Cool Things You Didn't Know About GTA III

[Jimmy]

1 hour ago, Blaze said:

Not sure if it's already been mentioned and I'm sure some of the modders already know this, but any of the roads/buildings that seemingly have a reflection (such as some of the Staunton streets or the big building next to Staunton's Police Station) are actually flipped upside down and placed underneath the map to give the illusion of reflection - the same technique was used for the Moist Palms hotel in Vice City.

This is one of the techniques which some of the modders in early 2010s used in 2dfx mods and post rain reflections (upside down). Wasn't aware of the Moist Palms in Vice City though. I remember doing this trick myself to make reflections for the Portland hideout and some other areas in Portland (Hepburn).

[Blaze]

1 hour ago, Jimmy said:

This is one of the techniques which some of the modders in early 2010s used in 2dfx mods and post rain reflections (upside down). Wasn't aware of the Moist Palms in Vice City though. I remember doing this trick myself to make reflections for the Portland hideout and some other areas in Portland (Hepburn).

 

 

[gts.]

16 hours ago, Blaze said:

Not sure if it's already been mentioned and I'm sure some of the modders already know this, but any of the roads/buildings that seemingly have a reflection (such as some of the Staunton streets or the big building next to Staunton's Police Station) are actually flipped upside down and placed underneath the map to give the illusion of reflection - the same technique was used for the Moist Palms hotel in Vice City.

Yeah, a nice trick for a 2001 and 2002 game. And the illusion is pretty good though haha.

[Lioshenka]

On 6/7/2020 at 2:39 AM, Motorik said:

- At the front door of Uncle BJ's, there's a sign with the picture of a pedestrian's face and the words "#1 employee, Bob". I talked about that in a topic, but I don't know if you read it. Strange thing is, there's actually a character named Bob who appears in Chatterbox FM, but that Bob lives in Shoreside Vale, and Uncle BJ's is located in Staunton Island. Another strange thing about that sign is that it can't be seen during the cutscene that takes place in the business during mission Shima. God knows why. Here's the picture (taken from GTA Underground):

I very vaguely remember reading that this was one of the developers

[Motorik]

- The Columbian Cartel member's boots have no soles, but the skin of Playa2.

- There are boats inside the big ship in Portland (not the one that you have to destroy in Bomb da Base, but the other one). They can only be seen with mods. I know it because of a video of secrets behind the cameras in GTA 3.

[Motorik]

Sorry for double posting, but I found a new detail I didn't know and that I find really cool. In Belleville Park you'll see only elder and young pedestrians walking around during the day. However, during the night (from 19:00 until the morning) you'll find homeless pedestrians, thieves and prostitutes. In my opinion, this is one of the best details in the game. It makes it feel more alive. It makes nighttime and daytime to feel different. I know it thanks to a video, but I checked it personally, and it's true.

[Meekhail]

There is a secret in GTA III you may know or not know, but I found it out myself. Until now, you may think Diablos are the most weakest gang in gta iii because they lack in firearms while in free roam (aside from missions). But you're wrong because they DO have handguns which they only use in desperate times. If you don't believe me, try doing these:
Punch a non armed Diablo member (a diablo guy without baseball bat) and make him hostile to you. Make sure he follows you to attack. Run and climb or jump to an area which is elevated from the ground and is not reachable without a jump (for example, jump on top of a car). When you do this, they won't be able to reach you, so they will pull out their handgun and start shooting at you.

[GTAFanLuca]

10 hours ago, Meekhail said:

There is a secret in GTA III you may know or not know, but I found it out myself. Until now, you may think Diablos are the most weakest gang in gta iii because they lack in firearms while in free roam (aside from missions). But you're wrong because they DO have handguns which they only use in desperate times. If you don't believe me, try doing these:
Punch a non armed Diablo member (a diablo guy without baseball bat) and make him hostile to you. Make sure he follows you to attack. Run and climb or jump to an area which is elevated from the ground and is not reachable without a jump (for example, jump on top of a car). When you do this, they won't be able to reach you, so they will pull out their handgun and start shooting at you.

I remember finding out about this years ago when I was randomly fooling around with the rampage involving the Diablos in Red Light District. I got on top of a car and the Diablos that approached the car, seeing that there was no way they would attack me otherwise, decided to pull out their pistols.

[Masny]

Cool little detail (or bug )  - if you start doing a handbrake turn on grass but finish on road - there will be a green tiremark on road 

 

 

There is a second dock crane lift in portland. Same as for dock mission (stealing police cars), but unused. 

 

Edited July 7, 2021 by Masny

[CynicalMexican]

- The house music sample that can be heard in Hepburn Heights was used for the 2008 SpongeBob SquarePants episode "House Fancy".

 

- The DJ who mixed most of the RISE FM playlist was/is a devout Christian and now just makes generic Christian country drivel.

 

- The Liberty Bagel Deli chain that you see across the city is named after a real New York deli that existed until 2007.

[universetwisters]

On 7/7/2021 at 8:50 PM, CynicalMexican said:

- The DJ who mixed most of the RISE FM playlist was/is a devout Christian and now just makes generic Christian country drivel.

 

You mean the guy who made most of the songs? The station itself was mixed by Terry Donovan

[Blaze]

yeah cmon we figured this out months ago

 

Mixed by terry donovan who was resident DJ at House of God nightclub in Birmingham since 1994. Voiced by Andre Ferro who worked with Lazlow on 92.7 WLIR. All tracks provided by Generation Records, a short lived label out of Chicago.

 

The same guys who produced the Slyder tracks are also part of the group Shiny Toy Guns, and rehashed The One into a STG song which was used in Fifa 07.

 

 

Edited July 11, 2021 by sombrA

[Masny]

Durning mission "Last Request"  - go to a marker which spawns Reefer with Maria and Asuka. 
Probalby you don't know that you can just leave this boat and you can do whatever you want, just free-roam around the city. 

 

I decded to check porter tunnel. There is small fun fact - at this point of the game - the second barrier (between Staunton Island and Shoreside Vale) spawns, but the first one, on portland - doesn't despawn (Normally, before "last requests" the second barrier does not spawn). It looks stupid:  

https://streamable.com/1a5lc8 

 

You can also go to third island, steal Dodo and try to land into a boat. Here is my failed attempt. 

 

Edited August 10, 2021 by Masny

[Motorik]

I was told about a new strange thing that really few people covered, and no one from this community did (AFAIK). Below the triad fish factory (not the one you have to blow up in "Blow Fish", but the other one. The one that's in Chinatown), in blue hell, you can spot a series of red "buttons" with yellow question marks inside them. Honestly, I don't know what they are for, but is a really interesting detail I didn't know about. Here you have a close picture of them (you will only be able to see them from a distance in-game):

 

 

[universetwisters]

The dude who did the NEO song that was in Rise FM went on to create SHINY TOY GUNS and listen to this and tell me that NEO wasn't just a dry run for one of their songs

 

 

 

E. f*ck @Sombra beat me to it lol

Edited May 6, 2022 by universetwisters

[JC2022]

The cops attack you with their bare fists if you get 1 star. This does not happen often in any other GTA game.

 

The cops will pull out their pistol as soon as you get 2 stars. This can only happen in GTA III.

 

You can make a SWAT unit, FBI agent or army soldier attack with their bare fists and even pull out a pistol instead of their normal weapon by doing the following:

1. Get a 4-6 star wanted level.

2. Activate the cheat code to clear off your wanted level.

3. Attack a SWAT unit, FBI agent or army soldier with your bare fists or the baseball bat.

4. One of them will now attack you with their bare fists, instead of using a weapon. As soon as you get 2 stars, they will pull out a pistol instead of the weapon they usually carry.

 

(In San Andreas, if you do this, they will still attack you with their bare fists, but they will not pull out any gun if you get 2 stars or more)

Edited May 16, 2022 by JC2022

[universetwisters]

What the heck the guy who voiced the Nick Jr face when I was a kid was the same guy who voiced El Burro and Marty Chonks!!?!??

 

http://www.nickalive.net/2022/04/meet-chris-phillips-voice-behind-nick.html?m=1

[HOW'S ANNIE?]

The reporter in Paparazzi Purge will eventually make his way back to the Stanton docks and get in a Stallion, where he'll drive around at random. Something I never realised because the mission is so easy, I normally killed him by the time he reached the lighthouse.

 

7:38 in this video 

 

[Motorik]

This is not confirmed, but I'm sure that the song "Electronic Go Go" from Scatwerk (from Head Radio) is based on "Africa Talks to You (The Asphalt Jungle)" by Sly & The Family Stone. The instrumental parts are very similar. Just listen to both songs:

 

[stef_92]

On 6/23/2022 at 3:44 PM, HOW'S ANNIE? said:

The reporter in Paparazzi Purge will eventually make his way back to the Stanton docks and get in a Stallion, where he'll drive around at random. Something I never realised because the mission is so easy, I normally killed him by the time he reached the lighthouse.

 

7:38 in this video 

 

Oh, here's something new about GTA 3 that I didn't know This game doesn't stop surprising me. Similar to this case, I can mention Salvatore during the mission "Sayonara Salvatore" - he exists the car and uses m16.

[stef_92]

@Masny I see that the OP has some points where I'm credited. Unfortunately the youtube links are dead. I can only provide you with the new link about the "destroying the Deaddodo" -