General GTA's Maps comparison

[Masny]

Hey GTAForums!

Some time ago I made a comparison between GTA's maps. Things you should know about this:

- I used IN-GAME measure [example - I flew hydra from side to side of San Andreas state in straight line and then looked at traveled distance in stats, same to LC (dodo) and VC (skimmer)]. Repeated this MANY times to get constant, BEST results;

- GTA V map already have a scale so I leaved it alone;

- This comparison is accuracy as posible, but there is no such a thing as stats of traveled distance in GTA1 and GTA2 so i have to do some trick - i used car named "Itali" in GTA1 and car named "Feltzer" in GTA IV as a reference and then done some math. I didn't measure GTA2's maps, because I don't have to - they are the same size as GTA1's maps;

Edited October 25, 2014 by Masny

[Jackie Boy]

I'm not sure that your GTA IV and V maps are drawn to the same scale. You can't really scale them based on anything from the previous 'eras' as the proportions of vehicles, characters, and buildings is waaay off.

 

Using common assets between the two such as some roads (which this video used:

) is a good place to start.

[Masny]

 

I'm not sure that your GTA IV and V maps are drawn to the same scale.

Yes, they are.In my map atleast. In-game GTA IV's 2km are qual to in-game GTA V's 2km, Same with San Andreas, Vice City, and III.

 

 

 

You can't really scale them based on anything from the previous 'eras' as the proportions of vehicles, characters, and buildings is waaay off.

If you are talking about comparison between GTA1,2 to newer games - then yes, I know, I shouldn't do that, but this is only possible way.

Edited October 11, 2014 by Masny

[Masny]

Nobody interested?

[Pedinhuh]

The 2004 and 2013 San Andreas sizes looks right, but the 1997 should look smaller than that, there's no way that small city is bigger than 2004 Los Santos. The same applies for Vice City and Liberty City, the 2D maps shouldn't be bigger than half of Algonquin or Downtown Vice City.

[W4RLORD]

GTA VI better be in Vice City.

[Masny]

The 2004 and 2013 San Andreas sizes looks right, but the 1997 should look smaller than that, there's no way that small city is bigger than 2004 Los Santos. The same applies for Vice City and Liberty City, the 2D maps shouldn't be bigger than half of Algonquin or Downtown Vice City.

Actually I think that GTA1's maps should be bigger than on this comparison. But I sticked to my measures so it is at is it.

[The Harwood Bitcher]

No way that LC 3D is that big compared to LC HD.

[Ss4gogeta0]

GTA 1 Maps were fairly big... people underestimate the size thinking that since they were on older gens they would be smaller

[Queen Elizabeth II]

Wow, 3D Vice City is really small.. and ugly.

[MrVance]

There is nothing to compare here;

V is the bigest and the best map out of any game so far let alone GTA series only.

GTA 1- haven`t played it

2- haven`t played it

3 LC. crap out of crap

4. VC&VCS nothing special if not under average

5. SA- fantastic for it`s release date

6. HD LC- the map rules

7. V- fantastic

 

Sizes;

1. V

2.SA

3.HD LC

4. VC

5. 3D LC

 

Even if 3D LC may gives the impression of being bigger than VC it`s actually smaller. Only seems bigger because it has 3 islands instead of VC`s 2

 

and BTW, there is no f*cking way 3D LC is that big compare to HD LC. 3D LC is more like dukes&broker in HD LC alone.

[TheDeathRises]

There is nothing to compare here;

V is the bigest and the best map out of any game so far let alone GTA series only.

GTA 1- haven`t played it

2- haven`t played it

3 LC. crap out of crap

4. VC&VCS nothing special if not under average

5. SA- fantastic for it`s release date

6. HD LC- the map rules

7. V- fantastic

 

Sizes;

1. V

2.SA

3.HD LC

4. VC

5. 3D LC

 

Even if 3D LC may gives the impression of being bigger than VC it`s actually smaller. Only seems bigger because it has 3 islands instead of VC`s 2

 

and BTW, there is no f*cking way 3D LC is that big compare to HD LC. 3D LC is more like dukes&broker in HD LC alone.

Yeah, the buildings in 3D LC would be pretty damn big if there were only so few streets. Just compare those to HD LC and you got your measure. (And V is not the best map, it's fairly boring with all those empty mountains.)

[MrVance]

 

There is nothing to compare here;

V is the bigest and the best map out of any game so far let alone GTA series only.

GTA 1- haven`t played it

2- haven`t played it

3 LC. crap out of crap

4. VC&VCS nothing special if not under average

5. SA- fantastic for it`s release date

6. HD LC- the map rules

7. V- fantastic

 

Sizes;

1. V

2.SA

3.HD LC

4. VC

5. 3D LC

 

Even if 3D LC may gives the impression of being bigger than VC it`s actually smaller. Only seems bigger because it has 3 islands instead of VC`s 2

 

and BTW, there is no f*cking way 3D LC is that big compare to HD LC. 3D LC is more like dukes&broker in HD LC alone.

Yeah, the buildings in 3D LC would be pretty damn big if there were only so few streets. Just compare those to HD LC and you got your measure. (And V is not the best map, it's fairly boring with all those empty mountains.)

 

I agree on this one. I think the only flaw in V`s map are too many mountains. Mt. Gordo and Mt. Chilliad would be enough. No need for Mt. Josiah, San Chianski and 100 hills between them.

But other than that it is almost perfect. Take 2 mountains away, cut the size of Alamo sea on half and triple the size of Grand Senora desert and you got the best game map world has ever seen.

[dyz]

 

 

There is nothing to compare here;

V is the bigest and the best map out of any game so far let alone GTA series only.

GTA 1- haven`t played it

2- haven`t played it

3 LC. crap out of crap

4. VC&VCS nothing special if not under average

5. SA- fantastic for it`s release date

6. HD LC- the map rules

7. V- fantastic

 

Sizes;

1. V

2.SA

3.HD LC

4. VC

5. 3D LC

 

Even if 3D LC may gives the impression of being bigger than VC it`s actually smaller. Only seems bigger because it has 3 islands instead of VC`s 2

 

and BTW, there is no f*cking way 3D LC is that big compare to HD LC. 3D LC is more like dukes&broker in HD LC alone.

Yeah, the buildings in 3D LC would be pretty damn big if there were only so few streets. Just compare those to HD LC and you got your measure. (And V is not the best map, it's fairly boring with all those empty mountains.)

 

I agree on this one. I think the only flaw in V`s map are too many mountains. Mt. Gordo and Mt. Chilliad would be enough. No need for Mt. Josiah, San Chianski and 100 hills between them.

But other than that it is almost perfect. Take 2 mountains away, cut the size of Alamo sea on half and triple the size of Grand Senora desert and you got the best game map world has ever seen.

 

It already is the best game, I don't know if you've been to LA and it's countryside but if you do all you see is pretty much mountains as well.

[RogerWho]

That's cool.

 

V and IV seem about right when I look at it realistically. It's funny though that the IV city feels if not bigger, than surely richer than the city part of V. I don't care about the countryside that much and if I look at the city from afar, it's got like 3 skyscrapers or so, compared to the complex urban jungle of Algonquin especially. But the countryside definitely makes V's SA much larger so that's clear.

 

2D may be about right as well, those games were purely 2D so it would be very easy to crank out as much 'graphics' as possible, basically you just need to draw a few squares and boom, new building. I only played London from this era and even that was like 13 years ago but that city felt pretty large.

 

I haven't played much of the 3D era (basically just the beginnings of III, VC and SA) but I would guess those maps are smaller. But maybe it's just because they feel so empty, with too much empty space compared to the HD games which are so packed. I suppose purely on map size alone, it might be right.

 

It would be interesting to include Mafia I+II, LA Noire and RDR games.

[Masny]

Both - GTA 3's & GTA IV's maps are properly scaled by using ingame measure.
Just look - GTA3 have very wide roads and really big buldings. In addition - I compared WHOLE GTA3 (including unaccessable parts of the map) GTA IV so that's why it looks very similiar in size to GTAIV

And about Mafia, LA Noire and RDR - I can't do this. Atleast not in near future.

[MrVance]

 

 

 

There is nothing to compare here;

V is the bigest and the best map out of any game so far let alone GTA series only.

GTA 1- haven`t played it

2- haven`t played it

3 LC. crap out of crap

4. VC&VCS nothing special if not under average

5. SA- fantastic for it`s release date

6. HD LC- the map rules

7. V- fantastic

 

Sizes;

1. V

2.SA

3.HD LC

4. VC

5. 3D LC

 

Even if 3D LC may gives the impression of being bigger than VC it`s actually smaller. Only seems bigger because it has 3 islands instead of VC`s 2

 

and BTW, there is no f*cking way 3D LC is that big compare to HD LC. 3D LC is more like dukes&broker in HD LC alone.

Yeah, the buildings in 3D LC would be pretty damn big if there were only so few streets. Just compare those to HD LC and you got your measure. (And V is not the best map, it's fairly boring with all those empty mountains.)

 

I agree on this one. I think the only flaw in V`s map are too many mountains. Mt. Gordo and Mt. Chilliad would be enough. No need for Mt. Josiah, San Chianski and 100 hills between them.

But other than that it is almost perfect. Take 2 mountains away, cut the size of Alamo sea on half and triple the size of Grand Senora desert and you got the best game map world has ever seen.

 

It already is the best game, I don't know if you've been to LA and it's countryside but if you do all you see is pretty much mountains as well.

 

No, unfortunately i haven`t been in CAL yet but it`s certainly my No.1 destination i plan on visit in the future.

I`ve even studied google street view map of SOCAL because i just love it`s environment and infrastructure.

Yes, there are the exact mountains like in V with mediteranean semi-arid flora but i still think there is a mountain or two too many in V.

But hey, i can live with that because it`s still far the best game map i`ve ever seen. Right next to RDR.

[universetwisters]

One weird thing about V's map is that the road just seems way too wide, wider than real life roads.

[Algonquin Assassin]

No way that LC 3D is that big compared to LC HD.

 

To be far I think it's the landmass behind Shoreside Vale giving the impression it's much bigger than it is. The islands themselves seem to be accurate.

[The Harwood Bitcher]

 

To be far I think it's the landmass behind Shoreside Vale giving the impression it's much bigger than it is. The islands themselves seem to be accurate.

Even with that mountain range behind i think it won't look that bigger compared to the masterpiece that is Liberty City HD (or maybe you are right with your measures Masny ,i ve been wrong before)

 

And about Mafia, LA Noire and RDR - I can't do this. Atleast not in near future.

Do True Crime NY , i want to see if i can make someone go crazy on the internet. Edited October 26, 2014 by The Harwood Bitcher

[Masny]

One weird thing about V's map is that the road just seems way too wide, wider than real life roads.

Step by step.HD era is a big improvement to 3D era. Maybe in GTA VI on next gens we will get a "real life scaled" city.

But, to be honest, I think that Liberty City [iV] is more believable than any map in any game ever.

[The Harwood Bitcher]

Masny, you think you could make a size comparison between da GTA cities and his real life counterparts?

Edited October 26, 2014 by The Harwood Bitcher

[Masny]

Great idea! I will do this soon

[Masny]

San Francisco is done [First GTA's San Andreas map is a San Francisco]

[Andreas]

Here are the map sizes of most GTAs off the top of my head;

 

Liberty City (GTA III/LCS): 3 square miles

Vice City (Vice City/Vice City Stories): 3.9 square miles

San Andreas: 13.9 square miles

Liberty City (GTA IV): 6.25 square miles (or 8.8 sqm, if you go by the official map; includes a lot of water)

 

The GTAV map has a total area of 8 x 10 kilometers, if I recall correctly, which would be roughly 30 square miles. However, this includes the water around the map (also non-detailed underwater environments).

 

I'm not sure that your GTA IV and V maps are drawn to the same scale. You can't really scale them based on anything from the previous 'eras' as the proportions of vehicles, characters, and buildings is waaay off.

Believe it or not, the scale is absolutely the same in these games. A handful of members on this forum, including me, proved that all GTA maps since at least III, plus the maps of other Rockstar titles like Red Dead Redemption, are scaled in one square meter per pixel. It is an easy task to do, really. There were plenty of debates on the subject in the pre-release period (particularly in late 2012/early 2013), and it's been proven on multiple occasions. Edited October 28, 2014 by Andreas

[MrVance]

I`d like to see RDR map in comparison to SA, HD LC or V in correct scale.

Because you don`t have the right impression of how big the map actually is since you`re traveling by horse which is slower than cars in GTA.

 

So if anyone has it?

[Masny]

It's not mine and I have do idea if it is in a good scale, but to me looks like its OK


Edit:

http://gtaforums.com/index.php?showtopic=534109&do=findComment&comment=1061946654

Edited October 30, 2014 by Masny

[NTAuthority]

2D GTA maps are 256x256 tiles at most (and most cities do have this size), which allegedly amounts to 'around 4.5 meters per tile'.

[_CP_]

Mine maps comparsion is scaled properly, using 3ds Max and real map dimensions:

[Masny]

So, they are pretty much same size as mine - our comarisons are good!