The GTA4 trailer wasn't very good.

[poltah]

It wasn't. I don't get why the guys were so excited about it.
It looked exactly what you'd expect it would look like. Did you not expect next gen graphics and a big living city?

I wasn't impressed, at all.

[masherscf]

I guess what you didn't notice was that the level of realism of the trailer scenes is remarkably above what we've come to expect form GTA.

The excitement was not that the visual adhere to the realism the next-gen is capable of. The excitement was that there was any realism at all. It begs a few the questions.

The lack of realism of the former titles lent itself to a level of cartoon violence that kept the games from being truly graphic. Is this apparent upgrade in the realistic also going to be reflected in the portrayal of violence in the title?

Also, the tone of the GTA4 trailer is completely different than the first GTA:SA trailers. Does this signal a change in the tone of the game in general?

Is this release the complete reimagining of GTA as trailer suggests or is it just clever marketing?

I guess the trailer was more intriguing than impressive.

[poltah]

I just looked exactly like what I expected it would look like.

[masherscf]

I just looked exactly like what I expected it would look like.

Sometimes it takes Jesus himself to raise a few eyebrows...

[lindqvist]

I have to agree that the graphics really aren't anything out of the ordinary for a current generation game. (Why do we refer to the current generation as "next-gen", seems stupid?)

I do, however, also think that the tone is radically different in this trailer. This trailer makes it sound like it would actually be a dark story. While the earlier GTA games have all been violent, they have been violent in somewhat cartoonish and highly tongue-in-cheek way.

[masherscf]

(Why do we refer to the current generation as "next-gen", seems stupid?)

Well, I refer to my infant children as "The next generation." After I die, they can refer to themselves as "this generation."

In any event, we called the PS2 and XBOX "next-gen" for a few years after their release. Maybe it is stupid, but it's what people do.

[shakermaker]

Sometimes it takes Jesus himself to raise a few eyebrows...



LOL!!!! gta4 has allot of hype, but the trailer was definitely excellent, the level of detail is deep. And as usuall this game is going to be some congressmen not very pleased by this game.

[masherscf]

While we're on the topic. I think we should comment on the aspects of this trailer. I heard speculation that in creating a more detailed universe for the GTA4 characters, that they had to reduce the scope to "one city."

I wonder if people realize how colossal the New York city area is. Not to mention they would have to create Brooklyn and Queens, at least one of the landmarks featured in the trailer (the ferry terminal) is actually in New Jersey. The ferry terminal is a dead ringer for the old Lackawanna terminal in Hoboken, New Jersey right next to the train station there. I travel through this terminal on the way to work and seeing it in the trailer was eerie.

They may be recreating a fair amount of environment in the surrounding suburban counties both on long island and in Jersey as well as the city. The current popularity of "The Sopranos" suggests that this might be a cool idea.

New Jersey isn't as sexy as California, but you can't beat the gritty realism.... or the smell...

[notdrew]

I think the argument is, it's GTA! It's one of the most popular video game franchises in the world, and for good reason. It paved the way games are being made and played now. To be honest, i didn't think the trailer was all that great at first, but once i noticed all the subtle details, like the guy fixing his rear view mirror, i was hungry for more information. But, imagine how detailed the behavior of those people walking around could be. I mean, it's small stuff, but damn, if it's getting to a point where Rockstar wants to showcase that they are detailing such behaviors then imagine how the game as a whole would be like.

I believe anybody that's remotely interested in video games should be at the least bit excited about the game through the trailer. And if you're not, well, i don't what to say.

[r3v]

I just looked exactly like what I expected it would look like.Classic poltah. :)

[poltah]

Classic poltah. :)

God that makes me feel old. And I'm 19.

[gi_josh]

The trailor gave me mixed messages. It seemed all serious with the Russian(?) immigrant sounding all serious, but then we get a shot of the Getalife building which is in the same humor vein as previous GTA's (Anybody remember TW@ internet cafe?) I'm not sure the serious tone of the story and the continued use of chlidish GTA humor is gonna mix that well for me.

[travisonphonics]

I really ****ing liked the trailer. For all the reasons Poltah didn't. It looked fantastic, which I expected but still got me excited about a realistic looking hooker brawl. It was marketed well, what with the countdown and epic Roman numerals. It was a great parallel look between New York City and Liberty City, which I loved. It raised questions, and got everybody "lyk3 OMG, r w3 gunn4 B ru55ian?" And Poltah, what would you have liked to have seen instead? What should've it been to make you happy? Because I think they handled it predictably, and in the best way possible.

[knight42]

I think the trailer looks great. The lighting just gives the city that extra oomph that makes the series special. I can't WAIT to play a Russian mobster, it'll remind me of the good old days of GTA:VC and the rise of ranks there. I ended up getting bored with GTA:SA and never actually finished it. But to be able to get mixed up with the mob in such a realistic looking VC is going to be a ton of fun! I'm ready!