Hak Files, Tilesets, and File Size
So, I added to my Hythum Hak tonight. I wanted to combine the existing HAK (which is about 5MB, with a set of Towers from the vault (no problem), the sewer tileset, and the crypt pit tileset.
I could get the placeables to work for the Towers and Crypt Pit, but could not get the tilesets up and running. The HAK did not crash the mod and I'm pretty sure the 2da files I need are in good order.
I was also alarmed to see the resulting HAK file clocked in about 150 MB. So far Hythum has 4 mods, and will probably have 8 - 10 when done, each close to 100 MB. This thing is going to be a monster.
Questions:
1) What did I do wrong with the tilesets. At this point I am inclined to leave them out due to file size and they are not critical, but I remain curious. I tried adding the original tileset hak files with my own. I think the 2da files within must have clobbered each other, but I'm afraid I'm pushing the limits of what I know about how these things work. In my understanding it's best to combine them into 1 unified 2da.
2) How big is too big for a HAK? What do people perfer?
3) What is too big for a module?
4) What is too big for a campaign?
I'm pretty happy with where I am and where I am headed, but I thought it was worth asking!
I could get the placeables to work for the Towers and Crypt Pit, but could not get the tilesets up and running. The HAK did not crash the mod and I'm pretty sure the 2da files I need are in good order.
I was also alarmed to see the resulting HAK file clocked in about 150 MB. So far Hythum has 4 mods, and will probably have 8 - 10 when done, each close to 100 MB. This thing is going to be a monster.
Questions:
1) What did I do wrong with the tilesets. At this point I am inclined to leave them out due to file size and they are not critical, but I remain curious. I tried adding the original tileset hak files with my own. I think the 2da files within must have clobbered each other, but I'm afraid I'm pushing the limits of what I know about how these things work. In my understanding it's best to combine them into 1 unified 2da.
2) How big is too big for a HAK? What do people perfer?
3) What is too big for a module?
4) What is too big for a campaign?
I'm pretty happy with where I am and where I am headed, but I thought it was worth asking!
I recommend you to combine the 2da's and even the haks into one. I know that others may have a different view but that's what have worked out best for me. I had problems with useing the crypt tile hak when it was in a different hak but it worked fine when I combined them into one. I removed them due to size though.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to sizes I say. If it's a good module any size is ok. 500 GB disk is cheap today :) and downloading good stuff is always worth waiting for.
That's what I've been doing, and I was successful in combining all of the 2da files last night.
ReplyDeleteThe result was large which was a concern, I'm glad to hear that would not be a deterrent for you.
More important the tilesets never worked, both when the 2das and all content were in 1 hak vs multiple haks. Very odd...
The tilesets are not critical and I think Darmok and I are going to steer clear of them both to keep things simple and keep the size down. I did include the RWS Tower pack , which we both absolutely want.
That seems to work great!
You (only the builder, not the player) need some of the 2das in the override folder for tilesets to show up in the toolset, I believe.
ReplyDeleteObviously if you're using multiple tilesets they should all be in the same 2da.
Far as the file size goes...my override (all item models) is like 600 MB and my hak is 430 MB. The first of my 3 modules is 300 MB mostly complete, the second is already 150 MB. Ch 1 is 250 MB.
But when it's all zipped it's not so big.
But I realize it's over a gig of files (and probably more like 1.5+ when I'm done), but that's just the way things are with NWN2. I mean, if people want to see all of the custom content and pretty exteriors in anything but screenshots and play a 30 hour + campaign, that's the price you've got to pay.
I really wouldn't worry about it.
Thanks for the input dirtywick and nice to hear from you.
ReplyDeleteI usually don't need the 2da in my override if I attach a hak to my mod that includes the override file. Do tilesets work differently?
The size has always been big, but it is beyond huge for NWN2, I suppose storage is cheap but man we've got to be sucking down some series bandwidth with the download count on many of these mods.
It's my understanding that tilesets work differently and need the 2das in the override folder for them to show in the toolset.
ReplyDeleteI've never experimented to verify that, though. I just put the 2das in both the hak and the override and call it a day.
Thanks. I may go back and try my hak that includes everything but the kitchen sink one more time.
ReplyDeleteLooks like putting the tileset related files in the override directory did the trick. I am going to discuss using the large hak with my teammate, Darmok. We'll see.
ReplyDeleteThanks to Dirtywick for the suggestion.