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I was never much of a gamer, until one night seeing GTA III on the PS2 - I was absolutely smitten from then, and it was the first game in 15 years since probably Dune/Command and Conquer and games of that ilk that I could just play endlessly, It just screamed choice - from the way you played the game, to the radio station on the stereo. And then when you got bored with it, you could just steal a motorbike or go and beat on some ho's for loose change.
IV was a deciding factor in buying the PS3 as well (as I have never actually had my own gaming machine, apart from the PSP) - I didn't want to have to wait a year for the PC release. But I'm a little deflated this morning to be honest. The trailer is letting little on, except it is in America (again), and the protagonist is eastern-European. Yes it looks very pretty, but by setting it in modern times I think it may have lost a little something - I liked the historical, albeit recent historical element to the game.
I wanted it to be London - I was watching Lock Stock and 2 smoking barrels the other night, and whilst many of you think it might be cool to see this as a naff film, I think that a blend of the classic english motors, the sepia tinged dodgy side of London and the aggro would have combined well with the GTA series. Yes I know the original 2-D versions were London based, but having never played them, can't appreciate them.
Still, I'll no doubt pre-order it, and love it to death like the III GTA's, as will many of you no doubt.
quote:Originally posted by wonderstarr: But what quantum leap can you make beyond a sandbox? Beyond a three-dimensional world where you can do anything? You can only make the sandbox bigger, surely?
You see the one thing I'd like to see is more ability to go inside the buildings, to be able to go into any tower block, house or shop and rob people, interrupt board meetings, that kind of thing. That's the one thing that stops it feeling like a fully fledged city to me, the fact that most buildings are just there for show and aren't fully interactive. The ability to smash in people's windows with a bat and rob them blind would be that extra missing dimension I think. Probably wishful thinking though..
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quote:Originally posted by Physic: You see the one thing I'd like to see is more ability to go inside the buildings, to be able to go into any tower block, house or shop and rob people, interrupt board meetings, that kind of thing. That's the one thing that stops it feeling like a fully fledged city to me, the fact that most buildings are just there for show and aren't fully interactive. The ability to smash in people's windows with a bat and rob them blind would be that extra missing dimension I think. Probably wishful thinking though..
I guess that there will be more of that with the new version, but realistically if you were able to enter every building in say Vice City, searching every floor for items needed for 100% completion, I guess it would become tedious and detract too far from the original concept of the game which is reflected in the title.
I'm certainly up for more, but not all buildings - it would make completion of the game a turn off, and I think put people off of the franchise apart from die-hard geeks who would only then be admired by their peers, whilst the rest of us would tut is disbelief at their eventual achievement.
quote:Originally posted by Boy Racer: Nor, I think, can they repeat the neat tricks of setting they pulled with Vice City or San Andreas.
You don't think they can pull of neat tricks of setting, returning to Liberty City?
What is so clever and impressive for me about Vice City (which was the first of the 3D GTAs to grab me precisely for this reason) and San Andreas is that their settings are so tied to time aswell as place, and particularly how that is reflected in their hugely evocative soundtracks. Liberty City and it's pretty much completely contemporary setting and music in GTAIII were the least interesting for me.
I'll be fascinated to see what Rockstar North do come up with in this context.
[ 30.03.2007, 07:31: Message edited by: Boy Racer ]
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Oh, you mean setting as in period. I think it's strongly suggested that GTAIV is post-9/11, which, you're right, doesn't give a lot of scope for fascinating historical detail and tone.
-------------------- pudgy little saucepot Posts: 738
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quote:Originally posted by wonderstarr: Oh, you mean setting as in period.
Period and geographic location, yes, and the way the two are intrinsically linked in the character of the last two games.
Vice City in it's early 80s tunes and Scarface/Miami Vice trappings compared to the late 80s Californian Gangsta Rap mileau of San Andreas. Indeed both the leads and supporting cast in each game reflect this to.
Again, can't wait to see what Rockstar do.
As an aside, has anyone else played Canis Canem Edit?
[ 30.03.2007, 07:45: Message edited by: Boy Racer ]
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If the game was set in 2002, that is of course a distinct historical period, with a certain set of musical styles and genres, and visual fashions - it's just not as easy to pastiche as 1980s or early 90s.
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quote:Originally posted by Boy Racer: "Some day a real rain is gonna come...
Uh, no, make that
Some day a storm will come...
Uh, no, let's start over"
"Okay...
A storm settled over the city. A storm as brooding and intimidating as the city below. Fielding looked out over the rain-slicked streets at the neighbourhood where he grew up, at the streets where he learned to win respect.
[ASIDE]This is it, this is genius![/ASIDE]
The bodies had been piling up and the blood was on Fielding's hands, but the flatfoot from Homicide hadn't found anything that could stick or anyone that would squeal. Only one thing worried Fielding, where was his dreidel? He had it before he did the hit on that bookie, Morrie Sheindling, but he hadn't seen it since. His aunt Florence had given it to him on his barmitzvah. Who gives a dreidel on a barmitzvah? An engraved dreidel, no less! Engraved with his name, address, social security number and blood group. And she'd bought it retail."
So this Godfather game - is it any good? I've seen some comments on IGN comparing it slightly to GTA (as it the sort of play - go off do it your way type thing) - is this true? Is it really worth picking up ? I'll be passing Bart Smit on the way to the Kebab van in about 20 minutes and wondered if it is worth picking up a copy.
quote:Originally posted by Waynster: So this Godfather game - is it any good? I've seen some comments on IGN comparing it slightly to GTA (as it the sort of play - go off do it your way type thing) - is this true? Is it really worth picking up ?
It's ok, I wouldn't recommend it on a console other than Wii because it's very derivative of GTA without the GTA game's qualities of humour or invention. The gameplay is very similar to San Andreas: main story missions, sub missions, gang territory to take over, etc. Without the fun of the Wii control system and how that's used to extort, grab, strangle, garott, slam people against walls and so on I'd think it'd be pretty average.
God I want a Wii GTA.
[ 30.03.2007, 09:11: Message edited by: Boy Racer ]
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The game itself isn't bad, but it's true that the control system is what elevates it. I wouldn't be bothered otherwise. It'd be like Curse Of The Black Pearl without Johnny Depp.
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The Godfather is a pretty dire experience on the PC (based on my experience with the, erm, trial version). With a gamepad it would just about be bearable I suppose - I believe you push the left or right analogue stick forward to punch with left or right hands - but it obviously isn't designed with a keyboard in mind. Also the gameplay is really repetetive. Finally, the graphics are mostly very poor, thanks to some last-gen low-res textures and a jerky frame-rate.
I'm sure the Wii version would be much more playable, but saying that I don't think I'll bother even when my Wii finally arrives.
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Supposedly on the PS3 version of Godfather, you use the controller in a similar way to the Wii, to rough people up by smacking them about, using the motion sensing sixaxis controller. not sure how it compares to the Wii version but the control system on the PS3 isn't just the usual buttons'n'sticks affair you found on the PS2.
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Ah. Ironically (in an Alanis Morisette type of way), the problem with my wireless connection was where the wire connects from the phone line to the router (which leads under the door up to my computer). The wire had obviously been worn away from years of the door being opened and closed on it and finally given up the ghost. All working fine you'll be glad to hear so it's porn as usual all weekend.
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The level of detail in GTAIV is looking fantastic. Someone has taken clips from the trailer and compared them to real life pictures of New York here.
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It's interesting that this is the first games trailer I can remember with an "art film" style, as opposed to (generally) mainstream action movie.
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As a little 'thank you' for being one of the first to buy a PS3, Sony are sending me a free copy of Casino Royale on Blu-Ray. That's nice of them.
quote:Originally posted by Ringo: As a little 'thank you' for being one of the first to buy a PS3, Sony are sending me a free copy of Casino Royale on Blu-Ray. That's nice of them.
I already bought it though.
You are not alone Ringo - except my email address is unknown to Sony to get the disk - which is odd as they emailed me the link to that very address to sign up for my copy
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