Rockstar Games have announced that GTA IV will be arriving on the PC on November 18th and 21st in North America and Europe, respectively. Hurrah!
New York, NY – August 6, 2008 – Rockstar Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), is proud to announce that Grand Theft Auto IV will be arriving on the PC on November 18th and 21st in North America and Europe, respectively.
"We are very excited to be releasing the PC version of Grand Theft Auto IV," said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. "The whole team is dedicated to bringing an amazing gaming experience to the PC. The game looks and plays beautifully on PC and we can't wait for people to play it."
Developed by series creator Rockstar North and set in Liberty City, the latest installment in the enormously successful Grand Theft Auto series features a painstakingly detailed and life-like city for players to explore; a rich, immersive narrative experience; an original soundtrack highlighting the cultural eclecticism of Liberty City; and newly expanded multiplayer just for the PC.
GTA IV Announced on PC!
New GTA 4 PC details revealed in The Game Machine
Well it has been over a month since anyone last saw anything new on the PC version. However it appears the Italian magazine "The Game Machine" has had a sneak peak and revealed some new details :-
The replay editor will record the last 30 seconds of gameplay. Once the video has been saved you can use inbuilt software in GTA 4 to add special effects and change camera angles. You will also be able to add audio tracks from the official soundtrack of the game (no word on whether you can use your own MP3's). Once your video is done it can then be published on Rockstars Social Club site so others can watch it.
The GPS and map have been beefed up, thanks to the mouse it is now just point and click. However Rockstar have added the ability for you to mark locations, make notes and add images. That should make hunting those pesky pigeons a bit easier.The other important bit of information is that Rockstar have managed to improve the game streaming, thanks to the power of the cpu in modern PC's. This means less of the "same car syndrome" in which you would see lots of the same car you are driving. The magazine is also claiming that there will be more pedestrians and vehicles visible in the PC version
Social Club Update: Viral Infection
After first being announced in July, Social Club's "Viral Infection" zombie feature is now finally available at Rockstar Social Club. Here is the description from Rockstar:
There is a virus sweeping through Grand Theft Auto IV turning many unsuspecting players into Zombies. If you’ve seen the special Zombie-with-yellow-briefs player skin running around during Grand Theft Auto IV multiplayer, then you may already know that the virus can be contracted in any and all multiplayer modes and is spread when an unsuspecting player kills someone who has the infection (note that the infected don’t necessarily have to be wearing the Zombie skin, some show no symptoms!). The signs of infection are: access to the zombie skin and having the Achievement “Let Sleeping Rockstars Lie”. With the all-new Viral Infection feature at the Rockstar Social Club, members can now see whether they are currently infected, the number of total global infections and the number of infections in the last 24 hours. Digging deeper, Social Club members can also browse a color-coded world map tracking the spread of the infection worldwide, including breakdown for all 50 US States. Click here for the Viral Infection feature.
A few benefits of the PC version of GTA 4 uncovered
A Czech gaming site recently had the pleasure of being some of the first to see the PC version of GTA 4 in action.
Perhaps more so than GTA 3, playing GTA 4 on the PC is going to have a more benefits not found in the console versions of the game. For starters, the greater capability of the PC will allow gamers to play GTA 4 at up to 2560x1600 resolution, with higher quality textures.
GTA 4 PC will also have an improved movie-recording feature that will allow for movies to start recording up to 30 seconds into the past. So if you just pulled off a crazy quad-car flip trick by accident, you can pause the game, rewind, and record it.
A new multiplayer mode is also coming to the game, but Rockstar hasn't let any more details slip regarding this feature.
GTA 4 Sales Top 10 Million
Sales of the blockbuster title continue to exceed Take-Two's expectations.
Take-Two has announced that as of August 16, 2008 over 10 million units of Grand Theft Auto IV have been sold through to consumers.
The publisher, in its third quarter financial report, noted that net income for the quarter was $433.8 million, compared to $206.4 million for the same quarter of fiscal 2007. Third quarter sales were led by GTA 4 - Take-Two points to Top Spin 3 and Civilization Revolution as also performing well.
The huge sales of GTA 4 have also helped the publisher turn a net loss of $58.5 million in Q3 fiscal 2007 into a profit of $51.8 million in Q3 fiscal 2008.
GTA 4 is expected to continue to sell and will be boosted by the November PC release.
PS3 GTA IV Update Data 1.01 Released
A patch has been released for PlayStation 3 users of Grand Theft Auto IV. You will be prompted to download the update the next time you load GTA IV whilst being signed into the PlayStation Network. While download and installation is required to continue playing the game; totaling 18 MB, it shouldn't keep you away for too long.
As for content, the patch addresses certain online issues related to GameSpy's servers being overloaded. Not surprising, considering the sheer number of those playing the game.
Rockstar Games has released a GTA IV patch for Playstation 3 today that prevents GameSpy’s servers from being overloaded and therefore reduces the impact on those servers that were causing the game to stutter and lock up. We continue to monitor the performance of the game both on and offline and will provide further updates as necessary. We want to assure everyone that, together with our hardware partners, we continue to strive to give our fans the best possible interactive entertainment experiences possible. This update will ensure that everyone will experience Grand Theft Auto IV the way it was intended. We apologize for the inconvenience this has caused.
Results so far appear to be mixed, if discussion on our forums is anything to go by.
GTA4 dot net Lives!
Welcome to the newest version of GTA4.NET - we hope you like the new design, which was long overdue to say the least. There are still a few issues relating to Internet Explorer 6 that we hope to resolve over the next few days, but meanwhile check out some of the new content we have added:
Random Character Encounters.
GTA IV Friends & Girlfriends
High-End Assassination Missions.
Stevie's Text Message Car Thefts
Desktop Wallpapers.
We will continue to add new content over the coming weeks, and most of that content (including the present content) will be integrated with an interactive map at some point. Remember to register at our forum if you haven't already.
Social Club Update - Social Club Update - The Millionaires Club Launch
Rockstar Games today launched the Millionaires Club - "recognizing and celebrating all of the wealthy seven–figure Grand Theft Auto IV players at the Rockstar Games Social Club." Millionaire status is determined by totaling all of the money you've ever earned in single–player–mode from completing missions, winning races, doing vigilante side–jobs, and fortuitously picking up ‘dropped’ money in the street.
If you would like to see just how rich your fellow Millionaires are, you can mouse over each for a quick glimpse of their lifetime single–player money earned. With three leaderboards ranked by who’s become a Millionaire first, who’s done it quickest, and who is the richest in the City.
And also coming soon to Social Club... the Viral Infection "zombie feature." Sounds interesting, more info coming soon we're told.
Brian - Third (and final) Encounter
The third (and final) encounter with Brian becomes available one week after the previous encounter. Meet him on the corner of Montauk Avenue and Dillon Street during the morning. In the cutscene, Brian reveals that he has entered a rehabilitation program, and "step nine" of the program involves making amends with those he has harmed. Take Brian to the dealers on Asparagus Avenue so he can pay his debts. The dealers aren't satisfied, however, and they turn on Brian with a baseball bat. Take out the dealers and protect Brian, and then drive him back to his apartment to finish the mission. Brian pays you $500 for your assistance.
Brian - Second Encounter
The second encounter with Brian begins at Crockett Avenue in Hove Beach, near the first safehouse in Broker. Brian has developed an unhealthy drug addiction since your previous encounter, and he wants you do him a favour by taking him to Masterson Street where he can collect "the biggest rock in the world." Afterwards, take Brian to his apartment in Wappinger to conclude the mission. The reward for successful completion is $200.
Brian - First Encounter
The first encounter with Brian is unlocked after the mission "It's Your Call." Meet Brian at Iroquois Avenue, next to Roman's cab depot in Broker. There is no action involved in this first encounter, it simply serves as an introduction to the random characters, so all you have to do is watch the cutscene. Brian gives you $100 at the end of his little speech. Money well earned, eh?
Random Characters
There are fourteen "random characters" in total, and they each become available at different stages during the storyline. These characters are represented by the green male and female icons on the radar, and approaching them will trigger a cutscene. These characters are mostly minor characters that featured briefly during some missions, but who didn't have a huge part to play in the story. Completing all of the random character encounters contributes 5% towards 100% completion of the game. You can find a map of all their locations on the in-game internet by visiting "whattheydonotwantyoutoknow.com."
Multiplayer patch released by R*
Rockstar Games has released patches today for both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of GTA IV, which address a number of multiplayer connectivity issues including freezes during certain modes, continuation when players leave matches, and bugs within races and race lobbies.
Here is the full list of issues which have been addressed:
Fixed an issue where players were unable to enter or exit vehicles in GTA Race.
Fixed an issue where scripted vehicles were causing games to unexpectedly crash.
Improved reliability and frequency of PS3™ online leaderboard updates.
Fixed a rare hang some players encountered when moving from a Race or GTA Race lobby into gameplay.
Fixed a hang that would occur when players were switching teams during the countdown in the lobby.
Fixed an issue where players were able to get ridiculously high scores from Cops 'n Crooks matches.
Changed GTA Race and Race so that the last player remaining always receives a reward of $250.
Fixed an issue where spectating players would prevent the game from finishing.
Fixed an issue where players were unable to spectate in Round 2 of Cops 'n Crooks games.
Changed countdown timer in lobby so that it no longer resets when new players join a game.
Changed the kick option so that kicked players are no longer brought back to single player.
Catch me if you can!
For this game, you can have a small amount of players, but the more the merrier. Police should be turned off for this game. Head over to the airport. Split up the players. Half should get helicopters. Half should be in cars. The objective for the players in the helicopters is to blow up and kill all of the players in the cars. The players in the cars should try and stay alive as long as possible. Keep track of the time that the players were alive for! Once they are all dead, switch sides. See which team can stay alive the longest, without leaving the airport.
I had a blast with this! We had some intense firefights, and it is definitely a challenge for the players in the car! You might want to grab a fast and durable car that can keep you going beforehand. You u might want to use the planes as some shelter from the helicopters!
Party Bus
For this game, you want a good amount of players. Anyway from 6 players to 16 players is great. Make sure that you have police on for this session. You will want to stockpile on weapons before hand. Head over to Star Junction. In Star Junction, there are about 6 or 7 buses parked on the side. Pack everyone in one or two buses, and get ready. Once you are in motion, just start shooting everything and everyone in site. Have everyone get a ton of stars.
You will have a ton of fun just plowing through roadblocks! In no time, everyone should get 4 stars. You can drive around the whole island of Algonquin and still have the bus in good condition. It is a beast when it comes to police chases! In our playtime with this game, we counted over 30 cop cars all within close range of the bus. You will have a blast with this game!
The End Story End GTA 4
The following article is for players who completed the game. Rockstar Games kept their word in that the game will not end in one specific way, but that there will be varried ways dependant on what you choose to do near the end of the game. As you'd expect, the following article contains spoilers. So don't read on if you didn't complete the game yet.
The two different ways that the game end is not all that different, but they involve different characters and certain people die if you go one way, whereas other die another way. This is not a mission guide, but merely a rundown of the events taking place at the end of the story line of Grand Theft Auto IV.
Near the end of the game, Jimmy Pegorino will call you up and ask that you come see him at a Strip Club. He wants you to partner up with your adversary Dimitri and engage in a drug deal. Things have not gone so well with Dimitri in the past, he is after all the man who burnt down Roman's business and apartment in Broker. So naturally Niko is hesitant on what to do.
You'd think that Roman would still be furious about this, and would encourage Niko to not go ahead with the deal, but he actually wants you to go forward with it. He'll speak with you on the phone telling you that it would be the best option, especially given the money involved. He even sends you a text message telling you that if you do this deal, you can use this money and maybe fly up to Vice City some time.
On the other side, Packie's sister Kate does not want you to go forward with this deal. She says that you don't need the money, and you should remember the negative behavior that Dimitri exhibited towards you in the past.
So from here you have two options to take: the "Deal" option in Alderney - which will start the mission "If the Price is Right", or the "Revenge" option - which will start "A Dish Served Cold". The former of which is what Niko encourages of course, and the latter what Kate does.
Grand Theft Auto 4 -GTA4
I wouldn’t mind a little more detail as well. I started a thread over at PC Gamer magazine’s forums about just this very topic–why hadn’t anyone ever pressed Rockstar about the PC version of GTA IV:
http://www.pcgamer.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=38965
I’m not familiar with your site but this looks to me like the first time anybody has gotten this much detail in a quote from Rockstar before. Can you lend us a little more specificity as to the quality of your source?
When I emailed Rockstar about this issue, this was all I got:
Thanks for the email. Unfortunately, since we haven’t announced plans for any possible PC version of Grand Theft Auto IV, I’m afraid I don’t have an answer for you. Stay tuned to the Rockstar Games official website for details on all of our upcoming game announcements.
Cheers,
Rockstar Games
GTA IV For PC Very Doubtful
Okay, who here isn’t crazy for GTA IV? Seriously. 360 fans running a muck about it and their DLC with PS3 fans going crazy over finally playing one of the most anticipated titles to date. Even the PC crowd is joining in on the action and asking about when it’s likely GTA will come for the PC (e.g. 12 months+).
We hate to ruin the party for all the PC hopefuls out there, but Rockstar’s Nick Hersh, one of the associate producers, has something to say and you might want to sit down for this:
As for GTA IV coming out on the PC, that’s very doubtful as we currently have no plans to develop for the PC. We could only focus our efforts extensively on so many consoles at once, and PC might not see the light of day.
And the music stops. The DJ’s headphones pop out at the PC party crowd as the record warps a bit back. It’s dead silent. Nobody move.
GTA4 - Your Thoughts
It's been about 3 weeks since Grand Theft Auto IV was released, and in that first week almost every single gamer had the same thoughts on their mind: "This game is the greatest piece of video gaming software ever made!", but we want to know how everyone feels now.
A lot of people have completed the story and a fair few have already achieved 100% completion, so we'd like to hear your own personal opinions now that you've spent countless hours with the game.
Does it still make you wet yourself with excitement when you play it? Are you becoming bored of it? Do various things really piss you off? Does the multiplayer just not appeal to you? Is there enough stuff to do once you've finished the main story? Do you wish something else was in the game? Get it off your chest and post in this topic on our forums so we can find out exactly what GTA fans really think of Grand Theft Auto IV.
Game Details
Keeping friends and dates happy means spending time with them and doing things that they enjoy, and all of them have different personalities. Some friends like to join you for minigames such as tenpin bowling, pool, or darts, whereas others prefer to go out for a meal, get drunk, or take in a show. Of course, dates are much fussier than regular friends, and their opinions of you are influenced not only by whether you pick them up on time, where you take them, and whether you try your luck when dropping them at home, but also by a number of much more subtle factors. Dates will comment on stuff like the car you drive, how you drive it, and the clothes you wear. They'll even notice if you wear the same outfit two dates in a row, though not all of them will be bothered by it. The rewards that you get when another character likes you enough vary depending on who it is. Without wishing to give away specifics, befriending a lawyer can prove useful if you're having trouble with the cops, for example, and having a nurse on your friends list can literally be a lifesaver.
You'll keep in touch with your dates, friends, and some of your enemies using another of GTAIV's great new features: a cell phone. It's hard to believe that something as simple as a cell phone could add so much to a game like this, but it's implemented so well that it's hard to imagine leaving any of Niko's safe houses without it. If you've ever used a cell phone in real life, you'll have no problem operating this one and, given that it's controlled using only the D pad and a single button, it's easy to call up acquaintances and take calls even while driving. There's no unwieldy conversation system to deal with; you simply choose which friend you want to call, what you want to talk about (it could be work, a fun activity, or asking for a favor) and then, assuming that he or she answers the phone, the conversation plays out. Incoming calls are even easier, though they occasionally come at inopportune (or amusing) times; hearing your cell-phone's signal interfere with your car radio is the least of your worries when you consider the possibility of a date calling you while you're with a prostitute or embroiled in a gunfight with the Mafia. Incidentally, new ringtones and visual themes for your phone can be purchased via the in-game Internet, which is typical of the incredible attention to detail that you'll come to take for granted as you play.
To give you some idea of just how much thought has clearly gone into the crafting of GTAIV, even the act of stealing a parked car, which is still achieved by pushing a single button, can now result in any number of different things happening. If the door is locked, as is often the case, Niko will smash a window with his elbow or his foot to get inside. Once inside the car, he may need to hot-wire it to get it started; you can speed up the process slightly by using the shoulder buttons on your controller. If the car has an alarm, it'll sound for several seconds and cause the headlights to flash on and off as you drive away--practically begging any nearby cops to come after you. Stealing cars with drivers and/or passengers inside opens up lots more possibilities, the most amusing of which is someone (possibly you) getting an arm caught in a door and dragged along as the vehicle speeds away.
Most of the vehicles in GTAIV, like those in previous games, have very loose handling that makes it easy for you to perform Hollywood-style U-turns, skids around corners, and the like. You can play through most of the missions without ever violating a traffic law if you really want to, but you can get away with (and will have a lot more fun) driving like a lunatic, provided that you don't collide with any police vehicles or mow down too many pedestrians. A neat touch when driving with the default camera view is that the camera, which is positioned a few feet behind the rear bumper of the car, centers on you rather than on the vehicle, effectively offering the vehicular equivalent of an over-the-shoulder view. When you take the control of something sporty, the camera also positions itself much closer to the ground, which adds to the sensation of speed.
The vehicle handling is difficult to fault, regardless of whether you're in a sports car, a garbage truck, a motorcycle, a speedboat, or a helicopter. However, while driving, you might notice one odd quirk that has been a constant ever since GTAIII: When taking the controls of certain vehicles, you'll suddenly notice a lot more of the same vehicle on the roads. It's not a big deal, and it isn't detrimental to the gameplay, but it's a little jarring if you get into one of the more unusual vehicles in the game--for example, the equivalent of either a Ferrari or a pickup truck--and suddenly find that the city is filled with them. That particular quirk is pretty common in some of the multiplayer modes as well, though you'll likely be too busy keeping an eye out for other players to take any notice when you venture online.
Getting online in Grand Theft Auto IV couldn't be easier. You simply select the multiplayer option on your cell phone, choose which type of game you want to host or join, and then enter a lobby and wait for the game to start. You won't be getting bored staring at a list of names while you're waiting, though, because when you enter a lobby you actually enter an online version of Liberty City in which you and up to 15 other players are free to do anything. There are weapons scattered all over the place to ensure that things don't stay too friendly for very long.
There are more than a dozen different multiplayer modes to choose from, and although some of them are variations on similar themes, there's certainly no shortage of variety. As the host of a multiplayer session, you also have the freedom to greatly customize all of the game types with variables such as friendly fire, police presence, weapons sets, traffic levels, radar functionality, and many more. You can choose where you'd like your game to take place as well, considering that many gameplay modes can be played either on a specific Liberty City island or across the entire map.
Even conventional 16-player modes such as Deathmatch and Race feel quite different than anything that you've played before. And in addition to those, there are objective-based games in which you're tasked with completing missions similar to those in the single-player game: a team-based Cops 'n Crooks mode, a Turf War mode in which teams compete for control of territories, a carjacking mode, three cooperative missions that support up to four players, and more. With the right group of people, there's no reason why you can't have a lot of fun with every single mode that's available. We experienced a few frame-rate issues and lag that caused other players and their vehicles to jump around the screen at times, but for the most part GTAIV's online play is a real treat. One especially neat touch is that, as a passenger in a vehicle being driven by another player, you can mark waypoints on the GPS system for your driver using a map that tracks the locations of other players and objectives.
If you're wondering about differences between the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of Grand Theft Auto IV, the truth is that there aren't many. The PS3 version can only be played after a mandatory install that takes around 10 minutes, and its load times are a little shorter and less frequent as a result. The visuals, which don't always hold up to close scrutiny but are impressive during typical gameplay, are comparable and feature the same quirks (shadows that flicker, for example) on both consoles. Likewise, the audio, which can take a lot of the credit for why Liberty City feels so alive, is exceptional regardless of which console you have and how many speakers it's hooked up to. True to form, GTAIV's soundtrack has plenty of great licensed songs and, unlike other games we could mention, it doesn't force the artist and track information down your throat with pop-up windows that detract from gameplay. However, if you want that information, you can simply dial up a song-recognition service on your cell phone and, after a few seconds, receive it in a text message. Genius.
In case you haven't guessed already, Grand Theft Auto IV is a game that you simply have to play. The single-player game, which you can still play long after you complete the story, is the series' best by far, and the multiplayer features are good enough that you'll likely have no problem finding people to play with for many months to come. The minor flaws that you'll experience are no more difficult to overlook than those in previous GTA games, and they're greatly outnumbered by the features that will impress and surprise you anytime you think you've already seen everything that the game has to offer. There's lots to see in Liberty City, so you'd best get started.
Game Details
Stepping off a boat in the shoes of illegal immigrant Niko Bellic as he arrives in Liberty City at the start of Grand Theft Auto IV, you can tell immediately that Rockstar North's latest offering is something quite special. Yes, this is another GTA game in which you'll likely spend the bulk of your time stealing cars and gunning down cops and criminals, but it's also much more than that. GTAIV is a game with a compelling and nonlinear storyline, a game with a great protagonist who you can't help but like, and a game that boasts a plethora of online multiplayer features in addition to its lengthy story mode. It's not without some flaws, but GTAIV is undoubtedly the best Grand Theft Auto yet.
One of the many things that set GTAIV apart from its predecessors is Liberty City, which is more convincing as a living, breathing urban environment than anything that you've seen in a game before, and bears little resemblance to its namesake in 2001's GTAIII. Liberty's diverse population believably attempts to go about its daily business, seemingly unaware that several criminal factions are at war in the city. Niko has no such luck. He's compelled to start working for one of the factions shortly after arriving, when he learns that his cousin Roman has some potentially fatal gambling debts. Niko's military experience makes him a useful freelancer for employers in the business of killing each other, and though his reluctance to carry out their orders is often apparent, he does whatever is asked of him in the hope that completing missions for other people will ultimately give him the means to complete his own.
Actually, Niko doesn't have to do everything that is asked of him. On several occasions as you play through his story, you'll be presented with decisions that afford you the option of doing what you think is right rather than blindly following instructions. You don't necessarily have to kill a target if he or she promises to disappear, but you have to weigh the risk of your employer finding out against the possibility that the person whose life you spare might prove useful later in the game, or even have work for you in the form of bonus missions. To say anything more specific on this subject would be to risk spoiling one of GTAIV's most interesting new features, but suffice it to say that every decision you make has consequences, and you'll likely want to play through the game at least twice to see how the alternatives unfold.
Grand Theft Auto IV's story mode can be beaten in less than 30 hours, and there are so many optional activities and side missions to take part in along the way that you can comfortably double that number if you're in no hurry. The majority of the story missions task you with making deliveries and/or killing people, and play out in much the same way as those in previous games. With that said, most of the missions are a lot easier this time around, partly because Niko is a more agile and efficient killer than any of his predecessors, and partly because the LCPD seemingly has better things to do than hunt down an illegal immigrant who's gunning down undesirables all over the city. Some of the more imaginative missions sprinkled throughout the story include a kidnapping, a bank heist, and a job interview. The cinematic cutscenes associated with story missions are superbly presented and are the sequences in which the game's characters really shine. Without exception, the characters you encounter benefit from great animation, great voice work, and superbly expressive faces. They're not always so impressive when they join you on a mission and refuse to do what they're supposed to (for example, not following you on an escort mission, or failing to negotiate a doorway). Nevertheless, these problems are few and far between, and they're made less painful by the new "replay mission" option that you're presented with whenever you fail.
New abilities in Niko's arsenal include scaling fences and walls anywhere he can get a foothold, shimmying along ledges, and, most importantly, taking cover behind objects. The ability to stick close to walls, parked cars, and the like at the touch of a button makes GTAIV's gunplay a huge improvement over that in previous games, and, in tandem with the new targeting system, it also makes it a lot easier. Enemies are rarely smart enough to get to you while you're in cover, and given that you can lock your targeting reticle on to them even when they're hidden, all you have to do is wait for them to poke their heads out and then pick them off with a minimum of effort. Locking on to enemies targets their torso by default, but you can use the right analog stick to fine-tune your aim and kill them more quickly with a headshot or two. Playing without using the lock-on feature make things more difficult, but you’ll need to master the technique so that you can shoot blindly at enemies from positions of cover when you dare not poke your own head out to line up the shot.
Given the amount of trouble that you get into as you play through the story mode, it's inevitable that the police are going to get involved from time to time, even when their presence isn't a scripted feature of your mission. Liberty City's boys in blue are quick to respond when you get flagged with a wanted level of between one and six stars, but they're not nearly as tough to deal with as their counterparts in previous GTA games. They don't drive as quickly when pursuing you, they rarely bother to set up roadblocks, and you'll need to blow up practically an entire city block before the FIB (that's not a typo) show up. Furthermore, you're given an unfair advantage in the form of your GPS system; when you're not using it to plot a valid route to any waypoint of your choosing, it doubles as a kind of police scanner. Any time you have a brush with the law, the GPS shows you the exact locations of patrol cars and cops on foot in your area, and highlights the circular area (centered on your last known whereabouts) where they're concentrating their search. To escape, all you need to do is move outside the circle and then avoid being seen for 10 seconds or so, which is often best achieved by finding a safe spot and just sitting there. It's not a bad system in theory, but in practice it makes dodging the law a little too easy, especially when your wanted level is low and the search area is small.
When you're not running missions for criminals, taking part in street races, stealing cars to order, or randomly causing trouble, you'll find that there are plenty of opportunities to unwind in Liberty City. Some of these optional activities offer tangible rewards that can prove useful in missions later on, whereas others are just a fun way to kill time and take in more of GTAIV's superb humor. For example, you can watch television, listen to numerous different radio stations, check out some genuinely funny shows (including some big-name acts) at cabaret and comedy clubs, and use a computer to surf the in-game Internet.
GTAIV's Internet is filled with spoofs of all the kinds of Web sites that you'd only ever look at accidentally or when you know there's no danger of getting caught. Some of them can be found only by clicking on links in spam e-mails, whereas others are advertised prominently on the search page. There's plenty of amusing stuff to find if you spend some time in one of the "TW@" Internet cafes, but the most interesting site by far is an online dating agency through which you can meet women who, if they like your profile, will agree to go on dates with you. Dating and socializing with friends is something you can spend as much or as little of your time doing as you like, and though the people you meet can occasionally be demanding to the point that they become irritating, keeping them happy invariably benefits you in some way.
Multiplayer - Race Modes
RACE
1-16 Players
Race to the finish through each checkpoint in order: If you take a wrong turn or mess up in some way, you can respawn your vehicle on the last checkpoint you passed. There is a large selection of races for cars, boats, and helicopters - you can choose laps and vehicle class/type. This mode has two sub-modes: Free Race and Cannonball Run.
Free Race are point-to-point races. First one to reach the end point wins.
Cannonball Run are races where you have to traverse several checkpoints any way you can.
GTA RACE
1-16 Players
Similar to the orthodox Race, but with the added element of combat. Race and fight your way through the checkpoints in order and then hit the finish, but this time you can also pick up the weapons spawned en route to help take out your opponents. You can also exit the vehicle during the road races.
Multiplayer - Competitive Modes
DEATHMATCH
2-16 Players
It's a complete free for all! Anything goes, and you can use any tactics you like to kill off the competition. Confined to specific areas of Liberty City in order to keep the action intense.
MAFIYA WORK
2-8 Players
Working under the direction of Kenny Petrovic via. your cellphone, you will compete against other players in a series of mini-missions. You might have to pick up recruits for the firm or take out a target, or even find and then dispose of a dozen severed heads.
CAR JACK CITY
Number of players unknown
Details coming soon.
DEAL BREAKER
Number of players unknown
Details coming soon.
FREE MODE
1-16 Players
Like single-player, except playing with your friends. Complete free for all. No rules, no objectives, no score. You're free to do whatever you wish.
Multiplayer - Cooperative Modes
HANGMAN's NOOSE
2-4 Players
Single player mission that features co-op play. Mafiya boss Petrovic has illegally flown into Francis International Airport, and someone has tipped off the cops. The objective? Escort Petrovic to safety while being pursued by the Liberty City Police Department's NOOSE (SWAT) division.
BOMB DA BASE
Number of players unknown
Details coming soon.
BOMB DA BASE II
Number of players unknown
Details coming soon.
Multiplayer - Team Modes
TEAM DEATHMATCH
2-8 Teams
Players work as a team to rub out other teams for money - and the crew with the most cash at the end of the round wins. Take the other crew down. Remember to loot the cash dropped by deceased players. That's the way to get ahead.
TEAM MAFIYA WORK
2-8 Teams
You're a member of a crew doing contract work for the mafiya - including such plum gigs as escorting wanted men, picking up MacGuffins and stealing cars. Work as a team to complete contracts before the time period ends and get the rewards. You'll probably want to do your best to scupper the other crew's work as well. Each contract you complete gives your team cash, and the crew with the most cash at the end of the round wins.
TEAM CAR JACK CITY
2-8 Teams
Cars spawn parked around the map and the teams must steal them and take them to a drop off point. The cash teams get for dropping off stolen vehicles depends on their condition - teams get less cash the more damaged they are. The exception to this are special bonus cars, stuffed with drugs, which give a set amount of cash on delivery no matter how damaged they are. Your crew has to get hold of whatever vehicles the boss wants. Whichever crew makes the most money wins. Simple.
COPS N' CROOKS
2 teams only
A team-based mode in which the Crooks must get their Boss to safety, while the Cops have to take him down. The Boss is marked with a cross hair. This mode has two sub-modes: All for One and One for All.
In All for One, one team is made up of Crooks and a Boss, and the other team is made up of Cops. The Cops are trying to hunt down and kill the Boss while the Crooks are trying to protect him. The Cops win by killing the Boss and the Crooks win by getting the Boss safely to the getaway vehicle and escaping.
One for All is similar but there is no Boss. Here, the Cops win by killing all of the Crooks and the Crooks win by filling up a getaway vehicle with members of their team. Only 4 people can escape in the getaway vehicle. Players cannot respawn in this mode.
TURF WAR
2 teams only
A timed capture-the-base mode. There are a number of bases around the map that you have to take by standing on them for a short period of time. The more players that are on a base, the faster it can be captured. The more bases that your team owns, the faster your team's cash score increases. If the rival gang is on or near a base, you won't be able to take control of it - so do what you can to try and ... displace them. The team with the most cash at the end of the round wins.
Grand Theft Auto IV Multiplayer
Ever since Grand Theft Auto 3 was released to the world, gamers have been scrambling to jump into Rockstar's virtual reality of violence and corruption. While a handful of modifications have done a superb job of bringing online crime to the masses, there's always been a lacking presence of multiplayer in the official games themselves.
Until now.
With Grand Theft Auto IV, Rockstar has finally delivered a fully fleshed-out multiplayer experience. This is what we know so far:
Total of 15 game modes, each supporting different numbers of teams/players. The maximum number of players is 16.
Configuration of each mode can be adjusted by the host. Vehicles types, volume of traffic, number of pedestrians, police presence, weapons and weather can all be controlled.
Characters are completely customisable. You can essentially create your own unique online character by adjusting their hair, sex, race, clothing etc.
A Living, Breathing, Wretched Metropolis
Liberty City's resemblance to New York, N.Y. isn't limited to geographical locations, however. Many of the landmarks that exist in New York are mirrored in GTA IV's Liberty City. The MetLife building - a major part of the Manhattan skyline - has been recreated as the GetaLife building. The DUMBO neighbourhood (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) exists in Liberty City as BOABO (Beneath the Offramp of the Algonquin Bridge Overpass). The Statue of Liberty - which wasn't present at all in GTA III - finally makes an appearance as the Statue of Happiness. Other notable landmarks of the New York skyline have been duplicated in GTA IV, including the Empire State building, Chrysler building, Flatiron, Roosevelt Island, Brooklyn Bridge, and many more.
In an attempt to fully embrace the culture and atmosphere of New York, Rockstar North has also made sure that the citizens of Liberty City echo those of New York City. The eccentric vagrants of Liberty City coexist with the smarmy executive-types. Foreigners try to find their way as tourists stumble through crowded intersections. Crooked businessmen strike deals with ruthless opportunists. Organized crime thrives as the trafficking of drugs coincides with the smuggling of firearms. All of this is interwoven, giving Liberty City the authenticity of a modern-day New York City.
ALDERNEY - "Industrial wasteland meets suburban hell."
If Algonquin is the privileged child of the Liberty City family, then Alderney is most definitely the retarded younger brother -- an endless sea of run-down homes peppered with phallus-like smokestacks thrusting into the sickly clouds above. Simply put? Nobody wants to live in Alderney, and those that are unfortunate enough to live in the district desperately want to get out.
BOHAN - "Ripe for re-development."
Neglected and disrespected, Bohan is the closest thing to hell that you can find in the city (and that's saying something). This northernmost district of Liberty has been torn apart by decades of destructive violence. If you find yourself wandering into Bohan, don't just lock your doors -- weld them shut!
DUKES - "Like the suburbs, only worse."
The closest thing to sanity that could possibly be found in Liberty City, complete with overpriced condominiums and unavailable parking. You may even be tempted to refer to the district as "comfortable". Diverse and densely populated, Dukes is home to both the Francis International Airport and Steinway Beer Garden.
BROKER - "Churches, hipsters and housing projects."
The region of Broker is rich in American history, and equally rich in Eastern European immigrants. As of late, the district has also taken to "sprucing up" its ragged image through the restoration of older, run-down neighbourhoods. Don't let Carney Island fool you, though; Broker is just as rough-and-tumble as any other Liberty City district.
ALGONQUIN - "Self-proclaimed center of everything."
Cultural center of the world, commercial center of the world, financial center of the world. If Algonquin residents could have it their way, the region would also be considered the epicenter of everything in the known universe. A word of warning to the inquisitive traveler: questioning the integrity of Algonquin's self-righteous and artificially-sweetened natives will likely get you shot.
To the Five Boroughs
Things will be different. Rockstar North has wiped the slate clean, shutting the book on the Grand Theft Auto III trilogy and choosing to start anew. Gone are the days of zombie-like pedestrians, robotic law enforcement and stale surroundings. Liberty City has returned as the setting for Grand Theft Auto IV, but this isn't the Liberty City that we have embraced for over half a decade.
Bigger, grittier, and more brutal than ever, Liberty City is back with a vengeance in Grand Theft Auto IV. Four of the five boroughs of New York -- plus a portion of New Jersey -- have been recreated from the bottom up in an attempt to finally nail the atmosphere of New York City. Brooklyn has become Broker. Queens has become Dukes. Manhattan has become Algonquin. The Bronx has become Bohan. And New Jersey has become Alderney. (Although Staten Island has no counterpart in GTA IV, the reasoning from Rockstar is justifiable - it just wouldn't be any fun to play.)
Give Me Liberty
New York, New York! Economic powerhouse, beacon of hope to optimistic immigrants, home to tens of millions of citizens, rife with crime and seedy underworld riffraff; New York City is the epitome of everything that is American. It's really no wonder that Liberty City, Rockstar's exaggerated and cynical portrayal of New York, has called itself home to more than half of the Grand Theft Auto titles in existence.
Times Square, New York City. 'Star Junction' is the GTA IV equivalent.Liberty City first appeared alongside Vice City and San Andreas as one of three major levels (cities) in the original Grand Theft Auto. Due to the game being produced by a British development team, much of Liberty City - along with Vice City and San Andreas - was based on stereotypes and twisted to suit British humour. Since then, it has resurfaced as the city of choice for Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto Advance, and Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories. In every incarnation, Rockstar North consistently embraced the sensationalist, cynical sense of humour that was put forth in the first game.
Even when Liberty was not openly accessible to gamers in other titles, it played a prominent role in establishing the necessary storylines. In Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, the protagonist (Tommy Vercetti) and the mafia family in which he indebted to both hailed from Liberty City. In Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, the protagonist (Carl Johnson) returned to San Andreas after residing in Liberty City for an extended period of time.
Past incarnations of Liberty City, however, have failed to truly resemble New York. Whereas Vice City was hailed as an achievement in Rockstar's ability to duplicate the overall feel of Miami, the winding streets and communities of Liberty City seemed cold and lifeless by comparison.
Grand Theft Auto IV Setting
When it comes to establishing a solid atmosphere for a Grand Theft Auto title, location is everything. It's not enough to simply throw players into a splotchy suburb of some anonymous metropolis - the city needs to be alive, teaming with civilians and traffic. It needs to have an identity, a social structure, some evidence of reality buried beneath the layers of cynicism and dry humour. Through the years, Rockstar has excelled at maintaining this illusion. The missions and storylines that play out through the duration of the game tie into the cities themselves, along with the characters (and innocent bystanders) that populate it. Although the concept of "free roam" gameplay is nothing new, the Grand Theft Auto franchise, through its use of vast cityscapes that mirror and mock major American locations, push the envelope on exactly what gamers consider to be true immersion.
Main Features - TECHNOLOGY
Grand Theft Auto 4 runs on Rockstar's proprietary next generation game engine, R.A.G.E., allowing for an unprecedented level of realism and interactivity.
New sunlight and weather effects which give the city a whole different appearance as the time of day progresses.
New volumetric lighting effects are evident in this screenshot. Volumetric lighting effects allow sunlight to stream realistically into dusty interiors. Police spotlights will likely benefit from this effect as well when helicopters kick up debris.
Normal (bump) maps will provide much more detail in models than the underlying polygons, as well as giving materials more texture and depth.
Road and building textures are more varied than in previous GTAs. On some roads you will find potholes, metal plates (etc) where the road has been dug up.
Modern pixel shaders give water, glass, cars, etc.. more realistic reflections and shininess than the earlier games.
In cars, you can see real reflections on the rear and side-view mirrors.
There are no load times in GTA4, not even during exterior-interior transitions (and vice versa.)
GTA4 uses euphoria, a fully procedural animation package created by NaturalMotion. The core technology is the Dynamic Motion Synthesis (DMS) system.
Characters have the ability to hang on to the back of vehicles. Variations in the terrain are met with realistic changes in the walking animation.
Unique game moments. Animations are created on the fly, so each player's experience will be unique. Gamers are no longer subjected to pre-recorded animations.
Characters will react realisticaly to being hit with gunfire, cars, and melee weapons or fists.
Players will be able to push people out of the way, rather than "floating" past them as in older games.
Falling/thrown characters will react as in real life- They won't simply be limp, lifeless ragdolls. Nor will they use a canned "super hero" animation like before.
Characters (and players?) will be able to hang on to helicopters and trucks, which will swing them around as the vehicle moves.
Main Features - GAMEPLAY
Niko can use a mobile phone to recieve calls and phone his contacts in order to arrange missions. He can also use it to call taxis and purchase weapons. The options presented on the phone's LCD are Phonebook, Messages, Organizer, and Camera. The phone can also be used to access multiplayer.
Pedestrians perform realistic actions. They smoke cigarettes, read books and newspapers, drop litter, talk on mobile phones, walk in and out of buildings, and generally act like any normal pedestrian in a real city would.
Mobile phones are a big part of Grand Theft Auto IV's gameplay. GTA IV features fifteen multiplayer modes, which can be accessed through the mobile phone. Multiplayer supports up to sixteen players, and the game modes include Deathmatch, Mafiya Work, Cops n' Crooks and Free Mode.
It is possible to surf the internet in GTA4 via internet cafés. It is available from any computer in the game, and provides a hub for all sorts of interactivity within Liberty City. There are over 100 in-game internet websites.
In GTA IV, you will gain a police wanted level for any crime that you commit, providing there are witnesses present. The police can only chase you if they know where you are, and they need to see you to know where you are. If you escape the search area marked on the radar without being spotted, your wanted level will disappear.
In terms of scale, GTA IV is about the same size as GTA: San Andreas, but the map size is considerably smaller. This is mainly due to the fact there is no desert or countryside in Liberty City. Liberty City in GTA4 is the biggest single city that R* have ever created.
GTA4 contains fifteen multiplayer modes, supporting up to 16 players. In GTA IV, the line between on- and off-mission has been blurred, and the story is less linear. It is also possible to do more than one mission at a time. For example, some missions take place over several days and may involve waiting for phonecalls or attending interviews, and you are free to carry out other business during the waiting period.
The story can be told in a number of different ways. Rockstar are trying to give people greater freedom and sense of control over their destiny. You now have a lot more choice in what you want to do.
Niko has the ability to climb and descend telephone poles, and exterior fire escapes.
Every street in Liberty City contains a street sign with a name on it.
Cars feature GPS navigation systems, which identify the best routes to take during missions, and highlight them on the radar.
Developing relationships with characters is an important aspect of the gameplay. Maintaining good relationships will provide different rewards to Niko. Niko can socialise with other characters in order to maintain a good relationship, for example they can go bowling together, they can go to the cabaret, go to comedy clubs, and go drinking together.
The Unveiling of GTA IV
Grand Theft Auto IV was announced on May 9, 2006 at Microsoft's E3 press conference. Peter Moore (who was Corporate Vice-President of Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business division at the time of the announcement) rolled up the left sleeve of his t-shirt to reveal a GTA4 tattoo on his arm. He announced that GTA 4 would be available on Xbox 360 in 2007, and revealed that Microsoft and Rockstar Games had formed a strategic alliance in order to provide exclusive episodic content for Xbox Live, giving the community ever-expanding gameplay experiences.
The contents of the Grand Theft Auto IV special edition. Take2 Interactive then issued a press release which announced that GTA IV would be released simultaneously for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in October 2007. However, the game was delayed on August 2, 2007, because some elements of the development were proving to be more time-intensive than originally expected. On January 24, 2008, a worldwide release date of April 29, 2008 was announced by Rockstar Games.
It was announced on May 21, 2007, that GTA 4 would be available as a special edition on the same day as the regular edition. It is presented in a customised Grand Theft Auto metal safety deposit box, and includes the game, a limited edition duffel bag, an exclusive keychain, a selected soundtrack CD, and a Grand Theft Auto IV Art Book, featuring never-before-seen production artwork from GTA4.
Grand Theft Auto IV General Information
Title:
Grand Theft Auto IV
Developer:
Rockstar North
Publisher:
Rockstar Games (Parent Company: Take2 Interactive)
Multiplayer:
Up to 16 players (15 game modes)
Platforms:
PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Website:
www.rockstargames.com/IV
Release Date:
April 29, 2008 (Worldwide)
Rating:
Titles rated M (Mature) have content that may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Titles in this category may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language.
About GTA IV...
In Grand Theft Auto 4 you take on the role of Niko Bellic, an immigrant from Eastern Europe with an ominous past. Persuaded by his cousin's promises of a fresh start and a better life, Niko relocates to Liberty City, USA -- the worst place in America. After making the move to Liberty, however, Niko quickly realizes that his hopes of "living the American Dream" may never come to pass... and that things here may not be so different after all.
Although Liberty City may not differ greatly from Niko's homeland, being different and standing out is definitely a major theme with Grand Theft Auto IV. While GTA: Vice City and GTA: San Andreas were considered to be part of the GTA III trilogy (same graphics engine, similar characters, similar mission style, etc.), Grand Theft Auto IV is considered a fresh start for the GTA series, focusing more heavily on realism and storytelling than in previous titles. This is why it's been dubbed GTA4 and not GTA6 (as many had originally anticipated), even though it's the sixth major title in the series.
GTA IV follows the release of the hugely successful GTA: San Andreas (which was released for PlayStation 2 in 2004, and then later for PC and Xbox during 2005) and also marks the 10th anniversary of the Grand Theft Auto franchise. With Grand Theft Auto 4 being the milestone that it is, Rockstar Games has been working overtime on perfecting the game. According to Janco Partners analyst Mike Hickey -- a financial consultant for Take2 Interactive -- approximately 150 developers are currently working on GTA 4.
More Reviews
Kotaku, EuroGamer, TeamXbox, CVG and 1UP have all posted reviews of Grand Theft Auto IV. Each review was extremely positive, with very few bad things to say about the game.
There's also a bunch of new screenshots and videos over at IGN for you to check out, which appear to have been captured by themselves rather than R*.
UPDATE: Game Informer's verdict has just come in: another perfect score for Grand Theft Auto IV.
GTA IV Cheats
If you have the game already and want some fun (or if you are simply crap at it) then you might want to check out this list of confirmed cheat codes. All cheats have been tested successfully on the Xbox 360 version of the game.
All cheats should be entered during normal gameplay using Niko's cellphone. Enjoy.
In other news, the GTA forums have been expanded to include several new forums, so the chaos has spread a bit and is now a little easier for us to manage. Remember that registering is free.
GTA IV - Now Available!
Grand Theft Auto IV. GTA IV. GTA4. Whatever you want to call it, the facts remain the same: Rockstar's latest entry into the Grand Theft Auto family is a total success, walking away with perfect (and slightly-below-perfect) scores across the board. And if you don't believe the scores, guess what? You can now play the game! Folks in the UK, Europe and Australia can now rush out and pick up Grand Theft Auto IV from their local retailers, and North American residents will be able to do the same in a few hours from now. (This means, of course, that you can finally stop picking through all of the little preview details and enjoy the Grand Theft Auto IV experience for yourself.)
While everyone else is taking a break from the daily grind to prep themselves for GTA IV, we here at the GTA Network are going into overdrive. We're going to jump right into post-launch mode as soon as we get our own grubby little fingers on the game, ensuring that we continue to deliver the best quality of Grand Theft Auto IV content that you can find. (We're also hard at work on wrapping up our GTA4.NET redesign, so you have that to look forward to as well.)
While we understand that you may want to keep yourself away from the sites and forums for a while -- spoilers are no fun, after all -- don't forget to check back in with us for in-depth Grand Theft Auto IV coverage in the weeks, and months, to come. The game may be out, but we're just getting started!
So, on behalf of all of the staff of the GTA Network, I'd like to offer our sincerest thanks to all of you for checking in with us on a (very) regular basis. Thanks to Rockstar Games, as well, for raising the bar (yet again!) when it comes to the complete gaming experience.
With all of that said and done -- we'll see you in Liberty City. Cheers!
UPDATE: Residents of North America are starting to swarm to their nearest gaming retailer to pick up their copies of Grand Theft Auto IV. I hit up the local Future Shop here in Kingston, Ontario at approximately 10:00pm -- a solid two hours before the midnight release -- to ensure that I had a spot in line. To my great surprise, not only was I the first one in line, but I was joined by some friends from college as well as a few individuals who had discovered GTA4.NET earlier in the day. A big shout to Hammy, as per his request, for recognizing the Rockstar satchel and actually knowing who I was. (Yes, Hammy, I am from Kingston!)
Cheers to everyone, and I hope you enjoy the game. As for me? I'll be preoccupied for the next few hours... or days. See you in game!
Jack Thompson, IGN, and the ladies of Liberty City
Guess who's back? Back again? Jack is back; tell a friend. As expected, Jack Thompson has emerged from the underside of whatever rock he's been hiding under for the past few years, just in time to go after Grand Theft Auto IV for -- guess what? -- excessive sexual content in Grand Theft Auto IV.
As noted in a recent Ars Technica article, Wacky Jacky has an "unlikely" bit of ammo for his case against GTA IV: a video, produced by IGN, highlighting the strip clubs and prostitutes that exist in Grand Theft Auto IV. For some ungodly reason, though, IGN seems to have thought it was a good idea to make a four minute video out of it, showing Niko and his "encouters" followed by him hunting down the ladies shortly thereafter.
From the Ars Technica article:
The embattled Florida attorney has written a letter to the US Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, R. Alexander Acosta, demanding that legal action be taken against Take Two and retailers for selling the game...
Thompson sent a copy of the letter to Ars Technica, and his demands are far-reaching. "Indictments should be returned against Take Two corporately and its Chairman, Strauss Zelnick, along with other Take Two officers. Indictment should also be against Sony and Microsoft which are making this pornographic game available to minors, and openly so, on their PS3 and Xbox systems," Thompson wrote. "Further, indictments should be handed down against Wal-Mart, Best Buy, GameStop, and all other retailers distributing this game to minors at their retail stores, openly, to kids who are only seventeen."
He then compares the game to, of all things, polio. "Grand Theft Auto IV is the gravest assault upon children in this country since polio. We now have vaccines for that virus... The 'vaccine' that must be administered by the United States government to deal with this virtual virus of violence and sexual depravity is criminal prosecutions of those who have conspired to do this. If you doubt me, look at the aforementioned streaming audio/video. It will make you sick."
While I'm certainly no fan of Jack Thompson or his ridiculous antics (and I'd love to argue the point that "innocent 17 year olds" are only a year away from being legally able to engage in such lude acts on camera for money... or in some cases, poorly-made t-shirts), it's hard to blame the man when IGN practically hands him a gift-wrapped video of inevitable controversy. Really... what the hell is IGN thinking by producing a video like this, removing all contextual elements of the game, and having Niko engage prostitutes and then hunt them down?
While it's unlikely that those in a position of authority will do much of anything in response to Jack's complaint, there's no doubt that the controversy will continue as we get further into the summer months. As usual, you can expect us to keep you updated on whatever whimsical nonsense spews forth from the great gooey geyser that is mainstream media.