Latest Version of "XCOM Enemy Unknown" Is Only Half the File Size
April 22, 2014 3:42 PM Subscribe
I just updated "XCOM Enemy Unknown" for iPad. The previous version, 1.5, was 3.18 gb. The update, v. 1.6, is only 1.75 gb.
That's a 45% reduction! Does this mean they've removed a chunk of the game, or compressed the graphics, or done other things which might make me want to bail out of this upgrade (and future ones)?
Have you started playing it yet? Some games (PvZ2) have small "app sizes" but then download a shitload of "additional content" once you open them up for the first time.
posted by Etrigan at 4:04 PM on April 22, 2014
posted by Etrigan at 4:04 PM on April 22, 2014
Response by poster: bgrebs: I'm stating the file size of the two app files in my Mobile Applications folder in iTunes.
Etrigan: it's possible, but 1.5gb of additional download?? I kinda doubt that.
posted by Quisp Lover at 4:06 PM on April 22, 2014
Etrigan: it's possible, but 1.5gb of additional download?? I kinda doubt that.
posted by Quisp Lover at 4:06 PM on April 22, 2014
Quoting from the support link provided by bgrebs:
"iTunes lists the initial download size for XCOM: Enemy Unknown as 1.86 GB of required disk space. However, the true disk space requirement for this app is approximately 3.2 GB."
which seems to match what you're seeing.
posted by effbot at 7:37 PM on April 22, 2014
"iTunes lists the initial download size for XCOM: Enemy Unknown as 1.86 GB of required disk space. However, the true disk space requirement for this app is approximately 3.2 GB."
which seems to match what you're seeing.
posted by effbot at 7:37 PM on April 22, 2014
Response by poster: effbot, thanks, but again, I'm not reporting the iTunes stats, I'm reporting the actual file size of XCOM 1.5.0.ipa vs XCOM 1.6.0.ipa on my hard drive in itunes/mobile applications/
Also, that notice was posted when 1.5.0 was the current app. The weird file size downsizing happened later.
posted by Quisp Lover at 9:55 PM on April 22, 2014
Also, that notice was posted when 1.5.0 was the current app. The weird file size downsizing happened later.
posted by Quisp Lover at 9:55 PM on April 22, 2014
Try running it. Depending on what kind of update it is, it will either merge changes into your existing 3.2GB 1.5.0 installation or it will decompress itself and inflate to full size.
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 11:49 PM on April 22, 2014
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 11:49 PM on April 22, 2014
Response by poster: My understanding is that iOS devices don't write to ipa files.
posted by Quisp Lover at 10:27 AM on April 23, 2014
posted by Quisp Lover at 10:27 AM on April 23, 2014
Response by poster: Response from the devs:
We are aware that the update for XCOM significantly decreased the filesize. Sometimes when a patch is released, it can consolidate unneeded files, making the application smaller and more efficient.
I'm not really understanding any better. For one thing, this wasn't a "patch", each ipa file represents the complete app. And a 45% file size change doesn't strike me as consolidation. But.....well......
posted by Quisp Lover at 11:14 AM on April 23, 2014
We are aware that the update for XCOM significantly decreased the filesize. Sometimes when a patch is released, it can consolidate unneeded files, making the application smaller and more efficient.
I'm not really understanding any better. For one thing, this wasn't a "patch", each ipa file represents the complete app. And a 45% file size change doesn't strike me as consolidation. But.....well......
posted by Quisp Lover at 11:14 AM on April 23, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
See here
posted by bgrebs at 4:04 PM on April 22, 2014