So – GTA’s out and its multi-step installation program is causing gnashing of teeth. Take this proper-AIM growl-piece, for example. As is only right, as it’s incredibly annoying. However, the main reason to justify the post was to stress… well, you only have to do the Rockstar online club thing if you want to play online games or upload stuff. After installing, you can skip a log-in to it to just play, saving a little time. Good luck. Of course, that doesn’t help my own particular problems…
And before I go into this, my problems are my problems. My PC has been loaded up with every dirty piece of Beta code the PC games industry has waved in my direction. But my GTA4 installation procedure has been a little tiresome, shall we say. Which may surprise you, as I went through the review-code procedure to review the fucker, but that could be… well, anything (the protection on the review code was tougher than the release version, though I did uninstall the thing. Another conflict? Oh, who can tell. PCs are special). Anyway – took a couple of hours to install from DVD, including times where the installer stopped to have a think before moving onto another section. I was off working in another room, so returning every half-hour or so to see what was changing was quite interesting. For me. I’d imagine if I wanted to play swiftly, it’d have been a pisser.
But I had work to do, so my problems only really kicked in when I tried to play it. As expected, my save games from the review code were lost to the abyss (review code’s saves often don’t translate to retail). As was less expected, about eighty percent of my textures or so were lost to the abyss too. Which means my game looked like the screenshot I stole from the GTA3 forums. Let’s repeat it..
Yeah, very annoying. However, the GTA forum folk have apparently found a solution to this problem, as explained in the thread. That this solution involves Safe Mode doesn’t exactly encourage me to try it rather than cracking on with some more Far Cry 2 or Fallout 3, which I’m desperately behind with. Or even some work.
Actually, one more thing about GTA4 before we go further – one interesting thing about the conversion is (as I said in the review) the PC specs are seriously beyond anything in existence. One comments thread I note claims that 10 on the draw distance (on a scale to 100) is what the console was set at. I’ve never moved it beneath 20…but still, for a relatively modern PC, it’s an odd feeling to see you that far down the scale of what the game is capable of. And it definitely seems to annoy people who play the game.
Which makes me think about the nature of PC Gamers… that the system isn’t set means that you feel as if you’re missing out if the game is claiming it can do much more than you can. It’s a failing of gamer-psychology to set it up with that big gap where The Future is meant to fit. I suspect they’d have been better with a standard graphics option menu (going up to about 25 draw distance on the current scale) and a second advanced graphics menu to access the hyper-high statistics, with more warnings there about its use. Because otherwise, I suspect it’s a bit like being introduced to a highly attractive person and told you’re not allowed to have sex with them. We don’t like that, it seems.
Anyone else playing GTA4? Enjoying it or have you tripped over any of these problems?
Links mostly from Qt3’s GTA4PC thread.
Related Stories:
Meat:
Saints Row 2 > GTAIV > Crackdown
(Crackdown wa a fantastic proof of concept)
@Downloads_Plz:
I think developers have noticed – a lot of the DRM nonsense is the fault of publishers (and the economics of the games industry being such that it is hard for a developer to tell the publisher that is paying them money to tell them to stop being idiots about something – Introversion, of course, being a rare and laudable example of this actually happening effectively).
You know what World of Goo was so good it made me give up piracy… well you know what Rockstar just made me realise why I pirated.
This is the worst high profile release in ages.
The game, for some, is entirely broken, and for the majority, is not adequately playable for a multitude of reasons.
GTA 4 was Microsoft’s poster boy release to get GFW (Live) out in to the public in a big way. This is a disaster for them (again). Surely they phones at Rockstar are running molten with irate calls from Redmond asking just what the hell is happening and what they are doing about it.
If they aren’t asking questions, you would have to wonder what their (Microsoft’s) intentions are for the PC format re gaming. We all know Microsoft would love the PC to be more like an XBox – hell, better yet, an XBox with Windows on it – but this is a catastrophe for everyone, no matter your allegiances (Steam, GFW Live, PC gaming in general, whatever).
It’s such a convoluted issue.
a) How did GTA 4 PC recieve such glowing reviews? Some of our very own esteemed RPS friends have spoken kindly (and reviewed as such) about GTA4’s many qualities, but what the hell were they (all reviewers) seeing that people plonking down hard earned AREN’T? Considering this debacle, I’d expect and demand follow up reviews in prominent locations of print magazines and websites that compare and critique the now obvious differences between the review copy and released one.
b) If it was good at review time (as a game AND as a piece of software), what changed between then and retail? Why have these poor changes been made by the developer? Was the review copy a future patched version, and if so, should all future Rockstar productions be viewed with extreme suspicion by press and punters alike?
c) How can Rockstar (and any other developer) justify a strong DRM etc defense when they are basically stealing from those who trust them? Make no mistake, there are many gamers out of pocket with a worthless box and discs tonight (day 1 of release). There will be no patch to save the day tomorrow. There wont be one next Friday either. It would be surprising if anything was adequately fixed by Christmas.
A further thought, on a tangent, regarding pointless organisations like the PCGA (PC Gaming Alliance). One of its founding members is Microsoft. Now, if they give a fuck about PC gaming they would have stepped in and taken Rockstar aside and made it clear to them (as if they didn’t already know) that GFW Live was very important to them and it was important it be attached to a quality product. The state of GTA 4 gives us a few possible scenarios: 1) MS and Rockstar didn’t speak about GTA 4 at any time after agreeing to use GFW Live and Rockstar developed their game unhindered/advised until (they believed) completion, 2) MS spoke to Rockstar but they ignored any and all negative correspondence and as PC/Windows is NOT a platform under Microsoft’s direct and final control felt they were not obligated to deliver a fully functional product within acceptable tolerances, and were happy to release it bug ridden with little or no fear of consequences, 3) Microsoft KNEW the game was fucked but made no effort to change the eventual outcome, hell bad PR is still PR – fuck it, not like we haven’t had some bad press before anyway.
Anyway, just getting some thoughts out there.
My point? We got fucked, and Rockstar knew they were doing it to us.
After hearing so many times the defence that Gears of War is no fun on your own and needs to be played co-op, I played it on XBox with a friend yesterday. No, sorry, it was still teeth-grindingly dull. We gave it 20 minutes, then switched to Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09. I loathe golf with a passion, but the 10 minutes I spent with the character editor creating that famous golfer, the 100 year old liver-spotted Fu Manchu, was a hundred times more entertaining than shooting grey aliens behind grey rocks with a pea-shooter.
P.
@Funky Badger:
YOU AM WRONGS.
I guarantee this will set a lot of people’s timbers a-shivering. When a game is this fucked, how is a little try before you buy not okay? The community’s moral views are surely shifting through botched releases like this.
MeestaNob!, that’s a good comment. Honestly, PC gaming journalism should be able asking these kinds of hard questions to the right people, not HAI IZ GRAND THEFT AUDO GRATE??
P.
@Paul Moloney: Hooray! I’m not the only one who sees that game for the giant turd it is! Another one with release problems, I couldn’t play GoW for a month after purchase because of GFWL problems. And when I did, boy was I disappointed. Completed it through sheer stubborness to quit more than anything else and, like you, was assured singleplayer was shit but co-op was grand. Well, no; turns out it’s all an awfully tedious brown-grey-fest. And that cover system is to blame for every game that has been ruined since through aping that shit mechanic. I hate it. I hate it all. So much.
I’m still waiting to see the optimal hassle, or lack thereof, the pirated version brings.
Man, I’m so glad i decided not to buy this…. i cancelled my pre-order a day before release, lucky me!
looks like I’ll be picking this one up some time after christmas… hopefully it will work by then.
I want to see those gray aliens, hiding behind those gray rocks. So I think I might get Gears of War or maybe borrow it, I was always put off because I feared the characters and game itself had too much… testosterone for a DnD, Star Wars nerd like myself. On the other hand I like Halo, despite fratboy feeling it leaves me with.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1914579/Grand-Theft-Auto-IV-Problems-with-game.html
If only PC gamers being screwed over warranted high-profile articles (no offense, RPS!).
One blogger wrote: “Although Rockstar [the game’s developer] is said to be looking into the problem, the company has remained officially tight-lipped.
“This is a potential PR disaster for Rockstar, and it looks like things will only get worse.”
Oh, if only they knew… or cared…
Sheesh, all this fuss over a 7 month old game.
Yet another reason to not play GTA games on a PC. The last PC GTA game I played was GTA3, and while the shooting is better with a mouse and keyboard, the driving required a pad. Switching back and forth gets you into trouble in tense situations.
Although, does the PC version have quicksave? I quit GTA4 on the bank job mission having failed it 4 times in a row in the inevitable “Lose your stars and get back home” section. God I hate hard GTA missions. There’s zero excuse for it not using checkpoints or quicksaves nowadays.
Enjoy dating your cousin. Buy yourself some nice clothes and take him somewhere fancy.
I returned home from a long days work all excited to play GTA4. I installed the game prior to walking the dog and spent the hour I the cold dreaming of killing, driving fast and other nefarious activities.
Fired up the game at 20:45………retired to bed at 02:00hrs having cried, sworn, prayed and Googled. In a fit of frenzied anxiety I brought a new graphics card (which to be honest I have needed to do but procrastinated for a while).
My poor doting wife wondered why a game that looked just like our desktop would get me so excited/ angry/ religious.
Anyway, I love the GTA series and will not get too upset with Rockstar as they do lovingly create fantastic games. But I pray to (insert deity or celebratory) that a patch comes soon cos I’m about to get new graphics card and will struggle to justify the expense with the Mrs even if the game looks sh^t hot. I will be shot if the game still doesn’t work.
Ho Hum
*shakes fist in impotent rage at Meat Circus*
Get back to me after catching up with Real Badman…
Klaus: Gears is great, at least on the console…
I was about to buy the game this weekend, then I read that you can’t play the game in Vista64. That, plus all the bugs and annoyances means Rockstar can say goodbye to my 60€
So coupled with Footie-to-Ball Manager 2009’s multitude of bugs and crashes, this means I haven’t ended up buying two games I was going to shell money to, and that my policy of never buy a game I haven’t played a pirated version first has been completely validated (sadly, again).
I sometimes think the Games Industry does not want my money.
I too had a terrible time installing and running GTA4 for the first time. It’s not performing well compared to most games, either. I figured it’d be great – as all the other GTA ports ran beautifully.
Oh well. The game itself is fantastic, at least. Here’s hoping for patches and maybe some optimized drivers.
I think there are two important lessons to take away from this disaster. Most developers do not care about publishing games on the PC anymore and they are unwilling to learn anything from issues that came up in connection with PC games in the past be it unrealistic requirements, DRM, etc… It seems to me that there should be more communication between developers because everyone seems to step into the same mess all over again and doesn’t learn from past mistakes.
Never ever buy console to PC ports. It always ends in desaster. What are the developers thinking? The game is 6 months old, obviously bugged and they actually demand full retail price for it?
GTAIV on the PC is indeed borked!
* It doesn’t see my crossfire setup.
* Refuses to let me change resolution or draw distance settings.
* Shadows flicker and move constantly.
* It has no options for AF, AA or Vsync.
* The collision detection seems much worse that the PS3 version.
* Performance wise it seems to jerk and spike for no apparent reason!
Who tested this thing? My guess is nobody at all!
Who thought it was a good idea to require Windows Live and Rockstar Social Club running to play online?
Who thought it was a good idea to require Rockstar Social Club running to be able to save your game!?!
Really amateurish stuff and not what I’d expect from Rockstar. I’m off on holidays for a week from tonight so hopefully when I come back it’ll be patched.
Not sure what you’re talking about Marcos Castrillón, Football Manager 2009 has almost no big bugs at all. Certainly nothing like the release of FM08. There’s been a lot of silly whining about FM09, but must people who actually give it a shot and play it think it’s an excellent game. Me included.
‘It has no options for AF, AA or Vsync.’
Nothing makes the geek inside me angrier…
Wow, thank God this is not on my Christmas list. I have neither the horsepower to run it nor can I buy it locally. Most of our local retailers stock their games from Singapore. The problem is the customs have blocked it and it appears Singapore has decided to ban it.
Despite all the talk about the DRM I was going to get this game anyway. After reading just the first link in this article, I am pretty gobsmacked by such a ludicrous procedure just to play this game. Consequently, I am now not going to buy it unless I hear some of these ‘features’ become optional.
If this is the way the PC games market is going then god help us.
Nimic:
So I suppose all the graphics crashes and the sluggish perfomance only happened on my imagination?
I wonder if I too imagined the rushed patch SI had to release the next day the game hit the shops. Or the furore over several fm fansites.
Whatever. I’m not buying another game again unless I’ve previously tested it on my system, demo or otherwise.
The problem with alot of these reports of problems is that many people have had no problems installing. Or possibly a few small problems that they managed to fix. Now these people are playing the game happily, whilst the hate bandwagon continues online.
And christ, I wish people would stop this pathetic Amazon 1 star ‘protest’ on a game they haven’t played. Let us not forget the sex scene in Mass Effect debacle! Where we gamers cried out at the people who hadn’t even seen the sex scene, but happily went on live tv to complain about it.
Hypocritical?
Yes.
I have only just noticed my love of the word problem within the first paragraph of my previous post.
Lame.
mmmmm, I see your problem
Problematic.
Ha!
“The Windows Live update supports Vista 32bit only. If you have Windows Vista 64bit, you can not play.”
Is that true? Well then that’s then for me and playing this game! I’m not going back to 32bit for just this game haha! I dearly hope some Pirates manage to remove all this shit and everybody just end up playing cracked versions simply because it’s easier!
Sounds good. The bugginess worries me though.
I love the game, I cant stop playing BUT I agree about the graphics, the fundamental gameplays there and i can run it at a reasonable framerate, but it just looks fucking ugly, with missing textures, horrid pop up and occasional skipping (particularly annoying in any mission involving high speed and motorbikes). Although, I did hear that for those of us stuck with ATI video cards that they were releasing the new version of their Catalyst drivers today which Rockstar claimed in their forum would significantly fix large problems with the game. I have yet to download the latest update from them and try it, will download it now and see
Downloaded GTA: Vice city from STeam. I am unable to save my game, it says “save files not present”. Any ideas as to what may be wrong?