It’s not that I don’t trust, but I want to understand. What is actually happening and how do these Repack thingies work?
And why are they called that 😂
Thanks in advance.
Edit: thanks so much for the replies all, I think I got it! :)
A repack is usually a cracked release from another source that has been heavily compressed to reduce file size. They often come with a custom installer that manages the decompression process and streamlines the installation process, so you don’t have to manually install patches/cracks after installation, and can skip optional content. Trusted repackers like FitGirl will also check for malware/viruses in the original crack, so you can be reasonably confident the repack is safe to install. Having said that, always take your own precautions when installing anything from the internet, i.e. virus scan and only use trusted sources.
Also, due to the heavy compression, they take longer to install than normal releases, since it takes processing power to decompress the files. If you have a fast internet connection but a slow PC, theoretically it could be faster to avoid the repack.
My (limited) understanding is this:
When someone cracks a game, the end result of their work may not be accessible or easily distributable to average users. Their focus is on cracking the game, not necessarily distributing the crack.
Others like FitGirl come along, creating launchers that take care of any dependencies needed for the game, and in general making it painless to run the cracked game. In other words, they repack the cracked game in a more user-friendly packaging.
If you’ve seen Breaking Bad, there’s a similar dynamic there. Walter may be the one making the product, but he can’t distribute it alone - he needs someone to make it widely accessible, if he wants people to actually use his product.
They are great for both those with slow connections and for archival purposes
years ago repacks used to take videos etc out of releases to make them more friendly to people back in the dial up days
Also please please support FitGirl by donating via crypto. Send your shit coins to her so those coins can actually be useful for once.
Cracks are usually released separately from the uncracked game files. Repackers take those cracks and package them with the correct version of the game, compress the files and add an installer. Then they upload them to the more mainstream public trackers.
Repacks have several benefits. They tend to be easier to setup and usually more reliable. They download faster and use less data because they are compressed. They are also sometimes packaged with extras like soundtracks, mods, etc.
Fitgirl repacks are known to be more compressed, so the files are a little smaller but take a fair amount longer to install.
Why don’t the crackers just repackage it? Or is repackaging an art unto itself?
Crackers mostly post the cracks to IRC sites, cs.rin.ru, and private torrent sites. Repackers are the main way releases make it to the mainstream torrent sites.
Repacking isn’t that complicated anymore, it’s more about reputation. There was a time when games were big and internet speed was slow so saving every MB of size was important. Repackers would reencode video files and find other ways of dramatically reducing the file size. Nowadays they don’t do a lot of that, but repackers are still important for casual pirates who just want to easily play pirated games and not worry about malware.
Late to the party here, but where are some of these IRC sites?
