Rockstar Newswire

• fixed a bug causing tree leaves to look transparent
• fixed a bug that prevented uploading of rendered videos to Social Club when attaching certain music tracks
• fixed for clip capture "OFF" slowdowns occurring when near water's edge
• exposed "detonate" in custom key mapping options menu for Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned so users can remap "down" arrow key

If you are looking to download the new patch files and install them manually, they can be found here: 

Grand Theft Auto IV - http://support.rockstargames.com/help/rockstar_games/GTAIV_patch_7

Episodes from Liberty City - http://support.rockstargames.com/help/rockstar_games/EFLC_patch_2

For anyone that's been experiencing issues in Red Dead Redemption online multiplayer, we've just enacted a fix which should help.  Instructions for both platforms are below, along with a description of what's been addressed.  If you still need assistance, please contact RDRsupport@rockstargames.com and make sure to include your platform and online ID. 
We will continue to investigate any and all issues people may be having including the ones this update aims to fix.  Thank you all for your patience and understanding as we work through this stuff.

This fix addresses a specific issue that was found where the player’s multiplayer avatar, their horse or their weapons would occasionally not be visible in multiplayer games as well as an issue that some players were experiencing where they would lose connection to the various multiplayer modes.

To apply the update on PlayStation 3:
You must be signed into a valid PlayStation Network ID and be connected to the PlayStation Network before starting the game up.  If those two conditions are met, your PS3 will automatically download the update in the background and the game will apply the fixes when you start or join a multiplayer session.

To apply the update on Xbox 360:
You must be signed into a valid Xbox LIVE Gamertag and be connected to Xbox LIVE before starting the game up.  If those two conditions are met, your Xbox 360 will automatically download the update in the background and the game will apply the fixes when you start or join a multiplayer session.

Thanks everyone and see you online...

In support of today’s North American release of the downloadable episodes, The Ballad of Gay Tony and The Lost and Damned, on Games for Windows LIVE – we’ve released a patch for Grand Theft Auto IV PC (1.0.6.0) that adds a host of improvements currently found in Episodes from Liberty City.  In addition, Episodes from Liberty City players are also getting a small update (1.1.1.0) that will improve memory management and address a hardware configuration error.  More detailed patch notes related to Grand Theft Auto IV are located below.  

Enhancements in Grand Theft Auto IV PC include:

• A new, less memory-intensive, and better-looking scalable shadow solution has been implemented
• Enhanced Night Shadows added with user-selectable level of detail (replaces Shadow Density)

• Rendering optimizations have been made to improve performance, particularly when enabling shadows
• User-configurable graphics settings have been added for shadow control
  

• Enhanced security to isolate users from cheaters and hackers

• Vehicle shadows re-enabled between 8pm and 6am
• Fix floating street textures
• Pedestrians in vehicles appear further out from the player to allow for long range sniping
• The Moon has been implemented with simulated lunar phases

A title update for the Xbox 360 versions of Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City and Grand Theft Auto IV is now available via Xbox LIVE. The update includes the following fixes and changes:

• The upwards velocity of parachutes is now capped
• Bowling alley ‘invisible pins’ are now fixed
• Updates have been made to prevent players modifying stats for online games
• Infinite Nitro is now fixed

You will be prompted to download and install the update when signing into LIVE.

Title update five (version number 1.0.0.4) for Grand Theft Auto IV PC is currently available on Games for Windows LIVE. This update addresses the following:

GENERAL:

• Converts all region SKUs into the same SKU
• Includes support for all languages within single .exe

CONTROLS:

• Allows controls to be double mapped on keyboard
• Adds option in controls menu to disable mouse controls in helicopters
• Adjusts keyboard control sensitivity in hood cam view in vehicles

MULTIPLAYER:

• Security Updates to deter cheating in multiplayer
• Hosts can now immediately Kick users from their games in Lobby and in game via Cell phone without having to rely on peer voting
• Fixes a bug in Cops 'n Crooks mode where Host would drop out and prevent remaining players from leaving game

You will be prompted to download and install the update when signing into LIVE.  The update can also be downloaded at http://www.rockstargames.com/support/IV/PC/patch/index.html and then manually installed. 

Tutorial Clip #1 of 9: An Introduction to Beaterator

After you’ve gotten your hands on Beaterator for PSP, and made some quick jams on the fly using the facile Live Play mode, you’ll want to start challenging yourself by diving into the Studio Mode composition areas to make your own original song completely from scratch.  You can get as intricate as you like, from simple loop layering in Studio Session, to drum pattern creation in Drum Crafter, to more advanced elements like the Synth Editor and Effects panel.

To help you learn and master these composition modes, we’ve posted a series of 9 Demo Tutorial Videos covering the following areas: Introduction to Beaterator, Song Crafter, Studio Session, Drum Crafter, Melody Crafter, Sound Editor, Studio Controls, Effects and the Synth Editor.

Get on with it – just make sure we get a shout in your liner notes…

As anyone who's caused enough wanton havoc in Liberty City can attest, surviving and escaping the long arm of the law when you've racked up a top wanted level is a bitch.

Grand Theft Auto IV's "One Man Army" achievement/trophy rewards players for doing just that - evading the LCPD and surviving a six-star wanted level for a total of six minutes.  Probably one of the game's toughest challenges.

Here are some tips - the first in an ongoing series of game hints we'll be dropping here at Rockstar News...

First, you are going to want to stock up on weapons and armor. It would be a good idea to stock up on the heavy artillery. A rocket launcher, shotgun, and an automatic rifle - either the Carbine or Assault Rifle - should do the trick.  To quickly get yourself up to five stars, you can always head to the nearest  Tw@ Internet cafe location and visit the website www.littlelacysurprisepageant.com on the in-game Internet.  This will immediately earn you a five star wanted level.  From this point, you'll have to get a bit creative and cause enough mayhem to get the final sixth star; note that the LCPD and N.O.O.S.E will be all over you from the moment you step outside of the Internet cafe.

Make sure you have scouted out a defense point beforehand and make your way towards it using the back alleys to choke off pursuit.  If you are playing Grand Theft Auto IV, we recommend going to Playboy X's apartment or one of your safe houses (we're partial to the apartment in Hove Beach).  In The Lost and Damned, things get a bit trickier as your one safe house isn't secure enough to mount a great offensive.  Instead of your biker hang out, we suggest heading for the Booth Tunnel and barricading yourself in with a bunch of vehicles for cover (a plus is that you don't have to deal with LCPD helicopters).  If you're running low on health while trying to get to your preferred destination, stop by a hospital for a health pack (usually located on the façade near the main entrance) or look for a snack machine. Finally, if you need to refill your armor, try hopping into a N.O.O.S.E truck.

If you have another method that is a surefire way to get the “One Man Army” achievement/trophy, let us know, bigshot. 

***

Are there tough missions in a particular Rockstar game that you’d like some hints or help with?  Let us know via comments here on the Rockstar Newswire, or send us an email and we’ll try and give you our best tips and strategies.

(*UPDATE - Some of your questions from this morning answered straight away at the bottom of this post.  Hot off the press.  Keep 'em coming...)

Another fresh batch of answers to soothe inquiring minds – Keep ‘em coming.  Hit us up via Mouthoff email, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube – and of course in the Comments area here.


"Hey Rockstar! I've been a huge fan of Vice City... and was wondering; is that Victor Vance who is gunned down in the intro of Vice City? All sources seem to say "yes", but no official word has been given on that." - received via Mouthoff

Yup... that's Vic.  After having been dragged back into the Vice City criminal underworld by his brother Lance following the events of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, Vic Vance dies in the ambush that occurs in the opening scene of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.

"When will we see some Red Dead Redemption footage or another trailer?! Even some information?! Come on R*!" - received via Twitter

Red Dead Redemption is currently shaping up to be one of our biggest action games of 2010.  We will have more info very soon – and thank you for your interest.  Trust us, it will be worth the wait.  For all the latest screenshots, be sure to check out www.rockstargames.com/reddeadredemption.

"Does anyone know the name of the song in the Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars trailer?" - received via YouTube

The song featured in the trailer for Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is aptly named "Chinatown Wars" by Ghostface Killah and Doom.  It was produced exclusively for the game by Oh No (of Stones Throw fame, from the west coast), and is currently available on iTunes.

**********

"In GTAIV, there's a wall that contains the names of previous protagonists in the Grand Theft Auto series, and after some of those names, there are the words 'R.I.P.' or something similar.  Is this a way of confirming that the GTA3 timeline is over, or will you bring it back someday?" - Rodrigo6411

This was a little joke for fans of the series.  The Grand Theft Auto III timeline is not necessarily over - but it is a different world to Grand Theft Auto IV - only the branding and certain radio personalities exist across both worlds.  The reason for this was that we felt Grand Theft Auto IV was a high-definition experience and required different kinds of characters.  That - and the fact that most people from the previous world are dead.


"I want to start by saying you guys are my favorite developers, not that I am pulling any strings here so that my question gets answered.  Anyways, I am dying to know more about Agent, when can we learn more, for god's sake tease me!" - Rock1m1

Thank you - it's not likely we will have any more news this year, but the game is shaping up to be something truly spectacular.


"One mystery gone, another to explain :):
Did Claude kill Maria at the end of GTAIII?" - Mastah27

Certainly gun shots were fired, but nobody is sure as to exactly what happened.