finbogg

Anyone heard about the release date for Grand Theft Auto 3 on XBOX? Will it have improved graphics?

Last I heard, Gamespot said March 15th but they removed that estimate and I've heard nothing new.

I know the PC version is slated for April .

I also heard that since Sony is paying for the marketing, Rockstar Games isn't allowed to coment on the XBOX version (even though one is for sure)

Thanks

Flay

The end of May is the next estimate. No word on any improvements.

Trelach24

May 31st

boobietheclown

<marquee>MUSTHAVETHISGAMEMUSTHAVETHISGAME!!!</marquee>

darkside

It will be worth the wait. I'm still playing the PS2 version from time to time and I can't wait to see how it looks on Xbox. Waiting sucks though.

Gallant Pig

Is May 31st a firm date or just more guessing?

Shawn

May 31st is the date that Amazon.co.uk says it's coming out but i'm not sure exactly how much that means. I don't remember what the link is otherwise i'd post it. If i find the link, i'll add it in. I'm pretty sure Amazon.co.uk is taking preorders for it so i'm guessing the US version will come out the same day but i'm not sure. Sorry if i haven't been much help.

- Shawn

Trelach24

I have just seem that date on multiple sites.

ScandalUMD

I think the graphics were limited by the scale of the environments, and the time it would have taken to make them all more detailed. I can't imagine them remodeling, or even retexturing most of the city for the XBox release, especially considering they've already sold as many GTA3 games for PS2 as Microsoft has sold XBoxes.

I think the most the XBox will get are maybe a few more tacked on "phone missions," maybe they'll optimize the framerate (not that the framerate was bad on PS2) and probably add high resolution support for HDTV sets.

I think, like Onimusha and Silent Hill, the XBox additions will be pretty cursory. Genma Onimusha certainly isn't worth $50, for example, when the PS2 version is selling for $19.99

Flay

But when a person only owns an XBox, $50 for Genma Onimusha is better than $355 for a PS2, memory card, and Onimusha: Warlords. Any way you look at it, the cost of the Ps2 outweighs any difference in the cost of the same software on both systems.

If a person has both systems, then your point is valid. But most people own just 1 console.

Gallant Pig

Well there will be the very obvious additions of in-game DD5.1 and 480p. I would say Bumpmapping could definitely show up as well. Not to mention better resolution/tighter graphics. It's safe to say it will take advantage of the hard drive and stream the game (doesn't the DVD Drive constantly chug on the PS2?). If Rockstar is as good as people say, I'm sure they'll feature customizable soundtrack as well. Rockstar strikes me as a developer that likes to do this right, not taking advantage of the Xbox hardware would be really dropping the ball for them and be a blemish on their record. Let's hope that doesn't happen.

Flay

They did a great job with Max Payne. I'd assume the work will be just as good.

In addition to all of your improvements, I would really like to see reduced load times. From the intial start-up to the island changes, the load times are just too long for my tastes.

Gallant Pig

That's right, Max Payne got like a 7.0 on the PS2 at IGN, then the Xbox version got like a 9.2, just for its improved graphics.

Hey, reduction of load time would be a given.

ScandalUMD

DD5.1 and 480p are pretty likely. Better resolution/tighter graphics would require re-texturing, remodeling a lot of the items. They may do it for a few things, but I doubt they'll do much of it. A lot of artwork goes into a game of this scale, and I can't imagine them putting the time and money into redoing all that when it probably wouldn't make them any more money.

I also think the customizable soundtrack is somewhat unlikely. The radio stations are a big part of the game's "personality". As weird as it may seem, not all developers will want you to be able to customize your soundtrack. They may want to use the music to set the tone of the game. They may throw some more songs and commercials into the mix, though.

I don't know about the DVD drive chugging. I never really paid much attention. There are only load times when you move from one island to another, though.

I seriously don't think it would be a "blemish" on Rockstar's record to do a straight port of this game for the XBox. The XBox and the PS2 seem to have a lot of overlap in their audiences, and I think it would be pretty silly of Rockstar to invest a lot of time upgrading an already top-notch game. They may throw a few extra goodies in there, but nothing earth shattering.

I can't imagine the difference being that much more than you see in Genma Onimusha or in Silent Hill: Restless Dreams.

Flay

It's most likely the Xbox version will be a port of the Pc version already being developed rather than the PS2 version.

Gallant Pig

SSX, Silent Hill 2, Max Payne, and many other Xbox ports have all offered better graphics, bumpmapping etc.. Not doing this for GTA3 would look bad on their part. But really, who knows what it's going to look like. I couldn't care less, as long as it comes out sooner than later.

Gallant Pig

Good point, I'm guessing they'll kill 2 birds with one stone and shoot for Xbox like specs on the PC and simply port it straight to that hardware from the PC or vice-versa.

ScandalUMD

I kind of imagine that the PC version and the XBox versions will both be ports of the PS2 game. I can't imagine them rebuilding the city, or even retexturing the city from scratch. We're talking about a lot of artwork which will have to be completely redone here.

They might bump map the streets or something, I guess. I certainly wouldn't buy the game again for bump mapping. I think bump mapping is cool looking, but is being overused, like colored lighting a few years ago. It's a neat effect, but snow and ice and things don't look like bump maps.

Gallant Pig

Hmm... well considering how much the PC/Xbox architecture varies from PS2 architecture, it would surprise me if they could easily port the game over. Especially since GTA3 takes strong advantage of the hardware, using parallel processing I'm sure, when the PC/Xbox won't be able to use that. I would imagine that this difficult port could be what's holding this game up. If they have to change a lot of things, a decent graphics upgrade couldn't be too hard I'd imagine. But really... I have no idea what it will turn out like, nevertheless the guranteed 480p and 5.1 sound great to me.

Gallant Pig

Off topic, but have you seen the bumpmapped snow of Amped? It's the most beautifully depicted snow I've seen in a game, it's absolutely perfect. I disagree with you %100 on that statement that snow isn't bumpmapped (do you live in Florida or something? ). Bumpmapping gives things a 3d look, and will be around for a long time.

ScandalUMD

Actually, Transworld Snowboarding has already one upped Amped. I think we'll end up seeing a lot of bump mapping on all the consoles by next year. It's big on XBox now because the hardware supports it right out of the box. Argonaut is claiming that they've done bump mapping on PS2 in Malice with no loss in performance. Gamecube has support for 8 levels of multitexturing, so I'm sure it can do bump maps, and reflection maps, and bullet holes, and whatever else you could want on a surface.

But ice just isn't bumpy. It definitely looks more 3-D, but it doesn't look like snow. Kind of like how game water has great wave effects now, and looks... good, but it doesn't look like real water.

Trigger

Malice is coming out for PS2 as well as Xbox? I thought Malice was an Xbox exclusive. Not that it matters, I'm just curious.

Grimfarrow

It *was* an X-Box exclusive, until Argonaut revealed that they've been working on the PS2 version - which will come out simultaneously with the X-Box version.

ScandalUMD

Also, IGN is reporting that DMA design is working on a new GTA game with the GTA3 engine for PS2, which will take place in Miami, and after that, GTA4. We don't know yet if Miami is a standalone, or an add on like the London disc.

I don't know how this affects the XBox version. XBox users could get both quests packaged together, or this could mean the XBox version gets cancelled in an effort to sell more GTA to the larger number of Playstation 2 owners. Or maybe Rockstar will farm the porting duties over to a studio other than DMA, which doesn't bode well for XBox exclusive extra content. After all, there were more copies of GTA3 sold than there were XBoxes.

darkside

Its frustrating to Xbox owners, but that is the big problem when you have the PS2 with such a big lead in console sales. There is much bigger money in getting a sequel out on the PS2 than there is for releasing an Xbox version of the original (not that there is no profit to be made there).

However, as more and more Xbox consoles are sold I think Rockstar and most other publishers will be more willing to get both versions ready at the same time instead of giving the PS2 the priority.

Its one of the frustrations of the early life of a console, but if the Xbox continues to sell well I think these frustrations will be short lived. The Xbox is easy to program for and in time it may get the bulk of the new multiconsole games first instead of the PS2 or at least at the same time.