GTA4 Preview: It's Official Xbox Magazine's Turn! Options

[Qdeathstar]

In the latest issue of the Official Xbox Magazine in the UK, the next major preview of GTA4 was released. It appears that the demo that OXM saw was similar to the version that previous magazines including Game Informer and Official PlayStation Magazine previewed.

The magazine however did contain some new interesting information, some of which is listed below:

- According to OXM, GTA IV is currently 66% complete.

- When Niko pulls out a pistol, a cross-hair with a simple black cross within a circle shows up on the screen. The authors of the magazine believe this is an indication of a possible manual targeting system.

- Rockstar's humorous take on the number 69 makes an appearance yet again in GTA IV, the editors of the magazine saw a sign for a "69th Street Diner". Another building called "Twitchins", the GTA version of Brooklyn's Domino's Sugar Factory, is in the game.

- Niko will be able to climb and descend exterior fire escapes and some meetings will take place high in the office buildings of skyscrapers. The authors claim that from on top of them you'll be able to throw people off.

- Hand to hand combat is also being reworked on for GTA IV and will feel "much more natural" than before.

- One of the radio stations includes an "Eastern European-sounding" dancing station.

- Players will be able to change their camera views according to their needs. This however is said to still being experimented on, and that Rockstar want to give better control to players.

- When selecting your mobile phone, a zoomed-in version of the mobile screen pops up in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen, where you can use its address book to pitch for "jobs" with gang contacts among other things.

- One of the things that makes it easier for Rockstar setting GTA in a fictional New York is that they sometimes get a call from the developers at Rockstar North in Scotland, wanting to know more about a specific building or traffic flow in a certain area, for instance, and using their in-house researchers in NYC they can easily assist the guys back at R* North.

- Dan Houser is quoted saying that the Liberty City in GTA IV is bigger than any single city they've done before, giving a more clear indication of the physical size of the game. He continues saying that the "detail" of the game is the big thing.

- He also confirms Central Park to be in the game, though it's fictional name is still unknown to us.

- Dan says that they're "certainly evolving the way the radio works". He says the same for police behaviour and their reaction to crimes. Nothing further is said about this...

- Boats will be making a return and the handling is "really nice".

- The authors of the article say that they have been told that "Fun ridiculous" weapons will be in the game because R* is not going too "naturalistic".

SOURCE:GTA4.net

As always, you can talk all about it in our GTA4 Forums in this topic!

[Kamahl]

sounds really amazing!

sometimes i hate these previews cause they make me want the game even more.

[tethered]

- The authors of the article say that they have been told that "Fun ridiculous" weapons will be in the game because R* is not going too "naturalistic".

Thats good to know.

[1UP]

sounds really amazing!

sometimes i hate these previews cause they make me want the game even more.

ha ha yeah, cant help but read it every update tho >.< and every screen and trailer =[
Thing about the fire escapes and throwing people off buildings sound fuckin A =o

[Anton]

scyscrapers sound wicked. this means they wanna show off the new draw distance?

[-spyder-]

well the news is getting better by the months, hopefully it does turn out to be great game afterall

[Amis]

That sounds cool, I can't wait for this game to be released

[Sanshiro]

- According to OXM, GTA IV is currently 66% complete.

Actually, this is good and bad news at the same time. Bad because they only have five months left for the release date, and good because it sounds that this game is going to be gigantic... They started the development in Oct. 2004 and it's only 66% finished, this GTA will certainly redefine videogames industry.

[Hardcore Ottoman]

- One of the radio stations includes an "Eastern European-sounding" dancing station.

Techno!!!!!!! Rave!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOT HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!











Hopefully....

[OptimumPx]

So they are continuing the 69 naming game.

Who else thinks the game's version of the Queensboro Bridge (aka the 59th Street Bridge) will be known in-game as the 69th Street Bridge?