Grand Theft Auto IV has the best driving physics of any open-world game, ever

I think the learning curve was a bit too steep for many people; it brought an entirely new kind of driving physics to the table and it takes time to get used to it. I had great and terrible moments with it, and I think that the bigger issue is the collision detection + there are just objects that stop you instantly even though it's not possible due their size or material; that always sucked ass to me
 
It was way too tight in contrast to the handling in San Andreas which was loose and responsive. IV's handling is a step closer to actual driving physics, but something definitely went wrong there. My sedan doesn't handle like a boat.
 
thesuperfunk said:
Driver: San Francisco gets my vote ... it really suited all those old-school movie-based challenges!
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I have this too and the handling is solid enough. It dont feel like I'm driving a bull tha can get pissed off if the slightest thing. I'll need to reinstall this.
 
Fully agree with the OP and I'm pleasantly surprised by the amount of people agreeing also. I was always under the impression that most people hated it?

Due to the way the cars handle in GTA4, and I hate to use the word, it gets you more immersed in the world. Your connection to the world is more tangible.

I still don't mind the way games like Saint's Row and Sleeping Dogs handle this stuff though. Both games have different goals regarding the driving. SR is, as we all know, silly and stupid fun. Therefore it needs to be as arcadey as possible. Meanwhile, SD focuses on car combat by allowing you to easily crash into other cars by performing those sideway swerves and the like.

GTA doesn't want to achieve either. It just wants to present a believable world. I really hope GTAV will continue this trend. It's the only open world game that I know of that strives to achieve this (though Mafia 2 might as well).
 
Ploid 3.0 said:
I have this too and the handling is solid enough. It dont feel like I'm driving a bull tha can get pissed off if the slightest thing. I'll need to reinstall this.
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Great game, marred mainly [on PS3 atleast] by the horrible uPlay pass that to this day has prevented me from playing the exclusive challenges/online multiplayer.
 
I've always thought this. I measure every game's driving physics against GTA4's because it has the absolute best. It was so satisfying to drive in that game due to its realistic physics. I'm talking anything from how the cars collide, to the speed and gravity physics, to how bodies react perfectly(both visual and audio) smacking against the hood as you fly into them.
 
Online 'GTA Race' mode in GTA4, particularly around the Times Square figure 8 track, was one of this gens most enjoyable multi-player experiences afaic. It's a shame most people wrote it off before even trying it.
 
R0nn said:
Fully agree with the OP and I'm pleasantly surprised by the amount of people agreeing also. I was always under the impression that most people hated it?

Due to the way the cars handle in GTA4, and I hate to use the word, it gets you more immersed in the world. Your connection to the world is more tangible.

I still don't mind the way games like Saint's Row and Sleeping Dogs handle this stuff though. Both games have different goals regarding the driving. SR is, as we all know, silly and stupid fun. Therefore it needs to be as arcadey as possible. Meanwhile, SD focuses on car combat by allowing you to easily crash into other cars by performing those sideway swerves and the like.

GTA doesn't want to achieve either. It just wants to present a believable world. I really hope GTAV will continue this trend. It's the only open world game that I know of that strives to achieve this (though Mafia 2 might as well).
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GTA IV was pure pleasure for me back in the day! The GTA races were crazy, even with guys trying to fuck up the race by ambushing in tough spots with rocket launchers.

I played a lot of multi when I had my 360 in UK. Then I moved to Japan and could barely get into games anymore. (game was too old?).

I got it on Steam during a sale and while I did get some fun modding it, I was just disappointed with the lack of people for MP, basically couldn't join one single damn game!
 
cripterion said:
GTA IV was pure pleasure for me back in the day! The GTA races were crazy, even with guys trying to fuck up the race by ambushing in tough spots with rocket launchers.

I played a lot of multi when I had my 360 in UK. Then I moved to Japan and could barely get into games anymore. (game was too old?).

I got it on Steam during a sale and while I did get some fun modding it, I was just disappointed with the lack of people for MP, basically couldn't join one single damn game!
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That sucks, to this day on the PC I do still find servers, not that popular sadly but a good 5 to 6 people per server and like 10 or so servers.

GAF IV PC race, would be epic lol.
 
People like to shit on the driving controls in GTA 4 but I thought they were great after growing accustomed to them.
 
MrOogieBoogie said:
Currently playing Sleeping Dogs and, while I'm enjoying it overall, the driving physics really bother me. Makes driving (or should I say, flying) through the city boring and honestly kind of a chore. Rockstar knocked it out of the park when it comes to the driving aspect with GTAIV. The controls and physics kept you alert, and thus, engaged during travel from mission to mission. The hood cam made it even better and more immersive (shame Sleeping Dogs doesn't have one; I'd love to be able to appreciate the finer details of the city that way).

I pray that V will continue IV's driving model!
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yep only reason I have yet to get SD, probably never will, the car driving is terrible... GTA 4 has amazing car handling... every car feels different some are bad but the good cars control amazingly... 100% with you OP
 
I liked that GTA IV's driving required some time to master, but was nowhere near as boring as something like Forza or GT.
 
I completely agree with the OP. Obviously, not all of the vehicles are created equal, but that's entirely the point. At times, I get more joy out of cruising around in Liberty City than I do in most racing games.
 
Getting t-boned by another car as I went through an interaction is still one of those moments in gaming that clearly sticks out. The way the cars reacted in GTAIV and stuff. It was so great.
 
Aside from the road vehicles, helicopters are also great in GTA IV. SR is a very basic, unsatisfying experience, whilst GTA actually flys more like a real chopper would - a nose down attitude influences forward speed but you have to feed in extra lift into the rotors so you don't lose height. It's harder to master but enormously more satisfying and fun.
 
Fuck yes. I have argued about it ad nauseum in various GAF threads but I have to add my full support for GTA IV's amazing driving.
 
dejay said:
Aside from the road vehicles, helicopters are also great in GTA IV. SR is a very basic, unsatisfying experience, whilst GTA actually flys more like a real chopper would - a nose down attitude influences forward speed but you have to feed in extra lift into the rotors so you don't lose height. It's harder to master but enormously more satisfying and fun.
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Ah yea, helicopters in IV were also just incredible, you have such good control and it feels very awesome to fly.

Again can be improved, like ability to do loops but as it currently is, it was very well done and not yet bested.


The heli physics fitted the game very well.

I HATED how in JC2 the turning was camera based and how slow the turning was, quality>>> quantity.
 
TwiztidElf said:
Online 'GTA Race' mode in GTA4, particularly around the Times Square figure 8 track, was one of this gens most enjoyable multi-player experiences afaic. It's a shame most people wrote it off before even trying it.
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I still play it. I put on Vladivostok FM with the newer techno type songs and cold play it for hours.
 
they handled like shopping carts.

I don't care if the driving is realistic in GTA. That game has nothing to do with reality.

No reason to decrease the fun factor for the sake of making the driving "realistic"
 
Completely, utterly agree.

The weight and mechanics of GTA IV's driving made it super difficult to go back and enjoy the floaty arcade style of older GTA titles, Just Cause 2, Sleeping Dogs, L.A. Noire, and Mafia II (although that just felt very heavy!). I think the driving mechanics set it apart entirely- some of the vehicles you gain an immense appreciation for while driving, and maneuvering on motorcycles felt thrilling/dangerous! The heavier S.U.V.s and larger trucks felt slow and heavy, and were more difficult to balance/accelerate. Everything felt different.

I love the weightlessness of driving in a Comet in Vice City at top speed, slapping the handbrake and spinning around completely without hesitation. But GTA IV & driving made races ridiculously fun, and added some awesome gravity & weight physics to the entire experience. Driving was awesome! It took awhile to get adjusted, but I can always come back and remember how to approach it.
 
I loved the physics in GTAIV, especially compared to the weightless rubbish like Saints Row or Sleeping Dogs.

If they could just fix the need to constantly having to adjust the camera, it would be perfect.
 
IV driving isn't all that realistic, it is just A LOT MORE in depth compared to other games and requires actual user input and thinking outside of the typical forward, back, left and right like it is with most other open world games and vehicles.
 
I agree. It was so cute to see people complaining about it back then (and even now). It's obvious they've never played anything close to a simulator.
 
Yes. It seems weird at first because it's the only open world game in its time to have that kind of driving mechanic but once I got used to it, it felt much more rewarding. Especially when driving through traffic or being chased down by the police.
 
I too think GTAIV's driving is great. It could be definitely be improved, but one of the reasons I still play IV is because of the driving and the diverse feeling of each and every vehicle. I actually liked the heftiness to the cars and motorcycles; it rewarded actually slowing down and using a combination of both brakes to do well. If they tighten up the sliding a bit, and make the cars easier to stop and drift through corners just a tiny bit better, I think the driving in V will be great. I really can't wait to see how the vehicles in V feel, and I'm curious about the planes, bikes, submarines, jetskies, etc. all play with their physics.
 
Yup, I definitely like how it feels driving those cars. They feel heavy and yet you can still drive around crazy small places without crashing if you've practiced enough. Can't wait to see how the cars drive in GTAV.
 
It also has the most realistic walking physics. Realistic doesn't mean good. I spent less time driving in gta4 then any other gta game. Thank god for the taxi service or I'd never have finished the game.
 
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