File sizes for a TC

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Also post, whats the largest reasonable file size for a TC that you would download?
Im wondering because I plan on using quicktime movies and music fairly extensively in a TC...

So, uh, vote away!

I would download whatever size TC. However if it really is big, then just split it up into numerous files like Polycon.

@sp3cies, on Dec 21 2007, 11:08 AM, said in File sizes for a TC:

I would download whatever size TC. However if it really is big, then just split it up into numerous files like Polycon.

What would the definition of "big" be? Too big for ambrosia to host?

I'm more inclined to download larger tc as there is more to them; but do split it up into numerous downloads so you don't have to download everything if you don't have space.

Well there will be a lite version for people with memory or bandwidth issues...

@-redchigh-, on Dec 21 2007, 11:01 AM, said in File sizes for a TC:

Also post, whats the largest reasonable file size for a TC that you would download? \

1 gigabyte. If a finished TC even comes near to reaching that, I'll be impressed.

I have broadband at work, dial-up at home. So I'd download it at work and take it home on my flash drive, which is 1GB, so that would limit me to an (approximately) 1GB TC maximum. Although it would have to be in multiple files anyway, so I could get something larger over multiple trips between work and home.

I'd probably be a bit concerned about a TC that huge - I'd be afraid that the creators had gotten carried away with adding cool stuff just for the sake of adding cool stuff.

But given the small number of quality TCs that have been released for Nova, I'd be willing to try out just about anything that looked like it had a chance of being good.

Back in the day I released a TC that, on dial-up, took 1 hour 21 minutes to download.

Personally, I would never have downloaded anything that took that long.

Other people did.

@martin-turner, on Dec 21 2007, 02:13 PM, said in File sizes for a TC:

Back in the day I released a TC that, on dial-up, took 1 hour 21 minutes to download.

Personally, I would never have downloaded anything that took that long.

Other people did.

I did.

I'd prefer it wasn't split up like polycon (unless to separate optional components from mandatory components). I'm not sure if there is any non-arbitrary limit on what you can upload to the addons, it's just that uploading over http can be a bit dodgy. What you may want to do is upload the core of the TC as one file to the addons and then include a link inside the archive to the optional media package which you would be hosting yourself.

I wouldn't have too much trouble-- then again, I've got fast internet.

The reason plugs are sometimes subdivided is not necessarily for the sake of downloading bandwidth (although it helps some) but, rather, because Nova chokes on a plug if it is too large, and resources have to be divided in order to keep the engine from biting off more than it can chew.

Now, dividing it into multiple downloads , which Polycon was also guilty of, can be rather annoying for those of us with broadband, but its a godsend for those folks who are still stuck with dial-up and the like. I suggest you go with both options: the full, all-in-one-go download, and the multiple-part download philosophies.

@-visitor-, on Dec 22 2007, 12:17 PM, said in File sizes for a TC:

Now, dividing it into multiple downloads ,

Yes, this is what we're talking about. For the actual plug files though, it's not a matter of the Nova engine being unable to cope it's simply that resource forks have a size limit of 16MB and you actually can't create a resource fork larger than that (it will likely get corrupted if you try).

@-visitor-, on Dec 22 2007, 12:17 PM, said in File sizes for a TC:

can be rather annoying for those of us with broadband, but its a godsend for those folks who are still stuck with dial-up and the like. I suggest you go with both options: the full, all-in-one-go download, and the multiple-part download philosophies.

I'm not convinced of how much better it is for dialup users to be able to download files in multiple pieces. I guess it would be more reliable but you can easily just pause a large download, disconnect and come back to finish it later. I certainly wouldn't recommend having both options though (putting both on the addons is a definite no-no). If you really must split it up then the broadband users can still live with that.

Roughly how big would this TC be without the media?

@guy, on Dec 21 2007, 05:44 PM, said in File sizes for a TC:

Yes, this is what we're talking about. For the actual plug files though, it's not a matter of the Nova engine being unable to cope it's simply that resource forks have a size limit of 16MB and you actually can't create a resource fork larger than that (it will likely get corrupted if you try).

I'm not convinced of how much better it is for dialup users to be able to download files in multiple pieces. I guess it would be more reliable but you can easily just pause a large download, disconnect and come back to finish it later. I certainly wouldn't recommend having both options though (putting both on the addons is a definite no-no). If you really must split it up then the broadband users can still live with that.

Roughly how big would this TC be without the media?

Its kind of early to say, but Im estimating the lite version will be close to 70-90 mb (or 30-60mb if I let the lite version use stock landscapes and race movies). The problem, the full version will take advantage of Nova's compatability with quicktime movies and audio...
so the extras will be strictly optional with no change in gameplay.... but I believe the extras will greatly improve the quality overall...

This post has been edited by -REDCHIGH- : 22 December 2007 - 09:41 AM

@joshtigerheart, on Dec 21 2007, 12:11 PM, said in File sizes for a TC:

1 gigabyte. If a finished TC even comes near to reaching that, I'll be impressed.

Oh...geez. Can you imagine the actual load time for that? It might take 10 minutes to start Nova. Or it might crash. Pick one, it's likely to happen.

<EDIT (almost forgot)>
I have dial-in DSL by SBC Yahoo/AT&T. 200-300 kbps. 1 GB might be my limit. As everyone else has said, though, parts are good. Just in case.
</EDIT>

This post has been edited by Dash_Merc : 24 December 2007 - 05:49 PM

SGN is sitting at 103mb uncompressed at the moment, i have issues with comprerssing pictures at the moment i can't get blitzen to work properly on my imac, but what is really chewing up the space is the landing pictures, some are taken from the show others are rendered by me in photoshop.

But back on the topic... I will easily download a 1gb mod for BF2 or C&C:Generals why not for this?

If it's any indication, many downloaded the first SFA public alpha. And that was 145 Mb stuffed (it's now a bit less, but still 220 Mb uncompressed if you don't count the Large Galaxy Graphics or TNG Graphics Pack... if you do, it's closer to 200 Mb compressed, and more like 300 Mb uncompressed). Available only in one go.

This post has been edited by Pace : 27 December 2007 - 03:45 AM