Mapping Los Santos! Building/landmark analysis

[Raavi]

 

Yep, although i'm not sure there'll be endless mountains/desert

They said you can see even the mountains from the one end to the other end. That means mountains are located near the end of the map. I doubt there will be an endless desert.

 

Has someone pointed out, yet, that Houser or someone of the design team said you have to zoom out nearly 1 mile into a satellite view for seeing the shadows of the clouds etc. and seeing the whole map with the city, it's mountains and deserts.

How far away was the satellite view from the older games? Then we can give the most accurate prediction how big the map will be.

Or mountains are located in a central spot.

[The Unknown Man]

Nice work Fido, as usual

 

Looking forward to seeing the real map and compare how right you guys got your maps.

[DaWiesel]

Looks amazing, Fido. Great work.

 

Btw, that highway going north... any ideas on what it's based on?

 

[kesta195]

If GTA IV is 6.8 sq miles, San Andreas is 13.9 sq miles and Red Dead is 28 sq miles and V is all three combined + extra then is it fair to say that GTAV's map could be 50 sq miles?

[DanteHicks79]

This might have been said already, and if so I apologize.

That looks like the Harbor Freeway (110 Freeway) down there, running past the rounded glass building which is most likely the Westin Bonnaventure Hotel.

If downtown is laid out enough like IRL LA, it would appear that he's repelling down the side of the Bank of America building.

[DS 17]

Morris Reservoir

I agree. Hollywood reservoir is north of LA whereas Morris reservoir is north east. This dam is definitely north east of Los Santos

No, not North East... directly east, the sun sets in the west. And the desert terrain points at it being the San Gabriel Reservoir. San Gabriel Reservoir would be geographically correct as well.

The lights are the same like the scene in the end of the first trailer with the airplane. That would confirm the theory we had that the plane is flying towards North-North-East.

[DS 17]

If GTA IV is 6.8 sq miles, San Andreas is 13.9 sq miles and Red Dead is 28 sq miles and V is all three combined + extra then is it fair to say that GTAV's map could be 50 sq miles?

But they also included the interiors. We have absolutely no clue how many houses are enterable.

The only thing we can estimate the map is the quotation, that the satellite view was nearly 1 mile about the map for seeing the whole city, the rivers and so on.

[Fido_le_muet]

Thanks for the kind comments guys.

Still, I'm not at all pleased with what I've done in the Beverly Hills area.

The orientation is completely off but I can't find a way to make it right without messing with other parts.

I'll get to it when I'm done adding all the new stuff

[boxmonster]

 

This might have been said already, and if so I apologize.

That looks like the Harbor Freeway (110 Freeway) down there, running past the rounded glass building which is most likely the Westin Bonnaventure Hotel.

If downtown is laid out enough like IRL LA, it would appear that he's repelling down the side of the Bank of America building.

I thought the same thing too, it looks like it quite a bit. Here's another view

[kesta195]

Here's something I noticed:

 

Compare the shape of the mountain ABOVE THE LEFT WING of the jet to this mountain:

 

 

They have the same flat topped shape. Hope this helps in confirming that the Vinewood sign is directly north of downtown. It's strange that you cant see the sign in the jet screen, perhaps it's a combination of blur and draw distance.

[GTAV92]

Here's something I noticed:

 

Compare the shape of the mountain ABOVE THE LEFT WING of the jet to this mountain:

 

 

They have the same flat topped shape. Hope this helps in confirming that the Vinewood sign is directly north of downtown. It's strange that you cant see the sign in the jet screen, perhaps it's a combination of blur and draw distance.

Where is the tall mountain behind the vinewood sign in the first picture?? this is not it!

[dinoSAUR230]

^ Plus there's no radar tower, but this could just be draw distance again.

[adrian949]

 

Here's something I noticed:

 

Compare the shape of the mountain ABOVE THE LEFT WING of the jet to this mountain:

 

 

 

They have the same flat topped shape. Hope this helps in confirming that the Vinewood sign is directly north of downtown. It's strange that you cant see the sign in the jet screen, perhaps it's a combination of blur and draw distance.

Where is the tall mountain behind the vinewood sign in the first picture?? this is not it!

That's cause the camera is facing east maybe north east. Look at the downtown skyscrapers to situate yourself and then use the specific skyscrapers (comparing other screenshots) to really determine which direction the camera is facing.

 

Edit: Telling by the shadows the camera might be facing south! That would be a mind f*ck knowing that there are hills like that the south. Anyone who knows the orientation and the appearance of the skyscrapers can give us a definitive answer

Edited November 9, 2012 by adrian949

[Gifbrah]

I've been pretty swamped with work, so I haven't been on much, but...

 

Let's get the ball rolling again.

 

 

As for the question of why the first post hasn't been updated-

 

We've just gotten a batch of screenshots. It will be edited in due time.

[Malle324]

Morris Reservoir

I agree. Hollywood reservoir is north of LA whereas Morris reservoir is north east. This dam is definitely north east of Los Santos

No, not North East... directly east, the sun sets in the west. And the desert terrain points at it being the San Gabriel Reservoir. San Gabriel Reservoir would be geographically correct as well.

The lights are the same like the scene in the end of the first trailer with the airplane. That would confirm the theory we had that the plane is flying towards North-North-East.

guess San Gabriel and Morris are on this same place ( google said ) so maybe we're both right

[Malle324]

Anyway, did anyone mention that these two photos are from the same place ? On a both of them we can see Rodeo Drive I guess and Santa Monica Parking Structure

But I cant see lamp on the first one. Maybe the first pic is older.

Edited November 9, 2012 by Malle324

[Fido_le_muet]

Here's something I noticed:

 

Compare the shape of the mountain ABOVE THE LEFT WING of the jet to this mountain:

 

 

They have the same flat topped shape. Hope this helps in confirming that the Vinewood sign is directly north of downtown. It's strange that you cant see the sign in the jet screen, perhaps it's a combination of blur and draw distance.

Where is the tall mountain behind the vinewood sign in the first picture?? this is not it!

The Vinewood Sign is just north of Downtown, confirmed by this screenshot :

[DanteHicks79]

I've been pretty swamped with work, so I haven't been on much, but...

 

Let's get the ball rolling again.

 

 

As for the question of why the first post hasn't been updated-

 

We've just gotten a batch of screenshots. It will be edited in due time.

Nicely done!

 

God... the level of detail in the shots is awesome. Look at the nasty water at the edge of the driveway in the gutter, and the texture of the lamp post. There is so much attention to little details. I love it!

 

One thing is for sure, this game is just gonna look gorgeous.

[ZhendOS]

I'm almost done with my work day so here's the map so far.

It is a work in progress so many things are still missing.

 

So far, I did the following :

- new buildings around Hollywood and Sunset Boulevard

- new buildings around Venice Beach

- the Hollywood Bowl

- the freeway going north of the city into the countryside

- the whole district north of Downtown

- relocated the Vinewood Sign

- relocated the Observatory

- changed the layout of the map (reduced the south portion and modified the boundaries of the ocean and the hills)

 

Well done! But what do you think about an airport? I guess it must be to the west from LS Harbor

[DanteHicks79]

Here's something I noticed:

 

Compare the shape of the mountain ABOVE THE LEFT WING of the jet to this mountain:

 

 

They have the same flat topped shape. Hope this helps in confirming that the Vinewood sign is directly north of downtown. It's strange that you cant see the sign in the jet screen, perhaps it's a combination of blur and draw distance.

Where is the tall mountain behind the vinewood sign in the first picture?? this is not it!

The Vinewood Sign is just north of Downtown, confirmed by this screenshot :

Just from these couple screenshots, another important detail becomes clear - there are long stretches of straight roads, as opposed to previous GTA installments, where we'd be lucky to have a handful of straight roads that you could open up the throttle on a car and really gun it.

 

I am interested to see how traffic patterns in the game work. It seems like in the shots, there aren't *that* many cars out on the road, at least not nearly as many as you'd expect to see on any random street of LA.

[Diesel311]

 

Anyway, did anyone mention that these two photos are from the same place ? On a both of them we can see Rodeo Drive I guess and Santa Monica Parking Structure

But I cant see lamp on the first one. Maybe the first pic is older.

Very good catch! I think the bottom picture is about a block down from the top pic, and obviously the camera switched sides on the biker. Anyway, nice spot!

 

Edit: Actually, it's the same exact spot! The biker is "blocking" the lamp post in the top pic!

[Fraizer]

The mountain to the left of the VINEWOOD is Mount Lee. But as seen here, there are no big mountains to the left of the Hollywood sign, they are situated to the right in real life, so it seems that R* has tweaked the geography quite a bit.

 

Edited November 9, 2012 by FRA1Z3R

[DanteHicks79]

Anyway, did anyone mention that these two photos are from the same place ? On a both of them we can see Rodeo Drive I guess and Santa Monica Parking Structure

But I cant see lamp on the first one. Maybe the first pic is older.

Very good catch! I think the bottom picture is about a block down from the top pic, and obviously the camera switched sides on the biker. Anyway, nice spot!

It's the same driveway, but the two shots were taken at different times. The traffic light is red in both, but the cars on the road next to the biker have changed.

 

The shadows are also different, indicating these were taken at different times, which may account for the sudden addition of the street light in the second shot.

[-Eddie-]

Here's something I noticed:

 

Just from these couple screenshots, another important detail becomes clear - there are long stretches of straight roads, as opposed to previous GTA installments, where we'd be lucky to have a handful of straight roads that you could open up the throttle on a car and really gun it.

 

I am interested to see how traffic patterns in the game work. It seems like in the shots, there aren't *that* many cars out on the road, at least not nearly as many as you'd expect to see on any random street of LA.

It's more than likely these shots are still from an early build of the game so there won't be too much going on.

 

Also, could everyone please stop these massive picture quotes?

[Diesel311]

Yes, I see that now Side note: In the bottom pic, the cab that is at the light facing the camera, is that a police officer directing traffic or something?

[Malle324]

 

Anyway, did anyone mention that these two photos are from the same place ? On a both of them we can see Rodeo Drive I guess and Santa Monica Parking Structure

But I cant see lamp on the first one. Maybe the first pic is older.

Very good catch! I think the bottom picture is about a block down from the top pic, and obviously the camera switched sides on the biker. Anyway, nice spot!

 

Edit: Actually, it's the same exact spot! The biker is "blocking" the lamp post in the top pic!

I dont think that biker blocks the lamp. Cos the lamp is bigger than biker so we would see lamp above him and there is no lamp shadow also on the first one ( look at the palm shadow )

 

#edit look also on the traffic lights.. on the second they are near to the biker and on the first they are further or maybe I'm just blind

Edited November 9, 2012 by Malle324

[DanteHicks79]

Yes, I see that now Side note: In the bottom pic, the cab that is at the light facing the camera, is that a police officer directing traffic or something?

It could be a cop directing traffic, or a person on a bicycle at the light. Could also be just a pedestrian crossing the street.

[Fraizer]

Anyway, did anyone mention that these two photos are from the same place ? On a both of them we can see Rodeo Drive I guess and Santa Monica Parking Structure

But I cant see lamp on the first one. Maybe the first pic is older.

Very good catch! I think the bottom picture is about a block down from the top pic, and obviously the camera switched sides on the biker. Anyway, nice spot!

It's the same driveway, but the two shots were taken at different times. The traffic light is red in both, but the cars on the road next to the biker have changed.

 

The shadows are also different, indicating these were taken at different times, which may account for the sudden addition of the street light in the second shot.

I would say that the Bottom picture is from an older build. To get the detail on the buildings in the background is too high of a rendering for consoles, at least thats what I think. That would also explain the floating car in that shot, and why the traffic signal nearest to the camera is gone. The traffic signal nearest to the camera in the second shot is pointless, cause there is one across the intersection for the same lanes of traffic. "What is with the extra traffic signal, take that sh*t out!"

[VegaLA]

If downtown is laid out enough like IRL LA, it would appear that he's repelling down the side of the Bank of America building.

In that case the other picture of Michael (?) repelling is a completly different location. That one is downtown, you can see the Westin hotel while the other image, as one user pointed out MAY have the Beverly Center in view, which is the other side of Wilshire Bvd closer to Hollywood.

 

I hope the Beverly Center is in the game complete with interior. Total chick mall, my first target for a rampage!

 

Great work guys, keep it up!

[sesamtamam]

Behind the Vinewood sign, you see this epic big mountain to the upper-left of the picture. Maybe the military base and on of the airports is behind it?