Results 1 to 23 of 23

Thread: You don't need to repack PAK files

  1. #1
    Senior Member Senior Member Duke John's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Netherlands
    Posts
    2,917

    Default You don't need to repack PAK files

    PAK files don't need to repacked after you have extracted the files with the PAK program from Vercingetorix. R:TW first looks at the PAK files but if they are not there it will look for them inside the normal directory structure.

    If you extracted the files then the tool makes something like:

    DATA\UI\etc.

    You then copy the UI/etc and paste it into

    \Rome - Total War\data

    If you extracted all packs then do this for all created directories and you can then rename/move the PAK files. If you only extracted 1 PAK then only rename/move that particular PAK file.

  2. #2

    Default Re: You don't need to repack PAK files

    Why isn't this a sticky? You are a moderator after all, you can sticky it. I think it's important enough.

  3. #3
    Clan Takiyama Senior Member CBR's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    Denmark
    Posts
    4,408

    Default Re: You don't need to repack PAK files

    Yes you are still a moderator here. Do your job!


    CBR

  4. #4
    Senior Member Senior Member Duke John's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Netherlands
    Posts
    2,917

    Default Re: You don't need to repack PAK files

    Behold one of my last acts!

    Edit: I did notice that R:TW loaded slower when you removed the PAKs. So you should only do this when testing small things that are inside the PAK; interface and such.
    Last edited by Duke John; 10-29-2004 at 22:11.

  5. #5

    Default Re: You don't need to repack PAK files

    I feel like I made a difference ^_^

  6. #6

    Default Re: You don't need to repack PAK files

    ALso be aware that Jerome indicated the unpacked TGA files take up more texture memory. This means you should avoid large numbers of tgas. If a mod has a large number of these it should be repaked as a courtesy to users with low mem graphics cards.

  7. #7

    Default Re: You don't need to repack PAK files

    In order to repack wouldnt you have to include other tga files that are already in the game? if so this could increase the size of a mod alot!

    Lt
    LT_1956 Creator of SPQR: Total War


    SPQR:TW Mod forums

  8. #8

    Default Re: You don't need to repack PAK files

    LT, did you see my post on re-packing and patching the pak files?

    http://www.twcenter.net/forums/index...howtopic=25235

  9. #9
    CeltiberoRamiroI Member Monkwarrior's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Salduie/Caesaraugusta/ Sarakusta/Saragossa
    Posts
    828

    Default Re: You don't need to repack PAK files

    I found a easier and more direct method to patch the pak files.
    Have a look at this post:
    https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showp...1&postcount=30

  10. #10
    New Modder....for Now Member Malchus Barca's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Posts
    21

    Default Re: You don't need to repack PAK files

    ohhh. ..I see I used Vertingorixs xpak extracter etc.... but left in in the packs file...so if I take out the now unpacked data file and put it in rometotalwar/date file + delete the original pack files I can finally change the unit enums etc.......

    Right????
    -Proud Creator of Assyria Total War-

    https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=53808

    -Cheers-
    Malchus...

  11. #11

    Default Re: You don't need to repack PAK files

    Well, you can change export_descr_unit_enums anyway without unpaking anything. But generally yes, do that and you should be able to change any of the pakked files. Except that I would rename the paks, rather than delete them, so that they're there in case anything goes wrong.
    Epistolary Richard's modding Rules of Cool
    Cool modders make their mods with the :mod command line switch
    If they don't, then Cool mod-users use the Mod Enabler (JSGME)
    Cool modders use show_err
    Cool modders use the tutorials database Cool modders check out the Welcome to the Modding Forums! thread Cool modders keep backups Cool modders help each other out

  12. #12

    Default Re: I've got a quick question on pasting the files back in

    I'm conused-

    Do you paste the Data\UI into Rome - Total War\Data\packs or do you directly put them into Rome - Total War\Data, because there seem to be a few folders with the same name as some of the ones im trying to put in (i unpacked everything btw) and i don't know if I should replace them or not

    Thanks ahead of time for any responses!

  13. #13

    Question Re: You don't need to repack PAK files

    hi, i was going to ask, but this thread is already close enough to topic...so no need for me to start a new one and waste any space doing so...
    could someone please explain the whole PAK files stuff..., what are in these pakfiles??? unpak them for what? how does this extractor work exactly?
    and how does this relate to RTW and to RTW-BI? i noticed in the BI folder there are files like the data/ui/ stuff...breaking down into factions and such too.
    so could someone tell me what its all for? is it all just tga images used in the game or the expansion?
    pillage, plunder, burn...

  14. #14

    Default Re: You don't need to repack PAK files

    Seven.the.Hun: The pak files contain lots of different files used by the game, including most of the textures and UI images. If you want to change, replace, or re-use, any of these files you need to un-pack the pak files to get at them.

    Clux Deluxe: This may be a little late to help, but you should copy everything into the data directory.
    Last edited by DimeBagHo; 11-10-2005 at 19:52.

  15. #15

    Default Re: You don't need to repack PAK files

    hi..i have been looking through ur forum and i have ask numerous people and they all have told me to get the pak. files.
    i have renamed them as u hav e suggested but the game keeps on CTD.

    as you all know i would like to change the picture:

    img210.imageshack.us/my.p...w124wa.jpg

    i already know how to change the stats, description and ablities at a glance.
    if anybody can help me how to change it plz contact me on amos_1990@hotmail.com

    thank you

    P.S.: i already paked the xpak file..ad i was directed by somebody else...but tats about it.
    "so long as there are men there will be wars"- Albert Einstein

    "The real war will never get in the books" - Walt Whitman

  16. #16

    Default Re: You don't need to repack PAK files

    Great that this is a sticky, a shame that the info is not one hundred percent correct.

    If you change animations or skeletons you do so have to repack!



    A "would have /could have been a modder".
    Last edited by Ra-az; 08-29-2006 at 01:30.

  17. #17

    Default Re: You don't need to repack PAK files

    I believe animations are held in .idx files which do need to be repacked (as it says here). This thread is only talking about .pak files which contain most of the UI information and which don't need to be repacked.
    Epistolary Richard's modding Rules of Cool
    Cool modders make their mods with the :mod command line switch
    If they don't, then Cool mod-users use the Mod Enabler (JSGME)
    Cool modders use show_err
    Cool modders use the tutorials database Cool modders check out the Welcome to the Modding Forums! thread Cool modders keep backups Cool modders help each other out

  18. #18
    Indiana Jones of Modding! Member Patrizius's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    103

    Default Re: You don't need to repack PAK files

    Great!Thi help me too a lot
    Ideator,Scripter and Team Leader of RES BELLICAE modding project.Come visit us on http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=603

  19. #19
    Member Member irishron2004's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    California
    Posts
    183

    Default Re: You don't need to repack PAK files

    Since Bouis' thread at TWC disappeared, is there any other threads for modifying pak files?
    Is there a line switch to list the contents of a pak file?

  20. #20
    Notepad user Member Red Spot's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    The Netherlands
    Posts
    491

    Default Re: You don't need to repack PAK files

    I guess this will be helpfull for the "packers" ..
    http://www.download.com/PrintFolder-...ml?tag=lst-0-1

    its a little program that is able to print out the content of folders and sub-folders, usefull for making that list you need for repacking your files (there is a much much beter freeware tool around but cant retrace my steps where I got it earlier ...)

    anyway with a couple of minutes practise it allows you to repack your files in no time together with Vercingetorix xpak-tool


    G

  21. #21
    Member Member irishron2004's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    California
    Posts
    183

    Default Re: You don't need to repack PAK files

    Thanks

  22. #22
    Notepad user Member Red Spot's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    The Netherlands
    Posts
    491

    Default Re: You don't need to repack PAK files

    found "the good program" again, check out there entire site, these are great tools!!

    http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptdirprn.asp
    http://www.karenware.com


    G

  23. #23

    Default Re: You don't need to repack PAK files

    I've made some tests to see whether repacking the files resulted notable performance improvement. (Earlier in the thread, it is mentioned reduced VRAM usage)
    I used RSII to test it, because it has numerous and large textures and files.

    Here are my results.
    I have a quad-core I7-720Q 1.6GHz + turbo boost, a 7200 rpm hard drive, and a ATI 5870 HD mobility.
    The results were made using the launcher, RTW.exe and the main folder (no modfolder).
    I put the content of models_building, models_strat, models_unit, sprites, textures, UI and vegetation folders in the mod_0.pak, resulting in a 1.75 GB file. I then overwrote the existing mod_0.pak.
    There were a few UI errors (not the right UI element at the right place), but it does not matter for this test.



    First is first launch time : it starts when the splash screen appears and ends when the menu appears.
    The computer was rebooted between each run.
    3 run for each, averaged.

    Unpacked : 45"87
    Packed : 34"99

    That's about 31% quicker, there was less than 1" of difference between each run of the same category.


    Now, cached launch time.
    There is some serious caching going on, so each time the game had already been launched once.
    7 run each, the two extreme ones are removed, the 5 remaining averaged.

    Unpacked : 17"83
    Packed : 17"31

    That's about 3% quicker, there was less than 1" of difference between each run of the same category.


    FPS, VRAM, RAM, CPU and GPU utilization.
    I used FRAPS for FPS, and Process Explorer for the rest.
    The battle was done on Flatlands, with 4 armies, each time the same.

    There was no noticeable difference in each of those category, no VRAM reduction, nothing.



    To sum up, packing the files only results in some reduced launch time, probably because of the nature of the hard drive (low random read, high sequential read).
    No other improvement noticed.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Single Sign On provided by vBSSO