SergeantPinback

I just picked up GTA: Vice City for PC and so far it looks great. The only problem I'm having is the same problem that I had with GTAIII, which is that while I'm playing, the disc is constantly being read (I can hear it spinning). After playing, (even if it's only for 30 or 40 minutes), I take the disc out and it is VERY warm. I might even say HOT.

Back when I was playing GTAIII, I checked around and left a message for the tech support for the game, but I never got any answer to the question about this being normal or not. After playing GTAIII for a long time, my disc drive (a CD burner) did stop working and Gateway sent me a new one, because it was under warranty.

Now it seems that Vice City is doing the same thing. I've played a lot of other games, and I've never had one where the disc was being read ALL the time.

Is this just some function of Rockstar games, or is it possible that it's something with my system. As I say, ONLY the two Rockstar games I've played have done this, so I'm leaning toward some quirk with them.

Any advice would be appreciated........

Doug Schiller

The music is being streamed from the CD.
You have to wait for the patch that allows you to move the audio to the harddrive.
They don't allow it initially to curb piracy I guess.

Doug

WepaMan

Actually, the game does install all the audio tracks to the hard drive upon installation. I have a .exe that you can use to overwrite the existing one to allow you to play without a disc. Shoot me an email and I'll send it to you.

SergeantPinback

I just called the tech line. According to the person I talked to, and the person sitting next to them, this is what the game should be doing. It has something to do with checking for 'authenticity'. Seems weird to me. An initial check for the disc on start-up should be good enough.

I guess if I blow another disc drive, I'll get another one from Gateway (still have 2 1/2 years on the ESP). Maybe the first one was just a coincidence. I don't know. Anyone else have their drive go out after playing GTAIII or Vice City?

TeeSeeJay

This would be macromedia's SafeDisc protection. It's a wrapper that more-or-less constantly checks the validity of the game disc. Sometimes this protection causes so much problem with a game that they'll pull the protection code out in a patch.

BigPete

If you own the game, don't feel bad about cracking it. I would recommend that you take Wepa up on his offer.

SergeantPinback

WOW! That works great. Can't thank you enough. That's gonna save a hell of a lot of wear on my disc drive!

arvs0z

can i also have that program? i just borrowed my cd from my friend and i have to return it

thanks WEPAMAN