Let me start by saying that this game is very demanding on system specs. I have a pretty strong system and the game runs "OK" on it. I am really itching for the May 27th price drop now because I am going to need to go with atleast a 2 ghz.

I havent played for more than 10 minutes and I am already hooked into it. The game is great. I have never played it before on the PS2 so this is my first chance to experience all the hype. Ill post back with some further thoughts a bit later.

My PS2 ran it fine :rolleyes: ;)
It is a real fun game, especially the unique jumps/stunts that you have to complete. It may be ultra violent and address a lot of adult issues (which aren't suitable for all audiences) but its hell of a lot of fun to play.

Does it have Multiplayer - if so what options, how many players etc?

I havent seen any multiplayer options yet but I also havent played it alot..




Arris, I hope the PS2 played it good. Thats what it was originally developed for.

Originally posted by svtcobra
I havent seen any multiplayer options yet but I also havent played it alot..

Arris, I hope the PS2 played it good. Thats what it was originally developed for.

I read somewhere that the multiplayer was being cut out of the PC version...

svt, the PS2 was developed for more than to play GTA3 good :rolleyes: ;)
I'm actually looking forward to seeing the PC version firsthand to be able to make a comparison between the two.

How much did you buy it for? Where did you buy it? I thought it wasn't coming out until the 25th?! That's awesome that you like it, i really liked the PS2 version but since i dindt have a ps2 i am eagerly waiting the PC version. Awesome svt!

Originally posted by PHATMAN5050
How much did you buy it for? Where did you buy it? I thought it wasn't coming out until the 25th?! That's awesome that you like it, i really liked the PS2 version but since i dindt have a ps2 i am eagerly waiting the PC version. Awesome svt!

Exactly what I want to know as well ;) I thought it was supposed to come out on May 31st?

Gahh... I guess I REALLY need that GF4 4200 now :(

lokem and phatman, the game was released on the 21st and showed up at my local EB yesterday. I paid the standard 49.99. They had a ton of them..


Lokem, it is definately time for a new vid card with this game. Go for the 4400...

Originally posted by Arris
svt, the PS2 was developed for more than to play GTA3 good :rolleyes: ;)
I'm actually looking forward to seeing the PC version firsthand to be able to make a comparison between the two.
I'm not one to argue this much, but I do like to take the side of a minority when I see fit.
Here is a classic example of how consoles serve thier purpose. They are exclusive gaming machines, when you try to make these games run on a PC it requires insane hardware to do so. I've seen something like "to emulate you need at least twice the processor speed", gta3 originally developed for PS2 - of course its going to run the best its ever going to run on that. You will never expierence lag on a system its designed to run on, otherwise the would have designed it differently.

Since the PS2 has a CPU clock of about 300Mhz it shouldn't require all that powerful a CPU in a PC to run a PS2 game by your statement. Saying that my original comment was made sarcastically which you didn't seem to pick up on ;)
What you have to consider is that the PS2 outputs a signal at a resolution for televisions (640x480 or something low like that). The PC is going to offer resolutions up to 1600x1200 or above which are naturally going to require more processing power (both CPU and GPU) with more pixels to process...
If I purchased GTA3 for the PC and ran it in 640x480 I am sure it could compete with the performance of the PS2 ;) (PS: I just like arguing and hassling you SNGX :D )

sorry Arris, but i agree with SNGX1275.

i have the GTA3 PC version, it runs slow like hell
i know my 2 x 550 is a bit slow for that,
but my radeon8500 should have enough power to run it smoothly
i still get low frame rate at 800x600, no fsaa, closest view distance.

I have gotten the game to run pretty good at 1024x768, quincunx AA and medium draw distance. There is also a Frame Limiter option that I believe I turned on. IT may be time for me to create a mini tweak guide.

Alright, heres my setup of the game...

brightness: 8
draw distance: 7
Frame Sync: OFF
Frame Limiter: ON
Trails: OFF
Subtitles: ON
Wide Screen: OFF
Screen Resolution: 1280x1024x32

I also set my AA to Quincunx and it looks pretty smooth..

I'll post back some feedback on these settings..

Not bad so far..I only encountered one or two stutters while driving around the city. My biggest issue is actually the sound. It comes in and out. Very annoying. There are a few different sound drivers to use so I will have to play around with this next.

thx svtcobra, that means it has to be my cpu.

i guess i will need to get a new cpu + motherboard + ram.

I just got the game today.....

specs:



1)Athlon C 1.33 GHz
2)400 W Macron AMD Approved PSU
3)IWILL KA-266R Motherboard
4)512 MB PC2100 DDR-SDRAM
5)4 x MAXTOR 40 GB HDD
6)1 x IBM Deskstar IDE 76 GB Hard Drive 75GXP 7200 RPM
7)1 x PIONEER SCSI DVD-DRIVE
8)1 x PLEXTOR SCSI 12/10/32 CD-RW DRIVE
9)1 x PLEXTOR UltraPLEX SCSI 40 MAX CD-ROM DRIVE
10)Geforce 2 ULTRA DDR-SDRAM 64 MB Graphics card
11)Sigma Designs Hollywood Plus Mpeg-2 Decoder Board
12)SoundBlaster Platinum 5.1 sound card
13)SMC Network Card (connects to 512kbps Cable Modem connection)
14)3Com Network Card (machine acts as NAT server)
14)Adaptec AHA-2940 SCSI Controller
15)Sound card connected to yamaha AV RX-V396RDS hi-fi amplifier, 5 speakers...
16)IIyama 22' Visionmaster Pro 510 AG201 Monitor
17)Remote keyboard, mouse, etc... Headphones, mic, blah blah...

Installed operating systems:

1)Windows 98 SE
2)Windows .Net Enterprise Server
3)Windows XP Professional
4)Redhat Linux 7.3
5)Mandrake Linux 8.2


I shall try it this weekend!

I found that with 4* antianilising it was slighlty stuttery though with out FSAA it runs fine at 1024. Sounds perfect easpically the little things like the rain hitting the cars. THE PUDDLES ARE VERY GOOD graphics wise though i should increase draw distance becuase it's default at the mo.

I have got just finished Turismo mission tho i was 2 busy trying not to crash so what was the prize ?

Originally posted by SleeperDC
i have the GTA3 PC version, it runs slow like hell
i know my 2 x 550 is a bit slow for that
It's the same as you had 1 CPU. Today's games aren't that multithreaded.
Ok, you can say Quake3 engine is but it helps only with its networking.

Originally posted by Mictlantecuhtli

It's the same as you had 1 CPU. Today's games aren't that multithreaded.
Ok, you can say Quake3 engine is but it helps only with its networking.

yea, i know...
but i just don't have money to upgrade.

i am just a poor kid :D

Originally posted by Tweakster
I found that with 4* antianilising it was slighlty stuttery though with out FSAA it runs fine at 1024. Sounds perfect easpically the little things like the rain hitting the cars. THE PUDDLES ARE VERY GOOD graphics wise though i should increase draw distance becuase it's default at the mo.

I have got just finished Turismo mission tho i was 2 busy trying not to crash so what was the prize ?


Tweakster, what sound driver are you using? I have a SB LIVE! card and the sound comes in and out. Its never steady.

Its really time for me to upgrade.

Phantasm, Im anticipating your results with the game because we both have similar systems except for the vid card.

Yo guys, i just got GTA3 also...it runs weirdly...it will play the game fine without anything wrong for a bit and then for like 20 seconds it will run really slowly...Hopefully something will happen where we dont have to put up with the buggyness.

I have found a bug which occurs when i save over an old save the save saves successfully though the windows mouse icon appears. I have tried minimising, menu screen and returing to game but it stays though it dosnt appear when i Quit and reload so not to worry.

Soundblaster Live WDM 8/1/2000 and playback quality is GOOD not BEST all all setting with FULL hardware accleration dont know if this might help?

I'll give it a shot tweak...Thanks

I got GTA 3 on Saturday too, what a game!! - although not many differtences to the PS2 version. This game is resource intensive - I've got a 1.4 athlon with a GF2 GTS and 256Meg SDRam and runs fine on 800x600x32 but is a bit of a dog at higher resolutions.

In response to those using SBLive! soundcards - I have one too and have not suffered at all with the sound - just make sure you select the correct hardware in the Sound Options screen.

There have been reported bugs for anyone running XP - such as menus disappearing amongst other anomalies, there is a patch for this availablehere (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q306676) from knowledge base. There is also a tweak guide available here (http://www.seagrave.org/articles/GTA3/GTA3%201.shtml) from seagrave.org, although I'm sure it will never be as good as anything TS will publish.

Cant wait to finish work to get back onto staunton island.....

I was just about to complain about the speed. I have the same machine as you, except a different vid card (GF2MX). I'm running at a pathetic 640x480x16.

I really wish they can do something about the performance!!!

Originally posted by lokem
I was just about to complain about the speed. I have the same machine as you, except a different vid card (GF2MX). I'm running at a pathetic 640x480x16.

I really wish they can do something about the performance!!!

Isnt it terrible, Lokem? I cant believe my system has been brought to its knees by this game. I have a 18" LCD so if I run the game at 800x600 it runs like garbage. I'll try the patch and see if it helps out with the sound.

System Geforce3 (Nvidia) on 2xAGP.
1000Mhz Pentium
256MB ram 133hz (pants cheap stuff)
Sound Blaster Live WDM

I run at 1024 x 468 at 32bit. EAX sound and full view distance.

Tips i think will help.

Defrag Harddisk, set computer role as server. Turn off Antianilising (geforce2 / 3). Lower sound quality settings in windows or change what driver is used for soundcard in GTA3 :EAX, direct sound etc(find whats best for your card).

Originally posted by svtcobra Isnt it terrible, Lokem? I cant believe my system has been brought to its knees by this game. I have a 18" LCD so if I run the game at 800x600 it runs like garbage. I'll try the patch and see if it helps out with the sound.

It most definitely is. I've a 19" CRT and the game looks like crap compared to the screenies {g}

BTW, what patch are you trying out?

BTW2, anyone knows why I can't select Creative EAX on my SB PCI128 sound card? I can only choose Miles Audio and the Software option. Using the audio drivers that came with Win XP.

I've got the AMD Athlon XP 1900+ (1.6 ghz), ATI Radeon 64mb DDR, 256mb PC2100 DDR and this game kills my ego about my computer. I have it running at 1024x768 32 and it will run fine and then get slow and then better and slow. I guess i'll try with a lower resolution...

Runs great for me! :)
<--- What a butthead

LNCPapa

Originally posted by PHATMAN5050
I've got the AMD Athlon XP 1900+ (1.6 ghz), ATI Radeon 64mb DDR, 256mb PC2100 DDR and this game kills my ego about my computer. I have it running at 1024x768 32 and it will run fine and then get slow and then better and slow. I guess i'll try with a lower resolution...

Seems like this game could be more demanding than Doom III {g}

Anyway, as for your inconsistent speed problem; do you have the Frame Limiter turned OFF? I experience that when the Frame Limiter option is turned OFF. Give it a try by turning in ON.

Originally posted by lokem



BTW2, anyone knows why I can't select Creative EAX on my SB PCI128 sound card? I can only choose Miles Audio and the Software option. Using the audio drivers that came with Win XP.

I might be teaching you how to suck eggs but there are two EAX settings in the sound options screen - one worked and the other didn't - If my memory serves me correct , 1 was EAX2 which shouldn't work on your soundcard.

hope that helps.

Originally posted by Spliffmeister


I might be teaching you how to suck eggs but there are two EAX settings in the sound options screen - one worked and the other didn't - If my memory serves me correct , 1 was EAX2 which shouldn't work on your soundcard.

hope that helps.
I've tried both and also Direct Sound Hardware. None of them works :(

This (http://hardocp.com/article2.html?article_id=299&pg_num=1) might help - there are a couple of sound solutions here.... have you installed the latest drivers for your soundcard?

Lokem, the patch is the MS D3D upgrade that Spliff linked earlier.

Alright, I havent posted in a day or so because I am finally playing. Here are my settings:

Graphics: 800x600x32. I know its low but the game runs very smooth. I enabled the frame limiter and disabled Trails. I set the draw distance low, maybe 4, and turned off Frame Sync (Im trying to do this from memory so I dont if it is called frame sync).

Sound: I d'loaded the most recent Win XP drivers and then selected the Creative EAX Hardware setting and the sound is now perfect. I think my older drivers were having a hardtime with the game.

Spliffmeister linked a tweak guide at Seagrave.org in an earlier post and it definately helps. Its not TS quality but it is good for now.

I am going to trying running the game at 1024x768x32 to see how it plays but I think Im going to get "Phatlike" results.


One other thing as well, PC Gamer reviewed GTAIII and they said that they ran the game fine on a PIII 667 @ 1600x1200. I think they are full of it because the game doesnt support that resolution and there is no way that a PIII of any speed could run this game respectable at 1600x1200. They attribute the great game performance to the "Geforce 3" they are using but I think they are full of it. The review was decent and the author even gave a few tips on how to kill Chong at the Noodle Stand.

svtcobra: I've patched my system with that patch a while ago. Performance still isn't what I expected. Oh well, time to get a vid card upgrade {g}

Originally posted by lokem
svtcobra: I've patched my system with that patch a while ago. Performance still isn't what I expected. Oh well, time to get a vid card upgrade {g}

Dont you love it when "a" game makes you upgrade your system. 50.00 for the game and a couple of hundred in upgrades to play it. Its too much...

Originally posted by svtcobra Dont you love it when "a" game makes you upgrade your system. 50.00 for the game and a couple of hundred in upgrades to play it. Its too much...

I just "love" it :D I just installed Creative's drivers for my sound card and I'm using EAX as the sound device. The game speed seem to have improved. Guess I'll try 800x600x16 now :dead:

Originally posted by Spliffmeister
There have been reported bugs for anyone running XP - such as menus disappearing amongst other anomalies, there is a patch for this availablehere (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q306676) from knowledge base. There is also a tweak guide available here (http://www.seagrave.org/articles/GTA3/GTA3%201.shtml) from seagrave.org, although I'm sure it will never be as good as anything TS will publish.
Heh, well, have to buy the game first ;)

this game really loads alot of things when you are driving around.
after i format and reinstall my win2k, it runs much smoother.

as they said in the "readme" defeg your HD if you found it choppy when you are driving around, it really helped

The biggest performance improvement has been d'loading the no-cd patch from gamecopyworld.com and copying the audio file from the CD onto the hard drive.


This has helped out with my performance alot.

The biggest perf improvement for me was installing Creative's drivers for my SB AudioPCI and turning on EAX. Although the sound is a bit odd, but the performance does seem to have increased. I can even play it on 800x600x16 :D

Good to hear that you have the game playing well, Lokem. ITs a real chore to get it configured right.

GeForce owners:
It seems to run quite well with Detonator 28.32 drivers.
Way better than 21.83, at least.

Gta3 Model Change :o)

This is the first Nude patch out for GTA3.

http://www.svenimania.com/sveni/m_dl_gta3-eng.htm

Thanks Tweakster for the patch...Very Cool!

the new ATI Catalyst really improves the frame rate!
it's a MUST for those Radeon owners!!

NEW Offical patch is out:

http://www.take2games.com/index.php?p=support_patches

Grand Theft Auto III
Patch 1.1


Contents

Zip file "GTA3patch1.1.zip" containing

gta3patch.exe
gta3patch.txt (this file)


Installation

Start gta3patch.exe.
After clicking next twice, browse to your installed Grand Theft Auto III directory (the directory where GTA3.EXE resides) and click next.
The patch will check for the presence of your GTA3.EXE file. If the patch finds an un-modified GTA3.EXE, then this file will be updated to version 1.1, otherwise no patching can occur.
Click start to begin the update process.
After patching click exit.


The only file changed by this patch is GTA3.EXE which is upgraded to version 1.1

Save game and setting files are carried forward with no issues.


Changes-

- Exception error after blue Rockstar load screen fixed.

- Error loading saved games fixed.

- Mouse sensitivity now saved with other settings (no changes made to existing settings).

- Option for user to play audio files directly from hard disk. Copy the contents of the PLAY discs Audio directory into your installed Grand Theft Auto III Audio directory. Grand Theft Auto III still requires the presence of the PLAY disc when started. This may give better performance on some machines (though worse on others).

- All protection checks (apart from needing PLAY disc to start) removed. Grand Theft Auto III still checks for the presence of the PLAY disc when initially started, and plays audio from the PLAY disc if not found on the hard disk (see above).

thanks for that Tweakster...

After i did the no-cd patch it now says that the GTAIII.exe has no version. Anyone else getting this?