Best Compression Methods for 'Specific' Games. Q&A

[shazzla]

This BK2 files cannot be compressed using BPK ?!
Its a new thing to me.
Or i miss something ? (Other BIKs/BK2s compressing well.)

XY@DESKTOP-TSNPU1C d:\repack\pack
$ arc a -mbpk e:\bik.arc "d:\Layers of Fear - 2023-\Cron\Content\Movies\Intro\Intro_4K.bk2"
FreeArc 0.67 (March 15 2014) creating archive: e:\bik.arc
Compressed 1 file, 669,310,488 => 669,310,655 bytes. Ratio 100.00%
Compression time: cpu 1.09 sec/real 4.47 sec = 24%. Speed 149.78 mB/s
All OK

wattafak@DESKTOP-TSNPU1C e:\repack\pack
$ arc a -mbpk e:\bik2.arc "d:\Layers of Fear - 2023-\Cron\Content\Movies\CH5\Cinema\CH5_Cinema_Movie.b k2"
FreeArc 0.67 (March 15 2014) creating archive: e:\bik2.arc
Compressed 1 file, 100,336,964 => 100,336,995 bytes. Ratio 100.00%
Compression time: cpu 0.14 sec/real 0.66 sec = 21%. Speed 151.72 mB/s
All OK

[KaktoR]

Yes, new bink2 videos cannot be compressed with bpk. Watch out for the "KB2n" file header with hex editor.

[kuyhaa]

hi everyone

how to extract "disc" file on SOS: A Wonderful Life game and pack back, or plugin for xtool

thanks

[Masquerade]

Originally Posted by kuyhaa

hi everyone

how to extract "disc" file on SOS: A Wonderful Life game and pack back, or plugin for xtool

thanks

Not possible with XTool. You can have the game running with extracted disc file but needs EXE patching. Password to decrypt disc can be found here: https://github.com/Masquerade64/SoS-AWL-Password
Just normal ZipCrypto. Compressed data with lzs algo, very similar to early lz4.

[Hexagon123]

Originally Posted by Masquerade

Not possible with XTool. You can have the game running with extracted disc file but needs EXE patching. Password to decrypt disc can be found here: https://github.com/Masquerade64/SoS-AWL-Password
Just normal ZipCrypto. Compressed data with lzs algo, very similar to early lz4.

The process is similar to Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 (2017)?

[Masquerade]

Originally Posted by Hexagon123

The process is similar to Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 (2017)?

Try this for MMLC2:

https://www.vg-resource.com/thread-41735.html

[KaktoR]

For my earlier test, about unpacking PCK files, encoding wem's and such, here is a comparisson for ACOrigins audio files. Excluding processing banks.


SFX + English audio

original
input 3.795.077.936 bytes

Compressed 41 files, 3,795,077,936 => 3,041,411,552 bytes. Ratio 80.14%
Compression time: cpu 2.05 sec/real 223.01 sec = 1%. Speed 17.02 mB/s
All OK

Time 4 minutes

---

diffz+ww files + nulled wem blovks inside PCK files
input 7.422.151.129 bytes)

Compressed 148,175 files, 7,422,151,129 => 2,979,433,554 bytes. Ratio 40.14%
Compression time: cpu 23.94 sec/real 763.29 sec = 3%. Speed 9.72 mB/s
All OK

Time 1 hour 20 minutes

~25%-33% +time per language

[L33THAK0R]

Originally Posted by KaktoR

For my earlier test, about unpacking PCK files, encoding wem's and such, here is a comparisson for ACOrigins audio files. Excluding processing banks.


SFX + English audio

original
input 3.795.077.936 bytes

Compressed 41 files, 3,795,077,936 => 3,041,411,552 bytes. Ratio 80.14%
Compression time: cpu 2.05 sec/real 223.01 sec = 1%. Speed 17.02 mB/s
All OK

Time 4 minutes

---

diffz+ww files + nulled wem blovks inside PCK files
input 7.422.151.129 bytes)

Compressed 148,175 files, 7,422,151,129 => 2,979,433,554 bytes. Ratio 40.14%
Compression time: cpu 23.94 sec/real 763.29 sec = 3%. Speed 9.72 mB/s
All OK

Time 1 hour 20 minutes

~25%-33% +time per language

I wonder if it'd be faster and result in a better ratio to instead extract all the relevant files and pack each PCK as one singular block, then patch the block once its been decoded and reverted back to its original form with the original PCK file. I've found especially with smaller blanked out sections within an archive the final compressor sometimes doesn't achieve as optimal a result as it would when working on a singular patch file. I had this exact issue with Just Cause 3, when I initially patched each FSB (of which there were thousands) and then wrote the now patched FSBs into the archives, which resulted in a fairly lackluster result, compared to combining each valid file extracted from the FSBs into one singular block and creating a hdiffz patch between that block and the original "*.arc" archive.

[Enluaphelis]

Hello! How to determine which is the best method for compressing "Gravel" game?
I did not find it in the index so I don't know.
It has .mp4 files, .pak files, .exe
Also I don't quite understand how to make an installer after compressing it in DiskSpanGUI. I tried using some random methods but the files I got as an output look weird and I don't know what is the best option: "dvd5" or "unlimited". I don't understand how to pack it in the installer, where to put compressed files in and how to make it work.
I'd appreciate your help.

[KaktoR]

Use zlib

Streams: 10832 / 10834
Time: 00:00:05 (CPU 00:00:25)

Size: 312 MB >> 669 MB

[Enluaphelis]

Originally Posted by KaktoR

Use zlib

Streams: 10832 / 10834
Time: 00:00:05 (CPU 00:00:25)

Size: 312 MB >> 669 MB

For all files you mean? Also how to properly make an installer and what is the best installer for diskspangui? Which split method choose in "dvd-cd-bluray-unlimited" section?

[Enluaphelis]

Originally Posted by KaktoR

Use zlib

Streams: 10832 / 10834
Time: 00:00:05 (CPU 00:00:25)

Size: 312 MB >> 669 MB

I tried to compressed Gravel game but output size is twice size.
https://imgur.com/a/hm6nbiP
This is the settings I used, I did not find "zlib" so I used xtool:mzlib, I don't know which one I should use: https://imgur.com/a/cbGueNR
What am I doing wrong?

[Wanterlude]

Originally Posted by Enluaphelis

I tried to compressed Gravel game but output size is twice size.
https://imgur.com/a/hm6nbiP
This is the settings I used, I did not find "zlib" so I used xtool:mzlib, I don't know which one I should use: https://imgur.com/a/cbGueNR
What am I doing wrong?

1) Xtool [currently: zlib] (Only decompresses files for better compression)
2) Deduplicator [srep] (Removes repetitions)
3) Compressor [lolz/lzma/7z/...] (lolz better but slower then others)
Example for DiskSpan: xtool:mzlib+srep_new:1+LOLZ_NORMAL or xtool:mzlib+srep_new:1+lzma2

p.s. You do not need to prescribe anything yourself, everything can be selected in the program itself

[Enluaphelis]

Originally Posted by Wanterlude

1) Xtool [currently: zlib] (Only decompresses files for better compression)
2) Deduplicator [srep] (Removes repetitions)
3) Compressor [lolz/lzma/7z/...] (lolz better but slower then others)
Example for DiskSpan: xtool:mzlib+srep_new:1+LOLZ_NORMAL or xtool:mzlib+srep_new:1+lzma2

Thanks, gonna try tomorrow. So if I understand using only xtool:zlib only decompressed files for me but not compressed it again and hence I got that size
By the way, what does NORMAL mean after LOLZ? It means compression level or thread priotity?

[Wanterlude]

Originally Posted by Enluaphelis

Thanks, gonna try tomorrow. So if I understand using only xtool:zlib only decompressed files for me but not compressed it again and hence I got that size
By the way, what does NORMAL mean after LOLZ? It means compression level or thread priotity?

Lolz: From the bottom up, from the weakest compression to the strongest, but the stronger the compression, the more time will be spent on it. Normal, High, ... its just presets.
You can read all info about lolz here [But in Russian] [You can use the translator] https://krinkels.org/resources/lolz.264/