San Andreas: official site up with some piccys

Pepe LeFrits

Originally posted by Celt
Vice City delivered a whole new experience over GTA3, and its music/radio stations were mind blowing.

With use of hyperbole like that, you should work for Rockstar. VC was a solid improvement over GTA3, better graphics, better music, a little more world detail, a few more features and a retro theme. It was more of the same though, and now that I've finished them both GTA3 is the one I come back to because Liberty City is much more varied and interesting to cruise around in than Vice City is.

Graphically, the screenshots of GTA:SA they've released look fairly good but considering they are taken from stupid camera angles designed to woo us, they are pretty unremarkable. Some screenshots showing how the game actually is wouldn't go amiss.

n1ck

Originally posted by neXus9
I know what you mean, it annoys me that the xbox and ps2 do this with the screenshots and videos of upcoming games. I remember looking at a promo for prtoject gotham on tv, and it looked smooth as hell. Then when I got the game it had a nasty amount of jaggies. Same with the ps2 games such as vice city.

That sort of thing really annoys me, for example i remember seeing Gran Turismo 3 videos on the tv and internet and they looked brilliant but when i got the game i realised the graphics are still reasonably poor and the replays which look very nice were used for the videos.

neXus9

I know, Iv'e seen actual gameplay videos in promos of consoles (I remember particularly the set of promos with the first xbox magazine) that have been sharpened up.

DRakE

e3 NEWS!

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"Probably the most interesting thing you [need to] think about for a second is that we are not setting the game in a version of Los Angeles or San Francisco or Las Vegas, but in all three - and with the countryside in between," said Dan Houser.

He went on to talk about how "we take this GTA stuff really seriously and we work like f*** on it, and we don't just try to churn out a game. We think we've got some clever ideas and clever angles on things."

"Los Santos" is the game name for Los Angeles, "San Fierro" for San Francisco, and "Las Venturra" for Las Vegas. Each city is about the same size as Vice City. As in other GTA games, not all of it will be open at the beginning of the game.

Houser said that he estimates that "the entire game area is approximately four to six times as large as the entirety of either of the previous entries in the series."

In San Fierro, things are more driving-based due to the hills. Houser mentioned that "one of the things we missed in Vice City was hills. The idea that you will be able to drive from LA, through the countryside, up a mountain (yes, a mountain!) into San Francisco and on to Vegas is just freakish, and it feels amazing!"

The article goes on to say that they have done more to the graphics engine to tweak it, so don't worry. Also mentioned was that the desert isn't just an empty place with a cactus here and dirt there...but "there's still some weird s*** to see and the map feels very vibrant and alive."

Smog will be present to give LA the right feel. Expect "real-time reflections on cars, windows, and mirrors, as well as new techniques like radial lighting, which allows for more realistic shadowing, and soft-shadow lighting for interior levels," said Game Informer. They also mentioned that everything in the game now has independent models for day and night to give better lighting and shadowing.

Expect a lot more buildings with open interiors. But here is a bigger thing: "In Las Ventura, you'll be able to run a casino there, which you will have bought and built," said Houser.

I will bring more of it later, and there is a lot more. Excited?

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I am now able to give out the rest of the info. First off, expect some pimped-out lowriders. The game is more serious than previous GTA games, but the satire remains. The article also talked of research where the whole team went to Calfornia with "hundreds of digital cameras," " hundreds of movies" and talked to people around the area.

Houser went on to say that, for the radio stations, "there will probably be some rap music in there, but GTA music has always been about variety and we're not going to deviate from that at all."

He mentioned that some characters from the past will return, but didn't mention who. I would put my money on Phil returning definitely.

You will be able to recruit gang members to go with you wherever you want and do four-person drive-by's (as seen in the screenshot released at the official website).

Also, house robberies can now happen, but "Houser warns that these jobs wil require real skill and planning," said Game Informer.

You now have to eat in order to stay in a good physical state. This is reflected in a new stamina meter. If you eat too much, you get fat. If you eat enough at a regular rate, you are ok. There are also gyms to exercise in.

Also, expect ragdoll physics. It is called "impact animation" by Rockstar North. Also, dual weapons (dual pistols confirmed) have been implemented.

So, in closing, Rockstar North has worked their butts off for the past two years...and the stuff they have come up with is nothing short of amazing... The Linerunner makes another appearance as well as a 90's version of the Blista Compact.

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Sounds focking class.. owning a casino eh? hmmmmmm \o/

The Real B-man

GTA San Andreas..... I think i might cry its just so beautiful

Placebo

Well, after playing VICE CITY for 2 weeks, i got really sick of it, people running and making noises, annoyed the hell out of me. So i`m thinking this might be VERY VERY similar to that, Men and Wiggers running with guns but i Hope its much better, be that as it may , definatley gonna get it.
although i feel depressed when playing my ps2, dunno why :rolleyes:

kaimera

Originally posted by Placebo
although i feel depressed when playing my ps2, dunno why :rolleyes:

cos it's a ps2

BLITZ_Molloy

It's easy to get down on Rockstar because they've been so successful. All the GTA clones coming out over the past 2 years have been pretty rubbish. It's made me appreciate what a good job Rockstar North (who have created innovative titles for years as DMA Design) are doing with the GTA series despites its flaws.

They aren't trying to reinvent the wheel with this game but they're taking the sandbox/open ended concept of GTA3 to its logical conclusion. Hopefully it'll have a good dose of humour as well, something thats lacking in games these days.

Makaveli

Originally posted by Placebo
Men and Wiggers running with guns but i Hope its much better, be that as it may , definatley gonna get it.

Wiggers?
Where are there wiggers in GTA?

Deadwing

It all sounds great on paper, owning a casino etc etc, but you know in truth all youll do is buy a casino, become the owner of it, and collect floating bags of cash from outside it like when you bought property in vice city. Wow, exciting.
I loved GTA3, and was highly disappointed with VC (tho the pc version was 100% better than the PS2 version). TBH id rather see rockstar focus now in making an all new GTA4, as different to GTA3 as it was tot he original grand theft auto, instead of churning out another disappointing, overhyped cash in just in time for christmas.

Celt

Originally posted by Deadwing
It all sounds great on paper, owning a casino etc etc, but you know in truth all youll do is buy a casino, become the owner of it, and collect floating bags of cash from outside it like when you bought property in vice city. Wow, exciting.
I loved GTA3, and was highly disappointed with VC (tho the pc version was 100% better than the PS2 version). TBH id rather see rockstar focus now in making an all new GTA4, as different to GTA3 as it was tot he original grand theft auto, instead of churning out another disappointing, overhyped cash in just in time for christmas.

They are doing both.(SA and gta4)

tman

Originally posted by DRakE
"Los Santos" is the game name for Los Angeles, "San Fierro" for San Francisco, and "Las Venturra" for Las Vegas. Each city is about the same size as Vice City. As in other GTA games, not all of it will be open at the beginning of the game.

Houser said that he estimates that "the entire game area is approximately four to six times as large as the entirety of either of the previous entries in the series."

In San Fierro, things are more driving-based due to the hills. Houser mentioned that "one of the things we missed in Vice City was hills. The idea that you will be able to drive from LA, through the countryside, up a mountain (yes, a mountain!) into San Francisco and on to Vegas is just freakish, and it feels amazing!"

/me wipes a tear from his eye.
****ing beautiful:)

Stephen

New pics from an american games mag, check em out:

http://www.freepgs.com/bigbadron/gta/

sleepwalker

comical amount of bitching in this thread


gta3 and vice city were both excellent games although i think gta3 was probably slightly better. i dont believe the idea that rockstar are simply churning out updates for cash, there was an obviously huge amount of work and attention to detail that went into vice city

san andreas looks like it will be some more good family fun for christmas time

the owning a casino bit will only be good if they have a whole structure of missions based around running it otherwise it will be just as boring as the purchasing of property in vice city

Makaveli

In fairness buying some of the properties lead to good missions.
The nightclub and film studios had good missions anyway and the print works one weren't bad.
I don't see it as Rockstar churning out games to cash in. Vice City is a fantastic game imo and from the sound of things San Andreas is going to be amazing.

phenom

I like the look of this game. I am looking forward to the release of this game. One thing that i have noticed is that some of the buildings are like the buildings in vice city. Anyway I am still loking forward to it.