Will draw distance be a problem for consoles?

[TheMisanthrope]

I have a 500GB PS3 and a 250GB Xbox.

And I have GTA IV for both systems. I noticed that Xbox has waayyyy more problems than my PS3 does. Occasionally the 360 freezes while playing sometimes it unfreezes but most of the time I have to restart the console and I even have it installed to the hard drive. I've never experienced that with the PS3 version it's never froze on for me before. And that part where the map doesn't want to load happens more often with the Xbox aswell it still happens with the PS3 but it loads quicker... I'm not favoring one over the other but PS3 is the way to go in MY opinion. Xbox looked like it had just a weee bit better graphics but it isn't worth it when it f*cks up all the time.

But everyone is going to say "PC is the best" that may be true but I've always been a console gamer...

But yeah just to be safe I'm getting it for my PS3.

[PacketOverload_x64bit]

If they optimize the LOD system for models even further than before, meaning they build in 12 LODs for extreme distance that might be there key. That's a staggering amount of work but plausible. Distance fog helps as others say too.

 

If you're not familiar with the LOD system - LODs are Levels of Detail (multiple models) that have increasingly less polygons in their mesh so that in a distance the same object can simulate the loss of detail that we experience through our eyes, lack of detail constrained by our eyesight. I think there are 3 or 4 in GTA IV for most models. I'm no modeller though.

 

When it comes to PC we're gonna blow the lid off it graphics wise though. Quite Franklin, haha, I'm not going to play this massively and critically important title on a dinosaur of a system, regardless. I've updated my PC at least twelve times since Xbox360 came out, with a full blown replacement of the tower to a new watercooled Z77 platform because my previous tower was slow in some games (after like 10 low-end upgrades!).

[giant1987]

R* have 3 or 4 years to develope the game...I think that will not be a problem.

[Kipsta]

When isn't draw distance a problem for consoles? I'm sure Rockstar will do their best.

 

Waiting for the PC version to play in harmony.

[gta5freemode4eva]

Draw distance is the most CPU + RAM demanding/hogging part of a game isn't? I know its one or the other. It will be much better than 4 so I'm not too worried. It would be cool to sit on a mountain and see the distant police lights changing the colours of the streets over yonder. Failing that I hope when we use the binoculars we can see the true normal in-game action (if bino's are usable - think Franklin near the docks screen).