Compressing/Optimizing S.O.S!

[iron_warrior]

Well, finished my map. Well, almost. Just the problem of it being 5.5 MB, 1.5 MB over the limit for Bnet! I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this, of course. What is the BEST map optimizer out there? I tried Vaxicon's or whatever his name is, but it only brings it down to 5 MB. If anyone has a special way to use Vaxi'z (I just checked every thing, and put the buffer to AUTODETECT) I'd be happy to hear it, or if you have suggestions for a different optimizer.

Also, I've heard that "protecting" a map lowers it's size by a large amount. Is there any truth to this?

Furthermore, please do not say "Remove m0d3lz si11y n0ob!" because I could have done that myself, or "Squish MDXs and BLPs!" because I already did that, too, sadly. The map requires quite alot of imported stuffz, as it is a Starcraft theme.

Thanks in advance,

iron_warrior.

 

[Dr Super Good]

Remove m0d3lz si11y n0ob

That is the only way, Vexorian's optimizer is THE BEST there is, after thats done with it and you have squished the MDXs and BLPs there is nothing else you can do to reduce map size. Removing custom content is the only way or your map will be banished to LAN only.

Remove load screens and 1 time only textures/models or non needed objects (like interface and such).

After that you will have to delete models.

 

[Shadow_Fox]

Also, I've heard that "protecting" a map lowers it's size by a large amount. Is there any truth to this?

Really it depends on what protection your using, if your using vexorians optimizer's built in "Make World Editor Crash" It will make your map bigger by probably 10kb or so, if you use "remove WE only data, it will lower it by prob like 100kb?, don't have much xp in this, and we can't talk about it here, though i doubt any protection would lower map size unless you remove world editor only files.

 

[Captain Griffen]

Protection removes a lot for small maps, and only a big more for large maps. For maps with many imports, compressing those imports is the most effective method.

 

[iron_warrior]

Took your advice Mr. -sorry, Dr. Super Good, and checked my imports for textures/models I wasn't using anymore, and deleted them. Then I compressed and squished anything I might have missed, and got it down to 4.55, and the optimizer removes ~400kb, so I'm nearly there! Thanks for the responses, guys.

EDIT: 160 KB to go! I would be done if only it wasn't for four punks named Tsaar, Carrier, Goliath and Stargate. I've lowered all the other textures in my map using the Wc3 Image Extractor II, but these suckers (at 171 KB each for their skins) don't want to be lowered.

When I lower them to only 75% quality, they just turn all red (or whatever team color you are) in game. Any reason for this? I lowered a ton of other models made by this modeler...does this mean they're already lowered or something?! Help! Almost there...