A research on GTA series

[tudihaosha]

Hi everyone, I'm a student of International Communication in China and I'm doing my postgraduate dissertation on GTA players. My research topic is "How do Chinese players understand satire in Grand Theft Auto compared with English-speaking players". I choose this topic because I am a GTA player and I like the game very much. Most important, I want to know the thoughts of GTA players when they are playing and how they understand the game. Here I hope you can answer me some questions:

1.Point out some places of satire in the game

2.What is your understanding of satire in GTA

3.What is the most attractive satire you think and explain why

 

Thank you for your help

[universetwisters]

1. Ingame radio banter, news broadcasts, and webpages.

2. It's immature.

3. Neither because I just want to play a video game, not have the writers use it as a soapbox for their opinions on the world.

[tudihaosha]

1. Ingame radio banter, news broadcasts, and webpages.

2. It's immature.

3. Neither because I just want to play a video game, not have the writers use it as a soapbox for their opinions on the world.

May I ask why do you think it is immature?

[universetwisters]

Because if you want to turn an open world crime game into a soapbox to complain about how sh*tty millenials/baby boomers/the left/the right is, then that's not very mature writing. Compare the wonder that was Vice City to the HEYY HIPSTERS SUCK YOU TURD schtick you get from GTA 5.

If anything, it rolls into the third point.

[tudihaosha]

Because if you want to turn an open world crime game into a soapbox to complain about how sh*tty millenials/baby boomers/the left/the right is, then that's not very mature writing. Compare the wonder that was Vice City to the HEYY HIPSTERS SUCK YOU TURD schtick you get from GTA 5.

 

If anything, it rolls into the third point.

Thanks for answering me~BTW, how can I do to attract others to reply this post

[JotaPDF20]

1.The satire can be found nearly everywhere. Through radio stations, TV shows, billboards, exaggerated characters and surreal situations.

2.It aims to show the hypocrisy of our society, narrating a world in which power, money and luxury is all that matters.

 

3.The political satire. GTA often criticizes capitalism, but there's also space for exaggerated left-wing characters. I think it's a nice way to show both sides have drawbacks and/or even stupid propositions.

Edited June 22, 2016 by JotaPDF20

[tudihaosha]

1.The satire can be found nearly everywhere. Through radio stations, TV shows, billboards, exaggerated characters and surreal situations.

 

2.It aims to show the hypocrisy of our society, narrating a world in which power, money and luxury is all that matters.

 

3.The political satire. GTA often criticizes capitalism, but there's also space for exaggerated left-wing characters. I think it's a nice way to show both sides have drawbacks and/or even stupid propositions.

Thanks! BTW, which character do you like most? How do you think of the three endings and which one did you choose?

[MGgames100]

1.Almost everywhere.

 

2.It makes fun out of modern hypocritical society (HD Era) and society from past decades (3D Era). Over all huge parody of Americana.

 

3.Political one. The same reason as Jota.

Edited June 23, 2016 by MGgames100

[JotaPDF20]

 

1.The satire can be found nearly everywhere. Through radio stations, TV shows, billboards, exaggerated characters and surreal situations.

 

2.It aims to show the hypocrisy of our society, narrating a world in which power, money and luxury is all that matters.

 

3.The political satire. GTA often criticizes capitalism, but there's also space for exaggerated left-wing characters. I think it's a nice way to show both sides have drawbacks and/or even stupid propositions.

Thanks! BTW, which character do you like most? How do you think of the three endings and which one did you choose?

 

Michael. He's complex, depressive, furious and even lonely at times. He got rich through crime, met allies, made friends, and betrayed them for his own good. Probably the most selfish thing a GTA protagonist ever did, but I think this adds to his complexity. But all the money and tranquility he got wasn't enough. He has a sh*tty relationship with all of his family and the only one who gives a f*ck about his problems is his therapist, who seems to be more interested in taking as much money as he can from him. I'd even say Michael would eventually suicide if he didn't get to meet Franklin and Trevor.

 

About the three endings, well...

 

I think Option C was a bit dull, but I chose it anyway as I've grown to care about the protagonists and it is the best ending gameplay-wise. It felt satisfying to see them united at the end. I didn't like Option A, though. I doubt Franklin would actually betray anyone, mainly Trevor, who has always been truthful to him. It was unfair to Trevor, who has already been betrayed by Michael. It is sadder than it seems. I'd say the same about Option B. Franklin and Michael became very close and despite Michael not being a "good guy", he was doing his best to reunite with his family and friends.

 

Edited June 23, 2016 by JotaPDF20

[RogerWho]

Maybe you'd want to specify which GTA game exactly you have in mind. While the themes are common among all the games, the execution differs quite a bit IMO.

 

Anyway from the common themes...

 

1) I tend to identify 3 sorts of satire in the GTA series.

1.1 As seen in car brands and other brand renames, e.g. hamburgers > frankfurters. Simple direct-to-joke parodies. Silly, very slightly offensive and easy to understand.

1.2 Environmental and story settings, such as how the cities are built and who the game characters are. These tend to have a serious tone (i.e. scaled-down versions of the real world) but still have satirical overtones and sometimes over-the-top comedy to them. Most GTA games' opening cinematics are a good example - they tend to establish serious stories with some exaggerated elements.

1.3. Full-blown in-your-face parodies, like the Weasel News um... news, the TV/movies and internet in HD games, talk shows or some voice acting from cops/peds.

 

2)

1.1. Helps to keep the games light-hearted even at times when the story becomes serious. Your friend may have just died, but Bleeder and Sprunk are there to remind you it's still a game to get lost in and forget about the real depressing world.

1.2. The stories, characters and setting tend do a good job at holding a warped mirror to the real world. Nothing special to see here, these are regular contemporary stories being told, sometimes it works better, sometimes worse. The characters tend to be somewhat exaggerated (e.g. Trevor and Brucie come to mind although I'm really sorry for lumping them into one group; I'm gonna flog myself now).

1.3. In this area it sometimes feels like they'd need to achieve a ridiculously high joke quota and go over the top on everything. Especially obvious in GTA V.

 

3) I'm gonna go with GTA IV's LC for this one. Even though I've never been in NY, LC feels like a scaled-down NY but with satirical overtones all over it. You spend the first part of the game in a poor neighbourhood, looking at the amazing skyscrapers in the distance and dream about the world of opportunities there. But once you get there, it's just the same life of crime and survival. Behind the flashy appearance are the dirty back alleys with full dumpsters where you could kill a guy and nobody would know. It can feel almost depressive, but again there are always those Bleeders and Declasse cars serving as a reminder it's still a parody game.

 

Basically the satire is like a protective layer so you don't get lost in the seriousness. Like a layer of oil on water which helps you to not drown. But it can also get sticky and suffocating, just like some of the forced jokes in Weasel News.

Edited June 23, 2016 by RogerWho

[tudihaosha]

Maybe you'd want to specify which GTA game exactly you have in mind. While the themes are common among all the games, the execution differs quite a bit IMO.

 

Anyway from the common themes...

 

1) I tend to identify 3 sorts of satire in the GTA series.

1.1 As seen in car brands and other brand renames, e.g. hamburgers > frankfurters. Simple direct-to-joke parodies. Silly, very slightly offensive and easy to understand.

1.2 Environmental and story settings, such as how the cities are built and who the game characters are. These tend to have a serious tone (i.e. scaled-down versions of the real world) but still have satirical overtones and sometimes over-the-top comedy to them. Most GTA games' opening cinematics are a good example - they tend to establish serious stories with some exaggerated elements.

1.3. Full-blown in-your-face parodies, like the Weasel News um... news, the TV/movies and internet in HD games, talk shows or some voice acting from cops/peds.

 

2)

1.1. Helps to keep the games light-hearted even at times when the story becomes serious. Your friend may have just died, but Bleeder and Sprunk are there to remind you it's still a game to get lost in and forget about the real depressing world.

1.2. The stories, characters and setting tend do a good job at holding a warped mirror to the real world. Nothing special to see here, these are regular contemporary stories being told, sometimes it works better, sometimes worse. The characters tend to be somewhat exaggerated (e.g. Trevor and Brucie come to mind although I'm really sorry for lumping them into one group; I'm gonna flog myself now).

1.3. In this area it sometimes feels like they'd need to achieve a ridiculously high joke quota and go over the top on everything. Especially obvious in GTA V.

 

3) I'm gonna go with GTA IV's LC for this one. Even though I've never been in NY, LC feels like a scaled-down NY but with satirical overtones all over it. You spend the first part of the game in a poor neighbourhood, looking at the amazing skyscrapers in the distance and dream about the world of opportunities there. But once you get there, it's just the same life of crime and survival. Behind the flashy appearance are the dirty back alleys with full dumpsters where you could kill a guy and nobody would know. It can feel almost depressive, but again there are always those Bleeders and Declasse cars serving as a reminder it's still a parody game.

 

Basically the satire is like a protective layer so you don't get lost in the seriousness. Like a layer of oil on water which helps you to not drown. But it can also get sticky and suffocating, just like some of the forced jokes in Weasel News.

Wow, thanks man! Which character do you like most in GTA V? and what do you think about the endings? which one did you choose

[RogerWho]

I don't like either of the characters in V. Franklin is a pussy whiner, plus the city district he came from does not resemble a 'ghetto' in the slightest, so his character arch is rendered moot. Michael is a character with great potential completely misued and Trevor is just a retarded caricature all-around. I don't actually mind the idea behind such a character (i.e. a complete sociopath), but Trevor is just annoying and his humor usually feels forced. He has a few funny moments though: "Scoooooter brothers" made me chuckle.

 

In a way, these 3 document the 3 ways of satire I described. Franklin is the slight parody of ghetto (misfired). Michael is the stronger enviromental/story satire (in his case, a dysfunctional family life) - see how he's the most grounded and serious one, just like this sort of parody tends to be in GTA. And Trevor is the over-the-top exaggerated kind.

 

As for the endings, I played through all of them and I consider only the one with Michael's death meaningful and canon. It's a really well played scene that shows how good the game could have been if they kept the story more grounded. Trevor's death is really good too, not just because we get to see that asshole wacko burn to death, but because it makes him almost human. The third ending is just a wishy-washy pussy cop-out non-ending, a weak fart at the end of a mediocre story. Though this is the one I chose on my first play-through and I did enjoy watching the city fly-bys behind the credits since I definitely appreciate the production values in GTA V and at the end it was a worthwhile experience overall.

Edited June 24, 2016 by RogerWho