Gearheads of War

As for my impressions so far, I simply haven't completed enough of the single player to qualify to say anything about it, except that GTA is seriously a role playing game. I find I am worried about whether I changed clothes (do I stink?), or keeping my commitments to that deadbeat cousin, etc. etc. I am not saying that is a bad thing, just more role playing than I thought. Like you, papi, I simply cannot put in the hours.

I was all hot and bothered about this game for a couple of reasons:

1. the city being inspired by New York - I've never been to New York, but the thought that I can "learn" a little about it through a game is very cool. I think R* fulfilled on this promise. It is amazing.
   
2. the technology, specifically NaturalMotion. I am actually a little disappointed so far because everything I have seen could have been done by pre-set animations. However, I think the more I see of the game, the more the beauty of procedural animation will become evident (not always seeing the same animation over and over again). Still, controlling Niko seems a little sluggish and unresponsive. I think they need to turn up the speed of NaturalMotion, if you know what I mean.
   
3. The driving. The more I drive, the more I like it. Also, the more familiar I become with the streets and the neighborhood, the more I enjoy being in it.
   
4. The phone. I like it and I like the music and radio and commercials. For me, that is far more important than pretty pictures. I have been bitching about pretty over innovation for a long time. It would be grossly hypocritical of me to complain now that it is not as pretty as it might be for the sake of content. One complaint about the phone, why do I use it to change the stations (do I?) when I am in the car, yet, I cannot use it to listen to music when I am walking. That analogy seems broken. (I will have to confirm that I am using the phone to change the music station - if that is the case, they screwed that up).

From the beginning, I never really thought I would be playing the SP, so I am not disappointed. Even the multiplayer was a big question for me. What I bought this game for, was to be able to drive around Liberty City and listen to tunes and maybe have a friend ride shotgun. Basically a chat room, with things to do. I am not disappointed, though in the end, I may spend more time chatting in the Gears Valley of Death, than in Liberty City.

You know, there is one multiplayer mode that I wish they would add: Follow the Leader.

It would have one guy start as the leader and the others have to follow him. No set course. Whoever is able to pass him becomes the new leader. The clock keeps track of who is in the lead, and for how long. At the end of the set time, the person with the longest time as leader wins. Very simple and just a variation of Oddball, but I think it would be a blast, and it would allow for people to see the big wipeouts. As it is, we often miss the good stuff because it happens out of sight.

Anyway, great diary, papi.  I think tyrus would agree wholeheartedly with you.  Almost word for word what he has been saying.