Multiplayer woes

Is anyone else having problems using multiplayer?

1. On trying to open multiplayer I'm told it's not available - Try again
later.

2. On finally connecting once I enter a game, I get as far as the list of
players but nothing else happens. I have to start again.

3. I do this and only a few people are in the game, this eventually
whittles down to zero and I'm presented with a message telling me "more
players are needed". OK, I start again.

4. When I eventually get past the list the game hangs on "Loading..." but
nothing else happens. This time I need to restart the entire game, which
takes a few minutes.

5. Finally the game starts. I run for a weapon, then suddenly "Connection
to one or players lost - Returning to single player".

6. One time I start playing the Cops and Crooks game where I'm supposed to
chase the bad guys. I'm driving the car, I start driving looking for where
the bad guys are. Only the orange blip is in fact, following me! Confused I
stop the car and find that all of the cops are shown as crooks on the
radar. But shown as cops on the main view.

Is it me or is multiplayer as buggy as hell?

Dervin <Dervin.DeleteThis@Dervin.Dervin> wrote in
news:CY4Xj.31377$66.10955@newsfe20.ams2:

> Is anyone else having problems using multiplayer?
>
> 1. On trying to open multiplayer I'm told it's not available - Try
> again later.
>
> 2. On finally connecting once I enter a game, I get as far as the list
> of players but nothing else happens. I have to start again.
>
> 3. I do this and only a few people are in the game, this eventually
> whittles down to zero and I'm presented with a message telling me
> "more players are needed". OK, I start again.
>
> 4. When I eventually get past the list the game hangs on "Loading..."
> but nothing else happens. This time I need to restart the entire game,
> which takes a few minutes.
>
> 5. Finally the game starts. I run for a weapon, then suddenly
> "Connection to one or players lost - Returning to single player".
>
> 6. One time I start playing the Cops and Crooks game where I'm
> supposed to chase the bad guys. I'm driving the car, I start driving
> looking for where the bad guys are. Only the orange blip is in fact,
> following me! Confused I stop the car and find that all of the cops
> are shown as crooks on the radar. But shown as cops on the main view.
>
> Is it me or is multiplayer as buggy as hell?
>

Which version are you playing, PS3 or 360? I have had more problems with
the PS3 version than the 360.

You may have some firewall issues when it comes to issue #5 which
prevents you from connecting to some players. It sounds like GTA IV is
using a person to person connection which can cause a lot of grief as
when you can't connect to even one person you are knocked out of the
game.