Jump to content

Game Backups


Recommended Posts

This is something I've thought about before, especially since a few people keep asking for xxx.txd or whatever they've broken. People really should back up BEFORE they mod.

gta3.img is a massive file, so would be impossible for us to host and for most people to download in a reasonable amount of time. As for the individual DFF and TXD files inside, that is something you can backup when you're modding (just export it before you add in the new one) - takes two seconds.

Also, don't forget that it is illegal for us to distribute the copyrighted content that makes up some of the technical end of the game's files, in particular the executable.

Maybe if we made "mods" of the default cars - downloadable and installable just like other mods, but they install the cars that used to be there - that would be useful. We'd just have to make only the cars that people often replaced - such as crap cars.

Although perhaps there are just too many files for this to be useful.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As far as legalities go, the only files that are technically not allowed to be distributed as backups are the executables that run the game. However, to be safe it's recommended you don't share large files, such as the gta3.img file. Distribution of one or two .txd files when someone forgets them is fine, same as a data folder backup. But audio and .exe's are a no go. Rockstar may feel differently, and I would personally contact them for their opinion before going through with it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He wasn't suggesting distributing all the files - I just mentioned it so other people wouldn't ask. You don't need to "contact" Rockstar for that.. their T&C is perfectly clear. And whose "opinion" would you be asking? It is the decision of Take2's Board of Directors whether to make one of their most popular games available for free public download. Not a chance.

He was asking whether all the original game vehicles could be offered up for download - that would probably be impractical due to the amount of them (hundreds), so would probably be best to either offer only a few or just when people ask for them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not what I meant, I meant contact to insure any files could be distributed (except as I stated, audio and .exe's) as backups was in fact legal. They don't so in plain English that it is. I wasn't suggesting the game was for free download, thats stupid, how did you get that from my post?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I meant you didn't need to check whether the exes were available for download - it is obvious that they wouldn't be, and that doesn't change with anybody's opinion at Rockstar. As for the other files, they have been shared for years, and so long as they're only being used in copies of GTASA, then there is nothing wrong with returning them back to people who already own it (but deleted it accidentally).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

gta3.img is the file that stores the models and textures of all the cars, buildings and pedestrians in the game. If you modify a car, you modify that car's files (one TXD texture file and one DFF model file) inside gta3.img

Because it has all 200+ cars, all the pedestrians and every single building and piece of road etc etc, it is an absolutely massive file, so we can't put it up for download on its own. However, we could offer the individual cars (their DFF and TXD files), but there are loads of them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah it's a good idea in theory, it's just a little impractical for us. It is easier simply for people to request the file they messed up here on the forums, somebody here usually always has the unmodded file they can upload for them.

Oh and the .img file sizes:

GTA3: 162MB (+ txd.img which is 315MB)

GTAVC: 312MB

GTASA: 918MB

Pretty huge. GTA3 is really annoying because it has a separate .img file for the textures. Vice City is a lot easier. San Andreas has numerous other img files for various other aspects of the game.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well,i actually was thinking on .DAT or .CFG files, like Weapons.cfg, handling.ide, and as Gerard said, car, ped or player files, because sometimes,people think that some stuff sre just kinda too easy, so it doesnt need to backup (it has happend me),but not kinda big files (like gta3.img, audio files,etc.).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I meant you didn't need to check whether the exes were available for download - it is obvious that they wouldn't be, and that doesn't change with anybody's opinion at Rockstar. As for the other files, they have been shared for years, and so long as they're only being used in copies of GTASA, then there is nothing wrong with returning them back to people who already own it (but deleted it accidentally).

Ah okay, well I was referring to files, not the exe, just so you know,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

When I hacked Vice city, I made a separate folder for the game & tested it after every mod or edit I made.

I spent like a month on this & changed out almost every vehicle & a lot of the peds in the game. This also included

editing of CARCOLS.DAT, HANDLING.CFG & several others, also backed up every time. I also saved the original .TXD & .DFF

for each one in case there was a problem w/ the new one.

For the data files, Ive seen them available on several sites, so look around.

There are also sources for the Main script files.

GTA3.IMG, you need to back up your original copy.

Good Luck.

Edited by Gerard
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If some one wanted to spend enough time, they could piece together the game downloading bits here & there, not the point.

What I'm saying is you could copy the DATA files to a CD & have them on hand if a mod goes wrong, did not mean to imply

distribution. It would only be a personal backup copy of files you intend to edit, not the whole game & definitely not to sell.

Sorry for the confusion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I Can't Use CD's, They Are For Sale, meng.

I sell CD's.

Also, is there a final answer on a Game Files Backup section?

Why does it matter if you "sell CD's"? You do know you can still have personal CD's, right? Just take one, burn the important files to it, and label it "Important GTA Backup Files" or something like that. Then have it somewhere near the PC.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...