[TIP] How to compress .bsp to .bz2 with 7zip

[Fr0Z3n]

It is not necessary to do this when submitting maps for gamedays, but it makes the uploaders job easier and quicker if you compress your map to a .bz2, so here is a simple and quick guide on how to do it.

Before you compress, you need to make sure your maps custom assets are packed properly. The best programs for this is either Pakrat, or PackBSP. How to pack custom assets is not included in this guide, but should be covered in the programs documentation.

Step 1: Get 7Zip.
If you don't have it, get it here, and install it. If you do have it, skip to step 2.

Step 2:
Go to your tf/maps folder (steam/steamapps/{UserName}/team fortress 2/tf/maps. Here you will see a list of maps that end in .bsp [shown below]


Step 3:
Right click on the .bsp of the map you wish to compress. Then click, 7Zip > Add to Archive.


Step 4:
In the window that opens up, click the "archive format" drop-down menu and select the bzip2 file format. Do not adjust anything else. **Do not adjust the name of the file**


Step 5:
Click ok. You now have, beneath the original map file, a .bz2 compressed map file, ready for you or someone else to upload to the game server(s). You can move this file to your dropbox, or use the fancy file hosting services provided by this site.

[Shanghai]

Isn't there BSPacker or something like that for packaging custom content? You might want to mention that.

[Fr0Z3n]

Done.

[grazr]

It's also nice if you compress at ultra rather than normal. For the sake of fractions of a second on your part you reduce server operaters bandwidth usage (when the map is downloaded from servers or directly from sites), but more importantly reduce the time people wait to download the map ingame which can be significantly slower than downloading from a web host.

I'm probably being pedantic, but it's thoughtful none-the-less.

It might be useful explaining that 7zip is used because it's a compatable compression format used by Source. Always good to teach the kids a little more about stuff.

[Sergis]

cp_finalway_a2???

[Fr0Z3n]

I dont clean out my folder. shush you.