GTA IV for PC

[GTA_Godfather]

Thanks for the links, CharmingCharlie. We need to get games that designed for the PC (ONLY the best ones though), THEN ported to the consoles.

 

It would be silly not to bring games to the best platform, the PC. It should be treated as a showcase piece for console games (i.e. something to step up to). This would help the gaming industry as whole by creating a lot of buzz.

 

I know a lot of people (mostly console gamers) look at consoles as THE gaming platform (I think a lot of this has to do with the rise of flat screen TVs and online capabilities for consoles). There IS a place for consoles, but the PC should be seen the pre-eminent gaming platform with the muscle to show off games to their maximum capabilities.

 

Personally, most console games suck (aimed at kids) and I could care less about them. GTA IV, however, is a mature game (just the kind that should appeal to PC gamers) and deserves its showcase on the PC.

 

 

 

[SCLASS]

I used to play Flashpoint like mad, and Raven shield. For FPS games, PC's f ucking rule, no doubt. The problem with games like GTA and GT5 ( games which Ill heavily be playing ) is that there 'social' games to play around a tv with beers....challenges for best laps or just having a laugh in GTA - not to mention, sofas are a lot more comfortable.

 

Im sure this 'casual' approach to gaming is turning some of you blue, but you want to know the real reason ?....cost. If had 3 Gs to blow on a rig , I WOULD...like right this minute, id still keep my PS3, but I would spend more time on the PC, Id probably even buy PC GTA4 when im on the PC and cant be arsed to move 3 ft to my sofa ( seriously thats a cost-benefit ratio id weigh up )

 

 

Im just not into games as much as I could be, hence the choice for a one off £425 payment - on a system that will give me say 80 % of the enjoyment of a PC. Same reason I have a old S class that cost me 4500 quid, is cheap to run and gives me near enough the same enjoyment of a newer model.

 

In economics utility is quantifying the 'usefulness' of a product or service, for me, the benefits of getting a high end gaming rig are just not worth the premium, though I absolutely respect ( and understand ) why you lot do what you do.

Edited February 12, 2008 by SCLASS

[boggles123456]

 

 

Is it actually possible to port the game yourself if you had the right hardware and software, and knew what to do ? Obviously it would be illegal but could a random person who, for example spent lots of time in university and studied game design etc etc actuually be able to port it himself?

Erm yeah you just need a team of software engineers to reverse engineer the Rockstar Advance Graphics Engine, then convert it from ppc code into X86 code. After that just get the PC version of Euphoria and Natural Motion to work with the x86 version of RAGE and bobs ya cross dressing aunt. I could do it in a day

 

However it does highlight how easy it would be for Rockstar, probably about 75% of the 360 version could be utilised on the PC, all they would have to do is port the R.A.G.E engine and integrate the PC versions of the various 3rd party engines they are using. They could do all that at minimal cost, hell they could even get Nvidia or Intel to pay for it. The reason why it won't happen anytime soon is because MS/Sony want to force you to buy a console, which would make any reasonably sane person angry.

Thanks for the reply,

[DML]

 

...cost. If had 3 Gs to blow on a rig , I WOULD...

Well, if that "3 Gs" was in US, Australian, Canadian, British, or European currency, you could buy 3 quite reasonably-good gaming PCs. That way, 3 people could game on the PC, and would be more-than ready for GTA IV when those cock-suckers over at Rockstar finally release it, after making PC gamers wait.

 

 

I used to play Flashpoint like mad, and Raven shield. For FPS games, PC's f ucking rule, no doubt. The problem with games like GTA and GT5 ( games which Ill heavily be playing ) is that there 'social' games to play around a tv with beers....challenges for best laps or just having a laugh in GTA - not to mention, sofas are a lot more comfortable.

 

GTA III:LC, VC, and SA, are games played in the first-person, not third. Third-person games are games like Metal Gear Solid etc; where play is done from the perspective of a third-person/camera. GTA has, for the most part, a camera situated directly behind and above the character's head, meaning that it is being played from that character's perspective, and, with the gun aspect, classifies all GTAs since GTA III as "first-person shooters". So, with that said, it's understandable why so many people who have played GTA on PC, prefer it 100% over the console version.

 

Also, there's no law against sitting on a sofa while using your PC. Nor is there any rule which states that you cannot have friends etc, joining in the fun of PC gaming, whether it be on one PC, or many networked PCs.

[gta-evo4]

@CharmingCharlie "25 years of PC gaming"

Holy sh*t, I looked in your Profile, you were born in "April 1971", almost 37!

You must be a wise-guy when it comes to PC knowledge, no doubt.

But, how or why did you end up in this forum, you joined for GTAIV?

Nah, I'm just being curious.

Cheers

PS: excuse my bad english

[Tapai]

 

<---

 

GTA IV Petition PC ? <---

 

they dont announce yet ???

 

sorry for my english

[free_to_view]

<---

 

GTA IV Petition PC ? <---

 

they dont announce yet ???

 

sorry for my english

Sorry to say, but that information you just posted is old, we have seen it before. Its been posted before down in the 104 pages for this thread...

 

ROCKSTAR / TAKE2 must have taken it down but gives hope that there is going to be a PC version. Why would they put that on the website and then take it off. Because SONY and MICROSOFT are being bitches and sucking balls to take any notes of a up coming PC version. OOPS, the information is out

[maf]

I give the PS3 5 years life, but then what will it do, I mean it can't go any higher in terms of resolution So consoles will be stuck at 1080p for at least the next generation, PC's will keep upping the ante.

That's a very good point, CCharlie (myself, a 33-year-old gamer).

 

I suppose with the screen resolution reaching a maximum, for the human eye at least, things will stay the same for a few years now; only the techniques and game engines becoming more advanced.

 

What's next? It's sure been a fun ride reaching this far in videogaming, though I play far less games these days

[maxtryue]

Next-gen console make full hd on only 2 or 3 games...

 

98% of games are at 720p or under....

[DML]

 

98% of games are at 720p or under....

Yes. Every screenshot I've seen of GTA IV is 1280x720. I often ask myself, as do many people around here and the globe: What is so f*cking goddamn-special about games being rendered at the same resolution that Half Life 1 was being rendered at 10 years ago?

 

Looking more and more at the actual in-game graphics of GTA IV, I think I speak for the majority of PC gamers when I say the following: It's good that the Grand Theft Auto games have ridden on popularity achieved from always having a good level of playability, because if the game rating and player-reception for GTA IV went on graphics alone, well...it would not be all that good.

 

Half Life 2, which is around 4 years old, had equal or better graphics. Hitman: Blood Money, which is nearly 2 years old, had graphics which kill GTA IV's...so hopefully we don't hear any more tripe about PCs not being "able to handle" the game.

[CharmingCharlie]

 

If had 3 Gs to blow on a rig , I WOULD...like right this minute, id still keep my PS3, but I would spend more time on the PC, Id probably even buy PC GTA4 when im on the PC and cant be arsed to move 3 ft to my sofa ( seriously thats a cost-benefit ratio id weigh up    )

I think you are overstating the costs of PC ownership personally, I mean over it's lifetime I won't even try to prove that a PC is cheaper than a console that would just be silly. However 3 grand on a PC, I have never spent that amount of money on a PC in my life. I have built two PC's this year for myself, a core2duo and a quadcore I spent under £1000 on each of them (including monitors). For my money I got this :

 

E6600 Core2Duo 2.4ghz, 2gbs ram, 8600gt 512mb card - Plays console ports better than the consoles = £500

Q6600 Quadcore 2.4ghz, 3gbs ram, 8800gts 320mb card - stomps all console games into the ground and laughs at them. = £600

 

Obviously the quadcore is my gaming PC which is in my peaceful study, got a lovely comfy leather recliner and a padded footstool that I can lounge on whilst playing games. The Core2duo is downstairs in the living room linked to my telly and a smallish 14" lcd and thanks to dualview I can play a game whilst watching a dvd on the telly.

 

I have to personally say that if you factor the cost of a HD TV into buying one of these new consoles, you could actually find PC gaming is cheaper especially if you factor in the cost of games which on a PC are usually £15/£20 cheaper. I did a cost analysis of this years expenditure and I have spent close to £2075 on pc gaming. To have got the same experience with consoles it would have cost me £3023. If you don't believe me check out my breakdown on page 81 of this thread.

 

 

@CharmingCharlie "25 years of PC gaming"

Holy sh*t, I looked in your Profile, you were born in "April 1971", almost 37!

You must be a wise-guy when it comes to PC knowledge, no doubt.

But, how or why did you end up in this forum, you joined for GTAIV?

Nah, I'm just being curious.

Cheers

PS: excuse my bad english

I know aint I a grumpy old sod 37 years of age, I have lived through the 8bit wars, the 16bit wars, the 32bit wars, the "everyone forgot what bits we were on and just started slagging each other off" wars. I actually found GTAforum by a fluke chance of clicking on the wrong google link (your eyesight starts to go when you hit 30 ) I was actually looking for a mod on gta sa and ended up here. I kinda liked it and so I stayed.

 

 

That's a very good point, CCharlie (myself, a 33-year-old gamer).

 

I suppose with the screen resolution reaching a maximum, for the human eye at least, things will stay the same for a few years now; only the techniques and game engines becoming more advanced.

 

What's next? It's sure been a fun ride reaching this far in videogaming, though I play far less games these days

I suddenly don't feel so old . I think we have a long way before we get beyond the resolution of a human eye, I think the human is eqivulent of a 576 megapixel camera. So plenty of room for improvment . The next few years are going to be very interesting no matter what format you use, my only argument is that PC users should not have to lose out simply because Sony/MS can bribe Rockstar into trying to force us to own consoles.

Edited February 13, 2008 by CharmingCharlie

[xerxes_]

A LOYAL PC GAMER FOR LIFE!

 

 

[GTA_Godfather]

 

Also, there's no law against sitting on a sofa while using your PC.  Nor is there any rule which states that you cannot have friends etc, joining in the fun of PC gaming, whether it be on one PC, or many networked PCs.

But, if you did that then you'd have to settle for that crappy 720p resolution (1280x720) [for a decent size screen (>30")]. This defeats the purpose somewhat.

 

 

==========================

My Rig

 

Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 (2.4GHz, 4MB L2 Cache)

8GB Corsair DDR2 PC2-6400 800 Mhz

EVGA 680i SLI MB

2x EVGA NVIDIA 8800 GTX (768mb DDR3 each)

2x74GB Western Digital 10k RPM SATA I Raptor HDD

2x500GB Western Digital 7200RPM SATA II

24" Dell Widescreen LCD (1920x1200 Native Resolution)

Auzentech Prelude X-fi Soundcard

1.2KW Thermaltake Power Supply

===========================

 

[EntropicLqd]

GTA III:LC, VC, and SA, are games played in the first-person, not third.....GTA has, for the most part, a camera situated directly behind and above the character's head, meaning that it is being played from that character's perspective....

The very fact that the camera is placed behind and above the characters head implicitly means that the game is in a 3rd person perspective. The only time the GTA games become first person is when you zoom in with a scope. This is most obvious when you are driving around as you can use the mouse to look around you.

 

While I will agree that the GTA games (and Max Payne) play very much like first person shooters, neither of them can be categorised as such.

 

A first person perspective is only achieved when the camera is placed inside the main characters head, and what is rendered is what the character can see. Any game that places the camera outside of the body cannot by definition be classes as a first person perspective game.

 

[andylovesGTA]

for me PC gaming is more single that multi player thing. back in the day when first couple of NFS game where on PC you could play them with your friends next to you via split screen, but now its just fubar.

while PC is more tended to do high-rez graphics and enormous frame rates consoles are much funner.

 

 

Its hard to say I play my 360 and PC equally.

 

my PC

 

AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 5600+ 2.81 GhZ

2 GB of RAM

ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT 512 MB

two some kind of samsung 400GB HDD's

 

and I'm running on XP

[CharmingCharlie]

 

While I will agree that the GTA games (and Max Payne) play very much like first person shooters, neither of them can be categorised as such.

 

Like you say technically you can't call GTA a FPS, however as you admit it plays more like an FPS game than it does a third person game like say Tombraider, which is the point DML was trying to make. I have to agree with that assertion too. I mean with a game like Tombraider that is just begging for a joypad (although the older games worked very well with keyboard) but GTA just enters a whole new level of enjoyment when using a mouse and keyboard.

 

 

PC is more tended to do high-rez graphics and enormous frame rates consoles are much funner.

Now this is where we have the problem, you may consider consoles funner, I have tried gaming on various consoles and to me they feel limited, frustrating, annoying and restrictive. Now perhaps if I had never grown up with computers and PC's I wouldn't have a problem. As I have said I have had 25 years of gaming on various PC's and if it was a choice between gaming on consoles or no gaming at all, I would choose no gaming at all. Consoles for me suck out any enjoyment that there might be had from gaming.

 

This is why I get angry with Rockstar they are holding back the PC release because their masters (aka Sony/MS) want to try and force as many people as they can to buy a console. If I want a console I will BUY one, I do not need to be coerced or bribed into getting one.

[maxtryue]

GTA_Godfather's RIG:

Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 (2.4GHz, 4MB L2 Cache)

8GB Corsair DDR2 PC2-6400 800 Mhz

EVGA 680i SLI MB

2x EVGA NVIDIA 8800 GTX (768mb DDR3 each)

2x74GB Western Digital 10k RPM SATA I Raptor HDD

2x500GB Western Digital 7200RPM SATA II

24" Dell Widescreen LCD (1920x1200 Native Resolution)

Auzentech Prelude X-fi Soundcard

1.2KW Thermaltake Power Supply

 

Wtf?? What a nice computer man

 

 

I think pc gamers are just used to play games with high res/framerate.

 

I don't know if i upgrade my pc to play gta4,mafia 2 and all the others with high quality.

 

Or if i buy a Xbox360/Ps3 and play gta 4/mafia 2 and all the fighting games ect....

 

I can't have both so i have to make a hard choice.I play on pc since i'm 6 years old,i was born in a pc!But now i'm seeing that developpers don't give a f*ck anymore about pc gamers!

 

I only play Cs on my pc cuz i can't play bioshock, crysis with good framerate.....

 

My birthday is on May,i'm just waiting to see how it evolve to make a choice

 

 

[GTA_Godfather]

 

PC is more tended to do high-rez graphics and enormous frame rates consoles are much funner.

Now this is where we have the problem, you may consider consoles funner, I have tried gaming on various consoles and to me they feel limited, frustrating, annoying and restrictive....

You are so right about feeling limited, frustrated, annoyed, and restricted. I've always felt personally that playing a game on a console is SETTLING FOR LESS and I refuse to do it. I've seen/played previous versions of GTA on a console (not for long though...ha ha) and trust me, they can't hold a candle to their respective PC versions played on a decent PC rig.

 

...and if you're going to use a word like 'funner' you should definitely stick to a console. High resolutions (enabled because you don't have to settle for a mediocre TV screen) and pure graphical power (including all the custom graphics settings and such) is exactly what makes playing a game like GTA on the PC a FAR richer experience (i.e. 'funner' as you like to call it).

 

BTW, will you be able to finally import your own MP3s into your console boxes with GTA IV?

 

In case you're curious, Call of Duty 4 looks SPECTACULAR on my rig with all the settings maxed! It makes the Xbox 360 and PS3 look like Super Nintendos.

 

 

 

[KoLiU]

Ðко не Ñ Ð½Ð°Ð¿Ñ€Ð°Ð²Ð¸Ñ‚Ðµ и за компютър, това ще е много - много тъпо.

Задължително Ñ Ð¿ÑƒÑнете и за компютър, че ми омръзна Сан ÐндреаÑ.

Сори за кирилицата, ама Ñъм зле Ñ Ð°Ð½Ð³Ð»Ð¸Ð¹ÑкиÑ.

[boggles123456]

 

 

Is it actually possible to port the game yourself if you had the right hardware and software, and knew what to do ? Obviously it would be illegal but could a random person who, for example spent lots of time in university and studied game design etc etc actuually be able to port it himself?

Erm yeah you just need a team of software engineers to reverse engineer the Rockstar Advance Graphics Engine, then convert it from ppc code into X86 code. After that just get the PC version of Euphoria and Natural Motion to work with the x86 version of RAGE and bobs ya cross dressing aunt. I could do it in a day

 

However it does highlight how easy it would be for Rockstar, probably about 75% of the 360 version could be utilised on the PC, all they would have to do is port the R.A.G.E engine and integrate the PC versions of the various 3rd party engines they are using. They could do all that at minimal cost, hell they could even get Nvidia or Intel to pay for it. The reason why it won't happen anytime soon is because MS/Sony want to force you to buy a console, which would make any reasonably sane person angry.

Thanks for the reply,

Well, hold on a minute.

 

Although its illegal, and I dont agree with it, people are using emulators to plaay old Sony ps2 games, and gba games, and maybe xbox games aswell. Is this similar to porting or something entirely different.

 

 

[SynTerro]

 

 

Is it actually possible to port the game yourself if you had the right hardware and software, and knew what to do ? Obviously it would be illegal but could a random person who, for example spent lots of time in university and studied game design etc etc actuually be able to port it himself?

Erm yeah you just need a team of software engineers to reverse engineer the Rockstar Advance Graphics Engine, then convert it from ppc code into X86 code. After that just get the PC version of Euphoria and Natural Motion to work with the x86 version of RAGE and bobs ya cross dressing aunt. I could do it in a day

 

However it does highlight how easy it would be for Rockstar, probably about 75% of the 360 version could be utilised on the PC, all they would have to do is port the R.A.G.E engine and integrate the PC versions of the various 3rd party engines they are using. They could do all that at minimal cost, hell they could even get Nvidia or Intel to pay for it. The reason why it won't happen anytime soon is because MS/Sony want to force you to buy a console, which would make any reasonably sane person angry.

Thanks for the reply,

Well, hold on a minute.

 

Although its illegal, and I dont agree with it, people are using emulators to plaay old Sony ps2 games, and gba games, and maybe xbox games aswell. Is this similar to porting or something entirely different.

No, emulators are programs that simulate other systems and nothing is done with the game. The game will still not be optimized for PC, and you still have the limitations of a console.

[CJ_4_LIFE]

NO R* Have not commented on this. NO (as fare as im awere its not going to happen). And NO P23 and XBOX360 only.Is anyone with me on this???

[gta-evo4]

NO R* Have not commented on this. NO (as fare as im awere its not going to happen). And NO P23 and XBOX360 only.Is anyone with me on this???

[CharmingCharlie]

 

NO R* Have not commented on this. NO (as fare as im awere its not going to happen). And NO P23 and XBOX360 only.Is anyone with me on this???

Dear god firstly I really hope you are not english because that is the most diabolical abuse of the language I have ever seen in my life. Now from what I can decipher you are saying :-

 

 

No it will not appear on the PC.  Rockstar have said nothing about the PC version and it will only appear on the PS3 and 360 and who is with you

You obviously didn't read any of the posts in this thread, what was the problem are the posts in plain english. Look it is very simple Rockstar are NOT going to say anything about the PC version yet, they want you to buy the console version. This is a time honoured con that everyone always falls for, they have been doing it since GTA 3. As for whether anyone is with you, well you just need to look at the poll results to see nearly 83% do not agree with you and think you are talking BADLY out of your arse.

[DML]

 

Any game that places the camera outside of the body cannot by definition be classes as a first person perspective game.

Well it depends. If the mouse did nothing except look at the character from different angles, then yes, it would be "third-person". But since the mouse in GTA III: LC, VC, and SA, steers the person, as well as aims the gun for the person, you are controlling from that person's perspective, and no-one else's. And thus, the PC rules supreme as the proper platform to play it on......unless the player prefers the use of some antiquated, f*cked-up auto-aiming system; the kind which is pretty-much a requirement when playing such a game on console.

Edited February 14, 2008 by DML

[jesushumper]

Huh? whu?

 

Someone tryign to claim that PC's are cheaper in the long run??

 

I can only wish. Since i got my computer Feb '06 I initially put $2200 into it, with another $600 or so since.

 

Had i spent that on other things, I'd ahve a big TV, all three consoles and a decent stereo to go along with them.

 

BUt no, i love PC's too much for that.

 

Oh, and my PC still whoops any consoel in terms of graphics power.

 

and usefulness, naturally.

 

 

 

My 2 cents on the rest.. GTA's gameplay has ALWASY been foremost in my mind. So much fun to do everthing.

 

I'm usually a graphics whore but the GTA"s are so fun taht i 've been able tolook past shawdy visuals.

 

Though i must say tath IV is looking pretty nice. No tot best, by any means, but the look seems to suit the game.

 

I jsut hope it has proper widescreen support.

[gta-evo4]

@Console owner: Hell, I know how much you love your gaming box,fine. I was 8-16 years old too. I have grown up playing with my Lego toys, but there is a time when you have to leave them, a time when you realize there are better things than plastic toys.

I almost forgot, please show some respect here, you have the 99% of GTAIV forum to talk about consoles; _whatever makes you happy its what matters, isn't it?

@CharmingCharlie and @DML. Your willingness wonders me, keep up the great work here.

 

Cheers

 

 

 

[SynTerro]

 

Huh? whu?

 

Someone tryign to claim that PC's are cheaper in the long run??

 

I can only wish. Since i got my computer Feb '06 I initially put $2200 into it, with another $600 or so since.

 

Really depends on your budget. Sure if you want to be at the very high end all the time it will cost you allot, but 1000$ PC will hold 3-4 years but you can't run the game at the very best in the end, it still be better than console. After the third year the only upgrade you need is a better gfx card and the PC will hold a couple of years moore, depending on what new technoloy there is. There has been allot of new things to the PC lately, I.E. PCI-E, multicore CPU, 64 bit CPU, SATA. There will not be as many changes in near future(not that I know of) so I think now is a good time to buy a PC.

 

edit:

Changes in the future will be highly focused on harddisk, as this is the major bottleneck on todays PC, this needs no major upgrade on other parts of the PC.

Edited February 14, 2008 by SynTerro

[freak2121]

I think pc gamers are just used to play games with high res/framerate.

 

Not me, i'm used to 640x600 at low detail, or else it'll lag like sh*t.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Damn i need AlienWare

[nlitement]

Damn i need AlienWare

That's the last thing you need.