Best way to play VC and III? - I have never played them

[Midnight Hitman]

Hey guys.

 

Unfortunately, I haven't played all of the GTA games so far, especially the iconic GTA VC and GTA III. I have played SA (thousands of playthroughs), GTA IV + TLAD + TBOGT (thousands of playthroughs), and GTA V (I think two or three playthroughs). But - shame on me - VC and III are missing (had no PS2, and no PC until 2008). I have played them as a child at my friends' house sometimes, but we only did some free roam riots here and there.

 

So, my plan is to finally do a playthrough of GTA VC and GTA III. But I need tips:

- My setup: I still have my Xbox 360, and I have a PC/Laptop that should run both games fine (but: I want the OG experience, no mods or so). I also have an Xbox One, but that only plays the garbage versions.

- I've heard there are multiple versions of OG Vice City (hispanic friendly or not, some little features absent on some versions (?) and so on?) - which one should I choose? Are there multiple versions of III, too? I want the "most uncut" experience I can get (in Europe)

- I usually prefer playing on console (but unfortunately I don't have headphones for my Xbox 360, that sucks, and I don't want to spend too much money on used ones). There is a "Double Pack" version of VC and III for Xbox 360, are those versions backwards compatible for Xbox 360? And are those versions "good ones" (see question above)?

 

If you have any advices for me (which version to choose, etc.), please feel free to tell me. I don't NEED to play them on 360, I can also play them on my Laptop, but "usually" I prefer console. But if it is the better experience to play on PC, I will.

 

And if anybody tries to recommend the "Definitive Edition": Admins, please IP ban him or her.

Edited March 16 by Midnight Hitman

[kobeni]

PCSX2. The atmospheres on PS2 hit different

[Evil empire]

PC + Project 2DFX is a very good minimum.

[NightmanCometh96]

Personally, I'd lean towards the PC versions with "quality of life" mods (widescreen fixes, Silent Patch, FramerateVigilante, SkyGFX, GInput if you're using a controller, and the XboxHD mod for III.). Yeah, they're technically mods, but I brought these ones up because they're meant to fix the PC ports' issues and make the games a little more faithful to the original console versions, rather than drastically changing the gameplay itself. Plugging the laptop into your TV and connecting a controller to it would help give everything a more "console-like" experience, too. 

 

Console-wise, the OG Xbox versions are no slouch either. They have some pretty nice enhancements over the PS2 originals, although you'd be missing out on the 60FPS that you'd get on PC, and both games have some slowdown if you're playing them on a 360 (it usually occurs whenever there are a lot of vehicles on-screen). I'm actually sad that the DE was released around the time Microsoft ended the backwards compatibility program on XB1/Series X|S late last year; if R* never bothered to do anything for III's 20th anniversary, we very well could have had the OG Xbox ports of III and Vice City added alongside Max Payne 1+2, Manhunt, and Red Dead Revolver when those were made BC (but probably not SA, sadly, since the OG Xbox disc already downloads the 360 mobile port). Oh, what could have been...

Edited March 16 by NightmanCometh96

[Lock n' Stock]

3 hours ago, NightmanCometh96 said:

Personally, I'd lean towards the PC versions with "quality of life" mods (widescreen fixes, Silent Patch, FramerateVigilante, SkyGFX, GInput if you're using a controller, and the XboxHD mod for III.). Yeah, they're technically mods, but I brought these ones up because they're meant to fix the PC ports' issues and make the games a little more faithful to the original console versions, rather than drastically changing the gameplay itself. Plugging the laptop into your TV and connecting a controller to it would help give everything a more "console-like" experience, too. 

 

Console-wise, the OG Xbox versions are no slouch either. They have some pretty nice enhancements over the PS2 originals, although you'd be missing out on the 60FPS that you'd get on PC, and both games have some slowdown if you're playing them on a 360 (it usually occurs whenever there are a lot of vehicles on-screen). I'm actually sad that the DE was released around the time Microsoft ended the backwards compatibility program on XB1/Series X|S late last year; if R* never bothered to do anything for III's 20th anniversary, we very well could have had the OG Xbox ports of III and Vice City added alongside Max Payne 1+2, Manhunt, and Red Dead Revolver when those were made BC (but probably not SA, sadly, since the OG Xbox disc already downloads the 360 mobile port). Oh, what could have been...

The XBOX versions of III and VC were so good. THAT's what the DE should have been based on. Imagine how good that sh*t would have been with some quality-of-life improvements.

[VenusianDream]

Playing on PC would probably be the best choice. Make sure to get the uncensored version of VC so nothing's cut out from your playthrough. Alternatively you could try playing them on an emulator to experience the old nostalgic atmosphere.

[NightmanCometh96]

2 hours ago, Lock n' Stock said:

The XBOX versions of III and VC were so good. THAT's what the DE should have been based on. Imagine how good that sh*t would have been with some quality-of-life improvements.

Weirdly enough, didn’t GSG even use some Xbox assets for their original mobile port of III despite being based on the PC version? I’m pretty sure it uses the higher polygon Xbox character models and vehicles. 

[Lock n' Stock]

Just now, NightmanCometh96 said:

Weirdly enough, didn’t GSG even use some Xbox assets for their original mobile port of III despite being based on the PC version? I’m pretty sure it uses the higher polygon Xbox character models and vehicles. 

Yeah it does. Yet in the DE version of GTA III, the car models are from the PS2/PC version instead of the XBOX version. Instead of having actual 3D engines, they just applied "bumps" to a flat texture. 

[Lucasddst]

Play on PC with the version US 1.0 and put the Silent Patch to fix bugs that Rockstar never fixed and the SkyGFX to had the PS2 atmosphere when the trails are on in the options. Also, since you said that you want to playing like playing in a console, put the GImput to playing properly with your Xbox One controller on your PC

[greggrulzok]

re3 and reVC (hell, and even reLCS)

ofc not gonna post links here or t2/rockstar will knock at my door.

[Jeansowaty]

Honestly? I just play VC and III the way they are on PC. I don't care about graphical enhancements (SkyGFX/ENB or anything that makes the cars have reflections takes away from the atmosphere, fight me). Farthest I could see it go is using a widescreen fix but I can live without that as well tbf. The games are not so buggy that they're unplayable.

[Nico]

I replayed VC recently on PC, the same 1.0 I've been playing since I was a kid. It's not the original PS2 version, but you know what? I never played such version, but I've seen many gameplay videos of it, and honestly I never liked the looks of it. The LODs of buildings are almost frowned upon your face, and the loading times when you load your save and driving between islands are ridiculous compared to those on PC, even without a SSD. Now, of course the PC port has its issues, but most of them can be addressed with mods. SilentPatch, WidescreenFix, 2DFX, The Leftovers Fix, HQ Radar, etc. are essential today. I don't understand why so many people have disdain for mods, if you choose them wisely they can enhance your experience without breaking the lore.

[GhettoJesus]

On 3/17/2022 at 3:07 PM, Jeansowaty said:

Honestly? I just play VC and III the way they are on PC. I don't care about graphical enhancements (SkyGFX/ENB or anything that makes the cars have reflections takes away from the atmosphere, fight me). Farthest I could see it go is using a widescreen fix but I can live without that as well tbf. The games are not so buggy that they're unplayable.

That's the same way I play them. For III you don't even need silentpatch for III, though I do use it in Vice City. I think a widescreen fix is all you need for these games. But maybe I only think this way because I have always played the games this way.

[Ash_735]

4 hours ago, GhettoJesus said:

For III you don't even need silentpatch for III, though I do use it in Vice City.

Considering SilentPatch just fixes things, why NOT use it if you're playing now? It seems odd to know of it and choose NOT to use it when it's just legit fixing the broken stuff in the game that came about in the PC port.

[GhettoJesus]

9 minutes ago, Ash_735 said:

Considering SilentPatch just fixes things, why NOT use it if you're playing now? It seems odd to know of it and choose NOT to use it when it's just legit fixing the broken stuff in the game that came about in the PC port.

Because I didn't really encounter any serious bugs that need fixing? Idk GTA III has always been working okay for me. It's not that I am boycotting the patch or anything, it's just that I don't have the need to get it for III.

[Ash_735]

2 minutes ago, GhettoJesus said:

Because I didn't really encounter any serious bugs that need fixing? Idk GTA III has always been working okay for me. It's not that I am boycotting the patch or anything, it's just that I don't have the need to get it for III.

Ok, just seems a little odd since it's just one file to drag and drop to fix a lot of small things.

[Midnight Hitman]

Thx for your answers. Maybe the OG PC versions with the recommended patches/mods is the best choice. I will have to figure out how to install/use mods, but I that won't be a problem I guess.

 

Regarding VC: Haitian friendly version or not (I tend to the "not-friendly" uncut version, of course, but maybe the newer version fixed some issues or so)? And how can I figure out which version I have?

[ChubbyB0b]

56 minutes ago, Midnight Hitman said:

Thx for your answers. Maybe the OG PC versions with the recommended patches/mods is the best choice. I will have to figure out how to install/use mods, but I that won't be a problem I guess.

 

Regarding VC: Haitian friendly version or not (I tend to the "not-friendly" uncut version, of course, but maybe the newer version fixed some issues or so)? And how can I figure out which version I have?

If you bought Vice City on steam before they removed it, you probably have un-cut version.

 

I made a mod pack for myself which contains most fixes (around 90%) for Vice City, alongside new fixes that I made, here is a link if you want it: 

ReduxMod

To install just extract it to Vice City folder, overwrite .exe and remove OriginalHD GUI from modloader folder and you are set. If by chance you want original icons in HD, just copy models from OriginalHD GUI folder and paste into Anniversary GUI folder and overwrite the files. After that remove OriginalHD GUI folder.