The Beta Topic

[kazinak]

beta artworks

[HOW'S ANNIE?]

48 minutes ago, kazinak said:

beta artworks

In this supposed to be Vincenzo? It looks like Ralph from The Sopranos

[cant remember]

Noice! Gonna have to go hunting after work. Maybe there should be a wiki page or thread somewhere with a catalog of noteworthy leaks (without the actual downloads). The ones know about are:

 

- GTA2 full songs before being radio edited

- GTA2 PSX preview build (only minimally different from final build but still counts)

- GTA Advance prototype (I think this was from a different developer that didn't end up making the final version?)

- A bunch of design documents, scattered around, some incomplete or not fully leaked

- LCS beta builds (from this thread)

- GTA V source code, with some screens/concepts from Agent/Bully 2

- Various GTA VI leaks (mostly videos of dev builds)

 

I always find out from these leaks by randomly reading specific forum threads there's probably some cool stuff I've missed.

 

Back to LCS... what I always found fascinating, but I don't see discussed much, maybe it's just something I'm imagining, is how much LCS resembles GTA3 beta. Maybe unintentionally so? The ferries that were talked about but were absent in GTA3's final build, the simpler and brighter car shading, and shots of chinatown wars in trailer 2 look identical to some concept renders of early GTA3.

[kazinak]

Just now, HOW'S ANNIE? said:

In this supposed to be Vincenzo? It looks like Ralph from The Sopranos

looks like donald love

[Silver]

9 hours ago, Respect2 said:

 

Damn, Avery looks so much older here, a lot more fitting since they reused his VC model in the final game.

[Stahli]

It says everywhere that it was leaked on 4chan. Has anyone seen the original post about this on 4chan?

[cant remember]

46 minutes ago, Stahli said:

It says everywhere that it was leaked on 4chan. Has anyone seen the original post about this on 4chan?

I just got back from work and started searching for it, so far haven't found anything

 

EDIT: I think I found them. Is there any hope for the V0.1 to ever be modified to boot?

Edited January 20 by cant remember

[Stahli]

27 minutes ago, cant remember said:

I just got back from work and started searching for it, so far haven't found anything

 

EDIT: I think I found them. Is there any hope for the V0.1 to ever be modified to boot?

Yes, you can get the versions from several sources now, but I'm still looking for the 4Chan post.

[Guest]

Some interesting stuff here...

 

Wait a second - TOILET PAPER?!

 

 

Businesses in the Red Light District stay closed in the day and only open up at night like in GTA3, and I think I've never seen that happen in the final LCS:

 

 

There's some extra bunting over the Kuruma inside the Capital Autos building:

 

 

Also, there are two additional girls you can find in the "Ho Selecta!" mission. One of them is in a police car with three cops behind the police station and the other one is in a Bobcat near JD's workplace, and if Toni gets the Bobcat one, the guy driving the Bobcat will want to go with Toni too (the game says "Looks like you've got an admirer...").

 

Moreover, I've been closely inspecting the weather and they either reused VC's hurricane weather or GTA3's rainy weather (same green tint).

 

Damn, this game was kinda crazy during the development.

Edited January 20 by H-G

[cant remember]

Would there ever be any hope of the V0.1 being bootable? Or is it the actual game's executable that's missing? What about getting it to run with 0.2's executable but all of 0.1's assets?

 

I tried tinkering a little with it but if I just extract the ISO and recreate it without changing anything it's already borked.

[Gravarty]

1 hour ago, cant remember said:

Would there ever be any hope of the V0.1 being bootable? Or is it the actual game's executable that's missing? What about getting it to run with 0.2's executable but all of 0.1's assets?

 

I tried tinkering a little with it but if I just extract the ISO and recreate it without changing anything it's already borked.

 

I moved over the USRDIR folder from 0.01 to 0.02 (using UltraISO) and it worked fine. Just don't skip the R* logos too quickly or it will crash.

Edited January 21 by Gravarty

[GTAFanLuca]

2 hours ago, Gravarty said:

 

I moved over the USRDIR folder from 0.01 to 0.02 (using UltraISO) and it worked fine. Just don't skip the R* logos too quickly or it will crash.

That's great to hear! I will try this myself as well.

 

On the other hand, I took plenty of screenshots from the 0.02 build, I may upload them when I get the time (may need some days tops, a bit busy; neglected a lot of real life stuff for 2 days worth of beta fun).

[Spider-Vice]

Well, needless to say someone (maybe JD?) does seem to have a treasure trove of old R* content they're selling away or just releasing lmao. Gonna go out on a limb and say that the source of the LCS builds is the same one as the Manhunt builds and the game design docs.

 

Seems like they're mid-late dev LCS builds, where a lot of aspects "look" final but you still have placeholder audio and earlier versions of some characters, definitely still quite interesting and I wonder what datamining would reveal here too.

[GTAFanLuca]

2 hours ago, Gravarty said:

 

I moved over the USRDIR folder from 0.01 to 0.02 (using UltraISO) and it worked fine. Just don't skip the R* logos too quickly or it will crash.

Unfortunately, it does not seem to be working, although I used UMDGen instead of UltraISO. 

[Guest]

WTF...

 

 

Anyway, more finds from the 0.02 build...

 

Ma Cipriani's restaurant has an actual sign:

 

 

Miguel uses his GTA3 design:

 

 

Pretty sure this pill pickup isn't here in the final game:

 

 

Salvatore's blindfold and gag look different?

 

 

Look at the GTA3 BETA-styled colors of this Stallion:

 

 

lol:

 

 

The 2nd island's safehouse originally had bigger and more wide-open windows:

 

 

> All of Ma Cipriani's missions except "Big Rumble in Little China" lack the muffled filter on Ma's cutscene dialogue.
> I think Giovanni Casa does an additional panic animation when Toni is about to turn on the saw above his head in "Dead Meat" but I forgot to screenshot it in time.
> Ma's hitmen in "No Son of Mine" come in more waves. In the first wave, they come with Glock 17s(?), then with Uzis, then with Tec-9s, then with MP5Ks and finally with AK-47s.
> The alarm sound in "Shop 'til You Strop" sounds the same as in the final game, but the audio is looped in a kinda broken way.

 

> Toni says an additional "Oh sh*t!" when the Sindaccos drive off with Maria in "Taken For A Ride".
> The currently playing radio station resets to the beginning of it's audio file if you exit your current vehicle or get dismounted from it (in case if it's a bike).
> Cops lay out spiketraps to pop your vehicle's tyres on wanted levels above two stars, like in VC. Final LCS doesn't have this, right? Because if I remember correctly, the LCS PC mod had a bonus option to enable this.
> Target cars seem to be very easy to chase down in this build. A few drive-by shots and the mission is in the bag.

 

> Some motion-captured cutscenes (like "Biker Heat" mission's intro) have different camera position, angles and zoom, I think.
> I think I heard Tommy Vercetti's "take damage" sounds being used for Toni.
> Vincenzo's phone call for "The Portland Chainsaw Masquerade" mission is unfinished. After Toni says "A nice slice of arsenic pie?", there's no further dialogue and Toni is stuck holding his cellphone until you skip the call.
> Instead of poking Vincenzo's corpse with his foot, Toni stands over it with his hands crossed behind his back at the end of the aforementioned mission.

 

> The mission "Making Toni" doesn't change Toni's outfit to the black suit.
> Donald Love's missions that don't have motion-captured intro cutscenes only show the under-construction rooftop in their intros. Toni, Donald and the construction workers in the background are all missing.

 

The problem is I haven't really played through this game in a very long time, so it's a bit hard for me to tell what was in the final game and what was not. Plus playing games on PPSSPP is kinda tiring.
Also, I wanna do more BETA findings, but I have some other stuff to take care of and I really don't have time for this, so I'll leave the rest of the fact-finding to you guys.

Edited January 21 by H-G

[susbaconhairthrow]

21 hours ago, cant remember said:

I just got back from work and started searching for it, so far haven't found anything

 

EDIT: I think I found them. Is there any hope for the V0.1 to ever be modified to boot?

Could you share the 4chan thread here?

[Guest]

If anyone needs any further info:

 

https://tcrf.net/Proto:Grand_Theft_Auto:_Liberty_City_Stories

 

TCRF.net has started documenting both prototypes already.

Edited January 21 by H-G

[cant remember]

4 minutes ago, susbaconhairthrow said:

Could you share the 4chan thread here?

I searched but didn't end up finding the 4chan post, I only found the ISO's.

I'm starting to wonder if it's just inaccurate initial info that got parroted. LCS is already pretty obscure so truth is hard to uncover.

[susbaconhairthrow]

I spoke with an admin of the GTA Wiki, and they said a user named "Cumsockbandit" uploaded a QR Code with a GoFile download to the leaks out of nowhere, although their post has already been removed. Thankfully, the admin made a Google Drive mirror of the builds, so I was able to download them.

Edited January 21 by susbaconhairthrow
specifying who i talked to

[Silver]

1 hour ago, H-G said:

WTF...

 

Wow. What if this is a remnant of an alternative theme for the game? Super interesting!

 

EDIT: If I'm not mistaken A Dark March is actually the remix of an original song from 1972. So this mission passed theme might have been part of a different and unique theme song for the game.

Edited January 21 by Silver

[Guest]

10 minutes ago, Silver said:

Wow. What if this is a remnant of an alternative theme for the game? Super interesting!

 

EDIT: If I'm not mistaken A Dark March is actually the remix of an original song from 1972. So this mission passed theme might have been part of a different and unique theme song for the game.

I think R* originally wanted to give the game a self-made theme song but later decided to remix an existing song for it.

 

Anyway, the credits music was different too in the BETA, check this out:

 

https://tcrf.net/Proto:Grand_Theft_Auto:_Liberty_City_Stories/September_1,_2005#General

[SILENT_Pavel]

12 hours ago, Gravarty said:

I moved over the USRDIR folder from 0.01 to 0.02 (using UltraISO) and it worked fine. Just don't skip the R* logos too quickly or it will crash.

did the same with UMDGen and Ultraiso - got instant black screen no matter what. Are you sure that this method works? Also tried to replace EBOOT/BOOT between builds with no luck.

Edited January 21 by SILENT_Pavel

[Gravarty]

48 minutes ago, SILENT_Pavel said:

did the same with UMDGen and Ultraiso - got instant black screen no matter what. Are you sure that this method works? Also tried to replace EBOOT/BOOT between builds with no luck.

 

Yes, i played a bit of the story yesterday. Try to only replace all the core GTA files, like ANIM, DATA, MODELS, TXD and TEXT. This should be enough to get the game running. I wish i had more time to explore the beta myself, i'll try if i can get it to work on my Vita using Andrealine.

Edited January 21 by Gravarty

[GTAFanLuca]

1 hour ago, Gravarty said:

 

Yes, i played a bit of the story yesterday. Try to only replace all the core GTA files, like ANIM, DATA, MODELS, TXD and TEXT. This should be enough to get the game running. I wish i had more time to explore the beta myself, i'll try if i can get it to work on my Vita using Andrealine.

Did that and it now boots up and it freezes on the loading screen (did not skip intros at all). Maybe you got really lucky.

[TheEmptyProd.]

2 hours ago, Gravarty said:

 

Yes, i played a bit of the story yesterday. Try to only replace all the core GTA files, like ANIM, DATA, MODELS, TXD and TEXT. This should be enough to get the game running. I wish i had more time to explore the beta myself, i'll try if i can get it to work on my Vita using Andrealine.

Bro000. Just give us your ISO pleeeeeeease 

[SILENT_Pavel]

On 1/19/2025 at 4:30 PM, MGgames100 said:

Three beta builds leaked. They are out there, if you look hard enough.

Thank you "Cumsockbandit", you're the goat. Now, we wait till other 3D Era builds leak!

edit: fixed original texture for Hellenbach GT (ignore big wheels)

 

Phobos VT in v0.01 is also different (textures are temporarily disabled)

Deimos SP (ignore big wheels and high suspension)

 

V8 Ghost (ignore big wheels and high suspension)

  

On 1/20/2025 at 1:31 AM, MGgames100 said:

mainly beta npcs and textures. sadly, other than beta Hellenbach GT not much car-wise

In GTA3PSPHR.IMG there is more differences between v0.01 and v0.02 (differences in bytes):

Spoiler

texture173.chk - Avenger texture
model173.mdl - Avenger model

texture172.chk - Freeway texture
model172.mdl - Freeway model

texture170.chk - PCJ-600 texture
model170.mdl - PCJ-600 model

texture168.chk - Pizza Boy texture
model168.mdl - Pizza Boy model

texture151.chk - Phobos VT texture
model151.mdl - Phobos VT model

texture150.chk - Hellenbach GT texture
model150.mdl - Hellenbach GT model

texture120.chk - BF Injection texture
model120.mdl - BF Injection model

texture164.chk - LCPD Maverick texture
texture149.chk - Ballotvan texture
texture142.chk - Rumpo Hood texture 
texture124.chk - Securicar texture

model95.mdl - Deimos SP model
model174.mdl - Manchez model
model169.mdl - Noodle Boy model
model167.mdl - Angel model
model157.mdl - Ferry model
model152.mdl - V8 Ghost model
model148.mdl - Campaign Rumpo model
model144.mdl - Flatbed model
model130.mdl - Coach model
model110.mdl - Mule model
model105.mdl - Manana model
model103.mdl - Firetruck model

 

Edited January 22 by SILENT_Pavel

[universetwisters]

Is it just me or do the beta designs look like something straight out of midnight club 1?

[Rolf Wiedeke]

Damn, those beta cars look ugly.

[universetwisters]

4 hours ago, Rolf Wiedeke said:

Damn, those beta cars look ugly.

 

idk I like the Phobos because it actually kinda resembles a Pontiac Firebird as opposed to just looking like a hot wheels toy

[Jayso]

The hud font is a lot thinner and higher quality in the beta

 

Edited January 22 by Jayso