when was grand theft auto four released

]When Grand Theft Auto IV was released to Microsoft Windows in December 2008, it received generally positive reviews. Metacritic calculated an average score of 90 out of 100, indicating ""universal acclaim"", based on 40 reviews.

Grand Theft Auto IV

"From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedianavigation search Grand Theft Auto IVDeveloper (s) Rockstar North [a]Publisher (s) Rockstar Games Producer (s) Leslie Benzies Programmer (s)Adam Fowler Alexander Roger Obbe Vermeij Artist (s) Aaron Garbut Writer (s)Dan Houser Rupert Humphries Composer (s) Michael Hunter Series Grand Theft Auto Engine RAGEPlatform (s)Play Station 3Xbox 360Microsoft Windows Release Play Station 3, Xbox 360WW: 29 April 2008Microsoft Windows NA: 2 December 2008PAL: 3 December 2008Genre (s) Action-adventure Mode (s) Single-player, multiplayer Grand Theft Auto IV is an action-adventure video game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It was released for the Play Station 3 and Xbox 360 consoles on 29 April 2008, and for Microsoft Windows on 2 December 2008. It is the eleventh title in the Grand Theft Auto series, and the first main entry since 2004's Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Set within the fictional Liberty City (based on New York City ), the single-player story follows a war veteran, Niko Bellic, and his attempts to escape his past while under pressure from loan sharks and mob bosses. The open world design lets players freely roam Liberty City, consisting of three main islands. The game is played from a third-person perspective and its world is navigated on-foot or by vehicle. Throughout the single-player mode, players play as Niko Bellic. An online multiplayer mode is included with the game, allowing up to 32 players to engage in both co-operative and competitive gameplay in a recreation of the single-player setting. [b] Two expansion packs were later released for the game, The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony, which both feature new plots that are interconnected with the main Grand Theft Auto IV storyline, and follow new protagonists. Development began soon after the release of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and was shared between many of Rockstar's studios worldwide. The game introduced a shift to a more realistic and detailed style and tone for the series. Unlike previous entries, Grand Theft Auto IV lacked a strong cinematic influence, as the team attempted an original approach to the story. As part of their research for the open world, the developers conducted field research around New York throughout development and captured footage for the design team. Following its announcement in May 2006, Grand Theft Auto IV was widely anticipated. [2] Upon release, the game received universal critical acclaim, with praise particularly directed at the game's narrative and open world design. However, the game also generated controversy, with criticism directed at the game's depiction of violence and players' ability to drive under the influence of alcohol. Grand Theft Auto IV broke industry sales records and became the fastest-selling entertainment product in history at the time, earning US $310 million in its first day and US $500 million in its first week. Considered one of the most significant titles of the seventh generation of video games, and by many critics as one of the greatest video games of all time, it won year-end accolades, including Game of the Year awards from several gaming publications. A sequel, Grand Theft Auto V, was released in September 2013. Contents [ hide ]1 Gameplay2 Synopsis2.1 Setting2.2 Plot3 Production3.1 Development3.2 Episodic content3.3 Soundtrack4 Reception4.1 Windows version4.2 Awards5 Sales6 Controversies7 References8 External links Gameplay Grand Theft Auto IV is an action-adventure game played from a third-person perspective. [3] Players complete missions—linear scenarios with set objectives—to progress through the story. It is possible to have several active missions running at one time, as some missions require players to wait for further instructions or events. Outside of missions, players can freely roam the game's open world, and have the ability to complete optional side missions. Composed of the fictional city of Liberty City, the world of Grand Theft Auto IV is larger in area than most earlier entries in the series. At the beginning of the game, players can only explore the first island–composed of Dukes and Broker–with all other islands unlocking as the story progresses. [4]Players use melee attacks, firearms and explosives to fight enemies, and may run, jump, swim or use vehicles to navigate the game's world. There is a first-person perspective option when using vehicles. In combat, auto-aim and a cover system can be used as assistance against enemies. Should players take damage, their health meter can be fully regenerated using multiple techniques, such as eating, using medical kits, or calling for paramedics. [5] If players commit crimes while playing, the game's law enforcement agencies may respond as indicated by a "" wanted "" meter in the head-up display (HUD). On the meter, the displayed stars indicate the current wanted level (for example, at the maximum six-star level, efforts by law enforcement to incapacitate players become very aggressive). Law enforcement officers will search for players who leave the wanted vicinity. The wanted meter enters a cool-down mode and eventually recedes when players are hidden from the officers' line of sight. [6]Combat in Grand Theft Auto IV was reworked to include a cover system. The game's cover system allows players to move between cover, to fire blindly, aim freely, and target a specific enemy. Individual body parts can also be targeted. [7] Melee attacks include additional moves, such as dodging, blocking, disarming an opponent and counter-attacking. Body armour can be used to absorb gunshots and explosive damage, but is used up in the process. When health is entirely depleted, gameplay stops, and players respawn at the nearest hospital. [5]The game's single-player mode lets players control a war veteran, Eastern European Niko Bellic. During the story, Niko meets various new characters, many of whom he befriends. These characters can then perform favours for Niko whenever he asks; for example, his cousin Roman, who owns a taxi service, can send one of his cabs to Niko and take him to any destination around the city. Cabs are always available during gameplay, allowing players to quickly travel to a destination. Throughout the course of the game, players are also faced with morality choices, which alter the storyline appropriately depending on the player's choice. While free roaming the game world, players may engage in context-specific activities such as bowling or darts. Other available activities include a vigilante mini-game, and in-game television programming. [8] [9] [10] Niko has a smartphone for contacting friends and starting activities. [11] The smartphone is also used to access the game's online multiplayer mode, and to enter cheat codes. [12] To access the in-game Internet, which allows Niko to send and receive emails and set up prospective dates with potential girlfriends, Niko can use Internet cafés located around the city. [13] The game also features a subway system, allowing players to quickly traverse through the game's world. [14]The online multiplayer mode for Grand Theft Auto IV allows up to 32 players to freely roam across a recreation of the single-player world. [15] [b] Players decide which game mode that they wish to play, including deathmatches and street races. [16] Both cooperative and competitive game modes are available. These game modes are split into ranked and unranked matches. For players to level up through ranks, in-game money must be earned. [17] [18] The game also features a Free Mode, in which players have the entire map open to explore, with no end goal or mission to complete. Hosts of the game can control many variables, such as police presence, traffic, and weapons. LAN support is available in the Windows version of the game. [19]Synopsis Setting Grand Theft Auto IV takes place in 2008, in a redesigned version of Liberty City consisting of four boroughs, based on four of the boroughs of New York City: Broker (based on Brooklyn ), Dukes ( Queens ), Bohan ( The Bronx ), and Algonquin ( Manhattan ). [20] Adjacent to the city is the independent state of Alderney (Northern New Jersey ). There are three minor islands present in the game: Charge Island ( Randall's Island ), Colony Island ( Roosevelt Island ), and Happiness Island ( Liberty Island ). Initially, bridges are locked down due to a terrorist threat, and players are constantly pursued by police if the bridges are crossed, but the blockades are lifted as the story progresses, allowing the player to traverse between islands. [4]Grand Theft Auto IV takes place in a different storyline and timeline from the previous games in the series. [21] However, the game takes place in the same canon as its expansion packs, The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony, and its successor, Grand Theft Auto V. [22] [c]Plot See also: List of Grand Theft Auto IV characters Niko Bellic, an Eastern European, [24] arrives in Liberty City aboard a cargo ship, the Platypus, to reunite with his cousin Roman, to pursue the American Dream, and to search for the man who betrayed his unit in a war fifteen years prior. Upon arrival, however, Niko discovers that Roman's tales of riches and luxury were lies concealing struggles with gambling debts and loan sharks, and that Roman lives in a dirty apartment in Broker rather than a mansion. [4] While carrying out some jobs for Roman's taxi company, Niko meets and befriends several residents in Broker, including Little Jacob, an underboss of the Yardies, [25] and Michelle, who Niko quickly enters a relationship with. [26]Niko defends Roman from his loan sharks several times, but is forced to work for Vlad Glebov, Roman's Russian loan shark. Niko kills Vlad after finding out he slept with Roman's girlfriend, Mallorie. [27] After Vlad's murder, Niko and Roman are kidnapped by members of the Liberty City Bratva on order of Mikhail Faustin and his associate, Dimitri Rascalov. Faustin, not bothered by the murder of Vlad, hires Niko. [28] Niko quickly learns that Faustin is a psychopath after being ordered to kill the son of Kenny Petrović, the most powerful man in the Bratva. After the Petrović family threatens retaliation, Dimitri convinces Niko to assassinate Faustin in order to prevent a gang war. [29] When Niko meets with Dimitri to collect on the assassination, Dimitri brings Niko's former employer Ray Bulgarin instead, who accuses Niko of stealing from him a few years earlier. When Niko truthfully denies the allegation, a firefight ensues, allowing Dimitri and Bulgarin to escape. [30]Niko and Roman are immediately forced to flee to Bohan after their apartment and taxi company are destroyed by Dimitri's men in arson attacks. [31] However, things go poorly as well in Bohan: Dimitri's men kidnap Roman in a failed bid to lure out Niko, who rescues Roman. [32] Furthermore, Michelle reveals she is a government agent who is actually named Karen, and entraps Niko into working for her company, known only by its cover: United Liberty Paper. [33] Niko kills several known or suspected terrorists for the agency in exchange for the file of the numerous crimes the police have on him and the promise of assistance in finding the traitor of his unit. [34] [35] [36] Despite the hardships Niko and Roman face while in Bohan, Roman's fortunes suddenly improve when he receives a large amount of money from an insurance claim he made on his destroyed business. Using the money, Roman buys an apartment in Algonquin, [32] then restarts his taxi company. The Paper tracks down the man responsible for Niko's unit's betrayal, Darko Brevic, and brings him into Liberty City for Niko to decide his fate. [37] Having dealt with his past, Niko is summoned by one of his employers, Jimmy Pegorino, who demands one final favour: to help with an extremely lucrative deal on heroin in collusion with Dimitri. [38] Niko must either strike a deal with Dimitri, or exact revenge on him. [38]Should Niko go through with the deal, Dimitri again betrays him and takes the heroin for himself. [39] At Roman's wedding, an assassin sent by Dimitri unintentionally kills Roman with a stray bullet. [40] After Dimitri kills Pegorino, he is in turn killed by a devastated and vengeful Niko. [41] Should Niko choose to exact revenge, he storms the Platypus and ambushes Dimitri's men, fighting his way through them before killing Dimitri in a decisive final gun battle. [42] At Roman's wedding, Pegorino, furious after Niko's betrayal, targets Niko in a drive-by shooting, but ends up accidentally killing Niko's new girlfriend, Kate. [40] With Pegorino targeted by the entire Liberty City underworld, Niko tracks him down and executes him. [43]Production Development See also: Marketing for Grand Theft Auto IVMural ad for the game on a wall in New York City, July 2007. Work on Grand Theft Auto IV began in November 2004, almost immediately after the release of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004). [44] Around 150 game developers worked on Grand Theft Auto IV, [45] led by core members of the team that previously worked on Grand Theft Auto III (2001). [46] For the game, Rockstar used their proprietary Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE), which was previously used in Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis (2006), in combination with the Euphoria game animation engine. [47] Instead of pre-written animations, Euphoria uses procedural animation to control the way the player moves, enabling character movements to be more realistic. [48] The Euphoria engine also enables NPCs to react in a realistic way to the player's actions. In one preview, a player knocked an NPC out of a window and the character grabbed onto a ledge to stop himself from falling. [49] The game also uses middleware from Image Metrics to facilitate intricate facial expressions and ease the process of incorporating lip-synching. [50] Foliage in the game is produced through Speed Tree. [51]Grand Theft Auto IV sees a shift in the series to a more realistic and detailed style and tone, [44] partly a result of the transition to consoles which offered high-definition graphics and the new and improved capabilities of such consoles. [46] Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser said ""what we're taking as our watchword on [ Grand Theft Auto IV] is the idea of what high definition actually means. Not just in terms of graphics, which obviously we are achieving, but in terms of all aspects of the design. [...] You know, trying to make something more realistic, more held together, but still retaining the overall coherence that the other games had."" [44] Art director Aaron Garbut said one of the reasons they decided to set the game in New York because ""we all knew what an amazing, diverse, vibrant, cinematic city it is,"" and since they were hoping the push the ""detail, variety and life"" to a high level, it seemed that ""basing the game in a city so synonymous with these things was a great fit."" [52] Dan Houser added ""because we were working in high definition and we knew we'd need a shitload of research, we wanted to be somewhere where we had a foothold."" [46] The developers consciously avoided creating a block for block recreation of New York City; Dan Houser said ""what we've always tried to do is make a thing that looks real and has the qualities of a real environment, but is also fun from a game design perspective."" [44] The Grand Theft Auto IV rendition of Liberty City is far more detailed and larger in size than Grand Theft Auto III and other cities seen in earlier entries in the series. [53] Although smaller than San Andreas, the main setting for Grand Theft Auto IV' s predecessor Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Liberty City is comparable to it in terms of scope when ""the level of verticality of the city, the number of buildings you can go into, and the level of detail in those buildings"" are taken into account. [53] The goal for Liberty City was to have no dead spots or irrelevant spaces, such as the wide open deserts in San Andreas. [44] To achieve a realistic environment, the Rockstar North team, based in Edinburgh, Scotland, made two trips to New York for research, one at the start of the project (which was done with every previous Grand Theft Auto game) and another smaller one further into development. [52] A full-time research team, based in New York, handled further requests for information ranging from the ethnic minority of a neighbourhood to videos of traffic patterns. [46]The story of Grand Theft Auto IV was written by Dan Houser and Rupert Humphries. [14] Unlike previous Grand Theft Auto games which have a strong cultural or cinematic influence, "" [ Grand Theft Auto IV doesn't] really have any cinematic influences"", [44] as explained by Houser. ""We were consciously trying to go, well, if video games are going to develop into the next stage, then the thing isn't to try and do a loving tribute or reference other stuff. It's to reference the actual place itself"". [46] Houser also said, ""In terms of the character, we wanted something that felt fresh and new and not something that was obviously derived from [a] movie. [...] Maybe [we] could do something ourselves that would live alongside that stuff"". [46]Music supervisor Ivan Pavlovich said "" [we had] to pick the songs that make New York today what it is, but make sure they won't feel dated by the time the game comes out."" [54] The developers contacted over 2,000 people in order to obtain recording and publishing rights. [55] They even hired a private investigator to locate the relatives of late Skatt Bros. member Sean Delaney to license the band's song ""Walk the Night"". [56] Citing sources close to the deals, Billboard reported that Rockstar paid as much as $5,000 per composition and another $5,000 per master recording per track. [57] Developers originally considered letting players purchase music by going to an in-game record shop and for Niko to have an MP3 player, but both ideas were cut. [55] DJ Green Lantern produced tracks exclusively for the game's hip-hop radio station The Beat 102.7. [57] Record label owner and record producer Bobby Konders, who hosts the in-game radio station Massive B Soundsystem 96.9, went through the extra effort of flying to Jamaica to get dancehall artists to re-record tracks to make references to the boroughs of Liberty City. [57]The Corporate Vice-President of Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business division, Peter Moore, announced at E3 2006 that the game would appear on Xbox 360, by rolling up his sleeve to reveal a Grand Theft Auto IV temporary tattoo. [58] Rockstar Games initially appeared to be committed to the original 16 October 2007 release date; however, Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter suggested that Take-Two may choose to delay the release of the game in order to boost its financial results for 2008 and to avoid competing with the release of other highly anticipated titles, such as Halo 3. [59] Rockstar responded by saying that Grand Theft Auto IV was still on track for release in ""late October"". [60] On 2 August 2007, Take-Two announced that Grand Theft Auto IV would miss its original release date of 16 October 2007 contrary to their previous statements, and would be delayed to their second fiscal quarter (February–April) of 2008. [61] In a later conference call with investors, Take-Two's Strauss Zelnick attributed the delay to ""almost strictly technological problems ... not problems, but challenges."" [62] It was later revealed that technical difficulties with the Play Station 3 version of the game contributed to the delay, along with storage problems on the Xbox 360. [63] On 24 January 2008, Take-Two announced that Grand Theft Auto IV would be released on 29 April 2008. [64] As the release date approached, Rockstar Games and Take-Two marketed the game heavily through various forms, including television ads, Internet video, billboards, viral marketing, and a redesigned website. A special edition of the game was also released for both the Play Station 3 and Xbox 360. [65] At a Take-Two shareholder meeting on 18 April 2008, Take-Two CEO Ben Feder announced that Grand Theft Auto IV had already "" gone gold "" and was ""in production and in trucks en route to retailers"". [66] The game was eventually released for the Play Station 3 and Xbox 360 video game consoles in Europe, North America, and Oceania on 29 April 2008, [64] and in Japan on 30 October 2008. [67] Overall, Grand Theft Auto IV took over 1000 people and more than three and a half years to complete, with a total cost estimated at approximately $100 million, making it, at the time, the most expensive video game ever developed. [68]The Windows version of Grand Theft Auto IV includes a replay editor. The Clips interface is used to capture game footage. On 6 August 2008, Rockstar announced that a Microsoft Windows version of Grand Theft Auto IV was in development by Rockstar North and Rockstar Toronto. [69] [70] The game was originally announced for release in North America on 18 November 2008 and in Europe on 21 November 2008 but was later pushed back to 2 and 3 December 2008, respectively. [70] It contains expanded features, [70] including traffic density control, draw distance configurations and a replay editor. [71] The replay editor allows players to record and edit game clips, videos can then be uploaded to Rockstar's Social Club website. It utilised Games for Windows - Live for online play [72] and supports 32 players for multiplayer. [1] Secu ROM protection is utilised and a one time online activation is required in order to play the game. [73] The game was made available on Steam on 4 January 2009. [74] On 9 February 2017, the Xbox 360 version of Grand Theft Auto IV was made available for backwards compatibility with the Xbox One. [75]Episodic content Two episodic packs for Grand Theft Auto IV have been released. These two episodes were first released separately, exclusively on Xbox Live, [76] as downloadable content (DLC), requiring the original game to play. They were later released together as part of a standalone game, titled Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City, which does not require the original game to play. [77] Dan Houser stated the episodes shows ""a different side of Liberty City"". [78]The first expansion, titled Grand Theft Auto: The Lost and Damned, was originally released on 17 February 2009. [79] The protagonist of The Lost and Damned is Johnny Klebitz, a member of Liberty City's biker gang The Lost. The second expansion, titled Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony, was released on 29 October 2009. [80] The protagonist of The Ballad of Gay Tony is Luis Fernando Lopez, an assistant to nightclub owner Tony ""Gay Tony"" Prince, and follows him as he resolves the conflicts of his friends, family, and boss. [77]Jeronimo Barrera, Vice President of Product Development for Rockstar Games, said that the episodes were experiments because the team were not sure that there was enough users with access to online content on the Xbox 360. [81] Take-Two Interactive's Chief Financial Officer, Lainie Goldstein revealed that Microsoft was paying a total of $50 million for the first two episodes. [82] In January 2010, Rockstar announced that the DLC as well as Episodes From Liberty City would be made available for the Play Station 3 and Microsoft Windows on 13 April 2010 in North America [83] [84] and 16 April 2010 in Europe. [83]Both episodes were released for Play Station 3 and Microsoft Windows on 13 April 2010 [83] in North America and on 16 April 2010 [83] in Europe. [85] Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition, including the original Grand Theft Auto IV and its two episodic expansions, was listed on online stores, [86] before being confirmed by Rockstar. The compilation was released on Play Station 3, Xbox 360, and Windows on 26 October 2010 in North America, and 29 October in Europe. [87] The Xbox 360 versions of both episodes were made backwards compatible with the Xbox One on 9 February 2017. [75]Soundtrack Like previous games in the Grand Theft Auto series, Grand Theft Auto IV features a soundtrack that can be heard through radio stations while the player is in a vehicle. Liberty City is serviced by 19 radio stations, three of which are talk radio stations. The other stations feature music from a large range of genres, including tracks from Genesis, David Bowie, Bob Marley, The Who, Queen, Kanye West and Elton John. [88]Grand Theft Auto IV uses a similar music system to that of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004). In other games in the series, each radio station was essentially a single looped sound file, playing the same songs, announcements and advertisements in the same order each time. With the radio stations in Grand Theft Auto IV, each sound file is held separately, and sequenced randomly, allowing songs to be played in different orders, announcements to songs to be different each time, and plot events to be mentioned on the stations. Certain songs are also edited to incorporate references to the fictional Liberty City. [55]A variety of real celebrities provide voices for the radio DJs in the game, including fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, musicians Iggy Pop, [89] Femi Kuti, [90] Jimmy Gestapo [91] and Ruslana, [92] and real-life radio talk show host Lazlow Jones. [93]Saturday Night Live actors Bill Hader and Jason Sudeikis appear on the liberal and conservative radio talk shows respectively, with Fred Armisen playing several guests on Lazlow's ""Integrity 2.0"". [93] Numerous other comedians, including Jim Norton, Patrice O'Neal, Rick Shapiro, and Robert Kelly, as well as radio hosts Opie and Anthony appeared on the radio and/or as characters in-game. [94]The Music of Grand Theft Auto IV is a 2008 soundtrack packaged with the special edition of Grand Theft Auto IV. The disc contains several soundtrack selections. [95] The soundtrack features several genres, from hip hop to rock and reggae. Several artists re-recorded their songs to make references to in-game locations. Two songs, ""Liberty City: The Invasion"" and "" No Sex for Ben "", were composed specifically for the game and the soundtrack. [96] The theme song of Grand Theft Auto IV, ""Soviet Connection"", was composed by Michael Hunter, who previously composed the theme for Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. [55]Approaching the ten-year anniversary of the game's release in April 2018, Rockstar announced that it would be issuing patches to all versions of the game to remove some of the licensed songs from the game which they no longer have licensing rights for. Rockstar said this was primarily from the Russian-themed radio station, ""Vladivostok FM"", and that they were to replace these songs with new music in the patch. [97]Reception Console versions reception Aggregate score Aggregator Score Metacritic 98/100 [98] [99]Review scores Publication Score1UP.com A+ [100]CVG 9.5/10 [101]Edge 10/10 [102]Eurogamer 10/10 [103]Game Informer 10/10 [104]Game Spot 10/10 [106]Games Radar+ [105]IGN 10/10 [107]Grand Theft Auto IV was released to critical acclaim. Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating in the 0–100 range, calculated an average score of 98, indicating ""universal acclaim"". [98] [99] It is the second-highest rated game on the site, only behind The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. [108] [d] Reviewers heavily praised the game's narrative, [100] [104] [107] [109] open world design [100] [101] [107] and combat system. [101] [103] [105] [106] Hilary Goldstein of IGN felt that the game ""sets a new benchmark for open-world games"", [107] and Andrew Reiner of Game Informer wrote that the game ""completely changes the landscape of gaming"". [104]Reviewers lauded the open world design, some further complimenting the freedom that it allows the player. Seth Schiesel of The New York Times named the city the ""real star"" of the game. [110] Official Xbox Magazine ' s Hicks was impressed by the city, attributing this to the game's AI. [109] Robinson of Computer and Video Games considered the environment believable, and felt that the world was ""utterly unmatched"". [101] Goldstein of IGN felt that, although Liberty City is inspired by New York, it is not beholden to it. He wrote that the city ""exists in its own universe and rightfully so"". [107] Crispin Boyer of 1UP.com directed praise at the city's ""breathtaking vistas, incredibly varied scenery, and lived-in look."" [100] Conversely, Jesse Costantino of Game Revolution felt that the game lacked important features common in other open world games. [111]Reviewers praised the game's narrative. IGN's Goldstein accepted that the darker tones to the story, a break from series tradition. Jon Hicks of Official Xbox Magazine felt surprised by the amount of depth to the story. [109] Reiner of Game Informer wrote that the level of freedom in the game contributed to his enjoyment of the story. [104] The morality choices faced by players throughout the narrative were also welcomed. 1UP.com's Boyer felt that they gave the game an element of ""replayability"". [100] Eurogamer 's Tom Bramwell considered the morality choices a fair substitute over ""bosses with large health bars"". [103]The game's protagonist, Niko Bellic, with one of main characters, Dimitri Rascalov. Reviewers praised the game's story and characters, commending the morality choices faced by players. The game's characters—particularly Niko—received positive reactions from critics. [103] Hicks of Official Xbox Magazine and Andy Robinson of Computer and Video Games both called Niko ""charismatic"" and ""likeable"", stating that they prefer him over previous protagonists of the series. [101] [109] George Walter of Games Radar praised the depth of the character, and IGN's Goldstein felt that the character of Niko feels relatable when faced with difficult decisions. [105] Jeff Gerstmann of Giant Bomb felt that Niko was a ""the only thing that mattered to [him]"" as he progressed through the story, with the character becoming one of his favourite features of the game. [112] Schiesel of The New York Times named Niko one of the most realised video game characters attributing this to the game's script, [110] while 1UP.com's Boyer commended the use of character bonding during the game's missions. [100]Many reviewers found the combat system was more responsive than in previous games, particularly praising the addition of the cover system. [100] [101] [103] Justin Calvert of Game Spot wrote that the cover system makes the game's combat a ""huge improvement"" over previous games. [106] Reiner of Game Informer agreed, writing that the targeting system makes players feel responsible for all deaths. [104] IGN's Goldstein praised the fluidity of the cover system, and felt that the auto aim mechanic is a ""great help in larger battles"". [107] Games Radar's Walter wrote that the cover system has ""paved the way to a new style of mission"". [105] David Mc Comb of Empire called the combat ""sharp and instinctive"", [113] and Hicks of Official Xbox Magazine felt that the cover system allows players to execute an attack plan. [109] In addition to the combat system, most reviewers noted the vehicle handling was more realistic than in previous games. [104] [105] [109] Robinson of Computer and Video Games felt that the vehicle handling echoed realism, while Hicks of Official Xbox Magazine called the vehicle selection ""excellent"". [101] Costantino of Game Revolution praised the improvement of the game's mechanics, particularly the physics engine's advanced vehicle and character animations. [111]Reviewers praised the sound design. Goldstein of IGN praised the actors' performances and the use of licensed music. Game Spot's Calvert and Games Radar's Walter also commended the licensed music, the latter admiring the humour of the radio's talk stations. [105] [106] Michael Pinson of The Pro Audio Files praised the separate features of the game's sound design—including the city's ambiance, licensed music, character dialogue, and vehicle and weapon sound effects—applauding the developer's use of uniting the features together. [114] Carolyn Gudmundson of Games Radar also retroactively praised the game's soundtrack, commending its suitability to the game's setting. [115]The game's online multiplayer mode received positive reactions from critics. [103] [106] Reiner of Game Informer praised the character customisation available in the multiplayer mode, and noted that it runs ""just as smoothly"" as the single-player game. [104] 1UP.com's Boyer called the multiplayer modes ""excellent"", [100] and IGN's Goldstein named it one of the best. [107]Official Xbox Magazine ' s Hicks dubbed the multiplayer as ""hugely entertaining"", [109] while Walter of Games Radar praised the ""seamless"" process of entering a multiplayer match. [105] Giant Bomb's Gerstmann and Game Revolution's Costantino felt divided about the multiplayer, the latter naming it a ""fantastic idea"", but feeling as though connectivity problems resulted in a ""broken"" experience. [111] [112]Windows version Windows version reception Aggregate score Aggregator Score Metacritic 90/100 [116]Review scores Publication Score1UP.com B [117]CVG 9.4/10 [118]Eurogamer 9/10 [119]Game Spot 9/10 [1]Game Spy [120]IGN 9.2/10 [121]Video Gamer.com 10/10 [122

[116] Reviewers liked the enhanced visuals [118] [122] [123] and the additional features, [1] [117] [121] [123] but criticised the port for its inferiority over the console versions. [117] [119] [121]The in-game features added in the port were well received. [121] [123] The addition of the Video Editor was met with positive reactions; Game Spot's Calvert called it ""a great way to get creative"", [1] while Kieron Gillen of Eurogamer criticised the unpredictability in its timing. [119] Critics also praised the addition of the customisable radio station, which allows players to listen to their own choice of music; Tom Chick of 1UP.com named it the best feature of the port, [117] and Steven Hopper of Game Zone called it a ""great touch"". [123] The port's upgrade to 32 concurrent players in the online multiplayer mode, as opposed to the console version's 16 players, was also met with positive feedback; Eurogamer's Gillen said that the ""possibility for mayhem... increases"", [119] while Will Tuttle of Game Spy felt that the player increase ""changes the action significantly"". [120]The port's enhanced visuals were commended by many reviewers. Game Zone 's Hopper considered the visuals an improvement over the original versions. [123] Andy Robinson of Computer and Video Games called the visuals ""impressive"", [118] while Tom Orry of Video Gamer.com called them ""superb"". [122] Conversely, the port's system requirements, considered difficult to run with advanced settings, [1] received criticism. [121] [122] Eurogamer's Gillen said that, though the Windows version is ""the most attractive version"", it's ""annoyingly fiddly to get there"". [119] Game Spy's Tuttle was able to overlook the demanding system requirements in exchange for the game's other features. [120]Awards [ show] List of awards for Grand Theft Auto IVMichael Hollick, voice of Niko Bellic, won a Spike TV award for ""Best Performance by a Human Male"". Following the critical acclaim it received on its release, Grand Theft Auto IV has received various awards from various critics and publications. It received several Game of the Year awards, from gaming media outlets such as Spike TV, [151]Giant Bomb, [146] Kotaku, [148] and Game Trailers, [136] as well as mainstream publications, like The New York Times, [154] the Los Angeles Times, [155] and Time magazine. [156]Grand Theft Auto IV also received seven nominations at the 5th British Academy Video Games Awards ( BAFTA Games Awards ), [158] and three nominations at the 9th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards, [159] but did not win any of them. [e]Sales Within twenty-four hours of its release, Grand Theft Auto IV sold over 3.6 million copies, equating to approximately $310 million in revenue. [160] Within a week, it generated more than $500 million in worldwide revenue, equating to approximately 6 million copies sold for Take Two. [161] [162] [f] The numbers surpassed analysts' expectations for the title. [164] [165] [166] After one month of availability, the game had sold over 8.5 million copies. [167] It broke three Guinness World Records on 13 May 2008: highest grossing video game in 24 hours, highest revenue generated by an entertainment product in 24 hours, and fastest-selling video game in 24 hours. [168] [g] On 11 March 2011, Take-Two announced that the game had sold over 20 million copies, with the Grand Theft Auto series surpassing a collective total of 100 million copies. [170] As of July 2013, the game has sold over 25 million copies. [171] All sales records broken by Grand Theft Auto IV were beaten by its successor, Grand Theft Auto V, upon release. [172]In the United Kingdom, the game became the fastest-selling game of all time, selling over 631,000 copies in twenty-four hours. [173] [174] This broke the record set by Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas at 501,000 copies over the same period. [175] During the first five days of availability, the game sold over 927,000 copies in the United Kingdom. [176] [177] The game's Xbox 360 version ultimately received a ""Diamond"" sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA), [178] indicating sales of at least 1 million copies in the United Kingdom. [179] ELSPA awarded the game's Play Station 3 version their ""Double Platinum"" certification, [180] to mark sales of at least 600,000 copies in the country. [179] In the United States, Grand Theft Auto IV sold 2.85 million units in its first five days. [181] By the end of 2008, the game had sold over 5.18 million copies in the US. [182] In its first four days of availability in Japan, it sold 133,000 copies on the Play Station 3 and 34,000 on the Xbox 360, according to Media Create. [183]In the first week of availability, the Windows version of Grand Theft Auto IV debuted at seventh place on the weekly charts; [184] by the second week, it had left the top-ten. [185] [186] Based on unique user counts, the game was the most played Games for Windows – Live game in 2009 and 2012, and the second-most played in 2011. [187]Controversies Main article: Controversies surrounding Grand Theft Auto IVPrior to and since the release of Grand Theft Auto IV, the game had been subject to a great deal of controversy, as was the case with previous Grand Theft Auto titles. Figures including George Galloway, Jack Thompson and Hillary Clinton have criticised the game, as have organisations including New York City officials and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). [188] MADD asked ESRB to change the rating of the game from ""M"" (for ages seventeen and up) to ""AO"" (for adults only) due to the player's ability to drive under the influence of alcohol. [189]The initial version of Grand Theft Auto IV released in Australia and New Zealand was pre-censored by Rockstar to allow the game to meet the perceived requirements of the Australian classification system. [190] However, the game was resubmitted to the New Zealand OFLC by Stan Calif, a 21-year-old student who was unhappy that New Zealand received an edited version of the game as a result of Australian censorship laws. The unedited version was subsequently given an R18 rating and cleared for sale in New Zealand. [191] For the PC release, the uncensored version of the game was awarded MA15+ in Australia. [192] Following the release of The Lost and Damned, Rockstar distributed a patch which uncensored the Australian console version. [193]There have been reports in the United Kingdom and the United States of crimes perpetrated against people purchasing Grand Theft Auto IV, as well as employees of stores selling the game. [194] One of these incidents, an attack near a Gamestation store in Croydon, London was later reported to be an unrelated argument between two groups of people leaving a pub [195] and the story has been referred to as a "" media panic ."" [196] Six teenagers were later arrested in June 2008 after engaging in a crime spree in New Hyde Park, New York, assaulting and robbing several people, and attempting a carjacking. According to police, the teens claimed that they were ""inspired"" by Grand Theft Auto IV. [197]References Notes^ Ported to Microsoft Windows by Rockstar Toronto and Rockstar New England.^ a b The online multiplayer mode for the Windows version of the game allows up to 32 players, while the console versions only allow up to 16 players. [1]^ Games in the Grand Theft Auto series are grouped into distinct fictional universes, which share interconnected plots and characters. The previous ""3D universe"" consists of Grand Theft Auto III (2001), Vice City (2002), Advance (2004), San Andreas (2004), Liberty City Stories (2005), and Vice City Stories (2006). The Liberty City in Grand Theft Auto IV is different from its previous renditions. [23]^ Grand Theft Auto IV shares its status as second-highest rated game on Metacritic with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 and Soulcalibur.^ At the 5th British Academy Video Games Awards, Grand Theft Auto IV was beaten by: Fable II for the Action and Adventure award; Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare for excellence in Gameplay, Story and Character, as well as the GAME Award of 2008; Spore for the Technical Achievement award; Dead Space for the Use of Audio award; and Super Mario Galaxy for the Best Game award. [158] At the 9th Game Developers Choice Awards, Grand Theft Auto IV was beaten by Fallout 3 for Game of the Year and the Writing award, and Little Big Planet for the Technology award. [159]^ The game's first-week sales record beat the previous record of $320 million set by Halo 3. [163]^ The three Guinness World Records that Grand Theft Auto IV broke are now held by its successor Grand Theft Auto V. [169]Footnotes^ a b c d e f Calvert, Justin (8 December 2008). 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Archived from the original on 16 January 2011. Retrieved 24 September 2011.^ a b ""Kotaku's 2008 Games of the Year Awards"". Kotaku. Gawker Media. 5 January 2009. Retrieved 24 September 2011.^ Team Xbox Staff (23 December 2008). ""Team Xbox Game of the Year Awards 2008"". Team Xbox. Ziff Davis. p. 1. Archived from the original on 25 December 2008. Retrieved 24 September 2011.^ Team Xbox Staff (23 December 2008). ""Team Xbox Game of the Year Awards 2008"". Team Xbox. Ziff Davis. p. 5. Archived from the original on 27 December 2008. Retrieved 24 September 2011.^ a b ""Spike TV Announces 2008 'Video Game Award' Winners"" (Press release). Spike TV. 14 December 2008. Retrieved 23 September 2011.^ Ivan, Tom (31 October 2008). ""Golden Joysticks: All the winners"". Computer and Video Games. Future plc. Retrieved 24 September 2011.^ User ""Yodapollo"" (7 August 2008). ""G-Phoria Winners Are Announced!"". G4tv.com. Retrieved 24 September 2011.^ a b Schiesel, Seth (19 December 2008). ""The Zombies Look Better Every Year"". The New York Times. Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, Jr. Retrieved 24 September 2011.^ a b Metzger, Pete (31 December 2008). ""Making the perfect game"". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Publishing. Retrieved 24 September 2011.^ a b Grossman, Lev (3 November 2008). ""The Top 10 Everything of 2008: Top 10 Video Games: 1. Grand Theft Auto IV "". Time. Time Inc. Retrieved 24 September 2011.^ ""Home Entertainment Awards — Video Games"". Entertainment Merchants Association. Retrieved 24 September 2011.^ a b ""Past Winners and Nominees: Games Nominations 2009"". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Archived from the original on 3 January 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2011.^ a b ""9th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards"". Game Developers Choice Awards. Retrieved 24 September 2011.^ Nichols, Shaun (9 May 2008). ""GTA IV smashes sales records"". V3. Retrieved 26 May 2008.^ Richtel, Mike (7 May 2008). ""A $500 Million Week for Grand Theft Auto"". The New York Times. Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, Jr. Retrieved 7 May 2008.^ Paul, Franklin (7 May 2008). ""Take-Two's Grand Theft Auto 4 sales top $500 million"". Reuters. Retrieved 8 May 2008.^ Fenech, Stephen (9 May 2008). ""Grand Theft Auto IV smashes all sales records"". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 15 June 2014.^ Hillis, Scott (28 April 2008). ""Take-Two shares rise amid rave reviews for GTA4"". Reuters. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2011.^ Richtel, Matt (29 April 2008). ""For Gamers, the Craving Won't Quit"". The New York Times. Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, Jr. Retrieved 29 April 2008.^ Magrino, Tom (28 April 2008). ""Q&A: GTAIV – Big or huge?"". Game Spot. Retrieved 28 April 2008.^ ""Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. Reports Strong Second Quarter Fiscal 2008 Financial Results"" (Press release). Take-Two Interactive. 5 June 2008. Retrieved 6 June 2008.^ ""Confirmed: Grand Theft Auto IV Breaks Guinness World Records With Biggest Entertainment Release Of All-Time"". Guinness World Records. Jim Pattison Group. 13 May 2008. Archived from the original on 23 December 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2008.^ Pitcher, Jenna (9 October 2013). ""Grand Theft Auto 5 smashes 7 Guinness World Records"". Polygon. Retrieved 15 June 2014.^ ""Take-Two: GTA IV hits 20m, Bio Shock series at 8m"" (Press release). Take-Two Interactive. 10 March 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2011.^ Futter, Mike (30 July 2013). ""Grand Theft Auto IV Has Sold 25 Million Units To-Date"". Game Informer. Retrieved 15 June 2014.^ Goldfarb, Andrew (20 September 2013). ""GTA 5 Sales Hit $1 Billion in Three Days"". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved 7 December 2014.^ Ingham, Tim (6 May 2008). ""UK CHARTS: All-conquering GTA IV hits No.1"". Market for Home Computing and Video Games. Retrieved 16 May 2008.^ Ingham, Tim (30 April 2008). ""GTA IV smashes day one sales record"". Market for Home Computing and Video Games. Retrieved 16 May 2008.^ Beaumont, Claudine (1 May 2008). ""Grand Theft Auto IV is fastest-selling game"". London: The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 May 2008.^ Androvich, Mark (6 May 2008). ""GTA IV: 926,000 copies sold in five days"". Games Industry.biz. Retrieved 16 May 2008.^ Ingham, Tim (6 May 2008). ""360 outselling PS3 in GTA software 'battle ' "". Market for Home Computing and Video Games. Retrieved 16 May 2008.^ ""ELSPA Sales Awards: Diamond"". Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association. Archived from the original on 19 May 2009.^ a b Caoili, Eric (November 26, 2008). ""ELSPA: Wii Fit, Mario Kart Reach Diamond Status In UK"". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on September 18, 2017.^ ""ELSPA Sales Awards: Double Platinum"". Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association. Archived from the original on 20 May 2009.^ Sinclair, Brendan (15 May 2008). ""NPD: US game revs spike on 2.85M GTAIVs"". Game Spot. Retrieved 16 May 2008.^ ""NPD: Nintendo Drives '08 Industry Sales Past $21 Billion"". Game Daily. 15 January 2009. Archived from the original on 31 March 2009. Retrieved 15 January 2009.^ Mc Whertor, Michael (6 November 2008). ""Grand Theft Auto IV #1 With A Bullet In Japan"". Kotaku. Retrieved 7 November 2008.^ ""Weekly PC Sales: A Slow Start for GTA 4"". Shacknews. 15 December 2008. Retrieved 24 December 2008.^ ""Weekly PC Sales: Grand Theft Auto 4 PC Disappears; Left 4 Dead, Call of Duty Gain Ground"". Shacknews. 22 December 2008. Retrieved 24 December 2008.^ ""Grand Theft Auto 4 PC Drops Out of NPD's Top 10 PC List in Second Week"". Game Cyte. 23 December 2008. Archived from the original on 9 March 2009. Retrieved 24 December 2008.^ Sources that refer to the amount of players for the Windows version include: Major Nelson (11 January 2010). ""The Top 20 LIVE Games of 2009"". Retrieved 26 September 2013. Major Nelson (6 January 2012). ""Top Games of 2011"". Retrieved 26 September 2013. Major Nelson (22 January 2013). ""Top Games of 2012"". Retrieved 26 September 2013.^ Sinclair, Brendan (30 April 2008). ""Mothers against GTAIV's drunk driving"". Game Spot. Retrieved 13 October 2008.^ Tway, Kelley. ""MADD's Statement Regarding Grand Theft Auto IV"". Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Archived from the original on 13 May 2008. Retrieved 27 September 2013.^ Hill, Jason (4 April 2008). ""GTA IV edited for Australia"". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 April 2008.^ ""Uncut version of Grand Theft Auto IV now available in NZ"". 3 News. Media Works. 22 May 2008. Retrieved 7 December 2014.^ Plunkett, Luke (2 December 2008). ""For Some Reason, Australia Is Getting An Uncut GTA IV On PC"". Kotaku. Gawker Media. Retrieved 7 December 2014.^ Reynolds, Matthew (21 February 2009). "" ' GTA IV' updated with uncensored patch"". Digital Spy. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved 12 December 2014.^ Sources that refer to crimes being perpetrated against purchasers and sellers of the game include: Sherwood, James (30 April 2008). ""Grand Theft Auto 4 queue man stabbed in head"". The Register. Retrieved 27 September 2013. Frith, Holden (29 April 2008). ""Man stabbed while waiting to buy Grand Theft Auto IV"". London: The Times. Retrieved 27 September 2013. Mannion, Paul (1 May 2008). ""Chester boys attacked by Grand Theft Auto snatchers"". Chester Chronicle. Retrieved 27 September 2013.^ Ingham, Tim (30 April 2008). ""Croydon stabbing 'had nothing to do with GTA ' "". Market for Home Computing and Video Games. Retrieved 21 November 2008.^ Thomson, Iain (30 April 2008). ""Grand Theft Auto stabbing disputed"". V3. Retrieved 2 May 2008. (Registration required ( help )).^ Fahey, Mike (26 June 2008). ""Teen Crime Spree Inspired By Grand Theft Auto"". Kotaku. Gawker Media. Retrieved 7 December 2014. Bibliography""Grand Theft Auto IV Review"". Edge. Future plc (189). June 2008. Archived from the original on 13 September 2014. External links Wikiquote has quotations related to: Grand Theft Auto IVOfficial website2000s portal New York City portal Speculative fiction portal Video games portal [ show]v t e Grand Theft Auto series Authority control GND: 7633070-9Categories:2008 video games Action-adventure games Episodic video games Euphoria (software) games Games for Windows certified games Grand Theft Auto IV Multiplayer and single-player video games Obscenity controversies in video gaming Open world video games Organized crime video games Play Station 3 games Rockstar Advanced Game Engine games Rockstar Games Video game censorship Video games about revenge Video games developed in Canada Video games developed in the United Kingdom Video games set in 2008 Video games set in New York City Video games with alternate endings Video games with custom soundtrack support Video games with downloadable content Video games with expansion packs Windows games Xbox 360 games "


what is a seller's contribution

.contributions from sellers or other interested third parties to the transaction that exceed six (6) percent of the sales price or other financing concessions are to be treated as inducements to purchase, thereby reducing the amount of the mortgage.

FHA Loan Articles

"FHA Loan Articles News and Updates for Homeowners FHA Seller Concession Rules and Possible Changes May 30, 2017 - There are many common questions about FHA loans and seller concessions. One of these questions is along these lines: ""If the purchase price of a home I want to buy is 290,000 the maximum sellers concession can only be a maximum of 6% of the agreed price? Can it be more than 6% if the home values at a greater than 290k ?"" The rules on seller concessions are clear enough for the moment, but the FHA has repeatedly announced it would like to revise those rules in favor of a lower percentage of allowable seller concessions. Recently, FHA and HUD published ""The Facts On FHA"" on the official blog of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Part of that publication includes this quote: ""To further decrease risk to the fund, we strengthened borrower qualification requirements to require higher downpayments for borrowers with low credit scores to ensure that FHA-insured mortgage financing is offered to individuals who can meet their mortgage obligations and truly experience the benefits of sustainable homeownership. In addition, HUD is now seeking to reduce allowable seller concessions in order to protect FHA and borrowers from the impacts of inflated appraisals.""

At present time, seller concessions are still limited to a total of six percent. We will report any changes to the six percent limit as they become known, but for now the six percent seller contribution limit is the official rule. This six percent limit does not change based on the price of the home or other factors.

It's not illegal for the seller to contribute more than six percent, but according to FHA loan rules, doing so results in a lowering of the sale price for purposes of calculating the FHA loan amount, dollar for dollar for all money contributed that exceeds the six percent limit. If you are planning a future home loan purchase and want to apply for an FHA mortgage, you should know there are possible changes to seller contribution rules down the road and plan accordingly--could the FHA lower current seller concessions from six to three percent? Such a plan has been mentioned in the past. For the time being, according to the FHA official site, the rules state the following: ""

Each dollar exceeding the six percent limit must be subtracted from the property's sale price before applying the appropriate loan to value (LTV) ratio. ""Browse Questions About Mortgage Topics Down Payment Requirements FHA Loan Requirements FHA Guidelines Mortgage Loan Terms Loan Approval Process Credit Requirements Getting Pre-Qualified Principal and Interest Debt-to-Income Ratio Finding a Lender Understanding Credit Scores FREE CREDIT SCORES From All 3 Bureaus Do you know what's on your credit report? Learn what your score means. GET STARTEDFHA.com Reviews FHA.com is a one-stop resource for homebuyers who want to make the best decisions when it comes to their mortgage. With our detailed, mobile-friendly site, individuals can access information about different FHA products, the latest loan limits, and numerous other resources to make their homebuying experience easier. Take a look at some of the reviews from other FHA.com visitors!4.5Out of 5.0Overall Rating 88% of customers that buy from this merchant give them a 4 or 5-Star rating. Verified Buyer April 3, 2018 by Joyce J“Your site fully explains in detail all that you need to know about FHA home loans. Nice detail and design. Very helpful.” "


in texas what requirements are needed to apply to become a broker

The Texas State Securities Board has no established educational requirements for becoming a stockbroker, but many broker-dealer firms will require that applicants for sponsorship hold a bachelor’s degree. Additionally, if you choose to pursue professional designations during your career, a bachelor’s degree, at minimum, is usually required.

Becoming a Stockbroker in Texas

Stockbrokers are securities market experts who work to align retail investors with the most suitable investment options. The Texas Securities Act uses the term securities dealer agent to describe stockbrokers, who must meet exam requirements and submit to a federal background check in order to become registered with the Texas State Securities Board and an SEC-recognized self-regulatory organization (SRO). Sponsored Listings Featured Programs: Capella University - Online Finance Degree Programs at the BS, MBA, DBA, and Ph D Levels The University of Scranton - Master of Science in Finance Georgetown University - Online Master of Science in Finance (MSF)Follow the steps in this guide to learn about the sponsorship, examination and SRO affiliation requirements for becoming a stockbroker in Texas. Step 1. Get Your Education

As you explore your options, consider the following degrees as they are highly relevant to the work you’ll perform: BS-Business/Finance BS-Business Administration- Finance BS-Finance BA-Accounting BA-Consumer and Family Financial Services BS-Business Administration- Finance Business and finance courses will prime you with knowledge of the financial industry; while sales and marketing courses will help you establish and maintain a loyal client base. The following courses will give you a solid introduction to the world of finance and investing: Economics Finance Business communications Business law Business ethics Statistics Taxation Marketing Quantitative applications in business Behavior of organizations, persons and groups Accounting, in particular courses in financial accounting and managerial accounting Step 2: Take the Required Exams You must obtain sponsorship through a broker-dealer firm registered in Texas before applying for the comprehensive Series 7 Exam, or another more limited securities product exam. Explore your options thoroughly and consider both large global firms and smaller independent regional firms. Research each firm’s investment philosophy to determine which firm would fit you best. Your sponsoring firm will help you complete and submit the proper application forms and accompanying material used to apply for the required exams and for registration with the Texas State Securities Board. If you are associated with a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member firm: Fill out Form U-4, Uniform Application for Securities Registration or Transfer. This will serve as an application for the required exams and for registration with the Texas State Securities Board. Once complete, you firm will submit it to FINRA through the Central Registration Depository (CRD) along with the required accompanying material: FINRA’s $85 registration fee All applicable Series Exam fees ($265 for the Series 7, $96 for the Series 63, and $128 for the Series 66)You will also be required to provide a copy of your fingerprints to FINRA used for an FBI background check. If your sponsoring firm cannot assist you with fingerprints, contact your local police station or sheriff’s office to obtain them for a small fee. The Texas State Securities Board’s $285 initial registration fee If you are associated with a non-FINRA member firm: Use Form U-10 Uniform Examination Request for non-FINRA Members to apply for the required exams through the Central Registration Depository, paying all applicable exam fees. Form U-10 functions only as an exam application. To register with the Texas State Securities Board, you will still need to submit Form U-4 after successfully completing the exams. Send Form U-4 along with proof of passing the securities exams, your fingerprint card and the Texas State Securities Board’s $285 initial registration fee to: Texas State Securities Board P. O. Box 13167 Austin, TX 78701-3167Once your exam application has been reviewed and approved, you will be allowed to register for the Series 7, General Securities Representative Examination, or any other more limited securities exam as directed by your sponsoring firm, and EITHER the Series 63, Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, OR the Series 66, Uniform Combined State Law Examination . Register for and schedule exams directly with the exam facilitator, choosing the exam location in Texas nearest you. Be well prepared and take full advantage of exam preparation materials made available to you by your sponsoring firm. Arrive an hour before your scheduled time and be sure to bring identification with you as indicated by the exam facilitator. You will receive your exam score immediately after completing each test. Once you have passed all required exams, you will be licensed as a securities dealer agent in Texas. Step 3: Get Your On-The-Job Training Take advantage of all opportunities to observe the firm’s most successful senior agents in action. Listening in on their sales calls may provide you with the most valuable exposure to effective sales practices possible as you work to hone your skills in retaining clients and aligning them with suitable investments. For this reason, on-the-job training will usually include job shadowing a senior agent, in addition to classroom based formal group session training. Your on-the-job training will expand your product knowledge by exploring the securities covered in the Series 7 Exam in greater depth: Stocks Options on stocks Variable contracts Mutual funds Corporate, municipal and treasury bonds Corporate equity and debt securities Government securities Open-end and closed-end investment company shares Direct participation programs like non-publicly traded real estate investment trusts or oil and gas leases Step 4: Ongoing Requirements for License Renewal and Continuing Education Annual License Renewal and Fees Your Texas securities license will be renewed automatically before the end of each year. Your employer will cover the Texas State Securities Board’s $275 renewal fee, which is distributed through the Web-CRD (Central Registration Depository). If you are employed by a non-FINRA member firm, your renewal fee will be submitted directly to the Texas State Securities Board at P. O. Box 13167Austin, TX 78701-3167. Continuing Education Requirements The Securities Industry Continuing Education Program is made up of two elements that must be completed on an annual and tri-annual basis respectively in order to keep your securities license current. The Regulatory Element The first Regulatory Element is due at the beginning of your third year (within 120 days of your second annual registration), and then once every three years throughout your career. The Regulatory Element for stockbrokers who hold the Series 7 license is called the S101 General Program. The S101 addresses regulatory standards, compliance and ethics in the context of sales-practices. S101 consists of four modules that include: Communicating with the Public Client/Product Suitability New and Secondary Offering & Corporate Finance Handling Customer Accounts/Trade and Settlement Practices The Firm Element Relevant financial industry topics are determined by FINRA each year, which serve as the basis for the Firm Element. The Firm Element generally addresses the following topics: Investment features and associated risk factors Regulatory requirements related to products, services, and strategies Sales practices and suitability standards Updating your Form U-4 You must inform your employing broker-dealer firm’s compliance department of any changes that occur affecting your Form U-4 registration. Your firm will update your registration information within 30 days of the following: Address updates Changes to name or marital status Pending or completed disciplinary actions Customer complaints Civil judgments against you Financial judgments against you Criminal disclosure The public can access your securities registration information by visiting FINRA’s Broker Check, so it is wise to review it periodically to ensure its accuracy.


what internal temperature should chicken

ed. And unlike beef or lamb which is okay to eat rare or medium rare, you want your chicken cooked through to avoid getting anyone sick. Kitchen Fact: The safe internal temperature for cooked chicken is 165° Fahrenheit (75° Celsius). A meat or instant-read thermometer is your best bet for determining the temperature of your chicken, and if you're cooking a whole bird, it should be inserted into the thickest part of the thigh but not touching bone. 165 degrees Fahrenheit is the safe internal temperature for both the white meat and dark meat. If you don't have a thermometer, an easy visual clue is that all the juices that come from the chicken should run clear and not be pink. Kitchen Fact Source: Safe Minimum Cooking Temperatures at Foodsafety.gov

Kitchen Facts The Right Internal Temperature for Cooked Chicken Christine Gallary Feb 20, 2015Share Email (Image credit: Henry Chen)What temperature should chicken be cooked to, and is it the same for light meat and dark meat? When is it safe to eat? Chicken, especially whole or bone-in chicken, can be tricky to cook since it's oddly-shap

More Chicken Cooking Tips from The Kitchn How To Check the Temperature on a Turkey (use this same technique to check a temperature on a roast chicken)How To Roast the Perfect Chicken How To Cook Moist & Tender Chicken Breasts Every Time More posts in Kitchen Facts The Right Temperature for Your Freezer What Recipes Mean When They Say Room Temperature Kitchn supports our readers with carefully chosen product recommendations to improve life at home. You support us through our independently chosen links, many of which earn us a commission. You Might Also Like How To Poach Chicken Breasts This Is Absolutely the Best Way to Cook Chicken Breasts Jamie Oliver's Chicken in Milk Is the Best Chicken Recipe How to Take a Turkey's Temperature for Perfect Doneness The Best Thing You Can Do For Your Bathroom for $25 [AT]What NOT To Do When Decluttering Your Home [AT]Save This Story Share Email5 Comment s Brenda P 8 months ago Chicken breast is considered white meat, and it cooks faster than the legs and thighs, which are considered dark meat. So, the dark meat needs to be at least 160 degree F, but the white meat is probably fine at around 146 degrees F. Does that help? Flag Replymangopopjuice 1 year ago Just watched a Raymond Leblanc cooking programme he was happy with 60° Celsius? So I looked it up and as always it seems that this is a political reason moreover than a scientific one. Science suggests that really 58° Celsius is safe if cooked over a longer period i.e. not just reached 58° Celsius but cooked over a period. So Raymonds poaching of a chicken breast over time at 60° Celsius agrees with the science. The reason for 75° Celsius seems to come from over cautions government ideas, there is a lengthy read about it here https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/complex-origins-food-safety-rules/Flag Replyphoxx 3 years ago Have you checked thermometer calibration? Flag Reply Show 2 more comments Join the Conversation!Enter your email to sign in or to create an account Next Need help? Click here.


what is block paintings

Block printing is using a carved piece of wood or other type of block to imprint an image on fabric or paper. In the early days of printing, it was used to print entire books.

What Is Block Printing?

"Hobbies & Games Crafting Paper Crafts Q: What Is Block Printing? A: Quick Answer

Continue Reading Keep Learning How Can You Print Cards From Home? How Can You Get the Lord's Prayer Printed on Fabric? How Do You Stiffen Paper? Credit: Jon Connell CC-BY-2.0Full Answer The Chinese used block printing for books as early as the 9th century. They would carve a page of words into a block and use ink to reproduce it on a page. Today, block printing is considered an art form. For instance, this technique can be used to make anything from stationary to fabric to customized shoes. Essentially, it is a stamping technique, where ink is rolled onto a custom-carved block. Learn more about Paper Crafts Sources: marthastewart.com columbia.edu Related Questions Q: How Does One Make an Nurse's Paper Hat Out of Origami Paper? A: A nurse's paper hat can be easily created out of a piece of origami paper with nothing more than a tear and a few simple folds. ""Ori"" means to fold, and ""g... Full Answer >Filed Under: Paper Crafts Q: How Do You Make a Pochette Envelope? A: According to the Do It Yourself Invitations website, the easiest and most cost effective solution is to find a pochette template online and then, using a s... Full Answer >Filed Under: Paper Crafts Q: How Do You Make Paper Hats? A: Using origami techniques, fold a rectangular piece of newspaper or wrapping paper to make a paper hat. This project can be completed in less than five minu... Full Answer >Filed Under: Paper Crafts Q: How Can an Origami Ball Be Made? A: An origami ball can be made by placing a piece of square paper face-up and folding it to where there is a total of eight lines throughout the paper, in a s... Full Answer >Filed Under: Paper Crafts You May Also Like Q: How Do You Create a Family Tree Template? Q: What Different Kinds of Paper Are There ? Q: How Do You Make Tulle Flowers? Q: What Are Some Tips for Making Paper Lanterns? Q: What Can I Use in Place of Parchment Paper? Q: How Do I Make Jungle Decorations? "


what foods and spices trigger vertigo

Salt Salty foods such as pretzels, chips, salted nuts, deli meats, canned foods and soups, soy sauce, pastas, sauces, condiments, baking soda, baking powder, pizza, seasonings, pickles, frozen meals, cheese, and salad dressings, all have the potential to trigger vertigo. Sodium creates imbalance in body fluids.

Can the Foods You Eat Cause Vertigo?

"Can the Foods You Eat Cause Vertigo?written by: N Nayab • edited by: Emma Lloyd • updated: 8/25/2011

Vertigo is a symptom of many conditions ranging from inner ear infections to migraines and from multiple sclerosis to brain tumor. The food causes of vertigo include consumption of salt, sugar, fat, and tyramine rich foods, alcohol consumption, and inadequate consumption of alkaline foods.

The Webster’s dictionary defines vertigo as “a feeling in which the external world seems to revolve around the individual or in which the individual seems to revolve in space."" Vertigo is a sensation of motion or spinning similar to dizziness and light-headedness, very often accompanied with nausea and vomiting. A common problem among adults, it occurs without warning, and ends equally unpredictably. The two types of vertigo are peripheral vertigo that occurs in the inner ear or vestibular nerve, and central vertigo that occurs in the brain. Consumption of certain drugs, head injury, labyrinthitis, and Meniere’s disease cause peripheral vertigo of the inner ear. Inflammation and nerve compression cause peripheral vertigo of the vestibular nerve. Consumption of certain drugs such as asprin, blood vessel disease, multiple sclerosis, seizures, migraine, and alcohol consumption cause of central vertigo.. The dietary causes of vertigo stem from consumption of certain foods that trigger the above underlying causes.

It causes fluid retention in the body and affects pressure buildup in the inner ear, causing vertigo. A vertigo diet therefore needs to be very low in salt. The Menieres organization recommends 120mg of salt daily for those suffering from Menieres disease, a chief cause of vertigo, as opposed to the normal FDA recommendation of 2,000mg sodium intake daily. Sugar and Sugar Substitutes Foods high in sugar such as ice cream, honey, chocolate, dates, maple syrup, cream, jams and jellies, juice, cookies, cakes, donuts, candy, and processed snacks can all trigger central vertigo. A major cause for central vertigo is lack of sufficient oxygen in the brain. Sugary foods raise blood pressure and blood sugar albeit temporarily, and in such a condition, blood takes longer to reach the brain, depriving the brain of sufficient oxygen and becoming a cause for vertigo. Sugar substitutes do not constitute an alternative to natural sugar to control vertigo. Aspartame, a major ingredient of almost all sugar substitutes including the most popular Equal and Nutra Sweet can cause many illnesses including vertigo. Complex sugars found in legumes and whole grains constitute a safe alternative. Other Foods Fatty Foods: Foods high in fat such as ice cream, cheese, shortening, milk, mayonnaise, eggs, butter, meats, and other deep fried foods, like sugar raise blood pressure temporarily, causing reduced flow of blood, and consequently lesser oxygen for the brain. This cause dizziness and trigger vertigo. Fatty foods also cause inflammation of the arteries and of the inner ear, creating the same phenomena. Tyramine Rich Foods: Red wine, chicken liver, smoked meats, yogurt, chocolate, bananas, citrus fruits, figs, ripened cheeses and nuts all contain the amino acid tyramine and cause vertigo. Tyramine cause dilation of blood vessels and trigger migraine, a major causative factor of vertigo. Alcoholic Beverages: The inner ear plays an important role in maintaining body equilibrium by detecting motion and changes in position of the body and by sending corresponding signals to the brain. Alcohol interprets this function by sending false signals of motion to the brain, conflicting with the signals from the inner ear. This disrupts body equilibrium, triggering vertigo. Alkaline Foods Foremost among the foods that prevent vertigo are magnesium rich foods such as nuts, seeds, beans, leafy green vegetables, and milk of magnesia. Conversely, excessive consumption of foods such as yoghurt, rich in calcium contribute to depletion in the body’s magnesium levels and trigger vertigo. Magnesium is alkaline, and helps in keeping the body’s acid-alkaline balance in check. Disruption of this balance cause nausea, a major condition associated with vertigo. Magnesium also plays a role in blood circulation. Deficiency of magnesium constricts blood vessels and slows down blood circulation, leading to inadequate supply of oxygen to the blood, triggering vertigo. Conclusion Most of the food causes of vertigo stem from deficiency of certain nutrients. Consumption of a healthy and balanced diet, with meals spread evenly throughout the day provides the body with proper supply of nutrients and contribute to preempting vertigo. Drinking a lot of fluids, avoiding substances such as caffeine that causes fluid loss, and consumption of foods with high liquid content help restore lost fluids from the body and prevent vertigo. References US National Library of Medicine. Vertigo-associated disorders . Web MD.com. Dizziness: Lightheadedness and Vertigo. Image Credit: wikimedia commons Vestibular Disorders Association. Dietary Considerations for Vestibular Disorders. "


symptoms pain under arm

Introduction: Armpit pain Underarm pain (medical symptom): An underarm (axillary) swelling or mass symptom described as ""Armpit pain"" is most likely related to swollen underarm lymph nodes, of which there are numerous causes. Other possiblities include a skin lump that appears under the arm, such as an infected skin follicle in underarm hair.

Armpit pain

"Armpit pain Must Reads in Health Protecting Your Skin During Winter Watch: My Personal Psoriasis Journey Are You Getting The Best Cancer Care? Keeping An Active Lifestyle With COPDLiver Disease? Find a Doc Who Treats PBCAre You Allergic To Your Clothes? Why Psoriasis Treatments Can Fail Contents for Underarm pain Introduction: Underarm pain Causes (12 conditions)Combined symptoms Underarm pain Armpit pain: Armpit pain is listed as an alternate name or description for symptom: Underarm p

ain Causes of Underarm pain (Armpit pain): See detailed list of causes below. Underarm pain (medical symptom): A feeling of distress and agony caused by the stimulation of pain nerve endings in the underarm

Less likely is a particular local underarm condition. Because of the possibility of severe conditions, this symptom needs prompt professional medical diagnosis. Causes of Underarm pain (Armpit pain)The list of medical condition causes of Underarm pain (Armpit pain) includes: Diabetes Peripheral artery disease Peripheral Neuropathy Chemical burn Heat burn All 12 causes of Underarm pain Related Symptoms for Armpit pain Research the causes of these related symptoms that are similar to, or related to, the symptom Armpit pain: Arm pain (133 causes)Axillary pain (12 causes)Underarm swelling Shoulder pain (107 causes)Folliculitis Axillary lymphadenopathy (21 causes)Hidradenitis suppurativa (7 causes)Myocardial infacrtion Broader Symptom Types for Armpit pain: Research the causes of these symptoms that are more broader types of symptom than Armpit pain: Pain (6458 causes)Underarm symptoms (43 causes)Sensations (6520 causes)Nerve symptoms (9132 causes)Common symptoms (8589 causes)Arm symptoms (1619 causes)Sensory symptoms (7134 causes)Neurological symptoms (9575 causes)Limb symptoms (3592 causes)Brain symptoms (2787 causes)Leg symptoms (2751 causes)Body symptoms (5672 causes)Head symptoms (10192 causes)More Symptom Information for Armpit pain For a medical symptom description of 'Armpit pain', the following symptom information may be relevant to the symptoms: Underarm pain (symptom). However, note that other causes of the symptom 'Armpit pain' may be possible. More information on symptom: Underarm pain: Underarm pain Armpit pain: Related Medical Topics Research related medical symptoms or conditions such as: Armpit Armpit symptoms (43 causes)Armpit pain (12 causes)Pain (6458 causes)Pain symptoms (6458 causes)Pain disorder Pain syndrome» Next page: Armpit rash Medical Tools & Articles: Tools & Services: Bookmark this page Symptom Search Symptom Checker Medical Dictionary Medical Articles: Disease & Treatments Search Misdiagnosis Center Full list of interesting articles Forums & Message Boards Ask or answer a question at the Boards: I cannot get a diagnosis. Please help. Tell us your medical story. Share your misdiagnosis story. What is the best treatment for my condition? See all the Boards. "