Tbh, i'm not that impressed - GTA IV

Vegeta

Really enjoying the game a lot but it is FAR from perfect

Graphics wise it is overly dark by default but this is easily fixed so no big deal. What I don't like is the meshy, granular, structured appearance to the shadows. When I stepped out of hte apartment for the first time in day light I thought I had a dud game because the shadows from the overhead tracks looks terrible but I got used to it. Bit of pop up but it doesn't distract from gameplay so I don't give a crap.

Cars do handle poorly alright, some of them roll too much (as in no cars ever in the history of automobiles roll like that). I have driven sporty cars like the corvette thingy and the only advantage I find handling wise is they stop sooner allowing more reasonable cornering speeds and you can throttle out of slides better. Also does anyone know can the sensitivity of the triggers be changed because the car is usually either full accelerate or full braking. Pumping the brakes helps. Again though I just drive accordingly so I am not too bothered it doesn't annoy me, it could just be a bit better.

Funnily I find the motorbikes amazing as they fit through traffic and I find myself forced to corner slower due to a hightened sense of vulnerability and as a result never crash em. Also bring a bike onto the tram/train tracks, great fun. Got a 5 star rating, no-one cant touch you turn around and flee back to safety. I thought I'd get an achievemnet for that but didn't

The biggest problem I have is I find the city a bit faceless and impersonal. After a few hours playing I don't have a clue of where I am going yet or haven't got a feel for it. That's a failing of me though as I just need to play it more.

So while I know there are faults I am still finding it very entertaining to play. Also Thin Lizzy on the radio is an automatic win in my books. Sodomy is a sin.

Basq

Biggest problem I had with the game so far was in multiplayer games you kept spawning next to the person who killed you.

The amount of times I was killed by someone, re-spawned across the road from him and shot him to death with my pistol!

Where's the challenge in that? It doesn't happen every time but it happens frequently enough.

slinky2000

Vegeta wrote: »

The biggest problem I have is I find the city a bit faceless and impersonal. After a few hours playing I don't have a clue of where I am going yet or haven't got a feel for it. That's a failing of me though as I just need to play it more.

Yea I've the problem too, I played it for 5 hours yesterday and I still didn;t have a clue where I was!

Vegeta

basquille wrote: »

Where's the challenge in that? It doesn't happen every time but it happens frequently enough.

You're clearly a 1337 sn1p3r with mad pistol skillz

Basq

Vegeta wrote: »

You're clearly a 1337 sn1p3r with mad pistol skillz

My pistol skills are un-matched!

Lex_Diamonds

OK someone prove their disappointment and sell me their copy...:D

nige1982

I dont see why everyone is giving out about the game, i love it people giving out when its too dark, brighten up your screen the cars are fine instead of hand bread use the normal break and it much easier to control, comon lads stop giving out about the best game EVER! :mad:

RAIN

I felt the same about SA at first but with in a few days i knew where everything was.

My old flat had the VICE city map on the wall - one person would play while the other shouted out the best route to go! Thems were the days.

slinky2000

haha RAIN, we did the same

chavezychavez

nige1982 wrote: »

I dont see why everyone is giving out about the game, i love it people giving out when its too dark, brighten up your screen the cars are fine instead of hand bread use the normal break and it much easier to control, comon lads stop giving out about the best game EVER! :mad:

Totally agreed. Come on, its been out a day.
Who in this forum can remember the first day they played COD4 multiplayer , got their a$$ handed to them multiple times and thought "Wow, this is brilliant"? It will take time before anyone really explores and finds all those extra parts.

I remember years ago, it was reported that some guy finished Sonic 2 (fado fado ar on Megadrive) on the day of release in some unbelievable short amount of time. He was asked what he thought of the game, but he couldn't really answer as he had just ripped though the game without seeing a thing.

Guys and Gals, its like an Austim Powers film, leave your brain at the door, and get into the game as intended.

mathie

Random question.

Has anyone seen the cops chase a car that you're not driving?

Does it actually feel like a living breathing city?

M*

*who still can't find a copy of the game

Branoic

RAIN wrote: »

im 4 hrs in and havent seen an internet cafe yet!

There's an internet cafe on a street along the side of the little parkland area a couple of blocks away from the Perestroika Club. You can go in and use it from the start and don't have to wait until to the internet "tutorial" mission which doesn't happen for quite a while.

The Internet is great. Reading the mock MyRoom entries and blogs is hillarious. I don't get how people can say this is just SA or Saints Row with better graphics. I find the immersiveness and reality of the city amazing, from the net to the TV programmes to the cabaret shows to the actions and re-actions of the citizens - just stunning.

It feels so much like a real place that yesterday evening when I picked up a hooker and drove her to an alley way where two hobos were sitting, and killed her and then them after she'd serviced me, I actually felt kinda bad. Kinda.

Lord Nikon

All I know is, is that i hadn't this many opinions about SA when it came out. Also, i'm not the only one who shares the same views, so i don't think it's just me.

This almost feels like a Liberty City Stories add-on.

Sean Quagmire

i've seen the pubs/bars around but the doors are locked? do i have to complete so much before im allowed drink lol?

whats all this talk about 'warm cofee'? actually just give me a hint because i dont wanna ruin the surprise im just a bit confused about what it could be - i didnt get too far last nite...

mehfesto2

Is the sound issue only on the Xbox?
I have to have my volume near full-blast to have it anyway decent. I sat on the remote then, changed channels and near deafend meself.

One more major quibble - Ricky Gervais on the telly: He's not really that buff. He's a fat b*stard. I think he must have had a word with the animators...

blah

Vegeta wrote: »

The biggest problem I have is I find the city a bit faceless and impersonal. After a few hours playing I don't have a clue of where I am going yet or haven't got a feel for it. That's a failing of me though as I just need to play it more.

I feel the same way but I know it's just me. At the moment if I want to go from A to B, I just use the GPS, but if you think about how it worked in the older games you never took "the shortest legal route". You'd head over to that wide straight road, tear down that for a minute, then cut through the park and over the bridge and you'd be there. After the weekend, once you get a feel for it you'll be more confident making your way around.

vibe666

i've had a couple of hours to get used to it now, I think I might just start again and see how it goes the second time round and maybe do a few things differently.

Blisterman

I think, as you play it a bit more, you'll get more of a feel for things. Happened to me with all the other games.

brensplit

Vegeta wrote: »

Really enjoying the game a lot but it is FAR from perfect

Cars do handle poorly alright, some of them roll too much (as in no cars ever in the history of automobiles roll like that). I have driven sporty cars like the corvette thingy and the only advantage I find handling wise is they stop sooner allowing more reasonable cornering speeds and you can throttle out of slides better. Also does anyone know can the sensitivity of the triggers be changed because the car is usually either full accelerate or full braking. Pumping the brakes helps. Again though I just drive accordingly so I am not too bothered it doesn't annoy me, it could just be a bit better.

Funnily I find the motorbikes amazing as they fit through traffic and I find myself forced to corner slower due to a hightened sense of vulnerability and as a result never crash em. Also bring a bike onto the tram/train tracks, great fun. Got a 5 star rating, no-one cant touch you turn around and flee back to safety. I thought I'd get an achievemnet for that but didn't

The biggest problem I have is I find the city a bit faceless and impersonal. After a few hours playing I don't have a clue of where I am going yet or haven't got a feel for it. That's a failing of me though as I just need to play it more.

Hahaha.. Impersonal?.. have you ever been to new york?... Also your comment about the cars is bull.. they handle very very realistically which is peoples initial problem. the **** american type bouncy american cars handle exactly like that, and you are not supposed to full throttle with the trigger or they will do massive wheel spins especially in rear wheel drive. Just like a soft suspensioned 8 litre car would in real life!

When you get into a sports car the handling is much better but it handles like a real car, you need to use the fact the trigger for acceleration is not just on and off and the brakes and handbrakes correctly. Took a bit ofg getting used to yesterday as I had been ruined by some more arcady type handling recently but its actually very cool once you get the hang of how a car will react when you swing it into a corner

RAIN

Branoic wrote: »

There's an internet cafe on a street along the side of the little parkland area a couple of blocks away from the Perestroika Club. You can go in and use it from the start and don't have to wait until to the internet "tutorial" mission which doesn't happen for quite a while.

The Internet is great. Reading the mock MyRoom entries and blogs is hillarious. I don't get how people can say this is just SA or Saints Row with better graphics. I find the immersiveness and reality of the city amazing, from the net to the TV programmes to the cabaret shows to the actions and re-actions of the citizens - just stunning.

It feels so much like a real place that yesterday evening when I picked up a hooker and drove her to an alley way where two hobos were sitting, and killed her and then them after she'd serviced me, I actually felt kinda bad. Kinda.

YES thank you !

Also i totally agree - the Pedestrians are so detailed i actually felt bad after stabbing some guy to get cash.Im not even messing, the city feels like it existed before i even loaded it up. Its a serious technical achievment.

Vegeta

brensplit wrote: »

Hahaha.. Impersonal?.. have you ever been to new york?...

Yup I have, one of the most recogniseable places on earth, very easy to get around too.......the first few hours of liberty city and I cant get back to any landmark (appartment/safe house) without the map. Many others here agree

Also your comment about the cars is bull.. they handle very very realistically

No they do not, you are 100% wrong here. Have you never played GT or Forza where they actually model real cars?? The majority of cars are a joke in GTA (not helped by the poor camera angle when turning) but as I say I accept its that way in the game and move on.

which is peoples initial problem. the **** american type bouncy american cars handle exactly like that,

Not all the cars in the game are american to start with, the little jap hot hatches, german saloons, jap saloons, english jeeps etc etc

and you are not supposed to full throttle with the trigger

Thanks for that pearl of wisdom, or in other words, way to pint out the obvious

sigh

The trigger sensitivity is crap for the throttle (and brakes). You have to pull it fairly far before the car will even move and then another tiny bit and the car is accelerating fully.

johnny_ultimate

Sean Quagmire wrote: »

whats all this talk about 'warm cofee'? actually just give me a hint because i dont wanna ruin the surprise im just a bit confused about what it could be - i didnt get too far last nite...

Hint:

Just keep on dating your girlfriend and you will find out (as long as you're on 360 of course).

Phaetonman

Issues for me:

Sound : Too low overall, no big deal but a bit annoying. SFX on some cars too high. Turn them down and the voice is then too low. Annoying
Graphics: Unconvincing. So much weird aliasing, blurs shadows and filters its really distracting. If they had of just left the raw graphics I would learn to ignore it quicker.
Frame rate is a bit low especially when driving is so sensitive.
Colours: Everything is just orange and dull. Night time can be really gray and dark as well.
Driving: Bouncy and just plain wrong. My favourite thing about GTA is usually just driving around a pretty city with my fav radio station on and taking it all in. Vice City did this perfectly. Here I'm just constantly worried driving, touching off things and doing endless 3 point turns.

Charlie

Phaetonman wrote: »

Issues for me:

Sound : Too low overall, no big deal but a bit annoying. SFX on some cars too high. Turn them down and the voice is then too low. Annoying
Graphics: Unconvincing. So much weird aliasing, blurs shadows and filters its really distracting. If they had of just left the raw graphics I would learn to ignore it quicker.
Frame rate is a bit low especially when driving is so sensitive.
Colours: Everything is just orange and dull. Night time can be really gray and dark as well.
Driving: Bouncy and just plain wrong. My favourite thing about GTA is usually just driving around a pretty city with my fav radio station on and taking it all in. Vice City did this perfectly. Here I'm just constantly worried driving, touching off things and doing endless 3 point turns.

+1

You have just described everything, to a T, that is annoying me about Grand Theft Auto. I thought my sound system was borked because car noises were so loud, yet dialogue is so low.

In relation to the whole graphics/appearance argument. Most people are complaining about the graphics not being up to scratch, and then you have people retorting that graphics have never been a big deal in GTA games. From my point of view, it's not the graphics per se (I can deal with jaggies and resolution issues), but it is the colour pallet that is doing my head in. I have been tweaking in-game and tv settings all day, and yet it still looks all wrong. I hate that whole orangey hue that seems so prevalent during the day time, or how washed out and ghost like the screen looks when its overcast. This has never been an issue for me in previous GTAs.

Ciaran500

charlie mchugh wrote: »

You have just described everything, to a T, that is annoying me about Grand Theft Auto. I thought my sound system was borked because car noises were so loud, yet dialogue is so low.

Is it very low or just annoyingly low? When I plugged my headphones in to my amp and the game was still set to surround sound all the voices went very quiet and sounded like they are in the distance.

Charlie

Ciaran500 wrote: »

Is it very low or just annoyingly low? When I plugged my headphones in to my amp and the game was still set to surround sound all the voices went very quiet and sounded like they are in the distance.

Probably more annoyingly low. I think the dialogue was naturally low, but what hampers it so much is that dialogue seems to be linked with SFX in the audio menu. I like to listen to the talk stations when in car and found the sound effects were too loud and that I couldn't hear the radio that well. Thus, I lowered the SFX in the audio menu. However, this has seemed to reduce the already low dialogue volumes. :mad:

SoulRock

Wicknight wrote: »

The graphics, on the PS3 version at least, are not that impressive, particularly when placed beside something like Burnout Paradise. I also hate the haze/distance blur effect they use that has me squinting at the screen to try and see anything in the distance.

Seemingly the game on runs at 630P on the PS3 for some bizarre reason (isn't the PS3 graphics chips supposed to be gazillion times more powerful as the Xbox 360, Sony?) and this is noticeable, at least on my TV. I also had a weird experience where the resolution feel to what I imagine was 480p and the game looked like it was on the Wii, but once I restarted it was fine again.

Of course graphics don't make or break a game, and the game itself, including the story, is great.

The 'Graphics chip' on the PS3 in not superior to the xbox 360, it's the other way around.. Dont know where you heard that?? (Google it)

Have'nt played it yet, but will have the game in a few hours..
Cant wait..
See y'all online
Peace

krudler

Vegeta wrote: »

No they do not, you are 100% wrong here. Have you never played GT or Forza where they actually model real cars?? The majority of cars are a joke in GTA (not helped by the poor camera angle when turning) but as I say I accept its that way in the game and move on.

the car handling is great, you have to pay attention to what you're doing rather than flying around streets doing handbrake turns like the previous games, and the police chases work really well

Thanks for that pearl of wisdom, or in other words, way to pint out the obvious

sigh

like a cow?:D

Wertz

Not got my copy yet but read through this thread with interest...
I have a question for those with display brightness issues....what type of TV are you playing on? Some HD LCDs, especially older and/or cheaper models have problems at the darker end of the colour scale, especially doing blacks and dark greys...on some sets, it can be impossible to distiguish several shades of dark grey and black from one another.
I've noticed some people saying that they have no problems are playing on CRT.
Anyone playing on plasma with problems?

Whoever was talking about not being able to learn the city....I got that from SA and it took me an absolute age to get my bearings (never had this problem in VC or III)...the increased complexity of the map won't help, but once you do learn the way round, it'll be more rewarding, no?

As regards the new handling and car physics, it's about time TBH...the arcade-y handling in previous GTA pissed me off after a long while playing...

I'd also like to take this opportunity to mention that Royal Mail are bastards.

Rb

Played it for a while today.

Not really impressed tbh. Probably need a bit more time with it so will probably end up buying it, as I've like all the GTAs so far, but certainly don't think it deserves the reviews/ratings it's gotten so far.