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

[KaktoR]

I would try to compress the files with zip with same zip settings and password, then make diff patch to patch files back to original. Not sure if this will work, could be difficult because of the password protection.

[wareck]

yes it's more or less what I tried

In fact this file, basis.pak was uses as a mounted drive/partition
There is a structure like if they done an usb/harddrive image.

I'm starting a test, maybe the game do not check the crc of this file.
in this case probably I may unpack/repack without problem

I'll give an update this evening

[Masquerade]

Game runs with unpacked data.

[wareck]

Ok, it works
it's not a realy nice way to pack/unpack but it works
I think the problem is when use zip with password, it introduce some random number in header and data of the final zip
So there is no easy way to use xdelta or hdiff to rebuild original file

what i've done for v1.04.987:
uncompress basis.pak in a temporary folder
uncompress patch_003.pak in temporary folder
uncompress patch_005.pak in temporary folder
remove basis.pak patch_003.pak patch_005.pak

pack with diskspangui

then in my unpack batch, in the temporary folder :
.\7z.exe -mx5 -tzip -spe -poKoo$]bnGTKJLMNBA9A a patch_003.pak .\patch_003\*
.\7z.exe -mx5 -tzip -spe -poKoo$]bnGTKJLMNBA9A a patch_005.pak .\patch_005\*
.\7z.exe -mx5 -tzip -spe -poKoo$]bnGTKJLMNBA9A a basis.pak .\basis\*
move basis.pak ..\
move patch_005.pak ..\
move patch_003.pak ..\
delete temporay folder

I'm around 10go compressed game with setup.exe
game works without issue

[KaktoR]

Originally Posted by wareck

Ok, it works
it's not a realy nice way to pack/unpack but it works
I think the problem is when use zip with password, it introduce some random number in header and data of the final zip
So there is no easy way to use xdelta or hdiff to rebuild original file

what i've done for v1.04.987:
uncompress basis.pak in a temporary folder
uncompress patch_003.pak in temporary folder
uncompress patch_005.pak in temporary folder
remove basis.pak patch_003.pak patch_005.pak

pack with diskspangui

then in my unpack batch, in the temporary folder :
.\7z.exe -mx5 -tzip -spe -poKoo$]bnGTKJLMNBA9A a patch_003.pak .\patch_003\*
.\7z.exe -mx5 -tzip -spe -poKoo$]bnGTKJLMNBA9A a patch_005.pak .\patch_005\*
.\7z.exe -mx5 -tzip -spe -poKoo$]bnGTKJLMNBA9A a basis.pak .\basis\*
move basis.pak ..\
move patch_005.pak ..\
move patch_003.pak ..\
delete temporay folder

I'm around 10go compressed game with setup.exe
game works without issue

I did a deep check today and found out there are at least 1 wav file which will crash using msc or flac.

[LILU]

Sker Ritual v 1.0.2.20980

 22:14:35 - You have chosen the DVD5 type for the media size.
 22:14:35 - ISO images will not be created when conversion is complete.
 22:14:35 - The computer will remain on when the conversion is complete.
 22:14:35 - Selected ARC/DS method for Data1a-01.bin was: xtool:c32mb:munity+4x4:b96mb:lzma:ultra:bt4:fb273:lc8:mc1000000:96mb
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 22:14:36 - Compression initialized in 17.06.2024 at 22:14:36.
 22:14:36 - Starting Data1a-01.bin archive creation.
 22:33:58 - Moving Data1a-01.bin » Data1a-02.bin files to media folder.
 22:33:58 - Compression finished in 17.06.2024 at 22:33:58.
 22:33:58 - Updating new files into the Setup.dll file.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 22:33:59 - Getting size of the game: Sker Ritual
 22:33:59 - » Installation folder size: 19,95 GB
 22:33:59 - » Compressed game size: 8,41 GB (Ratio 42.13%)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 22:33:59 - Overall input size: 19,95 GB
 22:33:59 - Overall output size: 8,41 GB (Ratio 42.13%)
 22:33:59 - Overall conversion time: 00:19:22
 22:33:59 - Overall conversion discs: 2 DVD5

 17:11:32 - Deleting files from the output folder.
 17:11:33 - Files have been deleted.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 17:11:33 - You have chosen the DVD5 type for the media size.
 17:11:33 - ISO images will not be created when conversion is complete.
 17:11:33 - The computer will remain on when the conversion is complete.
 17:11:33 - Selected ARC/DS method for Data1a-01.bin was: xtool:c32mb:munity+lolz:dtb1:d77:mtt1:mt12:mc1023
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 17:11:33 - Compression initialized in 18.06.2024 at 17:11:33.
 17:11:33 - Starting Data1a-01.bin archive creation.
 19:43:03 - Moving Data1a-01.bin » Data1a-02.bin files to media folder.
 19:43:03 - Compression finished in 18.06.2024 at 19:43:03.
 19:43:03 - Updating new files into the Setup.dll file.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 19:43:03 - Getting size of the game: Sker Ritual
 19:43:03 - » Installation folder size: 19,95 GB
 19:43:03 - » Compressed game size: 7,44 GB (Ratio 37.30%)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 19:43:03 - Overall input size: 19,95 GB
 19:43:03 - Overall output size: 7,44 GB (Ratio 37.30%)
 19:43:03 - Overall conversion time: 02:31:30
 19:43:03 - Overall conversion discs: 2 DVD5

[Danziel123]

Hello everyone, maybe someone knows the compression method for the Crime Boss Rockay City game? this is an example file:
Ucas: https://drive.google.com/file/d/141x...usp=drive_link
Pak: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1P7Q...usp=drive_link
Thank you

[KaktoR]

Originally Posted by Danziel123

Hello everyone, maybe someone knows the compression method for the Crime Boss Rockay City game? this is an example file:
Ucas: https://drive.google.com/file/d/141x...usp=drive_link
Pak: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1P7Q...usp=drive_link
Thank you

zlib

[Masquerade]

zlib+reflate gives slightly better ratio:

xtool precomp -mzlib data
XTool is created by Razor12911

Version 0.8.7

Streams: 20523 / 20974
Time: 00:00:03 (CPU 00:00:25)

Size: 406 MB >> 924 MB

xtool precomp -mzlib+reflate data
XTool is created by Razor12911

Version 0.8.7

Streams: 20974 / 20974
Time: 00:00:02 (CPU 00:00:24)

Size: 406 MB >> 927 MB

[Danziel123]

Originally Posted by KaktoR

zlib

Thank you for telling me, but why is the compression process always stuck here? I've been waiting for 4 hours and it hasn't finished

[LILU]

HORROR TALES: The Beggar v 14729589

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------- CONVERSION DATE 2024.06.19 --------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 11:41:33 - Deleting files from the output folder.
 11:41:33 - Files have been deleted.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 11:41:33 - You have chosen the DVD5 type for the media size.
 11:41:33 - ISO images will not be created when conversion is complete.
 11:41:33 - The computer will remain on when the conversion is complete.
 11:41:33 - Selected ARC/DS method for Data1a-01.bin was: xtool:c32mb:t50p:mkraken:mmermaid:mselkie:7:mzlib:dd3+lolz:dtb1:d94:mtt1:mt12:mc1023
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 11:41:33 - Compression initialized in 19.06.2024 at 11:41:33.
 11:41:33 - Starting Data1a-01.bin archive creation.
 13:05:36 - Moving Data1a-01.bin » Data1a-02.bin files to media folder.
 13:05:36 - Compression finished in 19.06.2024 at 13:05:36.
 13:05:36 - Updating new files into the Setup.dll file.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 13:05:37 - Getting size of the game: HORROR TALES: The Beggar
 13:05:37 - » Installation folder size: 10,54 GB
 13:05:37 - » Compressed game size: 5,12 GB (Ratio 48.57%)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 13:05:37 - Overall input size: 10,54 GB
 13:05:37 - Overall output size: 5,12 GB (Ratio 48.57%)
 13:05:37 - Overall conversion time: 01:21:38
 13:05:37 - Overall conversion discs: 2 DVD5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[KaktoR]

This file will cause a crash:

basis.pak\sounds\dialogs\10_mission\10th_sintu_last_mission_1_1.wav

PS: I can't edit my previous post because forum software is bugged.

[wareck]

yes in fact there are something like 12 wav files that can crash msc/flac
that's why I switched to wavpack which does 100% wav conversions

There's another little trick
If you make a batch script to automate file creation before compression.
some files have names in Cyrillic
So I added this command to my batch file:

chcp 65001

[wareck]

I can post my batch files if you want
it's not really optimized I've started to try conversion something like 2 month ago...

[KaktoR]

Originally Posted by wareck

I can post my batch files if you want
it's not really optimized I've started to try conversion something like 2 month ago...

Would be good for general information for other users, so if you want just post it