GTA 4 graphics no longer up to par?

I will be getting GTA 4 soon and i was all hyped up to get it and experience the amazing attention to detail with regards to graphics, however after playing the L4D2 demo, Dirt 2 demo, and seeing more GTA 4 screenshots and videos, GTA 4 as much as i'd hate to admit it, looked kinda shabby after seeing newer games, also in many videos i see the annoying bugs like when Niko's body parts continue into a wall, or when his legs somehow go through a car door, and the bad AI (limo driving on the sidewalk in one video), it really kinda let me down, are the graphics really not as ground breaking now? Or is this just the bad quality of videos as they were?

 

Meh dude, just meh. GTA 4 is a completely different game than dirt 2 and l4d2.. and the graphics are still great, i doubt you can run it in max details anyway.

 

Medium is possible, and will be upgrading to either a T9500 or X7900.

 

GTA4 never had great graphics.

 

i know it's completely different than the games i mentioned, but that's no excuse why GTA 4 is any different in rendering techniques, i wouldn't be surprised if they released a "service pack" that highly optimized GTA 4 like recent games, L4D2 runs on the laptop in my sig on mostly high details and 1400x900 resolution with 20-30FPS, maybe i should wait until 2010 when apparently GTA 5 will be released, hopefully GTA 5 will be more like Windows 7, it wasn't really a totally new OS, just a refined one, so hopefully GTA 5 will just be a better optimized engine than GTA 4.

 

It didn't?

 

or you could just stop whining and play the thing then see... What makes you so certain that gta5 will be out in 2010? The GTA before gta4 was released in 2004-2005.. Not a new game every year.

 

Dude,
Different rendering techniques?

Have a read about the Uncharted 2 thread at Beyond3d.

What sandbox games like GTA4 have to do, can't be forced to look beyond amazing with all the magical rendering techniques of the world. Even streaming has its limitations. There is so much that is being rendered, along with an open world and non-linear gameplay. These are *the most* good reasons for the game to look the way it does. L4D2 is nice, but it's not even in the same league when you take the massive/sheer scale of GTA 4.

And no, for the amount of what is going on in this game, GTA 4 looks great.

 

Besides the AI is great if you ask me.. I can have hours of fun messing around with pedestrians and police, just blowing s*** up.

Its one helluva game to miss out on, if you ask me.

 

GTA4 graphics were unremarkable, but they weren't bad. The problem was that it was a horribly inefficient game, demanding a quad-core CPU and a powerful GPU. Since then it has improved greatly.

 

Yes, that problem is called system requirements. It takes a larger CPU and GPU potential to render larger scale, A.I., physics and free-roam.

Granted, GTA4 had a few bugs with SLi, but these were corrected with a patch. However, the game still requires and thrives best with a quadcore and even requires around 1GB texture memory to perform steadily at high settings.

What I really mean to say is. . . name a couple of proper large-scale sandbox games that actually look better than the medium-to-high PC incarnation of GTA 4.

 

I understand the scale of the game and what the GPU needs to render, but my only question was essentially whether GTA 4 graphics in a generally medium setting environment are now "mediocre" or if they are still fairly well done. Also another problem with it is that the CPU at first release did too many calculations that were graphical and should have been offloaded to the GPU, in fact, would not a low-end Tesla card work very well with GTA 4 since it also shares general operations with CPU's?

 

There are games that have implemented those effects/features and more. Assassin's Creed and Crysis are both far more graphically demanding, with the former set in a city environment and using advanced AI, and the latter making use of many physics effects. Both of these games are much more efficient than GTA4. Look at the system requirements for GTA4 at the time of release and you'll choke.

 

There were new system requirements released? Never saw them..i thought they were always minimum 1.8Ghz dual-core, 7900 GS.

 

It will look okay with a tweaked configuration. Even medium looks okay because its ahead of the console version and you have the added vantage of the higher resolution.

The tweaked configuration comes in handy. For example, many M1730 users have one issue with this game - textures. Using them on full, the 512MB cards get overloaded. The vga cards are plenty fast to handle the game, but a fast CPU alone doesn't work because the texture memory is a bottleneck. Now the few of us that do have 9800m GTX (1GB Vram) can handle high textures. The rest of the game just needs a bit of tweaking with draw distance and it looks virtually as good as high and performs at a stable frame-rate.

It still looks very good, relative to the genre.

Assassin's Creed? No. Put a car in something like Assassin's Creed and create a situation where one can get from point A to point B on a very large scale world, going through many heaps of rendering and then we are talking about a proper comparison. With Sandbox games, you have to be very critical in how you analyse and compare; movement and pace of the game can make a world of difference and provide plenty of headroom for fancier effects. And I am not discussing requirements, but merely quantity and scale, which GTA 4 does more than Assassin's Creed or Assassin's Creed II. If we were to create a GTA 4 in ancient times with donkey carts, I am certain you could cram in much more with the same specifications and engine. Once again: Not about requirements, but about post patch and quality of visuals with relation to scale, size, and playability factors. Assassin's Creed far more advanced? Please, enlighten me further on this, because I absolutely disagree at this point. I am serious, I welcome more information that can convince me otherwise.

Crysis is another ball of mud, because it isn't even a proper sandbox game, but blurs the line between sandbox and your typical linear FPS genre.

 

There are no new system requirements. However as patches have been issued for GTA4, performance has improved.

Any game will suffer an FPS decrease due to periods of intense action. Assassin's Creed is no exception, and it does have periods of intense action. Also, Crysis may not be GTA4, but it shares certain design elements; that is beyond dispute. Sorry I can't provide you with a perfect analogy.

 

No, I don't even want Crysis to be close to GTA 4, because as of right now, it isn't even close to the genre of free-roam sandbox games, which is why I don't find it valid. I speak, of course, of Infamous; Prototype; GTA; Assassin's Creed; Mercenaries; Crackdown. . . even Far Cry 2 is more relevant example and many more games.

And I have no doubt that A.C. has its moments where the frame rate drops, and I do not dispute that GTA IV was unreasonably optimised upon release. However, I am still not convinced that A.C. is more demanding in terms of what it is doing within the game because of the reasons mentioned in my last post. GTA IV, post-patch, is still a more demanding piece of software, more so than Assassin's Creed, which has plenty headroom to look 'pretty'.

 

The point isn't about the genre; the point is about similar design elements that allow for comparing performance efficiency across different games. You can't drive a car through a metropolis in Crysis or AC, but the games have their own demanding sequences that make far more liberal use of various effects than GTA4 does. This minor discrepency doesn't explain why Crysis or AC or other demanding games did not require a quad-core, whereas GTA4 did.

 

Very well, but the genre does matter in this case, because when discussing performance, free-roam, populated-city games bring in the factor of A.I. and scale, which Assassin's Creed serves up, but within its own design constraints and less than what GTA 4 was doing. Just compare the scale and quantity of what is happening between Assassin's Creed and GTA 4, because I believe GTA 4 absolutely weighs down in terms of scale compared to A.C.

Now when speaking of graphics, I believe Crysis is, polygon for polygon, much more demanding and of course, a visual goliath. However, it isn't doing the amount of things GTA4 is doing at the same time, in terms of events, sequences, potential outcomes, scripts; it isn't even matching A.C. in those terms. It gives you freedom to approach how you wish to approach, but the rest of the game is contained within the genre of an FPS with enemies and perhaps multiple objective points. What it does, is literally demonstrate a visual polygon-fest, which traditionally cripples the GPU, not the CPU.

Also, one is clearly more CPU intensive (GTA IV), while the other is GPU intensive (Crysis), albeit both of them require a solid cocktail of CPU and GPU. GTA4's design, where you have scale and A.I., CPU will be under much more load than Crysis, which is known for crippling GPUs moreso than CPUs. Its 'sequences' are more GPU intensive, GTA IV's sequences and general engine demands hinge heavily on CPU multithreading - different tasks, different components. Assassin's Creed, has the advantage of slower pace in terms of area and movement options. Not to mention, the scope and freedom of this game is much more limited than GTA 4, so I am not seeing anything amazing. If it was handling an entire large-scale city with massive population, cars, easy access to move across points at quick pace and sustain the rendering with a lower-spec CPU solution, then we'd have a bone of contention. As of right now, it makes fine sense to me that GTA IV is more demanding - perhaps a bit too much - but it's still doing more than either one of those games in terms of scale, pace, and scale-related-demands. Certainly a recipe for something that will eat more CPU than either one of those games.

If someone actually creates a GTA4 clone using CryEngine 2 with high-level visuals, and gets it to run on even GTA 4 opening specs, then I have something to seriously consider.

 

If the graphics in GTA IV were any better then the chances are it would run like a slide show. As mentioned before, there are so many different events happening all at the same time.

Take right now as an example, I am driving along a bridge, I can see big aircraft in the distance, many boats in the water, security men working on the toll booths with people paying money from their car windows making each barrier raise, a car accident with an explosion and a body on fire flying across the road, many skyscrapers and other buildings in the distance with lights on, traffic moving on multiple sections of the bridge, lots of trees, many individual people walking around, hobos, people having conversations with each other as well as on mobile phones with some big artwork on the wall behind that says RIP (ped obscuring the rest). People reading newspapers, note that the text is actually legible. Driving on you can see adverts, graffiti on walls, rubbish being blown around by wind, people cleaning the streets with brooms and I can see people inside of buildings going about their business. Above me is a train station and in the distance I can see a train and people in the train station. Everything I described is fully detailed as well.

When you consider that what I just described is the tip of the iceberg, then you will realise why you really can't seriously discuss the graphics in GTA IV and compare them to a game like Crysis or L4D. Even comparing to Assasins Creed is pushing it a lot.


After playing GTA IV with the Realizm IV 6.2 Mod, I can no longer play it on the standard graphics though.

I think it will look good on medium but if you are forced to lower the sliders then it will really lower the experience in my opinion. If it ends up looking like GTA SA, you might as well just play that.

 

Wow, what you said and the great physics engine (with some glitches) is what i'm all for, i wanted a GTA or a game in general that was sandbox, but actually made it so that it felt like you were living a complicated life or living a real life. I didn't like how in previous GTA's it felt like you were the only human in the game, in a metaphorical sense, because everything was so relatively unrealistic, and that's what i am really looking forward to with this. Ending note, is the Realizm mod just a texture and graphics upgrade? Or does it also offer better performance?

 

In my opinion, this is the first GTA that emulates a living breathing environment really well. You see people getting arrested by police at gunpoint, people doing road works. I remember hearing the conversation of a random ped and he was talking about a police raid, you also see guys preaching the end of the world in the street with other peds having a go at them. You also get (annoying) phone calls from friends as well as being able to call police etc. I think Rockstar will take this to another level in the future though. The physics engine, although buggy really adds another level of depth, pushing over peds, crashing cars etc. When you take a walk around the GTA IV environment, I don't know about others but I feel like a part of it all as opposed to the only human.

The answer to your question about the Realizm IV can be found here

Realizm IV info

 

Thanks, i might give it a go since my T61p will run it and should fine, might temporarily use the nVidia GTA 4 optimized drivers.

 

The GTA series was never about graphics its all about the gameplay and AI. GTAIV have very good graphics even i run it on medium settings on my laptop. The physics of GTAIV was the best thing about it overall not the graphics IMO

 

The Saboteur manages to look better than GTA4 while still running better.

 

Look at the massive step up in graphics and physics between GTA 3 and 4. The game is pretty remarkable and certainly pushes the limits for its time. Of course GTA 5 will easily be able to raise the bar again as technology will have advanced but that time is still a couple of years away.

 

GTAIV has excellent graphics. Amazing even.

Graphics is a complicated term that we use to describe model quality, particle effects, lighting, and animation, etc.

GTAIV has a ridiculous amount of dynamic (physics simulated) animation occurring on screen at any given time. Additionally, it has a lot of amazing lighting and particle effects. Model quality is average, but overall, as a package, the graphics are stellar.

 

That is to be expected since The Saboteur was released earlier this month as opposed to GTA IV which was released over a year ago. I would imagine that even a year can make a big difference in the technology and techniques used to create games since it is all so fast moving.

 

GTA 5's release date is said to be between April of 2010 and February of 2011...

 

Hey, somebody asked for the games to be named, there were no limitations on release date.

 

I added some screenshots i decided to raise the textures to high but i havent notice a difference besides of the license plate becoming more clearer

oh and my settings

Statistics
Average FPS: 22.32
Duration: 37.32 sec
CPU Usage: 94%
System memory usage: 67%
Video memory usage: 100%

Graphics Settings
Video Mode: 1024 x 600 (60 Hz)
Texture Quality: High
Texture Filter Quality: High
View Distance: 21
Detail Distance: 33

Hardware
Microsoft® Windows Vista" Home Premium
Service Pack 2
Video Adapter: ATI MOBILITY RADEON HD 4530 / 4570
Video Driver version: 8.14.10.697
Audio Adapter: Speakers (Realtek High Definition Audio)
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU P7350 @ 2.00GHz

File ID: Benchmark.cli

 

Yes, there is so much happening in those screens, just like all the others I've seen.

 

I'm very much looking forward to it, KING19, what settings do you predict i'll be able to run it on after the latest patch on the laptop in my sig? The 570M is basically the GDDR3 8600M GT and i'm using 195.62 drivers for GPU. I saw a couple videos walking around Middle Park and the detail looks phenomonal.

 

You should try playing at native resolution and slightly lowered detail distance. Also I wonder if there is any point in having view distance lower than detail distance.

 

I think the reason why there was such a huge gap in GTA: SA and GTA 4 was because of the game engine GTA4 uses. Like others have said, the game engine just has so much going on in it. The player doesn't even need to perform an action for something to happen. There is little cause, and tons of effect without the player's input. It's because of this complex game engine that the graphics, even on their highest, can't compare to other games. Meanwhile, other games can't compare to a game engine like GTA4's what with all of the physics and simulation happening all at once at any given time.

 

Yes, and the fact that GTA SA focused more on quantity rather than quality, with all the filler of land they put it in and crappy minigames.

 

You must be smoking the wrong stuff if you think GTA4 is an ugly game

It is among the top five of best looking games to date, IMO. And it ran quite well on a QX9300 and GTX 280M.

 

I thought so, i just wanted a clear answer from people who have played it on decent settings whether it is still in the game graphics wise or whether it's nothing to behold now. I really can't wait to play it, but i won't know what the hell to do in it there's so much i could and want to do, it just looks like you are living a real life and the city is so real. I could even see myself simply walking around Middle Park looking at the beautiful lighting and scenery. How do you think it would run on the laptop in my sig and more importantly, is GTA 4 the kind of game that puts off more heat than any other game? It seems like it would be but to appreciate how much is being rendered and calculated at one time in that game. Also, pay attention that i was referring to GTA San Andreas not GTA 4 about the quantity rather than quality comment. I did have fun playing GTA SA but everything was so unrealistic, like the physics for one thing, also the missions i found were pretty half-assed put together, like the one where you need to get your pilots license, that wasn't realistic at all, there was no theory in it you just had to be quick on the controls and know where all the stupid key assignments are. Overall i could just see myself (from watching videos of GTA 4 gameplay and areas of the city) walking around the city for a solid 2 hours, just admiring the details.

 

You should also take a close look at The Saboteur for the PC. However, if you play that after playing GTA IV, you might not enjoy it as much. I can max this one out on my laptop and still hit up to 40 fps. I really prefer GTA IV but this one does have a lot of similar features. It has a fun climbing mechanism too, similar to the one in Assassins creed. The game is a bit too easy and you can take a shed load of bullets though.

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The Saboteur is out already?! Any reviews or user opinions? The premise of the game is somewhat unusual but if it doesn't give too much of a challenge it might not be worth the purchase.

 

I didn't even know about the game until I saw it mentioned by st0nedpenguin in this thread (thanks by the way). It is available over here Next Day delivery on Amazon but I am not sure about other areas. It was released December 04, 2009.

I am playing it on the normal difficulty setting but that is very easy because your health regenerates when you take cover and you can take on swarms of enemies with ease. Your car also seems practically invincible. Maybe the hard setting might be better.

Although it has similarities with GTA IV, so far the peds do not talk to each other and you can jack a car without ever getting any physical reaction. I haven't played it long enough to make any more comments really.


There are quite a few IGN User reviews here. If you have an ATI card, stay away and if you have a wireless Xbox 360 Control Pad you might need to use a simple fix but apart from that, all is fine so far.

 

Hang on.. you think L4D2 has better graphics than GTA4?

also, as for the bugs, it really isnt that buggy considering the size of the game. Just get it and find out for yourself.

 

It was probably just the quality of videos i have seen of people playing it on their 8600M GT's. I really am looking forward to playing it, so much stuff to see and do, first thing i probably will do is drive down to Middle Park and take a walk around it, i was amazed at the detail level of trees and lighting from videos i saw.

 

It's not the greatest game ever and has a bunch of flaws, but it's still well worth a playthrough, some of the dialogue had me in stitches.

 

It doesn't seem to scream "Must-play" to me so far, anyway I'll have Tropico 3 and Civilization 4 complete to while away my free hours.

 

Personally, I'm not even going to install GTA IV on my T61p, I just don't want to have to deal with the lag.

 

why would you anyway, dont you run it on your asus?

 

But I want to play GTA IV on-the-go...

Back when I had my FX, I was playing GTA IV while actually in NYC, it was pretty cool.

 

The lag? shouldn't be too bad actually from what videos i've seen playing it on similar GPU's with the latest patch... I'll report back, and see what i get, it should be absolutely fine, maybe your CPU might hold you back, but my T77700 should git er done, and i'm going to upgrade to a T9300 or T9500 to keep it cooler.

 

At times even my W90 struggles with it at WUXGA and med-high settings. The T61p will definitely not be able to handle native res. (or anything close) with the other settings at decent levels.