Pakrat or Packbsp? What's easier/more useful?

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Ctrl Alt Defeat

L1: Registered
Jun 10, 2014
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Not sure if textures in my map are default or not, so in case they aren't, I want to pack them into the .bsp. Is either one better than the other? (Also, about the first issue, is there a way to see if a texture is default or not?)
 
T

The Asylum

Steampipe broke PackBSP, so I guess Pakrat wins by default ;)

There are other apps that people use, but I'm a stubborn guy and I've stuck with Pakrat after PackBSP broke
 

Freyja

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Jul 31, 2009
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These are your options for packing programs:

  • Pakrat; This is the old, tried and true. Reliable, still works, but doesn't automatically detect some things like model's textures, particles, soundscape scripts.
  • VIDE; This is favoured by many people here. Usually works, but I've personally had some issues with it corrupting the map (not that often). It won't detect custom content in your /custom folder, but if you're like me, you don't use that anyway.
  • PackBSP: Old, not updated, broken with steampipe. Avoid.
  • BSPZipGUI: I haven't used. Some people on the forums use it, so I assume it works. Can't really comment.
  • BSPZip: Valve's solution. Command line, but you can also write a file manually and just run a file to automatically pack yourmap with the same stuff each version. I'd stick with one of the GUI solutions though.

Personally I use pakrat most of the time, as I find it's the most reliable. However, it misses some stuff and that requires you to remember to pack them.
 

Freyja

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Jul 31, 2009
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VIDE can and quite often has corrupted my BSP too. pakrat has ONLY ever corrupted my bsp when packing the same bsp a second time (saving the file again after it's already packed), so if you avoid that you should be golden.
 

Fruity Snacks

Creator of blackholes & memes. Destroyer of forums
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Sep 5, 2010
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PakRat is ridiculously simple and has a low chance of corruption. The only time there is a *chance* of corruption is if you repack the same file. In my experience, thats a small chance.

I always use and recommend PakRat, but really it's just whatever works for you.
 
Mar 23, 2013
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I find packRat a pain in the ass because it dosnt pack model textures automaticly, while VIDE has no problem with that and I never had any corruptions with VIDE. The only problem with VIDE is that it isn't very userfriendly at first
 

xzzy

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Jan 30, 2010
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VIDE misses manifests and can't pull in any resources you might list in those manifests (sound clips, particle systems).

The others probably fail in the same way, but it's been long enough since I tried adding manifests using them that I don't remember for sure.
 

henke37

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Sep 23, 2011
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I maintain that a plain pack list with bspzip.exe is the simplest option. Can any of the other tools be used to generate a pack list?
 

Sergis

L666: ])oo]v[
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Jul 22, 2009
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jfyi vide detects my custom folder just fine :p

I maintain that a plain pack list with bspzip.exe is the simplest option. Can any of the other tools be used to generate a pack list?

i maintain that you have to maintain such a list and by extension of that i maintain that with a non-trivial non-static amount of custom content pack list is no longer the simplest option
 

Beetle

L9: Fashionable Member
Aug 17, 2008
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VIDE also detects my custom folder. I don't have custom particles, soundscapes, etc so that might be why VIDE works perfectly fine for me.
 
Mar 23, 2013
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VIDE also detects my custom folder. I don't have custom particles, soundscapes, etc so that might be why VIDE works perfectly fine for me.

If I recall correctly I think vide even detects custom particle manifests and soundscape manifests.

But I have never seen a packer which detects custom textures on ropes :D
 

xzzy

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Jan 30, 2010
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If I recall correctly I think vide even detects custom particle manifests and soundscape manifests.:D

No, it doesn't. Unless maybe I'm running an old version and am just behind the times. Recently I've had to manually add particles for both a new stoneyridge and a gimmick map I've been messing with.
 

Ctrl Alt Defeat

L1: Registered
Jun 10, 2014
31
5
PakRat is ridiculously simple and has a low chance of corruption. The only time there is a *chance* of corruption is if you repack the same file. In my experience, thats a small chance.

I always use and recommend PakRat, but really it's just whatever works for you.

Just a small (and late) question about corruption. Do you mean repacking literally the exact same map? Let's say I use pakrat on Map.bsp, with all its materials and models and such. Then, I add some stuff to it and re pack it. Would that corrupt it? Or would i have to rename it to map_a1.bsp or something?
 

A Boojum Snark

Toraipoddodezain Mazahabado
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Nov 2, 2007
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He means literally the same file. Recompiling makes a new file so that doesn't count. Also you shouldn't rename BSP files because certain stuff inside them is created and used based on the BSP name, which would then not be correct.