how to speed up game loading time...

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

^ your cautions are admirable.  I keep the original .zip files in a separate directory for anything I download from anywhere.  Here is my top level structure for that, and I leave the rest to your imagination.

 

Downloads

├── Archi
├── Blender
├── CNet
├── C++ReferenceCard
├── digitallis
├── Dynex
├── Fluendo
├── GamersGate
├── irrlict
├── KernelDebug
├── Microsoft
├── mspaint
├── muse score
├── NAM Team
├── NTCore
├── OpenGL
├── Oracle
├── Rivit
├── SC4RelatedDownloads
├── SunMicrosystems
├── Tony Leva
└── Virtucity

 

The game related downloads is one of the largest folders on my system, duly backed up automatically every Thursday at login time along with the rest of my user area.  Fortunately the backup I use is incremental.

[z1 566]

2) I don't see any advantage to putting anything into the plugins folder under "program files".

I had read that some people were reporting faster load times when they put their plugins under "Program Files". I tried this out and measured this, and sure enough, it was faster. I have no idea why. But that's why I keep my plugins there.

Also, this method leaves the standard Plugins folder empty. I find this useful when installing new plugins, as it's obvious what folder structure they use, and I can choose if and when to integrate them into my main Plugins folder.

It's also very handy for incremental DatPacking (which is really quite simple), as I simply move the folders I want to re-DatPack into the standard Plugins folder, DatPack them, and then move them back.

 

2.5) On the other hand, I am putting custom DLL's into the program files\SC4\apps folder. This is where the game exe lives and finds its own DLLs.

 

It doesn't really matter where you put these, as long as they're at the top level in whichever Plugins folder you use.

 

4) Rather than mess with symbolic links, you may try the game's command-line switch to point to the profile of your choice (any directory containing regions and pluggins subfolders). I think it was intended for machines where more than one person might play under the same user account, but it can easily support one player who likes to "wear different hats". Just create a separate shortcut to invoke the game in each config. See the Tutorial on SC4's command-line switches.

 

This doesn't give you the loading speedup that I mentioned above.

 

6) Call me simple minded, but when I get around to dat-packing my plugins, I intend to keep the unpacked plugins collection in a renamed folder.

 

This is essential.

 

Any time I need to add or delete or re-order anything, I'll work on that collection and then use it to make a whole new replacement dat-pack. I do not (yet) see a reason to mess with repacking.

 

Once you try incremental DatPacking, you'll find it's really trivial, and saves a lot of time.