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

[KaktoR]

Anno 1404 History Edition
Nothing ripped, all languages

Selected ARC/DS method for Data1a-01.bin was: srep_new+mpz_mtx
Selected ARC/DS method for Data1b-01.bin was: srep_new+msc_tak+4x4:b64mb:lzma:ultra:64m:bt4:fb273:lc8:mc1000000
Selected ARC/SPLIT method for Data1c-01.bin was: srep_new+4x4:b64mb:lzma:ultra:64m:bt4:fb273:lc8:mc1000000/$mp3pack=srep_new+mpz_mtx/$jpgpack=packjpg
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Installation folder size: 7.26 GB
Compressed game size: 4.47 GB (Ratio 61.52%)

Data1a = all language files in addon/maindata folder
Data1b = maindata\data4.rda
Data1c = rest of the files including Soundtrack/Poster

Note: maindata\data4.rda has bink videos inside. You can compress with bpk, but unpacking will lead to crc errors.

Anno 1503 History Edition
Nothing ripped, all languages

Selected ARC/SPLIT method for Data2a-01.bin was: srep_new+4x4:b64mb:lzma:ultra:64m:bt4:fb273:lc8:mc1000000/$bpkpack=bpk/$mscpack=srep_new+msc_tak/$mp3pack=srep_new+mpz_mtx/$jpgpack=packjpg
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Installation folder size: 6.75 GB
Compressed game size: 3.32 GB (Ratio 49.25%)

Anno 1602 History Edition
Nothing ripped, all languages

Selected ARC/SPLIT method for Data3a-01.bin was: srep_new+4x4:b64mb:lzma:ultra:64m:bt4:fb273:lc8:mc1000000/$bpkpack=1/$mscpack=srep_new+msc_tak/$mp3pack=srep_new+mpz_mtx/$jpgpack=packjpg
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Installation folder size: 1.52 GB
Compressed game size: 0.94 GB (Ratio 61.83%)

Note: Using binkpack for bik videos will lead to crc errors on all files if you unpack.

Anno 1701 History Edition
Nothing ripped, all languages

Selected ARC/SPLIT method for Data4a-01.bin was: xt_zlib+srep_new+4x4:b64mb:lzma:ultra:64m:bt4:fb273:lc8:mc1000000/$anno1701hempz=bpk+srep_new+mpz_mtx/$anno1701hebpk=bpk+srep_new+4x4:b64mb:lzma:ultra:64m:bt4:fb273:lc8:mc1000000/$mp3pack=srep_new+mpz_mtx/$jpgpack=packjpg/$libpack=srep_new+razor_mtx
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Installation folder size: 12.77 GB
Compressed game size: 5.86 GB (Ratio 45.87%)

Mask $anno1701hempz = data2_<language>.rda (all of this files also containing bink videos. binkpack works fine here)
Mask $anno1701hebpk =  data4.rda, data5.rda (this files also containing non-bink files, so use bpk+<some compressor>)

Overall Note: For the rda files in the "ahe" folders of all 4 games you can use zlib

NOTE:

Anno 1404 History Edition
maindata\data4.rda (contains bink videos/wav/raw/mp3, bpk crc error, msc works fine)

Anno 1503 History Edition
Videos\1080p_30fps_5Sec.bk2 (bpk crc error)
Videos\1080p_30fps_5Sec.bk2 (bpk crc error)
BonusContent\Anno_1503_soundtrack\60 - Windgames.mp3 (mpz unpack error, use packmp3/msc)
ToolGfx\*.bmp (msc crash)

Anno 1701 History Edition
data2_<lang>.rda (contains bink videos/mp3, bpk+mpz throws errors, use bpk+msc)