Final package too large?

Development Programming & Scripting Multiplayer & Networking
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1

Hello.

I’m making a Shooter FPS game and I’d like to share it with my friends.
Now I’d like my friend to have my game executable. I don’t want to send him the whole project (for obvious reason).

How to send him just the executable? In which way should I package the game?

Thanks!

2

I packaged with the Build Configuration: Shipping but the final folder is 200MB!

3

Is it possible there’s no way to send my friend my game in order to test the multiplayer without waiting for 200MB to upload?

4

Hello gedamial,

How large is the project prior to packaging? In particular, how large is the content folder? Are you using a .pak file when packaging? Are you only including the necessary levels? The executable won’t be able to be sent by itself as it will also need the content that it needs to reference but we may be able to cut down the size some.

5

Hello. Finally thanks for the reply.

The project for now is just a test, but it will increase the size. But I’m looking for a way to send my project in order to test multiplayer with my friends in the fastest way possible.

How large is the project prior to packaging? In particular, how large is the content folder?

The WindowsNoEditor folder is 334MB
The ProjectName folder is 215MB
The ProjectName/Content folder is 61,7MB

Are you using a .pak file when packaging?
Yes and it’s a monster: 63MB

Are you only including the necessary levels?
How do I exclude for the package the levels I won’t need?
Anyway, in this case it’s only one level.

6

Thank you for that information. Under Edit > Project Settings > Packaging, you can change quite a few options to get the size to be smaller. The size difference will change depending on how many unused assets you had in your project, but it should help either way.

  • For Distribution: Check this. It shouldn’t include any unnecessary files, as if you were packaging to sell the game to a consumer
  • Use Pak File: This should be on by default and you’ve already mentioned you have it on, but just to say, it helps quite a bit.
  • Include Prerequisites: This is on by default and you can turn it off to reduce the size in most cases, but it wouldn’t be recommended for actual release since the prereqs may be needed by some people.
  • Include Crash Reporter: Same deal as Prerequisites. Unless you need to get crash info from your friend, you can leave this out.
  • Create compressed cooked packages: Simply compresses the data, turn it on to help out with size.
  • List of maps to include in a packaged build: For this one, it’ll help even if you’re only using one map. Press the + icon to add an element and then use the browse (…) to select the map from your content folder. This’ll let the packaging process know that it only needs to include this map and only the assets it references.

Let me know if this helps at all.

7

Ok I’ve packaged following those tips and now the WindowsNoEditor folder is 136MB. Good result I’d say.

Now the project is just a default map with no more than 2 meshes and 3-4 C++ classes. It’s 136MB. What if the game starts being complex and detailed? I just can’t share a project with huuge dimensions with a friends uploading a MASSIVE ammount of MegaBytes over and over and over again.

If I wanted my friend to see the source code instead, all I have to do is make a repository on GitHub and push the changes there, right?

Because uploading the game over and over again is kind of time consuming (considering my upload speed 0.8mbps)

8

That would most likely be the best idea. It would be best to get Git’s source control to use if you plan to do that.

9

Okay, thanks. Last question and I’m done: to work properly, the game should be sent with the whole WindowsNoEditor folder or there’s something I can cut off?

10

As far as I know, the entire folder is needed. I could be incorrect however. The easiest way to test would be to cut/paste some folders and/or files out of the directory and see if it will launch. Sometimes trial and error can be the best bet.

11

Ok I’ve sent the game to my friend and he gets this error:

84450-xpqm4be.png

Is there something he should do to run my game? :confused:

12

That means that he does need the prerequisites. Once this installed once, he shouldn’t need it again. If you enable the “Include Prerequisites” option and package again, you’ll get an .exe at this file path: WindowsNoEditor\Engine\Extras\Redist\en-us

If you send him that executable, it should install what he needs to run the program.

13

So in short, to avoid this kind of problem for everyone, it’s good practice to always check that?.. just in case

14

In most cases, yes. When working with other developers it usually isn’t a concern since they would need that redist to run the editor anyway.