Optimize GTA IV?

[cp1dell]

So branching off from my previous thread, I'm still wondering if it is (or has already been done) possible to optimize GTA IV. It's obvious that when Rockstar ported IV, it wasn't the best port out there. It was terribly optimized, and even modern PC builds have trouble running it at max settings. Though, I've heard multiple people around the web mention that the modding community had to optimize IV.

 

Now I either suck at searching, this hasn't happened, or a sad combination of both of these possibilities.

 

Is there even a way mods could optimize the game without watering down the default graphics or anything? If that's the case, you might as well say lowering the graphics settings it "optimizing the game" - when that is not the case. As mentioned earlier, there are PC builds that can run very demanding games on max settings, but still struggle with GTA IV.

 

So are there actually any mods or fixes that truly optimize GTA IV? In my previous thread, someone mentioned VisualIV. But that's all they mentioned, on top of that, that VisualIV topic barely explains what it does other than the obvious new timecyc.dat. What else does it change? Why did whatever was changed, need to be changed? How is whatever it's doing optimize the game? Does it really optimize the game?

 

I remember someone telling me to Google "How to bypass GTA IV memory restrictions."

 

What I found is that you use two command lines: -nomemrestrict and -norestrictions

But just like VisualIV situation, I am left with a vague answer. What exactly is this doing? Does this really optimize the game? etc. etc.

 

But those two examples are somewhat-beside the point. The real question is, are the really mods and/or fixes that optimize GTA IV so it runs like a good port (or even acceptable port) should?

[Vintage88]

You're not wrong that it is a very sh*tty port. However, certain settings in GTA IV are indeed very high-end.

- Setting shadows to very high generates them at 4Kx4K resolution I believe. When I do that in Skyrim I lose tons of FPS... GTA is a massive urban city, shadows are far more frequent and complex.

- Setting view distance to 100 literally attempts to load every full resolution texture in your view within a few hundred feet of you. Due to the map design and size, this has some obviously bad implications.

 

However most other problems are pretty unacceptable I'll admit.

 

There's nothing that can really do what you're asking. I wasted countless hours attempting to find something. Ended up reinstalling the game a dozen times and it still works the exact same .

Your best bet is to avoid car mods and map mods if you're having memory leak issues. If you insist on using them, you can use "-memrestrict xxxxxxx" in commandline until you find a number that minimizes memory leaks.

Use this link for reference www.gtaforums.com/index.php?showtopic=404147

 

I had memory leaks even with vanilla, however they are now mostly gone using the 629xxx setting

Edited March 5, 2013 by Vintage88

[cp1dell]

Insightful and informative post, thanks man.

 

On the memory-leak thing, I find it better to use -refreshrate and -framelimit, and set the refresh rate to something 30 or above, but less than whatever your framerate dips down to.

[adoel488]

memory leak is pop-up texture trouble, right? try edit the stream.ini file on pc folder (i set all number to 2204800, instead the original 204800), add commandline:

-availablevidmem 1.7

-noprecache

-nomemrestrict

-norestrictions

-novblank

and also when you start game, choose auto configure option (i recommend don't alter it). I replace about 60-70 vehicle, using g17 media's traffic flow mod and no texture popping (a little pop-up shown only after 30 minutes or so of playing). tested on my PC:

Games: GTA IV Patch 1.0.4.0

OS: Windows 7 ultimate 64 bit

Motherboard: asrock H61M-DG3/USB3

processor: intel pentium G630 dual-core @2,7 GHz

memory: 6 GB DDR3 (2+4) corsair 1333 MHz

GPU: HIS Radeon HD 6670 1 GB DDR5

 

P.S: not guaranteed to work on yours, though since my gta iv seem some kind of a anomaly (for example: when i set higher than auto configure, it give me a lot of popped up texture but when i set lower, it give me rsc10 error)

 

EDIT: just find out, the one that fixed issue actually the sweetFX addon i get from T-ru's amazing graphic for low/medium pc mod here . All of his preset works, but the one with AA and Color sharpening enabled works better (at the cost a bit fps consuming)

Edited March 8, 2013 by adoel488