Rockstar Responds to GTA IV PC Issues

[aaronkupen]

hundreds of dollars extra? I see you hold the common gaming compuer misconceptions to be true, it only takes about $600 now adays to build a nice system with a ati 4850 or gtx 260 with a quad core processor and 4 gigs of ram which is far superior to the xbox 360 or ps3 ( ps3 only has 512 ram...heh ). Game stability may not be as strong as with the consoles ( depends on the game, cod4 was rock solid on the pc), but the increased support, superior graphics and functionality, and of course controls, I think PC gaming takes the cake. Oh and they don't nickel and dime u like what sony and microsoft are doing.

Hundreds of dollars extra is something like this. Total = n * $100 where n is any integer over 1. You mentioned $600, which is a very low estimate that will also grow over time after upgrading your parts -- keep in mind a person's console will have stayed the same over these course of events. Okay so we have the $600.... the xbox360 is $300.... 600-300 = $300. This falls in line with that equation I talked about. The n would be 3, which would qualify as being hundreds of dollars extra.

You just got Kupenned.

 

[Gabb]

Hundreds of dollars extra is something like this. Total = n * $100 where n is any integer over 1. You mentioned $600, which is a very low estimate that will also grow over time after upgrading your parts -- keep in mind a person's console will have stayed the same over these course of events. Okay so we have the $600.... the xbox360 is $300.... 600-300 = $300. This falls in line with that equation I talked about. The n would be 3, which would qualify as being hundreds of dollars extra.

You just got Kupenned.

For the record, I dunno what Quazi Bee implied by saying "Gabbed"

anyways I don't want to start the whole console vs PC debate and I respect your opinion ( although it is a very debatable one ). I just want to make a few closing points:

1. with PC gaming you don't have to upgrade your parts unless you don't want too, if you don't upgrade your parts your system will be behind and "obsolete" but so are the consoles and their typical 4 year life span ( also the life span of my computers )

2. It's undeniable that computer parts are dirt cheap now adays, $30 for 4 gigs of ram, $110 for a $530 video card that I bought 1.5 years ago that still runs most games at max, $180 for a quad core processor etc etc and this is even more so when you consider the dollar has weakened considerably in 1.5 years time.

3. It certainly does come down to preference in many aspects. Sure I can argue that a mouse and keyboard have vastly superior controls but I won't, instead ill just add I feel sick playing FPS or RTS games on the console and the movement feels way too unnatural. Oh and modding for PC games is usually much more likely.

4. The only advantages I consider the console having over the PC is ease of use for the masses. No having to worry about anything which explains why the console audience is so much younger ( and immature concerning XBL ) and greater in number. Also exclusives matter a lot, which is why i recently got a ps3.

5. Your not factoring in the expensive price of a nice HDTV to make console gaming look more appealing. Console gaming on regular TVs that don't even offer 720p, look horrid imho.

6. Console games often cost up to 50% more then PC games

 

[aaronkupen]

1) You kinda do... look at many people who want to play GTA4 now. They are going to have to upgrade their video card.
2) PC parts are cheap, but so is the 360 now.
3) Preference yah, I do prefer playing FPS games on a PC, but mostly everything else seems to feel better on a console.
4) Ease isn't the only nice thing, you get game stability.
5) Many times a person will already have an HDTV, but a standard television works fine. Half of my time spent console gaming is on a standard def TV. But you should factor in buying a very nice monitor too into the costs ... but that's a different argument.
6) 50% more? Huh? I just bought heavenly sword for $20, resistance for $15, Oblivion for $25, Ninja Gaiden Sigma for $25,... etc.. Generally, at release a console game might cost 10-20% more... maybe.

Oh and I just thought that Gabbed/Kupenned thing was funny.

 

[Joeyboy]

hmm Console games seem much more pricey then PC ones, i bought dead space for the 360 just because i am used to shooters on consoles. It was £40 on 360 and PS3 but only £26 on PC, all from the same place(well multiple places had that kina price difference).

Then right now COD5 is £39.99 on xbox 360 and PS3 but only £29.99 on PC.

 

[Gabb]

1) You kinda do... look at many people who want to play GTA4 now. They are going to have to upgrade their video card.

people are having to upgrade their video card because they want to play it on higher graphical settings. Despite whats been going around I've seen the game run pretty decently on the minimum requirement hardware. GTA4 in general demands some pretty high specs because it isn't the regular console GTA4, its graphically much improved with 2x draw distance and up to 4x traffic density

2) PC parts are cheap, but so is the 360 now.

So is the PS3 now and i think its a better deal at $250 ( credit card deal ) especially when you factor in the blu-ray aspect

3) Preference yah, I do prefer playing FPS games on a PC, but mostly everything else seems to feel better on a console.

Theres no point in talking about this, you like potatoes, I like poTAToes

4) Ease isn't the only nice thing, you get game stability.

depends on the game, cod4 and valve games are pretty rock solid on pc

5) Many times a person will already have an HDTV, but a standard television works fine. Half of my time spent console gaming is on a standard def TV. But you should factor in buying a very nice monitor too into the costs ... but that's a different argument.

it doesn't make any sense to not factor in HDTV costs with a console entertainment setup. A nice 24" LCD monitor goes for around $300 now adays which is much cheaper compared to HDTVs. If you dont have a HDTV then the PC graphical advantage just goes up a few more notches then it already is at.

6) 50% more? Huh? I just bought heavenly sword for $20, resistance for $15, Oblivion for $25, Ninja Gaiden Sigma for $25,... etc.. Generally, at release a console game might cost 10-20% more... maybe.

Average MSRP of a new console game is $60, its $40 for PC games. The games you mentioned are old games which explains their cheap cost. A good example would be bioshock on the pc costing 10 while it still costs a whopping 60 on the ps3 since it was just released

 

[QuaziBee]

Good 47" LCD TV. $1200
Newegg.com - LCD HDTV, LCD TV, Flat Screen LCD, 1080p LCD HDTV, LCD Flat Panel, Flat Screen HDTV, LCD Flat Screen HDTV

Good 24" LCD Monitor $350
Newegg.com - 24", SAMSUNG, LCD Monitors, Monitors, Computer Hardware

I'm not that great at math but depending on how far back your sofa is vs how close you sit to your monitor they can be about the same size perspectivley. (just like squishing somebody's head between your fingers)

i consider 47" and 24" to be great sizes, I have a 47" and a 22" at home.

if you want to factor those in to your equation.

 

[aaronkupen]

Concerning GTA, I'm calling that one. The forums are full of people who exceed minimum requirements and can't play the game on low. It's why steam is offering refunds on a case by case basis. But this is just one example. You can look at games like Crysis as well.

TV... again, that's an option and it depends on where you play. When I'm back home, I play PS3 in my room with a 20 inch HDTV on my bed. It's more than fine and cost me about 200 dollars. No one is forcing you to buy an HDTV when you jump into the realm of consoles.

 

[QuaziBee]

GTA4 for the PC is a big wine fest, they tried to explain that they adjusted it for future hardware capabilities, like crysis when it was being developed. I can play any game out for the PC on max settings on my 8800gtx (minus GTA4).

In another discussion we brought up the fact that console games have to be toned down to fit the hardware restrictions of the consoles. You just can't physically play console games on max settings. COD4 is a good example here, even outputting to an HDTV it still looks inferior to a machine running a $180 newegg hot buy.

 

[rayzolight]

thats because the PC versions are usually far superior in terms of controls, graphics, mod support, free DLC, etc etc

Heck compare TF2 and COD4 to their console varients which are undeniably far inferior. TF2 doesn't get free DLC and has terrible controls, and COD4 even is missing a few controls like leaning!

not everybody has stability issues. sorry if you do.

 

[QuaziBee]

Last game I remember crashing on me was Titan Quest (terrible). Oh and FO3 crashed to desktop once after I had to Alt+Tab back and forth a few times when friends were calling me. had to open notepad.