ARTDIFF v1.00 for Duke Nukem 3D (c) 1999 Chris Jones

WHAT IS ARTDIFF?
ArtDiff is a program which will compare your user ART files to the built-in 3D
Realms ART files, and output a difference file containing the differences
between them.
This means that you can just distribute the difference file, rather than having
to distribute the entire ART file. For example, if you just want to change the
picture of the chaingun ammo, normally you would have to re-distribute the
entire 1.7 Mb TILES000.ART file, but with ArtDiff, it will create an art patch
of about 50 k instead.
Of course, if you have changed all the graphics in the art file, ArtDiff won't
help much, since it will output a diff file of nearly the same size as the
art file, but in most cases you only change some of the graphics in each file.

HOW DO I USE ARTDIFF?
Once you have finished making your graphics and are ready to distribute your
wonderful new TC/Art/etc, you create the patch for your art files. To create
the diff, type   ARTDIFF X /MAKE   where X is the art file number. For example,
to do TILES009.ART, type  ARTDIFF 9 /MAKE . You will need to do this for each
art file which you have changed.
This process will create files called TILESxxx.DFF, where the xxx is the same
as that from the related ART file.

Now, in your distribution, just include all the DFF files instead of ART files.
Note, however, that if you have any "extra" art files (ie. TILES015, 016, etc)
then you will need to include those as ART files, because there is no original
for them to be compared to.
Your "install" program (usually a batch file) will need to create your ART
files back again from the diffs. To do this, it must run   ARTDIFF x /APPLY
where X is the art file number, as before.
Therefore, you must also include the ARTDIFF.EXE file in your distribution.

HOW MUCH DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE?
Well, I ran ArtDiff on a few Total Conversions available out there. Below
shows the original size of the ART files in the conversion, compared to the
size of the DFF files created.
Name            ART size     DFF size
Duke in Black   11.13 Mb  ->  6.28 Mb
Duke CTF v1.2    4.88 Mb  ->  1.34 Mb
Navy Seals W/P   3.99 Mb  ->   600 kb
Platoon TC       7.79 Mb  ->  5.06 Mb
Stargate Beta2  12.24 Mb  ->  5.59 Mb

This obviously makes a big difference to the size of the zip file.

NOTES
ArtDiff uses the default art stored in the DUKE3D.GRP file to create and apply
the diffs. If you have in any way mucked up this file (by using KGROUP to add
your own art to it), ArtDiff may not function correctly. Make sure you have
the original, unmodified DUKE3D.GRP from the Duke3D distribution.

VERSION DIFFERENCES
ArtDiff has been thorougly tested on ART files created for/by Duke Nukem 3D
v1.3D. It may also work with v1.4/1.5, but I haven't had the opportunity to
test it, so use caution if you use that version. As long as the ART file format
is the same (which I assume it probably is), ArtDiff should work fine.

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