Well we’ve decided to compile a list of GTA IV hints and tips for playing online. Note that most of these are for all the modes unless noted otherwise.

• Use Cover - Seriously, we just don’t understand why people don’t do this anyway. There are numerous times when I (Gamoc) personally have destroyed teams of enemies in deathmatch simply because they were screaming towards me like trigger happy zombies and I was taking cover behind a rock with an M4. Find somewhere to take cover, and pop out when you need to, instead of standing in the middle of a road - you wouldn’t do that in real life would you? Note that when you’re being something solid (a wall, for example), it doesn’t matter how hard someone crashes into it in a car, either, because it won’t move.
• Team Work - for anything that involves teams, try to use teamwork. You’re much more effective if you charge into a group of enemies with a group of your own allies than if you go in there on your own. You can take them all out if you’re good enough, but it’s much easier with allies.
• Voice Chat - Linking in with the previous point, voice chat can be a powerful tool, and a lot of fun too. You can either use it for team work, which is especially useful in the coop modes and the real team-based modes (like Cops ‘n’ Crooks), or you can laugh along with the people you’re killing, which is a lot of fun, especially in Sandbox modes - you can use it to organise a mass exploration of the city, which is hugely entertaining.
• Work on Your Driving - Whether you’re burning your way through Liberty City chasing after the crooks, escorting NPCs to the escape point or just mowing down enemies in a deathmatch, driving is hugely important. With the new driving physics in GTA IV, even the Banshee can be controlled effectively (shock), so get used to them and you’ll be diving better than you ever imagined you’d be able to in a GTA game.
• Help Your Allies - Chivalry is a wonderful thing; you might not be able to hold the door open for anyone, but you sure as hell can blow the guy who’s trying to murder your mate up, so do it. You never know, maybe they’ll return your safety.
• Do NOT Kill Allies - Whilst teamkilling is rarely turned on, if you shoot a rocket at someone’s feet, they’ll fly away from the explosion and the landing will kill or hurt them. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should - you’ll get barrages of rockets coming your way if you’re not kicked from the server before they get chance to retaliate.
• Be Nice - Most of all, even if you suck at the game, if you’re nice, it doesn’t matter. Remember it’s all about having fun, if, at any point, you’re not having fun, you may as well just stop playing right now, because that’s what it’s for. Don’t argue with other players, don’t insult them, an, most of all, do not be racist/sexist/etc - that kind of idiocy is why people hate Xbox live, because it’s stupid, ignorant, immature and it wrecks everyone else’s fun.

So, go have fun shooting people (IN THE GAME), remember what you’ve read, and do not forget to have fun.

Filed under: G, GTA4, Games, Grand Theft Auto