I think it's the how the game was programmed, the engine wasn't made for underwater. The world is simply too huge to accomodate the data. Plus, there probably isn't anything to do underwater like the others have said, wouldn't make sense either.
Now that I think about it maybe the reason why their is no swimming is when they tried to add it made the game buggy and was not worth the or effort so they took it out completely.
Yeah it would of been pretty cool if they included it, as well as maybe a side mission to go along with the ability to swim under water. Some people don't see the point of having it but for me it adds more depth to the game albeit even if slightly--more realism in a sense.
Maybe they did it just because the wanted to save it for GTA V? I am just joking. We must remeber that this game came out in 2008. It was revolutionary on many levels at that time.
Underwater swimming was one of the many things they took out on GTA IV. Stuff like that are why GTA IV is so highly regarded as a step backward in the series. San Andreas had so much and GTA IV had so little. Which is why I'll never understand how reviewers gave GTA IV all these perfect scores. It just goes to show you that with enough hype and marketing, even a downgraded game can become "Game of the Year".
I love swimming, therefore the fact that in the game the feature was not there was a total let down to me. How did they forget something like that? However there is just so much you do in GTA that you do not linger long on what is not there.
its not like people spend alot of time underwater anyway, its kind of a stupid feature to begin with, unless of course you're trying to run away from some cops by going underwater, other then that no one wants to explore a baron sea floor haha
I never really missed underwater swimming in GTA IV and I think they didn't include because the game was already extremely large to begin with and if they added that it might have just doubled in size. Imagine that the map would have doubled because there's a lot of water.
Mainly because it didn't seem to have any purpose. I mean I don't remember a lot that you could do underwater. Still wouldn't have hurt to have it.
It was a little silly to know that someone capable of highjacking trains couldn't swim haha. But it had to be limitaion of the game. I would say laziness by the developers, but they weren't exactly lazy in many other aspects of the game.
If this is one of the negatives about the game, I think that they are doing pretty well. I don't swim in the game unless it is required in a mission. There are plenty of ways to lose the cops.
I haven't played GTA 5 in a while but I am pretty sure there is actually underwater swimming? Unless I am just mistaking it for the previous game.
Well I would like it if it had some underwater exploration missions . I am trying to find some mods to enable this.
I was not bothered by this that much actually. We don't actually get to do much underwater with a game like GTA. Evading from cops by diving underwater? Hiding your money underwater? Didn't seems very fun if you can't swim fast......unless there's a submarine......
Actually, that was one of the first things I tried. I enjoyed it in San Andreas, when you could just dive underwater, it also helped when you had a wanted level, there were times you could swim, and go underwater as long as the air held out. I am VERY happy to read that GTA5 has much of the same mechanics as S.A. had, in the above post. As much as i loved GTA4, I really wish that it had some of the same mechanics that S.A. did. Mostly, because I really got to like Niko's character. I did not think I would like him at first, but after I played a bit, I really got attached to him. I have to say one thing about the Rockstar Design team: They really know how to design a character that you get attached to. and in games with this type of theme? Yeah, that counts for something. I'd love a cross over though. I would really like to see Cash from Manhunt enter as a character in GTA...that would be SO COOL!!!!
When is the last time you saw someone scubba diving in new york? Besides searching for bodies? lol. If they added underwater terrain it would not look that great.
It would be a nice feature to add to the game and would really increase its value. I wished they did have that option in GTA 4
It wouldn't be hugely important, but it could have been useful for escaping from police boats, which were pretty much instakills if you're already in the water when they show up. In real life you could swim underwater to avoid gunshots.
That and probably they wanted to just focus on Liberty city with Niko. I really liked the swimming ability in San Andreas it was quite helpful.