f13.net

Mrs. Zelnick
Strauss Zelnick, Take-Two Chairman's Mother
New York, New York Via e-mails to intermediaries

Re: Your Son, Strauss Zelnick

Dear Mrs. Zelnick:

Your son, as you may know (or maybe you don't know), is Chairman of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., whose most popular video games are the Grand Theft Auto murder simulator games banned in some countries but sold to children here.

Your son last week was reported to have said the following about Grand Theft Auto IV, due to be released Tuesday, April 29: "We've already received numerous [GTA IV] reviews, and to a one, they are perfect scores. My mom couldn't write better reviews..." Taking your son's thought, I would encourage you either to play this game or have an adroit video gamer play it for you. Some of the latter gamers are on death row, so try to find one out in the civilian population who hasn't killed someone yet.

What you will see in your son's game, if this iteration of GTA is anything like its predecessors, is incredible interactive violence aimed at police officers (whom you can shoot in the head and see the blood spray), innocent bystanders (whom you can run over with your car just for the heck of it), and of course the plentiful female prostitutes you can have sex with and then filet with a knife or stomp with your feet in order to get your money back. Experts note that the recent plethora of cop killings is caused in part by your darling son's entrepreneurial energy. There are three policemen dead in Alabama because of Grand Theft Auto. I was on 60 Minutes about it. I hope Strauss has provided you with a flat screen tv to see the grief of the bereaved families that fills the screen.

The pornography and violence that your son trafficks in is the kind of stuff that most mothers would be ashamed to see their son putting into the hands of other mothers' children, but, hey, your son Strauss has recently assured the world that he is "a Boy Scout, everybody knows that." I'd love to see the merit badges that Scout Troop handed out. Is there a Ted Bundy merit badge? If so, your loving son deserves one now. It should be red and green, for obvious reasons.

With Passover having just come and gone, it is appropriate to note the following from the Old Testament, Proverbs 22:6:

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Mrs. Zelnick, did you train up your son, Strauss, to make millions of dollars by pushing Mature-rated video games to children? Any kid can go right to little Strauss' corporate web site and buy GTA IV with no age verification. Strauss is even marketing the new Grand Theft Auto IV on World Wrestling Entertainment tv shows seen by millions of kids. If you trained up Strauss to do this, then shame on you.

But maybe the explanation for your son's corporate sociopathy is to be found in Old Testament Proverb 29:15:

"The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame."

Maybe you, Mrs. Zelnick, were so taken by your handsome son that you spared the rod and spoiled the child. That would explain why he has brought you, by the way he presently acts, "to shame."

There's another mother you would do well to talk to. Mrs. Crump in Alabama had a son who was a police officer. He's now dead because a teenaged boy unwittingly trained himself to kill him on Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. She has a grief she carries every day that only a mother can know.There are other such mothers in the heartland of America whose inhabitants your son simply sees as commercial targets.

Your son, this very moment, is doing everything he possibly can to sell as many copies of GTA IV to teen boys in the United States, a country in which your son claims you raised him to be "a Boy Scout." More like the Hitler Youth, I would say. Happy Mother's day, Mrs. Zelnick, which this year is May 11, two weeks after your son unleashes porn and violence upon other mothers' boys. I'm sure you're very proud.

Sincerely,
Jack Thompson

IGN offers a decent review and gives it a 10/10 rating. I had planned to buy this along with a few friends anyhow, but it's nice to know that it will be a good game worth playing on its own merits.

I been a huge GTA fan ever since GTA2. I cant wait to get this. I will be getting for Xbox 360 for better controller and DLC. What about you guys?

If you got it for the PS3, you could just bring it in from any region.

Unless, ahem, you're getting it for the PS3 in which case, no one imports US stuff?!

Que es DLC?

I been a huge GTA fan ever since GTA2. I cant wait to get this.

Que es DLC?

Same here. Took me quite a while to finish San Andreas though -- even though it was the best one, and even though the missions and presentation were more varied and at a higher standard than before -- it's the just that the formula is getting old. So I imagine that this one will take me even longer to finish.

Won't pass it up though.

stupid ghetto talk

This really is getting awesome reviews. According to the media this is "The best game ever" pretty much it seems, dethrowning Halo 3 ( Hahaha ). Well, I like sandbox, I hate the culture this game is playing on, but I consider myself a good enough human being to appreciate it anyway. I'll pick it up for my employers money and play it in our game lab with fucking kick ass super hardware and most likely grind it to death  ;D

Oh, and as a Sony fan boy I'd say this is one of the reason for why the Wii is going to loose in the long run, multi platform high production value games isn't going to be hitting the inferior system.

( oh, I'm drunk that means that anything I say, no matter what can't be hold against me, even if I would make an argument that child rape will save mankind. )

and no DLC on the ps3?

Wait. Who said no DLC on the PS3?

So, no pc version, and no DLC on the ps3? Kinda sucks. And I suppose the multiplayer is dependant on platform too, so if I want to play with anyone I know I'll have to get an xbox360.

Microsoft paid exclusive rights for DLC.

But frankly, if you exhaust 100% of the shit in GTA4, I still won't believe you.

Also, DLC is 99% bullshit and you know it. If they hold the best content hostage to make people pay extra for it, there are bigger things wrong with the industry. Vote with your wallet.

Also, anyone know if they're doing the stat "grind" again, like you have to go to school to drive better and such?

From what I've read they nixed the RPGish grinding, but you can still play dress up.  Of course, as an inveterate junkie regarding watching numbers rise and bars go up I'll miss the RPGish stuff.

From what I've read they nixed the RPGish grinding, but you can still play dress up.  Of course, as an inveterate junkie regarding watching numbers rise and bars go up I'll miss the RPGish stuff.

After reporting on the hype and controversy surrounding the Tuesday release of Grand Theft Auto IV, I can't believe I'm going to write a "this game causes crime!" story, but here we go. I spoke to an employee of UPS over the weekend, and he told me that a surprising amount of workers were getting busted stealing the game from the shipment boxes. In one 24-hour period, three workers were fired, and more interviews were scheduled for today that would likely end in termination.

I asked if this was common when big-name games were released, and he told me no; the situation was novel, or he wouldn't have brought it up at all. The game was enticing enough for many workers to risk losing their job and, in typical fashion for low-level crimes like this, it has been easy to identify the workers stealing the games.
"When we have a [big name release], we communicate it to operations and security teams. We have security in place at the facilities, and we make sure they understand to keep an eye out for things to exit the building," he explained. How did they find where games were stolen? "We had tips from people inside, and some of them were discovered at intermediate hubs... it's easy to spot: flaps torn, some boxes are re-taped." In most cases, the bust is as easy as finding the last person who scanned the box as full and interviewing them.

"They're not selling them, these people are stealing one copy," he told me—all of the thefts seem to be for personal use. It seems many people think stealing a game a few days before release is worth it, and this is far from the perfect crime.

"As long as the people loading the packages are doing their jobs, it's easy to track down," our source told Ars. "It's kind of funny, isn't it? It's a game about theft, and people are stealing it." His eyes began to shine as he said, "and I get to terminate them."

My games radar for the rest of the year is: Mass Effect, Spore, GTA4.

[liberty City] while it's not as massive as the game world in San Andreas...

Where did the notion of an october release for GTA4/PC come from to begin with?

multiplayer GTA?

Sounds lame and pointless.

Sounds about as useless to me as THPS online.

Maybe I just don't care to mix sandboxes and mp gameplay, I don't know. Still doesn't interest me. It's never been the type of game that had me thinking "Y'know, if only I could battle people in this, then it'd be better.." I just like wandering around, experimenting with the sandbox, finding amusement in the storyline and all the hired talent that goes with it, etc.. The only features that I keep wishing there were more and more of are sandbox related. More depth to the landscape and city. More buildings to walk in. More ways to personalize. Shit like that. And they keep delivering on that in each iteration. I'm not asking for much more.

Besides that, if earlier games are any indication, then the whole idea sounds a bit too chaotic and frustrating for my personal taste in multiplayer anyways.

[edit] Even simpler answer is that it's just a game that I like to explore in and get a few laughs. I'd get none of that with other people involved.

Probably too much info for a simple question, but there you have it.

The multiplayer is not near as elegant as MGO.

That must be pretty bad then.

I'm not sure what your snarky comment was referring to though, MGO has been great.

It is GTA through and through. The graphics are not best of class but the game world is filled with so much detail and crafted with so much care that you don't notice it.

The camera still sucks

Cars handle the same as they did in previous GTAs which means that they are usually crap to handle also the NPC ai is the same as before which means that people usually drive like hell.

After playing GT5p for a week straight, you notice fucking instantly. It looks like a really really really high end Xbox 1 game with MUCH better animation.


Yep.

And yea, Liberty City is filled with worse drivers than Paris and worse AI than New York City.

I'd give you my gamertag for multiplayer but honestly, I just plan to drive around with a fast motorcycle listening to Vladivostok FM (http://www.rockstargames.com/IV/#?page=vladivostok&content=interactive0).

i have been being really cautous for some reason so i havn't really caused any mayhem... but i did hit one pedestrian... the euphoria engine makes it look so fucking real and unscripted

The Airport incident was less successful, becuase I stole a chopper and tried fighting back...

Has anyone sat and watched TV? So funny.

I failed the mission to chase down the Russian mobster dude like 5 goddamned times due to the shitty controller, the shitty handling of the taxi, and my own incompetence.

I don't see how that can possibly equal a perfect score.  But, I guess that's just me.

The key here, so far as I can tell, is not to drive like you would in other GTA games.  The driving model in GTA4 seems to be more about controlling the speed of your car and less about doing e-brakes and driving as fast as you can.  

The first time I had to chase down that guy I barely made it (only to get killed by him) so when I re-did it, I was much more cautious about my driving and found keeping up with him easy..

The camera is a pain in the ass when on foot as it constantly snaps back when I dont want it to, and when driving it doesnt snap fast enough when you spin your car around.

The only thing I've found that minimizes the pain in the ass camera is to zoom out as far as you can in order to keep some kind of situational awareness.  It's been a hell of a learning curve for me, because I've played all of the previous iterations of this game on the PC and am more comfortable driving with the keyboard and using my mouse to constantly sweep the camera around like a meth addict.

Riggs, the sum really is greater than it's parts.

It's ugly, the controls suck, sometimes the AI is just bundles of retarded. But it's masterfully crafted as far as the actual game parts go. The design is dodgy at best. Still, I stand by my original comments that it would get a '9' if I were reviewing it out of 10. What they've achieved is nothing short of fucking really impressive.

Hey WAP, if you are on tonight, do you want to do some multiplayer? Out of all my f13 friends, I think you are the only one with the same name, so I know who you are. I am rup3t with my f13 name in my comment.

Just got back from the courthouse after being arrested for 1k in traffic citations(was pulled over for expired registration and I have a warrant).  Is it bad that I started cracking up in the cruiser when the ultra-white officer turned up the radio and it started playing one of the songs from GTA3's reggae station?

Today has been interesting.

Fuck.

I may have to spend some of that bullshit economic stimulus check on a 360 now. I keep putting off getting one, but damn, I have to play this game. My only hope is that my friend with a PS3 ran out and bought this and it will be featured at tomorrow's "drink beer, play video games and listen to music" event. That would be nice, we haven't had a good game of see who can steal the tank and get it into a garage.

I forget if there was a good spot to do that in SA, but in Vice City, the car dealership was perfect for doing that.

Dammit, I'm going to have to buy a 360.

Fuck.

I may have to spend some of that bullshit economic stimulus check on a 360 now. I keep putting off getting one, but damn, I have to play this game. My only hope is that my friend with a PS3 ran out and bought this and it will be featured at tomorrow's "drink beer, play video games and listen to music" event. That would be nice, we haven't had a good game of see who can steal the tank and get it into a garage.

I forget if there was a good spot to do that in SA, but in Vice City, the car dealership was perfect for doing that.

Dammit, I'm going to have to buy a 360.

Go read the upcoming games thread before you just go "buy a system."

The multiplayer is surprisingly AWESOME.

The unreachable servers due to insanely massive traffic are SO not. I can't play unless it's 3am in the morning!

Go read the upcoming games thread before you just go "buy a system."

DEATHMATCH (2-16 Players)
Description: Kill the other players as many times as you can. The player with the most cash when the game ends wins. Remember to graciously loot the cash dropped by dead players.
Impressions: GTA IV's meat and potatoes deathmatch mode is probably your best introduction to the online component. It's fairly stock stuff, but the allure of carjacking an SUV, then crumpling some chump in Nebraska with the front end is hard to resist. Having the option to feature select weapons—say rocket launchers only—or limit them to classes adds welcome variety. We'd highly recommend setting your Deathmatch games to have "blips" turned off for a better experience. Also, turn your headset off, as this is the mode that seems to be packed with the most potty-mouthed douchebags.
Best For: Noobs. And those looking to make money out of making corpses out of noobs. Play it first!

MAFIYA WORK (2-16 Players)
Description: Doing the Mafiya's orders is a cut-throat business. Complete contracts before the competition does and get the rewards. The player with the most cash at the end wins.
Impressions: Probably the mode that's most "true" to the GTA single player experience, as you'll be competing against the clock and other players to get the job done. This is frantic stuff, as you'll race to checkpoints to deliver contraband or take out roving biker gangs to please the Mafiya. Tense!
Best For: Short attention spans and multitaskers.

CAR JACK CITY (4-16 Players)
Description: Steal whatever car the boss wants. Pay will depend on the condition of the car, unless it's stuffed with drugs. Whoever makes the most money wins. It's America, for beginners. Vehicles are represented by blue markers on the radar and the drop off points as yellow markers.
Impressions: A more focused version of Mafiya Work with a twist, as you'll have to strategically plan your car thievery. Is it worth it to hoof it to the "safe" car heist that everyone else is ignoring or take down whomever is going for the car with the drugs? Driving skills help, as you'll score more cash for cars in better condition.
Best For: Fast drivers who know the streets of Liberty City.

RACE (2-16 Players)
Description: Race to the finish, passing through each checkpoint in order. Hold Y to respawn your vehicle on the last checkpoint passed.
Impressions: Choose from super cars, muscle cars, vans, service, trucks, helicopters and more as you race through a set track on one of Liberty City's islands. We stand by our claim in our GTA IV review, in that the game's racing engine stands on its own. However, we definitely think you'll have more fun playing GTA Race, in which weapons are a factor. Helicopter and boat races add welcome variety, but they're not the main draw here—super cars are!
Best For: Improving your driving skills.

GTA RACE (2-16 Players)
Description: Race and fight your way through the checkpoints in order and then hit the finish. You can only hold one drive-by weapon at a time, hold X to drop your currently selected weapon when in a vehicle.
Impressions: Sexy vehicular combat that's even fun if you're in last place. Why? Just get to a rocket launcher, get out of your car and grief the other players. Muahahaha! Rockstar's take on Mario Kart and WipeOut, the very reason why guns plus cars is such a good idea.
Best For: A quick, get in, get out adrenaline rush. Also good for professional pains in the ass.

TEAM DEATHMATCH (3-16 Players)
Description: Take the other crew down. The crew with the most cash at the end wins. Remember to loot the cash dropped by deceased players. That's the way to get ahead.
Impressions: Not as frenzied (or fun) as lone wolf Deathmatch. Still, if you're looking for a quick way to cash up and have some trusted Team Deathmatch buddies, you can't really go wrong here.
Best For: Power leveling your pals and perfecting your head shots.

TEAM MAFIYA WORK (3-16 Players)
Description: You're a member of a crew doing contract work for the Mafiya. Complete contracts before the competition does and get the rewards. The crew with the most cash at the end wins.
Impressions: One of the more strategic online game types and one that requires a solid posse with reliable wheelmen. Having a dedicated driver, a couple sharpshooters and one player working to set up and maintain waypoints, as well as analyzing the Liberty City map, will do wonders for you.
Best For: Experienced players looking for a post-100% game completion thrill. Play it for forever!

TEAM CAR JACK CITY (4-16 Players)
Description: Your crew has to get hold of whatever cars the boss wants. Pay will depend on the condition of the car, unless it's stuffed with drugs. Whichever crew makes the most money wins. Simple. Vehicles are represented by blue markers on the radar and the drop off points as yellow markers.
Impressions: Like Team Mafiya Work, a good crew can make Team Car Jack City, just as a bad one can break it. Strategy is key here, with accomplished car thieves complemented well by a couple buddies hounding your opponents while they're en route to their own pick ups.
Best For: Experienced drivers and folks who don't mind riding in the backseat.

COPS 'N' CROOKS (4-16 Players)
Description: The crooks need to look out for each other while they escape. The cops have got to take the crew down. There are no second chances, so make your first one count.
Impressions: Almost two modes in one, as All For One follows the assassination game type, in which one player is the target and One For All makes it every man for himself. You'll switch sides after the first round is over, so be ready to hunt or be hunted.
Best For: Sharpshooters looking for some rapid fire variety.

TURF WAR (4-16 Players)
Description: Turf generates cash for a crew while they have control of it. So get control of it. Take some turf by occupying it for a period. The more members of your crew on that patch of turf, the quicker you will gain control. If the rival gang is near a patch of turf, you can't take control.
Impressions: Capture point style gameplay meats Team Deathmatch as you fight for control of one of the boroughs. Turf War can bog down if you're on guard dog duty, but when a full complement of Russians come after the Jamaican safehouse you're watching over, you'll know what pain is. Constant communication is key.
Best For: Those looking for a more low-key team based mode.

DEAL BREAKER (2-4 Players)
Description: A major deal is going down. Head over there with your crew and rip both parties off. Get hold of the merchandise and get out of there. No one can know that Kenny Petrovic was behind this, so get rid of all witnesses.
Impressions: An oddly set up co-op mission in which you must climb to the top of a multi-story structure, recover some drugs, then beat feet downtown after the leftover scum. Some randomness will probably add to the replay value, but after running through Deal Breaker on hard and not working up much of a sweat, you may never play it again. Still, the money's good.
Best For: Grabbin' loot.

BOMB DA BASE II (2-4 Players)
Description: A rival export business has a ship sitting in the docks waiting to be loaded. You must steal the explosives gain access to the ship and plant two bombs, one on the bridge, the other in the hold. Make sure you're not on the ship when she blows. Those are Mr. Petrovic's orders.
Impressions: Like Deal Breaker, it's GTA IV doing four-player co-op. You'll play on a level that you might not see in the single-player campaign, depending on your ending, so be warned that it's potentially spoiler-esque. You may only feel the need to play through it twice, despite its thrilling carjacking, helicopter piloting and heavy gun play.
Best For: Showing off your 'copter and sniper rifle skills. Play it last!

HANGMAN'S NOOSE (2-4 Players)
Description: The authorities have surrounded Francis International to take down Kenny Petrovic. Escape with him and the rest of your crew before the NOOSE tightens. You'll need to get some transport first.
Impressions: Fight your way through a sea of SWAT... err, NOOSE officers. You only have a handful of lives and the NOOSE won't stop, so you better have a handle on gunplay and you better find cover. Think Cops 'n' Crooks but with much higher stakes.
Best For: Four damn good cop-killers.

FREE MODE (2-16 Players)
Description: Kick back. Liberty City is your playground, only your playmates ain't so nice. Have fun out there.
Impressions: If you just want to mess around, make your own rules—Make a six-star wanted level a group effort! Group stunt jumps!—this is the mode for you. If you're really in the mood for some GTA improv, Free Mode (and maxed out private slots) can keep you busy for hours. Makes you pray for a saved film feature.
Best For: Anyone and everyone. Play it for forever! And beyond!

So what yer sayin is I need a $9999999999999 playstation 3 to play like it's sposed be played?

I am having a hard time figuring out the correct mechanics for getting around corners fast.

Apex the turns. Never thought I'd be perfecting that in a GTA game, but it works like a charm. E-brake as little as possible unless you need to make a sharp turn faster than you can brake. Brake well before the turn (2-3 light posts) and zip out of the turn. If you use the right amount of gas you can really keep moving without a huge loss of speed.

That and don't forget (at least on the ps3) all the buttons are pressure sensitive, including steering.

welcome to 2001

It may be 2001 Tech, but games have to support it to work.

That Social Club looks interesting but in a game where immersion and taking your time are encouraged, seems counter-productive to the enjoyment to be racing through so many things.

It wasn't until almost the end that I realized you were talking about real life.  At first I was thinking... what?  Citations?  Courthouse?  This new GTA sounds a lot more complicated than just cops shooting you when you have too many stars!

$100 Million Spent on GTA IV Development

Leslie Benzies, the producer of Grand Theft Auto IV, recently revealed in an interview that the amount of money spent on the development of the game was right around $100 million.

    "It's like making a theatre production, a few movies and an album all to fit into one package,' he says. He hasn't a clue how much GTA IV has cost to make but hazards a guess at $100m. About 1,000 people have had a hand in developing it. The perfectionism Houser and Benzies demand of their teams is astonishing. For GTA IV, time-lapse cameras were set on rooftops in New York to capture the correct intensity of the rain. Over 100,000 photographs were taken on location."

SPAMMING INVITES MORE.

Also, Viin, I think a lot of people here are playing the more load efficient PS3 version. Ahem, I mean, the alternative.

No, I think the plain old $399 one will do.

I could get an Xbox 360 Elite (http://www.xbox.com/en-AU/hardware/console101.htm) for that.

And? The Elite is only "elite" compared to other x-box models. It's not like it has some value over the ps3, hardware wise. So I'm not sure what you're trying to say.

MisterNoisy, a fix you didn't mention is to turn off auto-save. Some said it helps.

Actually, I tried everything TTwo outlined here (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6190279.html) which was kind of a pain in the ass, and the problem still won't go away.  It's driving me nuts, because I love what they've presented, and it's driving me bonkers to not be able to actually play it without worrying about it happening again.

I like the Jamaican dude, I can barely understand a word he says but its oddly soothing listening to him talk. A nice change from the constant yelling of the other characters.

Are you using the 40gb version, or the original 80gb version?

40GB unit (no 60GB or 80GB available when I decided to pick mine up).  I've heard of other more severe issues with the 60GB system, but have only had 1 hard lockup so far - the intermittent pausing is far more frustrating.

Played some multiplayer last night. I am at a severe disadvantage, since I don't play FPS games on consoles and thus am terrible when auto-aim is disabled. If the PC version has all the same multiplayer game options, I will definitely buy it just for that.

Word to the wise- don't bother putting your headset on during random pickup games. Chock full of LCD retards calling other bitches and niggers and other lovely misanthropy. If I could find a way to sterilize people through XBL I would win a Nobel Prize and solve 90% of this nation's woes inside a generation.

Anyone tried a group game yet? Is it private except for invites? The MP would be extremely fun with friends- then the shit talking would be amusing  :grin:

Please feel free to send me an invite if you are getting a game going. I am happy to play cannon fodder. I can hold my own a bit if I just stick to running people down in vehicles- I find that a fire engine is quite effective.

You mean buy 2 360s when the first one dies, or buy a PS3 and not have to deal with that at the same cost.

This is me, just throwing that out there. I've never had a system that I was paranoid of. Like, the actual system. So this is unknown territory for me. But the 360, is literally a piece of shit, due to no fault of the games. And if you import one, you get no warranty and are up shit creek with an ugly concave paddle.

but I think it's short sighted to say that the 360 Pro is half the price of the PS3, at least if you want to play online. It's pretty much the same logic people use when they buy stuff on payoff plans and doesn't realize they're paying an extra +30% of the actual price in the end.

Without being overly insulting, could you try that sentence again, but in legible English?
 
From all reports the 360 works fine online with GTA4, and I've never had a major issue with Live, while from what I understand the PS3 is having networking issues with GTA4 and Home is a POS. I'd imagine the GTA network issues will be patched quicksmart (because, you know, DUH) but maybe not if COD4 is anything to go by...

Oh, and apparently my copy has now shipped. It should be here right after the weekend.  :uhrr:

People who live in hellholes like Arizona have electronics fail from heat. Or people put the 360s in enclosed spaces and they overheat and fail.

My elite is still chugging along fine, and it's not even the newer processor system. The new ones run way cooler and quieter.

Plus my multiplayer works. Neener neener.

People who live in hellholes like Arizona have electronics fail from heat. Or people put the 360s in enclosed spaces and they overheat and fail.

My elite is still chugging along fine, and it's not even the newer processor system. The new ones run way cooler and quieter.

Plus my multiplayer works. Neener neener.

My 360 red ringed in the dead of winter. 360s failing - while chalking it up to heat is easy - isn't the big issue. The big issue is that it is one of the shittiest most malfunctioning pieces of hardware ever created. Period.

Without being overly insulting, could you try that sentence again, but in legible English?

so when you get a lap dance in-game the 360 controller vibrates randomly... and at the end of the lapdance your 360's camera snaps a photo of you and sends it to everyone in your friends list, then unlocks the acheivement "caught red handed"

He's referring to the additional cost of XBL ($40/year or less if you do some searching) vs. the free Sony equivalent - you'll ultimately end up paying more for a 360 + Live.  At current prices, the total cost of the two machines (and their respective online services) evens out after about 15 months or so (depending on whether you already have a bluetooth headset, etc.), with the 360 becoming more expensive the longer you pay for Live.

360s failing - while chalking it up to heat is easy - isn't the big issue. The big issue is that it is one of the shittiest most malfunctioning pieces of hardware ever created. Period.

What MisterNoisy said, I couldn't seem to find a word for it in english. I don't know if it's common practice in the US, but over here everything above ~$100 comes with the option to split the payment into monthly chunks. What some people fail to understand though is that there's a hefty intrest added on the grand total, so you end up paying more.

I like the Sixaxis reloading controls (it's reflexive now after playing Army of 2), but that's about it.  The other ones are novelties at best.  Fortunately, you can enable each set of motion controls individually.

I might try the sixaxis later on. Will report later. I can't imagine it being good... This game is hard to control as it is.

I hear that the Aus 5 cent piece is the actual value of it's metal now.

At this point I am kinda disappointed with this game. It just feels like it is a batch fuck of stuff taped together. On their own, the separate parts are all piss poor. I think the presentation is great and the game looks fine, but it just plays like ass and I am kinda over the whole open world aspect of it. Especially if it less interactive than the last game was. The lack of activities like the ambulance/ tow truck/ fire fighting/ working out, vehicle upgrading, skills upgrading, stealth kills, weapons, bicycles, gang control, blah blah blah. They removed a lot of shit. Add to that the crappy controls, the camera sucking balls especially indoors, the fighting feeling like fucking shit, it just smells of shit.

It is really a shame that despite all this, I still put it in. it just feels that this game, more than others kicked me in the ass hard after the hype wore off.  

There's a part of me that agrees with you. They did remove some shit.

Funnily enough, despite my conversation with Vel, the multiplayer is the best part so far. It's pretty fun, in a spastic kind of way.

Yeah, what I played of the MP was half decent. It felt really, really random. I am sure that with a good group it can be fun but if you try a quick match it is like entering the thunder-dome. People just go crazy on there and skill doesn't seem to play a roll in that shit.

The lack of activities like the ambulance/ tow truck/ fire fighting/ working out, vehicle upgrading, skills upgrading, stealth kills, weapons, bicycles, gang control, blah blah blah.

I found it odd that there is much more customization in the singleplayer part of the game. My opinion is that they will release more character models as paid DLC.

From what I found out by looking around gamefaqs, you get more customization options as you rank up.

As you earn cash in Multiplayer Ranked games, it's tracked like experience.  Earn a certain threshold and you rank up, up to 10 ranks.  More customization options are opened up as you level up.

Wow, how come I never heard about this? Where can I track my progress?

Isn't very hot is an understatement. The entire multiplayer section is total dick and they should be ashamed.

And 9 times out of 10 I can't find a game at all. Odd considering MILLIONS OF PEOPLE OWN IT.

That is odd.  I haven't had any problem finding games yet.

That is odd.  I haven't had any problem finding games yet.

So I had a chance to play a few more hours now.

The friendship management part is extremely annoying

You have to keep your friends above 80% like and respect in order to use the special features and every time they call you and you refuse the values drop again.

They call you much to often. At least once per gaming day anyone of your friends calls you for some activity sometimes another calls you while you are on an activity with the first. To cater to them it takes you at least 10 minutes of real time (pick them up, drive them to the destination, do something and drive therm back)

This gets old fast. Also you do not get any good stuff when doing the side missions and most of the old side missions like ambulance, taxi or fire fighter don't even work anymore. In previous games you got free weapons, armor or health upgrades for doing those missions. Now you only get money.

Also even when you turn up brightness and contrast the game is way to dark.

So what's better now, bitches? PS3 or 360?

So what's better now, bitches? PS3 or 360?

Also:  Woo - patch inc for PS3 (http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=137406)

 :ye_gods:

What I want to know is, why can't I freaking play Pool, Darts, Bowling, etc.. with other players in free mode!?  They didn't even think about that?? What the hell?

Buy a Wii.

I want immersion in my "Free world mode" dammit.  They HAVE those games in GTA 4, they have the player interface too.. How hard could it have been for them to add them to the multiplayer? 

I want immersion in my "Free world mode" dammit.  They HAVE those games in GTA 4, they have the player interface too.. How hard could it have been for them to add them to the multiplayer? 

I would totally bust in on anyone playing pool/darts/bowling and immerse their ass in bullets.

Didn't do any good.

Who knows how R* managed to fuck up Gamespy code.

I don't suppose it came with a patch note did it?

According to developer Rockstar, the update "prevents Gamespy's servers from being overloaded and therefore reduces the impact on those servers that were causing the game to stutter and lock up."

Why the fuck do people still use Gamespy? Has it ever worked with a shit? I know my experiences with it have been uniformly negative.

Why the fuck do people still use Gamespy? Has it ever worked with a shit? I know my experiences with it have been uniformly negative.

We usually don’t write many personal pieces here on TEB, but I just have to share the story of my wife playing GTA IV for the first time. I want to make a couple things clear before I start this absurd story. 1. I love girl gamers. I think its awesome when girls get really into video games and break stereotypes by whooping ass in COD4 or GTA IV multiplayer. I’m not trying to hate on girl gamers. 2. I love my wife and she is very understanding of my video game obsession.

Ok, now that the disclaimer is over, I can proceed with the story.

As of late, much of my time has been spent in the friendly confines of Liberty City, and my wife has been extremely tolerant of my gaming time. Last weekend we were about to go out to eat, so I began shutting the game down when the thought popped in my head, “After watching me play for hours, I wonder if my wife wants a turn?” She was sitting on the couch next to me, so I extended the controller to her and asked, “You wanna drive around for a bit?” She replied, “Sure, why not.” During her time in Liberty City, my wife somehow manage to suck all of the fun out of GTA IV.

I was in some shitty coupe when she took over the wheel, and she began tooling around the city in a leisurely fashion. I mentioned that she might want a slicker ride, and helped her exit the car and attempt to jack another one. She ran up to a car with two homeboys in it and yanked the door open, but that’s when things went horribly wrong. She walked away from the car, and one of the gentlemen came chasing with a baseball bat. In all the excitement, she clicked the left stick sending Niko into a crouch then yelled “Why does my guy keep ducking??” I yelled “Click the left-stick” repeatedly without realizing she would have no idea what that actually meant. Attempting to flee the scene, she crouch-walked down the street only to get whipped some more with by the guy with the bat. Miraculously, somehow she ended up punching the guy several times, knocking him out, and getting his bat. After walking around in circles a few times, it was finally time to leave the scene. As she was leaving, we saw the guy she just beat up limping away. I suggested she finish him off and she said “Awww, that’s not nice, he learned his lesson.” He learned his lesson indeed.

After making it through our first big fight, my wife ran up to a trash dumpster and began repeatedly hitting it with her new baseball bat (because she wanted to swing the bat but hitting people is mean she said). This went on for around 2 minutes before I suggested that she moved on to a different, perhaps more entertaining, activity. She ran over to a huge semi truck and jacked it. I thought to myself “This should be fun, there is no way she is going to be able to drive that around and not get in trouble.” I couldn’t have been more wrong. As the semi began to lumber out of its parking spot my wife exclaimed, “Oooh, you know what will be fun, driving around and obeying all of the traffic rules.” Yeah, because THAT’S what makes GTA IV a great game, obeying all the rules! What the holy hell is wrong here!?!?

My wife played this mind-numbingly boring game of obeying traffic lights for around 5 minutes before accidentally hitting an elderly pedestrian while traveling about 2 miles an hour. My wife gasped and lept from her truck to “check and see if she is ok.” I’m not making this shit up. I asked my wife, “What are you going to do if she is injured…throw her in your semi and take her to the hospital?” to which she replied, “Can you do that in this game?” Sadly…no. (unfortunately, the poor old woman did not make it through the accident.)

After the tragedy of mowing down the old woman, my wife decided driving a semi was a little to much vehicle for her to handle in a safe manner. She jacked a parked car and immediately was pursued by Liberty City’s finest. Amazingly, she was able to escape the grasp of the long arm of the law (I believe she ran some stoplights during the chase.) That may have been a little too much excitement because after fleeing to safety she decided her time in Liberty City was over. She handed the controller back to me, and I immediately began plugging pedestrians with my shotgun because I was full of pent up GTA rage from watching that lame-ass traffic law game. Seeing my murderous rampage, my wife yelled “Stop! Stop! You’re being like that kid from Virginia Tech!” Seriously, I’m not making this shit up. Chalk one up for Jack-fucking-Thompson.

They both suck equally.

This doesn't seem to be the case.

Pick your battles. Is this one really worth it?

StrayKat is... Stray, dude.

Ok, I played about an hour last night to make sure I don't have a freezing issue. I'll be finishing up part 2 of Persona 3 FES before I resume but I wanted to mention a couple of things.

How did this game get such high scores?

The graphics are straight out of the XBOX or PS2 era. The art direction is nice but the rest of it, not current gen at all. I suspect this game started life as a last gen effort and got "upgraded" along the way.

The camera, in and out of the car is total shit. I like to pan my camera around when moving in games. Apparently this one wants to auto-correct back to straight ahead if you're walking or driving. Stop that shit! I got tired of fighting the camera before I even drove Roman home after he picked me up at the docks. Also, why the fuck does it zoom in on my license plate when I accelerate hard from a stop? It's so much fun not being able to see until I manually move the camera back into position. WTF?

So, I'd give the game an 8 or so. It's fun but the camera thing made me stop playing it 30 minutes earlier than I might have otherwise. I took Michelle out on a date and damn Roman called me on the way there. (Glad to hear about the turning sleep mode thing on, I was beginning to worry about the sandbox being gone for micromanaging friends.)

The game has a more cinematic flair than past games, and an attempt at a story but so far...I'm not nearly as impressed as I thought I would be. I'll come back to it after I finish the Answer in FES.

A great example of the terrible cam is when you're driving from the pay n spray to brucie's garage. You go down the hill to the hard right u-turn into that warehouse district thing. Coming around that turn you have 0 visibility unless you manually move the camera manually.

A great example of the terrible cam is when you're driving from the pay n spray to brucie's garage. You go down the hill to the hard right u-turn into that warehouse district thing. Coming around that turn you have 0 visibility unless you manually move the camera manually.

Camera hasn't bothered me since I learned the controls.   :|  I just haven't noticed it at all.

Too white?! You did notice that your character is from Russia right?  :oh_i_see:

The only thing I really don't like is how you automatically call when you've completed part of a mission - sometimes I'm in the middle of something (chased by cops!) and being on the phone doesn't work so well. I can't run or get in a car!

No, Snow Storm is the fucking abandoned hospital, where I thougth I was supposed to run away from in a fucking Tonka Truck. Spent the night on it and 12% of my still good brain cells.

No, Snow Storm is the fucking abandoned hospital, where I thougth I was supposed to run away from in a fucking Tonka Truck. Spent the night on it and 12% of my still good brain cells.

Riggs, the sum really is greater than it's parts.

It's ugly, the controls suck, sometimes the AI is just bundles of retarded. But it's masterfully crafted as far as the actual game parts go. The design is dodgy at best. Still, I stand by my original comments that it would get a '9' if I were reviewing it out of 10. What they've achieved is nothing short of fucking really impressive.

If it's ugly (which it is)

I've been playing it a bit more, running the missions, so I've come back to reread this thread.


If it's ugly (which it is), if the controls suck (which they do), and if the AI is horrible (it is), why in the hell is it considered 'masterfully crafted'?

What's so great about it?

There's tons of fedex missions, tons of retrieval missions, tons of 'kill x/take care of x' missions.  So, yeah, you get 'factional' points with these people - either positive of negative.  Big whoop.  In a game with so much driving, the driving actually fairly well sucks.

Take away the shock value and M rating of the game, and no one would pay attention.

I'm just not seeing what is so spectacular about it that it's getting all these rave reviews, especially when the graphics are subpar for this generation, the controls are horrible, and the AI is weak.  Why do these HUGE points not kill the game like others?  Because of titties?  Because of NPCs and your avatar yelling fuck!  shit!  nigga please!?

You should have your head examined.

I'm just not seeing what is so spectacular about it that it's getting all these rave reviews, especially when the graphics are subpar for this generation, the controls are horrible, and the AI is weak.  Why do these HUGE points not kill the game like others?  Because of titties?  Because of NPCs and your avatar yelling fuck!  shit!  nigga please!?

No, it's absolutely ugly as fuck. But that doesn't mean it isn't well-crafted. It is NASTY ugly. Like, holy shit how did they spend so much money ugly. Turns out they spent the money videotaping rain and shit instead of filling it with awesome til there was blood coming from their eyes.

Look, I don't know where you live in Italy (as I find most of Italy fucking beautiful)

Vice City was the only brightly colored GTA I can remember.

I accidentally got Carmen killed in a vicious motorcycle accident while out on a date.  With the sandbox nature of the game I think I am going to let her stay dead rather than reload.  I'm rather surprised you can kill off NPCs, I hope she wasn't important.

"...Cousin Larry!"

I'd just fucking kill for either a quick save or god damn mission checkpointing.  I don't have enough time in the day to keep repeating 5-10 minute drives to fail a 20 minute mission and have to repeat it.

He's probably specifically speaking about the fucking bank mission.  That one made me put the game down cold for a while (still haven't picked it back up).

No, it's absolutely ugly as fuck. But that doesn't mean it isn't well-crafted. It is NASTY ugly. Like, holy shit how did they spend so much money ugly.

Holy shit that mission with the bikes in the subway is awesome.

Rockstar has today confirmed what the gaming world has long suspected - Grand Theft Auto IV will indeed be coming to the good old PC, and it will be happening in November.

North America will be the first to receive the port on the 18th, with Europe following shortly after on the 21st. There's been no word of an Australian release date as of yet, but you can be sure it won't be too far behind.

We reviewed Grand Theft Auto IV on the PlayStation 3 when the game was released a few months back, and we thought it was rather good, to say the least.

The game has since gone on to sell lots and lots and lots of copies, and was removed from sale in Thailand earlier this week.

Rockstar's blockbuster hit Grand Theft Auto IV has been pulled from stores in Thailand, following claims from a teenager that it motivated him to kill a taxi driver and steal his car.

The 18 year old high school student committed the crimes on the weekend, and was discovered soon afterwards with the wounded driver in the backseat. He confessed to his crimes yesterday - if found guilty, he faces the death penalty.

"He said he wanted to find out if it was as easy in real life to rob a taxi as it was in the game," said chief investigator Veeravit Pipattanasak to Reuters. Apparently, the student was an 'obsessive player' of the game.

As a result, the game's distributor in the region, New Era, has removed the game from sale.

"We are sending out requests today to outlets and shops to pull the games off their shelves and we will replace them with other games," said Sakchai Chotikachinda, New Era Sales and Marketing Director.

I was calling October a while ago, going off an old release date. With this release, it looks like November.

There is an off chance I will pick this up just for MP. I got pwned mercilessly by all the thumb aiming Halo fucktards on XBL, and I needs me some payback.

Even my wife had to give me props for that one.

Six months after the release of Grand Theft Auto 4, details of the much-hyped episodic downloadable content have emerged. And no, it's definitely not 28 Days Later-style zombie outbreaks or a return trip to San Andreas.
Instead, USA Today is reporting that the narrative, titled "Lost and Damned" and due February 17, will shift to The Lost biker gang member Johnny Klebitz. Klebitz is described as being "very different" from former protagonist Niko Bellic, with Niko himself fading into the background and only making a few cameo apperances

"I can't go into too much detail on the story, because we try not to give away too much plot before the game is released," said Rockstar Games vice president of creative development Dan Houser. "But I can say that the story will show you a different side of Liberty City."

What do I need to do to start playing GTA IV on my PC?

Rockstar: A copy of the game (retail disc or digital distribution) and a computer that meets the minimum system specifications is required. An internet connection, assorted software installations, and certain service registrations are required for activation and use of all the software features. The minimum system specifications, recommended system specifications, required software installations and other requirements are listed at the end of this document.

You will need an active internet connection to activate the software and the retail disk is required to be in the computer drive in order to play.

In order to upload videos to our internet site and play online multi-player modes, you will also need an active internet connection and accounts with both Rockstar Games Social Club and Games for Window-LIVE.

GTA IV PC also requires a number of software installations, including Games For Windows, Adobe Flash, Internet Explorer, SecuROM and our Rockstar Games Social Club application.

You're not missing anything. GTA IV was a let down from beginning to end.

I couldn't disagree more

What's the hatred for Securom? Is it just annoying and/or invasive or does it eat brains like Starforce?

It's getting to a StarForce level. It's known for causing other games to act weird and even disabling your drive from playing anything.

As for performance issues on high-end rigs, Rockstar's tech support documentation contained the following explanation: "Most users using current PC hardware as of December 2008 are advised to use medium graphics settings. Higher settings are provided for future generations of PCs with higher specifications than are currently widely available."

Not that that would solve your problem