Grand Theft Auto IV [PC]:Got it as a Christmas gift, couldn't play it until now, since I finally managed to get a video card strong enough to run it. Now, it doesn't run perfectly, it's a bit choppy and I had to
turn the visuals way down, but I don't care. It runs, I love it, and that's what matters.
But I had other issues. I got an update for the game, and that resulted in an error code that isn't even on the list of known error codes. Google only found 1 other result, and that was some dude who was trying to play with a trainer. I think the problem was the game rejected the trainer, and in my case, the update, and wouldn't load. Reinstalled.
Next, the damn xbox for windows Live crap wouldn't open. I wouldn't even get an error code to look up, just the 'lol, sumbit error 2 windoes' popup. At least that told me the problem was xlive.dll. To update that Games for Windows - LIVE thing, which is required to save your effing progress and track Achievements, I had to update it. But it wouldn't let me.
To let me let it update, I had to "apply a hotfix" for my freaking operating system. But the hotfix wouldn't even install due to some bull about "cryptographic services."
I had to open up the command prompt, manually add some lines to the registry and start up some processes, THEN install the hotfix for the OS, THEN update the LIVE crap so I could launch the game.
So it's been a long wait [not just the 6 months I've had the game but couldn't play it] and a lot of frustration, but it's installed, it runs, and let me tell you - as a hardcore GTA3 fanboy, IV is everything I've wanted and more: physics, story that doesn't suck, characters that you actually care about, abilities like hotwiring and turning off cars, little touches like bloodstains, bullet holes that stay, etc... Sweet baby-selling Raptor Jesus, I must have permanently stained my pants.
Got 5 lolechxbawksgamingpoints for finishing the first mission and the Fresh Off the Boat Achievement. Met up with the Jamaican dude and shot up the guys who wanted to do him harm, getting along famously with Michelle, able to do taxi calls for Roman, and, you guessed it,
BOWLING COUSIN. Currently working on the 'chase the laundromat guy' mission. I pulled an old GTA3 tactic of mine: I blocked his van with the Blista Compact and got the Sentinel into position BEFORE triggering the scripted running sequence, so he'd be boxed in and wouldn't be able to move. Only, when I entered the laundromat, it reset the vehicles in the parking area. Clever girl.
Having a blast, can't wait to get home from school tomorrow to play some more. Got some work I need to get done or I'd do another mission or 5.
