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Midway: "GTA 4 has changed gamers' expectations"

Speaking to VideoGamer.com at a recent press event in London, Wheelman creative director Simon Woodroffe revealed that Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto IV has changed what gamers expect from an open world action title.

"Our game was already quite different, but GTA 4 moved the bar in terms of what people expected from an open-world driving game," said Woodroffe. "Before GTA 4, open-world driving games generally had more accessible, more arcade-like, handling. Even the previous GTAs were like that. But GTA IV moved the bar towards realism - even super-realism, you know?

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jtorry - contributor
Published: 387 days 21 hours ago | News | PlayStation 3 | Xbox 360 | PC

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riksweeney - 387 days 21 hours ago

1 -

GTA 4 changed expectations in that when GTA 5 gets announced, people are going to approach it with a lot of caution.

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Scarfy - 387 days 20 hours ago

1.1 -

Grand Theft Auto *3* changed gamers' expectations.

GTA4, however, was one of the most over hyped, overrated, and most disappointing games of the year; right up there with Devil May Cry 4...

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ultimolu - 387 days 20 hours ago

1.2 -

GTAIV was horrible.

I want back the original gameplay in the previous GTA's. :|

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mpmaley - 387 days 20 hours ago

1.3 -

As long as they take out the dating sim part and have more missions like the bank mission then GTA: <insert city here> could be awesome again.

I don't have a problem w/ dating sims in the likes of Persona but get it the hell out of GTA.

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y0haN - 387 days 19 hours ago

1.4 -

GTA4 was not disappointing remotely. You guys are morons.

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xionpunk - 387 days 19 hours ago

1.5 -

@ scarfy : DMC4 was, overall, kickass, Though I will admit the backtracking was kinda lame.

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WANNA GET HIGH - 387 days 18 hours ago

1.6 -

GTA4 SUCKS :/

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Strelnikov - 387 days 18 hours ago

1.7 - @y0haN

hah, I agree completely

my theory is the people who were disappointed with GTA IV were the people who couldn't figure out the driving and kept crashing into things... the 360 has TWO triggers, people.

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gaffyh - 387 days 18 hours ago

1.8 -

This may be a little controversial, but GTA4 was crap as were all of it's predecessors. I've had every GTA game because every time the hype machine sis out of control, but the only one that was bearable to me was GTA San Andreas, and even that sucked with it's repetition, but it's the one GTA that I played the longest.

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Milo Garret - 387 days 2 hours ago

1.9 -

"GTA4 was not disappointing remotely. You guys are morons."

Nope, they're fanboys acting out because it went multiplat, together with dmc4 (which is awesome...) and a bunch of other titles.

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anzagi - 387 days 20 hours ago

2 -

Agreed, Ive bought/played all GTA games, but after pre-ordering this one and playing it and promptly selling it I shall be much more cautious, probably rent it first.

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MasterChief3624 - 387 days 20 hours ago

3 -

I completely hate that Grand Theft Auto IV "moved towards realism", rather than arcadey gameplay; this is not a good thing.

I know I'm probably alone in this, but I hope this doesn't mean more sandbox games will be realistic. With the recent announcement that Saints Row 3 will be taking a very different path, I'm not anticipating a very arcadey and humorous game like the last two. And now with this article about the driving mechanics in Wheelman being tweaked to be more realistic... Ugh.. I just don't know anymore.

These games need to stay arcadey and fun. Putting them into more realistic territory will take away a lot of the fun (as seen in Grand Theft Auto IV, in my opinion at least), and will also add way too much controversy to an already hot debate subject.

For now, I suppose San Andreas will do just fine, though :)

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farhsa2008 - 387 days 20 hours ago

4 -

it changed expectations and look how that turned out...

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Sharpshell - 387 days 20 hours ago

5 - IN GTA4

cars handle like dumptrucks on an ice rink... why would I want that in other games?

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js_mac - 387 days 17 hours ago

5.1 -

I thought it was fine. Took a little getting used to (driving from the boat to the apartment at the very beginning took me an age), but it was fine. It was only difficult if you had a crap car.

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Foxgod - 387 days 20 hours ago

6 -

i liked gta 4 a lot.

Leaves topic....

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6.1 arrrgh | 387 days 19 hours ago - comment has been reported as SPAM -

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Darkseider - 387 days 20 hours ago

7 - Meh

GTA IV was an alright game but no where near as good as San Andreas. Let's hope that GTA V is the HD gens version of GTA III:SA.

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xionpunk - 387 days 19 hours ago

7.1 -

San Andreas was pretty good, but nothing compares to GTA 3. Better story, setting, missions, IMO.

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Counter_ACT - 387 days 20 hours ago

8 -

Certainly lowered mine for GTA.

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bmatthews - 387 days 19 hours ago

9 - I don't think,

simply looking at a games sales (due to ridiculous hype), and then changing your driving system based on that is just silly.

the game should have its own identity, not just copy GTA IV for the sake of it, meh.

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cellmember - 387 days 19 hours ago

10 -

changed expectations? You got that right. Biggest dissapointment of the year for me. The move to more realism really let the game down. And mission are basicaly been there, done that.

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11 xiuxiu6688 | 387 days 19 hours ago - comment has been reported as SPAM -

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AclayPS3 - 387 days 19 hours ago

12 -

I felt that GTA4 was a pretty solid game, but I think that it was missing just too much stuff that San Andreas had. And I'm not a big fan of the car handling in the game either... it defiantly took me a while to get used to it.

I guess Rockstar had to leave out a lot of things in the game because they were having cities with far more detail (and because were restricted by DVD-9) but San Andreas just had WAY more content than GTA4 and that's why San Andreas is still my favorite GTA game thus far.

In San Andreas, I would spend like 30-45 minutes just going off-roading in the mountains or in the desert with the ATV's and Dunebuggies, but GTA4's constant city streets are just SOOO boring.

Personally I think that for Rockstar to make another GTA game the same size as San Andreas and have the same amount of detail that GTA4 had, they will need to utilize the extra capacity that Blu-ray provides and I hope that Rockstar does that with GTA5.

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pathetic fanboys - 387 days 17 hours ago

12.1 - why do you think

san andreas had more content?

vice city had more content that gta3, and san andreas had more content than vice city. do you know why? because they were all follow up games!

they built the engine and crafted the game(gta3), then, they got used to it, and added more stuff for the follow up(vice city). then expanded upon it(san andreas).

the next gta will be bigger, and have more stuff, and will evolve like the gta's last gen.

still, nice try with the size limitation because of dvd9. but with your name and post history, it's to be expected.

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condemmedman - 387 days 19 hours ago

13 - it takes times

I did'nt rate this at first but after a while it gets more enjoyable but they need to lose the dating keeping your mates happy crap

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bmatthews - 387 days 19 hours ago

14 - I am not saying i hate GTA IV

I actually quite liked the game, especially the new Euphoria physics, for reasons I'm pretty sure most people know already ;)

the move to realism may not have been the best, but the game was still fun...in a realistic sorta way...

:|

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DMasta718 - 387 days 19 hours ago

15 -

GTAIV was good but people trash it because they over hyped it. If it wasn't over hyped, people would be singing a different tune.

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Raoh - 387 days 19 hours ago

16 -

GTA4 was not horrible.

it just brought nothing new to the table.

one thing GTA4 did do right was everything that was broken in the previous games was fixed.

the mechanics, the load screens, the hit detection, the pop ins, etc it all worked well..

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DNAgent - 387 days 18 hours ago

17 - Realism didn't make the game suck.

What made the game suck is it going multi-platform. If it didn't go multi-platform then they could've focused on just the PS3. There wasn't much to do after beating the story either and it just wasn't as good as the other GTA games. If it was a PS3 exclusive then they could've put more into it with bluray and made a bigger game. If GTA5 is multi-platform then I will wait for it to hit the bargain bin but if it's a PS3 exclusive then I will buy it on day 1.

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Ldubbz - 387 days 16 hours ago

17.1 - correction...

If the devs didnt have to program for the PS3, the game would have been out sooner. That is the fact.

And dont give me that "because the PS3 is so advanced they havent figured it out" mess. It was because they needed to figure out how to stream all that data with lower memory and slower disc speeds

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baseballkid721 - 387 days 15 hours ago

17.2 -

uh ok, if it was out sooner, it still would suck... sooo what are you trying to say??

MOST LIKELY GTA5 will be a PS3 exclusive because R* said themselves that MS better do something with their space issue if they want GTA5 to be on 360

if GTA5 turns out to be a multiplatform, there will be many people being cautious with the game but if its a PS3 exclusive, then people will feel safer buying the game knowing that it will be a great experience

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Peow - 387 days 14 hours ago

17.3 - @17.1

Lower memory? 360 = 512mb RAM, PS3 = 512mb of RAM... PS3's is faster... it's not shared(both a good and bad thing).

Slow disc reading speeds? That doesn't really matter. With 25gb of space they could just simply duplicate the data anyway. Of course they just installed data to the hard drive, so do that.

Both PS3 and 360 have their share of problems. It's not like if GTAIV were 360 exclusive it would've come out sooner and have been the best ever. It would be the same if it were PS3 exclusive. Don't go off blaming one system, blame both. COD4 were built separately, and they look identical, play identical, load the same speed. No install on PS3's version either.

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Ldubbz - 387 days 16 hours ago

18 - And in other news pizza and ice cream are also terrible...

Hahahaa...GTA 4 is bad. I dont know what game other people were playing, but its too bad you didnt enjoy it. I know I did. A 10? I dont know about that, but pretty close.

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Ziggi - 387 days 16 hours ago

19 - Realism Killed GTA

What happened to all the stupid, insanely fun things you could do, such as run someone over then fly so high you can let them land in your pick up truck then take them to the crusher (GTA3.

The realism in the driving killed it too. I mean you wouldnt you have killed time but driving round for fun, everytime i got on a bike or fast car on previous GTA games i was looing forward to the mission but on GTA4 i wasnt. Why change something when its practically perfect and f' it up for 'realism'

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zeph94 - 387 days 16 hours ago

20 - GTAIV WAS FAIL because

It had NO tanks and Brucie made me was to kick puppies and rape kittens

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Strife Lives - 387 days 16 hours ago

21 - Gta4 sold well

BECAUSE they said the only thing they took out of San Andreas was the planes.And we Were LIED TOO! from modding cars to parachutes, it was all ripped away out of GTA4. . .Killd the experience.

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poeo - 387 days 16 hours ago

22 -

i loved GTAIV, especially the realism.. and i really dont understand why people didnt like the driving, that was for me the MAIN reason why i kept playing it! for me it felt spot on and very enjoyable, when i got the hang of it. the hood view was awesome too.

the game could've had way more content though :/ more varied missions that werent just about killing some random thug.. and there werent many places to go inside... that was probably most disappointing to me. i so wanted to go inside a library, or a police station, or the church.. etc. how long would it have taken them to model just a few more indoor spaces? a couple days? a week..? :/

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Ziriux - 387 days 15 hours ago

23 -

This is a great article. I cannot even count how many times I've been in a good discussion with people that won't accept the fact that GTA IV or even the series in general has opened to door to open world action games. Rockstar somehow manages to do it every time.

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locos85 - 387 days 14 hours ago

24 -

The thing I didn't like about GTA4 was the stupid relationships I had to keep up with. everyone and their moma kept calling me and being upset because I didnt answer. I want to only worry about my character and not about the feelings of others. I got so annoyed that I couldn't finish the game.

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Cyber Gamer - 387 days 12 hours ago

25 -

I had this game 1 week before it was out in the shops it was good when u look back at all the gta games this was the best in Graphics wise but damn it missed so much things like in gta sa had but if u played the first gta u should no this by now they add more things in the secound and the 3rd gta is gonna be like gta sa

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kazan - 387 days 9 hours ago

26 -

this is really one good example shows that graphics are not as important to gamers than the actual gameplays

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LinuxGuru - 387 days 9 hours ago

27 -

The animation and driving in GTA IV were fantastic.

As far as varying gameplay...not so much, compared to older GTA titles.

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thedarkvault - 387 days 8 hours ago

28 -

I don't think GTA4 has changed my expectations or raised a bar in any way really.
I mean yeah it looks a lot better, is a lot more real looking and gritty, and the narrative has way more depth, but it's still not a huge revolution like when GTA3 came out. It's not a giant leap forward in terms of how the game is played and how the gaming experience is received by the player.

I've been a fan of a series ever since I was about 12 and played my first gta game on my psx, GTA london 1969. GTA3 was 90% of the reason I wanted a ps2 when I got it for christmas in 2001. I pre-ordered both vice city and san andreas. I also pre-ordered gta4 and have had it since release date, but honestly, I still haven't beat it, I will probably get on it soon but I always lose interest. It may be a whole new engine and everything, but I still get the same "been there done that" feeling all the time. I really wish they would have taken the setting overseas instead of new york again. It would at least feel like a new game, rather than a new generation revisit to GTA3's world, feel, and vibe.

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FrankenLife - 387 days 6 hours ago

29 -

Pffff. I'll move your bar, and you are going to like it.

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Keowrath - 387 days 2 hours ago

30 -

Yup, they moved the bar. I don't think it was in the right direction. Sure it looks nice and the driving mechanics are... Different.

Saints Row 2 is everything and more what GTA4 should have been. Never played the original but the 2nd one is just so much fun. I actually feel like I have freedom in SR2 whereas GTA4 had me CHAINED down. Oh a phone call, let's go bowling. Ok now I'm going to... Oh, another phone call, lets play darts. OK, now I've kept people happy I want to... Ring ring F*** OFF!!!! I know you can ignore the calls and even turn your phone off but it comes back to bite you on the ass when you decide to turn the phone back on. But to top it all off, the missions at the end of the day were just plain boring.

Playing Fuzz on SR2 is WAY more enjoyable than even the old Vigilante missions anyway and there's SO many more activities to do in SR. Now if you'll excuse me I need to go spray the city in sh!te.

I'll be looking at GTA5 with extremely critical eyes and very doubtful I'll pick it up day 1 (unlike all previous GTA's from 3 upwards) but I'm pretty sure SR3 will be a first day purchase.

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Angelusbane - 387 days 1 hour ago

31 -

Don't get me wrong I liked GTAIV, but it had one major flaw. The game was depressing. It was fun driving at top speed in a banshee but not being able to own businesses was a step back in my opinion. Also the continued phone calls by friends for lfts was bloody annoying, what is wrong with side missions. I know, in the future, I will wait for reviews before I buy any other GTA game instead of going on the hype.

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GarandShooter - 386 days 21 hours ago

31.1 -

'I know, in the future, I will wait for reviews before I buy any other GTA game instead of going on the hype'

Unfortunately, that may not help. The hype for this game went all the way from fanboy to reviewer, and judging by that, may not have changed your purchase decision.

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wibble - 386 days 23 hours ago

32 -

GTAIV felt like a grind with all the missions. But if you tried to ignore the missions and just do your own thing then there wasn't really that much to do. The game felt shallow.

There was way too much cut scenes and scripting for me. I'll go rent a movie if I want that sort of thing. Same applies to MGS4.

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Shane Kim - 387 days 21 hours ago

1 -

"But GTA IV moved the bar towards realism - even super-realism, you know?"

Yup and that was what made this game suck.

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Foxgod - 387 days 20 hours ago

1.1 -

you should promote this game you doodoo, then gta 5 may become 360 excluvie.

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ravinshield - 387 days 16 hours ago

1.2 - Midway: "GTA 4 on Xbox 360 has changed gamers' expectations

i totally agree with midway

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inFAMOUS_KRATOS - 387 days 20 hours ago

2 - ^ you idoit

what killed gta4 was lack of using bicycles....freaking gang turfs...freaking jetpacks freaking military helipod freaking tanks!!!

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Foxgod - 387 days 20 hours ago

2.1 -

dont say that too loud, you may make ps3 fans angry because the bikes DLC featured for the 360 will make GTA4 a whole game.

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Pennywise - 387 days 20 hours ago

2.2 -

DLC is pointless for the million people who have traded it back to GameStop.

Just because someone is going to spray air freshener on a turd 10 months later, does not make me want it back.

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Foxgod - 387 days 20 hours ago

2.3 -

i spotted a hater!!!

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2.4 Keele | 387 days 20 hours ago - User only got 1 bubble - Show

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Pennywise - 387 days 20 hours ago

2.5 -

It was an OKAY game... not the game it was made out to be.

I lost interest at 20% or so... that isnt good :\

And the multiplayer with its autoaim loving noobs....

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creamydingle - 387 days 20 hours ago

3 -

I had more fun playing Saints Row 2. I wont be buying the dlc for gta4 but hopefully some comes for saints row 2. Great comment Pennywise!

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Pennywise - 387 days 20 hours ago

3.1 -

lol thanks :D

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bmatthews - 387 days 19 hours ago

3.2 - IMO

and this is nothing against you...

Saints Row 2 sucks!!

its a completely below average game. but that's just my opinion, its so easy to cross the line that a game becomes to silly to play and that's SR2

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Magic_The_Celt - 387 days 19 hours ago

4 -

GTA IV was amazing, the realism just made it more fun

i mean hell, car chases and running people over never felt so good before GTA IV!

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bmatthews - 387 days 19 hours ago

4.1 -

I completely agree, and don't know where all the hate is coming from

GTA IV IMO was very fun because of the realism included...games like Sr2 boast huge fun factor, but that game is verging on ridiculous stupidity and silliness...

and the Euphoria physics made it all the more awesome!

just my opinion though.

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pshizle - 387 days 16 hours ago

5 - gta4

blew my sac

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mario888 - 387 days 12 hours ago

5.1 -

Game was too small and the graphics suked. And the online is for noobs - aka auto aim.

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MiztaToungueTwista - 387 days 8 hours ago

6 -

very dissapointing, i wish they brought back GTA SAN ANDREAS

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