The end of PC gaming, the beginning of an immense migraine

[ilkman]

It depends on the console. The ps3 is supposedly 'hacker proof' at the moment because of blu-ray copy protection or some nonsense while the Xbox360 is supposed to be easy to do with some extra software. I have no idea about the wii.

I think the Wii is hard due to everything being encoded on the hardware. There is no 'OS' so to speak, to crack.
I always thought the PS3 was hard to crack because of the Cell processor. Hardly anyone knows how to work with it outside of those companies that have the information on it.

 

[T2A`]

Console piracy isn't as pervasive due to the hardware modifications required, I think. The idea is that it's impossible to recreate one of those specialized discs, so you need to mod the hardware to accept the obvious fake. To prevent this, security is built into the console's hardware itself based on the proprietary disc format it's looking for. It's fairly 1773 stuff.

I remember reading a long article years ago about how people got around the old Xbox's hardware-based security systems, and there was definitely a lot of fiddling around with things inside. I recall a bit stating that the original had a check built into the southbridge for the legit OS, and apparently stuff like that is littered throughout. If something is deemed wrong in any part of the boot sequence, it halts. D:

PC piracy is super-easy in comparison because the media comes in standardized formats. At worst you need but a few apps to do it -- torrenting, virtual disc mounting, unRARing, etc. Even the mostly unliterate can pull that off.

 

[Matfei]

LTTE stuff, hey.

 

[KaL976]

Piracy be damned... but that really isn't the issue here.

I mind jumping through hoops to create & link accounts I don't want or need,
but I mind more when after all that the game is still borked.

...

I'd dearly like to know the exact specs of the PCs they used to port it.

 

[Darkdrium]

The Wii and the X-Box 360 can both be hacked.
The PS3 cannot.

Why does PC get this special treatment? Well I guess that's because they can give you these boatloads of crap on a PC. They can't on a console. I'm sure if they could they would do it.

Also installing games on the PS3 isn't really comparable to a PC. Installs on the PS3 are limited installs of textures and models and etc to shorten loading times. The game would still be able to run entirely off the disc if the option was available, but loadings would be longer.

 

[Plumb_Drumb]

The PS3 cannot be hacked?

We'll see.
If you can run games and such on it, it can be hacked.

edit
oh, jeez, a quick Google of the matter has brought up a load of info regarding the PS3 being hacked a long time ago. lol.
________
California dispensary

 

[Festering Anus]

I picked up GTA4 PC and am enjoying it so far.

 

[Lizard Of Oz]

T

• My computer isn't a monster but it's well above average. I am allowed to max out all settings but I can't even raise "Texture Detail" above medium, I can't set my resolultion to larger than 1280x1024, I can't set draw distance above 50%, and I can't even use the most basic 2xAA. The game won't let you do ANY tweaking with graphics to find the best "performance/looks" ratio because it's trying to "protect" you from accidentally straining your PC. So it locks up some of the graphics configuration options.

• 
  
  Start the game with the following command line argument...
  
  -norestrictions:
  
  ...for "unlimited" graphic options.
  
  
  Other command line stuff...
  
  -benchmark: Runs the benchmark tool and immediately exits game.
  -help: Display list of all command line options
  -renderquality: Set the render quality of the game. (0-4)
  -shadowdensity: Set the shadow density of the game. (0-16)
  -texturequality: Set the texture quality of the game. (0-2)
  -viewdistance: Set the view distance of the game (0-99)
  -detailquality: Set the detail quality of the game. (0-99)
  -novblank: Disable wait for vblank (No Vsync)
  -norestrictions: Do not limit graphics settings
  -width: Set width of main render window (default is 800)
  -height: Set height of main render window (default is 600)
  -safemode: Run the graphics in the lowest setting possible
  -frameLimit: Limit frame to interval of refresh rate (ex If refreshrate is 60HZ –frameLimit 1 = Locks down to 60HZ)
  -refreshrate: Set the refresh rate of main render window – Warning - Monitor must support (ex. –refreshrate 60)
  -fullscreen: Force fullscreen mode
  -windowed: Force windowed mode
  -availablevidmem: Set amount of physical Video Memory(ex. –availablevidmem 0.9)
  -percentvidmem: Percentage of video memory to make available to GTA
  -fullspecaudio: Force high-end CPU audio footprint
  -minspecaudio: Force low-end CPU audio footprint
  -noprecache: Disable precache of resources
  -nomemrestrict: Disable memory restrictions

 

[Jrubzjeknf]

Is there also a command line parameter that allows the game to start without GFW and RGSC running?

 

[Matfei]

It's called Uninstallation.

 

[daloonie]

Thanks Jack, you just saved me a buttload of cash I can then spend on a proper game instead.

It's not even the only problems with the game. So far they have issues getting it to run on some pc's and iirc they're giving money back for games that won't work on customers pc's.
Saw an article somewhere yesterday with an explanation of error codes. Don't know where though.

 

[Kaleena]

GTA 4 is one of the worst console ports of this year; 15fps on a GTX280 or a 4870X2, I mean, yeah cool, it doesn't even look half as good as Crysis. Add to this the secuROM, DRM and installation issues mentionned by Jack = not even going to try to the game by pirating or whatever.

I'm not really interested in this game anyway, but I did think about ordering it not long ago, seeing all the hype on consoles etc.

Hopefully I didn't. Many people are expecting a patch from Rockstar, but TBH I fail to remember a miracle patch in pretty much any game.

 

[Balton]

these days I mostly rent out games for xbox360... hardly leaves me disappointed and I'm saving bucks on pricey hardware.

 

[Kyllian]

It depends on the console. The ps3 is supposedly 'hacker proof' at the moment because of blu-ray copy protection or some nonsense while the Xbox360 is supposed to be easy to do with some extra software. I have no idea about the wii.

Sony also said their newest-gen PSP was unhackable and within a month a way was found
PS3 is just a matter of time if it isn't hacked already*

And like you covered, you don't even have to do hardware mods to hack a 360

*

edit
oh, jeez, a quick Google of the matter has brought up a load of info regarding the PS3 being hacked a long time ago. lol.

Not surprised!


As for the "designed for future hardware" they either should have just held onto the PC version til this "future hardware" was available or just own up to the fact they didn't port it for ****

 

[Balton]

Sony also said their newest-gen PSP was unhackable and within a month a way was found
PS3 is just a matter of time if it isn't hacked already*

And like you covered, you don't even have to do hardware mods to hack a 360

psp, ds, xbox360, wii, ps3 are all being pirated. You don't even have to look around much to figure that out. Every torrent site carries roms of said consoles.
The argument that only pc people warez is moot. I think most companies aim for consoles because the ratio of very young gamers that are still easily impressed(and would shell out bucks for a movie to game adaption like Jumper[uber dreck!]) to older ones that expect something from a game
leans towards young gamers that still forgive shallow gameplay, crappy art bugs etc.

 

[IronMonkey]

I fail to remember a miracle patch in pretty much any game.

Not quite a game patch but...

Halo for the PC - another substandard console-port.

Nvida released new drivers that seriously optimised shader operations. Went from 23fps to 35fps on my PC at the time iirc

 

[Plumb_Drumb]

I remember somehow Rockstar screwed up the PS3 version too.
Something about the required install not working properly making the game unplayable.

They patched that up right quick though, at least.
________
VOLCANO VAPORIZER

 

[Leo(T.C.K.)]

You made a grammar typo? So you didn't mean to say that PC gaming was the most "pure" form of gaming?

I'm not trying to say you deserved to get all the BS you had to deal with when you installed GTA4. In fact it's because of reasons like what you experienced why I rarely deal with newer PC games. Because I've been there too. It sucks. But what Kaiser said is merely a mirror of a long standing PC elitist mantra that quite frankly, I'm sick of seeing. Anyone who thinks they are "smarter" for choosing to play a game on the PC over a console, well it's only fitting when they get burned. The nineties are over my friends.

And what about people who cannot buy today's consoles, because they are too expensive? You may laugh about that, do that so, but such people exist, as me....
I would like to get console, but unless it gets more equel to what you can gain and to what buy, I am not getting it, because here it isn't equal, you can have it and laugh about this, but it's the truth...not much people have consoles here either, maybe it's common at America and some european countries where the prices are equal or at least not that different to your salary, etc, especially when around here you pay a ****load for a flat each month and what you have left is mostly for food and others things and where the hell is space to buy console? Nowhere.....

So **** consoles and people who make games only for that......because it's not like a chance I'll get one, the only console I had is NES, which was rather cheap and popular........

 

[Mister_Prophet]

And what about people who cannot buy today's consoles, because they are too expensive? You may laugh about that, do that so, but such people exist, as me....
I would like to get console, but unless it gets more equel to what you can gain and to what buy, I am not getting it, because here it isn't equal, you can have it and laugh about this, but it's the truth...not much people have consoles here either, maybe it's common at America and some european countries where the prices are equal or at least not that different to your salary, etc, especially when around here you pay a ****load for a flat each month and what you have left is mostly for food and others things and where the hell is space to buy console? Nowhere.....

...what the hell are you talking about? What am I laughing at now?

So **** consoles and people who make games only for that......because it's not like a chance I'll get one, the only console I had is NES, which was rather cheap and popular........

You're saying screw consoles because you can't afford them, and it's not fair?

Again, what?

 

[Kantham]

DRM purpose: Anti-Piracy.
DRM results: Piracy increase.

Lighten up, industry.