Grand Theft Auto 4 - April 29th

[jackrock]

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/24/grand-theft-auto-iv-dated-for-april-29/

[camo]

I've seen some recent shots of it. The detail has been 'upped' considerably. This is definatly a (if there is such a thing) a good delay.

[paul jones]

the longer the delay the better my chances are of buying a PS3 in time to play it.

I think I'm going to read the Lord Of The Rings trilogy book on sale at this book shop.Harback version,the paperback's pages are too flimsy

[AAPSTUDIOS]

December, Feburary, April?

[Planetary]

I don't know what make of this (http://www.rockstargames.com/IV/)...

Exciting though :)

[camo]

banging trash can lids for an hour!



ha ha :D(y)

[Miho]

This game is going to own my life momentarily. Cannot wait. <3

[Planetary]

banging trash can lids for an hour!



ha ha :D(y)

?

edit: only the skyline loaded for me last time and i couldn't click. but now i reloaded it and am going to read every word on the page :)

[icy manipulator]

LOL (http://youtube.com/watch?v=5-reBn0gUkg)

[Kid Presentable]

Gotta nerd the fuck up and say while I'm trawling through the media on that site, I'm loving the fact that the icon sound is the same as in previous GTA games.

[b i o n i c]

NO WAY.

the steinway beer garden in GTA4 is a replica of a real place (you can even see the gate) (http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g189/deeelovely/beer2.jpg) in astoria, same place on the map in the game. the main in astoria is steinway street. the real place is called the bohemian beer garden.

this is probably my favorite summer hangout. how effen cool that its in this game(y)

bohenian beer garden (real) (http://www.bohemianhall.com/home.htm)

steinway beer garden (gta4) (http://www.rockstargames.com/IV/#?page=steinway&content=video0)

beer garden immortalized(y)

[Planetary]

I'm looking forward to the 'Multiplayer' tab becoming clickable.

[Kid Presentable]

I have a fucking sprunk desktop, and I'm lovineveryminuteofit!

[camo]

ooh where from?

I have my ps3 theme set to a gta 4 one I found the other day (y)

[Kid Presentable]

That link Planetary posted. The 'Sprunk' link on the GTA IV site is a marketing site. It's pretty funny (if you like that kind of thing).

[camo]

ahh gotcha. Cheers

[Kid Presentable]

The essence of life glayven *ventolin*

[camo]

Just ordered the deluxe edition from play.com for my birthday (y)(y)(y)(y)

[paul jones]

Just ordered the deluxe edition from play.com for my birthday (y)(y)(y)(y)

(y)

2 months to go.....I still have to get a PS3

[Big Gus]

I've pre ordered the normal edition for £35 off gameplay.

I'm hyped now. Get it on 360 Paul. Exclusive DLC and shizzo!

[Freebasser]

I will wait til it comes out on PC, just as I have done since GTA3.

You may think I must have the patience of a saint, but it's because I can't stand shooters on consoles. Driving games - yes. Football games - yes. But that auto-lock on shit that they have on shooters pisses me off and takes away half the fun.

[paul jones]

Get it on 360 Paul. Exclusive DLC and shizzo!

explain a bit more ..

[Kid Presentable]

PS3 will have some Downloadable content, I believe. Talk is of the 360 having been confirmed for 2 exclusive expansions to be released via Xbox LIVE. They're rumoured to be the size of Vice City and San Andreas respectively, in that they will be expansions based on the GTA IV code, and will contain unique missions and storylines and such. They won't be free, and it remains to be seen if they are the same size in terms of geography or data. If it's data, then they aren't all that impressive. Although it will still be interesting. It's $50 million well spent by Microsoft, because they can market the 360 version as the definitive way to play the game. As long as you don't get RROD.

The 'pedia kind of contradicts this:

During Microsoft's 2006 E3 press conference on 9 May, it was announced that Rockstar Games will offer exclusive episodic content via Xbox Live for the Xbox 360 version of the game. This had been confirmed by Rockstar, announcing two extra episodes. On 20 February 2008, it was announced that the extra content will be introduced starting August 2008.

Peter Moore, the then head of Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business division announced that Rockstar Games is working on two GTA IV downloadable packs exclusively for the Xbox 360, which will be released after the full game. Moore described downloadable content as "epic episode packs", and not just extra cars or characters. A press release during the conference said that the packs would add "hours of entirely new gameplay" to the game. The official Xbox website states that these episodes will last a minimum of 10 hours. Details on the pricing of these downloads have not yet been revealed, though it would almost certainly not be released for free, as Take-Two Interactive's former CEO, Paul Eibeler, have said numerous times that these downloads would provide "additional revenue streams" to the company.

As part of a conference call following the release of Take-Two Interactive's Second Quarter Fiscal 2007 financial results, the company's Chief Financial Officer, Lainie Goldstein revealed that Microsoft was paying a total of US $50 Million for exclusivity of this content split equally between the two packs. The payments can be found referenced in the company's Second Quarter Fiscal 2007 financial results as "Deferred revenue".

Jeronimo Barrera, Vice President of Product Development for Rockstar Games, has said that they "are calling the downloadable content episodes" and added that they are experimental because they are not sure that there are enough users with access to online content on the Xbox 360.

No announcement has been made about downloadable content for the PlayStation 3 version of the game.


So it Looks like Microsoft has finally announced what it's Exclusive DLC deal w/ Rockstar really means, according to Microsoft each episode of DLC content will be equal to the games San Andreas and Vice City for Ps2/Xbox. They have also stated that Digital Downloads will be the new way to deliver the GTA "Expansions."

So it looks like with this new announcement if you were planning on playing the Vice City/San Andreas versions of GTA IV the 360 is the Definitive version to get, with the first expansion arriving as early as Fall this year and the next one to follow-up in 2009.

GTAIV DLC

* When MS says exclusive, they mean that no other system can have DLC content for GTAIV

* It will be bigger than a lot of people think. GTA3 Vice City and San Andreas were basically expansions of GTA3. Think of the DLC that way. We are talking major expansion for GTAIV
* No price has been discussed yet. It’s up to Rockstar on whether or not they will charge for it
* If successful, DLC may be the new way to deliver GTA expansions

http://n4g.com/xbox360/News-114529.aspx

[paul jones]

PS3 will have some Downloadable content, I believe. Talk is of the 360 having been confirmed for 2 exclusive expansions to be released via Xbox LIVE. They're rumoured to be the size of Vice City and San Andreas respectively, in that they will be expansions based on the GTA IV code, and will contain unique missions and storylines and such. They won't be free, and it remains to be seen if they are the same size in terms of geography or data. If it's data, then they aren't all that impressive. Although it will still be interesting. It's $50 million well spent by Microsoft, because they can market the 360 version as the definitive way to play the game. As long as you don't get RROD.

The 'pedia kind of contradicts this:

cheers for that insight(y):cool:

[Kid Presentable]

Hey, I've gotta be good for something.

[camo]

(y)

2 months to go.....I still have to get a PS3

come round to mine! I'm gonna book the day off

(y)

[paul jones]

come round to mine! I'm gonna book the day off

(y)

But we'd be like little kids fighting over the thing

[Yetra Flam]

I think the coolest thing is now living in new york and actually seeing the places that the game is based on, and being all "yeah i know that shit!"

i suppose new yorkers are thoroughly used to this though.

[b i o n i c]

im taking you to the real "steinway beer garden" this summer(y)

[paul jones]

few updates on the official site.

Wouldn't mind the deluxe edition with all the stuff you get

thinking more of getting X Box with what I read about exclusive expansions

whatever this game will have me occupied for the rest of the year

[camo]

But we'd be like little kids fighting over the thing

take it in turns - play till you snuff it (y)

[Auton]

ugh. the trailers and pictures on the official site are fucking worthless. whatever happened to showing actual gameplay?

[camo]

Famously, Rockstar never show any actual gameplay until the game is practically on the shelves.

[paul jones]

take it in turns - play till you snuff it (y)

nah,I'll go and order it on play.com

the countdown for this is the most exciting countdown since..........san andreas

[camo]

Yeah thats where I'm getting mine from.

I ordered the deluxe version. That safety deposit box will come in handy (y)

[paul jones]

Yeah thats where I'm getting mine from.

I ordered the deluxe version. That safety deposit box will come in handy (y)

yeah I think I'm gonna go for that too

must remember to buy an 360 before though

[camo]

yeah I think I'm gonna go for that too

must remember to buy an 360 before though

Yeah thats a must.

I'm a sucker for ltd edition pap. I hope the soundtracks good.

I've heard that Iggy is the voice for the presenters on one of the stations.

I also hope that they have some good uk cameos in it again a la Shaun Ryder (y)

[paul jones]

Yeah thats a must.

I'm a sucker for ltd edition pap. I hope the soundtracks good.

I've heard that Iggy is the voice for the presenters on one of the stations.

I also hope that they have some good uk cameos in it again a la Shaun Ryder (y)

yeah,plus you get a bag,can't knock a bag...

Shaun Ryder in San Andreas was genius.Getting Bez doing a voice in the new one would be good.I think there will be tons of suprises in it though(y)

[camo]

unless it's one of those bag knockers all them famous folks have.

Yeah bez...as a cab driver would be sweet seeing as though he drives around in his 'pimp my ride' black cab all day.






p.s Shaun Ryders newly fixed teeth. Funny.

[paul jones]

unless it's one of those bag knockers all them famous folks have.

Yeah bez...as a cab driver would be sweet seeing as though he drives around in his 'pimp my ride' black cab all day.






p.s Shaun Ryders newly fixed teeth. Funny.

I've met Bez twice,he's a legend

[camo]

A living legend no less (y)

[Kid Presentable]

Read about the multiplayer (http://www.gtaforums.com/index.php?showtopic=317327&st=0)

Game Modes:

Hangmans NOOSE
Car Jack City
Bomb da Base
Bomb da Base II
Mafia Work
Team Mafia Work
Deathmatch
Team Deathmatch
Turf War
Cops N Crooks
Race
GTA Race
Deal Breaker
Free Roam

The host of the game makes the rules, in "Race" and GTA Race" he decides the vehicles and laps, in Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch he decides the number of peds, the flow of traffic, the intervention of police and the weapons. We tried a match, all of us armed with rocket launchers, half of city lighting up. (or something like that)

Mafia and Team Mafia work, you will play as one of Kenny Petrovics mafia henchmen, competing to complete hits ordered by the boss over your phone before your rivals. In "cops n crooks" A group of players will play as police, other as criminal, the police must make sure they don't escape alive, they can also see the criminals location ont heir GPS while criminals have no clue as where the police are.

Also in the single player mission "hangmans Noose" there will be co-op, the mission you and your friends will be able to escort a mafia man, while ambushed by the SWAT, but it doesn't end there, carjack, turfwar, bomb da base II, free mode, the 100 hours of single player are nothing compared to the 10 years of multiplayer.

Also, there are a total of 15 multi player modes, all accessed through your cellphone. You will be able to CREATE YOUR CHARACTER FOR ONLINE, change his race, sex, skin color, hair, clothing. 16 players online.

[paul jones]

^(y)

[Planetary]

http://www.rockstargames.com/IV/#?page=music

[Tzar]

jesus, this is gonna be insane. i don't know what to buy to play it... probably will be PS3 for this/GT5/new metal gear

[paul jones]

jesus, this is gonna be insane. i don't know what to buy to play it... probably will be PS3 for this/GT5/new metal gear

I'm in a dilemma now myself.I may now get a PS 3 for GTA4. and because GT5 is PS 3 only.I was going for X Box just because of the supposed extra bits that will be downloadable later but I can worry about that later.

[Big Gus]

Buy the fucking Xbox man they just slashed £50 off the price! you can bag a premium for 200 sovs.

Get on live and feel the quality. One massive reason is the controller. Seriously, the PS3 pad is a piece of shit. You cant play shooters with it cause the sticks are balls.

[Kid Presentable]

LIVE is great, but the red rings would put me off if I had to make the decision again. Fuck buying the game and your console bricking once you're just getting going. It'd be like fucking a woman who then proceeds to have a heart attack. Talk about mild disappointment. (n)

[Big Gus]

I had a launch one and it red ringed twice in 6 months so I got my money back. The one I got in october is the new one with the different chipset and better cooling.

Even after a 8 hour session it's running pretty cool. Still a bit noisy though.

[Tzar]

Buy the fucking Xbox man they just slashed £50 off the price! you can bag a premium for 200 sovs.

Get on live and feel the quality. One massive reason is the controller. Seriously, the PS3 pad is a piece of shit. You cant play shooters with it cause the sticks are balls.

but.... BUT....
it's gran turismo 5! have you seen the screenies for that game? it's like watching Top Gear. OH! the Top Gear track is on GT5! and i couldn't imagine playing Metal Gear on an Xbox controller; fuck that.

yep, PS3 it is for me. fuck y'all.

[Planetary]

MGS isnt even on xbox. i would like to play MGS but xbox massively out-weighs the ps3 in lots of other ways for me. but i was like you guys once....

[Tzar]

MGS isnt even on xbox. i would like to play MGS but xbox massively out-weighs the ps3 in lots of other ways for me. but i was like you guys once....
more for my reasoning. i've been a big fan of MGS/gran turismo for ages... i don't see why i should miss out on these new additions just because Xbox is 'better'. i'm not gonna play online anytime soon so the PS3 should be sufficient for me?

[Planetary]

i spose so.

[Freebasser]

Hmmm... intriguing! (http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=vQWTijxy6x8)

Several people have already said it's a fake because certain things don't seem to fit. For example, the image that loads when the demonstrator puts the disc in is backwards, and, as one eagle-eyed viewer pointed out, it is a very early piece of artwork where Niko's head is mistakenly in front of his rear view mirror, which has now been fixed on the official website - geeky, huh? ;))

But, just before the video ends (on 2:24) the name DEEPTHROAT flashes up. For those of you not in the know, deepthroat is a mysterious member of gtaforums who has said several specific things about GTA IV (location, characters) that have then come true weeks and sometimes months later, and who is rumoured to be a member of Rockstar's viral marketing team.

Of course, it could all just be a big scam by some 12 year old computer n3rd (most likely)!

Anyway, watch and be confused!

Eeee, it's like the twilight zone! Doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo doo!

[Big Gus]

Sooo fake. Theres loads of fake shit floating about on German websites too.

On the console posts earlier - if you arent thinking about going online then I'd say take your pic as it dont matter which you go for - PS3 is probably better value with the Blue-Ray player and all.

Online? 360 is a must. PS3 is not a patch on it.

[camo]

I'd go for PS3. Sure the Xbox has the downloadable content but I'm sure all of the important (and good) stuff will already be there in the final game. It's probably like the extras on a dvd - and I hardly enjoy that shit anyways.

Also take these into account: the demise of HD DVD, the fact that developers are getting to grips with the ps3's structure (meaning game will be made for PS3 and DOWNSIZED to xbox and not the other way round like The Orange box and other cross platformers that looked really shonky running on PS3), online is free and 'home' is looking great, GT5, Little Big Planet, MGS ages before xbox, and word is some super duper top secret news is going to be announced soon - apparently some sony developed shit hotness!!!

I'm glad I didn't buy that xbox for Dead rising...oh the sequel is rumoured to be PS3 bound too (y)(y)(y)

[paul jones]

If I get the blu ray PS3 I will have to buy a HD TV for it to look good and not like a PS2 game apparently but I cant afford a HD TV right now as the car is up for an MOT soon and um yeah

[camo]

I've only just got a hdtv but my old crt still showed a massive leap in graphics from the ps2.

Things just look shinier and slightly crisper (y)

[paul jones]

I've only just got a hdtv but my old crt still showed a massive leap in graphics from the ps2.

Things just look shinier and slightly crisper (y)

yeah...I'll give it a few months before I buy a HDTV for the shinier crisps(y)

[camo]

It's my birthday tomorrow and my grandad just bought me a sony hdtv the other day. It's freaking awesome!

My gramps is one tech savvy 80 year old (y)

[paul jones]

It's my birthday tomorrow and my grandad just bought me a sony hdtv the other day. It's freaking awesome!

My gramps is one tech savvy 80 year old (y)

nice one camo's gramps(y)

[camo]

My girl got me Unreal 3 and it looks sooooooo good in hi-def, I hope GTA is just as crisp (y)

[Kid Presentable]

First Multiplayer screens:

Kotaku (http://kotaku.com/372136/first-gtaiv-multiplayer-screens).

I think RS NYC must mean Rockstar testers. Lucky shits. I never pre-order shit in this life, and I just went and pre-ordered this.

[Kid Presentable]

GTA IV Multiplayer Hands-on- "Amazing"
43
The new Xbox World 360 magazine will have a 17 page blow out on the multiplayer mode in their next issue. They've also done a podcast where they talk about it, the discussion begins around 49 minutes in.. I just listened to it and here's some of the highlights

- They love the multiplayer mode. They talk about how in other games you're able to forgive it for having a poor multiplayer mode because it might have an amazing single player mode. But then you see GTA4 and it has as big of a single player mode as those games and an amazing multiplayer mode to go along with it.

- They say it's one of the best looking games on the 360. The lighting is what makes it according to them. They go on to talk about how games like Oblivion are hurt visually because of it'll chug sometimes and how something like Gears is really beautiful but it's very linear. But GTA4 has the size of Oblivion and the beauty of Gears.

- The framerate is really smooth. They mentioned the only time it started to chug is when 4-8 of them were shooting rocket launchers at a gas station to make it blow up.

- It's mentioned that at any time you can just pull out your phone and jump into a game.

- One of them mentions how he's always felt that the series has been a "jack of all trades, master of none" type game, and now it's a master of them all.

- The combat is amazing. They said it feels like Resident Evil 4.

- The driving is really good although it's harder than any of the previous versions. They mention that if an actual racing game used its driving model you'd be happy with it.

- They'll be leaving next week to review it.

MY LINKIN IS DIGI

[icy manipulator]

http://www.rockstargames.com/IV/#?page=music

a station hosted by a eurovision song contest winner. fucking brilliant

[Freebasser]

Flying visit - GTA4 Map leaked! :O (http://kotaku.com/372415/gta-iv-street-map-leaked)

[paul jones]

Flying visit - GTA4 Map leaked! :O (http://kotaku.com/372415/gta-iv-street-map-leaked)

*knocks one out*(y)

[faz]

4th and final trailer (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3167132)

[Tzar]

Flying visit - GTA4 Map leaked! :O (http://kotaku.com/372415/gta-iv-street-map-leaked)
impressive, but does anyone find that "small"?
i first saw it and went 'wow that's massi..... no it's not'.

[Kid Presentable]

To be fair, Tzar, San Andreas was jam packed with rural dead space which was nothing more than an interactive loading screen. I'm looking forward to seeing just how well the space in IV is used.

[Tzar]

yeah you got me there. i was thinking maybe 'blocks' on the map are as huge as NY/american movies make them out to be.

[camo]

I agree with you there kid. The greenery was just 'drivable space'.

The new map is small but perfectly formed. What is lacks in mass should be made up in density (y)

[funk63]

damn im stoked.

[Kid Presentable]

Mult-i before I die (http://kotaku.com/377107/more-gtaiv-multiplayer-shots)

[Kid Presentable]

Rockstar Screws Microsoft on GTA IV

April looking good for Sony

by: Chris Stead 11/04/2008

We published an article a few weeks back called Microsoft in GTA IV Panic in which we detailed how the industry giant was stressing about the number of PS3 consoles the release of GTA IV would ship over Xbox 360s. We argued that this was evident in the way Microsoft had gone about marketing the Xbox 360 version of the game. We also pointed out how Sony had, it appeared, done very little in response (you’ll have to read it for the full explanation).

Now we know why.

As you have no doubt read, it has come to light that a new version of the PS3 will be made available in time for the launch of GTA IV. It is the 40GB model of the console, but it comes bundled with GTA IV. This is a big, big deal. Especially as the package doesn’t cost any more money than the unbundled version of the console.

The deal is only officially announced for a UK release, but we’ve been given the tip-off that Australia will receive the deal too… in fact we’ve heard unconfirmed reports that some retailers are already promoting it. And if it is making it all the way to little ‘ol Oz, then it should hit every other major territory as well.

This is a massive blow for Microsoft, who has already lowered the Xbox 360’s price point in Europe, and paid US$50 million for downloadable content in an attempt to lure the 12 million-odd PS2 owning GTA fans away from the Sony brand. Given the money and marketing that Microsoft has thrown at Rockstar, the console manufacturer may have expected to get some support back from the developer. On the contrary, Rockstar has, deliberately or not, undermined Microsoft’s chances of not only shipping a bucket-load of consoles, but potentially from coming out on top of the console wars.

Make no mistake; this play by Sony is the most explosive strike yet in the ongoing war between the two console makers.

We’ll probably never know whether Sony paid megabucks for this deal or not, but the facts are on the table. Sony’s most affordable version of the PS3 will come bundled with GTA IV. Currently, in Australia, that model retails for $699 (and has room to move should Sony feel the need).

What does Microsoft offer...

By comparison, local retailer Harvey Norman is promoting an Xbox 360 Elite with GTA IV for $698 (it RRPs for $729 without the game). It’s the same price, but of course the Xbox 360 is minus Blu-ray, built-in wireless and, yes we have to say it, reliability. This is the only bundled deal we have found for the Xbox 360 thus far.

If those missing features don’t bother you, you can always look at the other Xbox 360 SKUs that don’t come bundled with GTA IV. You can buy the arcade console for $399, and the game at $119, to be playing the game for $520. You will not be able to play online, however, and will be limited to 256MBs worth of saves and patches - unless you want to spend more on a hard-drive.

And what of the standard premium pack? Well it is $579 which, if you buy GTA IV at $119, comes to the same value as the elite deal at Harvey Norman. Which makes the premium console frickin’ worthless.

So for the informed consumer, this deal makes it something of a no-brainer. The best value for money deal in order to play GTA IV is Sony’s 40GB bundle. And no, we haven’t forgotten which console has the best game’s library, DLC and online, but as we argued here, this won’t mean a lot to a casual consumer who just wants to play GTA IV.

Bring on the 29th

Make sure you check out our GTA IV Multiplayer Hands-on. It will leave you very excited, and offers some support to why the Xbox 360 version of the game will probably be superior, even if in terms of pure console sales, it is looking like the PS3 might romp home.

Hmmmm.

[TurdBerglar]

a $119 for a game??? what the fuck! that's about 110 USD! that's absurd!

[Kid Presentable]

I ordered the unedited one from NZ, and with shipping it's still $10 cheaper than local retailers.

[TurdBerglar]

it's $60 for a new console game here and $40 for a new pc game

[Kid Presentable]

Yeah, I know. It sounds great. We take what we can get.

[Planetary]

Lots of new updates (http://www.rockstargames.com/IV/#?page=updates) on the official website, including a multiplayer (http://www.rockstargames.com/IV/#?page=multiplayer) section! :)