EXE build is larger than MFA source file?

[N64Mario]

I believe this topic has already been discussed somewhere, but I can't find ti right now. But I want to know myself. Is there any reason why when I build the EXE file, it becomes larger than the MFA build?

I haven't finished yet, but my MFA is already a little over 1.30 MB. But the EXE build is 3.33 MB. Does this have something to do with file formats, or sounds, or graphics converted over to a build that windows recognizes? Or is this some sort of bug? Will there be any future release that we can build EXE programs closer to our MFA source files?

[Stephen]

Mfa files are compressed. Exe files are not, unless you specify in the properties. Even so, the mfa's will always be smaller than the exe files produced.

[N64Mario]

No..... Even if I check 'Compress Sounds' and compression level Maximum, it still comes out at 3.33 MB.

Was this an issue with MMF2? Cause one of my last game engines was 18.7 MB MFA file, and the EXE build was 5.33 MB. I can't remember if there were any differences in audio samples.
Hmm....... Building that game engine again but under CT Fusion seems to stay where it was in original file size.


Okay, changing the Display mode from Direct3D to Standard did make my new game go down lower, but only a little. What's the difference in display modes?

[Danny]

You have a runtime overhead of 2.15mb included in the compilation...

[kidengineer]

Mario, the MFA can only run with MMF/CTF loaded. The executable does not need that. That is the 2.15mb overhead Danny is talking about. I would like to hear your logic as to why the executable should not be larger than the MFA file.

[Pixelthief]

To be more elaborate- the MMF runtime consists of the engine that runs all of MMF2's code. It reads events and executes them and handles graphics and so on. In an .mfa file none of that is included since it is done by the editor's runtime. In a compiled project, the overhead depends on which exporter you use, but is generally pretty compact.

The difference between display modes is how graphics are handled. In standard display mode, MMF2 has its own graphics renderer display the graphics. This is handled on the CPU, a software side graphics rendering. When you use direct3D 9, instead the graphics are handled by the computers hardware, a graphics card. This allows for *much* faster graphics and all sorts of effects (pixel shaders, rgb coefficients, better alpha channel support, etc), but is not compatible with exporters other than windows in general, as direct3D is a microsoft library.

[Konidias]

I would say a 2.15mb overhead is absolutely nothing in terms of file size these days. Some very popular phone games are over 100mb in size. Even average mobile app sizes are anywhere from 10 to 50mb.

I don't really think this is an issue at all.

[N64Mario]

Well, it's not even finished yet. But I was just giving you an example of the size. But the way you all are saying it, I suppose it makes sense.