GTA IV and more and more

Post by **Abram** » 13 Dec 2008, 03:01

Yes, my GFWL account often disconnects itself after a couple hours. Reconencting is easy enough but it's still a pain and is a good reminder of just how stupid it is to require these extra programs to run the game.

After taking my first peak at my achievments I saw that many weren't recorded - even ones that are neigh impossible to miss, like finishing the first mission and meeting key characters.

Still, i love the game. 26 hours in and I'm at 46% complete. BUt damn, are those pigeons hard to find.. starting to thiunk i may have to resort to a cheat map.

It's very disappointing that modding it is more difficult than previous games. Apperently the mod nerds are getting closer to getting new models and such in - lik the mod that lets players fire RPG rounds from the 9mm. (cops, too)

Post by **scavvenjahh** » 13 Dec 2008, 12:17

I hear there's a "patch" available, it should download and install automatically. No performance boost but some smaller issues solved... and some new problems introduced :lol: Any comments ? Does it make the game noticeably more stable and/or easy to launch for you guys ?

Post by **Abram** » 13 Dec 2008, 13:52

No differences as far as I can see... other than it being a bit of a pain to get. I ahd to try four times before it installed. Muh-fukin' GFWL - I was a bit horrified to see it was only available as a GFWL. My horror jsut justified...

Mirrors have a sheen on them now, a nice little touch. I didn;t notice any difference in paticle detail or behaviour.

But i DID just get a crash.. during the end of a long-ish mission and before the auto-save kicked in. Though I've played for 40+ hours and that's my first crash. Hopefully it's not the result of the patch.

R* claims they're already working on the next patch, so hoepfully another wil actually come.

Post by **g00seberry** » 13 Dec 2008, 15:16

I just hope any patches are released through Steam quickly, as there has yet to be one as far as I can see.
After the initial problems I had, everything's generally going pretty smoothly now.

Auto login to R*SC and GFWL works fine, and are quick. The game has only crashed on my once since everything's been sorted.
The frame rate is more manageable, but night time is still 20fps or less, and slow loading textures are still evident throughout (although no different than how all previous GTA's were on the PS2 tbh - the road being a grey blob for a few seconds etc).

I love the game though, and the engine they've created is spectacular. The name fails me at the moment, but the physics engine they have is superb. Having a guy open his door and step out the car, only for me to hit the edge of the door, see it close on him and him flop through the window of the door was a real treat. In a sick way I guess.
To see Niko stand with a bent knee as one foot is on the curb is one of the many little touches that brings the game to life. Especially knowing it's not just a scripted animation.

Post by **scavvenjahh** » 17 Dec 2008, 22:19

SLI users, did you try out nvidia driver 180.84 ?

http://www.nzone.com/object/nzone_gtaiv_downloads.html

It has a SLI profile and forceable AA. (Some say it also screws up SLI in all other games or adds microstuttering to GTA4... Be ready for everything...) :P

Mesh · Post by **Mesh** » 18 Dec 2008, 07:42

SLI hasn't worked properly with AA since before the 175.x, doesn't seem about to change any time soon either. On top of that the 178.x got worse for stability and the 180.x are continuing that trend.

Post by **scavvenjahh** » 18 Dec 2008, 12:09

Did you at least check the link ? :?
180.84 (not .48!) are an official release for GTA4 and are rumored to add SLI support to the game, as well as the possibility to force AA. Since GTA4 doesn't support SLI out of the box, I figured Paddy and other SLI users would be interested.

Mesh · Post by **Mesh** » 19 Dec 2008, 18:50

I've tried all 180.x releases, including .84, none differ.

And regardless what they say it doesn't work right, hence my comment.

Forcing AA + SLI hasn't worked in many driver revisions and stability has taken a dive at the same time.

Generally forcing AA + sli ends up removing any sli scaling, while app. decide doesn't, even if the setting is identical.

And that's all with any game, not just with bug city IV.

Post by **scavvenjahh** » 20 Dec 2008, 11:44

Ok, thanks for your feedback.

And that's all with any game, not just with bug city IV.

Ouch. So putting all install/launch problems aside, you'd still call the game itself a buggy mess ?

Post by **Paddy the Wak** » 20 Dec 2008, 13:10

Apart from the hoops to jump through to get the game installed and start playing all is fine for me ...
I know many are finding it a "buggy mess" but I have no real issues with it and I'm really enjoying it.

Yeah the fps could be better but I generally play without fraps running and on the whole it is fairly smooth gameplay.

Both Sli and the dynamic shadows are working for me ...
I understand/believe the game uses deferred lighting and so no AA unless they make it DX10 which it isn't at the moment ... note ... I could be wrong on this.

I tried the 180.84 beta drivers from nzone ... they caused the game to crash and other issues with other games ...
I then tried the 180.84 international beta's from nvidia.co.uk and they worked out good for me a few FPS better than the 180.48 drivers I had been using.
It could have been I just had a bad install of those from nzone ... dunno.

Some screens ...
The first four I took using fraps and the SLi indicator didn't show up ...
I went back in and took the last few using the Print Screen key to get them to show ...
Click to see full size ...

Post by **scavvenjahh** » 20 Dec 2008, 13:34

One thing's for sure, you must really enjoy the game to screencap & share it with such intensity :D (Do you really always play in TripleHead ? Don't you occasionally play on a single screen to enjoy better framerates ?) As for 180.84, well the mixed feedback continues it seems, too bad this game and everything attached to it is so much of an unforgiving "hit/miss" experience. :x

Picking int'l nvidia drivers is *always* a good choice... For some reason the US ones often have strangely specific issues, lack SLI profiles or sth. Odd but verified on several occasions in the last couple years.

Dear Paddy, would you be so kind as to bench the game (at any settings) with and without SLI one of these days ? :oops: I don't give a toss if the numbers are not jaw-dropping, it's just curiosity and my interest in SLI kickin' in.

Post by **Paddy the Wak** » 20 Dec 2008, 13:45

Do you really always play in TripleHead ?

Yes.

Don't you occasionally play on a single screen to enjoy better framerates ?

No ... I just can't play games on a single screen anymore as I miss the immersion that I get with TripleHead.
Of the games that do TripleHead this is the only game for me that the fps are low enough to consider playing on a single screen.
That said I don't thin the res is the issue ... we'll see ...

Dear Paddy, would you be so kind as to bench the game (at any settings) with and without SLI one of these days ? :oops: I don't give a toss if the numbers are not jaw-dropping, it's just curiosity and my interest in SLI kickin' in.

Will do ... just for you ... a bit later today and I'll also do it at 1680x1050 just to see if there is much of a difference in fps.

Post by **scavvenjahh** » 20 Dec 2008, 15:56

I dream of the day when I'll leave you a message that doesn't say "thanks" :lol: Meanwhile, well thanks ! That's nice of you... o TripleHead zealot.
(It's the first time I'm so interested in a game alhough I'm firmly decided not to buy it before months. Strange feeling.) :lol:

Mesh · Post by **Mesh** » 20 Dec 2008, 18:31

Ok, thanks for your feedback.[quote]And that's all with any game, not just with bug city IV.

Ouch. So putting all install/launch problems aside, you'd still call the game itself a buggy mess ?

I would yes, though I haven't played it mind you.

But as accounts report it to be insanely buggy for a 'gone gold' game, I won't even consider it, the drm, the requirement to use both multiplayer/clients even if you're offline and all that other crap simply shouts no thanks.

I've already got multiple games I haven't even started playing, what little time I have to play goes to games that deserve it, gta IV just doesn't cut it.

Once they patch out the bugs, drm and ridiculous requirements and it's in the bargain bin I might reconsider, for now rockstar can go in the corner and reflect on who pays them and why it's not a good idea to give them crap.

Post by **Paddy the Wak** » 20 Dec 2008, 21:32

I dream of the day when I'll leave you a message that doesn't say "thanks" :lol: Meanwhile, well thanks ! That's nice of you...

lol and np ...
Some (even insiders) don't know how to say thank you even after asking for something and yet they can hunt me down for the slightest error or even put words in my mouth ...
Ah well ... never mind eh ... thanks for saying thanks ... :D

Here are the benches ...
To get the settings slightly over the recommended and turn off the vsync ... I am using a commandline.txt with these two lines ...
-novblank
-norestrictions

Using the first comp in my sig. with these settings (which I have been using to play the game) ...

Texture Quality: High
Render Quality: Highest
View Distance: 20
Detail Distance: 100
Shadow Density: 16
Vehicle Density: 50

5040x1050 ... SLi ... (the way I have been playing it).
Average FPS: 32.25
Duration: 37.42 sec
CPU Usage: 65%
System memory usage: 69%
Video memory usage: 99%

5040x1050 no SLi ...
Average FPS: 31.31
Duration: 37.21 sec
CPU Usage: 68%
System memory usage: 68%
Video memory usage: 99%

1680x1050 ... SLi ...
Average FPS: 50.27
Duration: 37.16 sec
CPU Usage: 65%
System memory usage: 77%
Video memory usage: 93%

1680x1050 no SLi ...
Average FPS: 44.87
Duration: 37.33 sec
CPU Usage: 67%
System memory usage: 76%
Video memory usage: 95%

I generally don't run it with fraps showing the fps ... I don't want to be reminded of how low the fps are ... :P ... but I have played a bit with them showing to get an idea of the fps ...
In reality ... the fps can go from about 18fps in heavy action with rain ... up to 70 indoors but it is usually around 26-30 and it is remarkably smooth for such low fps.
I do play with the blur on as I really don't like the jaggies ... maybe that helps smooth things ... dunno

Frag Maniac · Post by **Frag Maniac** » 21 Dec 2008, 05:35

Does this game play like poop on the latest high end spec? I read someone say he had a Core i7 and GTX 280 and was getting horrible frame rates.

DaFox · Post by **DaFox** » 21 Dec 2008, 05:38

Does this game play like poop on the latest high end spec? I read someone say he had a Core i7 and GTX 280 and was getting horrible frame rates.

Its all over the wall. Ive seen people getting better FPS with a [email protected] with an 8800gtx compared to like you said a Core i7+gtx280.

Ive also seen people with similar setups getting great fps.

Post by **Abram** » 21 Dec 2008, 06:10

It plays well enough for me at 1680x1050 with settings pretty much at medium... it's one of those games that seem oddly smooth even at low FPS. Of course indoors it's a pretty constant 60fps, but outside it's anywhere from 18fps with thick fog, headlights, and heavy traffic, up into the 50's duringthe day.

DaFox · Post by **DaFox** » 21 Dec 2008, 10:31

It plays well enough for me at 1680x1050 with settings pretty much at medium... it's one of those games that seem oddly smooth even at low FPS. Of course indoors it's a pretty constant 60fps, but outside it's anywhere from 18fps with thick fog, headlights, and heavy traffic, up into the 50's duringthe day.

Do you have motion blur on?

Thats the number one reason why motion blur is such a big 'hit' in games recently, it hides the low FPS. Same thing goes for crysis too for example, absurdly low FPS but nearly everyone says it looks and feels just fine even with the low FPS.

Post by **Abram** » 21 Dec 2008, 11:18

Well if you mean the blur function, then no. It makes things too fuzzy. But it's not really the same kind of blur that other games have...is it? Either way, I won't use it. But if it didn't blur EVERYTHING, then i likely would.

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