Mapping Los Santos! Building/landmark analysis

[Coral_City]

This a very very rough early draft I plan to expand further on to include the other buildings updated from this thread and areas i have a rough idea of.

I will include a height and terrain colour reference but for now take the black as unclimbable mountain range.

 

I basically edited and overlayed sections of algonquin and broker from GTA IVs map as a staring point and worked from there. It is the exact proportions of the GTA IV map edge to edge, so it gives quite a realistic idea of what is possible in terms of scale and size within a map this large. In that respect as minor as it might seem if it is only 1.5 times larger than GTA IV then looking at this map as reference that is really a decent amount of extra space to play with.

 

 

Great map broski, keep it up

[DS 17]

 

This a very very rough early draft I plan to expand further on to include the other buildings updated from this thread and areas i have a rough idea of.

I will include a height and terrain colour reference but for now take the black as unclimbable mountain range.

 

I basically edited and overlayed sections of algonquin and broker from GTA IVs map as a staring point and worked from there. It is the exact proportions of the GTA IV map edge to edge, so it gives quite a realistic idea of what is possible in terms of scale and size within a map this large. In that respect as minor as it might seem if it is only 1.5 times larger than GTA IV then looking at this map as reference that is really a decent amount of extra space to play with.

 

 

Great map broski, keep it up

Nice work!

 

I m excited about how exactly your map will be. But your map seems being very small, so I think it will be a bigger map. Much bigger.

[Fido_le_muet]

Just a small something that I just figured out.

Don't know how we missed this^^

[BoolCaX]

 

Just a small something that I just figured out.

Don't know how we missed this^^

ewesome so this scene we are exactly under that 5 highway scene

btw these buildings seems further from each other at that ned lukes scene

Edited November 16, 2011 by BoolCaX

[lilphenom]

 

Not sure who posted it, but there was a theory that the 'lights' on the left of the picture below may possibly be the ocean, reflecting sunlight.  I now think this is the case, and the map of Los Santos stays true to the curvature of Los Angeles' coastline.

 

Only flaw in your theory is the fact that downtown LA is far from the coastline, not beside it...

[[enforcA]]

 

Just a small something that I just figured out.

Don't know how we missed this^^

ewesome so this scene we are exactly under that 5 highway scene

btw these buildings seems further from each other at that ned lukes scene

 

Summary:

 

 

 

Not sure who posted it, but there was a theory that the 'lights' on the left of the picture below may possibly be the ocean, reflecting sunlight.  I now think this is the case, and the map of Los Santos stays true to the curvature of Los Angeles' coastline.

 

Only flaw in your theory is the fact that downtown LA is far from the coastline, not beside it...

The water i mentioned in some thread (here or in the trailer analysis) some time ago, was in the scene with the "Rockstar Games presents" title and the palm trees in front. On the very right side, it looked like water and beach. And there was a point light moving down, like a boat or something. I still don't know if it's really water, beach and a boat with lights on in that scene, but it looked kinda like it.

 

edit: Btw.: Do you know what we also could use to get a feeling about the size of the whole city? (besides camera tracking methods and stuff) The cars. Look at that scene under the freeway, the cars standing next to the Luxe City Center. Just imagine how many cars could actually fit side by side into this whole city. ... Let's suggest we could estimate the size of a single car and the size of that Luxe building. Now duplicate this single car (just imagine it, you don't really need to do this) over and over again with simple 4-point polygons over the whole area. This city is just huge.

Edited November 16, 2011 by [enforcA]

[koeklin]

I've found no mountain around Los Angeles that looks like the one of GTA trailer (rock peak without vegetation, small ridges, conifer forest).

 

But more in the north (~150 miles)...

 

 

The Great Western Divide, between Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon

Edited November 16, 2011 by koeklin

[DS 17]

I've found no mountain around Los Angeles that looks like the one of GTA trailer (rock peak without vegetation, small ridges, conifer forest).

 

But more in the north (~150 miles)...

 

 

The Great Western Divide, between Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon

There are damn much similarities to the real pics. I guess you are right. Very good work!

That would fit to the Interstate 5 which heads to North and if I remember truly the scene of the I5 was before the scene with the mountains. So maybe that was a sign showing us something from the northern map.

[oxyg3n]

ewesome so this scene we are exactly under that 5 highway scene

btw these buildings seems further from each other at that ned lukes scene

i know man, they seem to have quite some distance between them in that pic but hey at least it shows a great draw distance, i didnt like the foggy thing that san andreas had, i know you can increase how far you want to see detail but it was still present.

[[enforcA]]

 

I've found no mountain around Los Angeles that looks like the one of GTA trailer (rock peak without vegetation, small ridges, conifer forest).

 

But more in the north (~150 miles)...

 

 

The Great Western Divide, between Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon

Since you are checking the mountains right now, maybe these sites can help you:

 

http://www.modernhiker.com/modern-hiker-map/

http://www.modernhiker.com/la-hiking/

http://www.localhikes.com/MSA/MSA_4472.asp

 

Haven't gone through all the mountains yet, but some look quite similiar in terms of that special rock shape/formations.

[Cleyton.]

which buildings havent been worked out yet?

 

post some pictures?

[grope_4_that_date]

This is how I envision the map of GTA5 to look like. I apologize for the awful colors and simplicity. I will update it with more detail as we get more information.

 

 

GTA5's Map Will Be A Loop (aka a Maze)

 

I've talked before about 'illusions' and I think Rockstar is going to expand on this idea. Basically, I believe the map for GTA5 is going to be a circle, a loop, and a maze all in one. This maze will get players lost in a variety of environments, including a desert, forests, farmland, small towns and cities. Los Santos will be the only "big" city and the main location of the story. However, it's crime will branch out into the surrounding areas. Los Santos and The Los Santos National Forest should be considered fact, while everything else were just my assumptions. I do think The Mojave Desert, San Bernardino National Forest, and Long Beach very likely though. There will be another forest.

 

Note: Los Angeles and San Bernardino National Forest will include smaller towns, I just wasn't sure what Rockstar would chose. They will be more dense.

[BoolCaX]

ok so i am now sure that its fake but its nice fan map anyways

Edited November 17, 2011 by BoolCaX

[Raynos]

This map is not confirmed.

Screenshot has been proven fake.

Map is unknow/fake

 

Thus the need for this thread still exist.

[Gifbrah]

Disregarding all the other things proving the map to be fake...

 

 

We know that Vespucci Beach is just South of the Pleasure pier. We also know that the scene in the trailer with the red convertible putting down its top is the Vespucci Beach area. In that scene, we can see that we're dealing with a 4-way intersection, whereas in the screenshot, all the intersections in that area are 3-way.

[limbfilter]

yarg! I was just about to request that everyone keep that trash out if here....It's fake.

 

Gamescreen is fake, and the same source gave the maps at the same time...Fake, fake, fake.

 

Plus, from the work we've done, the map does not fit what has been pieced together.

[YukiEiri]

 

This map is not confirmed.

Screenshot has been proven fake.

Map is unknow/fake

 

Thus the need for this thread still exist.

This thread is about trying to figure out the buildings, landmarks and possible map.

You should read the entire thread before accusing it to be obsolete.

***** EDIT *****

And even that I'm 99% sure that the latest map is fake, I like it.

Pleasure pier seems to be way too small, but I like the general idea.

 

And it's the best fake we've seen so far.

Edited November 17, 2011 by YukiEiri

[LondonFlare]

Just a small something that I just figured out.

Don't know how we missed this^^

ewesome so this scene we are exactly under that 5 highway scene

btw these buildings seems further from each other at that ned lukes scene

I don't know. Look how many cars are on the stretch of road to the right of the Luxe. That looks like an entire block. I think the perspective is making the buildings appear closer together.

 

Note how wide the road is too. I think the road is Figueroa as it also appears to have the Light Rail running alongside it. It appears in GTA that this doesn't go underground as it does in real life.

[LondonFlare]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The two tall buildings on the right hand side of each picture look very familiar to me. I certainly don't think it is the Mile High club as it was too far from the rest of downtown. I think it is the building in the middle of this shot (NOT the one with the red arrow!):

 

[Jabalous]

Nice job at analyzing all of that guys!

 

I just want to add a point. I believe that Rockstar will go for the graphic design of GTA V's map in the same way of RDR's. Take a look at RDR's map"

 

http://faqsmedia.ign.com/faqs/image/articl...ption_blank.jpg

 

This is a more realistic approach than the 'colors' approach, or in other words, the primitive, old approach. In RDR's approach, you have different terrains represented on the map by different surfaces not colors, so you can differentiate between a plain, a mountain, a hill, a cliff, a rocky gully.. and so on. It's a more realistic, mature way to design a map.

[The Nefarious]

Just want to commend you guys on a job well done. Truley amazing work

[[enforcA]]

 

 

The two tall buildings on the right hand side of each picture look very familiar to me. I certainly don't think it is the Mile High club as it was too far from the rest of downtown. I think it is the building in the middle of this shot (NOT the one with the red arrow!):

 

(quotes shortened to the pictures i am referring to)

 

To support your observation in some way (actually i can only comment on the golf course scene and the "Mile High Club" not being the Mile High Club in that scene), here is something about the Mile High Club:

 

The following pictures are using the "golf course" scene and the scene with the "guy overlooking the city", so we have a front view and a side view of these buildings.

 

3 frames (those with the most details) of the golf course scene from the trailer were used to get a clearer, more detailed picture. (a simple image improvement/enhancement technique)

 

In the following 2 pictures you can see the US Bank tower and the Citygroup building in front of it. Behind the US Bank tower is the Mile High Club, "hiding" in some way (actually, you can see it, if you look close enough).

 

 

The orange colored line shows the left side and back side part of it. (speaking of the back side part of it, i just noticed i should use more lines next time, since it's 3D and not 2D, but it should already be enough to get the point of what i am talking about)

 

 

---

 

ps.: Is this building in the following picture the Roosevelt Hotel?

 

 

For comparison:

 

[Fido_le_muet]

 

,Thursday, Nov 17 2011, 17:44]ps.: Is this building in the following picture the Roosevelt Hotel?

 

 

For comparison:

 

I don't think so.

Well, to be honest, the architecture looks kinda the same but that would put the Roosevelt Hotel somewhere to the North-East of Downtown and that's completely inconsistent with the geography of LA.

To me, it would be more logical if it were the LA County Medical Center, located north-east of Downtown LA.

 

 

They kinda look the same but not exactly so, I guess we can't be 100% sure about this one

[Gifbrah]

 

,Thursday, Nov 17 2011, 15:44]

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6109/6337551082_df9d1f1072_z.jpg[/G]

 

The two tall buildings on the right hand side of each picture look very familiar to me. I certainly don't think it is the Mile High club as it was too far from the rest of downtown. I think it is the building in the middle of this shot (NOT the one with the red arrow!):

 

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e164/sonofugly/st1.jpg

(quotes shortened to the pictures i am referring to)

 

To support your observation in some way (actually i can only comment on the golf course scene and the "Mile High Club" not being the Mile High Club in that scene), here is something about the Mile High Club:

 

The following pictures are using the "golf course" scene and the scene with the "guy overlooking the city", so we have a front view and a side view of these buildings.

 

3 frames (those with the most details) of the golf course scene from the trailer were used to get a clearer, more detailed picture. (a simple image improvement/enhancement technique)

 

In the following 2 pictures you can see the US Bank tower and the Citygroup building in front of it. Behind the US Bank tower is the Mile High Club, "hiding" in some way (actually, you can see it, if you look close enough).

 

http://www.street-legal.org/private/images/scn_02.jpg[/MG]

 

The orange colored line shows the left side and back side part of it. (speaking of the back side part of it, i just noticed i should use more lines next time, since it's 3D and not 2D, but it should already be enough to get the point of what i am talking about)

 

http://www.street-legal.org/private/images/scn_03.jpg[/i

---

 

ps.: Is this building in the following picture the Roosevelt Hotel?

 

http://www.street-legal.org/private/images/scn_01.jpg[MG]

 

For comparison:

 

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6033/6337151838_197e813c46_z.jpg[/G]

It's hard to say.

 

I've been eyeing that thing, thinking it was some sort of building with a blue hemisphere on the roof.

 

It's in the general area of where the Roosevelt would be, but you can't see any of the other tall buildings next to it.

[RED_]

Just a thought, shouldn't we map all this onto one universal map to better understand what we are looking at? It can simply be text based where we write down the building names in relation to each other just to see it in a different form, seems quite easy if its all text based. Anyone with enough knowledge or LA to get it going so that we can then add what we have already found in this thread to it? Probably the best thing we will ever get in terms of a map without waiting until release day and actually looking at the map.

[Fido_le_muet]

Just a thought, shouldn't we map all this onto one universal map to better understand what we are looking at? It can simply be text based where we write down the building names in relation to each other just to see it in a different form, seems quite easy if its all text based. Anyone with enough knowledge or LA to get it going so that we can then add what we have already found in this thread to it? Probably the best thing we will ever get in terms of a map without waiting until release day and actually looking at the map.

There are already a few maps made by some of us based on the trailer.

Check the first post, there's a link to them

[[enforcA]]

 

Just a thought, shouldn't we map all this onto one universal map to better understand what we are looking at? It can simply be text based where we write down the building names in relation to each other just to see it in a different form, seems quite easy if its all text based. Anyone with enough knowledge or LA to get it going so that we can then add what we have already found in this thread to it? Probably the best thing we will ever get in terms of a map without waiting until release day and actually looking at the map.

Nice thought! Especially if it would be an interactive layout. It would make some things much easier.

 

We should also add a post with yet unidentified buildings, so it's easier for everyone to see. (like Vegetarian Piranha wrote on page 25)

 

For example: In the (first) golf course scene, a building can barely be seen behind / between the two golf players. Judging by the (second) golf course scene (after the camera change), the building is in a straight line with the golf course, the 3 buildings (US Bank tower and so on) of the downtown skyline and the smaller building in front of the golf course. By comparing the locations of these buildings and the other buildings in that golf scene, the location of the golf course could be found.

 

Another scene is the one with the burning car in front, behind the fire there are 2 buildings, that could help finding the actual location of that scene. The car is standing on the 2nd lane of that 4 or 5 lane freeway. Another thing i just noticed by reviewing this scene is, that the sign on the other side of the freeway is actually readable. At least at 2 frames it looks clear/detailed enough. I'll see if i can get a clearer picture out of it.

 

Some more scenes are the one with the black tattooed guy running from the cops by foot, behind him that building (the one far behind) should be still unidentified if i didn't miss it. And the scene with the guy and the delivery truck ("We aim not to lose it"), the buildings that are in the background of that scene should be also still unidentified if i - again - didn't miss it.

 

And so on.

 

The first thing i'll do now is to look what that sign of that freeway says, in the burning car scene.

Edited November 17, 2011 by [enforcA]

[Fido_le_muet]

In this pic, I believe that we are looking at Downtown from the west. And I think that the big building to the right is indeed the Mile High Club. It's the only building that tall that we can see in the other shots of Downtown.

Plus, check out the blimp to the upper right corner. It seems to be to the south of the Mile High club so that fits. However, this huge building seems too far away than in the other Downtown shots.

That's why I believe the map isn't complete yet. I think R* are still working on it, making little tweaks here and there. IMO, the trailer was made using the game map at different stages of completion.

Hence the locations of buildings that seems different from one angle to the other.

That or an optical illusion but...

 

That tall building behind the cops (in the background) looks like the LA County Medical Center to me.

Assuming this scene takes place in the East Los Santos ghetto, that would be consistent with the geography of LA since this building is located North of East LA.

Check out the Google Map below:

 

 

Finally about this pic :

I think it's taken from the north. Well, a little more to the north than in the shot with the plane flying over Downtown.

I believe we have something like this:

 

 

What do you guys think?

[Fuzz_ball]

May have an idea about freeways. Idk if someone pointed it out, but I notice the seance with the hobo with the sign, the freeway signs behind him, one showing a 2 and the background looks like downtown. the sign far behind him almost shows 'Exit' with number with the some writing with a seems to be a 5 on it. Maybe in the downtown area, 2 and 5 intercept each other, maybe just behind the hobo. I don't know if it a good help, but it is something

[LotusZombie]

I contacted the user GTALeaks who believes he has "informaton", so I asked him to do a dummy map of the game and he sent me this:

 

http://i.imgur.com/ijPXk.png

(too big for forum page...)

 

Check it out and let me know your thoughts - I smell bullsh*t but it's worth a look, 2 giant squares will be f*cking ace