Best map optimizer and protector since patch 2.0.1?

[ReforgedBike]

Hello,

I am still using Default Wc3mapoptimizer 5.0 to optimize and protect my maps for various reasons. Is there any newer and better tool available?

If there is no newer and better tool available: Can anyone confirm which settings are best to use below? In terms of prevent crashes and disconnects and no errors or lag in-game. I don't know if any of the option reduces loading times but increase file size, or other way around.

-New buffer size (I uncheck it, since I read it can cause problem with some of the sizes if you for instance set it to auto)
-ZLib deflate (I check it)
-Maintain attributes (I check it)
-Optimize script (This one seems to break map, I uncheck it)
-Compress names (This one seems to break map, I uncheck it)
-Enable "map script-only" optimizations (It is checked and grayed out, I can't change it)
-Path to war3patch.mpg (I don't use this, unspecified, since I don't know what it does)
-Also optimize other scripts (This one seems to break map, I uncheck it)
-Optimize string usage (This one seems to break map, I uncheck it)
-Clean BLPS (This one seems to break map, I uncheck it)
-Remove editor suffixes (It is unchecked and grayed out, I can't change it)
-Clean SLKs (I read on some forum post that its best to uncheck this one, is that true and why? I always check it but maybe I should uncheck it?)
-Remove Editor-Only files (I check it)
-Remove as much WE-only data as possible (I check it)

 

[PurgeandFire]

The newest option is Frotty's w3protect which you can access online:

W3Protect - Warcraft 3 Map Protection

Get the most out of map development and stop worrying about cheating. W3Protect provides reliable anti-cheat and anti-tamper protection for Warcraft 3 maps so you can focus on content creation.

w3protect.eu

There is a paid option that unlocks additional features. Otherwise, the free version does most of the things that Vexorian's older optimizer does (the one you have linked).

Reducing your map's file size is generally less of an issue since modern BNet doesn't have the 8 MB limit anymore, but I'll link these in case you want to do any manual optimizations:

1. Guesst's MDX Squisher or Ghostwolf's MDX Optimizer - You can use this tool on your model files (*.mdx). Just note that when you use it, it won't appear to affect the file size initially. But once you import it into your map, the model will take up a lot less space once it is packed into the map's MPQ (the tool makes the files take better advantage of the MPQ's compression format).
2. BLP Lab - You can use this tool on your texture files (*.blp or *.dds). It'll allow you to compress them further (e.g. using JPEG compression), but the quality of the texture will be reduced. It also has an option to reduce the number of mip-maps stored.
3. You can use tools like Audacity to compress the sound files in your map (e.g. by reducing its bit-rate). This will reduce the quality, but usually some minor compression isn't noticeable and gives a pretty good return.

 

[Dr Super Good]

BLP Lab - You can use this tool on your texture files (*.blp or *.dds). It'll allow you to compress them further (e.g. using JPEG compression), but the quality of the texture will be reduced. It also has an option to reduce the number of mip-maps stored.

Reducing the number of mipmaps stored is playing with fire since it technically creates corrupted BLP files. BLP files are meant to either have no mipmaps, which is not suitable for use cases that expect mipmaps, or have a full set of mipmaps. As far as I am aware BLP Lab does not even support no mipmaps as they were not aware of the meaning of the one flag (has mipmaps) and its mipmap level logic is very buggy often requiring additional dummy mipmaps to generate a full set.

 

[PurgeandFire]

Reducing the number of mipmaps stored is playing with fire since it technically creates corrupted BLP files. BLP files are meant to either have no mipmaps, which is not suitable for use cases that expect mipmaps, or have a full set of mipmaps. As far as I am aware BLP Lab does not even support no mipmaps as they were not aware of the meaning of the one flag (has mipmaps) and its mipmap level logic is very buggy often requiring additional dummy mipmaps to generate a full set.

True, last I checked it would crash on macs as well (when using JPEG compression with fewer mipmaps than expected). I haven't personally checked if they ever fixed that or not since reforged.