ARK download size is not making any sense.

[dadadadev]

When I originally downloaded the game, the file size is somewhere around 40GB, but in the description and before downloading begins, it says the file size is 175GB. I've had super slow updating speeds, even though I get 200 down and 20 up, so I attempted to change which drive it was on within my PC due to belief that it may be a write speed issue with the drive, but it's making me redownload the entire game (IDK what caused this) and I'm putting it on a separate drive with a new steam library. But has anyone else had this file size issue? IDK if I'm somehow getting a bad download or misunderstanding file size or something, but I'm just super confused...
It downloads for a moment, then stops as if the write speed is catching up. The current download size is 47GB and even at my 200 down this is going to take ages and I can't figure out why, someone please help =D

[xcelosce]

Did you download any additional free maps? Like the Center, Valguero, and Ragnarok?

My total file size is about 122GB with base game + Valguero

[KitsuneShiro]

Each DLC map adds about 20 gb

[TheeDrunkenMonk]

So the game downloads with a compressed file and the time when it is pausing is probably steam decompressing the files after it downloads a large chunk. It's done so that you can download quicker and in theory the game will install faster than downloading would allow if you have higher end components.

[dadadadev]

Originally posted by xcelosce:

Did you download any additional free maps? Like the Center, Valguero, and Ragnarok?

My total file size is about 122GB with base game + Valguero

Just doing the base game. Adding DLC later on.

[dadadadev]

Originally posted by MordicaiGrace:

So the game downloads with a compressed file and the time when it is pausing is probably steam decompressing the files after it downloads a large chunk. It's done so that you can download quicker and in theory the game will install faster than downloading would allow if you have higher end components.

That makes sense. I'm also starting to think that something might be limiting the threshold but not sure what. I understand what you're getting at for sure, but it seems like it'd be faster just to download the entire thing lol. Also, I dowloanded a smaller game (10GB) to two different drives earlier and it took just over a minute to complete each time, but I did a fresh install of steam, and I'm redownloading that same game, and it's behaving as ARK typically was with the stopping and going. Would this issue be typically just limited to large file sized games? At this moment it has just completely stopped, no network or disk activity, just blank, and the internet connection is stable as per usual. Just trying to figure out the heart of the issue so I can get it fixed. Thanks for any and all help everyone!

[dadadadev]

Originally posted by KitsuneShiro:

Each DLC map adds about 20 gb

Just the base game at the moment I believe.

[Knight Siegfried]

yeah, my game file is 257GB's. I own all current DLC maps, some free DLC maps and mods. Do yourself a big favor and download the game on an SSD

[Olly]

Yeah, what he said. Minimum a 500gb SSD. And ignore what the game is telling you it's downloading because it's always a lot more.