Optional Animations in GTAV

[TheEngin33r]

I've noticed that a lot of people are into the whole 'roleplay' idea in GTA games, playing the game as if it is real life. The most common requests I see are working gas/petrol stations, Police stopping you for breaking traffic laws, usable toilets, the ability to sit, the ability to eat stake () and so forth. Whilst their arguments for this are valid (normally), it poses problems for other much more casual players that do not want to spend any time with these sorts of game mechanics.

 

Then, there was the idea to make such features optional, giving players the ability to switch them on or off in the pause menu. This, whilst being well meaning, would be somewhat pointless and, given that it seems like most players do not want these real-life functions, Rockstar's effort would be entirely wasted as the features would be forever switched off.

 

However....

 

I think there is a much more reasonable and sensible solution - they could just be in-game animations that players can choose to enact if they please. Even though cars would never run out of fuel, they could still choose to drive up next to a pump and press a button to play a little animation for refueling. It would not cost anything, and wouldn't affect the gameplay if you didn't do it. But it would add that extra touch of realism for those who desperately wanted it. Look at the TV function in GTAIV, for example - completely unnecessary, but an option nonetheless. Same goes for all of the other functions mentioned above.

 

In my opinion this satisfies both parties in the argument. What do you think?

[NKOH]

Definitely like this idea.

[GTA_La_Costra_Nostra]

I love that idea and I think GTA should expand its realism, but I think it would take away from a GTA game for their to be options so game changing that you can turn on and off. I think it will either be in the game or it wont.

[TheEngin33r]

I think simple triggered animations would work for all of these, except for Police chasing you for traffic violations. That probably would have to be an optional extra.

[Oldsmobile]

I think simple triggered animations would work for all of these, except for Police chasing you for traffic violations. That probably would have to be an optional extra.

How would it work for the ability to sit?

[TheEngin33r]

I think simple triggered animations would work for all of these, except for Police chasing you for traffic violations. That probably would have to be an optional extra.

How would it work for the ability to sit?

Walking up to chairs/benches and pressing L1/LB. If there's a big grouping of chairs this could become complicated, but maybe in these situations there could be one particular chair you could sit on and not the others.

[jdbug28]

that would be good. im one of those that like RPing and this would make it much easier. in the GTA games i have to crouch on benches which looks silly. i also go to a petrol station and pretend to refuel. odd? i dont care tbh

[Oldsmobile]

I think simple triggered animations would work for all of these, except for Police chasing you for traffic violations. That probably would have to be an optional extra.

How would it work for the ability to sit?

Walking up to chairs/benches and pressing L1/LB. If there's a big grouping of chairs this could become complicated, but maybe in these situations there could be one particular chair you could sit on and not the others.

But isn't that what people were asking for in the first place? Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think anybody was saying you should be FORCED to sit in a GTA game.

 

I do like the gas pump idea though. Reminds me of buying fast food in Vice City. I didn't need to do it; I just found it kind of fun to treat myself to a fake pizza every now and then.

[TheEngin33r]

I think simple triggered animations would work for all of these, except for Police chasing you for traffic violations. That probably would have to be an optional extra.

How would it work for the ability to sit?

Walking up to chairs/benches and pressing L1/LB. If there's a big grouping of chairs this could become complicated, but maybe in these situations there could be one particular chair you could sit on and not the others.

But isn't that what people were asking for in the first place? Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think anybody was saying you should be FORCED to sit in a GTA game.

 

I do like the gas pump idea though. Reminds me of buying fast food in Vice City. I didn't need to do it; I just found it kind of fun to treat myself to a fake pizza every now and then.

Ok I see your point about being forced to sit, haha but you can see where I'm coming from. I think it's far more likely that Rockstar will incorporate these ideas in the form of simple, optional animations, rather than full blown features that can be enabled or disabled at will. Sure, a fully-implemented fueling system would be loved by some, but would be a chore to most. This way I think all groups can be satisfied without wasted effort on Rockstar's part.

[theworldfamous]

meh sounds pretty lame and pointless to me. I like to roleplay too, but simple tasks like refueling cars are just boring. They don't really add any interactivity.

 

Here's my suggestions for more interactivity:

 

1. a grab/throw button that allows you to pick up pretty much any loose object in the game. Press once to grab, once more to throw. It's one simple addition that makes a lot of gameplay possible. Grab bystanders to use as human shields. The possibilities for melee are endless. Everything can be weapon and you can use it in fistfights to grab and throw opponents. Imagine running somebody over and then beating them and the first responders to death with the front bumper that's just fallen off your ride.. need I say more? In stores, instead of annoying menus, walk up to the item you want, grab it and walk to the cash register (or run away to steal it). Similarly: burglary missions.. grab as much objects as you can.

 

2. a positive/negative reaction like in SA. You can react positively and negatively to people that talk to you. You can use it to greet people or initiate simple conversations with npc's or to use machines like ATM's, candy and soda machines. To taunt or surrender to cops and enemies. It's simple stuff, most of it was already in SA, but I think it adds more than triggering preset animations from a menu.

 

3. more vignettes or I don't really know the proper term. More small scenes troughout the city, little situations you run into like a truck stopping in front of a stores to drop supplies, with a guy carrying boxes to the back entrance. Ships being unloaded at the docks, changing shifts at factories (building spawns a bunch of npc's that walk up to their cars and drive off), roving police checkpoints where they check for DUIs.. stuff like that. They're basically just pre-animated behaviors, nothing complex and if the player disrupts them, normal AI behavior kicks in. There were some simple ones in IV, but there should be a lot more. It just adds flavor.

[MIKON8ERISBACK]

Thats the purpose of these video games. Escape the stigmas, gloomieness, and stress of real life and turn to the instant gratification of the virtual world. Grand Theft Auto is the unquestioned king of open world role playing games.