So, this "GTA 4" thing then...

[toblix]

So yesterday I went to my local EBGames and asked if they had any more copies of GTAIV for Xbox 360. The guy laughed at me and said "of course not! If you write your name on the reservation list today, you'll get it in a month at the earliest." So, then I just walked over to the nearby grocery store and bought it for a bit less.

[DanJW]

Did you go back to EB to show him? If not, do so now.

Don't forget to laugh.

[toblix]

I expect they knew, but just didn't want to tell me.

[toblix]

So, there hasn't been any updates for this game on Xbox 360, right?

[Nachimir]

I don't think so, not yet, but the game disc applied an update to my console the first time I put it in.

Has anyone been inside the statue of happiness yet? I've tried, but keep bouncing off and falling to my death.

[miffy495]

Haven't tried, still working on those damned pigeons. 125 left to go...

[Erkki]

The damn pop-in is happening to me more and more. Hitting invisible things in corners is almost becoming normal. Perhaps it's the quality of the DVD drive that matters?

Also: shot my first flying rat. The first one I noticed was one under a bridge where I wound up during one delivery job for LJ. I only noticed it because it was explicitly pointed out by the camera... finding 200 of them seems crazy right now.

[Wrestlevania]

Haven't spotted a single vermin yet, except I'm not sure if one flew by - at some distance - when I went up to the roof of the apartments where you execute that dealer and his two suppliers for Little Jacob.

[miffy495]

They don't fly, the just sit there. Cooing and glowing red. Smug little bastards.

[netmonkey]

Is it just me (again) or does the artwork during the loading process when the game first runs reminds me of the styel of Dan Jayel Lee (like the the header cityscape for this forum)?

[DanJW]

Is it me or does Niko look like Leon as played by Jean Reno?

[Nachimir]

The first one I noticed was one under a bridge where I wound up during one delivery job for LJ. I only noticed it because it was explicitly pointed out by the camera... finding 200 of them seems crazy right now.

Yeah, that was my first one too, didn't realise they were around at all until then and thought it was a weapon at first due to the red glow. After my 499 agility orbs debacle with Crackdown (:(!!!), I'm saving the other 199 pigeons for after I've done all the missions.

[Cigol]

Question for the completionists regarding a strip club mission involving Dwayne;

how did you kill all three managers and survive? I've stocked up on armour, an AK47 and various other gizmos but I just can't seem to either survive or make it outside soon enough to chase the other guys. The one time I did it the police were on me and I couldn't lose them and died. So frustrating.

It seems like an innocuously simple mission in premise but I'm struggling.

[miffy495]

Wow, I didn't have any trouble with that one at all. One thing I can recommend is not to rely on the AK so early in the game. I didn't start using it all that much until almost endgame. Until then, the SMG is very effective and allows you to move faster while using it. You also have a higher running speed with a weapon that you can hold in only one hand, making you far more maneuverable.

Aside from that, Body armour.

Also, I don't think I engaged the bodyguards in combat. I killed two or three as I sprinted past and made it out the door with my armour gone but my health full. Once you're out and in a car, you really don't need to worry about gunfire that much unless you're in an open-topped vehicle. If you can make it to a car with a decently full life bar you should be ok. Good luck.

[toblix]

So, I've played for half an hour or so:

1. Intro: awesome. When the car was hoisted up in front of the GTAIV logo I felt chills in my bodies.
   
2. Car handling: I always need some time to adjust to every driving game's handling, but I assume this one is as good as the others?
   
3. I spent my first twenty minutes watching TV in the game. Good stuff!

[Wrestlevania]

I spent my first twenty minutes watching TV in the game. Good stuff!

I've only watched a little bit, but Weazel News and the sociopath co-hosting that men's health chat show are firm favourites.

[Nachimir]

Question for the completionists regarding a strip club mission involving Dwayne;

Leave a fast car parked outside the back exit (There's a Grotti dealership in Algonquin, same junction as the north Perseus shop) and make sure you have a lot of uzi ammo; you'll need this for a car chase later. Walk around and go in the front door with your weapons concealed (The back door won't function at all until the shootout has begun).

Reveal all three managers by walking around the club, then go back to the main entrance end of the club. Go into the office where the manager is counting money, get your weapon of choice out, waste him, then get back out onto the floor and waste Javier.

The last one will make a run for it out the back, I found he waited there with police while I got rid of all the remaining gunmen on the floor. Go out the back when you're ready and give chase. I found the pickup truck he was in was fast, and with turns the Grotti didn't keep up as easily as I expected, but if you stay on him and soak the car with uzi fire (try for headshots) he'll go down fairly quickly.

[Tommy Gun]

Has anyone been inside the statue of happiness yet? I've tried, but keep bouncing off and falling to my death.

Yeah...pictures pretty much do it justice though, but it's still cool. I took a helicopter as close as I could, letting the blades hit the side, and jumped out. I just barely landed on the ledge.

[DanJW]

• Biggest Entertainment Release of All-Time
  
• Highest Grossing Video Game in 24 Hours
  
• Highest Revenue Generated by an Entertainment Product in 24 Hours
  

[Nachimir]

It's pretty impressive, though the games press seem to be forgetting that revenue isn't really a measure of mindshare. I think games still have a way to go before they're on a par with films culturally, but GTAIV hs been a great step (even if it is like an action film... )

[toblix]

So, the keeping friends happy bit.

1. How much work is it?
   
2. What happens if I do it well?
   
3. What happens if I don't give a shit?

To me this sounds a lot like having to eat in games to stay alive... are we talking generic "generated" quests, or do these friends have proper stories and stuff?

[Wrestlevania]

Are we talking generic "generated" quests, or do these friends have proper stories and stuff?

They all have definite and relevant thematic missions, which compliment each other and build up small stories about each character.

If you break the threshold of 'like' for any character, you unlock their special ability. Like Roman's 'free taxis anywhere' ability.

Of course, you can ignore them entirely, so it's not like having to eat in-game or anything.

[Erkki]

So, the keeping friends happy bit.

1. How much work is it?
   
2. What happens if I do it well?
   
3. What happens if I don't give a shit?

To me this sounds a lot like having to eat in games to stay alive... are we talking generic "generated" quests, or do these friends have proper stories and stuff?

1. too much work for me

2. you get some bonuses, not sure what they are exactly, as I've only gone far enough with Roman, who gave me access to his car service (but I haven't used it)

3. it seems that not much, you just get complaining calls or messages from friends you've been ignoring

It's not like having to eat because it's not mandatory, but comes close. You can take your friends anywhere you want (eat,pool,bowling,comedy show etc.), so it's not even like generated guests, but there are dialogues that add a little depth to the game world and characters.

[Erkki]

They all have definite and relevant thematic missions, which compliment each other and build up small stories about each character.

Oh yeah, I forgot the missions/jobs. Some of them are similar to the delivery/taxi/police/etc. missions in earlier games, but less random and more scripted I guess.

[Nachimir]

Some of them are really worth it, some aren't unless you're going for 100%.

I'd advise keeping Little Jacob on good terms, because:

he'll roll up in a car nearby and sell you cheap weapons almost whenever you need them

Francis:

can get rid of your wanted level

unless (really BIG spoiler):

you kill him during a particular mission of course

Though he's never really a friend as such and you don't have to go through tedious friendship missions. Taxis can also take some of the pain out of them since you can pay a little extra to skip the journey (rarely goes above $40 so it's peanuts really)

Also, watch it with the rocket launcher. My housemate is struggling for cash near the end of the game, since he's severely dyslexic he tends not to pay attention to certain things and didn't realise the rockets cost $5000 each