Poaching in GTA Next?

[Grotti Vigilante]

GTA has always had these criminal side activities going for it in the games, and since the game is about being a criminal earning money and his place in the underworld, it should be no surprise that some activities we may be morally opposed to in real life are what we expect in a game of such a nature. But one topic that I've not seen get talked about before is a potential side-activity in which you take a job from a black market figure of sorts to go out into an animal's territory and hunt it for the sake of poaching. The way I see it, you take the job, and an area on the map appears with a radius circle highlighting some areas you can find the target animal. For example, if the dealer wants you to go get him a Black Bear, then the map will have circled areas where you can find them. It doesn't play out as a mandatory side-mission, and you can choose to ignore it until you actually kill the animal in the area. By that point, you have to get the carcass and take it back to the dealer while also not getting caught poaching. For this, you earn yourself a hefty paycheck, which increases for certain animals.

 

This activity could probably use a bit of work if implemented, but what I actually wanted to discuss is whether you think poaching in a GTA game as a side-activity would work as a way to earn money, or if it would have too many ethical issues to be implemented. Today we obviously have animals that are endangered or even threatened with extinction, and though some populations are recovering, the issue remains. To be able to go out into the ocean on a boat and bring back a shark when millions of them are already killed every year for things like soup, would no doubt attract some degree of controversy. Rockstar isn't one to be put off by such a thing of course, but it would certainly strike a nerve with a lot of people. For myself, I wouldn't be bothered by it. Since it's just a game, I don't think it means anything to participate in the activity since not only will these animals respawn, but there is no real life implications. If access to these games aren't responsible for increased violence (which they aren't), then I don't think they would make people want to go out and poach for money. But maybe I could be wrong.

 

But ultimately, what do you think on the subject matter? Do you think poaching in a GTA game could work as a side-activity, and do you also think it's a particularly good idea to do so based on some factors like ethical arguments and such. It's something I'd be very interested to hear people's views on, and I think it could very well be a good discussion for the forums so long as we stay on track and don't get too hostile or unproductive. Let us know your thoughts below, and let us keep it civil.   

[Bratva Assassin]

I actually think it would be a GREAT idea!  

[DexMacLeod]

It's hard to imagine that really fitting in with GTA. Poaching doesn't really seem like the type of thing very many people do as just a "casual side activity" and those who do are typically rich a-holes who let their tour guides do the bulk of the work. I imagine people who deal in the black market animal/fur trade are likely to hire a professional hunter rather than just some common criminal off the street.

 

But, who knows? There was a time I never would have thought dance contests and yoga routines would fit into a GTA game and they managed to work those in pretty organically. 

[killdrivetheftvehicle]

Are you kidding me? We had poaching in GTAV. That is what the hunting in GTA V is all about.

[DexMacLeod]

10 hours ago, killdrivetheftvehicle said:

Are you kidding me? We had poaching in GTAV. That is what the hunting in GTA V is all about.

I never got the sense that there was anything illegal about the hunting side missions. We were mostly killing Bucks, predators and pests. I mean, you got reprimanded if you killed a Doe. It certainly wasn't anywhere near the level of hunting endangered animals to be sold on the black market.  

[nicktestbranch]

That would actually be a great concept, but it would be amazing if they stepped up the heat and offered human poaching missions. And I'm not talking about hit jobs. I'm talking about going out to the city, getting to know a friendly civilian over the course of a few hanging outs, then bringing them back to your apartment where you carefully kill them without shedding too much blood, then selling their clothes on the black market.

 

The only problem with that though is what you do with your late buddy's car afterwards. I haven't seen GTA responsibly figure out erasing of finger prints yet.

[killdrivetheftvehicle]

20 hours ago, DexMacLeod said:

I never got the sense that there was anything illegal about the hunting side missions. We were mostly killing Bucks, predators and pests. I mean, you got reprimanded if you killed a Doe. It certainly wasn't anywhere near the level of hunting endangered animals to be sold on the black market.  

Still hunting deer when not in season is considered poaching.

[Zello]

Poaching mainly happens in Africa. GTA does not take place in Africa....

[DexMacLeod]

15 minutes ago, killdrivetheftvehicle said:

Still hunting deer when not in season is considered poaching.

There's no indication in game that it's not in season or that those laws apply in GTA's universe. Even if it isn't in season, like I said, it's nowhere near the level that the OP is suggesting.