Grand Theft Auto: Harbour City Leaked

mika27

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/967/967568p1.html

Massive news hit IGN Australia this morning with the leak of what appears to be the design documentation for the next Grand Theft Auto instalment. According to photos provided by a reliable source, these images show 'Grand Theft Auto: Harbour City' – set in a fictionalised Sydney, Australia in the 1970s. What's more, the developer appears to be 'Rockstar Bondi' – formerly Team Bondi, makers of the mysterious and oft-delayed L.A. Noir.

IGN has come into the possession of two photos, allegedly taken at the Team Bondi studios last week, showing the cover - the 14th edition of the 'Grand Theft Auto: Harbour City' design document – and a page outlining the overview, key points and gameplay hooks. The email claims that these were taken on an old Nokia handset and had to be "done in a hurry".

We've done our best to transcribe what we can make out, and we've indicated points where the text was too grainy to be sure:
Grand Theft Auto: Harbour City expands and improves on (ed: not sure) the benchmark Grand Theft Auto IV from Rockstar North, bringing Rockstar Bondi (formerly Team Bondi) into the spotlight (ed: not sure).

Set during the 1970s(?), the story follows Harbour City resident and low-level thug, Tresle(?) 'Thumb' Conroy (ed: not sure), from his accidental invitation(?) into the high rollers' gambling circuit(?) (ed: not sure) through to dominance of the city's underworld, financial district and celebrity system(?). The tone pays reference to famous Australian con-films(?) 'Chopper' and 'Dirty Deeds'.

The game's mission-based structure will remain in place, with a greater emphasis on side-missions, environmental interactivity and destructibility. Harbour City will run on an enhanced version of the Rockstar Advanced Game Engine supported by the continued licensing of the Euphoria animation engine.

Missions will take players across the iconic Coathanger (Sydney Harbour Bridge) and Harbour City Amphitheatre (Sydney Opera House), into the sleazy (Seedy? Sassy?)(ed: not sure) Knight's Crown (Kings Cross) and Greenleaf (Redfern) districts, into the surrounding beach communities of (Sheldon? Shevon? Slebbon?) (ed: not sure) (Bondi) and through the tangle of city streets and inner-city residential suburbs.

While Harbour City takes cues from Sydney's urban landscape, a portion of the Australian outback will also feature (ed: whaaaa? Seriously?).
Tantalisingly, the Motifs section points out some of the game's potential themes:

High rollers (ed: not sure), gambling, beach lifestyle, c--(?) (ed: not sure), information (immigration?), drug-running, military ---(?) (ed: not sure), Australiana, celebrities, street racing, nautical activities, committees(?)(ed: not sure)

Finally, the release date is listed as October 2010, which sounds about right to us in terms of timing. The logo looks vaguely retro, which also fits a possibly 1970s setting. The 'Gameplay Hooks' section lists a branching story arc, what we think says 'Enhanced Euphoria animation' and environmental destruction, as well as online stock trading and, tantalisingly, co-op mission structure.

Co-op missions - I like the sound of that.

smooch71

Sure this isn't an April Fools joke?

ScumLord

Probably, I wouldn't have thought Australia had much in the line of exciting crime.

I would have thought they where going to bring out loads of expansion packs for liberty city, when you think about it there's really fup all to do in GTA4 other than missions. They could easily introduce taxi driving, ambulance and fire brigade stuff. The city still has loads of potential.

mika27

They kinda ruined it on themselves when people post in the comments below

Jip

ScumLord wrote: »

Probably, I wouldn't have thought Australia had much in the line of exciting crime.

So you've never seen Underbelly , probably one of the best based on fact crime series in recent years.

ShawnRaven

Almost had me, too bad i had checked the date of the original post before i went to read the rest of the article.

Nailz

I sorta picked up on the fact it was an April Fools joke when I read the title, but I still had fun reading it! Sure why don't they have it in Leitrim, that'll make an excellent crime spot I'm sure!!!

Anywho... I think this brings us on smoothly to the topic of: When does other people expect to hear an announcement for the next great installment of Grand Theft Auto (presumebly the next Vice City)?? I'm not expecting one until September this year onwards to around, mayby May or June next year.

PogMoThoin

ScumLord wrote: »

Probably, I wouldn't have thought Australia had much in the line of exciting crime.

Never read any of the books by Chopper Read or see the film Chopper? I've read the first 3 books, crazy shít. Australia's got its own crime history going all the way back to Ned Kelly.