Everything You Always Wanted to Know About GTA IV, But Were Afraid to Ask
Rockstar began collaborative development on the much-anticipated Grand Theft Auto IV - between Rockstar’s New York, San Diego and North (Edinburgh) studios, way back in November 2004. The game will be available for PS3 and Xbox 360, when it is released worldwide; on April 29 (God willing and the creek don’t rise).
The following is based on information released by Rockstar, which could turn out to be some valuable, essential knowledge about GTA IV:
Technically Speaking:
1 - Timing is Everything: An in-game hour actually translates to approximately two minutes of real-time.
2 - There will be no annoying loading interruptions or action-breaking pauses, when entering and exiting buildings.
3 - Online multiplayer will be accessible ’’through the phone.’’ It is not clear exactly what that will entail.
4 - Gameplay will be enhanced with easy switching to the Cinematic Camera at any time, by pressing B/Circle on the controller. While in a vehicle pursuit, the Chase Camera automatically centers the viewpoint on whatever is being chased, through the button trigger.
5 - It will be possible to set waypoints on the map.
6 - The targeting system has been revamped. A mere partial squeezing of the left trigger enables free-aim, to control the reticule with the right stick. When fully depressing the trigger, the reticule will lock-on to whatever Niko is aiming at. When in the locked position, it is also possible to flick the right stick to aim at any specific body part.
7 - Players can save at any of the safe houses in the city, and the game auto-saves after every mission or major activity, which is handy for all of those unanticipated interruptions.
8 - Two new episodes of the story will be available as downloadable content, exclusively for Xbox 360, not too long after the game’s release, with "hours of entirely new game play,’’ according to Microsoft.
9 - A targeted enemy’s ’health’ is represented by a ring of segments on the inside of the aiming reticule.
Locations, Locations, Locations: Just as in the real estate world, the location of a game can be one of the most important aspects of its success. So here is what is known about the locale in GTA IV:
1. ’’Liberty City’’ has been redesigned and consists of five decidedly urban-esque locales, all based upon real locations. The four from the eastern region include: Brooklyn (Broker), Queens (Dukes), Bronx (Bohan), Manhattan (Algonquin), and New Jersey (Alderney - after the Channel Island area). Apparently, Staten Island wasn’t cool enough to be included. Hey, what about ’’Great Kills Park?’’ The name alone should make it worthwhile! Also absent, are any of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas’ wide open deserts.
2 - As in most big urban metro areas, the street landscape of Liberty City will change substantially after sundown, with different pedestrians, and many more dangerous situations to encounter.
3 - Various landmark buildings appear, including: the MetLife building (the hilarious ’GetaLife’ building), Brighton Beach (Hove Beach), Hell’s Kitchen (the more hopeful version, depending on how you look at it, is now ’Purgatory’), Times Square (Star Junction) and the Statue of Liberty (Statue of Happiness, on Happiness Island).
4 - The ’’Liberty Ferry Terminal’’ appears as a new locale.
5 - Fair rides including ’’ the Screamer,’’ (patterned after Coney Island’s Cyclone), ’’Corpse Ride’’ and ’’Liberty Eye,’’ (like Coney Island’s ’Wonder Wheel’) appear in trailers and screen shots.
6 - Even virtual life characters can have fun, at the Internet café’s ’Gamer’s Corner.’
Characters:
1 - Almost no former characters will be included in the new version, with the exception of the infamous Mafia Don Leone (from GTA III), seen in an updated version, after the end of the ’Truck Hustle’ mission.
2 - Niko Bellic (possibly of Serbian decent) - is the new hero. Hoping to escape his old surroundings by emigrating to Liberty, as things would happen, despite his military background, with experience killing, smuggling and selling people - it doesn’t quite work out as he would have hoped.
3 - Niko’s cousin, Roman, runs a taxi depot in Broker, the opening base of operations in the game.
4 - Little Jacob is a Jamaican associate of Roman, who deals weapons. Niko meets him early in the game; he sells ballistic and ammunition merchandise from the boot of his car. He’ll gladly take you to Niko, with a trunk full of guns, provided you strike up a good friendship with him.
5 - Brucie is a white hyper-active hip-hop type Arian refugee, who runs a garage in Broker, located close to Roman’s taxi depot. Wearing a necklace that says ’No One,’ he winds up hiring Niko to ice Lyle Rivas (a police informant).
6 - Elizabeta is a drug abuser and dealer, who has a 10 year history of selling in Bohan. Paranoid due to recent crackdowns on drug dealers, Niko does a job for her, and she repays him by introducing him to Playboy X.
7 - Playboy X is a street hustling gangster who likes the high life, in a luxury apartment in Algonquin. He enlists Niko to help end a Mafia enforced union strike that’s disrupting the development plans of one of his cronies.
8 - Dwayne Ford is Playboy X’s old partner, recently released from prison, and he seems very agitated by Playboy’s lifestyle and apparent disinterest in a partnership with him.
9 - Ray and Bell are Italian Soprano-type mobsters, paranoid about observation by the feds, who talk in entertaining mob-speak. Niko hijacks a drug load of trucks from the Triads for Bell.
10 - B-boy Manny, after abandoning a life of gang banging, wants to make up some damage by cleaning up the neighborhood streets and wayward kids.
11 - Frank McReary is a corrupt cop who hires Niko to kill lawyer Tom Goldberg (otherwise known as a good start), because of incriminating evidence he has. McReary also has some ’dirt’ on Niko, which is the only thing motivating him to help the guy.
12 - Vlad is a Russian (surprise!) criminal, operating petty protection rackets around the Hove Beach area, who appears to suffer from ’delusions of big time gangster’ grandeur.
Entities and Groups:
1 - The FBI is known as the FIB.
2 - The Liberty City Police Department is now larger and more intelligent, due to the greatly improved AI.
3 - The Triads are featured in the game, but it is unclear if Niko actually works for them or not.
4 - The Mafia appears in supporting roles.
Character Interaction:
1 - When Niko first arrives in Liberty City, he stays with his cousin, Roman, in a dilapidated area of Broker, where he runs a taxi depot. Having been less than honest about his situation in Liberty City, it is revealed that he is in heavy debt and has become a target of vicious thugs. This creates a continual money problem for the two, forcing Niko into working for shady criminals.
2 - Niko will be able to socialize with associates to improve ’friendships’ with them. If Niko arranges to meet a contact or associate and stands them up, it will negatively impact their relationship. Rewards are attained through good ’friendships,’ (like free cabs from Roman, helicopter taxi service from Brucie, and Little Jacob will deliver guns to Niko’s location.
3 - Niko is able to access Liberty City’s Internet connection from any computer in the game, and Rockstar has confirmed that it can also be utilized as a useful information tool.
4 - Leisure activities include drinking, eating, bowling, night clubbing (including bars and strip club type establishments) and darts. Players that spend time hanging-out will be rewarded (if only that were always the case in real life). Also, many other activities are at play, such as smoking, sitting, talking on the phone, and reading - all of which terminate as soon as Niko starts shooting.
5 - Niko can get a heads-up on the police, through hearing LCPD radio chatter.
6- Phrases heard by Niko while in the midst of a shootout include: "Don’t push me friend," "I’m not going to think twice about killing you" and "Don’t try to be a wise guy."
7 - The romantic element involves Roman in an unstable relationship with ’’Mallorie.’’
Character Agility and Movement:
1 - The RAGE proprietary game engine (from Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis) with NaturalMotion’s ’euphoria’ animation engine is used to create dynamic real-time character movement.
2 - Physics play a huge part: Niko’s walk, for instance, is influenced by pavement slope or material on the ground.
3 - A new ’wanted’ mechanic has been introduced. Niko must avoid the LCPD to stop the search radius from being reset to his last spotted location. If Niko attains a wanted level, a search radius appears on the mini-map. The higher the wanted level, the wider the radius.
4 - Niko can swim, though not underwater, and can climb on things such as telephone poles, though cannot access all buildings. He can hang on to trucks, although only in specific missions.
5 - Niko can switch cars without being spotted by the cops, while in hot pursuit. And if the cops drag him out of a car, he has more chances of escaping on foot, than in previous GTA’s.
6 - Niko is much better equipped to deal with fire fights, as he can take cover, wall-hug, blind-fire, slide to cover, vault over low objects and crouch-run.
7 - San Andreas-style character customization is absent, so don’t get any ideas about fattening him up by force feeding him junk food.
8 - When Niko fails a mission, he gets a text message asking if he wants to restart. Then he gets placed back to the point directly after any mission intro cut-scene - so that he can start again, without the typical annoying backtrack.
9 - Best of all, Niko can get piss-faced drunk to produce some of the most hilarious stumbling physics ever. The screen blurs and the camera moves erratically, to mimic effectively what happens during drunk driving. Kind of makes a case for sobriety during machine operation.
Gadgetry and Such:
1 - Some of the notable vehicles include the Shitzu NRG 900 RR motorbike, and the Stallion and Vincent cars. All of the cars feature standard GPS, with luxury models, of course, boasting voice-navigation. Also, car trunks can be used as storage lockers.
2 - Niko will be able to steal locked cars by smashing windows and sometimes by hot wiring them.
3 - Niko can use taxis to get around, which also allows for a wide variety of camera angles. You can also have the cabbie drive faster, if you up the cash - and even get right to your destination.
4 - Police cars have computers to access the LCPD criminal database. Police cars also appear on the radar.
5 - Niko’s Whiz mobile phone is used as an information hub for the game, through which he can receive information and threads for missions. It has four main functions: Phonebook, Messages, Organizer and Camera. Niko can call contacts, which will be useful for him to create new missions and arrange for meetings. One of the coolest features is that it can be used to hear Liberty radio stations at any time - even during battle.
6 - While there are no planes, helicopters fly in the skies.
7 - Boats will be engaged as transport. The Platypus cargo ship that Niko arrives on is seen on the docks, along with one called ’Octopus’.
8 - Characters can sport Kronos watches, and Niko gets some new duds, like well-tailored suits from the trendy Perseus boutique.
Battle and Weaponry:
1 - Weapons so far include: assault and sniper rifles, handguns, submachine guns, shotguns, grenades, a rocket launcher and a switchblade. Thankfully, there is no evidence of the return of the double-ended dildo.
2 - Niko will have access to a wide array of weapons simultaneously and will instantly be an expert with any of them, rather than having to level-up.
3 - The Ammu-Nation stores have been replaced by weapon dealers. Niko may enlist gun peddlers, such as Little Jacob, through meetings - after establishing a good friendship.
4 - Niko can lean out windows, smashing them with an elbow, to engage in gunplay, no longer limited to clumsy drive-bys.
Miscellany:
1 - Some of the notable brands around town are: Sprunk and eCola (soft drinks); a fast food chain called Cluckin’ Bell; Bean Machine Coffee (coffee chain); Burger Shot (fast food chain); Logger Beer and Piswasser Beer.
2 - The main newspaper is the Liberty Tree (which first appeared in GTA III). Characters can also read the Daily Globe.
3 - Talk radio is alive in the city, through WKTT (We Know The Truth).
4 - Movies being advertised include: I Slept with Your Mom and Heavy Weapons X (Unrated).
5 - Star Junction hosts the aptly titled, ’’America’s Next Top Hooker.’’
6 - None of the music has been officially confirmed.
7 - There is a graffiti image of El Burro, the Diablo gang leader from GTA III, gracing a wall.
8 - The apartment door that Niko kicks down, bears the name ’’B. Crane.’’
Lastly, while there has been no preview information of the PS3 version, there will be an Xbox ’special edition’ released simultaneously, including an art book, selected CD soundtrack, Rockstar keychain and duffel bag, for around $89.99.
All in all, it sounds like it will be well worth the wait. According to Dan Houser, Vice President of Creative at Rockstar, ’’It’s so much more dense and detailed, not only horizontally but also vertically. It’s by far the most ambitious GTA game to date.’’
