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"To cache" or not "to cache"?
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2002 6:46 am
by Littiz
I was wondering...
I have a full install, why use the cache at all?
I mean, the HD is the same, loading times do not change!
If I set the cache to 0, maybe I'll just avoid the transactions
to the cache folder thus QUICKENING load times!!!!
Am I wrong?
Some experts here? ...
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2002 8:55 am
by Sabre
Actually, I believes that Caching improves loading. Since full install basically copy all of the CDs to your hard drive, thus reducing the time needed to access the CDs, but the way the data is stored is still the same. Caching basically go through all of the data and retrieve almost everything (depending on cache size) for a certain area, and store it in one file. So everytime you go back to that area, it just simply retrieves the data from the cache file, saving the time needed to search through all the directories again. This would probably mean a very long loading time for areas that you haven't visited yet, but it should be quick for areas that you have. This is what I think it does, please correct me if I'm wrong.
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2002 6:23 pm
by Quitch
Isn't all the information compressed into large archives, and thus needs to be extracted. The cache holds uncompressed versions outside the archives... something like that.
Basically, yes, cache will help even with a full install.
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2002 6:35 pm
by Pebz
Originally posted by Quitch
Isn't all the information compressed into large archives, and thus needs to be extracted. The cache holds uncompressed versions outside the archives... something like that.
Basically, yes, cache will help even with a full install.
No archives, but the files are indeed compressed (about 50%).
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2002 6:51 pm
by Salabesh
Actually, full install puts ALL areas into your cache, not in a separate file. This means that the game doesn't have to cache areas as you come across them. If you want to check this, do a full install, then before playing, check the cache file. Everything should be in there.
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2002 11:52 pm
by Sabre
No it doesn't, it simply copy the CDs into CD2, CD3, CD4 directories, nothing is in cache unless you have actually started a game and went to the area - if you haven't started the game yet there is no Data directory in Cache, so nothing is there. I know, since I've always do full install for BG2.
Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2002 1:09 am
by Littiz
You must be right, if the files are uncompressed there,
I'll keep the cache!