Character Differentiation

[GlitzyTomb]

So I figure that the story length generally has very little bearing on how long people actually play a Grand Theft Auto game.

 

The three characters are quite different so long as the game's story can portray them to be different but what happens when you're just free roaming. How then is Michael different from Franklin different from Trevor.

 

There's a topic about NPC reactions being different, which sounds fantastic to me, but I was wondering if here, or in the future, the different characters might actually have different animations or abilities.

 

Essentially Tiers so that in given activities playing as a character suited to that skill would make it easier. Trevor would suck on a bicycle, Franklin would suck flying a G4, Michael would suck at running a Triathalon. Trevor would be fantastic flying a Dodo or racing an ATV, Franklin would be great running a Triathalon or racing sports cars, Michael would be great with High Powered Military weapons and mediocre at most else.

 

This could be simplified as...

 

Franklin:

Great at Physical Activities

Good with Mid Level Vehicles and Sports Bikes

Great at Hot Wiring

Good with Mid Level Conventional Firearms

Good with Snorkeling/Parachuting/Wingsuiting (please)

 

Michael:

Bad at Physical Activities

Good with High Level Sports Cars

Bad at Hot Wiring

Good with High Grade Weapons

Great with Snorkeling/Parachuting/Wingsuiting

 

Trevor:

Decent at Physical Activities

Good with Low Level Cars and ATVs or Chopper style bikes

Decent at Hot Wiring

Good with Low Level Firearms and Explosives

Bad with Snorkeling/Parachuting/Wingsuiting

 

That kind of thing could be enhanced by different animations demonstrating their aptitude. Franklin could ride a bike like a demon, Trevor could move smoothly on an ATV, Michael could have tight form wielding weapons. Conversely Franklin might have difficulty with an ATV, Trevor could fidget uncomfortably behind the wheels of a nicer car, Michael could huff and puff when running about.

 

 

 

If the unconfirmed 4th Spot is indeed a Free Roam Avatar put together by the user it could even be a way of introducing RPG elements once again. Start off as John Doe who is Meh at Everything, whatever you do a lot of you start getting better at.

[killahmatic]

I really wouldnt want their abilities to be different. If it were that way, I wouldn't complain, but i'd just rather be able to do everything equally no matter who I'm playing as.

[Miss Darko]

 

I really wouldnt want their abilities to be different. If it were that way, I wouldn't complain, but i'd just rather be able to do everything equally no matter who I'm playing as.

I definitely agree, I'd rather it primarily affect the way the world feels. Like the OP mentioned, how NPCs will react differently with you, different animations and fighting styles that are not necessarily better or worse than others, but simply different. I can understand some activities being exclusive to each character, but it's still sort of not the kind of freedom I'd like. I certainly think their sub-missions should be for each character, except for some stuff where maybe it doesn't matter who you're playing as.

 

Ideally, I'd be allowed to put Trevor in a suit if I wanted to, it just doesn't fit his character and I'd only do it during freeroam, but that should be up to the player, still. I have a feeling we won't be able to, but that would be my preference. I think, like they said, they don't want to make the characters "interchangeable cyphers," but I feel there's many ways they can do that without it affecting gameplay. I mean, Trevor shouldn't be the only one who does the gas can and match thing, they just show it with him becomes it makes the most sense with his character, and we already know he's not the only one who can fly planes.

 

Like you said, it's not the end of the world if R* wants each character to be more diverse in gameplay, with their own abilities and such, and thus we have to switch between characters to enjoy the parts of the game that make sense for those characters. Perhaps they're taking the same approach with GTA IV, where the content fit the protagonists involved, but have all three in the single game itself so as to provide the great variety we see. This is a cool approach as well, and an interesting compromise between the philosophies of GTA IV and the III era, just not my preference. But it remains to be seen.

[Raynos]

OP. The problem with your theory is, YOU are all THREE protags.

 

Thus, How can Franklin be better at Mid-High end cars whilst Trevor isn't? Will there be a system that reduces the responsiveness of cars for each character? If so, then that would suck.

 

Each vehicle should have their own characteristics independent of the character used.

 

Bikes and things, OK, That could be different, That'd make sense.

[redjamspear]

 

I really wouldnt want their abilities to be different. If it were that way, I wouldn't complain, but i'd just rather be able to do everything equally no matter who I'm playing as.

Does it really matter, bearing in mind that you can switch between characters at will anyway?

 

OP I'm fairly sure there will be some elements of what you're describing, (Dan Houser implied it in the Game Informer interview) although I'm not sure to what extent.

I think aircraft is a very likely candidate for being only available to one of the players (ie: Trevor), or at least as you said, he would be much better at it. Franklin being able to fly a jet fighter would not be plausible at all, (not that it was would be any worse than it was with CJ!).

 

For clues though, playing the DLC for IV sheds some light on what differences might occur.

 

Depending on if you're playing as Niko, Johnny or Luis, there are some minor differences:

 

• Animations are different
• Running speed (and stamina levels maybe?) are slightly different
• In TLATD, motorbike handling is much improved, which I think is meant to indicate that Johnny is a much more skilled biker
• Some minigames are exclusive to certain players (arm wrestling, air hockey, etc).

I imagine all of these can and will be expanded upon to an extent.

[GlitzyTomb]

OP. The problem with your theory is, YOU are all THREE protags.

 

Thus, How can Franklin be better at Mid-High end cars whilst Trevor isn't? Will there be a system that reduces the responsiveness of cars for each character? If so, then that would suck.

 

Each vehicle should have their own characteristics independent of the character used.

 

Bikes and things, OK, That could be different, That'd make sense.

I was indeed thinking of a system that would reduce the responsiveness of vehicles a character isn't particularly suited to...

 

 

 

It'd make sense to me for Trevor to be better with a truck or ATV, Franklin better with a sports car or street bike, and Michael better with a luxury car or...other luxury car...but yeah, perhaps the difference would have to be so negligible as to make it pointless.

[Raynos]

OP. The problem with your theory is, YOU are all THREE protags.

 

Thus, How can Franklin be better at Mid-High end cars whilst Trevor isn't? Will there be a system that reduces the responsiveness of cars for each character? If so, then that would suck.

 

Each vehicle should have their own characteristics independent of the character used.

 

Bikes and things, OK, That could be different, That'd make sense.

I was indeed thinking of a system that would reduce the responsiveness of vehicles a character isn't particularly suited to...

 

 

 

It'd make sense to me for Trevor to be better with a truck or ATV, Franklin better with a sports car or street bike, and Michael better with a luxury car or...other luxury car...but yeah, perhaps the difference would have to be so negligible as to make it pointless.

Yeah.. Even then, I'm not sure if I like the idea.. Having to switch characters so I can drive around in a nice sports car without having an accident..

 

What if you have a preference to one over the other? I don't like being forced in something thats mean to open world.

[killahmatic]

I really wouldnt want their abilities to be different. If it were that way, I wouldn't complain, but i'd just rather be able to do everything equally no matter who I'm playing as.

Does it really matter, bearing in mind that you can switch between characters at will anyway?

 

Yes, if I wanted to play as (Enter Character Name Here), but he lacked an ability, or was bad at something, that I often use or do. Maybe I don't like the other characters, but even if I switch, then they're bad at something else.

I'd prefer it to be even across the table.

 

but like I said, if it were that way, I wouldn't complain.

[gsbadreligion]

i think if things weren't as overbearing as you have them it could work. but like someone else said i don't want to have to choose a certain character to be good at something or to be able to do it without having trouble. maybe one thing each character has unique. franklin would be more athetlic(faster, more stamina). trevor would be better with one plane. and michael better at evading cops.

[Diesleman]

I love the idea of a fourth customizable avatar with SAstyle growth.

[B Dawg]

I might like it. If I wanted a challenge, I would switch to the protagonist that sucks at it.

[Alexeu]

I'm thinking that when you use michael or franklin to fly aircraft the controls should be inverted so they fly worse than trevor.

[Cosmic Strut]

It mentions in the GI article that each has their own specific skill set and even unique mini games. Doesn't go into much detail about what those skills are, I doubt Franklin wont be able to fly planes for example, but he may not be as smooth at it as Trevor, a bit like how bikes handle better in TLAD?

[Showstopper 26]

I think they will have different abilities for sure. Maybe even control differently.

[Diesleman]

Yeah, you'd imagine it might be similar to some differences noticed between Niko and the eflc blokes.