Traffic

[Xizex]

Although I personally loved Grand Theft Auto IV, there are many small things that annoyed me. A major factor was traffic. Firstly, I felt cars went rather slow for the area, like most highways. Also, the ways cars spawned in groups of 5-10 on a highway every 15 seconds or so with a huge gap between one and other was both unrealistic and annoying when you are on foot trying to find cars. I hope traffic is actually realistic with a larger number if cars going a reasonable speed on the highways of Grand Theft Auto V. Maybe there could even be stagnant traffic during rush hour! What do you think about this?

[Supacoupe]

I'm sure R* would have loved to do this properly in IV and also in this one, but the limitations may fall on the hardware and not the programmers lazyness. I'm not a computer expert, but I seen these talks on here before about what runs things such as traffic frequency and the amount of NPCs on a screen at any given time. It would be interesting to see what the advances in programming have done in this final gen version of GTA.

 

By the way, I would love some sort of resemblance of a rush hour. Maybe that would affect heist timings, such as planning a heist during rush hour to keep the cops stuck in highway rush hour.

[ill-thoughts]

im guessing the traffic will be more like Midnight Club LA. if youv played that game, it was LITTERED with freeway traffic poh my god.

[Bluepolitician]

I'm sure R* would have loved to do this properly in IV and also in this one, but the limitations may fall on the hardware and not the programmers lazyness. I'm not a computer expert, but I seen these talks on here before about what runs things such as traffic frequency and the amount of NPCs on a screen at any given time. It would be interesting to see what the advances in programming have done in this final gen version of GTA.

 

By the way, I would love some sort of resemblance of a rush hour. Maybe that would affect heist timings, such as planning a heist during rush hour to keep the cops stuck in highway rush hour.

Dan Houser said R* did not let 'hardware' limit this game. They have pulled off 'EVERYTHING' that they have wanted to do. He also said these consoles are extremely powerful. This can all be found in the GI December issue. Dont forget that IV was a stepping stone to this game.

[Radoonhagaydoon]

If that guy said that, then Bethesda are scumbag overrated lazy devs.

[lightningun]

Also sometimes the roads are just completely empty with a couple of cars spawning every few seconds. So i REALY hope they spend some time on how cars and peds spawn on streets.

[Supacoupe]

I'm sure R* would have loved to do this properly in IV and also in this one, but the limitations may fall on the hardware and not the programmers lazyness. I'm not a computer expert, but I seen these talks on here before about what runs things such as traffic frequency and the amount of NPCs on a screen at any given time. It would be interesting to see what the advances in programming have done in this final gen version of GTA.

 

By the way, I would love some sort of resemblance of a rush hour. Maybe that would affect heist timings, such as planning a heist during rush hour to keep the cops stuck in highway rush hour.

Dan Houser said R* did not let 'hardware' limit this game. They have pulled off 'EVERYTHING' that they have wanted to do. He also said these consoles are extremely powerful. This can all be found in the GI December issue. Dont forget that IV was a stepping stone to this game.

Nice, thanks for clarifying. I knew that they made some advances so hopefully they gotten all the juice they could out of the consoles.

[73duster]

I'm sure R* would have loved to do this properly in IV and also in this one, but the limitations may fall on the hardware and not the programmers lazyness. I'm not a computer expert, but I seen these talks on here before about what runs things such as traffic frequency and the amount of NPCs on a screen at any given time. It would be interesting to see what the advances in programming have done in this final gen version of GTA.

 

By the way, I would love some sort of resemblance of a rush hour. Maybe that would affect heist timings, such as planning a heist during rush hour to keep the cops stuck in highway rush hour.

I agree with most of your post, except for the part about laziness. Rockstar is anything BUT lazy. The amount of work they put into their games is unmatched by anyone. I think the hardware is whats holding them back. We are talking about a complex system of traffic that has to move at a realistic speed, while keeping the spawning at a minimum. I'm pretty sure that the traffic flow WILL improve, but i think that realistically, we shouldn't expect a huge difference. A modern highway in a city as crowded as Los Santos would naturally have enormous traffic congestion. That's a lot to ask of the current hardware.

[Number201]

Agree 100% with OP. Unfortunately GTA V looks like more of the same.

[Supacoupe]

I'm sure R* would have loved to do this properly in IV and also in this one, but the limitations may fall on the hardware and not the programmers lazyness. I'm not a computer expert, but I seen these talks on here before about what runs things such as traffic frequency and the amount of NPCs on a screen at any given time. It would be interesting to see what the advances in programming have done in this final gen version of GTA.

 

By the way, I would love some sort of resemblance of a rush hour. Maybe that would affect heist timings, such as planning a heist during rush hour to keep the cops stuck in highway rush hour.

I agree with most of your post, except for the part about laziness. Rockstar is anything BUT lazy. The amount of work they put into their games is unmatched by anyone. I think the hardware is whats holding them back. We are talking about a complex system of traffic that has to move at a realistic speed, while keeping the spawning at a minimum. I'm pretty sure that the traffic flow WILL improve, but i think that realistically, we shouldn't expect a huge difference. A modern highway in a city as crowded as Los Santos would naturally have enormous traffic congestion. That's a lot to ask of the current hardware.

I definately wasn't pointing the finger in their direction, however some of those other developers, I can't speak for.

[Playstation Events]

Yeah. And if you've ever been to Broadway there is a lot more traffic. Plus some parts of Algonquin look really different than the game. They got the closest in the part based off of Queens and Brooklyn.

 

Another thing about traffic was that as soon as you got on the road with other drivers they started driving strangely, and terribly. I would've thought that all the drivers were asian and/or women.

 

Just a little joke, don't take it seriously please.

 

 

 

Thought I was signed into my MikeMyth account, whoops.

[meson1]

The lane driving needs sorting out. The way traffic acted on the bridges was poor. Cars would change lanes without warning and without any regard for whether there was another car there or not. They'd just smash their way into the new lane. Moreover, an entire lane of traffic would suddenly decide it wanted to be in the other lane all at once and brutally swing across. Not realistic behaviour at all.

 

I'm now going to utter a dirty word: SR2. Now that game had more than a few problems, BUT I mention it because traffic on highways in THAT game behaved properly and predictably. It looked reasonably realistic with the way they'd signal before executing a lane change, they'd only change lane if there was space, they'd change lane smoothly and if another car entered that space during their manoeuvre they'd abort and return to their original lane. It worked.

 

I just hope Rockstar have a proper go at addressing these kinds of issues in GTA.

[Xizex]

The lane driving needs sorting out. The way traffic acted on the bridges was poor. Cars would change lanes without warning and without any regard for whether there was another car there or not. They'd just smash their way into the new lane. Moreover, an entire lane of traffic would suddenly decide it wanted to be in the other lane all at once and brutally swing across. Not realistic behaviour at all.

 

I'm now going to utter a dirty word: SR2. Now that game had more than a few problems, BUT I mention it because traffic on highways in THAT game behaved properly and predictably. It looked reasonably realistic with the way they'd signal before executing a lane change, they'd only change lane if there was space, they'd change lane smoothly and if another car entered that space during their manoeuvre they'd abort and return to their original lane. It worked.

 

I just hope Rockstar have a proper go at addressing these kinds of issues in GTA.

Ugh I remember it now. Speeding down the Algonquin Bridge dodging cars last and right then BAM! a subway from the tracks below rushed by, then all the cars swerved out of the way and I get wrecked! I don't know how much AI like that they could fix in this game, considering the fact that the trains will actually be on road level, but just thought I'd point that out as another annoyance in NPC driver AI

[leeradio13]

sometimes when i R3 to check behind me new traffic pattern appears in front of me... that really stinks when you're trying to outrun the cops!

Edited January 8, 2013 by leeradio13

[Raynos]

sometimes when i R3 to check behind me new traffic pattern appears in front of me... that really stinks when you're trying to outrun the cops!

Yah. That is pretty annoying indeed.

 

What bothered me was, If you were trying to follow the traffic rules, Other cars would honk at you and try to get past you.

 

Like, stopping at the Red Light. Those assholes would not realize that theres a red light there, they keep honking and driving into you as if you were blocking the flow of traffic.

[J32T3R]

I personally think they haven't fixed this and left it AI like it was in IV, they drove very atrocious swerving in out of lanes trying to dodge a train that was under them, next they drove like they had all day......pick up the speed we are on a highway, next address the AI slamming into the back of you, are the using AI from Midnight Club?

[Supacoupe]

sometimes when i R3 to check behind me new traffic pattern appears in front of me... that really stinks when you're trying to outrun the cops!

I remember that BS.

[Shadowfox_]

Yea I gotta say, traffic was pretty bad especially on the bridge leading to downtown. The cars would just clog up and it got really annoying when moving at high speeds and you crash into all that.

[YoungChrist]

If that guy said that, then Bethesda are scumbag overrated lazy devs.

ehhhh yeah basically. Skyrim is a beautiful looking game though and it can be interesting. But for the most part its repetitive and boring. And they need to improve the engine for the next Fallout because that game is sooo clunky and glitchy. Yeah Bethesda is really much overrated but at the same time they're innovators so some of praise is due.

 

But regarding traffic. One issue I felt that stood out more was when you were driving on the bridges many times people would try and cut you off but you would be going wayyyy too fast to slow down and you hit them. I understand that people are purposely made to drive horribly in GTA IV or even if not thats a convenient excuse for some inconsistencies. But when you're driving down the 2 lane bridges and all of a sudden 10 cars decide to switch lanes to the right all at the same time causing a major crash that kind of draws me out of the experience.

[YoungChrist]

sometimes when i R3 to check behind me new traffic pattern appears in front of me... that really stinks when you're trying to outrun the cops!

Yah. That is pretty annoying indeed.

 

What bothered me was, If you were trying to follow the traffic rules, Other cars would honk at you and try to get past you.

 

Like, stopping at the Red Light. Those assholes would not realize that theres a red light there, they keep honking and driving into you as if you were blocking the flow of traffic.

I think they would wait at red lights in most cases if not all. Its just that you weren't close enough to the line/intersection so they assume ur holding up traffic and they think theres enough space infront of you for another car. That in itself may be considered a glitch, its not often that you leave some space between ur car and the intersection and somebody beeps u cause ur not close enough, atleast where I live, and my city has one of the highest insurance rates in Canada.

 

They could fix that though yeah. But the convenient excuse could be "the drivers are just that bad in the GTA world".

[Algonquin Assassin]

Traffic was fine around the neighbourhoods and such, but yeah the highways felt empty and dead. Hopefully it's fixed in GTA V considering LA is known for its peak hour traffic.

[Fail_At_GTA]

Realistic traffic would be lovely. Rockstar will probably make more popular areas more crowded again, like they did with Star Junction and the airport. Realistic traffic jams in areas would be pretty fun and make police chases more realistic and challenging, adding to the fun of the game. I often watch California news and theres usually traffic jams on the roads due to car accidents and such. Having that applied to the GTA world would surely be interesting.

 

I hope the "look back and 10,000 cars infront of you spawn" thing will be fixed. That is by far the most annoying thing in GTA 4. Nothing else will ever top it.