GTA San andreas

[porsch1909]

Anybody played it for the PC yet? Is it any good


I am thinking of purchasing it

[widget2003]

i dont think it's come out in australia yet does anyone know when it should???

[too_much]

AWESOME game - played it since release on my PS2 and now I have it for the PC That means high resolution details and textures etc, no pop-op scenery, high draw distance, higher fps, and all the modding abilities

It's like a dream I tell ye... went from playing a low-res game on a 14" TV at about 10ft away, to playing high res on a 19" monitor at about 2ft away... feels more intense!

Hours and hours and hours of fun to be had, get it.

[BadBadNeil]

Here is my take on GTA: SA for PC

First of all this one does not deliver the "wow this is so cool" in the same impact when I first played GTA 3 as that game was revolutionary at it's time. This one instead sets a different tone to "wow this is so cool" in that they improved on SOO many ways from the previous games.

People have wrote all about the neat new features in this one from the PS2 reviews such as the more RPG aspects like your stats meaning more, weight, MUCH larger island, etc.

What I found to be the biggest updates where:

1) Stability. GTA:VC and GTA:3 pretty much lagged on my systems in the past but this one just flies. It loads super fast and I can turn everything to full with smoothing and high distance rates with no slowdown at all.

2) No more disappearing people and cars. In the past two when you would see a person or car and you turn around and turn back it would just disappear. Now things stay in place where they are, so if you see a car pass you it will be there if you turn around.

3) Also they have made the atmosphere a bit more city like with other crimes being commited, police reacting to other people, more realistic crime scenes, people coming back to their homes. Hell I even saw a plane fly out of the sky in the middle of the city when I was driving around, scared the **** out of me.

4) Although highways usually aren't my mode of transportation, they have made a full on system this time that is actually a real highway with connectors, on ramps etc that can really speed up time traveling if you can read the tiny print on the signs. (they should have made the type much larger to read at super high speed).

5) Pertaining more to the PC version the controller now can be used to do almost everything. There are still too many buttons to really fit in a normal controller (and i have 12 buttons on mine) but in the previous versions walking around was buggy so I had to switch from controller while driving to mouse when walking. The buttons that don't fit when walking are special up down left and right so I keep them on the keyboard (they are also used for targeting). I've been changing buttons as I need them for missions such as walk for stealth missions.


Now with the bad things:

1) The targeting system is just awful. Before you could use a mouse look like in a 3D shooter to zoom quickly around and shoot people. Now you have to "target" a person using a button and then retargeting each other person or moving the target to them. The problem is that it doesn't take priority of thread risk so if you have 4 guys with a bat and a guy with a gun it won't target the guy with the guy. Also it is much slower because you can't sweep spray with a gun, you just have to target one person. If you want to "free target" you have to use the 4 arrow type keys which are VERY clunky and awkward especially in a fast situation. I want mouse look back or at least an option. I have dual knobs on my controller, I want the option to use the second knob as the mouse look but nope it doesn't work... Sine the combat is a huge part of the game it really bugs me and I have been struggling with this game in combat mode much more than in the previous two.

2) Sort of pertaining to the mouse look is when in walk mode and you are standing still for example and want to look at something behind you, it is a big ordeal to position your character because you can't just spin in place. Again you have to turn around target and then push another button to center on an object. Way too clunky.

3) I still wish you didn't have to stat the game as a ghetto black guy. Perhaps give me the option to start as a white guy in an italian mob, hispanic, or asian. They all have their own ruthless gangs. Would add to the replayability and would allow you to be more open ended to.

Overall a great game, some control issues but besides those much improved upon the last two.

[porsch1909]

Thanks a lot neil.....I will definatly buy it

[too_much]

Originally posted by BadBadNeil
3) I still wish you didn't have to stat the game as a ghetto black guy. Perhaps give me the option to start as a white guy in an italian mob, hispanic, or asian. They all have their own ruthless gangs. Would add to the replayability and would allow you to be more open ended to.

Why...? Do you mean have the option to start as different races? Or do you just not like it being black...

[porsch1909]

Originally posted by too_much
Why...? Do you mean have the option to start as different races? Or do you just not like it being black...

He never said that he didn't like being black...

Perhaps give me the option

that is what he said....

[too_much]

Sometimes it's hard to understand the context through text alone - I wasn't implying anything, just wondering, sorry for any confusion

regards,
too_much

[BadBadNeil]

Yeah, internet can take things out of context. I just like having more options to expand a game further. Some people would rather be a Mafia or Yakuza than a thug. That way you could even see from the perspective of another group on where they are coming from and have the groups tie together somehow.

[porsch1909]

I think having to program a lot more new paths to the game. I mean you would have three totally different games in one then! missions would be different and everything!

Don't think game companies are content on giving you a 3 for deal.

[tantone]

I got severely addicted to GTA:VC when I got it for the PC. 'Course, the 80's music probably had a lot to do with that.

Anyway, I might have to try SA out.

Between GuildWars, BF2, I wonder if I'll have time to play it.

[BadBadNeil]

Originally posted by porsch1909
I think having to program a lot more new paths to the game. I mean you would have three totally different games in one then! missions would be different and everything!

Don't think game companies are content on giving you a 3 for deal.

I was thinking more in line with say morrowind where you join a guild and follow that guild's path's throughout the game, fighting other guilds along the way. This would be similar in that you pick your gang path and follow that path even though it may lead to you fighting the other paths that you did not choose from the start. There would ultimately be a main storyline but these subplots would carry you to different ways to the main plotline.

Guess I'm asking for too much, heh.

[Bigjakkstaffa]

Its good, but theyre fiddled with things they didnt need to fiddle with, namely the camera control and targeting. It doesnt ruin the game, but it certainly doesnt help.

Something of a flawed classic methinks

--Jakk