?

The house was huge, really huge and stuff everywhere, from traveling and all of the dynasty requirements.  The load time then, was about 25 minutes.  I redid the house and sold most of their stuff and made the house smaller and that helped some, now load time is still 15 minutes, even after cleaning up everything.  I think once that file gets so big and there are so many sims, it is bound to take a while.  Having alot of sprinklers and a large garden does not help either.

[Ricalynn]

Don't forget with the addition of Generations and Memories that it could take even longer.  I've been regularly pruning my memories and it seems to help.  However, if you want to actually show off prom pictures - don't delete that memory.  A house having multiple floors and making sure you don't see stuff on the other floors will help, too.   Both of my dynasties are in some stage of generation 4 and the load times are already working close to 10 minutes.  The only problem I've really had for loading times has been to destinations where one china trip took 30 minutes to load.

[Anushka]

Just to trow my 2 cents:
- sell the paintings, sculptures, photos, collectables, books, relics, everything you don't really need for dynasty
- keep the number of objects on lot on minimum - no need for 8 or 9 bedrooms, 10 counters, countless decorations around the house, or dozens of roses outside - if you aim for minimum load time.
- I'm not certain about this one, but I believe it contribute to the loading time - more objects you recolor - longer it will take to load.
- As Saltypaws already said, large garden, sprinkles and fountains, ponds, and detailed landscape - can make it longer to load
-Clean their inventories too. Don't accumulate harvestables, fish or anything really. With that fridge from culinary career and with (upgraded)food replicator you can have many many free meals that lasts forever.

In most of the cases it is either you have a house to show it off, filled with everything but takes ages to load, or you have simple, almost boring house that is fast to load.

[Blanchflower]

When I got to generation 8 in my dynasty, it started taking any where from ten to twenty five minutes for the game to load and I had everything deleted, even got rid of some of my processes in my task manager.  I wish there was a way to reduce load time, but just keeping your files emptied sometimes helps.

What Sim week are you in now currently?