Graphical Performance Readme

[Sub12]

And for those accusing Rockstar of "having their cocks sucked by nVidia" or the like, isn't this a neutral title? I don't see nVidia's TWIMTB anywhere. I just think they should have worked more closely with BOTH vendors.

[Malik]

Then put a big sticker on the box; that tells every nerd around the world that wants buy this poorly coded game game: DONT BUY THIS GAME NOW, ITS CODED FOR THE FUTURE. THE PC'S AREN'T READY FOR IT YET.

Ofcourse they wont do that since everybody is buying the game like crazy and just when the lags start to show up (wich they will) and people wanna return their copy, Rockstar then says you can check the Readme. It contains the info that its not built for your little pc but for a space pc in the near or far future so you cant blame us its all there in the readme!

 

[aragond]

Thank you for the title change!

No problem, thanks for finding the information and bringing it to our attention. Hopefully it will help a few people out or at least clarify things a bit.

 

I haven't got the game myself yet (postie bringing it tomorrow) but I always had a sneaky suspicion that Medium was the sweat spot for most people. But I won't say anything more till I have tried the game myself.

And, insomuch as you cared to know this, you're one person who I am looking forward to hearing from to help clear the FOG of disappointment I am having trouble deciphering.

 

FWIW, I remember being able to play GTA III on sweet settings, but then having to drop to 640x480 for Vice City. Didn't stop me absolutely LUVIN' the game, of course.

 

But... then again, Vice City wasn't touted as having the world's best graphics since the creation of mankind, now did it? It was about the game, not the 10/10 that IGN were pushing. So maybe that's half our disappointment right there -- failure to live up to exuberant reviews!

 

OP! Brilliant find, buddy. for you!

[Guus]

Then put a big sticker on the box; that tells every nerd around the world that wants buy this poorly coded game game: DONT BUY THIS GAME NOW, ITS CODED FOR THE FUTURE. THE PC'S AREN'T READY FOR IT YET.

Ofcourse they wont do that since everybody is buying the game like crazy and just when the lags start to show up (wich they will) and people wanna return their copy, Rockstar then says you can check the Readme. It contains the info that its not built for your little pc but for a space pc in the near or far future so you cant blame us its all there in the readme!

 

My post was sarcasm, of course they won't make a sticker like that.

[Tw1ggy]

SLi is not supported yet eh... well theres some hope there, although not much.

But all of that next-next gen is crap, since the RECOMMENDED spec PCs cant run the game on med, not to mention max, i'd say R* were lying. And the sad thing is taht none of the PC reviews pointed that out. what a bunch of (.)holes

[disposeablehero]

 

This is very good information. Now people can stop complaining about why there top end computers cant even run gta4 run it max graphics... Read it and weep

Actually, this is BS propaganda to make people think it takes 1.5 GB Vram to play a game that conmsoels with 512 MB total ram were able to run. BS.

Yes, because the console run this game at 2560×1600. (Most 30" LCD monitors' native resolution.)

 

Oh wait... no they don't, they only have to run it at 1280×720. (720p)

 

Try these settings*:

 

1280x720

Texture Quality = Medium

Render Quality = Low

View Distance = 21

Detail Distance = 10

 

Now see if you can get 30FPS.

 

If you can, your computer can run it as well as the consoles.

 

 

*Based on R*'s Readme information.

People are getting 15 fps on 1280 X 1024 res with Quads and GTX 260's, don't be so gullible. This is a BS excuse for a game that is terribly mis-usinfg PC resources. Rockstar have no clue how to use tech properly, they should have hired some tech saavy developers. No way a game with such low res texutres should require 2 Gb Vram, hell at least wihen crysis came out and people couldn't max it it was breathtaking to look at , GTA 4, even with settings higher then console looks average at best. no ons here is trying to run it on 2560 X 1900 res, where you get this from, poeple are struggling to get it running on medium settings on high end hardware. No excuse for PC hardware which has 3-4 times more power to require such a gross amount of resources. Terrible job at coding here by rockstar, after bully is anyone really surprised?

 

Propaganda to try and cover up for a game that is terribly mis-using PC resources, rockstar has no clue how to properly use PC tech resources. A few moron fanboys will buy this game requiring future PC's but looks like a console game.

Edited December 3, 2008 by disposeablehero

[disposeablehero]

SLi is not supported yet eh... well theres some hope there, although not much.

But all of that next-next gen is crap, since the RECOMMENDED spec PCs cant run the game on med, not to mention max, i'd say R* were lying. And the sad thing is taht none of the PC reviews pointed that out. what a bunch of (.)holes

Well, reviews cannot be trusted when it comes to game, too much advertising dollars, and they make them review the game in their offices with their PC's. Game reviews are the only ones that directly profit from the game they review. Game reviews are garbage to ne honest.

[One-time]

This is a BS excuse for a game that is terribly mis-usinfg PC resources. Rockstar have no clue how to use tech properly, they should have hired some tech saavy developers.

This. Is. The. Truth.

I thought Bully was their first and last fault, now they've made the second Bully.

[oc student]

This is very good information. Now people can stop complaining about why there top end computers cant even run gta4 run it max graphics... Read it and weep

Actually, this is BS propaganda to make people think it takes 1.5 GB Vram to play a game that conmsoels with 512 MB total ram were able to run. BS.

Yes, because the console run this game at 2560×1600. (Most 30" LCD monitors' native resolution.)

 

Oh wait... no they don't, they only have to run it at 1280×720. (720p)

 

Try these settings*:

 

1280x720

Texture Quality = Medium

Render Quality = Low

View Distance = 21

Detail Distance = 10

 

Now see if you can get 30FPS.

 

If you can, your computer can run it as well as the consoles.

 

 

*Based on R*'s Readme information.

People are getting 15 fps on 1280 X 1024 res with Quads and GTX 260's, don't be so gullible. This is a BS excuse for a game that is terribly mis-usinfg PC resources. Rockstar have no clue how to use tech properly, they should have hired some tech saavy developers. No way a game with such low res texutres should require 2 Gb Vram, hell at least wihen crysis came out and people couldn't max it it was breathtaking to look at , GTA 4, even with settings higher then console looks average at best. no ons here is trying to run it on 2560 X 1900 res, where you get this from, poeple are struggling to get it running on medium settings on high end hardware. No excuse for PC hardware which has 3-4 times more power to require such a gross amount of resources. Terrible job at coding here by rockstar, after bully is anyone really surprised?

 

Propaganda to try and cover up for a game that is terribly mis-using PC resources, rockstar has no clue how to properly use PC tech resources. A few moron fanboys will buy this game requiring future PC's but looks like a console game.

There is nothing wrong with this port! Has this community been brainwashing you into some kind of cyber-terrorist person who rigidly believes on thing even those it is wrong?

 

I meant this. The console versions looks amazing, still after some low-res textures that you wouldn't be able to recognize if it wasn't for the object that it was on. But after the port every single object and texture has had a major re-amp until the point where they are crystal clear and aren't stretched. Now imagine every single object in the frame that you are looking at which has had a major texture resolution upgrade. There would be loads! The consoles played the game with 1280x720 res and low texture resolutions with 25-30 frames per second with an equivalent GFX card of a 7800 GTX. The graphics that you see on the consoles are the equivalent of low on the PC version. Now to put this in perspective, a PC running a Core 2 Duo clocked at about 2.2GHZ coupled with a 8800GT which is twice as good as a 7800GTX should be able to manage the game at medium settings at a res of 1280x 1024 with a framerate of about 30-35FPS. While this might sound shocking, the term "medium setting" with only "30-35"FPS, on a 8800GT it is actually quite comparable to the console version's as the graphics are much better while having an increase in performance. I think we all have gotten used to the thought of "low settings equals ultra crap graphics, medium settings equals alright but still crap graphics (my card can handle better), high graphics is what my card should be chugging out and very high settings is what looks like I should be achieving". Even though I have a 8500GT and it it said that it won't run the game, but I do not think that technology is future proof for years and years. And on top of that, but I do not think this is a bad port.

 

 

[artha67]

i think the minimum specs is too high...

[oc student]

i think the minimum specs is too high...

Not too high if you knew that the low settings equals console GFX.

[artha67]

yeah....i hope my PC can play GTA 4 normally...

 

 

 

thx..

[DAV1D90]

lol have you seen Low settings? its like GTASA

[artha67]

lol have you seen Low settings? its like GTASA

yeahh....maybe, if you set the low graphics in GTA 4...its seems like GTA SA?its right?

[DAV1D90]

yeah, maybe even worse... but with little bonus - unplayable FPS......... wanna shot someone from R*

[wysockisauce]

R* is just covering their a$$es. I don't know about you guys but I think there are plenty of games that look better than GTAIV and run better. IMO this is not a real "next-gen" game.

[extender]

Argh!

Edited December 3, 2008 by extender

[Dup]

This document constradicts the reccomended specs on the retail boxed version of the game.

 

Anyone who has purchased the game should be questioning this with R* as posting on a forum will not give R* any direct useful feedback:

 

 

For US Support

Phone: 1-866-405-5464

Email: [email protected]

 

For Canadian Support

Phone: 1-800-269-5721

Email: [email protected]

 

For UK Support

Phone: 08701 200060

Email: [email protected]

[oc student]

Low settings does not equal SA graphics...

 

Did you ppl even read what i wrote?

[extender]

Yeah. I think all what we should do is to write angry letter to the rockstar games and tell them how disappointed we are. They promised that this game will run perfectly fine even on 2 years old computers and it actully isnt. It isnt even running perfectly fine on Quad Cores and 280GTX etc GPU's. We should tell them that they have to release some kind of patch or hotfix within 2/3 weeks what will fix those kind of problems. Right now, GTA IV dont know how to use computer resources fully. They need to fix it as soon as possible. OR We will start to boycott their products and are gonna start anti-Rockstar games propaganda. Because that is the biggest let down ever right now, what happened in Gaming Industry! 80% people are not able to run this game normally. Total bullsh*t.

[oc student]

Yeah. I think all what we should do is to write angry letter to the rockstar games and tell them how disappointed we are. They promised that this game will run perfectly fine even on 2 years old computers and it actully isnt. It isnt even running perfectly fine on Quad Cores and 280GTX etc GPU's. We should tell them that they have to release some kind of patch or hotfix within 2/3 weeks what will fix those kind of problems. Right now, GTA IV dont know how to use computer resources fully. They need to fix it as soon as possible. OR We will start to boycott their products and are gonna start anti-Rockstar games propaganda. Because that is the biggest let down ever right now, what happened in Gaming Industry! 80% people are not able to run this game normally. Total bullsh*t.

 

Low settings does not equal SA graphics...

 

Did you ppl even read what i wrote?

Do i have to repeat this? If low settings equals GTA 4 consoles graphics what would you expect? So you want a 5800GTX to run this game? And plus, your statistic of 80% of people now being able to run this game is utter crap!

[extender]

Yeah. I think all what we should do is to write angry letter to the rockstar games and tell them how disappointed we are. They promised that this game will run perfectly fine even on 2 years old computers and it actully isnt. It isnt even running perfectly fine on Quad Cores and 280GTX etc GPU's. We should tell them that they have to release some kind of patch or hotfix within 2/3 weeks what will fix those kind of problems. Right now, GTA IV dont know how to use computer resources fully. They need to fix it as soon as possible. OR We will start to boycott their products and are gonna start anti-Rockstar games propaganda. Because that is the biggest let down ever right now, what happened in Gaming Industry! 80% people are not able to run this game normally. Total bullsh*t.

Low settings does not equal SA graphics...

 

Did you ppl even read what i wrote?

Do i have to repeat this? If low settings equals GTA 4 consoles graphics what would you expect? So you want a 5800GTX to run this game? And plus, your statistic of 80% of people now being able to run this game is utter crap!

ur blind or something? Where did i say something about 5800GTX ? What I except? Well my computer is 3x better than xbox360 so I'm waiting for it to run with 1280x1024 and medium details. When guys with 280GTX or with 2GB of GPU RAM are not able to run this game with 1280x1024 and max settings normally with normal FPS, then there has to be something wrong. It can't be ours fault.

[oc student]

Yeah. I think all what we should do is to write angry letter to the rockstar games and tell them how disappointed we are. They promised that this game will run perfectly fine even on 2 years old computers and it actully isnt. It isnt even running perfectly fine on Quad Cores and 280GTX etc GPU's. We should tell them that they have to release some kind of patch or hotfix within 2/3 weeks what will fix those kind of problems. Right now, GTA IV dont know how to use computer resources fully. They need to fix it as soon as possible. OR We will start to boycott their products and are gonna start anti-Rockstar games propaganda. Because that is the biggest let down ever right now, what happened in Gaming Industry! 80% people are not able to run this game normally. Total bullsh*t.

Low settings does not equal SA graphics...

 

Did you ppl even read what i wrote?

Do i have to repeat this? If low settings equals GTA 4 consoles graphics what would you expect? So you want a 5800GTX to run this game? And plus, your statistic of 80% of people now being able to run this game is utter crap!

ur blind or something? Where did i say something about 5800GTX ? What I except? Well my computer is 3x better than xbox360 so I'm waiting for it to run with 1280x1024 and medium details. When guys with 280GTX or with 2GB of GPU RAM are not able to run this game with 1280x1024 and max settings normally with normal FPS, then there has to be something wrong. It can't be ours fault.

They can run it with max settings...

[lsb2008]

I agree the game can't make full use of the resources, I got Left 4 Dead playing at 60 FPS average with all settings high and 16xQ on 1920x1080 with a GTX 260.

 

I run the Far Cry 2, with all setts high and 16xAA on 1080p around 50 FPS, everything looks stunning

 

I play TF2 all high with 16xQ on 1080p around 40-90 FPS

 

Call of duty all high runs excellent - best optimized game of the century - loads from desktop within 20 sec, and uses 200-600 MB of ram.

 

I bought the GTX 260 today to upgrade my 8800GT and this god damn GTA IV playing for more then 10 min gives me a headache from all unAA

 

and you can't force AA onto GTA, I tried, nothing made the lines less jagged.

 

When I put it on 1080p I have to use view distance of 7, and medium rendering/textures, once the game runs for a lil and warms up the card, the FPS drops from 30 to 20-15,

 

and I'm forced to switch to 720p res.

 

Where are all the fancy built in DX10 effects? Theres no field of vision (Like in call of duty with iron sights)

 

Theres no HRD shadows, FOR GOD SAKE all GTA shadows look like a "Stipple alpha" effect - I haven't seen that since Carmageddon 2000.

 

Lighting is horrible, there's no separate light sources. Water looks like first generation first person shooter, I believe low q water looked better in LibertyCity.

 

I can turn up all the settings high, and see what it's gonna look like, and I damn can't see this game right now looking any better on a "next generation computer"

 

It's a damn ripoff, not even air particle system. Then why make real building models show up for all visible distance, it's make's it mucht lighter

 

on the system not to render models far away, just create a fake substitute texture cube, which discretely turns into a model once approached.

 

All the cut scenes are pre-rendered, but even they look like utter crap compared to Crysis or even COD.

 

In my opinion, R* needs to spend more money and hire some professional windows coders, instead of building a god darn sh!tbox360 emulator.

 

I was always a bigger fan of GTA on PC then on consoles, just because of the modding potential, and I went out and spent more money than it costs to buy an X360,

 

but yet the console game experience is better, because the game is somewhat stable and super optimized for it's platform.

 

I don't know but this looks like it's even barely touching 10% of DX10 possible features, which are built into the GPUs and run flawlessly.

 

Pretty much the biggest dissapointment in a game I've ever had!

[Acacios]

 

The Info posted by the OP is indeed informative, and only confirms my suspicions on not being able to set GTA IV in high on my Quad Core, GeForce 9800GT SLI. 4GB 1066 RAM. How could R* release with unsupported SLI. They got Crossfire working.....

 

I do have to somewhat agree with some posters that R* are just covering their rear ends in regards to this statement. "Many" dedicated gamers run rigs with better specs than mine, and yet can't (And if you believe that statement - aren't running next Gen' hardware.) Run on high settings.

 

Despite all that I am enjoying my gaming time on GTA IV. with only texture quality and view distance capped by the software. The lack of AA is annoying, but not as noticeable as you would think unless your "Looking" for the jaggies.

 

In the Benchmark I get an average FPS of 29(ish), but with no slow down, stutters or other anomalies associated with lower frame rates, so as far as game play is concerned. it runs like a dream, even with full traffic density.

[Tw1ggy]

well, this is R*'s CRYSIS, and we all fell for it cuz there was no demo, no benchmarks and we all thought that the game will be a hit. a hit in the face it turns out.

[jinvl34]

yeah im pissed, i pre ordered this game and waited A MONTH+++ IM PISSED f*ckING OFF!! this has to be the most sh*ttest RELEASE EVER THE PC VERSION FILLED WITH BUGS ANDN CANT EVAN CUSTOMIZE GRAPHICS!! WHO IN THE f*ck DOESNT LET YOU PUT SETTINGS HOW YOU WANT!!! MABYE WE SHOULD ALL SUE!!

[GTAMonkey2012]

 

Here what to try (if you have vista 32) ...

 

1.Create a shortcut from the rockstars main folder of the exe called "LaunchGTAIV.exe"

 

2. Open with "properties" on desktop of that shorcut and in the target add the following additions:

 

"E:\Program Files\Rockstar Games\Grand Theft Auto IV\LaunchGTAIV.exe" -norestrictions -DX9 /high

 

-norestrictions = lets the game not restrict your settings, this wont do anything for FPS or performance as-is and is just helpfull when testing, some say it doesnt work for them (they still get restrictions) but again this is all about my own experience with my rig and it does work for me.

 

-DX9 - Runs the game in Driect X 9 mode under vista, I do know that this actualy may help things as I have tried this with Crysis Warhead and it was more stable, so those saying "Install XP vista is crap" .. if you have vista and want to try it under DX9 this is it.

 

/high - Runs the game under vista at highest priority, gives mem and cpu access to this over all other processes.

 

-DX9 & /high have made it so I dont get stutters it runs, before I had same fps without these flags but having to set textures to medium (yuck) ... so I know for a fact this has helped and made a difference. For those with xp still try "/high" even if your in DX9 by default and give it a go.

 

Something ive been trying knowing about this readme and console comparisons. Could you set up a "tweaks" sticky?

[jinvl34]

The "-restictrion" sh*t doesnt work.. it might for non steam users.. BUT NOT FOR STEAM I GUESS? but yeah. we are all f*cked and have to wait another year/month probably for this "miracle patch". are luck we get f*cked and have a dead ass game :S

[extender]

I think that the real problem what we have is that GTA IV don't know how to take a good use of our computers resources. They need to fix that with the patch and it is possible but it might take some time. It most likely is the main problem. Nothing else explains why guys with 260 GTX etc are not able to run it normally. Game just don't know how to use sources maximumly.