Serious flaws with GTA: VC
 

Now I realise this is probably going to stir things up somewhat (so I'll don my flame-proof jacket now), but I have to say I am only merely satisfied with Vice City. For me there are some serious flaws.

I really liked GTA3, the atmosphere was great, music was fantastic and the concept was really cool - but VC just hasn't had the same impact for me.

My biggest criticism has to be with the graphics. While I realise there is a lot going on, the draw-distance is pathetic. There has been no visible improvement over GTA3.

Similarly, I find the jerkiness and blur effects when turning (be that driving or in first person mode) to be very off-putting. If it can scroll smoothly when moving forwards, why not when turning?

Finally, I find the gameplay quite repetitive. Drive here, shoot that, drive there, shoot that, ad infinitum. However, I must add that some of the missions are quite exciting such as the shootout from the helicopter - it's just a shame that the majority of missions become very 'samey'.

However, I think what they have done with the soundtrack is amazing! Not only is the sheer amount of licensed tracks impressive, but the chat and ad jingles surpass that of GTA3.

I know a lot of you guys out there really rate this game, but for me it's not the massive improvement I was looking for. To me it seems more like GTA2, i.e. more of the same, rather than an evolution of the series.

Don't get me wrong - it is a good game. I just don't think it's as groundbreaking or good as GTA3...

- S

It seems like most people think it is better. I'll have to wait till I have the game.

I don't like the blur effect. I always turn it off. For me the bikes, helicopters, and MUCH improved radio stations were enough of an improvement for me. I also like the fact that you can go almost anywhere in the city (near the end) without being ambushed by gangs.

Although GTA 3 was ground-breaking and all that it was really a superb game. In the end it became so good the Developers couldn't top it in your opinion, BUT they obviously have in some places.

GTA VC is an improvement but you have to remember before you make something so tremendous you have to leave yourself some space to top it.

For example everyone remembers Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' and could anyone top it, no. Not even the man himself.

But I havel to agree with Sleazy, VC is a major improvement over all.

I just didn't like GTA3. It got old too fast for me. Hopefully with VC it won't be this way. I amy rent it first to be sure.

I havnt got my copy yet of VC but what do you mean by blur effect?

basically like he said blurry when you turn is kinda fuzzy or the lights and everything gets blurry my copy sometimes freezes up but rarelly

Like Sleazy said, you can turn the blur effects off in the option menu under Display. It's called "Trails." Also when you turn it off the shapes in the game become less blurry and more defined and easier to look at and the colors become brighter and slightly more "modern." I am wondering if this feature was added to give the game an 80's film effect? I wasn't too happy with it, though, so luckily you can turn it off.



_RED_ stuff

For me VC is much MUCH better than GTA 3. I mean the addition of motor cycles alone is enough to make me buy the game, but then you add Purchasable properties , FLYABLE helicoptors, an actual use for all the money you earn, Better missions, More Cars, a city thats twice as large, more weapons, the ability to shoot out tires. etc . To ME theres no question, perhaps your being a little picky, I mean the graphics, statistically are improved slightly over GTA 3 (Barely Noticable yes, but lets not forget the city is twice as big in VC) . And to complain about the blur effect doesent seem right when you can turn it off, I dont think its a default setting anywyas is it ?. If so I never tuned it off and havent even noticed it.

Omg, thank you for the information. From the beginning ever since I started playing, I hated the blurriness and got kinda sick because nothing was clear. Then I asked my sister what the hell is up with this and she said it was probably to give the game an '80s effect (like you said) since around that time the 80's had that hazy look to it. I didn't know you could turn it off so I was stuck playing with the blurriness till my eyes began to water. :P

Yes, I agree too...I still love the atmosphere of GTA3, with all the grime and dirt and darkness....to me, that's just terrific. I do like GTA: VC because it's something fresh and new and it's still quite enjoyable, but I would still prefer GTA3.

This makes no sence to me, can you honestly say that GTA 3 is better than Vice City !?. I mean c mon its the same game except DRASTICALLY improved in just about every possible way. Maybe its just that you cant relate with the time period perhaps . I know that I would prefer the game be set in modern time with modern music and what not but still this game is everything that GTA 3 wasnt , much MUCH better and I dont really see how anyone can hold a strait face and say otherwise . Its like getting a 5 dollar bill, then trading it in for a twenty and saying you liked the 5 better. To ME (My opinion) GTA 3 wasnt as good as it was hyped up to be and with the arrival of VC Its more clear now than ever. I didnt even finish GTA 3 because I got sick of the extremely repetitive missions , they compensated for lack of quality in the missions my making them more difficult. Also one of the things I like alot more in VC is that it seemed to me that the city was MUCH MUCH easier to navigate, didnt have to drive for a million miles to cross over form island to island and I didnt have to try and friggin memorize the pay-n-spray locations . Anyways thats what I think :P

Relating to the time period is not my problem considering I grew up in the 80's and listened to most of the music in the game when it first came out! Sometimes a game can be 'improved' but lose something too. I personally found Soul Calibur to be not as good as Soul Blade/Edge from a playability perspective. I found Gran Turismo 2 to be not as as good as GT1. In this case, VC seems to lack the atmosphere that sucked me into GTA3 - ergo, in my eyes, GTA3 is better irrespective of the 'improvements' made. Put simply, I enjoyed GTA3 more.For some reason, GTA: VC just doesn't have the same gritty and dark atmosphere that GTA3 did. The bright and cheerful Vice City is certainly a change, but I guess I've always prefered the darker, moodier games - VC isn't dark enough for me I guess.That's one thing I noticed too, and that's VC does seem a lot easier to navigate, less side streets and the like - but that's another crticisim of mine. City's do have side streets and the like. VC may be twice and big as Liberty City, but it doesn't feel like there is as much to it...

However, the addition of an in-game map is something that GTA3 was begging for - and I am chuffed to see it in VC.

By the way, thanks to those who pointed out you could turn of the trails - that should improve my experience considerably!

I'm glad to see that no-one has resorted to stupid comments like 'j00 suck - GTA: VC rulezzzzzzzz'.... At the end of the day, I'm only expressing my opinion - don't mean I'm right or wrong. Different strokes for different folks!

- S

VC is better than gta3 VC just has a better impact with all the new things u can do

Vice City
 

Vice city ! is set in the 80's, so they cant put loads of new stuff in the game !

And it wont have the same impact ! Due to the reason been , you allready seen GTA3 in a 3D world ! Compared to looking down ! <<< They should have left the looking down view on for landing Helicopters !

All i can say is ! If They were making GTA 4 , before they started Vice City , then GTA 4 is guna be Awesome Think of all the improvements , (with todays Technology & Guns):laugh: :ghost:

Ah but I'm betting that the nice gloomy settings will return for GTA4. As for VC, I love the new cheery look. It's a breath of fresh air that keeps the series from getting too repetative. (but then again, its always been a little repetative mission wise) I've been a hardcore fan of the series from day one. (I loved the Russian radio from GTA2)

Re: Vice City
 

hit pause and on the options menu turn off the trails, problem solved next question.

ONot a true sequel ?. How can you say its not a true sequel when it dwarfs GTA 3. Theres no question that VC has GTA 3 beat, argue as long as you want but youll still be wrong. Why all the negative comments towards VC anyways, it is an absolute masterpice of a game and Rock Star officials spoke out in a press conference saying "We didnt just make VC a rehash sequel" They went on to say how it dwarfs GTA 3 in just about every way. Lets face it, which is better or weather or not VC is a GREAT game isnt really up for debate, its a fact. (Not saying you cant list your opinions were all entitled to do that ) But can you really say that with all its improvements the stinking absence of the so called "Gloominess" really makes that much of a difference ?. Also Im willing to bet GTA 4 will be better than VC, but not much better. Theres not much more, gameplay wise they can add. Rockstar said they pulled no stops, left little room for improvement with Vice City. I think there just taking all that extra time to get more voice acting promos in and what not. I just dont get why theres always a good number of people in a group that like to go against the main stream opinion and focus soley on the games minor flaws, like "Gloominess" gimme a break ! :frust: :laugh:

I think you're missing the point of a discussion forum - no one is 'right' or 'wrong' when it comes to opinion. Every opinion is valid.So you'd rather have a forum where everyone waxes lyrical about how great GTA: VC is? That would get pretty boring quick. Take Final Fantasy VII, a masterpiece if there ever was one, yet there are lots of people who don't like it or see faults in the game. A forum full of positive threads would get boring very quickly.

As for Rockstar saying they didn't simply rehash GTA3 - what does that prove? They will say anything to get you to buy the game cos at the end of the day, they want your money.You can't say it being a great games is fact because it isn't. You may think it's a great game, I merely think it's good. I think Final Fantasy VII is a great game, other people don't. In either case, it isn't fact but instead is an opinion.To me it does, it affects the atmosphere of the game. The dark, seedy feel to GTA3 drew me into the game a lot more than the bright, cleaner looking GTA: VC. I really got into GTA3 - I'm nowhere near as into VC.When you have a group of people there will always be others who have a differing opinion. That's human nature, and given this is a forum it's only natural to express that opinion in the hopes that discussion will be lively and balanced. A world where everyone thought the same would be extremely boring and lead to no innovation whatsoever. Any community needs people with differing opinions to thrive.

As for minor flaws, I could also mention the sluggish controls and the frustrating targeting system which although much improved, are still not as quick as say Devil May Cry. Perhaps I could mention the frame-rate barely reaching 30fps the majority of the time. I could mention the bland interior locations, or the fact the characters appear to have no fingers...

Yes there are some improvements - but adding such things as the ability to ride motorbikes hardly constitutes a massive improvement.

I have to agree with MakgSnake.I'm sorry if this upsets people but the improvements present do not represent a true sequel, but more of an expansion disc. If GTA3 is FIFA2002, then GTA:VC is FIFA2003... Naturally though, this is just my opinion...

- S

Damn I fell sorry for you spank-a-thon. here you are saying that one of the best ps2 game is like FIFA 2003:shock:
come on its much better than that. maybe you just havent played the game that much because the first two minutes that I played it I was in love:love:
try doing something fun on it like flying the helicopter and crash into something and if that dont work then I am sorry put I got things to do like.........um.........oh yeah
PLAY THE BEST GAME ON THE PS2
VICE CITY

by the way I never knew that you could take the blurriness off the game I tried it yesterday and damn that was a sharp clean no mess gta game I have ever seen
xbox and gc owners eat your heart out;)