I agree with Cetra, the pop-in issue has been around ever since GTA 3.

Why i remember i failed a certain mission in GTA:SA when a tree popped out nowhere, And i was flying a plane (The mission when you need to three places)

And one more thing, I heard that people complaining alot about pop-in because most of them decided to play it without any hard drive or memory card.

Actually a lot of the reviews I've read have not singled the examples of pop-up to the 360 alone, so that would be you making a bit of an assumption right there. Also, it's getting mentioned because it exists and to not mention it, one of the few flaws getting noted, would be stupid on the reviewers' part. However, every instance of someone mentioning frame-rate or pop-in issues has been followed by a sentence that goes on to say how it really doesn't affect the experience.

Since there's no conclusive proof either way (the GameTrailers video review, using the 360, shows no such pop-in issues, despite demonstrating frame-rate variance and a geometry glitch), I'm going to wait until I experience it first-hand. But you know, if you want to go on some crappy little GIF undoubtedly taken from a pirated copy of the game - because we all know how reliable they must be - and speculate with further bullshit, carry on.

I keep hearing that you can and cannot install GTA4 to the 360's HDD. Which is it really? And honestly why the hell wouldn't they give the option?

Lmao, hard drive installs. Such a worthless, worthless feature.

I believe the answer is no, however.

I think Microsoft actually tells the developers they aren't allowed to do it on the 360. For some reason they insist on the people who use a memory unit (all 10 of them) have parity with the people who use the hard drive.

As for the pop-in, could people get any more whiny? Honestly, a game developer creates games with massive cities filled with detail, pushing the systems they develop on to the limit, and you're going to sit there and whine that they couldn't get everything rendered before you could see it? Jesus christ, grow UP. Even in the PS2 games, the popup was noticable but not TERRIBLE. You get used to it, you move on, but it never actually affects (in my experience) the gameplay.

Sure, there's some poppin' in that gif, but it pops in so beautifully.

Hey guys, do you happen to know whether or not it is possible to have multiplayer games between NTSC and PAL users (I heard there were games that do not support this) or do I have to get the NTSC version in order to be able to play with you faggots?

This makes ( if somewhat stupid) sense for mandatory installs, but there is absolutely no reason not to give the option should one have the HDD. So far I've yet to see a single 360 game offer this, so it makes me wonder whether it's even physically possible. Iwata said GTA4 has the option, so maybe this one finally does. Everything else seems to talk about the load times as if there isn't an option. CURIOUS.

They might as well have the option. Some game saves alone take up like 30 MB. >=( SIX HOURS 'TIL THE MIDNIGHT LAUNCH I'M NOT ATTENDING BECAUSE I'D RATHER SAVE $30 AND GET IT FROM ANOTHER STORE TOMORROW MORNING.

I am an excited consumer. I like how it's already been in the news here, some Family First cult wants it banned because you can shoot people in a city. Certainly a new thing for a video game, I cannot wait until 1994. How did Family First get a hold of the game anyway, did they download it? Family Pirates am I right.

Family Ski am I right.

Fami.. com am I ri-my braaaaain.

No, there isn't an optional install for the 360.

GTA IV FAQ: Everything You Wanted To Know About GTA IV (So Stop Asking!)

I have been fooled! No idea why he said it did, then :(

That kotaku comparison review is quite interesting. So far I've seen people say time and time again that while the games are "identical", the PS3 has better framerate, the textures are nicer and the anti-aliasing better.

This one says the complete opposite, with 360 version achieving smoother framerate, the PS3 having worse aliasing and the filter they use make it seem a bit muddier =/


Either way I've been deadset on the getting the 360 game because the controller simply works better for me, so I simply wanted to make sure the 360 version wasn't gimped the same way as, say, Orange Box on the PS3 was. This doesn't seem to be the case at all, so scenery popup and load times are not big enough reason to compromise with a less comfortable controller for me.

Then again, I'm in no rush to play the game, so perhaps by the time I get around to it, there's a PC version announced and I'll end up getting that.

Ahahaha.

lol I hope you already pre-ordered your 4 GHz 8 GB RAM 16 GB video card desktop pc

Sir, if a regular dual core processor with enough RAM (say, 4GB) can run a game like Crysis with decent framerate, it'll have no problem running, say, Mass Effect or GTA4. It'll probably look a lot nicer than the console versions too.

Then again, it'll be a good three years or so before they release it so I guess that evens out.

People from Australia and some from UK are getting their games already, Pretty nice feedback from them.

:( Omg the wait is killing me.

I loved how the guy posted that his only complain for now is the difficulty to drive.

I wonder what kind of change they made with the whole driving experience, I mean if its like Forza (Which i don't know how to play) Its gonna be a bitch for me to play.

Anyway only a few more days before i get my copy, I'm sure Iwata is already in gamestop.

Well yeah, I guess people who are used to play Burnout Paradise or other extremely realistic racing games will have a few problems here.

Anybody going to any midnight launches? My shitty Best Buy isn't doing one, and I'm not sure if my Wal-Mart is or not, but I'm going to look around. I'm sure GameStop is, but they have a strict "if you didn't reserve the game, you're shit out of luck, because hey that's really fucking smart business" policy.

I am now. Heading down into town in 6 hours to claim a copy for the 360.

I got the call for the midnight release so I may go down there since its so close anyways.
Cops and robbers online sounds like fun so I may jump right into that ^^

Yeah, that's right. They turned GTA into a driving simulator.

Looks like My Wal-Mart is doing a midnight release for the game, so I will be there. It's sad that in a town with a Circuit City, Best Buy, Target, and TWO GameStops, the only place doing a midnight release is Wal-Mart... Oh well. Regardless, I probably won't play it TOO much tonight, only because I have to work tomorrow, but either way, I'll get some quality time with it for a few hours. I may consider hopping online tonight, will anyone else be on?

I considered going, but then I realized I could just order it online and get it the same day and save hours of time waiting in line with a bunch of nerds.

Plus, I'm going to Fallingwater tomorrow! I have to be well rested.

Not doing the lineup for sure. Not even calling in sick after getting a copy. Still, I am pretty excited about the whole thing. Game's going to be whole loads of fun. Preordering wins.

Also in before PS3 vs. 360 graphics comparison. Waiting for the funnies to start.

Yeah we're doing a midnight release and I'll be working (laaaame), but you know, when a store has 300 reserves and is incredibly busy, they use that to their advantage to get the pre-orders as that's $5 they get. The stores will (should) all have extras, they just want to make sure you're a guaranteed sale in advance. For a $billion+ company, they do alright.

There is a line right now, started midnight, but I decided to skip it. I'd rather wake up tomorrow, make a fresh cup of joe and walk out to the mail box and get it. Without having to leave the house leave my yard.

Oh hell yes. See you tomorrow Nico.

I'm not going to any midnight releases either, mainly because I have two papers due in the next two days (neither of which I've started on), so I won't be able to play the game until Thursday at the earliest, though more realistically it probably won't be until this weekend.

And just out of curiousity (not to get a rise out of anybody, because I'm getting quite sick of the fanboy bullshit already), who else here is getting the PS3 version? As I said earlier, I'm basically getting it out of necessity (don't have a 360), so I was wondering if there was anyone else in that same boat.