Grand Theft Auto IV

[ThickAndCreamy]

I was looking forward to the PC version for ages, but then I've heard so much recently about Saint's Row 2 being more fun, I'm not so sure now.

Also, the recommended specs call for 2.5GB of RAM on XP, but I thought you couldn't have more than 2. What's the deal with that?

You need XP 64bit, same with Vista. You need to get the 64bit version of the OS, however with Vista getting the 64bit version is almost a no brainer.

[Al Tha Funkee Homosapien]

32 bit versions of XP and Vista can take 4GB of RAM but it can only address around 3.2ish GB so the spare stuff gets shunted onto PCI buses and stuff.

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

Ah, I see. Sort of.

Anyway, my PC exceeds all the other recommended specs, so I should be fine. If I choose to buy it.

[El Unicornio, mang]

I think I'll download it since my XBOX360 version got stolen (just the disc) and I still have the box, map etc.

[no_offenc]

XP supports up to 3.5GB of RAM, I think.  Possibly.

[Sanguine Penguin]

I was looking forward to the PC version for ages, but then I've heard so much recently about Saint's Row 2 being more fun, I'm not so sure now.

If you're looking for a graphically impressive game that quickly becomes tedious and repetitive then GTA IV is the game for you.

If you like a laugh and a bit of a challenge then Saints Row 2 is the way to go.

[ThickAndCreamy]

GTA IV is now out in North America for the PC. The only trouble is the requirements to play it are huge and many people are having trouble playing it even on high specced machines;
http://www.gtaforums.com/index.php?s=3cad44dfae1b389d6406162ed8481d41&showtopic=378553

One person in there can only play it on medium on a GTX260, which is insane to be frank. However, I do suspect they will soon release a patch fixing this problems and therefore I wouldn't be too worried, especially if like me you are getting the game later this month.

The Eurogamer review makes me more interested in the game than before though - http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=322028

Also it does have a nice little paragraph explaining in very limited detail about the graphics problems;

That said, it's worth noting that even turned down, Liberty City remains one of the most visually stunning places yet seen in videogames. And, in terms of future-proofing, there's a lot of sliders that can be turned wayyyy up. In five years' time, the PC version will be the definitive visual incarnation of Liberty City - playing with a draw-distance set around to 20 and traffic-density way low makes the prospect of those hitting the 100 exciting. But now... well, it probably still is the most attractive version, but it's annoyingly fiddly to get there.

[ThickAndCreamy]

Look at this video on youtube for graphics comparisons for the moment. It may also give you an estimate of how well your PC will be able to handle the game;
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=bO42LSjRhfM

My PC has around the same range, yet he only plays on 1280x1024 and I need 1900x1200. I really do need to overclock my Q6600 a lot really, same with my 4870 1GB to play this game but I don't have the money.

That is unless Rockstar release a patch sorting out the supposed problems with the game with ATI cards, making the FPS staggeringly higher or I can find ways of optimizing my graphics card.

[Joy Nktonga]

Just arrived home and found mine waiting on the door-mat. Can't play it until tonight after the kids have gone to bed though. Moan moan moan.

[Sivead]

GTA IV is now out in North America for the PC. The only trouble is the requirements to play it are huge and many people are having trouble playing it even on high specced machines;
http://www.gtaforums.com/index.php?s=3cad44dfae1b389d6406162ed8481d41&showtopic=378553

One person in there can only play it on medium on a GTX260, which is insane to be frank. However, I do suspect they will soon release a patch fixing this problems and therefore I wouldn't be too worried, especially if like me you are getting the game later this month.

I have similar rig to yours, playable, but had the odd framerate drop every so often. I've been tweaking away and the biggest improvement i've found is setting the clip recording too off in the game options, still can't get rid of the horrid looking grainy shadows though.

[Wilbur]

I have similar rig to yours, playable, but had the odd framerate drop every so often. I've been tweaking away and the biggest improvement i've found is setting the clip recording too off in the game options, still can't get rid of the horrid looking grainy shadows though.

Well this in unplayable with XP 32 on my reasonably high end machine. On my Vista 64 boot with 4 gig RAM its fine.
I cant find my control pad and the keyboard navigation is a bit rubbish, but its visually impressive enough fior me to have ordered a £5 control pad off e-bay.

Having to sign up to Windows live gaming and Rockstar is a PITA as well.

[Joy Nktonga]

It took 55 minutes just to install the fucking game. Then once I had I found that it is practically unplayable due to constant stuttering and stalling. Twice within the first half-hour of play it just crashed without warning, and this is with the settings turned way down too. This is on my Vista sp1 machine with Intel Core2duo 2.83 chip, 2gb RAM and an ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro 512MB graphics card. I know I'm half a gig short of the recommended RAM size, but I really wasn't expecting the game to be so fussy. I haven't tried it again since the first night when I didn't get beyond walking out of the door of whatsisname's place after the first save. Bollocks.

[Al Tha Funkee Homosapien]

The joys of PC gaming in action. I think I'll wait on this purchase then. See if any patches are released to sort out the stability issues and maybe the optimisation.

[no_offenc]

It mostly runs fine (well, around 40fps ish, or a fair whack higher indoors/in cut scenes) on my E8400/4GB/4850.  They've got a patch with Microsoft for testing at the moment (I assume because it's a GFWL game it needs to go through them) so that should be out shortly.  Not sure if it's for optimisation stuff but it'll certainly be adding support for 3rd party joypads.

[samadriel]

The joys of PC gaming in action.

Keeping in mind that this is so atypical it's not funny; this is a spectacular failure on Rockstar's part.  Oh, speaking of inter-platformery, CD Projekt are doing 360/PS3 versions of The Witcher; console people are in for a treat there, as I think Witcher's probably the best game to come out on any platform in the past, oh, 3 years or so.  Depending on what you like, of course, but it beats yer Bioshocks and Fallout 3s and Mass Effects into pulp, and people are gaga about those, so...

[Uncle TechTip]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7372117.stm

"In May 1996, Rory Cellan-Jones took a tour of the Dundee office where the first version of Grand Theft Auto was being developed." Working Lunch?

[The Region Legion]

Been trying to pirate this for a few days but it seems the anti-piracy it employs is actually working! People having difficulty with cracks and what-not. Hopefully it won't last much longer and I can spend hours trying to get it to run smoothly too.

[buntyman]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7372117.stm

"In May 1996, Rory Cellan-Jones took a tour of the Dundee office where the first version of Grand Theft Auto was being developed." Working Lunch?

Really enjoyed watching that, funny to see everyone answering the intereviewer's questions with their attention divided betweeen him and the game, each ending with him saying "well, I'll let you get on with it". Reminded me of myself when my parents tried to engage me with small talk I'm in the middle of a time-constrained mission of GTA.

[samadriel]

Been trying to pirate this for a few days but it seems the anti-piracy it employs is actually working! People having difficulty with cracks and what-not. Hopefully it won't last much longer and I can spend hours trying to get it to run smoothly too.

Yeah, I have no interest in laying down cash for this until I've given it a thorough pirating to make sure it (a) works, and (b) isn't overhyped shit.

*realises he posted the Witcher stuff in the GTA thread, not the general videogames thread* Shit!

[no_offenc]

Been trying to pirate this for a few days but it seems the anti-piracy it employs is actually working! People having difficulty with cracks and what-not. Hopefully it won't last much longer and I can spend hours trying to get it to run smoothly too.

Haven't they got checks in the game that make weird game-ruining stuff happen?  Like Nico being perpetually drunk or planes falling out of the sky or whatever?  Utter twattery of course, but they've at least implemented it in an amusing manner.

[Al Tha Funkee Homosapien]

Gah. I relented and bought this game against my better judgement. After the annoying long install and the intensely irritating and unwanted setting up of TWO stupid and needless online profiles I started to play the actual game. It ran pretty well on my comp, high details, shadows etc, good frame rates. I played for about 3 hours and then had some tea. Now when I try and start up the game from the main menu the loading screen just loops endlessly and the only solution is to ctrlaltdel and stop the process in task manager. Load of bollocks. Also it seems to be really CPU intensive and some GPU benchmarks I've seen show little difference between a 9800gtx and a GTX 280, signs of a shoddy port.