GTA IV not coming next week- sniff.

Rockstar bleated that GTA IV had a Nov 18 and 21 release date. Now it is 2nd and 3rd December.

Rubbish is all I can say - rubbish. When is a developer ever going to actually pull a date forward rather than pushing it back?

I bet it is finished already.

It'll be worth the wait.
Oh yes.
Just in time for christmas.

puki

It'll give you more time to get your cheat codes in order.

Maybe that was probably the warez release date :)

They do that every time their game is complete and bug free on release.

Yea december, that's old news to me. But I am anxious as well for it's release on the PC. Will buy for sure!.

Well when did you finally release.... oh wait.... nevermind :-P

Wow that seems borderline suicidal. Released too late for the Christmas sale. What are they thinking? Well guess it'll be a copy of Fallout 3 for my nephew then.

Try being a developer and all will become clear. Besides, it's highly unlikely the actual people developing the game had much say about the release date. More likely the were told when to have it finished by - which was evidently an unrealistic date. What a surprise.

well maby they release it at 2009 november :)

I was interested in getting GTA4 for my PC but having read that it uses Sony DADC SecuROM I am NOT interested
Oh, and you need an army of installations and programs just to play the game. By the time I install all the crap required the PC will be begging for mercy ..

Initial activation requires internet connection
Windows - LIVE - for Online play  
Rockstar Games Social Club
Retail version requires disc in drive to play
Sony DADC SecuROM
Adobe Flash
DirectX
.NET Framework
Internet Exploder

Ok, most of this will be installed as standard, but the SecuROM really annoys me. Here is what RS say,

Does iTunes install protection code at RING 0 level?


Oh, and a incredibly poor response regarding uninstalling the game

Sorry, but why don't they just write a proper uninstaller to get rid of ALL traces of SecuROM? Why are SecuROM not providing uninstallers too? Why do we need to search the bloody forums and support pages to clear out this crap?


System requirements:

OS: Windows Vista - Service Pack 1 / XP - Service Pack 3 
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo 1.8Ghz, AMD Athalon X2 64 2.4Ghz 
Memory: 1.5GB, 16GB Free Hard Drive Space 
Video Card: 256MB NVIDIA 7900 / 256MB ATI X1900

Available from STEAM

Even the Steam version has the SecuROM crap?

It astounds me that developers are still bothering with it. Many games have used it at this point, and they all have had a huge number of pirated installations, so it obviously isn't doing anything.

And saying it's like iTunes is a pretty bad idea because a lot of geeks are really pissed off at iTunes, too. Just because it's used by millions of people doesn't mean it's any good. Case in point: Internet Explorer.

> Even the Steam version has the SecuROM crap?

Yup

OK, I used to not like the idea of these things such as Starforce or whatever it was installing low-level drivers, but I've had this stuff on my PC for the last few years since Dirt, GRID, Bioshock etc... and they have made absoultely no difference to the security, performance or anything else.

I really can't understand why people get so worked up about these things - I suspect it stems from the nerd-techie who really hates the idea of anything on his PC that he can't control, and it eventually gets blown out of all proportion on these tech websites and people start to believe that it's the end of the world.

Are you really going to miss out on what may be the best PC game of the year just because this SecureROM leaves behind a registry entry or limits your installs? By the time you need to install it the 4th time you'll be able to get a cracked EXE or a patch that eliminates it or whatever you need, so who really cares? I reformat my PC on average every 2 years so I won't go past 3 activations for 6 years, so why does it matter? I'm not going to be playing GTA4 in 6 years time. As far as I know no game in my collection has ever been installed more than twice anyway.

I get the impression that some people just really want to hate any form of software protection developers use just because it's there, with no real cause.

Roll on December 3rd, I shall be straight down to GAME to get my copy of GTA4, life's too short to worry about some registry entry or low-level driver.

I'm sure you're right, but bear in mind that there is a clear distinction between Bioshock and some other games with DRM. In the case of Bioshock, it was one of the first games to only permit you three installs before it refuses to install again*. In that case, people do have a legitimate reason for disliking it. Granted some will never have wanted to install it four times, and will have complained anyway, but some people will have had a legitimate concern there. I don't know if the same applies to Dirt and GRID as I've never played either one.

* This may have been changed subsequently, I didn't buy the PC version.

It's not like you can't ever install it again - granted you have to contact them and get some more unlock codes or whatever, but the DVD doesn't just become a useless coaster.

Oh I'm sure in most cases it's fine, but it's not in your hands, is it? We've all experienced the "Little Napoleon" who has his own ideas about what company policy should be. You only need to get one of them and you could be out of luck.

True it is possible that the compacy will change its policy on re-activation, but that's just a remote possibility so I just can't see why people get so worked up about it all.

If the company did refuse to give out activation codes in a year or two, everyone would just crack the game and install it anyway - the company knows this and would be powerless to stop it, they just want to stop that initial flood of piracy that occurs in the first few weeks of it being on-sale (or even before it goes on sale).

Actually, yes. But I'll be very happy to play it on my 360.



I do. I'm in the crowd that won't buy it, and won't pirate it. I also won't go find a crack, even for a legit game I own. (We are out there)




It matters because I tend to play games for the long haul, and like to enjoy them for many years (in the case of a really good game) That means multiple machines. And I'm really opposed to this limited installation crap.

I had to do all the quotes because I thought it funny how much I had the exact opposite view on all this. I've all but stopped buying PC games now, and the only ones I buy are the ones I can confirm have no DRM of any kind. Needing the CD to play, or basic enter the code does not bother me at all, but what does bother me immensely is that I may not be able to play at some point because of some stupid protection scheme. I also like to be able to play offline (on my laptop,... often not near wireless) so having to "phone in" authorization is just as bad for me.

To me the whole point comes down to this. I am the consumer,... stop screwing with me and I'll start buying your product again. Unfortunately, not enough people have taken this stance, and those that do get lumped into the group that "must be pirating" the games, but the fact is that I have more free time this way, and I don't feel I've really missed anything.

Yeah, I must confess my PC gets less game time on it these days - but I suppose if you compare sitting on a wooden dining room chair in front of a 19" monitor to lounging in the living room on the suite with a wireless controller on the XBox360 on 42" of eye candy HD - that wins.

& is GTAIV the San Andreas one ?

GTA IV is the new one, placed back in Liberty City again (from Grand Theft Auto 3).

San Adreas is just simply Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

Shame to hear about the DRM crap, was actually *waiting* on the PC version to be able to play the game, but I'm just going to say screw it at this rate and pick it up for the PS3 instead when it hits Greatest Hits status.

I cancelled my preorder as it wont run on my computer, I can run Bioshock/Fallout3 and oblivion on max detail without slowdown but its still not powerful enough to run GTA4.

When I upgrade next I may get it when it hits budget.

I think it does matter with all this DRM stuff being installed. You can have a hard enough time narrowing down what caused your computer to not work, or suddenly throw up "This program has to close" error, when it didn't. And when they make it nigh on impossible to remove this stuff, it makes it harder.

Seriously, GTA IV sucks ass, go to here, pick A, drop off here, Kill that, rinse, repeat... add infinitum.... terminal boredom sets in VERY quickly... Zzzz... last GTA I will ever buy...

I think GTA IV is best summed up by Yahtzee on his Zero Punctuation video review site. It's a great game, but some poor design decisions do render it incredibly irritating at times.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/48-Grand-Theft-Auto-IV

ANOTHER DELAY!

It was due 2/12, now it is being delayed until 3/12.

Basically, it is being delayed for a day.

How about just releasing it?


EDIT:
Actually, the new delay seems to only stiff US gamers - it was due 3/12 in the UK.

I'll accept this delay.

December 2nd is the US release date, December 3rd the European.

No, I think you will find they have delayed the US release to a Worldwide release of 3/12.

What happened to all of the pedestrians?

I just watched a 5+ minute video of the PC version and noticed a distinct lack of pedestrians.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=FThjeov6uL8

Are there less people walking about in GTA IV?

I didn't recall seeing so many during my short playtime on my brothers' 360, but given the other GTA PC games, I'm assuming there's a graphical option to lower/raise the pedestrian density for performance purposes.

I bloody hope so - I love killing them.

That looks like a beta or something. The streets were never that empty in the console versions and the scene pop-in is still awful even when he cranks draw distance up to maximum. That doesn't look like the finished version to me.

Hmmm. the guy tweaked graphics to highest, and still there's less pedestrians than in my childhood home town (and we are talking about a town with population: 1400...)

The city & car & animations (the few I saw), ragdoll stuff etc. looks cool though

I am installing it now.

Be aware that the requirements are high:

16GB hard-drive space;

1GB memory for XP and 1.5GB for Vista

At least a Core 2 Duo 1.8GHz or Athlon X2 64 2.4GHz

nVidia 7900+ or ATI X1900+



Can't wait to see it with the settings maxed out.

Its cheaper to get a PS3.

That's what i say too. I don't imagine most people have that kind of system. And the above is the minimum requirements.

No wonder the likes of Molyneux and that other one are always jabbering on about PC gaming being dead.

Maybe stop making games that only run on systems that nobody can afford??

This is all very, very sad.

I should point out that it took half an hour to install the 16GB and activate online. May take longer if your drives are not particulary quick.

After that, you don't just have to activate online - you have to register online for online play - you are forced into a lengthy activation process that you have no interest in.

Very sad.

You have to set up an online profile, user names, passwords, etc just to play offline single player.

It wants your date of birth, address, telephone number.

Now it wants me to install Windows Live.


What a sad, sad, sad state of affairs.

I just want to play the game!!!

Totally tragic.

After the activation turn of your internet connection and play singleplayer, that's it.

It took an hour for me to begin playing it.

Jesus!!!

Even with my 8800GTX, E6600 Core2 Duo and 2GB RAM this is rubbish.

Jeez - I can't understand how someone would even bother with the minimum requirements.

It looks crud - the shadows are rubbish.

It looks far worse than in the video I posted the link to.

Total anti-climax.

This doesn't bode well for my 1950 Pro then.... :(

The pedestrian density is as per that video - ghost city.

Regarding offline play: When you play offline, it states 'You will need to sign in to save your progress...'.

Seems like a big pile of bent to me.

The car handling is terrible. I noticed it in the video I posted, but just thought the person making the video was either rubbish or was clipping other cars on purpose.

Just to clarify - that is how the cars handle.


EDIT:
Even driving at circa 5-10MPH, the car jolts like it has been hit by another car - this is just when you turn the wheel!!! At 5-10MPH!!!

Crock of bent.

Hah... you've got to laugh at that :-)

Hmm, strange that you are so disappointed, what is the difference between the pc version and the ps3 version? Cause ps3 version was a huge success according to the pc gaming media.

Now it has just come up on my screen with:



THIS IS AN UTTER DISGRACE!

YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN INTERNET CONNECTION AND BE SIGNED IN TO SAVE THE GAME!!!


My advice to Rockstar is pick up a knife and see how many times you can stab yourself in the face before you die.

Oh my god.

It asked me to confirm that I did not want to sign in

then it badgered me again

Now it asks me if I am sure.


It badgers you 4 times running to sign in each time you decline.

What a crock of bent.

IT GETS WORSE.

I JUST TRIED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU TRY TO LOAD A GAME - BARING IN MIND I CAN'T SAVE THE GAME.



SO, YOU HAVE TO BE ONLINE AND LOGGED IN TO LOAD AND SAVE GAMES.


I HAVE BEEN SITTING HERE FOR 2 HOURS NOW, I AM STILL AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS GAME.

YOU HAVE TO TIE UP AN INTERNET CONNECTION TO PLAY THIS GAME OFFLINE AND SINGLE PLAYER!!!

Have you played the ps3/xbox 360 version puki? How does it hold up to them?

Ever thought of getting a blog?

Thing is. Surely no-one will even bother playing it? The PS3 or xbox360 isn't THAT great a game to begin with.

Nope, never played it before.

However, this game is borked.

GTA IV is a driving game - yet, driving in this game is rubbish compared to previous GTA games.

The point of the game is crippled by the handling of the cars.


Now that I am playing it, the pedestrian count seems fine.

The city looks nice - it is the most realistic GTA game.

It is let down by poor game-play.

I don't particularly like it - it has a complete lack of pick up and play.

Give it some time, making comments like IT SUCKS! in first 5 minutes is not fair. Explore it.

The handling of the cars in GTA IV does take some time getting used to, certainly in the PS3 and xbox360 version. It does feel unusual at first but if you play it enough, it feels better.

I don't want to take time to get used to bad handling.

The handling of the cars is bad - period.

The cars twitch all over the place for no reason.

Drive incredibly slowly and turn the wheel - the handling is shocking.

Rockstar once poked fun at DRIV3ER - now I am poking fun at Rockstar: hire someone to do your car handling and physics.

I sure am glad I canceled my preorder now

Puki, I know you read the earlier threads on GTA IV so I don't know why you are sounding so surprised about some of these things.

I don't see a big difference between buying a game like this with SecuROM and buying from Steam (don't they have almost the same strictures?) but for some reason few people complain about Steam.

It was pretty obvious from the feedback after the 360/PS3 launch (which you commented on and read) that GTA IV had some short commings and wasn't up to the hype (when is it?).

I would say a fair estimation of GTA IV is:

The most ambitous GTA IV game which trys to do a lot more than any pervious iterations but has some flaws.

The main flaws are:

The Graphics are rather subpar (probably not helped by a lazy port).
The car handling is weak and all the cars have too much body roll.
Too many of the missions are too run of the mill and some are just not fun.
Soundtrack is weak (but thankfully fully replaceable on the 360).

The main strengths are:

Story is strong and involving.
City is big, detailed and varied.
Some of the missions are a lot of fun.
Online play can be riotosly good.

Darkheart

QUICK ANSWER NEEDED BEFORE I GO TO THE SHOP - is it worth me buying this game as I have a Core2Duo 1.6 with ATI Radeon 1950 Pro?

QUICK ANSWER NEEDED BEFORE I GO TO THE SHOP - is it worth me buying this game as I have a Core2Duo 1.6 with ATI Radeon 1950 Pro?

How did I get 2 posts with one click???

What's WRONG with SecuROM and all other OTT methods of protection?

**WARNING ** - Excess language but the guy makes the point loud and clear - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-uulRB1OmY&feature=related

The 1950 Pro is going to struggle to run it, partly because of the age of the card and partly because it is a lazy port.

You can get multiple posts clicking the post button multiple times on a slow connection.

Darkheart

That's a real shame if they've buggered up the PC port, because I thought the handling on the 360 version was brilliant. Every car game I've ever played, I just lurch from one corner to the next crashing into every wall, dustbin, crash barrier, tree, monument, etc in sight. GTA IV was the first driving game where I actually felt fully in control of the car. Having said that, of course, what are you playing it with? If you're playing it on keyboard, it would be pretty hard to replicate good analog steering on a digital system. Maybe it plays as good if you connect a 360 gamepad to your PC.

I saw that GTA4 (all 14GB of it) was warezed already when downloading the latest Top gear episode last night. Amazing that people will download such huge files. Personally I think rockstar are a disgrace and think their games should be banned, can't think of any other developers who's games deserve it more.

http://hellforge.gameriot.com/blogs/Random-Ravings/20-Easy-Steps-to-Starting-GTA-IV-on-Your-PC

If a 1950Pro is going to struggle there's no point in buying it - I might upgrade to a newer card in a couple of weeks so I'll leave buying GTA4 until then.

I think I will stick with San Andreas (IMHO GTA's finest hour :) )

I have some toleration for one-time, on-line activation, but this seems ridiculous and punishing. So no-sale.

It'll be interesting reading the reactions that come RockStar's way though ;-)

Wow, and here I was thinking that no one could top Gears of War (PC) in terms of "Just let me playing the f'ing game now!".
(why both those games couldn't just have a 'local' account auto-created so you can do stuff offline is beyond me.......as well as an option to install the Games For Windows Live thing as a choice)

Define fair. Surely the draconian (even for Microsoft) copy protection scheme isn't fair by any chance. Think Puki is exaggerating? The net is flooded with similar reports. If PC games are dying, this is why. Nobody wants to put up with that kind of stupid shit. I mean PC owners are dumb, but they're not that dumb.

Look I'm not a great fan of steam, and have spoken out against it on numerous occasion. I'm not even terribly enthusiastic about the DRM on games like Mass Effect and Spore. But this is just way over the top. I haven't even gotten my copy yet, but I'm seriously thinking of sending it back. No game is worth that amount of grief.

Not having a powerful enough graphics card is the least of your worries. This is the kind of DRM that Stalin would consider Draconian. The fact that you can sue McDonalds because the coffee is too hot, yet have no legal recourse against this kind of consumer rape, is really disturbing. When you buy a car, or a gun, you have to jump though fewer hoops than when installing this game. It's absurd!

For once, I hope someone tears them a new one.

Wow, looks like I will not be selling my PS3 copy...

I have given myself some time to calm down.

I have taken some mild sedatives and will commence playing the game for a few hours tonight.

Had a bit of a run in with the police when I left my house ranting with a large kitchen knife in my hand - problem is I live on a main road - lots of witnesses and stuff. I didn't stab anyone and got away with a caution - they caught me in the park stabbing the ground.

puki

You have my permission to cheat.

I'll be buying GTA4 PC today. Having already played and 'finished' the PS3 version it will be interesting to see how they compare.

The only reason I want the PC version, really, is for the movie clip features. I wasn't overly impressed with the PS3 version. I had more fun playing Saints Row 2...

Rockstar have made a shocking admission that the game was developed for FUTURE GENERATION PCs:


Future generation PCs or is it just sloppy coding on the PC.

Puki, what are you controlling the cars with? The control took some getting used to on the Xbox in comparison to earlier GTAs, but turned out to be great once you adjusted.

This does sound truly awful, though. (I really, really hate this sort of thing -- last time I decided it would be fun to have another blast on Half-Life 2, it took several hours to reinstall thanks to Steam, despite me owning the DVD! I had to leave it overnight.)

I was really looking forward to the action replay stuff on GTA IV PC, since you get so many great random, hilarious moments in this game, but I think I'll stick with the Xbox version, or at least hold off buying it until some helpful chap has provided a consumer-friendly version of the executable. Does anyone remember when developers would release a no-CD version themselves as an update once the initial rush was over?

I do actually believe the 'future PCs' thing, as I've always thought it would be cool if developers provided the ability to upscale a game years down the line, and supposedly it does ramp up to way more than the Xbox version, but it really should at least equal the Xbox version on a mid-to-high end system if you ask me.








------ Off-topic -----

Mmmmmggg... can't... resist...

I really hate ridiculous lawsuits as much as anyone, but you really have to read further on this popular "OMG, what a ridiculous lawsuit!!!" story:

http://www.lectlaw.com/files/cur78.htm

Contrary to random internet postings, you don't have to be stupid to spill coffee on yourself (particularly if you're 79 years old), and with the additional information above -- which is not generally mentioned in conjunction with this case -- the story becomes a lot less ridiculous.

Also, despite the jury awarding $2.86 million, the plaintiff had only sought $20,000, to cover her $11,000 medical costs plus damages, with McDonalds offering a mere $800 in response. (The judge reduced the jury's over-the-top award to $640,000, but the parties then settled privately for an undisclosed amount; given the initial $20,000 request, I suspect this was substantially less than $640k.)

More here, though you'd have to copy and paste the URL:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liebeck_v._McDonald's_Restaurants

------ / Off-topic -----

Well that makes sense I suppose. In the future we'll look at our games, whose DRM require us to submit for DNA testing every 10 minutes in order to play, and think that the DRM on GTA4 wasn't all that bad.

Of course if Rockstar keep making PC games, released for "future PCs" a year after "obsolete consoles", and the games are otherwise identical, except the PC version lets them kill you if you so much as show it to a friend, I'm thinking they'll be out of business before too long, and the server that will let you play GTA4, probably won't exist by the time hardware that let's you play it does.

So lets start a pool. Despite GTA4 being as far as I can tell, the champion of copy protected games (probably knocking Splinter Cell Chaos Theory off the throne), which won't run on any sub-$4000 PC (which is worse than Crysis), who thinks they won't blame poor sales on piracy?

I wasn't necessarily suggesting it was ridiculous. I was suggesting it's absurd that software is the *only* product, in which liability doesn't seem to be an issue. If car manufacturers wanted to keep a private record of everyone who owned one of their cars, and you had to call them every time you wanted to turn on the ignition, and tell them who you are, where you're going, what you're going to do while driving, and how long you think the trip is going to take, you would be screaming bloody murder, despite car theft being a felony offense, and thus a much more serious crime than lending a videogame to your mate.

My question is since car manufacturers can't get away with that kind of bullshit, and McDonalds can't get away with selling super-heated fluids as coffee, why should Rockstar/Microsoft be allowed to get away with this kind of thing?

I have to say, after reading all the complaints on theirs and Steam's forum, this game wasn't optimized for PCs at the least. I keep reading how people with above-minimum requirements are unable to play the game above 30fps on even *low* settings at 1024x768, which I find is appalling given those same computers could run Crysis on high.

*Really* not going to buy this now if it was that shoddily ported. Probably be best for others who are still interested to wait on a few patches or just grab the console version.

Ah, but is the 'future-PC' version (ie. all maxed-out) identical to the Xbox version? My understanding is that it far surpasses the Xbox version. However, there ought to be a setting (or recommendation) for current high-end (eg. Crysis-capable) PCs which matches the Xbox visuals.

Obviously (at least, I hope obviously), I agree with the rest; except, perhaps, for the issue of stealing a car versus making a copy of a work under copyright, the latter of which is of course far more serious:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MTbX1aMajow [Warning: probably "Not Safe For Work/Kids".]

This is a near-exact copy of the warning you get when you've chosen to pay for a DVD in the UK -- justly rewarding the publishers -- as opposed to the experience you get when 'obtaining' a perfect copy of the DVD that has the ironically accusatory, and completely un-skippable, anti-piracy adverts removed.

The funny* thing is, the original version of this insane advert appeared on the official Casino Royale DVD, which I bought right away, along with adverts for at least 3 other movies (which can't be skipped), before you even get to the menu for the film! My understanding is that those who obtained the 'free edition' would not have had to bother with all this nonsense.

[* I use 'funny' in the loosest sense of the word.]

In summary: RRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!, AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHRRRWWWWGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!!, GGRRRWWWAAHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!, NNNNGGGGGGG!!!!!!, and "... why bother?"

I can't say that really bothers me - I'm too used to waiting for Steam to update itself and then display 500 billion adverts to really care - I normally only boot the game up once per evening, so I just set if going and go make a cup of tea - 10 lost minutes is not worth worrying about.

I'm more concerned about that fact that it seems to be yet another badly-written conversion - games can look as gorgeous as Flatout2 on cards from 2 or 3 generations ago, yet stuff like DIRT (but not GRID) and now this appear to look worse and yet run like absolute crap.

The game is playable on my system - there is just no chance of playing it in all of its glory - which is a big let down.

I couldn't really recommend the game as I think it risky to say who can and who cannot run this game properly.

All the stupid logging in to this and that really makes it a tedious chore to install and to actually get to start playing.

The city does look nice - there are nice touches over previous GTA games that you notice. I'd possibly recommend buying it just to drive around the city.

I still think the car handling is borked.

Maybe future patches will finish the job.

Rockstar should have been clearer about the specs required for the game. The game box should show minimum and recommended specs to play the game, as well as point out that the game was designed for future hardware that does not yet exist.

I think that, if your PC can run the game, then it will be okay and you will evenutally be drawn into playing; however, you will face dissapointment and frustration along the way.

The game has been further ruined by some bunch of idiots coding and testing the pool, bowling, etc sections.

These sections involve pulling the mouse back and pushing it forward - I'd imagine that there is no bug in the coding - this appears purposely coded to not work.

This type of control has appeared in many games - even bedroom-coded games. However, too many various forum threads of people claiming you have to play bowling like you are sandpapering your mousepad with the mouse suggest that Rockstar are having a laugh.

FACT: anyone on this forum can probabably write a program to respond to pulling the mouse back and pushing it forward. Rockstar cannot - I can only think that someone in Rockstar is probably roaring with laughter at the thought of people sandpapering their mouse pads.

FACT: the success rate of pulling this off getting the game to recognise you pulling the mouse back and pushing it forward is completely random - it would not surprise me if videos of this appear on Youtube for people to prove their point.

Shame on Rockstar.

Actually, it is a disgrace.

From watching the YouTube videos of the PC version I think they should have called it:

GTA IV: Popup City

Seriously, it looks horrible. Things appearing just a few hundred metres in front as you drive/turn. Is this happening even if you have max distance settings?
As far as tech problems and glitches - Rockstar working on GTA IV PC patch
* Crickey * Talk about poor QA