GTA V

[juv3nal]

wow helicopter controls like shittttttt

 

Aircraft in general. I saw one heist where one of the options was "you can do x in a helicopter" and instantly thought "guess I'm doing the other thing"

[singlespace]

So anyone have any good sandbox moment so far? My strangest non-scripted moment so far has been switching to Trevor and finding him half drowning in the middle of a lake up in the desert.

 

I needed to get back to Los Santos so I did what any reasonable person would do and carjacked a black hatchback SUV, which was promptly reported to the police. Before I made it to the interstate, I blew past the first squad car only to lose him immediately at the on ramp where I ditched the SUV and stole a truck from this angry hillbilly who promptly jumped into the SUV I abandoned, screaming obscenities, dead set on following me to the ends of the earth.

 

That is if the police didn't roll up just at that very moment pushing his SUV into the on ramp retaining wall. I just sat there stopped in the truck surprised as the police jumped out of their squad car, guns drawn, yelling at the hillbilly to get out of the vehicle, which is when things took a dark turn. He didn't, of course, so they opened fire killing the wrong driver as I listened to them report back to dispatch that they got him and my wanted level returned to zero.

[Erkki]

Wow that's awesome! So the police was actually tracking the vehicle, and not you.

[youmeyou]

Really cool. Not to mention the apparent mechanic of dispossessed drivers searching for abandoned vehicles with which to give chase. Don't think that happened in previous GTAs.

[clyde]

That is really cool. I see cops hunting down people all the time and I always wonder what they did, but that is really cool.

[singlespace]

Wow that's awesome! So the police was actually tracking the vehicle, and not you.

 

Sometimes, yeah. I've had situations where I've held up a gas station then drove away slowly or switched vehicles after the police had temporarily lost me and had squad cars drive past me without batting an eye. At one star you can sometimes even pull into a lot, stop the car, and have them miss you. I just wish that cars were more persistent so I could plant getaway cars around the city, but I get the feeling all those crazy sandbox scenarios are going to be fleshed out in GTA Online.

[toblix]

Did I mention how bad helicopter controls are? I've gotten gold on all the flight school missions except the shitty helicopter speed run, and it's driving me crazy because obviously I have to get a gold medallion. I haven't had to maneuver a helicopter for mission purposes yet, but it seems like the most awful experience. It's like someone forgot a syringe with drugs and alcohol in the pilot's seat. The worst thing isn't the controls directly, though, it's what the camera does when you try to actually fucking land on the fucking thing and there's only a few seconds left and no don't turn away now please god damn it just point at the thing point at the FUCKING THING I'M TRYING TO LAND ON YOU USELESS PIECE OF FUCKING SHITTTTTTTTT.

 

Other than that though, I've had a blast. First thing I did was turn off the GPS trail, which is a feature for pussies. Whenever I'm going somewhere I take a look at the map and plot a general course, and then I use my sense of direction and knowledge of the city to get around. It's remarkably satisfying going from not knowing where anything is, to knowing the larger landmarks and general areas to finally knowing specific roads and places. I never skip to any location either, forcing myself to either drive or take a cab to wherever I'm going, which always leads to interesting stuff happening, like causing a horrible accident or coming upon one of the many random encounters.

 

Though I was skeptical of the improved vehicle handling they touted ahead of release, I'm really happy with how it turned out. Just like in GTA IV, all vehicles have a different feel to them, and they all handle like you would expect.

[RubixsQube]

I guess I don't understand why you felt the need to point out that something was a "feature for pussies." You know that you are not competing with anyone when you play this game, right? You also know that some people enjoy the game in different ways? Maybe you are being ironic? I saw someone on another forum complaining about how there are "cheats" in the game. I am really confused by how outraged people can get based on how other people choose to play video games. Nobody is a "pussy" for using a GPS trail, dude! Nobody is a "pussy" for playing a game on easy! Nobody is a "pussy" for using "cheat codes." 

[Boris Stoke]

This game sure is pretty great, but I hate Trevor SO MUCH.

 

I can't tell if I'm getting old and out of touch with youths or if Rockstar just isn't so good at satire anymore.  This game feels like they threw in things to push the boundaries simply for the sake of pushing boundaries.

[miffy495]

I guess I don't understand why you felt the need to point out that something was a "feature for pussies." You know that you are not competing with anyone when you play this game, right? You also know that some people enjoy the game in different ways? Maybe you are being ironic? I saw someone on another forum complaining about how there are "cheats" in the game. I am really confused by how outraged people can get based on how other people choose to play video games. Nobody is a "pussy" for using a GPS trail, dude! Nobody is a "pussy" for playing a game on easy! Nobody is a "pussy" for using "cheat codes." 

 

I think you need to learn how to communicate with Toblix. He is never serious about anything. Dude is fantastic, and would not actually mean that. That's just how he talks. In time, it becomes incredibly endearing, honest.

[Frenetic Pony]

I actually like the story and missions and finished up last night, which is good because oddly enough I'm less interested in tooling around in the sandbox now than I have been previously.

 

I think partially it's because it's so easy to get stars, and you kind of have to concentrate on running away for at least a bit once you've got two stars, which is almost every time as "resisting arrest" appears to be a crime, as soon as the cops spot you after being called in you get at least two stars.

 

I also feel like the better graphics actually sort of help all the civilians blend into each other. I did find a guy with a leafblower, which I gladly took out (I hate leafblowers) but I remember a lot more "targets" in Vice City. Like "hey it's a super fat guy, let's run over him teehee!" or "Wow that rollerskating outfit looks stupid, wee die!" But the improved graphics, well now they've got so much detail it's harder to tell what a person is just as a caricature as I'm driving along. That from a distance at speed they also look more like people probably cuts down a bit on any enjoyment I might get from wanton slaughter.

 

But more than that, I think other games have done the sandbox better than GTA has now. Sandbox stuff is basically all I did in Just Cause 2 and I clocked enough enjoyable hours there. In comparison GTAV's low health, lack of infinite parachutes and crazy super grappling hook thing feels a bit dull. GTAV is also not really something interesting to look at a lot of times. Not that it isn't often amazing technically, or can't be super amazing at times (looking out over Los Santos at night from the hills looks AMAZING) but that usually a smoggy recreation of LA, or surrounding desert and barren hills, just isn't much to go sight seeing about. In comparison I never really got tired of say, Fable 2's amazing idyllic villages or atmospheric bandit filled paths or etc. I.E. It's just not very "pretty".

 

Oh, and the radio is friggen horrid. Terrible pop and a lot of shitty rap on every last station. Classical? Jazz? Techno? Metal? "Pop" that's not from the likes of Rihanna or other shit I never listen to? Non existent. Even the punk station isn't very good. It's like the entire selection for a dozen radio stations was chosen by an uber hipster who found obscure bands and then chose their bad songs or someone desperately trying to choose "hip" songs that represent "now", whatever that means. We can put that one rock song played over and over for two plus years on every "rock" radio station on there, but fuck you if you even think of choosing anyone even slightly popular for the "techno" station! Popular is just another word for CRAP unless I specifically like it - Rockstar audio director in charge of radio stations.

 

Still maybe the most enjoyable game I've played this year, at least new game from this year. $60 well spent. But unless things really change for a difference I think I'll hold out on the PC version for quite a while, as I can't see a lot of benefit to replaying it.

[toblix]

I guess I don't understand why you felt the need to point out that something was a "feature for pussies." You know that you are not competing with anyone when you play this game, right? You also know that some people enjoy the game in different ways? Maybe you are being ironic? I saw someone on another forum complaining about how there are "cheats" in the game. I am really confused by how outraged people can get based on how other people choose to play video games. Nobody is a "pussy" for using a GPS trail, dude! Nobody is a "pussy" for playing a game on easy! Nobody is a "pussy" for using "cheat codes." 

That whole post was just me trying to be ironically funny and coming off as an idiot. I don't actually believe people are «pussies» (a term I'm uncomfortable with and am not entirely sure what means) for using the GPS trail (or for playing video games on easy, an setting even I, a cool gamer, must confess to having used several times.) I prefer playing without GPS trails just because it gives me some small amount of satisfaction to force myself to learn the lay of the land and the road network, since knowing how best to get around a make-believe city is something every adult person should strive for and take pride in.

 

So yeah, I don't think anyone here would call anyone a pussy for anything, except Lu, who will call anyone one for playing flight sims without a sweet-ass HOTAS.

[juv3nal]

Oh, and the radio is friggen horrid. Terrible pop and a lot of shitty rap on every last station. Classical? Jazz? Techno? Metal? "Pop" that's not from the likes of Rihanna or other shit I never listen to? Non existent. Even the punk station isn't very good. It's like the entire selection for a dozen radio stations was chosen by an uber hipster who found obscure bands and then chose their bad songs or someone desperately trying to choose "hip" songs that represent "now", whatever that means. We can put that one rock song played over and over for two plus years on every "rock" radio station on there, but fuck you if you even think of choosing anyone even slightly popular for the "techno" station! Popular is just another word for CRAP unless I specifically like it - Rockstar audio director in charge of radio stations.

 

I think Lowdown FM (DJed by Pam Grier!), West Coast Classics, and WorldWide FM are all decent. But yeah, there's no jazz or classical.

[Yasawas]

Lowdown, West Coast Classics, Non-Stop Pop and whatever the classic rock station is called are all amazing. I like Rebel Radio for when I'm playing as Trevor and there must be some decent stuff tucked away on the other stations too as I'd managed about 40 hours of play before stealing a car that had Windowlicker playing, which was nice. Also while we're talking about music I jumped into a car yesterday which had a song, in Spanish I think, that the Beastie Boys sampled for one of the early tracks on Hello Nasty. If anyone knows what the fuck I'm rambling about I'd love to know what it's called as I forgot to check in time.

 

I'm about five missions from the end now so unless it pulls some crazy bullshit in those I should get it done tonight, just in time for the server-melting GTAO fiasco tomorrow. Very exciting.

[clyde]

GTAV is also not really something interesting to look at a lot of times. Not that it isn't often amazing technically, or can't be super amazing at times (looking out over Los Santos at night from the hills looks AMAZING) but that usually a smoggy recreation of LA, or surrounding desert and barren hills, just isn't much to go sight seeing about. In comparison I never really got tired of say, Fable 2's amazing idyllic villages or atmospheric bandit filled paths or etc. I.E. It's just not very "pretty".

I spend so much time walking around the city, bike riding in the mountains, and using the hood-cam, just to appreciate the scenery. I have no difficulty sitting at a red-light for its duration just because It gives me an opportunity to examine the patina and illusionary use of the area. Pawn-shops and dollar-stores in the strip-malls evoke so much from me because I grew up in suburban-sprawl. I remember watching that beige asphalt be patched and painted over time, as lots-for-sale grew commercial-spaces-available and into nail-parlors and coin-collector stores. Maybe that's why there is so much for me to look at. I spent so much time imagining climbing up to roofs via dumpsters and fencing behind stores as a kid, that being able to do so now (without breathing-life arrest or danger) satisfies me frequently.

I stared at a mural on a forgotten side-street laced with people sitting on the sidewalk in third-hand clothes. I was considering the moment of righteous community activism that was the impetus to inspire the desperate inhabitants with a large-scale art-project which would draw its theme from the cultural perspective of its locals. Liberty City has spots of this type of thing, but in Los Santos, I can't get away from it. I would love to figure out how to share my perspective with you so that you can appreciate how much there is to look at in this game; falling in love with consignment-stores and litter.

[clyde]

I'd managed about 40 hours of play before stealing a car that had Windowlicker playing, which was nice. Also while we're talking about music I jumped into a car yesterday which had a song, in Spanish I think, that the Beastie Boys sampled for one of the early tracks on Hello Nasty.

I'm such a hipster that when I car-jack or hot-wire a vehicle, I either feel shame or righteousness for my theft based on the previous owner's musical taste.

[plasticflesh]

East Los fM is the best

 

hechizeros band - el sondito

 

http://youtu.be/I8BJde0Rrn8

El Rey Y Yo by Los Angeles Negros (what the beastie boys sampled)

[Dewar]

So, anyone actually in and playing GTA online?

[clyde]

After the character-creation and an intro cut-scene, it seems to have a hard time launching a session.

[Irishjohn]

I hear it's tough getting into games... I'll definitely be playing but I've been so busy at work that it might be a while before I finish the campaign. I'm sure that there will be multi-thumbing arrangements in the multiplayer forum?

[toblix]

The third triathlon is brutal. Over 28 minutes of continuous sprinting, and some spots where it's obvious they want you to try to take a shortcut and fall over a trashcan.

[elmuerte]

just like real life

[Stash]

I had a really great sandbox moment a few days ago.  I had gotten into a taxi and was scrolling through the list of destinations when the cab was rear ended by another car.  The car then sped off, at which point I was "kicked" out of the cab as it sped off to chase the fleeing car.  I was left standing in the road watching the cab give chase as it sideswiped a pedestrian and knocked her over, and then a squad car came from behind my field of view to join in, almost running me over as well. It was a fantastic little sequence.    

[sclpls]

Rad

 

http://www.polygon.com/2013/10/4/4798442/pro-social-gta-v

[Lu]

I've never been the biggest GTA fan, but I got into 5 way more than the previous iterations. Actually, I think this is the 1st GTA game I've ever finished!  In part, it has to do with the fidelity of the open world, it's absolutely beautiful and alive (this game more so for me than the previous game), but I feel that it generally doesn't really mesh in how they're trying to tell a story. The general dramatic arc became incredibly muddied for me over the course of the game, so when the ending credits started rolling I was genuinely surprised it had ended. Having something exciting happen and then having to drive like 10 minutes to progress, or even having to get a certain vehicle which can take like 30-40 minutes really knocks the wind out of it when you just want to see what happens next. I believe there is a power in having the player do mundane things, but it just felt a little much sometimes. Though, how nice was it to be able to skip entire sequences after you fail them multiple times in a row?? I definitely made use of that several times, which made sure I never got overly frustrated with the game. Sometimes it was nice to just keep trying and knowing I could skip it, if I wanted to.

 

The story was... Alright, I guess, but holy hell did it fell flat on its ass a couple of times for me:

 

That torture sequence. I honestly don't know what they were going for. And when driving the guy you just tortured to the airport and having Trevor ramble about stuff, I got the impression it was supposed to be funny? It just wasn't. Or maybe their point was that it was supposed to be gross and uncomfortable? I don't know, I think that whole bit was a complete failure. A couple of moments like that where I guess things are supposed to be satirical and/or funny, but just aren't. Then later Trevor being upset with Micheal and bitching about the entire fucking time became so grating during the later half of the game.

 

I don't want to sound overly negative, because for every negative there is a positive counter point. A lot of moments that did work and had me laughing. And I loved the Chakra Attack guy on talk radio. This is also another one of those games that just continuously blows my mind with the amount of stuff that is in it. Just driving around, taking in the details, holy shit! The sum of its parts is a pretty amazing achievement.