Backing up MAX PAYNE

HANS_COBBO · #1 13-02-2003, 14:40

I've just copied Max Payne to my PC HD and the total size is over 5GB. Is it possible to downsize this by removing the Language directorys

dude · #2 13-02-2003, 14:52

hi
i backed up my copy of maxpayne pal version to dvd-r no problem did not alter it at all, cant remember of the top of my head what size it is.

Quall999 · #3 13-02-2003, 16:58

the only language files you need, is the language you will be playing the game it. All extras can go. You can also remove any demos.

Are the movie files in .bik format? (look for files with .bik extensions)

HANS_COBBO · #4 14-02-2003, 13:22

Quote:

Originally posted by Quall999
the only language files you need, is the language you will be playing the game it. All extras can go. You can also remove any demos.

Are the movie files in .bik format? (look for files with .bik extensions)

All i can see are .ras and sound files that are in .wav format. Just for future reference, is it safe to remove certain files without causing any side effects in gameplay, i.e. movies etc. Also, if you do remove certain files do you have to replace any of them with small dummy files so that it tricks the game into thinking that there's data present.

Do all movie files have the .bik extension?

Thanks

Quall999 · #5 14-02-2003, 16:12

Being safe to remove certain files kinda depends on the game. I can remove the xdemos in halo, with no side effect. When I remove them in amped (or some other game. I dont remember the name) the game won't play.

The only files that can be removed and replace with dummy files, are the movie, sound, and picture files. But the dummy files have to be actual movie/sound/jpg files. So, you can replace a 3 minute wav file, with a 3 second wave file providing the name is the same.

If it is a movie file, you have to get the same resolutions. If the movie file is 640x480, then you need one that is 640x480 (rarely tou don't have to). However, you can replace it with a 1 second movie file and basically take up no room. (if it is one second, sometimes the movie will just hang untill you press a button)
I ussually just convert a blank jpeg image into a movie file. It plays for less than a second and barely takes up any room at all.

Making a blank file and renaming it just won't do it.

And no, not all movie files are .bik. It's just that they are the most common, and they are easy to replace/downsample.

HANS_COBBO · #6 15-02-2003, 03:30

Cheers for that reply.

the-saint464 · #7 21-01-2004, 05:07

right, despite reading this and other posts about oversized games, I still can't figure out what to do, remove rename etc etc.

Here is my story so far. I fxp'd the entire Max Payne and Max Payne 2 games to my PC's Hard drive. Both games are about 5.7gb in size and both have French Italian and Spanish languages along with English which I dont want to touch. Now in each of the language folders there is the following :-

1 X data folder which is about 220mb in size and contains a config folder and a database folder which contains all the sounds. There is also the following files

X_data.ras
X_english.ras
X_headers.ras
X_level1.ras
X_level2.ras
X_level3.ras
X_music.ras
X_streams_data.ras
X_streams_level1.ras
X_streams_level2.ras
X_streams_level3.ras

which in total adds up to about 1.2gb

can someone please explain, in extremely simple terms please, what to do so I can either remove some of these files or replace them with dummy files so I can burn it onto a standard DVD-R disc.

thanks in advance

Quall999 · #8 21-01-2004, 05:18

Delete each language folders, except english though.

Unless you plan on setting your xbox to french, Italian, or spanish anytime soon, there shouldn't be a problem.

the-saint464 · #9 21-01-2004, 09:43

right I tried that and it didn't work. It played the intro film and got as far as the loading screen with the Max Payne screenshot then froze. I used prassi primo to burn the iso and xiso to create the iso. I am using Verbatim branded DVD-R discs and have never had any problems using them in the past so the problem is not the media I am using.

Any other ideas ?

Quall999 · #10 22-01-2004, 05:36

Well, it freezes if the time isn't set correctly. Turn your modchip off, go to the MS dashboard. If it asks you to set the time then set it and reboot your xbox to try the game. If it boots the dash as normal, then the time is not a problem.

Also, turn off evolutionX's "In Game Resets". All 3 of them. That might fix your problem.

If I remember correctly. After you delete the language files, the game size should be reduced greatly. Like to 2-3 gigs.

the-saint464 · #11 22-01-2004, 08:18

ok....tried all that. the clock was set fine and i turned off the in game resets but still the same. I only deleted one of the language folders so do you think that would make any difference ? I also assumed you deleted the folder as well as the files inside ? did i assume right or wrong ?

still the same, he said crying into his dvd burner

Quall999 · #12 22-01-2004, 09:16

I don't have this game lol. But, people who backed it up deleted the language files to get it to fit. Try deleting the files in the folders one by one. I suggest yo uuse your HDD to test the game, it would be quicker. Maybe the folders need to be there, but not the files.

I'd try the X_launguage.ras and the level#.ras first.

the-saint464 · #13 23-01-2004, 12:03

right new update

deleted all the files in the language folders namely

X_data.ras
X_english.ras
X_headers.ras
X_level1.ras
X_level2.ras
X_level3.ras
X_music.ras
X_streams_data.ras
X_streams_level1.ras
X_streams_level2.ras
X_streams_level3.ras

leaving the folder and the data folder intact. I then fxp'd this to the xbox and it plays......I am now going to try and make an iso from this and burn it. I will keep you all updated

dude · #14 23-01-2004, 12:05

yeah thats what i did , then burned it to disc with data burn and it's fine.

the-saint464 · #15 23-01-2004, 12:52

right starting to get mad now. I burnt the disc as normal using prassi primo, the global image screen. I made sure it was set to disc at once (DAO closed) and cd mode 1 (blocking 2048) DVD but again it sticks at the loading screen, I can only imagine that I am doing something daft here. Do I need a patch or something on the disc due to all the content I have removed ? I am now open to any suggestion.

ps again dont say "just leave it on the hard drive" it has now become a point of principle.....I will get this to work