[saberon]

Here is an interesting README i found on R* website, looks like performance problems might be "intentional"






THE GRAPHIC SETTINGS OF GRAND THEFT AUTO IV PC

Most users using current PC hardware as of December 2008 are advised to use medium graphics settings. Higher settings are provided for future generations of PCs with higher specifications than are currently widely available.

Graphics settings are limited by system resources by default. 256MB video cards force minimum settings by default. If a user bypasses these safety measures using command line arguments and exceeds their system resources, the users gaming experience may be compromised.


Video Mode
Resolution scaling effects water, reflections, shadows, mirrors and the visible viewable distance. The resolution settings relate to the amount of available video memory. At 2560*1600 the game will require 320MB of video memory in addition to all the memory required for content. At 800*600 the game will require 32MB of video memory in addition to the content. Medium resolution settings are recommended for most users as higher settings are only usable if there is available video memory.

Texture Quality
Texture quality affects the visual quality of the content of the game. High setting for textures will require 600MB of video memory at a setting of 21 View Distance in addition to the memory taken by the Video Mode. A medium texture setting is recommended for most users.

Render Quality
Render quality is the texture filter quality used on most things in the world rendering. Most people would know this as anisotropic filtering. Medium settings are recommended for most users and will provide filtering beyond what the console versions can execute.

View Distance
View distance scales the distance in which different objects in the world such as building and cars are seen. Raising this option increases the distance in which high quality objects must be loaded and will increase the memory it requires. Restrictions are established to ensure the game runs optimally for most users. A setting of 22 or more will provide PC users an enhanced experience over the console versions.

Detail Distance
Detail distance scales aspects of the environment that the View Distance setting does not including vegetation, trash and other moveable objects. A setting of 10 would be the equivalent to the performance on a console. This setting has little effect on memory.

Vehicle Density
Vehicle density scales the traffic density of the traffic in the game. It has no effect on the mission vehicles or difficultly of the game, but can have a significant impact on CPU performance

Shadow Density
Shadow Density controls the number of shadows generated for positional lights in exterior environments. These shadows are exclusive to the PC version and can have a major impact on CPU and GPU performance.

Crossfire/SLI
With the latest ATI driver (8-11 series) the game supports crossfire modes (ie. 4870x2)
SLI is currently unsupported. Support will be added through a future game patch as well as an updated Nvidia driver.


NOTE: Background Processes
Certain background processes can have a detrimental effect on system performance when playing GTA IV, especially on systems with minimum required system memory. Users should ensure they disable their Virus scans when running the game to maximize performance.

This post has been edited by saberon on Wednesday, Dec 3 2008, 01:03

[Ottae]

QUOTE (saberon @ Dec 3 2008, 00:37)

b) Its next-next gen *rolls eyes*

No, it's a next-gen port. We're currently in a Generation which allows medium settings. The next gen will allow high settings. Pretty clever if you ask me.

[GTAMonkey2012]

Interesting and after pissing about most of the day this all rings very true.

[dr.whiz]

pretty good hands on information which im sure most people have ignored reading

[Joe]

QUOTE (Ottae @ Dec 3 2008, 11:40)

QUOTE (saberon @ Dec 3 2008, 00:37) b) Its next-next gen *rolls eyes* No, it's a next-gen port. We're currently in a Generation which allows medium settings. The next gen will allow high settings. Pretty clever if you ask me.

The problem is, PCs are a Generation above Consoles at the moment, but because of crappy coding (I guess), IV won't run to the full usability of PCs today, Minimum should be consoles, Medium should be above consoles and high should be Crysis-like if they Optimised it correctly.

[DarkZenith]

They're basically trying to prevent their support staff having to deal with thousands of irate customers, who don't seem to realise that their 5 year old PC can't run the game on maximum settings! But, as with most people, reading appears to be an art that they have yet to master.

[spaceeinstein]

Useful info. This should be pinned.

[Dual Weilder]

This is very good information. Now people can stop complaining about why there top end computers cant even run gta4 max graphics... Read it and weep

[disposeablehero]

QUOTE (Dual Weilder @ Dec 3 2008, 00:51)

This is very good information. Now people can stop complaining about why there top end computers cant even run gta4 run it max graphics... Read it and weep

Actually, this is BS propaganda to make people think it takes 1.5 GB Vram to play a game that conmsoels with 512 MB total ram were able to run. BS.

[DHoff]

A very good read, thanks.

[smokeythedemon]

QUOTE (Dual Weilder @ Dec 2 2008, 16:51)

This is very good information. Now people can stop complaining about why there top end computers cant even run gta4 max graphics... Read it and weep

Lol um no. It's a bad port and it needs a patch ASAP.

[CharmingCharlie]

I'll pin it for now, it might calm things down a bit (yeah right I really am not looking forward to getting up tomorrow when the Europeans have the game).

Going to change the topic title too if the TC doesn't mind.

[saberon]

Was just going to ask you to change it to something better, thank you!

[Joe]

QUOTE (CharmingCharlie @ Dec 3 2008, 11:54)

I'll pin it for now, it might calm things down a bit (yeah right I really am not looking forward to getting up tomorrow when the Europeans have the game). Going to change the topic title too if the TC doesn't mind.

Maybe GTA IV is racist to Americans and you'll have no problems from Europeans? J/k.

[saberon]

Hey Hey I'm a Canadian..


Thank you for the title change!

[DarkZenith]

It's not unusual to have issues with a newly released game, in an ideal world it wouldn't happen, sadly this is far from an ideal world. There will probably be a patch in the coming weeks, I'm going to be getting my copy soon, so I'll see if I have an problems. It's likely something to do with people's systems, as some appear to be running it without so much as a hitch, while others can't run it at all.

[camdean]

Nice post, next gen games are always going to make you feel crappy no matter how good your rig is, unless you don't understand the meaning 'next-gen' then you will just be happy to play a qaulity game on better settings than the console


Sleep, wake up, mc.donalds for breakfast, get game and enjoy

[CharmingCharlie]

QUOTE (saberon @ Dec 3 2008, 01:57)

Thank you for the title change!

No problem, thanks for finding the information and bringing it to our attention. Hopefully it will help a few people out or at least clarify things a bit.

I haven't got the game myself yet (postie bringing it tomorrow) but I always had a sneaky suspicion that Medium was the sweat spot for most people. But I won't say anything more till I have tried the game myself.

[saberon]

QUOTE (CharmingCharlie @ Dec 3 2008, 01:02)

QUOTE (saberon @ Dec 3 2008, 01:57) Thank you for the title change! No problem, thanks for finding the information and bringing it to our attention. Hopefully it will help a few people out or at least clarify things a bit. I haven't got the game myself yet (postie bringing it tomorrow) but I always had a sneaky suspicion that Medium was the sweat spot for most people. But I won't say anything more till I have tried the game myself.

Yea funny thing is im only 33% done downloading off steam (for some reason its only going 1/3 of my max speed)

E8400
4GB DDR2
HIS 4870 512mb
XP SP3

Posting tomorrow w/ my results

[TruXter]

QUOTE (Joe. @ Dec 3 2008, 00:45)

QUOTE (Ottae @ Dec 3 2008, 11:40) QUOTE (saberon @ Dec 3 2008, 00:37) b) Its next-next gen *rolls eyes* No, it's a next-gen port. We're currently in a Generation which allows medium settings. The next gen will allow high settings. Pretty clever if you ask me. The problem is, PCs are a Generation above Consoles at the moment, but because of crappy coding (I guess), IV won't run to the full usability of PCs today, Minimum should be consoles, Medium should be above consoles and high should be Crysis-like if they Optimised it correctly.

Crysis like ?

you mean coded so bad that it won't run?

It is probably best if we compare crappy coded games to crappy coded games..
and crysis is one crappy built game..

Good call.