Please help! Modplug doubles my file size!

[ultim8p00]

I'm making a game, so naturally I want to use music files that are as small as possible.

I got a couple of files from the mod archive, all under 300kb. I got permission from the author to edit the files. All I want to do to the file is make it loop by adding a B00 effect.

But when I do this and save the file, the file size practically DOUBLES!
I thought maybe it was just the effect doubling it, so I decided to just open up an .it file and save it in another directory, without editing it. And guess what? It still increased!

All the files I'm dealing with are .it files. Why is this happening? Is there a way to fix it? Is modplug adding unnecessary information? I mean, if a file is 300kb and you don't edit the file in anyway, then save it, and it jumps to 601kb, then something's got to be up. Please help if you can.

[Relabsoluness]

Modplug (or at least OpenMPT) indeed does add some stuff to IT file, but hardly 300 KB - something like 5 KB sounds more likely. I remember that somewhere it was said that Impulse Tracker compresses the samples in IT-file while Modplug does not. I don't know is this true or not, but could this be the cause? If possible, an example file could be help solving the issue (for example point a file in modarchive whose size modplug doubles).

[LPChip]

Modplug does not save compressed IT files.

Old IT 2.14 does allow to save using compressed samples. I bet that this IT file was saved using Compression.

[ultim8p00]

Yeah, I finally figured that out. Modplug doesn't save compressed.

I downloaded the old IT 2.14 and I guess I'm gonna have to do my editing in there to preserve compression...

[LPChip]

Yeah, I finally figured that out. Modplug doesn't save compressed.

I downloaded the old IT 2.14 and I guess I'm gonna have to do my editing in there to preserve compression...

You can edit the song with OpenMPT, and even save with OpenMPT. Just reload in IT and save as IT 2.14 file. (note 2.0 is uncompressed 2.14 is compressed. (if my memory serves me right))

[ultim8p00]

I tried that with regular modplug, but when I save it using IT2.14, I loose all the drums and hit hats and stuff. Basically all I hear is one note looping.

Maybe it works better with OpenMPT, i haven't tried it yet...

[Saga Musix]

If i recall correctly, there is also a seperate tool that can compress the files.

[ultim8p00]

please do you know what it is?

I have tried Smprape and all it does is basically rape quality without reducing much size. I have XM optimizer, but i only use that for XMs. I don't know of any program that compresses .its

Also, I am using un4seen's Bass.dll to play the modules if that helps

[Saga Musix]

Bass.Dll? Even better! You don't need compresed ITs anymore then - use MO3 instead! Have a look at MO3. This program loads any module that's supported by BASS and converts samples into MP3, OGG or Lossless compressed samples - You can reduce file sizes a lot with this tool. MO3 is exclusively supported by BASS.

[ultim8p00]

Does MO3 support looping?

I have tried encoding to MO3 with XMPLAYER and the filesize increases to like 1 MB.

Turns out I didn't have the Mo3 encoder and XMP was just saving an mp3 and renaming it to .Mo3. Ill try MO3 now...

[ultim8p00]

OH MY FREAKIN' GOD!

MO3 WORKS LIKE CRACK!

It compressed my file from 600kb to 199kb!

Sweet! My game runs it too since it uses bass.dll. This is too awesome.

Thanks for everyone's help!

EDIT: I love life!

[Saga Musix]

hehe no problem