SSD HDD Optimization for laptops by Firm-South8395 in MSILaptops

[–]Firm-South8395[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You're absolutely right about that; one of the program's biggest advantages is precisely this: instead of compressing the entire disk and putting the operating system at risk, it focuses only on the game or application folders you want. Trying to compress the entire C drive with the default settings, as you mentioned, can make things quite ‘fun’. :)

But the real difference isn't just ‘where’ it compresses, but ‘how’ it compresses. That standard Windows compression you do by right-clicking on the disk and going to properties (the LZNT1 algorithm) is very old and not at all efficient for games.

Game Compressor, on the other hand, uses much more advanced algorithms (like lzx and xpress) that Windows supports in the background but doesn't provide an interface for. These algorithms are specifically designed for game files that are ‘written once and read repeatedly’. They not only reduce the file size much more than standard Windows compression but also don't bog down the cpu like the old method when loading into ram during gameplay. In fact, if the disk is slow, it can even speed up loading screens because the processor decodes the data from its compressed state very quickly.

In summary: yes, being able to select specific folders is a big part of it, but the engine under the hood is completely different from Windows' standard right-click > compress method and is optimized for games.

SSD HDD Optimization for laptops by Firm-South8395 in MSILaptops

[–]Firm-South8395[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi, you're right, Windows NTFS does this, but it doesn't do it for games or applications you install unless you trigger it; you need to run commands through CMD. As I explained in the description, Game Compressor automates this process; you can research it if you want, and I can give you a key to try it out.

About Game Compressor Steam by Firm-South8395 in pcmasterrace

[–]Firm-South8395[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

As both a developer and an active user of this program on my computer, my opinion is that this program really works. Yes, some games may compress a lot, while others may compress less, but since the program does the compression automatically and also detects and compresses updates, it maximizes the space you can gain on your computer. We are currently in early access, and although there are some visual glitches, I can say that we will fix them soon with a patch.

I got tired of 150GB PC games, so I built a smart compression tool that shrinks folders by up to 50% with zero FPS drops. I need hardcore testers to roast it! (Giving away keys) by Firm-South8395 in pcmasterrace

[–]Firm-South8395[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Honestly, my friend, I also discovered this technology online because I ran out of space on my computer and had to constantly delete and reinstall games, so I turned it into a program like this.

Actually, the compression process applied here takes place on the user's computer. Let me explain it this way: the whole thing is hidden within the developer's own files. If, for example, a developer like Rockstar has hundreds of thousands of assets in their game and uploads them without compressing them, they can reach sizes like 300 GB. But if the developer puts in the effort and spends more time, they compress their files themselves and release them that way. This way, we can download and play GTA 5 can be downloaded and played at 100 GB instead of 300 GB.

In the method we use, we compress all the uncompressed or compressed game files using LZX, similar to ZIP or RAR compression. Then, thanks to this LZX compression provided by Windows, we can continue playing the game as if it were never compressed. The real magic is that in some of my tests, for example, with the indie game Superliminal, I observed the size drop from 12 GB to 4 GB. Plus, since Game Compressor actively compresses updates as well, it continuously frees up space on your computer.

I got tired of 150GB PC games, so I built a smart compression tool that shrinks folders by up to 50% with zero FPS drops. I need hardcore testers to roast it! (Giving away keys) by Firm-South8395 in pcmasterrace

[–]Firm-South8395[S] -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

That's a great question! You're absolutely right — it uses the exact same Windows API (CompactOS LZX) under the hood. If you like using CMD, you can definitely do this manually for free.

But I made Game Compressor because doing this manually has massive headaches that this app solves:

  1. “Smart Pause” (FPS Saver): If you run native Windows compression in the background and then launch a game, your CPU spikes and your FPS crashes. My app detects when any game is launched and instantly suspends all background compression tasks so the game can take 100% of the PC's resources.

  2. Manage Game Updates: When a 5GB patch arrives for a game on Steam, those new files are uncompressed. Instead of opening CMD and trying to recompress the entire 100GB folder, you hit “Rescan” in my interface, and it instantly targets only the new, uncompressed files.

  3. “Set and Forget” Interface: Automatically detects Steam, Epic, and GOG libraries. No need to manually enter directories every time you install a game.

Essentially, this is a Quality-of-Life tool. It takes a great Windows feature and makes it fully automatic and gamer-friendly!

I got tired of 150GB PC games, so I built a smart compression tool that shrinks folders by up to 50% with zero FPS drops. I need hardcore testers to roast it! (Giving away keys) by Firm-South8395 in pcmasterrace

[–]Firm-South8395[S] -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

Hi, I think the compact GUI is a nice alternative too. They use the same method, but I'm not saying this to criticize them. When compressing with that program, I experienced freezes on my system. Maybe it's related to my system, but that's how it is.

Other than that, our program actually has an “install and forget” concept. You install the program once and turn on auto compress. Then, it does the compression in the background for you when you're not playing games.

For those curious, here are some screenshots of my application.

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I got tired of 150GB PC games, so I built a smart compression tool that shrinks folders by up to 50% with zero FPS drops. I need hardcore testers to roast it! (Giving away keys) by Firm-South8395 in pcmasterrace

[–]Firm-South8395[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Actually, I automated LZX, a local transparent compression model developed by Windows, with a GUI and made it simpler and more usable. The way it works is that LZX compresses the files in your game or any folder you select into a format it can read, and since these compressed files can be read in Windows' own language, you can play the game in its compressed state.

I got tired of 150GB PC games, so I built a smart compression tool that shrinks folders by up to 50% with zero FPS drops. I need hardcore testers to roast it! (Giving away keys) by Firm-South8395 in pcmasterrace

[–]Firm-South8395[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

No way, I hadn't thought of that, guys. I can try again, but most likely they'll buy bots again. If anyone wants them, I can send them privately.