[mkey82]

MafiaII was supposed to be a great game, of course they aimed for a magnificent city design.

[chitoryu12]

QUOTE (Racecarlock @ Tuesday, Jun 19 2012, 02:46)

having to get a license

I'd actually like to see an optional side mission/tutorial where you get bugged about your driving at the very beginning of the game and are told to go get a license/get yourself checked out. It would help new players understand the driving system better (or vets practice on a closed course if they change the driving physics at all from GTA IV) and let them practice various simple maneuvers. Think of it as the San Andreas driving school, but with more focus on the simple stuff like turning through a tight cone course, using the brake when you turn instead of trying to handbrake around a 90 degree corner at 100 mph, reversing and doing a quick reverse-180 or J-turn, parking, and other techniques in an average car. Give them time to practice without worrying about damaging their own car or accidentally killing someone in front of a cop and let them learn all the nuances of how to control a car. As you'll notice, driving in real life and in GTA IV is very much about reflexes and having an almost instinctive knowledge of how the vehicle operates.

Maybe the reward can be a free car outside the DMV or if GTA V reintroduces the RPG elements from San Andreas, a big boost to your driving skill. Instead of being given a mandatory tutorial that holds your hand through the start (like far too many modern games) or an optional tutorial that nobody does because it's a useless slog, make people actually have a reason to return on future save files and get that reward early on.

[Racecarlock]

QUOTE (Miamivicecity @ Monday, Jun 18 2012, 22:58)

QUOTE (Racecarlock @ Monday, Jun 18 2012, 06:38) QUOTE (rare.steak @ Sunday, Jun 17 2012, 10:11) Scenario 1: I can't hold 10 weapons with a million ammo with me, and an RPG to boot altogether. So it's fine if my character can't do that either. Make the game realistic for that sake of challenge. Let Saints Row let you hold 10 RPGs and sh*t like that, whatever. The problem I have with Saints Row The Third at least is that they scaled pretty much backwards in both detail and variety in the environment. Saints Row 2 had beaches, a trailer park, an airport, a mountain, an underground base in that mountain, a shopping mall, a cemetery, a church, and the pedestrians were seen on computers, cheerleaders cheering at the university, and much much more. Saints Row The Third has a city and an airport. And the pedestrians just walk. But then, way on the opposite side of the spectrum, there's mafia II. Pedestrians still only walk, there's still nothing but gray city, and to top it off, I can only carry about 3 weapons at a time. I like being able to pull a rocket launcher out of my back pocket and blow up cars, that's one of my favorite things about GTA, and I really wouldn't like it if that was removed for the sake of "Challenge" and "Realism". Not everyone wants a challenge, okay? I agree. The first thing I noticed about Steeleport was it was a huge step backwards from Stilwater. Meh Stilwater was nothing special IMO, but no where near as bad as Steeleport which lets face it is a cheap LC knockoff. As for Empire Bay in Mafia II I have to say it's actually one of the most well designed cities outside of GTA IV's LC. Some may not agree, but I really couldn't care less. Empire Bay actually feels like a city. Mafia II> Saints Row series anyday.

Okay, empire bay was detailed, but I'll take whacking people with a dildo over lifting boxes and sorting cigarettes and cleaning toilets any day. Seriously, I hate mafia II for what it put me through. And the cliffhanger ending doesn't help either.

[chitoryu12]

The best thing about Empire Bay was that they managed to make a convincingly sized and styled city for the 40s and 50s. If you want something that feels immersive and like a real place made by actual city planners, go there. But that doesn't necessarily make it interesting.

[Acky.]

QUOTE (foohy @ Tuesday, Jun 19 2012, 03:11)

I love the new so-called "realism". I put that in quotes because GTAIV is still one of the most unrealistic games I own. As far as I'm concerned, they took GTA from downright goofy and over-the-top to a more subtle, less self-aware humor that I think fits the game really well. Slapstick and self-referential cliches get old about as quickly as a pun. Good on R* for changing that...at least story-wise. The in-game ads are still insane.

Well, if I could open this topic in the shortest, and most explanatory way possible, this would probably be how!

I see that some of you are comparing the cities of the GTA series with other games, such as Saints Row 3 and Mafia II. As much as I can see, and with my experience in all the games, Liberty City, is probably the most realistic, detailed, living, breathing city that the game industry has possibly ever seen. Everything, such as the layout, the citizens, the city's landmark have some sense of belonging.

Following behind them, but not close, in my views, is Mafia II. Don't get me wrong about this, I am crazy for anything Mafia-related. I play Godfather 1 & 2, almost all the time, if I'm not indulging myself in a frustrating division 1 battle on FIFA, or trolling some innocent bystander on CoD. I just love the whole Mafia thing. I bought this game, and the first thing I did was look at the map. And with the obvious techniques of 2K's "taking you for every penny", they only allowed some of the map accessible, more and more in the DLC - but I still haven't been everywhere on the map. The city however, was a nice detailed project, that was seen either cold and icy, in the snow - with citizens of the city, slipping and falling every now and then when you drove past them, and in the summer, where you'd see the very same lady who was wearing her fur jacket, in a nice flowery dress. The entire population had some sort of connection to the weather. We saw the city age, as we progressed with the game - something yet to be done by Rockstar. The gameplay was brilliant, but I believe GTA IV takes the crown between the two.

Now, Saints Row 3. This isn't even within comparison of Mafia II, let alone GTA IV. The city was tacky, the only time we saw the thing come to life, was if bystanders became in danger of the protagonist, or you had to blow up a building. Not much else. But this game tinned a load of fun - but the fun in the tin had a best before, reading back to atleast 4 years ago. They have used the same humour and techniques of comedy - it's turned the gaming experience sour. This is where Saints Row will never compete with GTA.

[Miamivicecity]

QUOTE (Racecarlock @ Tuesday, Jun 19 2012, 18:01)

QUOTE (Miamivicecity @ Monday, Jun 18 2012, 22:58) QUOTE (Racecarlock @ Monday, Jun 18 2012, 06:38) QUOTE (rare.steak @ Sunday, Jun 17 2012, 10:11) Scenario 1: I can't hold 10 weapons with a million ammo with me, and an RPG to boot altogether. So it's fine if my character can't do that either. Make the game realistic for that sake of challenge. Let Saints Row let you hold 10 RPGs and sh*t like that, whatever. The problem I have with Saints Row The Third at least is that they scaled pretty much backwards in both detail and variety in the environment. Saints Row 2 had beaches, a trailer park, an airport, a mountain, an underground base in that mountain, a shopping mall, a cemetery, a church, and the pedestrians were seen on computers, cheerleaders cheering at the university, and much much more. Saints Row The Third has a city and an airport. And the pedestrians just walk. But then, way on the opposite side of the spectrum, there's mafia II. Pedestrians still only walk, there's still nothing but gray city, and to top it off, I can only carry about 3 weapons at a time. I like being able to pull a rocket launcher out of my back pocket and blow up cars, that's one of my favorite things about GTA, and I really wouldn't like it if that was removed for the sake of "Challenge" and "Realism". Not everyone wants a challenge, okay? I agree. The first thing I noticed about Steeleport was it was a huge step backwards from Stilwater. Meh Stilwater was nothing special IMO, but no where near as bad as Steeleport which lets face it is a cheap LC knockoff. As for Empire Bay in Mafia II I have to say it's actually one of the most well designed cities outside of GTA IV's LC. Some may not agree, but I really couldn't care less. Empire Bay actually feels like a city. Mafia II> Saints Row series anyday. Okay, empire bay was detailed, but I'll take whacking people with a dildo over lifting boxes and sorting cigarettes and cleaning toilets any day. Seriously, I hate mafia II for what it put me through. And the cliffhanger ending doesn't help either.

I'll take fights with pyschos in prison over bashing people with dildos anyday my friend.

[Racecarlock]

QUOTE (Miamivicecity @ Wednesday, Jun 20 2012, 07:02)

QUOTE (Racecarlock @ Tuesday, Jun 19 2012, 18:01) QUOTE (Miamivicecity @ Monday, Jun 18 2012, 22:58) QUOTE (Racecarlock @ Monday, Jun 18 2012, 06:38) QUOTE (rare.steak @ Sunday, Jun 17 2012, 10:11) Scenario 1: I can't hold 10 weapons with a million ammo with me, and an RPG to boot altogether. So it's fine if my character can't do that either. Make the game realistic for that sake of challenge. Let Saints Row let you hold 10 RPGs and sh*t like that, whatever. The problem I have with Saints Row The Third at least is that they scaled pretty much backwards in both detail and variety in the environment. Saints Row 2 had beaches, a trailer park, an airport, a mountain, an underground base in that mountain, a shopping mall, a cemetery, a church, and the pedestrians were seen on computers, cheerleaders cheering at the university, and much much more. Saints Row The Third has a city and an airport. And the pedestrians just walk. But then, way on the opposite side of the spectrum, there's mafia II. Pedestrians still only walk, there's still nothing but gray city, and to top it off, I can only carry about 3 weapons at a time. I like being able to pull a rocket launcher out of my back pocket and blow up cars, that's one of my favorite things about GTA, and I really wouldn't like it if that was removed for the sake of "Challenge" and "Realism". Not everyone wants a challenge, okay? I agree. The first thing I noticed about Steeleport was it was a huge step backwards from Stilwater. Meh Stilwater was nothing special IMO, but no where near as bad as Steeleport which lets face it is a cheap LC knockoff. As for Empire Bay in Mafia II I have to say it's actually one of the most well designed cities outside of GTA IV's LC. Some may not agree, but I really couldn't care less. Empire Bay actually feels like a city. Mafia II> Saints Row series anyday. Okay, empire bay was detailed, but I'll take whacking people with a dildo over lifting boxes and sorting cigarettes and cleaning toilets any day. Seriously, I hate mafia II for what it put me through. And the cliffhanger ending doesn't help either. I'll take fights with pyschos in prison over bashing people with dildos anyday my friend.

I'd agree with you if I had more than two moves and a block button. Even IV had more variety than that. Plus, it made me clean toilets, lift crates, sort cigarettes, and 90% of the game was waiting in traffic. It was just so boring. It's the second worst game I've ever played.

[ThisIsHorosho]

all i could ask for is - "do not limit me with this limited weapons sh*t while i just want having fun causing mayhem on the street with weapons of my choice, while i'm just chilling around killing stuff" ...and i don't care how many of you think its realistic and challenging the same time...thing you cannot understand is that some people just don't need challenge sometimes, but instead having pure fun killing stuff and messing around...

[DirtyHarry44]

Too much realism is agonizingly boring.

[chitoryu12]

That's why I think GTA IV hit the good balance for realism and fun. You had situations that would very obviously never happen in reality (a bike/boat/helicopter chase to the Statue of Liberty and a huge gunfight, anyone?), it still had the parodies and crude humor and followed standard gaming conventions to avoid frustrating the player (like being blown up and waking up the next day outside the hospital missing a little cash), but it honestly felt immersive. Euphoria avoided the problems of canned animations or plain ragdoll, the vehicles felt like you were really driving the cars (again, still maintaining enough video game fantasy so that one crash wouldn't disable your engine), and even walking down the street reminded me of the weeks I've personally spent in New York.

I don't want GTA V to go more realistic or more fantasy. Just more immersive and more real. "Immersive" doesn't need to mean "perfect realism."