diff --git a/src/farchive.cpp b/src/farchive.cpp
index 98063be876..3aaf1bd86a 100644
--- a/src/farchive.cpp
+++ b/src/farchive.cpp
@@ -420,171 +420,6 @@ void FCompressedFile::Explode ()
 	}
 }
 
-FCompressedMemFile::FCompressedMemFile ()
-{
-	m_SourceFromMem = false;
-	m_ImplodedBuffer = NULL;
-}
-
-/*
-FCompressedMemFile::FCompressedMemFile (const char *name, EOpenMode mode)
-	: FCompressedFile (name, mode)
-{
-	m_SourceFromMem = false;
-	m_ImplodedBuffer = NULL;
-}
-*/
-
-FCompressedMemFile::~FCompressedMemFile ()
-{
-	if (m_ImplodedBuffer != NULL)
-	{
-		M_Free (m_ImplodedBuffer);
-	}
-}
-
-bool FCompressedMemFile::Open (const char *name, EOpenMode mode)
-{
-	if (mode == EWriting)
-	{
-		if (name)
-		{
-			I_Error ("FCompressedMemFile cannot write to disk");
-		}
-		else
-		{
-			return Open ();
-		}
-	}
-	else
-	{
-		bool res = FCompressedFile::Open (name, EReading);
-		if (res)
-		{
-			fclose (m_File);
-			m_File = NULL;
-		}
-		return res;
-	}
-	return false;
-}
-
-bool FCompressedMemFile::Open (void *memblock)
-{
-	Close ();
-	m_Mode = EReading;
-	m_Buffer = (BYTE *)memblock;
-	m_SourceFromMem = true;
-	Explode ();
-	m_SourceFromMem = false;
-	return !!m_Buffer;
-}
-
-bool FCompressedMemFile::Open ()
-{
-	Close ();
-	m_Mode = EWriting;
-	m_BufferSize = 0;
-	m_MaxBufferSize = 16384;
-	m_Buffer = (unsigned char *)M_Malloc (16384);
-	m_Pos = 0;
-	return true;
-}
-
-bool FCompressedMemFile::Reopen ()
-{
-	if (m_Buffer == NULL && m_ImplodedBuffer)
-	{
-		m_Mode = EReading;
-		m_Buffer = m_ImplodedBuffer;
-		m_SourceFromMem = true;
-		try
-		{
-			Explode ();
-		}
-		catch(...)
-		{
-			// If we just leave things as they are, m_Buffer and m_ImplodedBuffer
-			// both point to the same memory block and both will try to free it.
-			m_Buffer = NULL;
-			m_SourceFromMem = false;
-			throw;
-		}
-		m_SourceFromMem = false;
-		return true;
-	}
-	return false;
-}
-
-void FCompressedMemFile::Close ()
-{
-	if (m_Mode == EWriting)
-	{
-		Implode ();
-		m_ImplodedBuffer = m_Buffer;
-		m_Buffer = NULL;
-	}
-}
-
-void FCompressedMemFile::Serialize(FArchive &arc)
-{
-	if (arc.IsStoring ())
-	{
-		if (m_ImplodedBuffer == NULL)
-		{
-			I_Error ("FCompressedMemFile must be compressed before storing");
-		}
-		arc.Write (ZSig, 4);
-
-		DWORD sizes[2];
-		sizes[0] = SWAP_DWORD (((DWORD *)m_ImplodedBuffer)[0]);
-		sizes[1] = SWAP_DWORD (((DWORD *)m_ImplodedBuffer)[1]);
-		arc.Write (m_ImplodedBuffer, (sizes[0] ? sizes[0] : sizes[1])+8);
-	}
-	else
-	{
-		Close ();
-		m_Mode = EReading;
-
-		char sig[4];
-		DWORD sizes[2] = { 0, 0 };
-
-		arc.Read (sig, 4);
-
-		if (sig[0] != ZSig[0] || sig[1] != ZSig[1] || sig[2] != ZSig[2] || sig[3] != ZSig[3])
-			I_Error ("Expected to extract a compressed file");
-
-		arc << sizes[0] << sizes[1];
-		DWORD len = sizes[0] == 0 ? sizes[1] : sizes[0];
-
-		m_Buffer = (BYTE *)M_Malloc (len+8);
-		((DWORD *)m_Buffer)[0] = SWAP_DWORD(sizes[0]);
-		((DWORD *)m_Buffer)[1] = SWAP_DWORD(sizes[1]);
-		arc.Read (m_Buffer+8, len);
-		m_ImplodedBuffer = m_Buffer;
-		m_Buffer = NULL;
-		m_Mode = EWriting;
-	}
-}
-
-bool FCompressedMemFile::IsOpen () const
-{
-	return !!m_Buffer;
-}
-
-void FCompressedMemFile::GetSizes(unsigned int &compressed, unsigned int &uncompressed) const
-{
-	if (m_ImplodedBuffer != NULL)
-	{
-		compressed = BigLong(*(unsigned int *)m_ImplodedBuffer);
-		uncompressed = BigLong(*(unsigned int *)(m_ImplodedBuffer + 4));
-	}
-	else
-	{
-		compressed = 0;
-		uncompressed = m_BufferSize;
-	}
-}
 
 FPNGChunkFile::FPNGChunkFile (FILE *file, DWORD id)
 	: FCompressedFile (file, EWriting, true, false), m_ChunkID (id)
diff --git a/src/farchive.h b/src/farchive.h
index f216fc78a9..484c1018b2 100644
--- a/src/farchive.h
+++ b/src/farchive.h
@@ -112,31 +112,6 @@ private:
 	void BeEmpty ();
 };
 
-class FCompressedMemFile : public FCompressedFile
-{
-public:
-	FCompressedMemFile ();
-	FCompressedMemFile (FILE *file);	// Create for reading
-	~FCompressedMemFile ();
-
-	bool Open (const char *name, EOpenMode mode);	// Works for reading only
-	bool Open (void *memblock);	// Open for reading only
-	bool Open ();	// Open for writing only
-	bool Reopen ();	// Re-opens imploded file for reading only
-	void Close ();
-	bool IsOpen () const;
-	void GetSizes(unsigned int &one, unsigned int &two) const;
-
-	void Serialize(FArchive &arc);
-
-protected:
-	bool FreeOnExplode () { return !m_SourceFromMem; }
-
-private:
-	bool m_SourceFromMem;
-	unsigned char *m_ImplodedBuffer;
-};
-
 class FPNGChunkFile : public FCompressedFile
 {
 public:
diff --git a/src/g_game.cpp b/src/g_game.cpp
index 3c9d274c80..73293a15e9 100644
--- a/src/g_game.cpp
+++ b/src/g_game.cpp
@@ -1970,11 +1970,7 @@ void G_DoLoadGame ()
 		NextSkill = next;
 	}
 
-	if (level.info->snapshot != NULL)
-	{
-		delete level.info->snapshot;
-		level.info->snapshot = NULL;
-	}
+	level.info->Snapshot.Clean();
 
 	BackupSaveName = savename;
 
@@ -2263,11 +2259,7 @@ void G_DoSaveGame (bool okForQuicksave, FString filename, const char *descriptio
 	BackupSaveName = filename;
 
 	// We don't need the snapshot any longer.
-	if (level.info->snapshot != NULL)
-	{
-		delete level.info->snapshot;
-		level.info->snapshot = NULL;
-	}
+	level.info->Snapshot.Clean();
 		
 	insave = false;
 	I_FreezeTime(false);
diff --git a/src/g_level.cpp b/src/g_level.cpp
index 4604743831..5908a2b9fd 100644
--- a/src/g_level.cpp
+++ b/src/g_level.cpp
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@
 #include "r_renderer.h"
 #include "r_utility.h"
 #include "p_spec.h"
+#include "serializer.h"
 
 #include "gi.h"
 
@@ -822,7 +823,7 @@ void G_DoCompleted (void)
 		}
 		else
 		{ // Make sure we don't have a snapshot lying around from before.
-			level.info->ClearSnapshot();
+			level.info->Snapshot.Clean();
 		}
 	}
 	else
@@ -1482,19 +1483,20 @@ void G_AirControlChanged ()
 
 void G_SnapshotLevel ()
 {
-	if (level.info->snapshot)
-		delete level.info->snapshot;
+	level.info->Snapshot.Clean();
 
 	if (level.info->isValid())
 	{
 		level.info->snapshotVer = SAVEVER;
-		level.info->snapshot = new FCompressedMemFile;
-		level.info->snapshot->Open ();
 
-		FArchive arc (*level.info->snapshot);
+		FSerializer arc;
 
-		SaveVersion = SAVEVER;
-		G_SerializeLevel (arc, false);
+		if (arc.OpenWriter())
+		{
+			SaveVersion = SAVEVER;
+			G_SerializeLevel(arc, false);
+			level.info->Snapshot = arc.GetCompressedOutput();
+		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1507,18 +1509,18 @@ void G_SnapshotLevel ()
 
 void G_UnSnapshotLevel (bool hubLoad)
 {
-	if (level.info->snapshot == NULL)
+	if (level.info->Snapshot.mBuffer == nullptr)
 		return;
 
 	if (level.info->isValid())
 	{
 		SaveVersion = level.info->snapshotVer;
-		level.info->snapshot->Reopen ();
-		FArchive arc (*level.info->snapshot);
-		if (hubLoad)
-			arc.SetHubTravel ();
+		FSerializer arc;
+		if (!arc.OpenReader(&level.info->Snapshot)) return;
+
+		//if (hubLoad) arc.SetHubTravel (); // no idea if this is still needed.
+
 		G_SerializeLevel (arc, hubLoad);
-		arc.Close ();
 		level.FromSnapshot = true;
 
 		TThinkerIterator<APlayerPawn> it;
@@ -1548,7 +1550,7 @@ void G_UnSnapshotLevel (bool hubLoad)
 		}
 	}
 	// No reason to keep the snapshot around once the level's been entered.
-	level.info->ClearSnapshot();
+	level.info->Snapshot.Clean();
 	if (hubLoad)
 	{
 		// Unlock ACS global strings that were locked when the snapshot was made.
@@ -1564,7 +1566,7 @@ void G_UnSnapshotLevel (bool hubLoad)
 static void writeSnapShot (FArchive &arc, level_info_t *i)
 {
 	arc << i->snapshotVer << i->MapName;
-	i->snapshot->Serialize (arc);
+	//i->snapshot->Serialize (arc);
 }
 
 //==========================================================================
@@ -1576,6 +1578,7 @@ void G_WriteSnapshots (FILE *file)
 {
 	unsigned int i;
 
+#if 0
 	for (i = 0; i < wadlevelinfos.Size(); i++)
 	{
 		if (wadlevelinfos[i].snapshot)
@@ -1589,6 +1592,7 @@ void G_WriteSnapshots (FILE *file)
 		FPNGChunkArchive arc (file, DSNP_ID);
 		writeSnapShot(arc, &TheDefaultLevelInfo);
 	}
+#endif
 
 	FPNGChunkArchive *arc = NULL;
 	
@@ -1662,8 +1666,10 @@ void G_ReadSnapshots (PNGHandle *png)
 		arc << MapName;
 		i = FindLevelInfo (MapName);
 		i->snapshotVer = snapver;
+#if 0
 		i->snapshot = new FCompressedMemFile;
 		i->snapshot->Serialize (arc);
+#endif
 		chunkLen = (DWORD)M_NextPNGChunk (png, SNAP_ID);
 	}
 
@@ -1676,8 +1682,10 @@ void G_ReadSnapshots (PNGHandle *png)
 		arc << snapver;
 		arc << MapName;
 		TheDefaultLevelInfo.snapshotVer = snapver;
+#if 0
 		TheDefaultLevelInfo.snapshot = new FCompressedMemFile;
 		TheDefaultLevelInfo.snapshot->Serialize (arc);
+#endif
 	}
 
 	chunkLen = (DWORD)M_FindPNGChunk (png, VIST_ID);
@@ -1727,12 +1735,10 @@ CCMD(listsnapshots)
 {
 	for (unsigned i = 0; i < wadlevelinfos.Size(); ++i)
 	{
-		FCompressedMemFile *snapshot = wadlevelinfos[i].snapshot;
-		if (snapshot != NULL)
+		FCompressedBuffer *snapshot = &wadlevelinfos[i].Snapshot;
+		if (snapshot->mBuffer != nullptr)
 		{
-			unsigned int comp, uncomp;
-			snapshot->GetSizes(comp, uncomp);
-			Printf("%s (%u -> %u bytes)\n", wadlevelinfos[i].MapName.GetChars(), comp, uncomp);
+			Printf("%s (%u -> %u bytes)\n", wadlevelinfos[i].MapName.GetChars(), snapshot->mCompressedSize, snapshot->mSize);
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/g_level.h b/src/g_level.h
index 5b994a3d2e..70872bc468 100644
--- a/src/g_level.h
+++ b/src/g_level.h
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 #include "sc_man.h"
 #include "s_sound.h"
 #include "textures/textures.h"
+#include "resourcefiles/file_zip.h"
 
 struct level_info_t;
 struct cluster_info_t;
@@ -232,7 +233,6 @@ struct FSpecialAction
 	int Args[5];				// must allow 16 bit tags for 666 & 667!
 };
 
-class FCompressedMemFile;
 class DScroller;
 
 class FScanner;
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ struct level_info_t
 	FString		LevelName;
 	SBYTE		WallVertLight, WallHorizLight;
 	int			musicorder;
-	FCompressedMemFile	*snapshot;
+	FCompressedBuffer	Snapshot;
 	DWORD		snapshotVer;
 	struct acsdefered_t *defered;
 	float		skyspeed1;
@@ -346,13 +346,12 @@ struct level_info_t
 	}
 	~level_info_t()
 	{
-		ClearSnapshot(); 
+		Snapshot.Clean();
 		ClearDefered();
 	}
 	void Reset();
 	bool isValid();
 	FString LookupLevelName ();
-	void ClearSnapshot();
 	void ClearDefered();
 	level_info_t *CheckLevelRedirect ();
 
diff --git a/src/g_mapinfo.cpp b/src/g_mapinfo.cpp
index ac1552b999..ff4ef0e871 100644
--- a/src/g_mapinfo.cpp
+++ b/src/g_mapinfo.cpp
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ void G_ClearSnapshots (void)
 {
 	for (unsigned int i = 0; i < wadlevelinfos.Size(); i++)
 	{
-		wadlevelinfos[i].ClearSnapshot();
+		wadlevelinfos[i].Snapshot.Clean();
 	}
 	// Since strings are only locked when snapshotting a level, unlock them
 	// all now, since we got rid of all the snapshots that cared about them.
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ void level_info_t::Reset()
 	WallVertLight = +8;
 	F1Pic = "";
 	musicorder = 0;
-	snapshot = NULL;
+	Snapshot = { 0,0,0,0,nullptr };
 	snapshotVer = 0;
 	defered = 0;
 	skyspeed1 = skyspeed2 = 0.f;
@@ -334,17 +334,6 @@ FString level_info_t::LookupLevelName()
 }
 
 
-//==========================================================================
-//
-//
-//==========================================================================
-
-void level_info_t::ClearSnapshot()
-{
-	if (snapshot != NULL) delete snapshot;
-	snapshot = NULL;
-}
-
 //==========================================================================
 //
 //
diff --git a/src/p_saveg.cpp b/src/p_saveg.cpp
index 59d5f8f04d..8f6038bf5c 100644
--- a/src/p_saveg.cpp
+++ b/src/p_saveg.cpp
@@ -988,12 +988,3 @@ void G_SerializeLevel(FSerializer &arc, bool hubload)
 }
 
 
-//==========================================================================
-//
-//
-//==========================================================================
-
-void G_SerializeLevel(FArchive &arc, bool hubLoad)
-{
-}
-
diff --git a/src/p_saveg.h b/src/p_saveg.h
index 63beb72b8b..43293c57ae 100644
--- a/src/p_saveg.h
+++ b/src/p_saveg.h
@@ -45,6 +45,6 @@ void P_DestroyThinkers(bool hubLoad);
 void P_ReadACSDefereds (PNGHandle *png);
 void P_WriteACSDefereds (FILE *file);
 
-void G_SerializeLevel(FArchive &arc, bool hubLoad);
+void G_SerializeLevel(FSerializer &arc, bool hubLoad);
 
 #endif // __P_SAVEG_H__
diff --git a/src/resourcefiles/file_zip.cpp b/src/resourcefiles/file_zip.cpp
index fcf5523ad8..2445776316 100644
--- a/src/resourcefiles/file_zip.cpp
+++ b/src/resourcefiles/file_zip.cpp
@@ -314,6 +314,7 @@ FCompressedBuffer FZipFile::GetRawLump(int lumpnum)
 	FCompressedBuffer cbuf = { (unsigned)lmp->LumpSize, (unsigned)lmp->CompressedSize, lmp->Method, lmp->GPFlags, new char[lmp->CompressedSize] };
 	Reader->Seek(lmp->Position, SEEK_SET);
 	Reader->Read(cbuf.mBuffer, lmp->CompressedSize);
+	return cbuf;
 }
 
 //==========================================================================
diff --git a/src/resourcefiles/file_zip.h b/src/resourcefiles/file_zip.h
index 54fbde92b4..dc10d558d2 100644
--- a/src/resourcefiles/file_zip.h
+++ b/src/resourcefiles/file_zip.h
@@ -13,6 +13,15 @@ struct FCompressedBuffer
 	char *mBuffer;
 	
 	bool Decompress(char *destbuffer);
+	void Clean()
+	{
+		mSize = mCompressedSize = 0;
+		if (mBuffer != nullptr)
+		{
+			delete[] mBuffer;
+			mBuffer = nullptr;
+		}
+	}
 };
 
 enum
diff --git a/src/s_sound.cpp b/src/s_sound.cpp
index 7716a8d277..12b280a74b 100644
--- a/src/s_sound.cpp
+++ b/src/s_sound.cpp
@@ -446,7 +446,7 @@ void S_Start ()
 
 	// Don't start the music if loading a savegame, because the music is stored there.
 	// Don't start the music if revisiting a level in a hub for the same reason.
-	if (!savegamerestore && (level.info == NULL || level.info->snapshot == NULL || !level.info->isValid()))
+	if (!savegamerestore && (level.info == nullptr || level.info->Snapshot.mBuffer == nullptr || !level.info->isValid()))
 	{
 		if (level.cdtrack == 0 || !S_ChangeCDMusic (level.cdtrack, level.cdid))
 			S_ChangeMusic (level.Music, level.musicorder);