OPS - AUS preview

[Wehmer]

Okay, just read through it. Like it was assumed, no real big new news, but some things I found interesting (not sure if any or all has been posted, so bare with me):

 

o "suburb upon suburb of randomly generated houses simply didn't add anything worthwhile"

 

o People are reading newspapers, gesturing whilst talking on their mobile phones, people sitting on seats while talking and absent-mindly flicking dust off their jeans. "We really know we're in Liberty City when we see an 80-year old granny staggering down the street as she takes swigs from a bottle of whisky."

 

o If a pedestrian bumps into Niko, he pushes them aside, Assassin Creed-like.

 

o You can feel the bass of passing cars, and hear the radio that they're listening to when it goes past. Rockstar asked the magazine not to publish the name of the song, as no artists have been set in stone.

 

o Niko passes an ATM and it prompts him to "access funds". It's likely that if you die, you may lose all your money, so putting it in a bank when you get a substantial amount seems like a good idea. The magazine also hints at being able to bribe people and the possibility of being mugged.

 

o As has been said, can travel from the road into a building with no load times. Manual aim has been upgraded considerably from SA, and is now much easier.

 

o Niko exits into a seedy back alley, where it is "populated by piles of litter, weeds and homeless guys huddling around fires in barrels."

 

o As Niko ascends a telegraph pole, the animations are smooth. Also, at the top, the vertical density of the city can be fully realised. "The skyline is crowded with complex architecture, above-ground train-lines, fire escapes, endless billboards and the Broker Bridge in the distance."

 

o Niko breaks into an easy jog, showing realistic fluidity, leaning his body into corners as he takes them. A random passing car bumps into him and Niko stumbles backwards before regaining composure.

 

o Niko smashes a car window, hot-wires the car and climbs in while glass clatters to the ground.

 

o Broker has the real-life feeling of a bustling, lush new cityscape. Sunlight reflects off the car's paintwork, and the shadows are beautifully realised. The back streets of Broker, however, are much different. They are "a grungy mixture of rundown factories, overflowing dumpsters and dank back alleys."

 

o Driving physics have been "tirelessly tweaked and enhanced"

 

o Niko pulls up to a dock and gets out. Cement and gravel groundings feel and sound differently. You can see Algonquin Island (Manhatten) off in the distance as Niko pulls out his phone and requests someone to meet him. That's where the demo ends.

 

o From the outside, you can see through windows into houses. While it may sound like a "Big Whoop!", staking out a house for a missions purpose could have its advantages.

 

o The mobile phone feature has endless possibilities.

 

o On the size of GTA IV: "Dan Houser: Well, area wise, the scope is about the same as San Andreas. I don't know exactly how it compares area to area, but it's bigger then any one city we've had in a game before." Also, "If we give people exactly what they think the want then, a) we're not doing a very interesting job any more and, b) we're not going to amaze them."

 

o Gameplay will match the visuals.

 

o OPS asked "Did you see GTAIV as a sequel to GTA III or GTA SA?" and the answer they got was "Neither." It's not a sequel, its a new version of some of the ideas in previous iterations.

 

o OPS asked "In terms of weaponry and vehicles you had a pretty good spread in San Andreas," to which Dan Houser replied "Yeah, I don't think we will be adding vast numbers of things there." They explain that its about honing in and tightening. "So, for example, with game in one city there are no longer planes because there's nowhere to fly to. ...you take planes to get here, and you don't take planes to get across the city."

 

o Not everything unbelieveable will be dropped.

 

o The idea of terrorism is in the game, but it's not a focal point. It's obvious that it's a post 9/11 game. Just to stop people going on, Niko is definately Eastern European, not Middle Eastern. There is no Ground Zero, mainly because a "massive area of flat concrete" isn't all that exciting. Terrorism and the "War On Terror" are shown to be used as an excuse to limit freedoms.

 

o You cannot raze buildings, because say you raze the entire city, what then? What about missions?

 

o They never considered a first-person view

 

o American culture is just to ripe to be taken off at the moment to do an overseas game yet.

 

o A big part of the gameplay will be on the rooftops, aparently. It should be very fun.

 

o Also, as a side note, they haven't really thought about San Andreas Stories, they are thinking of other things at the moment.

 

 

EDIT: Scans, glorious scans!

 

Edited May 11, 2007 by Wehmer

[kidnap]

If this could be followed up with scans, that'd be fantastic!

[shaboobala]

"o Not everything unbelieveable will be dropped."

 

What does that mean?

 

[tmac9wr]

Awesome man, thanks for posting this...any new screenshots?

[Wehmer]

"o Not everything unbelieveable will be dropped."

 

What does that mean?

Vehicles. They said, with the planes being taken, what about other vehicles like jetpacks. They replied with "We won't be removing everything that's unrealistic." They still want it to be fun.

 

New screens indeedy. Will scan them sometime soon.

[Adriaan]

o Also, as a side note, they haven't really thought about San Andreas Stories, they are thinking of other things at the moment.

Yeah like what sort of wallpapers to use for Dan's new SoHo Estate.

[Wehmer]

o Also, as a side note, they haven't really thought about San Andreas Stories, they are thinking of other things at the moment.

Yeah like what sort of wallpapers to use for Dan's new SoHo Estate.

Haha yes, that and producing what's looking like the best video game ever. And that's certainly not hyperbole.

[tmac9wr]

"o Not everything unbelieveable will be dropped."

 

What does that mean?

Vehicles. They said, with the planes being taken, what about other vehicles like jetpacks. They replied with "We won't be removing everything that's unrealistic." They still want it to be fun.

 

New screens indeedy. Will scan them sometime soon.

Isn't it only like 1:30 in the afternoon over there in Australia? Get on those scans man! haha

[Wehmer]

"o Not everything unbelieveable will be dropped."

 

What does that mean?

Vehicles. They said, with the planes being taken, what about other vehicles like jetpacks. They replied with "We won't be removing everything that's unrealistic." They still want it to be fun.

 

New screens indeedy. Will scan them sometime soon.

Isn't it only like 1:30 in the afternoon over there in Australia? Get on those scans man! haha

3:31 PM actually lol...I'm getting booted off though lol. Be back on later.

[ToRo]

Scans dude Scans

[shaboobala]

Vehicles. They said, with the planes being taken, what about other vehicles like jetpacks. They replied with "We won't be removing everything that's unrealistic." They still want it to be fun.

 

New screens indeedy. Will scan them sometime soon.

I hope no vehicles are as ridiculous as the jetpack, that thing was a travesty.

[jdk]

I'd be happy to get some high-qual scans out if I had the damned magazine, not out anywhere around my parts. And plus my kangaroo got off his leash so I gotta' go catch him, and my platypus is sick so I've gotta drive him to "Gday Vets". Hmm....

 

In other words, It's not in stores yet. This post really has no point....

 

jdk

[deathdealer]

thanks for the info dude.

[d00d]

o Niko passes an ATM and it prompts him to "access funds". It's likely that if you die, you may lose all your money, so putting it in a bank when you get a substantial amount seems like a good idea. The magazine also hints at being able to bribe people and the possibility of being mugged.

 

Bwaha! I made a thread on this a few days ago about having bank accounts and such. Good news =]

[AndyGanteks]

"suburb upon suburb of randomly generated houses simply didn't add anything worthwhile"

 

o People are reading newspapers, gesturing whilst talking on their mobile phones, people sitting on seats while talking and absent-mindly flicking dust off their jeans. "We really know we're in Liberty City when we see an 80-year old granny staggering down the street as she takes swigs from a bottle of whisky."

 

o If a pedestrian bumps into Niko, he pushes them aside, Assassin Creed-like.

 

o You can feel the bass of passing cars, and hear the radio that they're listening to when it goes past. Rockstar asked the magazine not to publish the name of the song, as no artists have been set in stone.

 

o Niko passes an ATM and it prompts him to "access funds". It's likely that if you die, you may lose all your money, so putting it in a bank when you get a substantial amount seems like a good idea. The magazine also hints at being able to bribe people and the possibility of being mugged.

 

o As has been said, can travel from the road into a building with no load times. Manual aim has been upgraded considerably from SA, and is now much easier.

 

o Niko exits into a seedy back alley, where it is "populated by piles of litter, weeds and homeless guys huddling around fires in barrels."

 

o As Niko ascends a telegraph pole, the animations are smooth. Also, at the top, the vertical density of the city can be fully realised. "The skyline is crowded with complex architecture, above-ground train-lines, fire escapes, endless billboards and the Broker Bridge in the distance."

 

o Niko breaks into an easy jog, showing realistic fluidity, leaning his body into corners as he takes them. A random passing car bumps into him and Niko stumbles backwards before regaining composure.

 

o Niko smashes a car window, hot-wires the car and climbs in while glass clatters to the ground.

 

o Broker has the real-life feeling of a bustling, lush new cityscape. Sunlight reflects off the car's paintwork, and the shadows are beautifully realised. The back streets of Broker, however, are much different. They are "a grungy mixture of rundown factories, overflowing dumpsters and dank back alleys."

 

o Driving physics have been "tirelessly tweaked and enhanced"

 

o Niko pulls up to a dock and gets out. Cement and gravel groundings feel and sound differently. You can see Algonquin Island (Manhatten) off in the distance as Niko pulls out his phone and requests someone to meet him. That's where the demo ends.

 

o From the outside, you can see through windows into houses. While it may sound like a "Big Whoop!", staking out a house for a missions purpose could have its advantages.

 

o The mobile phone feature has endless possibilities.

 

o On the size of GTA IV: "Dan Houser: Well, area wise, the scope is about the same as San Andreas. I don't know exactly how it compares area to area, but it's bigger then any one city we've had in a game before." Also, "If we give people exactly what they think the want then, a) we're not doing a very interesting job any more and, b) we're not going to amaze them."

 

o Gameplay will match the visuals.

 

o OPS asked "Did you see GTAIV as a sequel to GTA III or GTA SA?" and the answer they got was "Neither." It's not a sequel, its a new version of some of the ideas in previous iterations.

 

o OPS asked "In terms of weaponry and vehicles you had a pretty good spread in San Andreas," to which Dan Houser replied "Yeah, I don't think we will be adding vast numbers of things there." They explain that its about honing in and tightening. "So, for example, with game in one city there are no longer planes because there's nowhere to fly to. ...you take planes to get here, and you don't take planes to get across the city."

 

o Not everything unbelieveable will be dropped.

 

o The idea of terrorism is in the game, but it's not a focal point. It's obvious that it's a post 9/11 game. Just to stop people going on, Niko is definately Eastern European, not Middle Eastern. There is no Ground Zero, mainly because a "massive area of flat concrete" isn't all that exciting. Terrorism and the "War On Terror" are shown to be used as an excuse to limit freedoms.

 

o You cannot raze buildings, because say you raze the entire city, what then? What about missions?

 

o They never considered a first-person view

 

o American culture is just to ripe to be taken off at the moment to do an overseas game yet.

 

o A big part of the gameplay will be on the rooftops, aparently. It should be very fun.

 

o Also, as a side note, they haven't really thought about San Andreas Stories, they are thinking of other things at the moment.

I LIKE QUOTING...

 

1. so what if there's a lot of suburbs and houses similar to each other

they will improve it ntil next releases

 

2.

We really know we're in Liberty City when we see an 80-year old granny staggering down the street as she takes swigs from a bottle of whisky."

 

is this supposed to be bad ??

 

3.

You can feel the bass of passing cars, and hear the radio that they're listening to when it goes past. Rockstar asked the magazine not to publish the name of the song, as no artists have been set in stone.

 

this is nice because the car/ped conection works good.Lol imagine if you could put on a easterneuropen station in the middle of the night in the middle of harlem and some gangsters start shooting at you because they dont like the music.priceless fun!!!

 

4

Niko passes an ATM and it prompts him to "access funds". It's likely that if you die, you may lose all your money, so putting it in a bank when you get a substantial amount seems like a good idea. The magazine also hints at being able to bribe people and the possibility of being mugged.

 

a lot of rpg-istic features is in.Mobile phone bus schedule now this.It has been in Scarface but not in this form.And it would be nice and funny if you bribe a ped so he buys you something or you get mugged and then chase the mmotherf*cker 'round LC.priceless fun already...

 

5.

From the outside, you can see through windows into houses. While it may sound like a "Big Whoop!", staking out a house for a missions purpose could have its advantages.

 

priceless.we could see when is someebody in his house then plan a hist on him.If you could stash money in a bank,why not every enterable house to have its own safe which you of course could rob?more priceless fun...

 

6.

The mobile phone feature has endless possibilities.

 

i still think the mobile phone is going to be something like a start menu with a lots of functions

 

7

Not everything unbelieveable will be dropped.

 

what could that be...

 

8.

Just to stop people going on, Niko is definately Eastern European, not Middle Eastern

 

does that refer to balkanese area or no>??

 

9.

You cannot raze buildings, because say you raze the entire city, what then? What about missions?

 

So there wont be destructable buildings.Well houser said it good what would be the point to destroy the city.I know it could be rebuilded but that is i guess stupid on one side and dissapoining on the other side.well there's always mercenaries if you look to crush some buildings.And destroy all humans of course....

 

10.

A big part of the gameplay will be on the rooftops, aparently. It should be very fun.

 

I have a bad feeling about this.Ok having solid rooftiops ,throwing people off skyscarpers ,taking helicopters from high buildings,maybe do a last mission where you battle a boss at empire state building.But it could also be stupid because you will feel alone on rooftops.Unless they make a rooftop island like the LCs mod lol...Me dont like the way this has started but still coul be fun

 

 

 

Also, as a side note, they haven't really thought about San Andreas Stories, they are thinking of other things at the moment.

 

^^^ this still doesnt exclude the possibility of happening soem time later...

 

And could you post scans please.I beliove this is true but i want to see exactlu how the magazine went

[Daz]

Manual aim has been upgraded considerably from SA, and is now much easier.

Hell yeah.

 

Nice work.

[Molotiv]

Manual aim has been upgraded considerably from SA, and is now much easier.

Hell yeah.

 

Nice work.

great news

[Blind Joe Death]

How about some scans. But otherwise well done.

[MysteryGamer]

It sounds cool about having banks in the game to store money in this time. This will make the game a bit harder I reckon I can imagine doing a few missions and getting lots of cash only to get killed unexpectedly or caught jacking a car and getting busted by a cop and lose all my cash in the process.

 

Is there any new screenshots as well even if it's just one? The OPM UK got 1 new image so maybe this mag has too.

 

Cheers.

 

 

[Ithanium]

Thanks a lot for this!

If you could scan it in, well that would be the sugar topping.

[MITCHELL23]

"Dan Houser: Well, area wise, the scope is about the same as San Andreas. I don't know exactly how it compares area to area, but it's bigger then any one city we've had in a game before." Also, "If we give people exactly what they think the want then, a) we're not doing a very interesting job any more and, b) we're not going to amaze them."

 

So it is as big as SA ?, can someone give me a str8 answer !!!!!!!!!

[JCtheMC]

Yeah like what sort of wallpapers to use for Dan's new SoHo Estate.

The man deserves every square foot of that place.

[FiShMaStEr]

"Dan Houser: Well, area wise, the scope is about the same as San Andreas. I don't know exactly how it compares area to area, but it's bigger then any one city we've had in a game before." Also, "If we give people exactly what they think the want then, a) we're not doing a very interesting job any more and, b) we're not going to amaze them."

 

So it is as big as SA ?, can someone give me a str8 answer !!!!!!!!!

No. What he means is the size of cities in San Andreas is smaller, not all of San Andreas overall. Not like it matters, GTA IV is one big city with no countryside and other filler crap that was in San Andreas.

[MITCHELL23]

um no mate,he explicitly says the 'scope......of San Andreas' as in the whole state.....again 4 by 4 miles of SA is not a large area for a city.

[Wehmer]

um no mate,he explicitly says the 'scope......of San Andreas' as in the whole state.....again 4 by 4 miles of SA is not a large area for a city.

It's not as big as SA, and I don't think many people expected it to be. The story states that Liberty City is smaller then SA, but larger then any one of its cities (ie. Los Santos, San Fierro or Las Venturas). I think it's fair to expect LC to be at the very least 1.5 x one of those cities, and infinitely more detailed.

[MITCHELL23]

"Dan Houser: Well, area wise, the scope is about the same as San Andreas. ''

 

Jesus , read, understand !, Mr Houser is talking about the entire state of SA, he merely says that IV is larger than any one SA city , this is obvious when 'area wise, the scope is about the same as San Andreas' plucking this '1.5' times out of thin air is pure conjecture.

[Wehmer]

Oh, I see, because I don't know how to read and all. Please, read the other previews from magazines, please, read all the other interviews, where Dan says "A city of San Andreas' size is not feasible." Please also read my post when I said it was reasonable to expect 1.5x the size. That means I don't know, but one can assume!

[MITCHELL23]

 

city of SA size not feasible !, christ news to me ......what mag please....I take it back in that case

[Ithanium]

Size, shmize... scans!

[Wehmer]

I know it has been in other magazines, but because I have it in front of me, I'll use the latest one. I know you haven't read it, so yer, you don't need to apologise.

 

"OPS: Vice City gave us a bigger city and San Andreas introduced an entire state. Some people might assume that the next logical step is a logical is a country. With GTAIV you seem to have gone smaller. why is that and how has it changed the experience?

 

DH: Well area wise, the scope is about the same as San Andreas. I don't know exactly how it compares area to area, but it's bigger then any one city we've had in a game before." So it's still a pretty big game, but obviously we want to go more precise. Once you're making art assets at that kind of resolution, they are very, very time consuming to make. Once you want something that has a degree of detail and precision that we've never had before...I don't think excecuting that across a vast scale is possible, yet."

 

Also, online is mentioned at some stage.