Thu, Apr 17, 2008 | 10:03 BST

GTA IV has frame-rate and pop-up issues, says 1up

gtaiv42.jpg

According to a 1up preview, GTA IV suffers from the same glitching and frame rate issues as its predecessors.

“You’ll likely notice the same graphical ‘quirks’ that the series has dealt with since the jump to 3D. The same filmlike, grainy framerate exists and usually holds steady, but it can momentarily dip when things get frantic,” the article says.

“There’s some long-distance graphical fade-in as well as some street-level hazards that appear only after you hit them. Traffic will be nonexistent one second, then three cars deep when you rotate the camera back around, and then completely disappear when your wanted level gets to two or three stars (which is oh-so-fun when you desperately need a getaway vehicle).”

However, this time round, Rockstar has made attempts to veil them.

“But even these problems have been ‘upgraded’ in a sense for GTA4: An artistic application of filters hides some of the uglier character models, there’s more types of cars to choose from, and overall, the feel of the city trumps any of the shortcomings we’re familiar with by now. But you’ll be able to see that in the screenshots and eventual videos.”

By Mike Bowden

34 comment-trail-alt Posted in: Action, PS3, Rockstar, Xbox 360
Tags: , , ,

34 comments

#1

Zumi
16/04/08, 12:49 pm

It’s no problem really. It can’t be any worse than the other games, and it was never a problem for me in those.

#2

daikyosenshi
16/04/08, 12:59 pm

I hate framerate drops and screentears.

#3

pjmaybe
16/04/08, 1:05 pm

no word on tearing yet. As ever, there’ll be the usual split opinion over whether this really matters or not. I didn’t expect the thing to be able to maintain a solid 60fps with huge draw distances and no tearing, but hopefully the game will be good enough that it won’t end up ruining the whole experience.

I bet the thing’s going to thrash your 360 drive to bits as well – not such a problem with the PS3 version as the drive’s quieter, but the thought of my 360′s drive constantly streaming city data means I’m going to have to invest in a better pair of headphones to play this, methinks :)

#4

Blerk
16/04/08, 1:06 pm

They don’t say which version they were looking at, the scamps. The same preview is in both 360 and PS3 sections.

#5

Blerk
16/04/08, 1:07 pm

Ah, wait – they give it away later on that it’s the 360 version.

#6

Zumi
16/04/08, 1:10 pm

PS3 version will likely be exactly the same, I’d imagine.

#7

grandmaster
16/04/08, 1:12 pm

I bet the thing’s going to thrash your 360 drive to bits as well – not such a problem with the PS3 version as the drive’s quieter, but the thought of my 360’s drive constantly streaming city data means I’m going to have to invest in a better pair of headphones to play this, methinks

It’s not that much different to be honest. Burnout Paradise is a game that’s continually streaming and it’s just as loud as any other.

The internet is officially going to explode with the force of 50,000 Hiroshimas in the wake of fanboy outrage if GTA IV is even slightly better on one of the two formats.

#8

XDamage
16/04/08, 1:12 pm

@ Zumi: If it isn’t, I can’t wait to see the fanboy wildfire that is bound to spread through teh internets. :D

#9

Psychotext
16/04/08, 1:14 pm

Makes you wonder why they’re showing the 360 version for previews continuously if it has issues like that.

#10

XDamage
16/04/08, 1:17 pm

How does the 10 / 10 reviews gloss over these facts anyways??

No mention at all maybe?

#11

fj
16/04/08, 1:17 pm

Massively complicated game in slightly jerky in places shock.

#12

Blerk
16/04/08, 1:20 pm

“Makes you wonder why they’re showing the 360 version for previews continuously if it has issues like that.”

Maybe the PS3 version’s even worse? :-D

#13

Psychotext
16/04/08, 1:22 pm

Blerk: Possible I suppose. We’ll know for sure at some point… probably after everyone has bought it. :)

#14

Blerk
16/04/08, 1:26 pm

I’m moderately convinced that both versions will be fine. It’s not like they rushed it or anything.

#15

XDamage
16/04/08, 1:27 pm

Anyone read the OPM UK review? I wonder if they mention any issues there. It got 10 / 10 anyways.

http://www.gta4.net/news/4070/opm-uk-review-arrives/

#16

Zumi
16/04/08, 1:31 pm

“How does the 10 / 10 reviews gloss over these facts anyways??

No mention at all maybe?”

Probably doesn’t mention them. Doesn’t really need to, they’re not major issues.

#17

Blerk
16/04/08, 1:32 pm

There are scans of the OPM review here:
http://www.gtalegende.com/

I might nip off and read it, seeing as I read the 360 review the other day. :-D

#18

XDamage
16/04/08, 1:35 pm

@ Zumi: Yeah, that’s true. Hopefully there will be an optional or obligatory HDD install for the PS3 version to eliminate the problem though. :) I guess it has to, as BD loads slower than DVD, and 1up are clearly talking about the DVD version.

#19

Blerk
16/04/08, 1:40 pm

Midway through the review and it’s MUCH better than that 360 one the other day – I can almost believe that these guys actually got to play the game before they reviewed it rather than the “we saw a preview on the ‘net and based our review on that” feel of the other one.

Anyway, the reason I stopped is that I needed to post this:
The review confirms that the PS3 version is DualShock3 compatible.

#20

XDamage
16/04/08, 1:45 pm

Ah, excellent! My DS3 US import has officially been justified. :D Yeah, OPM played it for several days last month.

#21

Zumi
16/04/08, 1:45 pm

Does it mention any of these slowdown/popup issues?

Actually, can you just fill us in with any useful info please. :P I can’t be arsed to read it.

#22

Blerk
16/04/08, 1:50 pm

Just finished the review and it’s actually a pretty good read – I take my hat off to OPM for not sucking for a change.

There’s some great insight into how the missions actually work, how the wanted ratings have been redone, the combat and cover stuff, the radio stations… pretty much everything you’d like to know without really spoiling anything.

Recommended reading! I’m suddenly kinda sorry that I won’t be joining in come the end of the month. :-(

Edit: Nothing about slowdown or popup, no. Although they do whine about helicopters being too difficult to control and some remaining camera/aiming issues.

#23

XDamage
16/04/08, 1:55 pm

Any HDD install?

#24

Blerk
16/04/08, 1:57 pm

No mention in the review, but I’m almost certain I’ve heard someone say that there is one on the PS3 at some point in the recent past.

#25

XDamage
16/04/08, 2:00 pm

Yeah, would be strange if there wasn’t any, considering how recent multiplatform titles do it.

Thanks for relaying the info though, personally I’m on GTA IV spoiler watch 24/7. :D

#26

Psychotext
16/04/08, 3:24 pm

Blerk: The HDD install thing was from that fake review.

#27

Blerk
16/04/08, 3:31 pm

Actually, yeah – now you come to mention it you might be right. I’d still be fairly surprised if there’s not an HDD install, though – plenty of benefits to be had from one in this case, I would’ve thought. Although it would be nice if it did it as you went along rather than having you make and eat your tea on first boot-up.

#28

Psychotext
16/04/08, 4:01 pm

If it’s there, it’s optional… The game box says that it requires 3mb of storage. I don’t think it’s going to be there at all to be honest.

#29

XDamage
16/04/08, 4:44 pm

Yeah, well, my GT5: Prologue box says it requires 250kb “minimum”, while it in reality installed 6 gigs on my HDD… :D
The 3MB “minimum” on GTA IV is probably just for the save files.

It seems that they don’t list HDD install on EU boxes, like the one we have seen of GTA IV. My DMC4 box from Canada reads 4.9 gig install, so we’ll probably have to wait until someone posts the back of the US cover before we know for sure.

Considering the slow loading time of BD (and the fact that there will be virtually no loading in the game, except hidden behind cutscenes and when entering/exiting building), I think there is bound to be some HDD install involved with the PS3 version. Unless Rockstar has figured out some ingenious loading scheme that is! ;)

#30

Zumi
16/04/08, 4:50 pm

Rockstar complained about the 360 having a non-HDD SKU, because they really wanted to use it. PS3 has that, and I’ll be very surprised if they don’t use it.

#31

Psychotext
16/04/08, 5:01 pm

XDamage: Prologue installed 6gb on your HDD? Wow.

#32

XDamage
16/04/08, 5:11 pm

Come to think of it, some of those gigs are dowloaded behind the scenes 1080p footage, plus patches. But initially it sure as hell installed more than 250kb! :)

Probably around 3 or 4 gig install when you first boot up Prologue then.

#33

Psychotext
16/04/08, 6:26 pm

I wonder what it would have done if you didn’t have the space (ignoring patches etc).

#34

XDamage
16/04/08, 6:42 pm

Probably a message would pop up telling the user to delete some crap, like any other game requiring an install. ;)

It’s not an issue for me personally since I’ve upgraded the HDD, but I guess it could be a problem for someone with a 40gb, or even worse, the long forgotten 20gb. :)
But I would imagine those users are a bit more administrative about what they put on the HDD anyways.

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