why is the install size so strange?

[sadge]

It's advertised as 14 GB but the actual file installed from Steam is only 25.38 MB

is this just an installer, meaning that I wouldn't be able to move files or uninstall via steam itself?

[DistantFluxSA]

It seems to be an installer, yes, and at least on my system, it updates and validates on every start (even if I immediately quit the game and restart).

[76561198102799856]

Originally posted by SCAP:

It's advertised as 14 GB but the actual file installed from Steam is only 25.38 MB

is this just an installer, meaning that I wouldn't be able to move files or uninstall via steam itself?

I'd say the 14GB you're speaking of is all the in-game assets that needs to be loaded in (worlds, items, etc.) and you'll notice the process taking a long time, the 25.38 however, I imagine that's just for the initial download, same thing happens on the main client except the initial download size I remember being in the triple digits (I think around like 631MB which is still odd).

Keep in mind, i don't know what's really going on here, this is just my best guess.

[Phoenix]

The game downloads things as you play and discover them. It's a relic of back when the game first came out in 2008 when internet was garbage, but honestly, still kinda nice.

[sadge]

will this show up when steam tells you the size or will it be hidden?

[145Barbarian]

Originally posted by SCAP:

will this show up when steam tells you the size or will it be hidden?

Anything past the download size of the launcher will not show up on Steam. So if you were to download 14gb of game data, as an example, and the launcher was only 10mb, then Steam would say the full download was only 10mb. But the game folder would show the correct size should you check the size in the folder's properties.