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IGN: Grand Theft Auto IV PC hands-on


Chris

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IGN recently got their hands on the PC version of GTA IV at an event in San Francisco. The game was installed on a rig boasting hardware including a Core 2 Extreme X9650 CPU, GeForce GTX 280 graphics card, and 3 GB of RAM. IGN ran the game very well at max settings on a huge screen resolution of 2560 x 1600.

A reminder to what's new in the PC version:

There'll be custom match filtering for multiplayer games, though it sounds like there might be something else in the works. "At this time, all we're talking about is the custom match filtering," said Nelson. "You'll be able to create a multiplayer match with any number of specifications, and others can search for something that is just right." Players also get a built-in video editor to splice together replays, more control options and, as you might expect, better graphics.

Also of note is that you can use the keyboard and mouse in tandem with a game controller, such as the wireless Xbox 360 controller, allowing you to use the keyboard and mouse for precision aiming and the controller for driving. Or whatever you like best.

The article is very interesting, especially if you've got a great PC and are looking forward to playing the game. If your computer is, shall we say, sh*t, then you may find the article upsetting. Check it out at IGN.

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Looks like R* added a rudimentary video editor in IV, allowing you to edit and splice replay clips, perfect for those stunters out there...

The one major difference with the PC version is the addition of a replay editor. At any time during play offline or on you're able to hit a key, F2 as default, to record a 30 to 60 second clip of gameplay. The length is determined by what's going on onscreen. You can hit F2 as many times as you want, and the game will record overlapping clips, so no worries about interruption. There's no limit on how many clips you can record, just basically as many as you've got room for on your hard drive. Once you think you've captured something you like, you can pop out to the replay editor to start customizing your clips.

The seems like a pretty useful tool, as it lets you do things like cut up and splice together different bits of clips. So if you've got five different explosions and want to string them together into a montage, you just load up each clip, set ins and out and, through a seemingly easy to use interface, string them together. For each clip you can also set a whole range of visual filters and camera angles to get the best view of the action. This way you can show shootings from the point of view of the victim, overlay a green-tinted or sepia toned filter, maybe adjust the audio levels, and add in some custom text for an added effect. Like, when the cop car explodes, you can have text pop up with some creative witticism such as "Look, this cop car is exploding."

In addition to setting your own camera angles, it's also possible to have the camera perform movements while a scene plays out. If you want the view to orbit around Niko Bad Boys II-style while he's unloading clips or set the camera to a shaky handheld setting while he's running and gunning, that's entirely within your power. Then you can slap on a song from the soundtrack for some music accompaniment, touch up whatever else you feel is necessary, and move on to exporting the final file in 640x480, 720p, and 1080p sizes to the Rockstar Social Club where others can take a look at your creation.

Overall it seems like an easy to use but powerful editor, and something that should definitely be pretty nice for players who want to capture those chance moments in the game that seem like they'll never happen again. You'll just have to remember to hit F2.

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