Zeus
12-24-2005, 09:00 PM
Release group CLEAR have put together some information regarding the dummy data on Xbox 360 games in their latest nfo file. Click readmore to check out what they had to say.
To verify, we've run extensive tests on PI's/RADIAN's releases, and all
their md5 sums match 100% with ours.
We feel it may be time to get together and hash out some scene rules as
this starts picking up momentum -- dummy space, rar volume size, etc.
We're not certain of the reasons behind PI/RADIAN not stripping dummy
space (don't know how? credit whores? lazy? jk, it's fun to speculate!),
but our rationale for removing it is a such:
1) We have no way of knowing if the dummy data is used (historically
it rarely is)
2) Until the time comes when these are bootable and we can determine
with certainty that the dummy space is necessary, it makes no sense
to be passing around 7GB files for every release
3) If we're eventually going to be able to play from a HDD, the dummy
space would be useless anyway
4) If we get a modchip with a decent bios, why would they keep the need
for every disc to be 7GB with a bunch of dummy space?
5) Dummy space certainly wouldn't be used in-game -- if it's not a file,
you don't have access to it
6) Someone always has access to the originals again if needed
7) Who the hell wants to blow the extra bw/space/time to download/archive
empty space? For instance, Madden PI 70x100MB vs. Madden CLEAR 65x50MB
(less than half the size!)
8) Dummy space isn't going to magically allow a backup to boot
As mentioned in our last nfo, unlike PI/RADIAN's raw dumps, ours are in
actual .iso format, and do not require PI's special extractor tool, but
can instead be opened, viewed and extracted using many of the existing
great Xbox iso tools already out there (Qwix, xISO, etc.).
Also included alongside our .iso is a layout file (.lyt). This can
optionally be used with programs such as MooGUI and the forthcoming
Qwix 2.0 to create an .iso file that takes maximum advantage of DVD
spindle rotation speeds for the DVD size (single of dual layer) you're
burning. The arrangement of files on Xbox and Xbox 360 game discs is
determined by developers through extensive testing of file access
patterns during actual gameplay. Layout (.lyt) files list the exact
placement of all files and directories on an original Xbox or Xbox
360 disc. They can also be used to optimize old backups that one might
play frequently that don't perform as well as they could. As .lyt
support is gradually being added to more ISO creation programs, sites
will begin hosting archives of downloadable .lyt files.
News Source: <A href="http://www.nforce.nl/index.php?switchto=nfos&menu=quicknav&item=viewnfo&id=100960" target="_blank">nforce.nl</a>
To verify, we've run extensive tests on PI's/RADIAN's releases, and all
their md5 sums match 100% with ours.
We feel it may be time to get together and hash out some scene rules as
this starts picking up momentum -- dummy space, rar volume size, etc.
We're not certain of the reasons behind PI/RADIAN not stripping dummy
space (don't know how? credit whores? lazy? jk, it's fun to speculate!),
but our rationale for removing it is a such:
1) We have no way of knowing if the dummy data is used (historically
it rarely is)
2) Until the time comes when these are bootable and we can determine
with certainty that the dummy space is necessary, it makes no sense
to be passing around 7GB files for every release
3) If we're eventually going to be able to play from a HDD, the dummy
space would be useless anyway
4) If we get a modchip with a decent bios, why would they keep the need
for every disc to be 7GB with a bunch of dummy space?
5) Dummy space certainly wouldn't be used in-game -- if it's not a file,
you don't have access to it
6) Someone always has access to the originals again if needed
7) Who the hell wants to blow the extra bw/space/time to download/archive
empty space? For instance, Madden PI 70x100MB vs. Madden CLEAR 65x50MB
(less than half the size!)
8) Dummy space isn't going to magically allow a backup to boot
As mentioned in our last nfo, unlike PI/RADIAN's raw dumps, ours are in
actual .iso format, and do not require PI's special extractor tool, but
can instead be opened, viewed and extracted using many of the existing
great Xbox iso tools already out there (Qwix, xISO, etc.).
Also included alongside our .iso is a layout file (.lyt). This can
optionally be used with programs such as MooGUI and the forthcoming
Qwix 2.0 to create an .iso file that takes maximum advantage of DVD
spindle rotation speeds for the DVD size (single of dual layer) you're
burning. The arrangement of files on Xbox and Xbox 360 game discs is
determined by developers through extensive testing of file access
patterns during actual gameplay. Layout (.lyt) files list the exact
placement of all files and directories on an original Xbox or Xbox
360 disc. They can also be used to optimize old backups that one might
play frequently that don't perform as well as they could. As .lyt
support is gradually being added to more ISO creation programs, sites
will begin hosting archives of downloadable .lyt files.
News Source: <A href="http://www.nforce.nl/index.php?switchto=nfos&menu=quicknav&item=viewnfo&id=100960" target="_blank">nforce.nl</a>