What Is The Best GTA IV Version for Playthrough+DLC?

[Kenneth Rosenberg]

Good day GTA Forums,

 

What is the Best GTA IV version to play through including TLAD and TBOGT?

 

It has been a while since I have completed all x3 story lines and want to play through GTA IV once again.

 

Therefore what is the best version of GTA IV feature wise?

 

From my small amount of research on this it seems 1.0.7.0 seems the best for better textures better shadows and complete radio stations. I don't care about performance as I will be playing locked 60 FPS as the game was intended back then.

 

I would also consider the complete edition however radio stations gone and worse shadows seems like a deal breaker for me.

 

If there are mods that bring back these features in the Complete Edition from 1.0.7.0 or improve the experience of GTA IV and DLC I would use them in the Complete edition.

 

However 1.0.7.0 seems the most complete version.

 

I have the boxed copy of GFWL GTA IV for PC from 2010 and subsequent TLAD + TBOGT DLC.

 

Here is where you can see the differences version to version.

 

Thanks again.

 

 

Edited March 6, 2024 by Kenneth Rosenberg
Fixed Youtube Link, Updated Title

[ant_sh]

1 hour ago, Kenneth Rosenberg said:

better textures better shadows and complete radio stations

Latest FusionFix has lots of shadows options. Latest Radio Downgrader/restorer has all songs including beta ones restored.

Basically you may use whatever version you have, they all play pretty much the same.

[Kenneth Rosenberg]

42 minutes ago, ant_sh said:

Latest FusionFix has lots of shadows options. Latest Radio Downgrader/restorer has all songs including beta ones restored.

 

Thanks for the reply,

 

I currently have the Rockstar Games Launcher version which would be the latest Complete Version. 

 

I am mainly looking for the best looking version which I am leaning more towards 1.7 currently really solely based on shadows and all content still in game. Also I have heard that 1.0.7.0 runs smoother with mods which will only be fixes in my install.

 

Whether this is going to require a reinstall from the original DVD disc or not as I don't think the Rockstar Launcher version will play nice with 1.7 as it always wants to keep games up to date.

 

Here is the difference in shadows version to version also if i were to go the latest version route would mods/fixes restore the 1.7 feel and fix the LOD fade out issue we see after 1.4? 

 

 

 

Edited March 6, 2024 by Kenneth Rosenberg
Add image

[ant_sh]

8 hours ago, Kenneth Rosenberg said:

if i were to go the latest version route would mods/fixes restore the 1.7 feel and fix the LOD fade out issue we see after 1.4

AFAIK FusionFix has it covered. You may spend more time tinkering with those shadows and LODs settings than actually playing.

[RecklessGlue540]

This is all you need. Better stick to CE, as it doesn't need so much tampering...

 

Best settings?

 

Set the ExtraDynamicShadows to 3 in FusionFix's .ini (this option set to 3 can also make wires cast shadows when used with this simple tweak. Be aware that it makes wires incredibly aliased as a result, with no cheap way of smoothing them back while keeping their shadows)

Use High Shadow Quality. Very High does not have big differences with FusionFix apart from cascades being better, and impacts performance a lot more compared to High.

Use the Softest Shadow Filter, PCSS if your PC can handle that.

View Distance: 42 

Detail Distance: 20 

Vehicle Density: 33 for a console like experience, more of a personal preference tho...

Anti-Aliasing: SMAA

Console Shadows: On

Edited March 6, 2024 by RecklessGlue540

[Stahli]

I used to always play with the disc version i.e. 1.0.4.0 and then patched up to 1.0.8.0. But it was always a horror because of this stupid 'Games for Windows' stuff. Since CE was introduced in the Rockstar Launcher, I've only played the CE Version. The version runs well. Thanks @RecklessGlue540 for the video and the setting tips. I'll try it to improve my Game a bit.