[PC] Grand Theft Auto IV

[Albuquerque]

Generally agreeing with Nebula. I own all the GTA3 games for the PC and the PS2, and in the grand scheme of things, I much prefer the scale and scope of the GTA series to Crysis.

Nevertheless, Crysis has a significant amount of play value to it, and by PLAY value I am of course entirely ignoring the eye candy. My first play-through of Crysis was on a 7900GT-level video card on a socket 478 prescott system. Eye candy wasn't really an option on that rig, but the game play held up fantastically.

Now, back to the actual topic: GTA on the PC. I tried that russian "bloom / blur" mod that Galduta posted, and I really don't like it at all. The replacement DLL induces banding artifacts, dithering artifacts, and the visual effects are (IMO of course) pretty crap except for perhaps the reflections. And the framerate hit for the changes are absolutely ridiculous.

 

[Bubbles]

I don't mind a delay between the versions... but I have a horrible feeling that we will never see this game for the PC.

Have watched it on a 360, and I must admit it gets too choppy for my liking at times (It's not a PC-snob thing, I just expect a game designed for a console to run well...). And I'm not hearing the raving from my console pals as I did with SA compared to VC.

Still, desperate to play it

 

[digitalwanderer]

That's something that's worrying me a bit, after the initial excitement faded I haven't been hearing people raving about it.

 

[woundingchaney]

That's something that's worrying me a bit, after the initial excitement faded I haven't been hearing people raving about it.

Thats because there wont be much to "rave" about until the dlc comes in August (or at least I think it is in August).

It is a great title but not really one for extended shelf life. There is always the fact that console gamers arent known for their attention span for titles as well.

 

[I.S.T.]

There is always the fact that console gamers arent known for their attention span for titles as well.

You've got to be joking...

 

[digitalwanderer]

Hey, speak of the devil....a reviewer regretting his initial super-high praise.

 

[vazel]

You've got to be joking...

haha he's right. So many people have 'move on to the next one' bleeding edge mentalities these days. Such a shame.

 

[Neb]

I don't mind a delay between the versions... but I have a horrible feeling that we will never see this game for the PC.

Nah it will come sooner or later. :smile:

Have watched it on a 360, and I must admit it gets too choppy for my liking at times (It's not a PC-snob thing, I just expect a game designed for a console to run well...). And I'm not hearing the raving from my console pals as I did with SA compared to VC.

Well the framerate is a problem if it is a PC game but it is OK with half the framerate on console games you know!...

But see it like this, if they made GTA4 to run at constant 30fps then the graphics would take a serious hit. That would mean the PC version would also feature the downgraded graphics. So in short better to have better graphics with unstable framerate for console games becouse when those games hit the PC it will run at 60fps!

Still, desperate to play it

I am really looking forward to to play it, I have given it a spin on the PS3 but dang the framerate... low 10's aint that easy when driving a car. Still fun though.

 

[Richard]

But see it like this, if they made GTA4 to run at constant 30fps then the graphics would take a serious hit. That would mean the PC version would also feature the downgraded graphics. So in short better to have better graphics with unstable framerate for console games becouse when those games hit the PC it will run at 60fps!

No need to use that smily. Your logic is completely right.

Also, I hope the console guys do a good beta test for Rockstar so that when we get the game it will have less quest bugs.

As for reviewer regret, I'm shocked.

 

[DJ12]

If the previous PC games are anything to go by, running at 60fps means the entire game will run twice as fast rendering the game almost unplayable at times.

I guess we'll have to wait and see what they do this time.

 

[digitalwanderer]

As for reviewer regret, I'm shocked.

Are not! That's one of them sarcastic statements, isn't it?

 

[kyleb]

If the previous PC games are anything to go by, running at 60fps means the entire game will run twice as fast rendering the game almost unplayable at times.

Nah, the previous games work great at 60fps. Well, Vice City had the LOD bug when dissabling the frame limiter, but that was patched soon enough.

 

[DJ12]

Well, I played GTA san andreas the other day and it was averaging well over 100 FPS and it was shooting all over the place.

Maybe if I set vsync in my drivers it would've been acceptable running twice as fast but it was 4 times faster than normal sometimes without the in game frame limiter enabled

 

[kyleb]

No, I mean the game world doesn't move any faster at 60fps than it does with the frame limiter capping it at 25, only smoother. Furthermore, I just tried the game with vsync dissabled, cranked all the graphics options down to check, and even with the framerate breaking well over 100 the game still moves at the same pace as it does with the framelimiter on.

I've played SA on quite a few different rigs over the years and never saw the game speed up with any configuration, so I've no clue what might be giving you problems. I'm curious though, is the audio sped up for you too, or is it out of sync with the video?

 

[DJ12]

I downloaded and installed the re-texture mod draw distance and some "uber" PC stream file, probably something to do with one of those then.

 

[Teasy]

Hey, speak of the devil....a reviewer regretting his initial super-high praise.

I haven't read the whole of that article, but from what I can tell he hasn't actually changed his mind on the quality of the game, has he? He just seems to have realised that he made a over the top comment in his review regarding immigrants....

 

[I.S.T.]

haha he's right. So many people have 'move on to the next one' bleeding edge mentalities these days. Such a shame.

Reread his statement. He's saying all console gamers are like that.

Makes me wonder if he's never seen a speed run...

 

[woundingchaney]

Reread his statement. He's saying all console gamers are like that.

Makes me wonder if he's never seen a speed run...

It was a generalized statement meant to be taken off the cuff. I wasnt a set in stone statement of the mentality for all console gamers. No I do not think all console gamers have a tendency to rapidly go through games, though I do think a large amount of them do.

 

[Galduta]

http://rockstarscammer.blogspot.com/

At 5:42am he wrote them from the pseudonym "Scotty C"

"[font=geneva,arial]I recently downloaded your free version of Grand Theft Auto IV for the PC. Despite your unique instructions on how to get it to play, it has performed great. The first person driving view is simply amazing and the Nico Bellic character really makes me feel like I'm living the storyline. So much so that I feel bad in finding something to complain about, that being the surround sound. At times the back left speaker cuts out, specially when characters like little Jacob are speaking. Also when I call 911, the automated response starts, but cuts out when I am given emergency options. I am using a Sony Vaio LT VGCLT23E all-in-one desktop, an NVIDIA Geforce processor, and the Sony sound reality with external RCA speakers. Could it be that the speakers are simply not the same Sony brand? They work perfectly with my other applications. So I have to assume it's your game. I hope you can resolve this issue for me, your website was no help. It's a shame the multi-player isn't available for PC in the free version, but I can live with that, I don't want to be picky. Thank you for any help you can provide.Scotty C".....

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello,

Rockstar and 2K Games are both parts of Take Two Interactive, you have corrected the right company.

The PC version of GTA IV has not even been announced for release and is still in development so is not about to be released on a website we have no knowledge of. Have you got another version of GTA? There are other versions that are available on-line, the list are below, could it be one?
GTA
GTA 2
GTA 3
GTA Vice City
GTA San Andreas

If it's not one of these and it is (somehow) a Pc version of GTA IV, you can see why we would like to know the website address

Kind Regards

2K (And Rockstar) Games Tech Support[/FONT]

 

[Davros]

3drealms would probably fall for something like that