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So, GTAIV
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kirkjerk
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PostPosted: Thu May 08, 2008 9:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Harveyjames wrote:
So I take it just letting the dude escape and not killing him is Mission Failed but actually following the mofo all the way to the top of a crane to not kill him is recognised by the game as acceptable.

I think this is the same mission some other writer picked up on, where the guy just goes into a loop. So possibly, the mission never ends if you just try and walk away without getting to the point where you have to make your Moral Decision.

Re: Herb + Jamaal (I only recognize the reference from Comics Curmudgeon); slightly mitigating it in this case is the speaker is a parent who might not actually know the title.
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kirkjerk
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PostPosted: Thu May 08, 2008 9:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

dhex wrote:
that's a weird expectation to have for a console game, however.

or the gta series in general. it's never been that sandboxy within missions at all, for better or for worse. i'd lean towards worse myself, but i think sometimes people expect far too much from games that already do a lot.


For me, it's the weirdness of what might be a transitional time; like I said, the moral decision uncanny valley, where I have some freedom to be a more or less moral character, but other times I'm constrained if I want to get along in the game.

Not counting the PSP-derived Gaiden, Rockstar has been -seemingly deliberately - writing more sympathetic main characters; I felt liberal white guilt having CJ in GTA:San Andreas live out my desire to be a virtual psychopath, and there's even more of that in this game.

There is an argument that GTA has gotten progressively less sandboxy with missions, trying to cancel out someone's foreknowledge or guessing about what would be useful in the game (i.e. fast vehicles, superior weapons, or positioning of roadblocks) by just resetting stuff during cut scenes, either to make sure the player saw something cool or narratively useful during the mission, or that it wasn't too easy.

I know some people still miss the flexibility of the early games, in terms of taking missions and working alliances and all that.... I'm willing to understand that it's tough to do that AND get in the compelling narrative cut scene stuff, but I guess there's a hope that some day the content can be truly more dynamic, that you can have some blend of a GTAish world and story w/ I dunno, Mass Effect style relationships. (hopefully without crap leveling up elements)
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Harveyjames
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PostPosted: Thu May 08, 2008 10:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I say: they need to nip that cut scene shit in the bud, they are bad at it. Or at least, they were in the last 3 GTAs I played. I'm personally not a cut scene fan in general, though.
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Harveyjames
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PostPosted: Thu May 08, 2008 10:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

kirkjerk wrote:

Re: Herb + Jamaal (I only recognize the reference from Comics Curmudgeon); slightly mitigating it in this case is the speaker is a parent who might not actually know the title.


Yeah, I was probably being a bit harsh on it. Saying 'GTAIV' assumes more knowledge from the reader than just 'that videogame', which is really all the reader needs to know to get the joke anyway. I think most strip comics creators try to avoid cultural references that will date the work if they can. This is nothing like as clumsy as Herb and Jamaal in that respect.
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Scratchmonkey
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PostPosted: Thu May 08, 2008 11:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

dhex wrote:
or the gta series in general. it's never been that sandboxy within missions at all, for better or for worse.


Depends on what you mean by "sandboxy". It's certainly been more sandboxy in its earlier incarnations.
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dhex
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PostPosted: Thu May 08, 2008 11:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

well, i'm kinda elderly so "sandboxy" makes me think of daggerfall. gta's never been quite that open within its mission format. within just fucking around, however, is a different story.
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dmauro
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PostPosted: Thu May 08, 2008 12:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The problem I've had with restriction in the narrative missions is that I'm trying to play the Niko Bellic from the trailers. You know, they guy who is hoping maybe things will be different this time. So when

[spoiler]
****I was supposed to kill Vlad for Roman's girlfriend's supposed infidelity***
[/spoiler]

I tried to avoid doing it. I didn't want to get a mission failed which I assumed would happen if I just drove off, so instead I just beat him up. He accidentally rolled into the water off the pier and I didn't know what to do so I just got in my car and started to drive off. He must have drowned though because suddenly a cutscene was cued in which he had a gun wound in the head and I was dragging him to the edge of the pier to dump his body in the river.

I've never played the missions in any other GTA game before, but I feel like I'm very restricted if I try not to be a murdering bastard the way Niko is supposed to be trying not to. I've since given up on all that and the game has gone smoother. Now I'll kill for anyone who pays me, and since that's what most of the missions are, well, now I'm making lots of cash.
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autokratorlovestick
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PostPosted: Thu May 08, 2008 11:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

daphaknee wrote:
whats with all these SB posters coming over and crapping up TGQ


popping by to laugh at this.

carry on.
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Harveyjames
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PostPosted: Fri May 09, 2008 8:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Daph is a welcome addition to The Gamer's Quarter :(

Unless you're one of the guys who don't post here anymore because of her, but fuck those clowns, they have no taste at all
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Mr Mustache
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PostPosted: Fri May 09, 2008 9:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey, autokratorlovestick.
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kirkjerk
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PostPosted: Fri May 09, 2008 10:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Random point, I don't know where people are in the game, or if they have as much of a visceral interest in helicopter rides and aeriel views as I do, but I didn't realize til 3 or 4 missions into Algonquin that Brucie has a "lets go for a copter ride" option in the cellphone - missions are trivial "go fly near this", and then you're free to go anywhere across the city (well maybe just the unlocked bits, I'm shying away from 'Jersey)

Flying through "Times Square" at night is lovely, though copters do point out some of the limitations of the engine -- not enough cars and not enough blocks side to side (or north/south for that matter) to be the "real" NYC. It's a nice impression of it though.

I forget, does the game have any tool to see your "reputation" score among your various friends?
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Scratchmonkey
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PostPosted: Fri May 09, 2008 12:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's in the Stats screen in the Pause menu.

And you only unlock the copter ride after you Brucie likes you over a certain amount.
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autokratorlovestick
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PostPosted: Sat May 10, 2008 5:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mr Mustache wrote:
Hey, autokratorlovestick.


Heyo, Mr. Mustache.

How's life treating you?
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kirkjerk
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PostPosted: Sun May 11, 2008 9:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So, dumb question:
sometimes the Mission person's letter on the map has a subscript... is this meaningful or does it just help differentiate things when they would otherwise have the same initial?
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dmauro
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PostPosted: Mon May 12, 2008 8:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

kirkjerk wrote:
So, dumb question:
sometimes the Mission person's letter on the map has a subscript... is this meaningful or does it just help differentiate things when they would otherwise have the same initial?

The latter.

I don't mind the lack of cars in the city for the most part (it would be impossible to get around if the traffic were at all realistic), but I kind of wish Times Square got crowded with cars and people :/
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kirkjerk
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PostPosted: Thu May 15, 2008 12:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I really wish my life had a mileage etc counter like Nikko Belic does.

Miles walked, driven... lines of code written, # of usenet and webforum posts made and in how many threads...
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Cycle
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 8:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

So hey, they screwed up my order, but I finally got this game!

It's... pretty much what I expected. It's GTA 3: Next Gen which is both good and bad. So many things make the game feel like it's stuck in 2001, but it's nice to see they've learned from their lessons in many ways. The frustration factor is down 2 billion percent thanks to the RETRY option and the taxi cabs, so no longer do I feel like I'm wasting my life driving over the same sectiosn again and again (well, I still do in some parts). Some of the new features are great and it sure looks pretty, but it's basically the same game I've played already. But it's been awhile since I've played GTA 3, so I'm cool with that.

As with the other games, the story is full of unbelievable and inconsistant motivations for my character, who I'm not finding very likable so far. All the other charaters are forgetable as usual, the only exception currently being Brucie who is a good laugh. The distractions such as pool, bowling and such all play terribly as I predicted, ensuring I'll never play them more than once. All the missions so far have been the same crap I've played a million times in the other games. The TV and cabaret are fun the first few times and then you won't touch them again. And so on and so forth.

But hey, It's GTA, and it's fun screwing around and what have you. I was just expecting much more, I guess. Oh well. It really is the ULTIMATE GTA though, I guess. Well, almost... there are some things they got right in the previous three (five if you count the stories) games that they don't quite get right here.

Is it just me, or do radio stations always seem to start playing from the same two or so points? It's annoying the crap out of me, I keep hearing the same songs again and again because the stations always start from the same damn points and it destroys the illusion.

I also had a quick shot at multiplayer which was pretty amusing.
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Cossix
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 5:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah basically Niko's constant desire to earn money seems a little dumb, because he's always fucking loaded. Like every now and then I drive to the gun shop and buy max ammo for everything I'm carrying because I've got cash sitting around like woah. Also I don't bother reloading when I die/get busted (I've only been busted once! I think I had a door open or something)

Getting held up by the cops really sucks because if you decided to run they instantly decide to start plugging you. At point blank, they get a lot of shots in before you can get away Sad
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kirkjerk
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 6:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cossix wrote:
Getting held up by the cops really sucks because if you decided to run they instantly decide to start plugging you. At point blank, they get a lot of shots in before you can get away Sad

I think it's a fair tradeoff for being able to run, and still not lose your weapons if you end up in the hospital.
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Cossix
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 6:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh totally. It's just practically guaranteed to blow through your body armor, especially if the cop has ANYTHING but a pistol :p

Actually, I don't think I've ever been held up by any cops EXCEPT for ones with pistols. Do other cops try to arrest you at all?
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 11:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote


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Harveyjames
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 12:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice!
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dmauro
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 1:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That is awesome.
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kirkjerk
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 8:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think I kind of don't get it?
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dmauro
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 9:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's best to play dumb. Smart move. If they know you know they'll only watch more carefully.
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kirkjerk
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 10:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

dmauro wrote:
It's best to play dumb. Smart move. If they know you know they'll only watch more carefully.

yeah

i'm mostly just looking to know how long I've walked
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 1:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

DHS = Dept. of Homeland Security?

Clever.
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 9:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've only started playing multiplayer modes, and I've been hooked on GTA Race for about a month now. I can't stop playing. It's like the greatest idea! So many hilarious situations have spawned from this game mode. I haven't really played any others... cops and robbers is dumb because my team mates are always retards, and freemode is fun for goofing off with friends. Are any other modes worth a look?

Also this SELECT MULTIPLAYER GAME ON THE PHONE is a total pain in the ass. If I get disconnected from a game or want to change the game mode or whatever, I have to go back to singleplayer and blah, it's really stupid and a huge waste of time.

But yeah, GTA Race. I love it when some guy is tailing me most of the race, so when we get to a chokepoint, I slam the breaks, block the road, stick my gun out the window and blast away at the other guy as he charges towards me, hoping I kill him off. It almost always works! It's also hilarious when people make these huge road blocks and you're smart enough to know how to get right around them without any problems. Man, this game mode is just too much fun. Managing to car jack other racers is also hilarious.
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 6:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just tried this for the first time.
I dunno if my DSL+WiFi is too crappy or what, but the glitching/lookahead it's doing is pretty damn trippy in a braid kind of way! -- his car plunged into the ocean... no it didn't, he took off down the road... there's a pedestrian... no there isn't...

So is it probably my setup or what? TF2 was freezing up all over the place too.
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 6:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It happens to me, too. Usually it's not too bad, unless we're racing motorbikes and something pops up in front of me that wasn't there a splitsecond ago and sends me flying over europe.
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 8:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
So is it probably my setup or what? TF2 was freezing up all over the place too.


Mine is a pretty standard comcast whatever + wifi combo, and it runs tf2 like a breeze. occasionally a game messes up, but i think that's usually the host's modem's fault.
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 12:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

GTA4 is pretty amusing.

It's funny that the designers said that they modeled Niko's appearance on that villainous Serb from that Luke Wilson potboiler Behind Enemy Lines (who was actually played by a Russian). While the movie totally sucks, I've always liked the idea of a dude fighting in an Eastern European war in a blue track jacket. This is a big part of why I'm still enjoying this game.


Otherwise, the missions themselves are pretty dull. It's like playing tag every day for five years.
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helicopterp
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 7:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

that was an owen wilson potboiler
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 9:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So it is. I get those people confused.
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 19, 2008 9:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
a dude fighting in an Eastern European war in a blue track jacket.


sergei, why do your people like track jackets so much?

i will probably pick this up for the pc.
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 19, 2008 10:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, it's not that Russians love track jackets -- they like them about as much as any kewl American -- but the popular image of the Russian gangster in a track jacket stems from the fact that most post-Soviet gangsters came out of sporting organizations that had lost their state funding. Since they already wore track jackets most of the time, they continued wearing them and popularized the style among wannabes.

Second, most of the people that Americans consider the "Russian" mafia, are from the Caucuses (Chechens, Georgians, Mountain Jews, etc.). And their favored uniform consists of a tracksuit, a leather jacket, a big gold chain, and fancy shoes. I have no idea why they dress that way, but they do.

Third, Russian provincial "gopniks" (chavs, white trash) like wearing track jackets and falttop hats. I don't know why.
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 19, 2008 10:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

mountain jews would make a great fucking band name.

so russian has approximately 160 million guidos? damn.
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 19, 2008 11:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mountain Jews are fun, because they don't fit any of the Jewish stereotypes found in the US. The manager of my local game shop is one and he's a lot of fun.

Quote:
so russian has approximately 160 million guidos? damn.


They're not that bad once you get to know them! Then again, the same has been said about guidos.
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 19, 2008 11:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

and i still don't believe it, cause i sure as hell got to know guidos and guidettes - some biblically.
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 19, 2008 12:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow... was it good? Strange? What you expected? I didn't think you were that kind of guy (you do like Rachel Ray though, and she's like the ultimate guido chick).
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 19, 2008 7:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

you make it seem so tawdry.
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 19, 2008 10:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It isn't, to me most sexual conduct seems mysterious.
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 20, 2008 6:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

i grew up in new jersey and the pool was limited so sometimes you end up swimming in the shallow end.
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