What are the zip files used for?

Edited (previous post I couldn't use spaces so my question had a bunch of underscores separating each word, it is fixed now):
The large file size for zip files is the only reason I ask what they are for since I don't see any getting used in the first few videos (at least you don't mention any getting used directly up to video 4 so far).

  • Raj Arora(lifo) replied

    it's the project files that Kent is using

  • Kent Trammell replied

    My man, blanchsb !! The zips are split archives of the project files: the .blends, textures, ref images, etc that are featured in the course.

    Can you seriously not use spaces in that text box?!

  • spikeyxxx replied

    Can you seriously not use spaces in that text box?!

    I can confirm that that sometimes happens...refreshing the page usually helps in those cases.

  • Shawn Blanch(blanchsb) replied

    Ahhhh, yes there we go. I wanted to ask only because the file downloads were rather large and my 1TB hard drive is barking at me that I am almost out of space haha.

    I downloaded the first but from what I understand I need all of them to perform an ULTIMATE unzip at the end.

    Thanks for the reply @theluthier and I am loving the early parts of the course thus far. I am at Plane Sculpting the Head IV right now.
    https://cgcookie.com/questions/15152-polybook-human-blanchsb#answer-57665

  • Kent Trammell replied

    16 GBs worth of source files, Shawn 😬 Sorry to do that to you...

    Yeah I've learned the hard way that the world is not ready for split zip archives. I repackaged the video files on the Blender Market to avoid further confusion. But the source files need to stay in the split format because it preserves unzipped file structure. Which is crucial for the contained .blends to maintain their external file links (texture, ref images, etc).

    My apologies that it's been confusing!

  • Shawn Blanch(blanchsb) replied

    Nah I understood the split zips from the live stream. I just wanted to make sure I needed the source or if I just follow along without them and use my own character reference (so far I haven't even used them but I cleared hard drive space in the event they are needed).

    I am happily finished with Video 6 (mouth). And moving right along. Thanks for the assist.