This seems like it should be obvious, but I can't seem to figure it out, so...

Does anyone know how to delete old saved games in QFG1 (EGA)? I know where the saved game folder is, but if I delete them there the save still shows up on my list in game. It just gives me the "that game was saved under a different interpreter" error message when I try to load that file. If there is a way to delete or rename saves in game, I have never found it and deleting the directory file makes none of my saves show up.

I really don't want to just keep creating new games until I run out of space so any suggestions would be fantastic.

Earlier SCI games did not allow you to delete saved games. I guess you are talking about the original Quest for Glory 1 with 16 color graphics.

When you delete a saved game file, the directory entry is still inside the ".DIR" file. That's why it still shows up.

You can only:
- fill up all slots (I think there were 20 slots in total) and it will then let you overwrite previous saved games
or
- change directory and save your saved games again into that new directory. That way you will get rid of the other saved games

Or well, you could also download ScummVM (http://www.scummvm.org) and use it to play those games. ScummVM handles saved games differently. Not only do you have up to 100 saved game slots, but you also see screenshots of your saved games when restoring them. ScummVM creates compatible Quest for Glory character files. And you could also switch to the original saved game menus as well, those are limited to I think 20 slots in total though. Oh well and ScummVM also patches quite a few game bugs on the fly.

For QfG1, you can even remove the dithering of the graphics in ScummVM and get improved (well matter of taste) graphics that way, that will then feature more than 16 colors.

You actually can click on "change directory" when saving games inside Quest for Glory 1.
When you exit and restart the game, it will revert back in any case to the original directory, so you don't risk anything.

And after you did that, you could delete all saved games from the original directory including the ".dir" file and then copy over all the saved games + ".dir" file from the new directory to clean everything up.

You ever look to see how much space the saves actually take up?

It's not actually a matter of space, it's a matter of neatness. I don't like have the extra saves floating around. But I'll have to try your directory changing idea and see if that works.

I think I remember deleting the .DIR file in addition to the save files. If I recall, a new one is created the next time you go to save your game.

why not try disabling Cloud Saves? Just click on the button to the right of "Play", then move your cursor over "Manage Installation" and click "Configure". Uncheck the box "Sync local saves with GOG Galaxy Cloud". Then you can delete the folder for Cloud Saves in your game.

This thread is from 2015, and there is no indication that Cloud Saves influenced this at all. OP's issue was that the game has no native facility for removing old savegames, and using Windows Explorer to do so had some undesirable side effects because of consistency requirements between a listing file that inventoried the saves and the data files that contained the individual saved states.

Speaking tangentically of cloud saves, ScummVM's own separate cloud save support really doesn't like you deleting files. It even preserves the otherwise well hidden Battlesave that 2 VGA makes when you open the unlockable Battle Mode menu. So you'll need to delete them both locally and remotely at the same time.