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Grand Theft Auto: Greed & Grit


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Nefarious Money Man

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BY SLIMEBALL SUPREME & THE NOTORIOUS MOB

 

 

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You might think of Vice City when you think of the eighties; cocaine-riddled splendor and neon sports cars. That’s not what awaits. Up the coast, in the twin cities of Carcer and Lenapia, riding from the casinos of Empire City to Liberty City’s outer suburban counties, a very different tale of crime will be told. Cash and crime still rule: but in one of the quickest-crumbling urban areas in the United States of America.

 

In Greed & Grit, you play as three different protagonists, each from varying backgrounds. The character-switching feature from V returns, with all three displaying vastly different experiences and perspectives. A cop, a cubano crook and a corner boy, all trying to make their way in a world falling apart. Each with a cast of shady associates to help them on their way. It's a gritty, violent, dangerous world. But it's the only one they know.

 

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A 32 year old Alderney native, currently working as a Narcotics detective in the city of Stranton. Suffering from a bad case of career fatigue and currently spending his days shacked up in an apartment with his current squeeze in nearby Peterborough. He's growing increasingly disillusioned by departmental bureaucracy and the ever changing nature of his chosen career. Could a move to Liberty City as part of an experimental new unit be just the change he's been looking for?

 

 

Jerry Sandowski A long serving Detective Sergeant in the Narcotics Division of Stranton's Police Department, Sandowski cut his teeth cracking large scale heroin schemes during the disco era. He's a consummate people pleaser with a soft spot for Dwyer, who is constantly pushing his blind eye for indiscretions to absolute breaking point. In a feeble attempt to keep Tommy on the straight and narrow he pairs our boy with long time rival Evan Jackowitz – A pompous do-gooder who'll do anything to get ahead.. even if it means throwing others under the bus.

 

Jackie Palumbo The undisputed ring leader of Liberty City's newly established Narcotics and Organized Belligerents Squad. Giacomo Palumbo (as he's known to his mother) has a long and checkered history in the Organized Crime Division which has furnished him with more connections than a Liberty City Subway line.

 

Mickey Gonzalez Miguel "Mickey" Gonzalez is a seasoned detective from the Homicide Division in Dukes who has caught more misconduct citations than actual killers. In an era where the murder rate has never been higher he was one of the first to be transferred to the equally work heavy Organized Belligerents Squad, despite having no intention of actually doing any real police work.

 

Malcolm JonesThe only member of the NOBS aside from Tommy who actually has any experience in the field of Narcotics – whether it be trying to prevent their spread around the city or otherwise. Although his intentions may be passably good, he'll sink quickly to the levels of his coworkers, honor be damned.

 

Frank McReary - Rookie cop with stars in his eyes, Frankie wants success, and he’ll do anything to get it. A former altar boy from the infamous McReary family, Frank already has an upward slope ahead of him; but his inclusion in the budding investigative operation could throw a spanner in the works, so to speak.

 

Linda GalioneTommy's landlord and one of his many old flames. She's the type of woman you hear about in country music and procedural dramas on TV. She's a feisty young AUSA by day and an overworked desk sleeper by night. She has an uncanny eye for criminality.. except for when it's going on right under her nose.

 

Angelo Valerio - A flashy Dukes based drug dealer with connections, Angelo is a member of the old school Valerio clan; the brothers five spread out all over town with a hand on the pulse of the LC coke market. Cruising around Cerveza in flashy hoopties, Angie isn’t quite as notorious as his elders yet; but the tides of change are ever fickle.

 

Dominic Sepe - Conniving South Broker pretty boy turned mob chieftain; Sepe, nicknamed ‘The Wrench’, has been operating as a close aide to up and coming capo Nino Abruzzo for years. With a good head for business and a reputation for turning situations bloody if he has to, The Wrench has been reaching out to new, highly profitable areas in an attempt to secure some more dough. His newest source? Defrauding the Federal Government out of gasoline taxes, leaving more than a few bodies in his wake.

 

Emil Argov - South Broker's little don, an expatriate from the Leningrad underworld with a love of green, black and blue. The man known as 'Cattle Prod' for his signature weapon has dominated the growing neighborhood of Hove Beach; bolstered by his would-do consigliere Lazar Saravaisky, Lazar's protege Kuzma "Kenny" Petrovich, and infamous ex-athlete bodyguards, the Roitman Brothers (Gennady and German). If there's one value the man holds above all, it's not honor, but fear - which may come to be his very undoing.

 

Moe Schwartz Once the Lupisella Family’s cunning and quiet accountant, in recent years Schwartz has been exercising his connections to the anti-communist movement by reaching out to Russian exiles fleeing the USSR following the Jackson-Vanik amendment. But while moving emigrés into apartments and setting them up with work visas - Schwartz has noticed a pattern, and with a pattern like this comes many opportunities.

 

Max Goldstein The self styled Maximilian Goldstein is a wealthy entrepreneur and club owner expanding his vast fortunes by catering to the sleazy bridge and tunnel club goers too rough to cut it in Algonquin. His mobbed up partner Tony Spoleto is the yin to his yang – a career opportunist with his fingers just deep enough in Ancelotti operations to offer Goldstein protection. Together however their ever growing interests in gasoline bootlegging have made their already strained relationship with the Lupisella Family and their affiliates a lot more tenuous, which can only end in tears.

 

Agent Delacruz - Past his prime and with permanent bags under his eyes, FIB special agent Felipe “Phil” Delacruz is a shadow of his once-productive self. On his ass at the bureau, old Phil has noticed some potential weak links within the recently founded Nob Squad… and he plans to take advantage.

 

 

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A 28 year old Cuban expatriate who moved to America at just five years old. After finishing up a nickle bid for armed robbery, he's keen to get back in the saddle and resume a life of crime that's all he's really ever known. Reconnecting with old associates, he embarks on a journey to try and finally make something of himself as he once again begins his ascent of the underworld whilst simultaneously battling with the ghosts of his past.

 

 

Vito Accardi Danny's former prison mate and a stagnating star in the Lupisella crime family. He has recently been sent down south and tasked with expanding the family's interests into hotly contested territory. Struggling with sobriety and the pressure of bringing in the dough, he has his cigarette stained fingers in so many pies, it's only a matter of time before he gets burned.

 

Seymour Scarpetti An abominable parole officer who works at the behest of the Lupisellas, pulling strings for their associates to make their reintroduction to society as cushy and unproductive as financially possible. He assigns Danny to work under Walter Gomez – A reformed convict attempting to rebuild a community crumbling under the weight of ongoing gang activity. He opens his community centre to Danny and gladly offers him bed and board, knowing all too well the struggles of rehabilitation.

 

Buddy Earle The current reigning President of Lenapia's own Goblin's MC. Oft mistaken for a quiet and reclusive old man, his aging exterior is the outer armour of an all American Outlaw. A veteran of countless wars with a body count as high as his blood pressure, he must fight hard to stave off the advances of other one percenters from neighbouring territories, if only to save face in the eyes of his underlings.

 

Stan Vlochos Vlochos is a Lenapia based emissary for Liberty City's Volikakis Crime family. He is trying to establish a foothold in the burgeoning Methamphetamine market but has thus far been unsuccessful due to an unhinged personality and some ongoing tensions with the resident Greek Mob.

 

Johnny Morello A young mafia soldier caught right in the middle of an ongoing power struggle in the Lenapia crime family. His loyalties are fickle and he is willing to take his orders, without question, from whoever sits on the throne. Constantly tasked with maintaining the family's equally fragile alliances with other local outfits, he heads up a posse of young tough guys who just as blindly follow his lead.

 

Ritchie & RalphRicardo “Ritchie Del” Delmonte & Ralphie “The Raven” Roccaforte are two seasoned hitmen for the Lenapia Mob. They're desperate to become legitimate, conducting most of their business from a humble rowhouse-cum-restaurant in South Lenny that always seems to have traces of spilled tomato sauce on the kitchen floor. Now both in their early 40s they're becoming increasingly anxious about getting their button, especially in the company of a new hired gun.

 

Eduardo Reyes The loyal second in command of the Alderney based Cuban Mafia, he passes on the orders of his rarely seen boss. Conducting most of his operations from a humble coffee shop in Leftwood, he uses his son Eduardo Jnr. (aka "Lalo") as a buffer between him and the streets. His decades old relationship with Danny means that he affords him a certain level of intimacy, but past indiscretions have left him distrustful – for the time being at least.

 

Pawal Orlowski - A seemingly friendly face within Lenapia's striving Polish community, Paulie O’ serves fresh kielbasa out of his butcher shop – Kabanos Korner on Virginia Street. But few, including the city police department, know what happens behind the scenes; or inside the basement. While Orlowski runs a few rackets here and there, he runs a pretty tight operation… the real magic happens downstairs.

 

Caine Devlin A legendary Irish tough guy criminal who now acts as the string puller of the Lenapia based B&D Gang. His ever expanding influence is well known to be far reaching and more than a few prolific gangsters have fallen under his might. He now seeks to watch everyone crumble so he can build himself up.

 

Jimmy PegorinoThe crown prince of the lowly regarded Pegorino crime family of Alderney. He too is struggling to make a name for himself in crowded territory under the ever judgmental eye of his pugnacious father Johnny Boy. With a long list of hair brained schemes and no shortage of idiots to do his bidding, he is eager to move upwards with as little effort as possible. Although he would surely say otherwise.

 

David Forster & Lou Rollins The smug face of the DOA's Lenapia field office and his long suffering subordinate. Forster is a constant hunter of glory who has tracked smugglers from Liberty City to Colombia and back again, throughout his rather short and often illustrious career. He isn't afraid to bend the rules or steal someone's thunder, especially if it leads to another promotion. Rollins, meanwhile, has been with the Agency since its establishment. In spite of many high profile arrests however he has been held back from promotion by what he deems to be institutional racism. Often dismissed as a blow hard and a crack pot conspiracy theorist.. perhaps he knows more than he should.

 

Emilio Hernandez The Liberty City based point man for the ever powerful Colombian Cartel. “Milo” frivolously spends his vast fortune and holds a similar disregard for his personal relationships. Away from the watchful eye of his superiors he looks to turn bubbling inter-factional hostilities into an all out war for domination.

 

 

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A 23 year old native of South Bohan, Marcus has always tried to stay away from a life of crime that has constantly surrounded him. Working a dead end job until being unwittingly pulled into a position of power following a violent altercation with a rival street gang, he must juggle his desire to stay on the straight and narrow with the overpowering allure of the drug game. He will soon find out however that the game in question comes with a variety of other players. Most of them conspiring to bring about his fall.

 

 

Antoine Forge A lifelong friend to Marcus who also moonlights as an aspiring kingpin, running with like minded individuals in Upper Algonquin where he crashes with his aunt and her two kids. With dreams as big as his balls, he hopes to one day buy his way out of the ghetto and wants to take Marcus along for the ride.

 

Kelvin Mitcham Kelvin is a scrappy teenager who hangs around Marcus and Antoine almost every minute of the day. He tries to be just like the latter, no matter how much virtually everybody tries to dissuade him from doing so. Equal parts little brother and protege, he's constantly torn between two opposing forces with differing ideas of where he and their three man enterprise should go.

 

Lenny Williams A brutish crack cocaine based entrepreneur from the hellish surroundings of East Island's West Wampum neighborhood. Leonard “Big Dogg” Williams joins the gang fresh off a bid for possession with intent to sell.. and has zero intent on giving up his day job anytime soon.

 

Artie Caparole - Fortside born and bred; good old Mr. C has been serving the community since the 1960’s, a taste of Italy from his parlor on the colorful roadbend of Drop Street. But as the community changes, as new folk move in and old folk move out, Caparole is having a hard time coming to terms with the people now calling Fortside home.

 

Raul Lopez The Leader of a South Bohan hispanic gang known as “The Bohan Kings”, he and Marcus's ilk share more than a friendly rivalry. In a predominantly Puerto Rican neighborhood, he may have the numbers but Marcus and his peers will do everything in their power to make sure he doesn't play the advantage.

 

Carolina Garcia A ghetto fashionista and self professed “gangsta bitch” from around the way. She's been crushing on Marcus since high school.. or at least she would have been if she ever attended. Despite outward appearances this SoBo native is equal parts dangerous and cute. Don't underestimate her or you may just end up with a gun in your face.

 

Felix Aguero A flamboyant Cuban cocaine peddler based in East Holland. "Fe-Fe" Aguero's got connections to both the Downtown club scene and the big boys in Alderney, the perfect dichotomy for a young go-getter like Marcus who is trying to break into the competitive drug scene – whatever it takes.

 

Ernie Elardo - The introverted, money minded young capo of the Pavano’s East Holland crew; Emidio Elardo has fingers deep within the upper echelons and has always been on the shortlist for acting boss. His responsibilities now lie in caretaking: whether that’s looking after the Pavano’s heroin interests or babysitting loopy Bohan button man Robert Ferraro.

 

James Dillard - A bonafide legend among the hustlers of East Broker, Dillard is known as ‘Dr. J’ to his disciples and ‘public enemy number 1’ to the local precinct. A crack rock pioneer with his Hinterlands deep into the local drug scene, Doc J is more than just a baller; he’s a street idol. And boy, does he know it.

 

Paulie Stein A past-his-prime club impresario forced into reluctant reclusion by a misunderstanding with the IRS and an as-of yet not fully understood illness. His legacy on the line, he’s thrown a new sheen of paint on the prestigious Studio 69 with the help of long-suffering co-owner Steve Schneider, rebranding it as "Elephant". All in an attempt to get the upper hand in his ongoing rivalry with James St-Pierre, a playboy of mixed French-Canadian ancestry who now has his  'sight set' on becoming Liberty City's new king of nightlife with his flash new club "Platinum", operating just a few blocks from Elephant and the legendary Bahama Club.

 

Isaiah Jenkins - What is the drug game, but an extension of the free market? To Isaiah Jenkins, former member of Howie Fisher’s drug crew, they’re one in the same… and he wants none of it. Reformed and proud, Isiah's now living out his life in North Holland as an Islamic preacher for the ever growing Brotherhood of Muslims. Never the less he still keeps his finger on the pulse of current happenings in the underworld. He partners Marcus up with Esmail Edwards - the devout former leader of the Lenapia-based Black Mafia currently locked up on a robbery-murder rap from the seventies. Esmail knows that in order to keep things moving, you need some new talent and given his current predicament, he’s always happy for them to come knocking.

 

Cokey Robinson Just as his nickname suggests Lester “Cokey” Robinson runs a downtown empire based on the finest marching powder Star Junction's money can buy. Despite his flashy exterior he's been unable to move out of the run down projects in President's City and recently his locally based competition have been looking to give him a push.

 

Sylvester Ganzfried - A trained orthodox rabbi who's never taken the pulpit: Ganzfried has done just about every job you can think of. Presidential liaison, Liberty State Police Chaplain, bank director, and now professional mob fixer, dividing his time between Russians and Italians. The rabbi's connections stretch far, from Mossad, to The Exchange, to foreign governments, and now one of his more lucrative connections - the Cleethorpes real estate dynasty, through their eccentric heir Lyle IV and his equally eccentric lawyer Ray Rosenbaum.

 

Eloise Brown – A Los Santos native who moved to Lenapia in the late 1970s to be with her now deceased husband. After his death she inevitably inherited his assets - a multi million dollar piece of the drug market previously held by the Black Mafia. Her ability to turn a ten kilo a month industry into a coast to coast empire shows that if ever there were an example of gender equality on the streets there's none more shining than “Auntie E”. Thanks in no small part of course to loyal foot soldiers like Elmont “E-Money” Washington or the two men she refers to as her “Capital City Connection”.

 

 

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The Tri-State Area takes the stage as the game space of Greed & Grit - the world’s biggest, worst city in Liberty. The ancient, aging rust-belt town of Lenapia. And widespread, mobbed up suburbs throughout Alderney and East Island.

 

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Liberty State is a state of contrasts. No, it’s not just the city. Though it might as well be. Look eastward and see the suburbs where mobsters and spooks alike set up picket fences and let the kids play little league. Look past Bohan and see the mansions and horse tracks where the affluent make their home. Look upstate and, well… we don’t talk about Upstate.

 

LIBERTY CITY

 

Liberty City is The Worst Place in America. Ask former President Sherwin Peck who first said the quote during a speech in 1975, a quote that’s haunted the city in the years since. The crown jewel of American capitalism, the face of an empire, and the quickly crumbling de-facto capital of the United States. Five boroughs: the studded skyscrapers of Algonquin belying filth on both northern and southern ends. The brownstones of Broker where crime syndicates alike have claimed their footing. The projects of Bohan red-lined from top to bottom, the streets lined with dealers and drug addicts. The forgotten borough of Richmond Island that might as well be ‘Derney, and the suburb and parkland of Dukes. What a f*cking town.

 

It’s the place where smoke comes out the manhole covers and where everyone is batsh*t f*cking crazy. Way before the naked cowboys playing guitars in the city’s hot spot of sin in Star Junction and stage show glitz on Burlesque, it was ladies of the night playing on pervy heartstrings and amateur skin flicks being shot on crackling VHS tapes in abandoned theaters. The city houses just about every ethnicity in the world - from commies to compatrioti, Jews in flight and Colombians and Dominicans arriving en masse. Shrinking enclaves taken over - Fortside and Schottler turning darker by the day, South Broker slowly being dominated by Russians. Koreans and Albanians in Little Bay, Greeks and Moroccans in Steinway. The tides of change. Risk salmonella from street meat, get robbed in an alley by a bum in a diaper, see the beautiful Statue of Happiness decomposing in the river and giving every immigrant the finger. Enjoy the mud before the rain.

 

EAST ISLAND

 

If Richmond Island is Alderney, then East Island is… well, it’s something. Traditionally more New Hanover than New Rotterdam. There exists no better example on earth of the contrast between the haves and the have nots. A two hour drive along the Sunset Highway equates to an ascent of the property ladder, all the way to the top. It's no wonder the borough of Dukes legislated to offload some of its worst sections onto a county that has a median income ten times its own. Two story houses and tract mansions and some of the goofiest amateur architectural work only a way-too-rich wiseguy could commission. That’s some of it, anyway. Look on the Dukes border and you’ll see the ethnic enclaves - a second Chinatown in Keering, a Jamaican hotspot in Wampum, Italians in a Meso Park that’s just about middle class.

 

Keep going, though. The Carraway Peninsula slopes down Broker where beachside whites make their home - Near and Far Carraway, Hadaway, Carraway Point. A beautiful view of Wampum Bay swampland where you can see low-flying aircraft doing runs in the night, picturesque views or cement-shoed corpses washing up on the beach. Head into central East Island and it’s suburb, suburb, suburb: baroque Bloomingdale, the Hempwoods of West and East, Hunter Bay hamlets and East Beach coastlines. But the richest of Liberty’s rich live in the very east. South and East Carraway, The Carraways, the megamansions and socialites and wine parties and typical aristocracy gossip. Tuxedo dos and secrets galore. The scenic summer home of Jon Gravelli. Coastal Moheague with Lovecraftian fog and the lone lighthouse shining out onto the ocean. The perfect honeymoon. Mobsters, blue blood dynasties, a supposedly inactive military base where white vans supposedly drive in and out on the regular. When people think Liberty, they don’t usually think East Island. And that’s probably for good reason too.

 

WORCESTER COUNTY

 

A long-time reputation as the city’s gilded lily can deceive: among the idyllic suburbs and elegant homes the most scummy of criminals can be found. Gangsters, gangbangers, bankers and fools. All can be found in the city of Decker. But plenty of degeneracy and squalor can also be found in many of the county's other neighborhoods and towns. If it's fun you're looking for, why not take a ride on the roller coaster at Joyland Park or grab a Blarneys at one of the 50 Irish bars straddling Kavanagh and McCluskey. Shop 'til you drop at the Oakwood mall just off the expressway and then top it all off with a spot of golf over in Welham bay. Be on your best behavior or you might just end up doing a stretch at Whittington Correctional. It's stood since the 19th century but still houses more animals than the Worcester zoo.

 

 

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While not technically a state, it's the only city in New Sylvania that actually matters. It’s no wonder why Lenapia is called the city of independence. It is after all the place where the United States was created in 1776. They massacred all the natives but the name still stuck. Aside from being of great historical importance it’s also a city that offers its visitors lots to see and do. Whether it’s visiting the world famous Pendencia Hall, or eating your weight in cheese steak before attempting to run up the steps at the LAME without puking, the place is full of sights that’ll keep you wanting more. And plenty of others that’ll make you wish you never came. The city is chock full of ethnic enclaves. From tracksuit wearing Italians in the South to brotherly loving brothers in the West and a whole melting pot of Hispanics, Irish, Koreans, Russians and Polish in the Northeast. So you’re sure to find a fight wherever you go. If you’re not looking for trouble, then it’s best to stick to Middle City, where you can enjoy traditional eateries and markets, with virtually none of the danger. The almost 100 year old Depository Market is a source for fresh scrapple, seafood, meats and cheese. Or you can venture further south to the Italian Market off Assunpink Avenue and travel back to a time long before the advent of supermarkets, good manners or proper sanitation. If it’s calorific junk you’re looking for, then why not grab a world famous Lenny cheesesteak from the equally famous Big Miz or Philly Gee’s and become embroiled in a feud that’s been going on for almost 30 years now. Just don’t let either proprietor see you entering the other, or you may just end up being added to the menu!

 

 

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Prepare to lose yourself in the Eden State. The contorted backbone of the playable area, that, true to its name, is awash with temptation at every hand’s turn (and plenty of snakes to go with it). The serpentine appearance should be a dead giveaway but don’t be put off, as fun and adventure awaits in an area that’s so much more than a place where “people from Liberty City go to dump their trash”. Across the area’s Nine Counties there’s mountain hiking, waterfalls, nature reserves, airfields, casinos and (of course) plenty of gangs. It’s no wonder when its major cities consistently rank tops among the worst places in America. Geographically, the state is split into North and South, with some mess in the middle that nobody talks about. Thanks to a vast highway and turnpike system you’ll thankfully never have to go there, so let’s move along.

 

BARREN COUNTY

 

Aside from Bobby Baker’s Imaginarium and the Planetarium, it's all lakes and wineries. All things available elsewhere in the state. But there’s something strange going on in the southern skylands, miles from the incestual Appalachians in the rolling hills of the Piccaninnies. Some would say a bit of excitement for a county best known for vast wilderness and cricket sounds since the decline of the manufacturing industry. But the presses haven’t stopped churning out sensationalist diatribes for months. Co-ed cadavers found floating in Camp Craven in the mountain township of No Hope (colloquially No Hope, Craven Lakes). Sporadic sounds of chainsaws in the uninhabited woodlands beside McNeil’s Diner and the Pet Sematary in the pale moonlight. Haddonfield and Woodbury townships have long been on high alert over reports of a crazed slasher. Lumped on top of prom night whisperings in Sawyerville of somebody going postal with a pickaxe in the one time mining village of Strode. Until now the biggest worry had been a pack of hungry wolves straying from Del Lobos Preserve and disrupting a picnic at Myers Creek, but the ghostly goings on have now made Barren County a far less desirable place to live than it was before. If only there were somebody they could call…

 

GUERNSEY COUNTY

 

Ah, good old Guernsey County, The Gateway. Where people start on spray tans and end up with a new face, silicone titties and boxes and boxes of hair products. And that’s just the “men.” It also serves as the Gateway for things moving west. Whether that be Liberty’s trash, their outcasts or their contraband. The commercial hubs of Berchem, Acter and Alderney City and the tip of the chemical coast. It’s also home to the north east’s busiest sea port in Tudor and a plethora of gangs. You’re probably familiar with all of it by now but, given the difference in time period, things are a little different now. Before the Cuban emigres moved up and out of the neighborhood, Leftwood was where they liked to call home. The Korean influence in Alderney City is also all but non-existent and the waterfront is mostly composed of railyards and factories as opposed to the skyscrapers which appear ten or twenty years on. Some things never change though. It still also acts as the stronghold for the Lost MC and the Pegorino crime family. In fact, even more so.

 

HANSEN COUNTY

 

Serving as a stark contrast to Guernsey and Wessex Counties to the south and the absolute antithesis of much of Liberty to the east, Hansen County is one of the wealthiest counties in the United States. That’s not to say that it doesn’t house some very bad people though. From “big earners” in the mob to the migrating ethnic scourge, this is the place that people go when they want to deal with the scum but don’t want to live with them. Demographically the county, to say the least, is fairly diverse and has for years borne the weight of urban swell from surrounding areas. From Latinos at odds with the Italians in Ridgepeck to African Americans in Thurrock and growing concentrations of Asians up and down The Plateau. 

 

The north is all residential but the southern part of the county hosts several attractions that bring in people in droves from just about everywhere within a hundred mile radius. And, thanks to the Peterborough Airport, it’s also never been easier to come from beyond. From private jets chartered by cross country celebrities to coke filled jetliners chartered by intercontinental drug traffickers, many notable vessels have been known to land. The hangar space comes at a price but what’s a couple hundred G’s compared to the hassle of immigration checks. It’s no wonder the safety standards are so abysmal. A plane crash is such a badass way to die anyway right? And if you’re lucky there’s always a chance you might land in a river. They’re everywhere! Another big draw is the Riverlands Sports Complex, where you can watch the Olympians get pounded by the Wrath again and then watch the Mambas get pounded by the Olympians.. or the Pounders get pounded by the Wrath. While you’re down there, why not bet that second mortgage on a couple of ponies down at the track. There are also a number of options if you fancy a round of golf.

 

HIGHLAND COUNTY

 

Just outside Hansen County lies Highland. A county almost entirely made up of a collection of mediocre mountains and two massively sprawling state parks. It’s also the absolute furthest many Alderneyites and Libertonians are willing to go, under the illusions of “roughing it” for a vacation in the woods. Roll through in August for the Annual Dog and Pony Show or come see the freak show any other day of the year by wandering into one of the county’s many nondescript unincorporated communities. Go fishing, shoot a deer, shoot a rabbit if you want to. Take a boat out on one of the many lakes and bring it back when you realize the water smells like sewage and you don’t know how to drive. If you’re feeling really adventurous, go for a hike and spend the rest of your weekend getaway trying to find your way back where you should have stayed. If you feel like being a pussy there’s some wildlife management areas and a sunflower maze. Get lost for a couple of hours there instead and take a picture beside a kodiak bear safely trapped behind an electrified fence. Ignore the signs and feed him a burger and tell your wife how he growled at you in front of the fire with a bottle of locally sourced wine as you try in vain to get it up. Then struggle through three hours of the little ones asking “are we there yet?” as you make your way back to your desk job at The Exchange.

 

If you can actually hit a barn door with a bayonet rifle then the area is also an exceptional hunting ground. The bald eagles are “protected” but why not hit up the Willie Stroker State Forest by the Dover River Gap and bag yourself a possum, a raccoon or a fox. If you’re quick on the draw you might even fell a coyote or a bobcat. And if you’re really lucky you might even get you some beaver out there. LIBEL has the whole area dammed up so they can’t swim away. Failing that, just throw some rocks at a bog turtle and tell your friends you bow hunted a white tail and met a real life cowboy at Deldo’s City and then shot him in the ass.

 

WESSEX COUNTY

 

Just east of Barren County, sitting on the murky banks of the Puritan River is Wessex. And in this particular instance we’ve saved the worst ‘til last. There aren't many saving graces when your crown jewel is the rundown city of Stranton. A sh*thole personified by missed opportunities that’s frequently been shunned by the big BAWSAQ companies in favor of Alderney City. And a four term reigning mayor who seems determined to run it into the ground. Downtown has some promise but wander into any other area and you may not wander back out. It’s a city as segregated as any - Blacks to the West, Hispanics to the East, Jews in the South beside the airport and Italians now being relegated to the North. Outside the county’s largest city, the prospects don’t get much brighter, as the runner up Peterborough is like puking your guts up when you’ve been suffering from violent diarrhea all through the night. And what happens when you flush the chain? It washes out in East Willmington and somebody tries to bottle it up and smoke it or inject it through their veins.

 

It’s also home to Alderney’s academic acropolis. Sitting beside a cloud of perpetual smog.  Separated from Richmond Island to the east by the Overkill River. If you venture further west things do start looking up, but the once prosperous communities have now been overrun by yuppies and the college going cancerous curse. A bedroom community for insomniac hordes who make the daily commute to surrounding areas and return only to give the local sheriff’s department something to do. The long time residents have their own afflictions, from prescription drug habits to crippling gambling debts that are sure to keep the resident mobsters in polyester suits for years to come. It also has the Willmington Wetlands and the Turtlehead Zoo.


 

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  1. Ménage à Trois - A typical day on the East Coast, played out through the actions of our three protagonists. For two it's just the same old stuff - for the other, a chance at a new beginning.
  2. Stay Tuned.

 

 

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Gameplay is actually a bit of a misnomer. It's all hypothetical. What follows is basically the wordplay section. Read away and imagine. The economy, the underworld, the overall zeitgeist of the era. Before most of us were born. It might as well be Jupiter, but it's earth. In a fan fiction about a computer game. Set in a make believe world, almost 40 years ago. But stick with with it. You won't regret it. Well maybe you will but you'll need to read and find out. So suspend your disbelief and read on. This took us a while and we'd appreciate it.

 

 

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Welcome to the days of Hoganomics, where the rich get richer and the poor get more creative. Where every bodega is selling a little more than groceries and nearly every establishment is a simple facade, operating purely to mask the illegal activities in the back. Whether you’re an enterprising criminal or simply on the take, there’s always a little extra money to be made. And plenty of ways to spend it all too.

 

Racket Robberies

Why be content with simply robbing a store or walking away with a free pack of cigarettes? Why not do a little investigating and see what that simple store owner really has to hide. Call up some of your boys or go in guns blazing and take them for everything they’ve got. If mass murder isn’t your forte, sometimes all it takes is a little persuasion. Maybe you can push the guy around a little and talk him into giving you a hefty fee to leave the place intact.

 

Drug Smuggling

Dope selling is a dope’s game. Join in on the fun. Buy or sell a variety of narcotics across the three states as a way of making money - no matter how risky. Choose any number of narcotics swimming around on the streets (or the ocean) including Coke, Heroin, Weed and Methamphetamines. Drug smuggling in Greed & Grit takes a uniquely three pronged approach. Depending on the drug, you can use either Marcus or Danny to get it straight from the source. Then when it makes its way successfully to the open market you can use Tommy to pilfer the dealers and put it back on the streets. Coke and Methamphetamines are both Danny's forte but if it's Weed or Heroin you're looking to distribute, then Marcus is your man.

 

Since coke is undoubtedly king, it'll require the most heavy lifting. Once the suppliers make their drop off, you go and collect it. When it's on dry land, the other protagonist takes over and transports it to various lock ups. After this it becomes open season for all manner of stick up men and alphabet agencies. You can let it be seized by one of the other dick swingers, to the detriment of the other guys' bank accounts, or you can lift it yourself and make the moral choice between selling it on through your partners or turning it in as evidence.

 

Gambling

The numbers racket is an underworld business, at least in the big cities. In Liberty State, Lenapia, or much of Northern Alderney - your number one spots for hedging your bets are mobbed up bookies. Take a punt and pick your poison: blackjack, poker, horse races… two cockroaches crawling up a wall. If you need it, take a loan out - go big or go home (with broken kneecaps of course). You can do everything off track at a betting parlor, or you can make your way to one of many real life tracks in locations such as: East Island, Decker, Freeload, Lenapia and Apple Hill. If you want to go really big then why not take a trip down the shore to Empire City. At least if you lose it all you won't have to wander far in order to jump off the pier. The water's so polluted that you'll probably be dead before you know it. And what happens in EC, stays there forever right? Just try to avoid the other saps when you're smuggling in your drugs.

 

Market Manipulation & Gun Running

It’s a bull market, baby. The stock game is a hell of a ride. Among the coke-tipped noses of bankers on the Exchange are opportunities to make a little money on the side by spiking the football and screwing with the competition. If you want to make the big figures or sink a whole company on a coin toss then future club fed alumnus Herbert Meinster will be happy to help. Provided he takes his exorbitant cut.

 

Story characters’ll also introduce you to a mechanic where you personally help with the sale of illegal firearms. If you prefer less of a risk (financially speaking) then Biker ‘Buddy’ Earle can help you fulfil your patriotic duty with a sideline to former marines with bucket loads of guns in and out of the Middle East. Even if you lose, America wins. And that's all that matters.

 

Executive Car Service

There are a million and one yellow cabs on the streets and quite a few independents trying to crack the market as well. In the days when Zurst is just a figment of the imagination, there exists a certain clientele that need to get where they’re going in style. Who gives a f*ck if the driver has a record, half of these people do too. Whether it be trips from the airport, a low profile getaway or coked up number crunchers making a mad dash from one brokerage firm to another, ferrying the area’s more exclusive commuters can be a great little earner. Not to mention the fact that the majority of these services are controlled by the mob, so you don’t need to worry about anybody skipping out on the fare.

 

Professional Car Theft

Translation: some people who don’t want to register a car might want a car by… other means. Light fingered connections like Kelvin Mitcham and Mickey Bardi Jnr. can steal a car on request and bring it right to you and there’s certainly no shortage of seized vehicles available from impound on Tommy’s end. But what if you want to have a crack at liberating a few vehicles from their owners yourself? In East Hook, Liberty City, you might find a man by the name of "Jack the Polack" Palansky with a variety of cars that need finding across town. Kevin McCarthy of Lenapia’s B&D Crew has the inside track on any number of rides in the city and down South ‘Derney. They’re open to any takers; just find the right whip and take it. With or without obstacles or undue stress. Stay in the game long enough and you'll work your way up to a mysterious man named Kaczynski, the one issuing lists across the whole tri-state area from a warehouse in the Tudor docks.

 

Debt Collection & Bounty Hunting

Loans and bail bonds - easy money for any entrepreneur willing to get their hands a little dirty. All three protagonists have a man that has an extra-long logbook of people who need paying: Vito Accardi for Danny, Matt Lupo for Marcus, and good ol’ Mickey Gonzalez for Tommy Dwyer, despite being in the hole to various loan sharks himself. How the debts get paid? You be the judge. If they don’t have hard cash, asset forfeiture might be required: a ring, a car, some neat tech from within the debtor’s house. They should’ve known who they were lending from.

 

Alternatively, there's a pretty-much-legal way of making money from the downtrodden trying their hand at an extortionate criminal justice system i.e. catching criminals and felons trying to escape a charge. In Alderney’s flag-waving suburbs, a man named Hester will show you the way. In Alderney’s more rural areas, the sisterly duo of Trixie and Dixie are happy to hire. The choice is yours.

 

Private Security

LC is second only to the glamor of Vinewood when it comes to the power of celebrity - and like any John Lennon, you’ll always have plenty of Mark David Chapmans. Pick up work at just about any nightclub or nightlife hotspot or take jobs from a variety of high-profile entertainment agents. Whether that’s skin-industry mogul and Gambetti affiliate Enzo ‘E.Z’ Zaccaro; eccentric talent-taker Oggie Greenblatt or flamboyant fashion queen Kim Manx. You’ll be out on the street with stars and celebutantes, just watching out for those who might cause harm. The routes to being a bodyguard are slightly different for each protagonist: Marcus will become involved through Steve Schneider (who also offers him a series of exclusive celebrity-centric side missions). But the pathways for Herrera and Dwyer will be a little different. Despite Danny being a convict, security firms are more than happy to offer work to anybody who’s able to keep their cool when faced with a shank wielding psycho. Tommy’s got a badge, which in the private protection business is gold dust. Special allowances from the LCPD also mean that he’s entitled to an extra bonus for doing so. 

 

Fashion & Accessories

It’s the 80’s, and the pure coke-fueled bump of Hogan-era consumerism is being injected deep into the collective American subconscious. Buy buy buy, buy it in pretty fluorescent colors and always American; unless the Japanese alternative is a little cheaper instead. Purchase either straight from the source or from a variety of department stores like Liberty’s flagship Spender’s outlet in the Triangle, Fuhrberger's in Alderney or Wankstein & Co. in Lenapia’s Middle City. There are also many options to give your character that signature look. Whether it be moderately priced sportswear from labels like Lézard, Biella, Drongo and LS Beans or signature couture from branded stores across the tri-state area such as Didier Sachs, Santo Capra and BULL EMIC. Why not mix and match and get yourself a velour tracksuit designed by Sebastian Dix.

 

A nifty device? The Sumo Beatboy. Buy cassette tapes and listen to music on the go, tune out to the dreariness of the collapsing rust belt city you live in. Want to do some on-the-go photography or play pretend Steve Scott? Buy a photo-camera straight from Genic or a Criterion camcorder. If you prefer to stay at home, you can deck out your pad with an idiot box from the likes of Panoramic or Kakagawa and watch mind melting tosh. Hook up the latest gaming systems from AKEDO and Kaihatsu or some outdated offerings from the likes of Pixtro, Electro and Kakari and fiddle away with pixelated squares until you go square in the eyes. More on this later.

 

You can buy nifty tech, or just about anything else, from the Wallace, Deering and Company catalog, which offers a variety of mailable nick-knacks for the avarist on the go. It also contains ads for third party services such as Warstock Cache & Carry and Pegasus Lifestyle Management, with whom you can set up a line of credit linked directly into your Limit card or any number of offshore accounts. Items bought in stores and catalogues can also be given as gifts. Getting tired of banging hookers and spot a potential girlfriend? Then why not impress her with a pair of Zach Rebleux's or bottle of Chien No. 2. Her like percentage will go up, and hopefully she'll go down. Then you can go back to running the streets without her constantly blowing up your pager.

 

Asset Management

Buying a piece of any business - nightclubs, bars, car dealerships, scrap yards - are good for two things. A little bit of legitimate income, and a great lot of money laundering. To keep the charade up, however, you need to make sure a business is actually a business; which means doing the on-the-books owner a favor from time to time to keep things smooth. Troublemakers at the bar? Several troublemakers at the bar? A late delivery or a promotional detail or many-or-any tasks that need-a doing? There’s only one guy at the spot with that particular skill set, and that man is you. On top of your traditional weekly pick up you can also maximize your profits by setting up a little side racket in the back.

 

 

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From good old fashioned staples such as Drinking and Dancing to a range of fast paced adrenaline inducing sports, there are plenty of ways to flit away the boredom across the three varying states. Whether it be enclosed ball games suitable for the urban environment or open air pursuits, you’re sure to find everything you’re looking for and more. Below is a list of activities for you to partake in on your off days.. when you’re not too busy breaking the law. If you want to partake in anything that’s not listed here then you can. But honestly you’re probably better off just playing GTA IV you boring sod.

 

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Basketball

Making its triumphant return from San Andreas is the game of B-Ball. Like a certain entertainer, who can’t be named for legal reasons, you’ve waited for 16 long years to shoot your shot and here it is. While not exactly on the level of the Holton Hoops or the Penetrators, if you can find a special friend willing to let you dribble and dunk on them you can play a little one on one. And there’s no shortage of wannabe Holland Vagabonds hanging around in the hood for you to challenge either. In fact why not see if they’re looking to get a little action and stick some money down. Then when one of you takes a pounding, ask to go double or nothing. An eviction notice ain’t got nothing on losing that pride.

 

Batting Cages

Swing batter batter swiiiinngg. Baseball bats aren't just for home invasion robberies no more. So take one to the cages and have some balls shot at you quicker than you can say Alsaltacuntas. Whilst you try desperately to hit them and knock them as far as you can. Extra points if you can get them into the parking lot. Even more if you can hit some poor schmuck on the sidewalk eating a hot dog. Just don't throw your shoulder out.. you're going to need it to carry all that swag from your home invasion robberies.

 

Golf

Ah, the gentlemen’s game. Nowadays there’s so much money floating around that it's hard to tell the criminals from the conscientious. There are a staggering amount of golf courses positioned over the map ranging from public to private. But the basic mechanics are always the same. Take your time to hit it just right and perfect your stroke so that you get your hole every time. The irony being that most of your fellow golfers are men too old to even find the necessary wood. Here’s a tip - it’s the one with the big round head and the longer shaft. Some say it’s not the size of the club but the ball you’re swinging it at. Those people need to up their game of course.

 

Hunting & Fishing

So you’ve gotten out of the city, you’ve thrown the leisure suit away, you’ve bought a rifle, a fishing rod, a six pack of beers and a can of worms… Now what do you do? You go and murder some animals of course. Or at the very least take them out of their natural habitat. A man needs to eat! And none of that store bought specially prepared stuff will quite cut the mustard. Even if you’re not hungry, why not do it for sport? Gone are the days when this was a way of life but if you look around you can still turn a profit. Seek out with somebody with lax standards and you might just break even from the meat. This kielbasa is Kosher right? Suuuure. Just make sure that fish still has all its fins and scales. Looking for halal? As-salamu alaykum my friend. Make some connections in the fashion industry and you can also sell on that fur. Or hook up with a taxidermist and score a few trinkets to hang in your pad. You're hardly just going to leave that carcass there to rot now are you?

 

Mountain Biking

Everybody loves a good pedal and crank. So crank up those gears and pedal ‘til your heart gives out across some of the most treacherous terrain east of Blaine County. There are also other bikes made for urban cycling but who wants to be caught dead riding one of those? Why not dig deep into your pockets and buy an 18 speed, skinny wheeled slope slayer that costs just as much as a second hand family car. Throw on some lycra and take to the hills, where nobody can see just how stupid you look. And the best part is there’s no Snapmatic so you’ll have to bring a several hundred dollar camera that you’ll probably drop, ride back down and find somewhere to develop the film before you can blow and boast about it. Simpler times.

 

Parachuting & Skydiving

There’s nothing more exciting than jumping from a couple of thousand feet and hoping your parachute actually opens when you pull the chord. From helicopters, buildings, mountains, cliffs and bridges there are plenty of places from which to throw yourself. From none of which a person was ever meant to be thrown. The world is depressing so why not get a little bit of excitement, who cares. And if you don’t make it out.. the world is depressing.. who cares.

 

Tennis

What’s more exhilarating than two people opposite one another smacking a ball over a net with a glorified snowshoe? Well, quite a lot actually, including most of the above. If you’re that way inclined however, there are plenty of courts dotted around for you to have a go at perfecting your backswing. You probably won’t be playing in Meadows Park anytime soon professionally but there’s no reason why you can’t head over there and challenge some schmuck who thinks he ought to be, right?

 

Watersports

No.. not that kind. Although you might want to head down to Star Junction and ask for a price list. We’re talking kayaking, white water rafting, boat racing and jet skiing. Get yourself kitted out and do a spot of scuba diving if you’d like. Whether it be for your own amusement or just trying to impress some guidos down at the shore, the many rivers and oceans that surround and entangle the playable area provide the perfect environment for taking things off shore. To enjoy most of what they have to offer all you need to do is acquire a boat by whatever means, or swim if you’ve got the energy. Alternatively you can make your way to any number of boathouses and activity centres and they’ll help you on your way. Then you can steal the equipment and go exploring. Rules are for sissies, and you’re a man of the seas!

 

Volleyball

Beaches are everywhere, so get your fisting hands flexing for those bouncing balls as you dive face first into the sand. Play with yourself or play with a friend and pretend your in Chumash, rather than chest deep in dumpster surrounded by elitist scum suffering from Locust Valley Lockjaw. It's also a sure fire way to get to see women in bikinis up close and personal. So drop your trousers, check your doors, set your controller to vibrate and relive those Dead or Alive fantasies from 2003.

 

 

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In the days before the assault weapons ban, all forms of firearms are fairly easy to acquire all across the Tri-State area. Ammu-Nation is open for business all over the map and at the prices they charge their employees will easily disregard the need for a permit. In the interest of profit margins however they don't stock any imports or heavy artillery. Lucky for you there are a litany of unlicensed dealers operating all over, provided you know where to look. Whether it be potential enemies of the state within the various Chinatowns or ex soldiers offloading their national army's surplus stock, you're sure to find whatever your murderous heart desires including:

 

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It's a great time for music. As disco falls out of fashion, derivative genres such as post-disco, New Wave, Electro and Synth-pop are becoming even more popular, while the diverse and ever present genres of Smooth Jazz and Rock music are also on the up. If your skin tone's a little darker (even if it's in your own imagination) then R&B, Funk and Soul are still king but the quiet storm of Hip Hop is bubbling under and it's just about to make a grab for the crown.

 

Music not your thing? There's plenty to talk about and boy does the radio like to let people talk about it. Even if you haven't got a word of English, there's something there for everybody. Unless you don't speak a word of Spanish either.. then you're sh*t out of luck.

 

 

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The Daily Doskie with Cheryl Bowsky - In the days before mansplaining was a crime punishable by death, our wholesome host 'Cherry' Bowsky attempts to stir up a roundtable discussion about ideology and politics with Democratic City Mayor Earl Schmidt, Liberal leaning Governor Iggy Iorio and Republican Worcester County Executive Aengus O'Donnell. What could possibly go wrong? The answer is everything.

 

After being left in the lurch by longtime co-host Johnny Freeloader, Bowsky finds herself severely out of depth due to a lack of knowledge about the subject matter and her inability to mediate between three fierce rivals who engage in a game of petty mud slinging and one upmanship. After several feeble attempts to take hold of the conversation, she simply lets them have at it while she knits a sweater and bakes them some pecan pie.

 

The Open Mike with Mike Riley - Professional talkist and national treasure Michael Riley hosts a special pow wow with a focus on Religion and Morality including Eshel Schochet, Fayad Ali, Pastor Richards and a young Cris Formage. Riley also takes calls from the general public, who by and large seem to be in fear for their lives due to scaremongering and doomsday prophecies perpetuated by the panel of guests. Could Cavern of Sorrow really have sinister undertones? The women from WACOS seem to think so. One particular caller claiming to represent the Mothers of Prevention also seems overly concerned about the damage being done to her kids by the music industry but Riley cuts her off before she has a chance to articulate. Something about advisory stickers.. who cares. The industry will never go for it anyway and none of these people will ever be heard from again. Bar good old Mike of course.

 

Clay and Knight with Clay Kohler and Marianne Knight - Station bosses have teamed vitriolic veteran Clay Kohler with lysergic lefty Marianne Knight in a last ditch effort to keep him on the straight and narrow before showing him the door. Together they host a 'balanced' debate show focused on Law and Order featuring LCPD Commissioner Herbert Winters, District Attorney Rudy Kastrov, Criminal Defense Lawyer Zurial Orzoff and Avenging Angels' founder Jesus Sentenz. Kohler blames the blacks, Knight blames the school system, while the others try in vain to downplay the amount of crime in the city and the adverse effects of readily available firearms. Why not just arm the school children and get it over with eh?

 

Breakfast with Billy Borscht - Playful pandemonium with the eponymous Billy Borscht - a southern born sketch comedian with a penchant for taking cream pies to the face. He's got a supporting cast of puppets that the kids will love including: Dirty Dog, Happy Hippo, Lethargic Lion and Felicia O' Fox. Little do they realise that all of the above is a thinly veiled cover for Billy's problematic drug use and deviant sexuality. When these issues come to light, Borscht will be replaced by Martin Serious but the powers that be will soon realise that simulated sex acts perform by stuffed animals are just a drop in the ocean when faced with the sea of complaints resulting from Marty's debauchery and he will eventually be fired as well.

 

The Dick & Flo Show with Dr. Dick and Aunt Flo - Late Night Advice from clinical psychologist Richard Oppenheimer and Florence D'Angelo Michaels. Dr. Dick constantly takes a no nonsense approach to callers, trying to zero in on a problem without getting caught up in their long stories or digressions before relating it back to some deep seated issue with their mother or father (usually with sexual overtones). Michaels acts as his foil, in that she's a down to earth suburban housewife from East Island who approaches callers problems with common sense and frequently relates them back to her own sex life with her husband (who also happens to be a producer on the show).

 

In a strange twist of fate, it's revealed towards the end of the show that Oppenheimer is not a clinical psychologist at all, but veteran south Alderney broadcaster Eddie Amadeus in disguise, having apparently lost his memory in a plane crash and deeply repressed all remnants of his former self. Amadeus secures a book deal based on his 'experience' and Michaels gets her own syndicated talk show on national TV. Everyone's a winner, save for the Liberty City public, who are left to deal with the consequences of acting on the duo's tawdry advice.

 

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Lunchtime with Lazarus - Previously known as Lazarus in the Morning before a forcible name change necessitated by host Johnny Lazarus's ironic inability to get out of bed before midday. Just a few months into his new tenure and standards have already started to slip. The producers probably should have read the warning signs when Lazarus grew his hair long and started sporting a Stetson, after killing off his old persona in '71 and moving East from Los Santos. The signs became a little clearer when he started to actually drink from the bottle live on air. They thought it was all part of the gimmick I guess.

 

Offensive impressions and politically incorrect observations are all part of the act now too. It's only a matter of time before everyone realises he's just an absolute bastard who should never have been allowed on the air in the first place. Until that day comes however, just sit back, listen and prepare to be made to feel very uncomfortable. Somebody said his son is interning at a rock station in Vice City. Hopefully it's just a rumor, otherwise we're all screwed.

 

The Richard Bernstein Show - Before national syndication and a narcissistic name change, we join the patriotic powerhouse and his gaggle of like minded buddies including Jack Howitzer and Lyle Cleethorpes for a series of pre-recorded right sided rants interrupted intermittently by public backlash in order to allow the show to meet the requirements of the fairness doctrine. The longer these guys give President Hogan the reach around, the shorter they'll have to wait before it all blows over. Perhaps they'll even get their own station... or maybe their own network. Now that would be something.

 

Nattering with Chattering - Condescending claptrap with nepotistic nincompoop William Chattering III. Laugh along with Willy boy as he talks down to the public at large while simultaneously lambasting a host of celebrity guests - including satanic rocker turned talent agent Barry "Stillborn" Mickelthwaite and disgraced middleweight boxer "Hurricane" Hercule Robinson who prepares to compete for the world title fresh off a bid for allegedly murdering his wife. Tales of lizard people, the occult and pederastic orgies abound. It's all in Barry's memoir. But what happened to Herc's wife? Chattering's on a mission and he's determined to find out. Even if it means a broken jaw.

 

Talkin' Balls! with Derrick Thackery - Vague sporting talk with Footballing legend BJ Smith and Jorge Asaltacunas of The Birchwood Brawns, in association with the Liberty Sports Network. On the cusp of his career, Jorge just had a baby not too long ago with his teenage girlfriend and wants him to one day follow in his footsteps. BJ discusses his illustrious career and the pitfalls of the industry as well as hinting at what's next. They're eventually joined by up and coming dribbler Tyrone Hancock from the Liberty Penetrators as they discuss the trappings of new found super stardom including readily available women and drugs. The ballers can relate, and they sure do love to talk about it! Our pal Derrick? Not so much. He seems preoccupied with talk of players throwing games and keeps asking about the names and addresses of referees. He also seems to be in some sort of financial trouble. Wonder what's happening. He says he's flying to San Andreas soon so maybe he'll forget about it. We're sure we'll forget about him.

 

The Last Word with Vernon Vapid - Minority Talk Show aimed primarily at Blacks and Gays, ironically hosted by an old white guy. Featuring token black Congressman Jeremiah Johnson, Henry Pidgeon of the Lenapia Biweekly Gay Tribune and aging Yippie turned conspiracy theorist Monie Flowers. Whether it be engineered viruses aimed at the most marginalised in our society or black helicopters in the sky, this paranoiac trio want to make sure we all become woke to the government agenda, even if poor old Vernon can barely manage to keep his eyes open. Bless his cotton socks. But what do you expect from an old fart who named himself after a car.

 

And speaking of which...

 

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Oil prices are low, dirty money is in abundance and the US is now home to the Japanese answer to The Big Three. So simmer down and buckle up in some of the finest vehicles from all over the world. It's never been easier. And thanks to less than advantageous right-to-work laws they've never been cheaper to produce.

 

Get them while they're hot because it's only a matter of time before a wave of mergers and acquisitions and you'll be back to riding around in the gas guzzling shells produced by the terrible three once again. To find out what's for the taking, why not take a look through our comprehensive catalogue of everything on offer.

 

(FULL LIST AVAILABLE HERE)

 

Edited by The Notorious MOB
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universetwisters

I like the work put into this but honestly this doesn't seem too interesting, especially since this is like the third concept in a row that features a pre-2000s NYC and it's just overdone at this point

  • Like 2
Nefarious Money Man

Thanks for the semi-positive feedback. Rest assured though. Liberty City/NYC is only about a third of what's on offer and hypothetically about a fifth of the playable area. New Jersey/Alderney is undoubtedly the star of the show here. But we would be remiss not to mention all of the criminality that was going on in NYC at the time. Although many topics have been based on Liberty city (certainly not three in a row prior to 2000 as you claim) none have been based on the north eastern tri-state area, let alone in this timeframe. We definitely think this is a story worth telling. So hopefully you stick with it, regardless of what your motivation might be.

 

Whatever your gripe may be, I applaud you for not only reacting with a button click but actually commenting. If we post something from here on out hopefully you like it. But if you hate it let us know. Engagement is good no matter what.

Edited by Money Over Bullshit
Francesco Bonomo

I have been looking forward to this concept for quite some time. And to now see it come to life is certainly a pleasure. I love how organized it looks and how every necessary detail is written. I cannot wait to see the map! @Money Over Bullsh*t and @slimeball supreme, you two have done a great job creating this and I await to read the first mission with anticipation. It is rather inspiring. 

 

P.S. Love the direction you gave Caine Devlin and Joseph Roviri.

  • Like 1
Nefarious Money Man

Thank you for the kind words Francesco. Although an actual map may be a little ways off, we do have more information to come on the location. Alderney's 9 counties will all be detailed individually so you'll definitely be able to draw a better picture of the environment as a whole. Just didn't want to overload on information right off the bat 🙂

Liver Buster

It's nice to finally see someone do Philly, or in this case Lenapia, some justice. Really solid piece of work so far. The setting and characters, especially with how interesting they are, make me wait for more. The premise of playing as a cop is eccentric enough.

 

A quick question. By any chance, Eloise Brown might be based on Thelma Wright - a Philadelphia-based drug empress who shares an identical background? 

 

 

  • Like 1
Nefarious Money Man
17 hours ago, Claude4Catalina said:

did not expect to see this when I checked in around here to see what's new!  will be keeping an eye on this one fellas, rest assured I've got high hopes for how it will pan out!

Thanks a lot man. It's good to see you back around here too. We look forward to your continued support.

 

11 hours ago, Rebel Yell said:

It's nice to finally see someone do Philly, or in this case Lenapia, some justice. Really solid piece of work so far. The setting and characters, especially with how interesting they are, make me wait for more. The premise of playing as a cop is eccentric enough.

 

A quick question. By any chance, Eloise Brown might be based on Thelma Wright - a Philadelphia-based drug empress who shares an identical background? 

 

 

Tommy isn't exactly your traditional cop. As time goes on he'll become more and more corrupted to a point where he and his coworkers are essentially just a glorified gang. This situation was extremely prevalent in NYC in the 80s and carried right over into the 1990s before the Mollen commission came about and everything really started being brought to light. These guys are detectives too so they'll have access to the upper echelons of the underworld as opposed to simple bit players in the scene at the time.

 

And yes, you are indeed correct. Eloise Brown has her basis in Thelma Wright. We've taken a few little creative liberties but you can expect to see all of the big players at the time. The Philadelphia portion is a bit of a juxtaposition in that it will take several events from the earlier part of the decade and have them running concurrently with stuff that was actually happening. Hopefully it's not too jarring and people enjoy that type of spin.

HOW'S ANNIE?

Wonderful concept here. Can't wait to see the gameplay section expanded. Best part of any concept thread, in my opinion, is the radio stations. They can either make or break the illusion I have of the game in my head, and you've nailed it.

 

Question though. Is Leonard Williams a character ever mentioned anywhere in GTA IV? Or is he just a creative way of linking this concept back to Code of the Streets?

  • Like 1
Nefarious Money Man
18 hours ago, HOW'S ANNIE? said:

Wonderful concept here. Can't wait to see the gameplay section expanded. Best part of any concept thread, in my opinion, is the radio stations. They can either make or break the illusion I have of the game in my head, and you've nailed it.

 

Question though. Is Leonard Williams a character ever mentioned anywhere in GTA IV? Or is he just a creative way of linking this concept back to Code of the Streets?

Thanks a lot bro. More gameplay stuff will come eventually and it means a lot that you're digging the radio.

 

It wouldn't be right to say that Lenny Williams is just a way of linking back to The Code of The Streets. But to answer your question.. no he doesn't appear anywhere else. He has (or rather will have) a legacy and this, I suppose, is the first step. He seems to be a character that a few people remember so it's only right that he get a bit of further expansion.

Edited by Money Over Bullshit
The Coconut Kid

Where do you start with this?!

 

The location. I think the amount of focus on Liberty City is a bit misleading... I can see why it would appear overdone on first glance. Dig a little deeper and we've got Tommy in Stranton, Danny in Lenapia... only Marcus is an out-and-out Libertonian up there in South Bohan. I understand Tommy will move up to more prosperous corruption in Algonquin (?) and Alderney will probably become a welcome distant memory, but I reckon the location will go down all the better when you double up on the Alderney and Lenapia description -- two absolute blockbusters of organized crime that the two of you will no doubt do justice. Will there be an Atlantic City equivalent? Pine Barrens? Camden (which made the Bronx look like the Ritz?) It is well worth remembering that this is 1984, too... so you get double points in my book for being able to track down the scenery and culture as well as you have done. The fact there's enough creativity to stretch across three (?) pre-2000s threads is nothing short of amazing, and the fact you are able to tip so much knowledge into these topics while still remaining original (I mean, the place names are nothing short of genius) is crazy.

 

I haven't gone through Red Line extensively yet, but I also think it's worth saying that the Liberty in this is pretty much the perfect marriage between the Richmond Island introduced by MOB yonks ago and the newer expanded areas of Liberty that Slimeball has created. Yes, the city is probably the star -- who doesn't want to make it in Algonquin? -- but I'd wager that there would be twice the amount of new ground to cover than the original in GTAIV. It's not like you're a couple of lazy bastards serving up a do-over of the same city in a different time period...

 

Characters. Flawless. I don't know which one of you handles the naming but they all just sound so... convincing. Ernie Elardo? Hoganomics? Jack the Polack? A-grade boys, A-grade. They jump off the page as being characters true to figures who were around at the time without obviously being so, so props for that. Again, you've married GTAIV and Greed & Grit perfectly with some familiar faces without overdoing it. I've got a big appreciation for some of the choices you've gone with to model their appearances off too... not your De Niros, your Pacinos, but real mean, obscure 80s B-movie looking motherf*ckers. Look at this bloke. He makes Ray Boccino look like a saint. There are also a couple of Easter Eggs I think I have sussed... Scarpetti as a nod to Mr. Blonde's PO in Reservoir Dogs and "Lalo" is a wink toward "Lulu" from Paid in Full, probably one of my favourite scene-stealing characters in any film.

 

Anyone else reading this conflicted over which protagonist is their favourite though? I've already got more affinity towards Tommy, Danny and Marcus than the 3 from GTAV.

 

I can't argue with what How's Annie has said either... the soundtrack is spot on and went a long way to fostering the immersion when I was reading through this. I would've liked to have seen more tracks, maybe even an entire station, that nods to the early 80s garage-disco scene cultivated by Larry Levan, but you've got a couple of Paradise Garage classics dotted about the other stations and between the Jive station and Sound of Lenapia, you've got funk and soul well covered.

 

I still need to look over the features etc but I wanted to jump in with a post and give you the praise you both deserve. :^:

 

Anyway, I'll leave you fellas with a couple of questions...

 

Is there any crossover between the characters in this and Red Line? Any names we should be looking out for when you begin to post missions?

 

Will any of the police corruption cross over into Lenapia? I know NYC (and maybe the Prince of the City/cops operating with impunity kind of vibe I'm getting...) was rotten with corrupt cops, but some of the sh*t coming out of Philadelphia in the 80s was insane. Right up to the Deputy Commissioner, they were planning to fan out across precincts like they were some kind of gang. Suppose they were.

 

And have either of you watched The Deuce? I know the last season was a similar time frame, and although you're covering different facets of Liberty/NY, will it be anywhere near as filthy? (pr0n trade, peep shows, parlor wars etc?)

  • Like 2
Nefarious Money Man
9 hours ago, The Coconut Kid said:

Where do you start with this?!

 

The location. I think the amount of focus on Liberty City is a bit misleading... I can see why it would appear overdone on first glance. Dig a little deeper and we've got Tommy in Stranton, Danny in Lenapia... only Marcus is an out-and-out Libertonian up there in South Bohan. I understand Tommy will move up to more prosperous corruption in Algonquin (?) and Alderney will probably become a welcome distant memory, but I reckon the location will go down all the better when you double up on the Alderney and Lenapia description -- two absolute blockbusters of organized crime that the two of you will no doubt do justice. Will there be an Atlantic City equivalent? Pine Barrens? Camden (which made the Bronx look like the Ritz?) It is well worth remembering that this is 1984, too... so you get double points in my book for being able to track down the scenery and culture as well as you have done. The fact there's enough creativity to stretch across three (?) pre-2000s threads is nothing short of amazing, and the fact you are able to tip so much knowledge into these topics while still remaining original (I mean, the place names are nothing short of genius) is crazy.

 

I haven't gone through Red Line extensively yet, but I also think it's worth saying that the Liberty in this is pretty much the perfect marriage between the Richmond Island introduced by MOB yonks ago and the newer expanded areas of Liberty that Slimeball has created. Yes, the city is probably the star -- who doesn't want to make it in Algonquin? -- but I'd wager that there would be twice the amount of new ground to cover than the original in GTAIV. It's not like you're a couple of lazy bastards serving up a do-over of the same city in a different time period...

 

Characters. Flawless. I don't know which one of you handles the naming but they all just sound so... convincing. Ernie Elardo? Hoganomics? Jack the Polack? A-grade boys, A-grade. They jump off the page as being characters true to figures who were around at the time without obviously being so, so props for that. Again, you've married GTAIV and Greed & Grit perfectly with some familiar faces without overdoing it. I've got a big appreciation for some of the choices you've gone with to model their appearances off too... not your De Niros, your Pacinos, but real mean, obscure 80s B-movie looking motherf*ckers. Look at this bloke. He makes Ray Boccino look like a saint. There are also a couple of Easter Eggs I think I have sussed... Scarpetti as a nod to Mr. Blonde's PO in Reservoir Dogs and "Lalo" is a wink toward "Lulu" from Paid in Full, probably one of my favourite scene-stealing characters in any film.

 

Anyone else reading this conflicted over which protagonist is their favourite though? I've already got more affinity towards Tommy, Danny and Marcus than the 3 from GTAV.

 

I can't argue with what How's Annie has said either... the soundtrack is spot on and went a long way to fostering the immersion when I was reading through this. I would've liked to have seen more tracks, maybe even an entire station, that nods to the early 80s garage-disco scene cultivated by Larry Levan, but you've got a couple of Paradise Garage classics dotted about the other stations and between the Jive station and Sound of Lenapia, you've got funk and soul well covered.

 

I still need to look over the features etc but I wanted to jump in with a post and give you the praise you both deserve. :^:

 

Anyway, I'll leave you fellas with a couple of questions...

 

Is there any crossover between the characters in this and Red Line? Any names we should be looking out for when you begin to post missions?

 

Will any of the police corruption cross over into Lenapia? I know NYC (and maybe the Prince of the City/cops operating with impunity kind of vibe I'm getting...) was rotten with corrupt cops, but some of the sh*t coming out of Philadelphia in the 80s was insane. Right up to the Deputy Commissioner, they were planning to fan out across precincts like they were some kind of gang. Suppose they were.

 

And have either of you watched The Deuce? I know the last season was a similar time frame, and although you're covering different facets of Liberty/NY, will it be anywhere near as filthy? (pr0n trade, peep shows, parlor wars etc?)

Where do you even start with a reply lol. Probably best to take it point by point. Or question by question as it were.

 

I don't think the focus on Liberty City will be all that noticeable. Although it will be the focus of a good chunk of the story (which is pretty much inevitable) there'll be plenty of moving around. No one protagonist is exclusively locked to any particular area and they will all get a chance to see various parts of the map as their stories progress. Tommy will eventually be based out of Broker but his work will take him all over. By the time he gets there though you'll probably already have your fill of Alderney for a while. Just like you did with Trevor in Blaine County, if not even moreso. AC, Camden and the Pine Barrens are all going to be in there and they'll all get their time to shine. Hopefully the place names don't disappoint either.

There will be some crossovers with Red Line, but that story and this one are largely part of a different canon. In terms of Liberty City, things will be mostly the same as in GTA IV since it takes place in the same iteration (albeit 20 something years earlier) but the outside areas are unthreaded ground. There will be some differences in the neighbourhoods (in terms of designations and such) but nothing too dramatic. We won't be inserting whole new sections of the map or anything if that's what you mean.

The vast majority of characters are definitely based on real people who would have been floating around at the time. Johnny Morello is perhaps one of the more well known but Rebel Yell already pointed out one of the more obscure. That being said, there's a chance that some might be able to identify pretty much everybody. Our aim is simply to make the story as enjoyable as possible however, whether you're familiar with who certain people are based on or not.

Scarpetti is indeed a nod to Scagnetti haha and I'm honestly surprised somebody actually picked up on that. There's also a nod there to Lulu but it's not actually Lalo. Try further down 😉

Lalo is a fairly common diminutive form of Eduardo but I can see why you'd think that, with him being portrayed by the same actor and all. Paid in Full and the life of Azie Faison are actually a big influence on Marcus's character and story but there are other influences that should hopefully make him seem unique.

It's good that you're conflicted over who your favourite protagonist might be. And honestly so are we. During the inception process we kind of went back and forth with it ourselves. Some people might be drawn a little more to one in particular but I think we're both at a point now that we certainly won't be favouring anybody, that's for sure.

Music wise. House Music and Hip Hop were still pretty young. Hip Hop was still very much grounded in Funk and Electro and we steered clear of the latter in order to set the rap stations apart from Wildstyle. So what you get as a result is that Funk-Hip Hop fusion on Boogie Down and straight Electro on Zapp. House on the other hand came a bit later so people like Larry Levan and Frankie Knuckles would have been spinning records from the likes of Jive and The Vibe, Sound of Lenapia and Lips 106.

We've definitely seen The Deuce. And there will be some filth lol. One character in particular who's listed in the gameplay section should give you a window to that. There won't be any parlor wars here. But the sex industry will be very much alive and well.

 

The Tri-State area will be as sleazy a place as you can basically imagine. The Philly police won't have a particular focus given how much they feature in the NYC and Newark expys but its definitely something worth considering from a gameplay perspective. One particular plot point will have them acting less than righteously aswell.. but let's MOVE along.

 

The big law enforcement agency down there at the minute is probably the DOA but there are definitely ways to create a vibe of corruption outside of the core story for sure. From my understanding the levels of corruption in Philly at the time were still on the levels of NYPD in the 1970s i.e. extorting money from illegal operators to look the other way. We may try and work it in more blatantly (through a named character or something) if we have enough room but it has the potential to skew the story in a direction that may needlessly bloat it aswell.

I for one was really looking forward to your feedback in particular. Because every time you come through it's always absolute gold. And in this instance I must say, you definitely did not disappoint. Hopefully there's more to come in the future. But in meantime mate thank you. Hopefully this section can finally start heading back to the way it was in the past 🤞

The Coconut Kid

Can't argue with any of that! :cool:

 

This has just crossed my mind when thinking of Tommy Dwyer -- how will playing as a Narcotics detective effect how the wanted system will operate?

 

I'm imagining it will be a lot more complex because you've got the three protagonists, two of whom aren't cops, who the cops would take any opportunity to shoot at without warning anyway, and it would be easy to just switch to them when you want to go on a rampage. Have you had to tailor it to each protagonist specifically to make it work with Dwyer?

 

There was a post I made a while back where I thought flipping the wanted system -- being pursued (or held to account) by criminals rather than cops -- might work. I'm curious how you'd get around it yourselves.

  • Like 1
Nefarious Money Man

Mission-1-copy-2.png

 

The game opens on a black screen, nothing but the sound of a ticking clock permeating in the background. After a few seconds, a voice lets in.

 

"You know what I miss?"

 

The darkness turns into light. Lying in a bunk bed, in prison garb, is Wilmer Preciado. Cocky little Colombian kid with his hands behind his head.

 

"What?" another voice replies.

 

"Pussy" he says. "That's the big one, man. Poncha, bro."

 

"Yup." The camera shifts to the other guy, our protagonist, Danilo 'Danny' Herrera. In the bottom bunk wearing only his undergarments. The look on his face spells unenthusiasm.

 

"Yeah. I got a lot of it when I was outside, you know."

 

Danny chuckles. "Honestly... you don't look like the type."

 

"Ey, f*ck you," Wilmer laughs back. "Ball buster. I'm just saying, though, I aint no prison bitch or nothing. Outside it was every night, you know. Pow, pow, pow!"

 

As Wilmer speaks he becomes more and more animated, wiggling and writhing and pounding his palm with his fist. We get a close up of Danny, shaking his head and smiling, then back up to Wilmer who looks more forlorn.

 

"You know, it’s taking every fiber of my being to abstain from that sh*t. When you're getting it twenty-four-seven and suddenly you crash down to basically nothing your body has to shift. Adapt and survive hermano... adapt and survive!"

 

Wilmer leans over the side of the bunk, peering down at Danny with a look of pure intensity, clenching and rattling his fist. Whispering now, eyes rolling back in his head simulating climax. "Adapt and motherf*cking survive."

 

"Whatever, tough guy." Danny bats him away. "I haven't been f*cked since my last parole board meeting."

 

A laugh from Wilmer. "Si, man, eso es duro. Won't be long for you now anyways I'll bet. How long 'til you're out, again?"

 

Danny shrugs. "Could be today.. could be tomorrow. But soon." Danny swings his legs out and sits at the edge of the bed, clutching his crucifix pendant and kisses it before blessing himself.

 

His cellmate echoes his sentiment. "Not soon enough."

 

Young Preciado has barely finished speaking when suddenly comes the sound of truncheon rapping on door. "Alright Herrera, you're up."

 

The camera zooms in on Danny as he smiles. "Looks like today."

 

Danny grabs his crumpled county blues from the floor and throws them on, pausing for a minute to fully do up his shirt buttons before undoing them back down to his chest, once again revealing his lucky crucifix. He grabs a tattered napkin from under his pillow and sticks it in his pocket before stepping forward, through the open door, running his fingers through his hair.

 

"Okay... come at me world."

 

The world responds: the officer grabs his wrists as they fall to his side, slaps them in cuffs.

 

"I'm a free man Jerry, what's with the shackles?"

 

Jerry turns him around and violently pushes him from behind. "Not yet you ain't. Now move!"

 

As they approach the hallway, Wilmer stands there solemnly and looks through the bars.

 

"Viajes seguros, Nilo," he says. "See you on the other side."

Safe travels, Danny.

 

"Igualmente, mi amigo."

Likewise, my friend.

 

Five-feet-ten of pure Cuban fury, Danny cuts an intimidating figure as he walks through the halls. Despite being in handcuffs, his swagger is evident, shoulders steadily marching to the beat of his own drum.

 

The theme swells as he walks, constantly shadowed by the prison guard, going from the halls to the foyer as the other prisoners stand out and watch. We see him getting changed, being processed, signing paperwork, so on and so forth. Snippets of dialogue come to you - of note being a parole meeting a couple of days from now in Lenapia.

 

Almost as soon as it began, he's out at the front desk; dressed in a state-donated pair of green cargo pants, black boots, and a black t-shirt (tucked into the pants, of course). Danny stands at the desk opposite a senior prison guard wearing reading glasses and writing in a diary. Then he looks up.

 

"Something you wanna say to me Herrera?"

 

 "Yeah... where's my stuff?"

 

"Your stuff has been disposed of. You don't like the new civvies?"

 

"Nah, I mean like my possessions and sh*t."

 

The guard grabs an envelope and empties it onto the desk, then begins sorting through the contents. "One set of keys, one Akuta watch, one latex condom dated the seventh of eighty one, and one dollar seventy three cents American, in change."

 

"One seventy four."

 

"Excuse me?"

 

"One dollar and seventy four cents, American, in change... I never forget that."

 

The officer shakes the envelope, a single coin falls out and rolls onto the tabletop. "Well, would you look at that."

 

He slides a few cents from the table, sticks it in his pocket, hands over the rest. "Consider that the asshole tax. Now get him the f*ck outta here."

 

With that, two other officers yank Danny away from the desk and throw him forward towards the door.

 

Out of the gates, Danny sighs, and starts walking, his breath is clearly visible in the late winter chill. He pauses for a moment, rubbing his hands together, trying to adjust to his surroundings before walking to the left. The camera pans and we get a view of the city; Holton's feeble skyline of four-story buildings and construction sites.

 

Smash cut. He's at a payphone, a scrunched up, dirty table napkin with a number written on it in his palm. After jamming the digits into the phone (squinting occasionally), he calls - the sound of a recorded message speaks of a number no longer in use. After a call to the directory we hear the sound of a tired guido on the other end of the line.

 

"Yeah?"

 

"Vito?"

 

"Yeah, who's aksin'?"

 

"It's Danny. I'm out."

 

"Aw, sh*t!" He yawns. "Nice. Nice."

 

"You good?"

 

"Yeah, no, fine. Just... just woke up, that's all."

 

"Are you f*cking kidding me? Its two in the a-"

 

"Two in the afternoon, yeah, yeah. Whatever. You gonna be all f*cking preachy 5 minutes out the joint? I leave you alone for two years and already you've found Jesus."

 

Danny sighs. "Whatever. Asshole."

 

"Still wearing that f*cking crucifix I'll bet."

 

Silence for a few seconds. Danny looks prepped to hang up before Vito sighs.

 

"Look, it don't matter - I'm up, you're out, and I'm happy for ya'. Still in Holton?"

 

"50 feet away from the Hole as we speak."

 

"Alright, alright. Y'know, I'm f*ckin starved. I know a diner across the river, I'm further south but not too far away. Quick drive and I'm there, capiche?"

 

"Sure... you wanna give me the street at least?"

 

"Uh... The Gateway Diner, Seamouth Street. Saxonville, by Fort Cox. You got that down?"

 

"Yeah, yeah. I got it."

 

"Right on. Been a while, eh? Can't wait."

 

"Me neither man."

 

Danny is now tasked with transport. The parking lot of Holton State Correctional is empty save for a prison bus so Danny heads a few paces onto the street to find a young punk standing by his motorcycle. Danny takes initiative, jogs up on him and tests out his right. After knocking him to the ground, he uses his face as a speed bump as he cranks the bike into motion. Pausing for a moment he looks back at the guy's jacket. Another cut later we move to Danny speeding down the highway, freshly stolen jacket blowing in the wind. You're finally in control.

 

The fastest route to the diner is via the Steamboat Expressway down by the bend in the Dover River. Feel free to take in some of the sights along the byway as you first pass through the rundown locales of South Holton and out onto the open road. You'll speed down by the marshy wetlands of the Andreas Müller Memorial Park and Aupschitz Creek. After a short stretch of wilderness, you will be back in civilization, albeit about three decades behind. Take note of the dotted garages and roadside lounges where you can get cars fixed in the future or pick a fight with some southern Alderney yokels, who'll take a brown skinned male as an affront to their inbreeding. Continue further past white picket fences and American flags, half mast on manicured lawns. It's been ten years since Vietnam but this town still remembers.

 

Once you pass a rusted overpass with a sign for "Munch's Rugs" you're on the home stretch. A few hundred more meters of warehouses and disused car dealerships and you're right in the thick of it, East Coast staples such as Lenny's and Lenapia's own Kittie's & Crab's. You should probably stop to refuel and maybe put your head down but you've got somewhere to be. The diner's within pissing distance and your buddy Vito is waiting for you, it would be a shame to let him down.

 

When you pass by an insurance company called "Friends With Benefits" the waypoint for the diner comes full into view. Feel free to take a shortcut and pull off the highway. With the blip as your beacon it's hard to get lost now. Saxonville is just beyond the overpass of the Alderney Turnpike and the diner you're looking for is smack dab in the middle. Sitting in the shadow of Fort Cox, a military controlled air force base and correctional facility that makes the Hole look like a county lockup. Pull into the parking lot and find a nice little spot for your bike.

 

When you dismount your vehicle you will be given a small tutorial telling you about how you must eat every now and then to stop your health bar from depleting. Since Danny hasn't had anything since his bowl of prison grits several hours ago, you're probably going to want to order something. A cutscene takes over however before you even have a chance to contemplate what you'll have.

 

Danny enters the diner and begins looking around. A rustic wooden counter lined by red topped stools and matching booths along the left. The place is a far cry from where he's just been released. Hall & Oates glistens over the PA system. He reaches into his pocket and lights up a cigarette. Welcome to the 1980s.

 

Before long he's approached by a greeter dressed like a boiled sweet, stack of menus in hand. "Hello sir, welcome to the gateway diner, do you wish to be seated?" Her words spoken in a non rhotic southern Alderney drawl.

 

Danny snaps out of his daze "Actually.. I'm eh.. meeting somebody."

 

The waitress looks him up and down "Oh you aah?"

 

"Yeah.. I don't suppose you've seen a balding greaseball in a cheap suit?"

 

Without hesitation the waitress points him out with a sigh "Second booth on the left.. he's been here a while. He's on his third refill already."

 

Danny thanks her and proceeds towards the booth in question. There sits Vito, adorned in gold jewelry as shiny as his forehead and the aforementioned cheap suit.

 

"Hey old friend. I did ask where you were sitting but I guess I should've followed your scent."

 

Vito stands up quickly, banging the table with his leg and knocking over his coffee. He shakes the liquid from his hand and reaches for a table napkin, pulling a pile and leaving them strewn all over the table. He's clearly buzzed.

 

"Danny f*ckin' Herrera, as I live and breathe.. how the hell are ya buddy?"

 

"I've been better, but glad to be out of that dump."

 

"You've certainly looked better. Sit down.. have a seat.. what can I get ya?"

 

Danny sits down opposite, quickly followed by another waitress, this one seems less chipper than the last, but she’s slightly better looking.

 

"You're buying? In that case I'll have everything you got."

 

The waitress gives an unenthused stare while Vito sits studying the menu, oblivious.

 

"He's just kidding.. how about some bacon and eggs.. have you eaten? Of course you haven't, at least nothing decent I'll bet.. they give you breakfast before they tossed ya?"

 

Danny rolls eyes and nods. "I guess you could call it that, yeah."

 

"I'd say you could eat a nun's ass through a link fence. Bring him the special.. and another cup of coffee s'il vous plaît. You can clean this one up when you get back."

 

The waitress cracks a fake smile and hawks a loogie.

 

"One special coming right up."

 

"Look at you with them fancy words... looks like you're doing pretty well for yourself. Are you keeping clean?"

 

Vito becomes antsy and begins cleaning the table with the scattered napkins himself.

 

"Every day's a struggle man but I'm getting by. And let's just say I'm on the up. Enough about me though, what about you? Did you miss me?"

 

"Like a case of the clap."

 

Vito sticks his hand under the table and grabs Danny by the balls.

 

Danny looks him in the eye. "Can you please not do that here?"

 

Hands up, "The f*ckin' caffeine. Thought you'd be used to it by now. You wasn't turning tricks in there without old Vito there to protect you?"

 

"Come on... you know I never got down with that sh*t. I seem to remember you were the one with the line forming behind him in the showers. Or did you forget the three weeks in solitary I spent for literally saving your ass?"

 

"No... and I still appreciate it. I do. Plus, I seem to remember you were more interested in that prison guard... what was her name again... Angie Leibowitz? Her face wasn't the best but my god those tits!"

 

The waitress comes over, even more unenthused than before and places Danny's breakfast down on the table. We enter his view from first person and see that she's got some goods of her own. Unfortunately for him all he gets is a fleeting glance as she quickly walks away, clearly offended by the topic of conversation. Danny waits until she’s gotten a sufficient distance away before answering.

 

"It was Annie Leibowitz... and she was the one who took an interest in me. She wasn't the best, sure, but when a woman in uniform is giving you papaya whenever you want, you don't say no. It's a win-win. And like you said, she had nice tits. Besides, they all look the same from behind."

 

As he says this he throws the waitress another glance causing her to scowl and storm into the back.

 

"Hoho, that's the Danny Herrera I know and love. You still got her number?"

 

"For you? Nah... I lost all contact when she was carted off by the cops... turns out I wasn't the only one. They'd been watching her for months... so to speak."

 

"Well then the first order of business once you finish your breakfast is to get you laid. No doubt it's been a while."

 

"I'd much rather settle for a decent night’s sleep. I'm starting to look as bad as you."

 

"Pfft. Don't worry... that's all been taken care of... courtesy of the bank of Accardi. I'm guessing you ain't got much in the way of cash... they hit you with that asshole tax?"

 

"You bet. Anyway it's the least you could do... especially after all these years. So you're really doing well for yourself huh? You still... connected?"

 

"Actually I'm down here on sort of a special mission"

 

"You working for the feds?"

 

"No you idiot... I'm down here planting the flag. You're looking at a card carrying member of the Lupisella crime family. They've tasked me with leading up their Lenapia-South Alderney operations. About f*ckin' time too."

 

 "Card carrying member? You sure you're not working for the feds?”

 

"f*ck you.. you always did think I was full of sh*t."

 

"That's because you were. So you got your own little crew of leg breakers now or what?"

 

"You know me man... I'm a people person. I don't have a crew per se but I do have a lot of associates."

 

"Is that just a fancy way of saying you're exactly where you were when I met you? Still robbing gas stations I'll bet."

 

"Nahh... I got plenty... it's just in the process of currently working itself out. Being a lone operator just means that there's more for me... and you if you want it? Like I said I appreciate you looking out for me so I want to give something back. All I need is one good guy and we could take over this whole area."

 

"Sounds to me like you haven't changed at all. You never did tell me how you managed to swing that early release... you had a lot of people talking."

 

Vito spits. "Let 'em talk. My guys pulled a few strings on the outside. That's all you need to know."

 

"Again with the secrecy... no doubt you never even gave me a second thought... that heat you created made it very difficult for me... I had to f*ckin fight to survive. Meanwhile you're out here planting flags and sh*t."

 

"I already told you I got you buddy. I'll have you back on your feet in no time. It'll be like you never went away. Just because those bastards up North f*cked you over, that ain't me man... you need to let that sh*t go."

 

Danny sits stunned as the soundtrack changes to some Billy Ocean. His face changes too.

 

"I don't need your pity or your guilt. Matter of fact I don't need your charity either!"

 

Danny pushes his plate aside and begins to leave, only to be stopped by Vito, with a hand on his arm.

 

"Alright look, who's your PO?"

 

"Huh? I dunno some pendejo.. aren't they all?"

 

Vito scribbles a name on a napkin (seems like a habit).

 

"Well first thing's first, I'm gonna put you with my guy. Don't worry about your meeting with that other schmuck... you're gonna go see this one instead. He'll give you something cushy.. you won't have to lift a finger... then you come and work for me instead."

 

"For you? Don't you mean with you?"

 

"Of course."

 

Danny ponders the proposition for a moment before answering. "Alright... I'll give him a chance but he tries any bullsh*t and you're on your own."

 

"It'll be the best decision you ever made. Me and you, we're gonna take this world over. But right now I gotta run. There's a motel down the road. Make yourself comfortable. I'll get my guy to call you and I'll see you in a couple of days."

 

No sooner has Vito left, the waitress once again approaches the table.

 

"Your bill sir."

 

"I thought he said he took care of that."

 

"'Fraid not hunny.. guess he musta forgot. It's 15.87."

 

"All I got is a dollar..."

 

The waitress tosses him her apron.

 

"Then it looks like you're washing dishes big boy... think you can handle that?"

 

"Hijo de puta."

Son of a bitch.


 

The camera pulls out of the diner and up into the skyline, briskly moving north and zooming back in. It's a cold twilight evening in the city of Stranton. Across the street we see a beige colored Declasse Monaco parked askew, straddling the curb. We zoom in further to get a closer look.

 

The inside is filthy, littered with empty beer cans, fast food wrappers and a half empty whiskey bottle on the floor in the back. In the front seat sits Tommy Dwyer, a ten year veteran of Stranton's police department, fast asleep. He's got one arm to his side resting on the passenger seat clutching a leaking hip flask, the other resting on his lap beside a pair of binoculars. He wears a tight fitting olive colored suit dotted with crumbs, strewn open. A detective's shield hanging around his neck, sitting on the early thirties stomach pudge peeking out of his stained white shirt. 

 

He looks disheveled, like this is the closest he's come to a decent sleep in days.. only problem is, it's on duty. The radio still blares the daily news, indicating that the drop off was brisk, no doubt helped by the malt liquor dripping from the polished receptacle in his hand. The newscasters drown out his snoring but amazingly haven't woken him yet, despite being clearly audible from the street. 

 

His cover has undoubtedly already been blown. Listening to the broadcast, we get a little bit of insight into current events, courtesy of Alderney's own WANC:

 

WANC - ALDERNEY NEWS. Good evening folks, you're here with Brent Moynahan and Melissa DeLancey Rockville for a rundown of today’s top stories. 

 

Thanks Brent. Well two big stories here today, first from the world of Politics - where controversial black Liberty City congressman Jeremiah Johnson has announced his intention to run for President in the upcoming election. Just a couple of weeks ago he met with the incumbent Harold Hogan in the Capitol to welcome home a naval lieutenant, whom he termed a proud "African-American” who had been held captive in the middle east. He has famously been very vocal about civil rights and has recently been open in lending his support toward newly minted City Police Commissioner Herbert Winters, who, like Johnson himself, has vowed to be a bringer of radical change.

 

Well lets just see how that plays out shall we. A black man in the white house? As President? Not in this lifetime.

 

Stranger things have happened Brent. I bet you never thought you’d have a female co-host.. who knows, maybe the next President could be a woman. 

 

Hahaha now that would be something.. now it’s over to our man Ricky with the sport. And what a night it’s been at the Hyperbowl, where the Los Santos Pounders easily defeated the Capital City Cherokees 38-9 to bring home the prize. What can you tell us Rick?

 

What a night indeed. The Cherokees had initially been the favorites going in, but events on the field told a very different story. It was pretty much all about the Pounders, but it was 12 seconds to go in the third quarter when star running back Marcellus Anderson scored a spectacular 74 yard touchdown which effectively put the final nail in the coffin for the Cherokees. 

 

Truly amazing Rick. Let’s relive it all again: 

 

[Stadium Announcer] Crockett gives it to Anderson, sending him wide left, he has to reverse his field but… gets away for a moment and comes back into the middle at 30. 25, 20, takes out the blocker and.. THREE, TWO, ONE... TOUCHDOWN POUNDERS!!!

 

Awoken by the broadcast Tommy snorts, and jumps to attention, almost choking on the junk food and alcohol probably still lodged in his throat. He brushes himself down and wipes the drool from his mouth before picking up the binoculars and scoping out a dilapidated stash spot right across the street. Nothing. He turns down the radio and checks his watch before screwing the top back onto the hip flask and stashing it in his glove box. When he's done concealing the evidence, he looks up again. Straining, he just about manages to clock somebody leaving the spot. An emaciated young African American male. "He's got to be a dealer" he thinks, or at least should know where to find one.

 

He reaches for the binoculars before re-evaluating his approach and turning the keys in the ignition instead. Again nothing. Save for the death groan of his engine, having frozen over in the cold. He curses profusely and bangs on the steering wheel. He's going to have to follow on foot.

 

Hurried and harried he attempts to grab the necessities, but losing valuable time, he decides not to waste any more by fishing around for his pistol under the seat. He forcefully tugs on the door handle. Also defective. And then smashes it with his shoulder in order to alight. Almost falling head first onto the frosty pavement before scrambling to his feet. He slams the door closed, immediately alerting the suspect, who begins to flee. 

 

You're now thrown into gameplay, already in pursuit. The man instantly turns on his heels and sprints off Simpson Avenue through a makeshift parking lot surrounded by link fence. Our boy Tommy isn't the fittest and the sweet nectar from that hip flask is still having an effect on him, causing his vision to be shaky and blurred. In case you haven't noticed from him panting like a sweating dog, he's having trouble keeping up with his assailant, who is not only considerably younger but probably fueled by all manner of drugs. 

 

He demonstrates this almost immediately by scaling a fence at the other end of the lot. After some labored cries of "Police, stop right where you are" and such, Dwyer gives it full pelt and manages to get up and just about over, although whether or not he successfully lands on his feet is dependent on you. 

 

The perp turns right and down an alleyway between some rows of townhouses and back out onto the street, but not before knocking over some trash cans and pushing a shopping cart in your direction in order to slow you down even more. When Tommy exits the alley he stops and doubles over a minute, catching breath and wondering "where did he go?" A quick look left and right reveals that he chose the former. You're back in the game. 

 

Continue to give chase through yet another parking area, where a parking motorist will give you a leg up by accidentally knocking the assailant to the floor. This allows you to gain some ground but he's quickly back to his feet and you must slide across the hood of the car that the panicked motorist has now left completely in your way. There's a small fence at the end also, requiring you to vault. And it should be fairly obvious to you now that this is a thinly veiled tutorial designed to show you what Tommy can do.

 

Profound realisations aside, you're still in pursuit. Another vault over a railing later and you're now giving chase through a crowded park that brings you into contact with joggers, mothers wheeling strollers and right across the playing field of a heated soccer game. After knocking over an elderly woman carrying some groceries, the fleeing felon cuts through a tennis court. You can stay in pursuit or avoid it completely and try to cut him off on the other side. Whatever option you choose the outcome will be the same. He'll still evade you. 

 

He then exits the park and runs through a set of townhouses filled with some evidently like minded individuals hanging on their porch. Try to ignore their utterings of "get the f*ck out of here pig" and "leave that boy alone."

 

"He ain't done nothin'" somebody will say. Truth be told he probably hasn't but in Tommy's mind he's guilty as sin so you've got to see it through. 

 

After one final dash through a disused lot full of overgrowth and miscellaneous debris (that will trip you up by the way), you manage to cut him off. He runs left around a small red brick shed in a field bounded by Poplar and Picea Avenue, intending to make you lose sight. You manage to make up the final ground by just carrying on straight. Tommy leaps into the air like a crazed quarterback and tackles him to the dirt. He then slaps on some cuffs and pulls him to his feet amidst the backdrop of a massive wooden billboard of Mayor Glenn Beaudry. The symbolism completely lost on the jaded detective now clutching his hip from the fall. 

 

With a hand on wrist and shoulder he marches the perp over to the shed, sticks his face in the brick work and begins searching his pockets.

 

“Name and address?”

 

“f*ck you!”

 

“Is that your first or your last?”

 

“First name - f*ck, last name - your mother. And my address is eat a dick.”

 

“Charming. You blow your father with that mouth?“ he’s not amused.

 

“I'm gonna find out anyway. So you can tell me now, or down at the station.”

 

“Station? I ain't tellin' you nothin! What the hell is you doin’ back there? I ain't done sh*t!”

 

Tommy does a little more digging and pulls out a bus pass inscribed with the necessary particulars. 

 

“Oh no? Then why did you run from me Gerald?”

 

“I'm clean as a motherf*cker. Can't a black man in this city go about his business no more?”

 

“Not when his business is drug dealing.. or god only knows what.”

 

“Well you ain't find anything did you?”

 

“For all I know you could have tossed it.”

 

“Man f*ck you.. you the one coming all up on me smelling of liquor and sh*t. I should file a damn complaint.”

 

Tommy will begin to walk the suspect back to his car while reciting his rights.

 

“You're now under arrest. You don't have to say anything, but anything you do say may be given in evidence...”

 

“I gots the rights to a lawyer blah blah blah... I know the scrip' but this ain't gonna make it to court. I'ma be out by the morning, this sh*t ain't gon’ stick.” 

 

Tommy continues. “...If you cannot afford a lawyer one will be provided for you..  so am I to take it from you that you understand your rights?”

 

“Yeah, I understand, but this is some bullsh*t.  Ol’ cracka ass motherf*cker. Ya'll dudes is racist as sh*t.”

 

Others around will also start hollering their contempt as Tommy leads him down Ornus Avenue and back onto Simpson, one of West Stranton's main commercial strips. 

 

"I think it's best that you just be quiet now, for both of our sakes."

 

"Man there finna be a riot up in here. These people's bout to 1967 your ass."

 

Tommy doesn't react. He knows it's a definite possibility. He tries his best not to make any more of a scene and just keeps pushing the guy out front towards his car. When you get there however our protagonist runs into a spot of bother. Turns out the lock is busted and he can't actually open it. 

 

"Having a little trouble there officer?"

 

“Nope. Everything’s fine.”

 

“Oh really? Cause it looks to me like you in trouble.”

 

“The lock is jammed. Must be the weather... I just gotta mess around with it a bit. Don’t worry.”

 

“Man you the one worried. Old bougie ass piece of garbage.. what you need is an Albany.”

 

“That’s rich from somebody with a bus pass.”

 

“Pfft.. you know if you want, I could help you out a little.. all you gotta do is remove these cuffs.”

 

You’re now presented with a choice Comply or Refuse

 

If you comply, Gerald will pull a slim jim from his pants and open it for you, before offering up his hands for you to cuff him again. You can do so or you can put him in the car cuff free.

 

If you initially refuse you will then be given the option to do it yourself. 

 

“I got a little suttin in the leg of my pants. You can use it if you want.. no homo.”

 

Tommy pulls the bar out and looks at it before looking at Gerald. “What? you thought that was my dick before? You know how to use that sh*t?”

 

“Yeah I got it.” He clearly doesn’t.

 

“If you’d just loosen these cuffs…”

 

“I said I got it ok!”

 

“Man you gon’ wreck that sh*t, give it here.”

 

After some jiggling the lock will eventually pop, followed by a smug smile from Dwyer. 

 

“You got f*cking lucky is all.” He probably did. Either way it’s yours to keep if you ever choose to venture to the dark side and start jacking.

 

Alternatively, you have the third option to outright refuse, whereby Tommy will break the window with his elbow. Causing you to incur a post mission penalty. Whatever your choice however the outcome will ultimately be the same. The perp will be bundled into the car and Tommy will take off towards the station as the camera pulls towards the sky.


 

After an eternity of side scrolling, finally, the camera swoops down over Liberty City at night, past skyscrapers, through Middle Park, before bowing down to South Bohan, a couple storefronts off Drop Street. We get a view of cars and people passing by a little pizza place, Artie’s Pizza, before we duck inside a nearby alley.

 

Here we meet our final protagonist, Marcus Coleman, squatting down with his coworker Percy. Smoke break, though there might be a little more than nicotine in there.

 

“Aye…” Percy is mumbling. “You watch Kenny Barty?”

 

“You mean the midget?”

 

“Well they don't like being called that no more but yeah, the midget.”

 

“sh*t, sure.”

 

“Yeah, what’s your favorite? Like, of his? Out of all them Liebezwerg movies. Been wondering.”

 

“Why the f*ck you been wondering?”

 

“They’re just funny, s’all. They’re good watches. Me and the guys, we put on all those VHS tapes, we just pop ‘em in and we watch ‘em, you know? Good times.”

 

“Yeah… but you gotta watch out for them little niggas.” The camera zooms in, close up, like he’s giving a profound monologue, holding up the blunt like Yorick's skull. 

 

He exhales and passes it. “Size is misleading ‘nd sh*t, f*ckin’ jump you or somethin’ outta nowhere. Dudes play rough, y’know? Just… you don't know what they got wit’em. They hide that sh*t in they f*ckin’... midget clothes. You feel me? And don’t even get me started on they little cars. On god, I seen, like, fifteen a’ them niggas jump outta one a' them sh*ts. For real.”

 

Percy sucks deep, hisses and almost chokes.

 

“I think you mean clowns, bro.”

 

“Shiiit, man, you right. But, yo, imagine mo'f*ckin’ clown midgets..." 

 

He begins to question the semantics of his own ramblings now "Midget clowns? sh*t you know.”

 

“Yeah.. yeah, I think it’d be midget clowns. Since they’re not, like, they’re not.. well, you know.”

 

"Yeah.. yeah. Since they not..."

 

As Marcus says this, he’s interrupted. Door creaks open, and out walks Artie Caparole - surly, pockmarked pizzeria owner, currently holding two trash bags - one in each hand.

 

“Eyyy, what the f*ck? Smoke break ended 15 minutes ago. And don't think I don't know what you're up to, neither."

 

"Relax old man, we was just finishin' up…” Marcus says, throwing his butt to the curb. “It ain't about nothin’."

 

Artie places the bags down and then chest beating ensues.

 

"I may be old now, but I was young too, don't forget. Don't think I don't know about smoking doobies."

 

"Smoking doobies? The f*ck is you talking 'bout, nigga?"

 

"Alright that's enough! And I ain't one of your 'niggas', neither."

 

"You better watch what you say, Mr. Caparole. I'm finna file a complaint."

 

"I been in this community over fifty years... way before you got here. You wanna file a complaint you know exactly where the door is!"

 

And with that he slams the trash bags into the dumpster and begins walking inside. Mumbling under his breath as he goes.

 

"Complaint my ass... you're lucky I don't fire the both of ya" Shouting now. "Get back to work before I reconsider. Buncha bums." Authority well exerted, he disappears back inside.

 

Marcus sighs. "Yes massa’, whatever you say…”

 

Percy chuckles. “Y’know, Marcus, you probably should get back to work, man. You shouldn’t rile him up, either.”

 

“sh*t I was just playing.. I didn't know he was gonna come at me with 'alla that racial supremacy sh*t. If that dude had his way, me and you would be working on a chain gang.. well I would at least. I'll talk to you later dude." 

 

They give each other a handshake and Marcus heads back inside, Artie waiting impatiently, fistful of slips in hand. 

 

He calls out over a sizzling griddle, peeling one off. “Hey kid, we got a delivery. 3 Joliet street, apartment 13.”

 

“Nah, get Percy. He's got the moped. ‘Sides… my shift ended 15 minutes ago. I'm out.”

 

“Fifteen minutes ag... You came in an hour late!”

 

“Well, my bad, but that ain't the way it works..”

 

Artie’s rolling up sleeves now.

 

“Aight, man, sh*t, look, you said Joliet, right? Lucky day… it’s on my way. I’ll take the delivery.”

 

“Oh you will huh? I tell you what, just think of it as "overtime"… or payback for all the f*ckin’ money I been givin’ you for scratching your ass.”

 

Marcus salutes and he's out of there before any further ranting ensues.

 

Hop on your bike, it’s just outside, prop the pie up on the carrier and get rolling on the road. Shortcuts to the right are blocked off, yellow police tape and some roadworks that have probably been there since before you were born, so take the scenic route.

 

Late January frost coats the asphalt so it ain't an easy trip, can't go too slow or too fast or you’ll fail the mission: bike’ll topple, pizza’ll scatter all over the floor. There's a sweet spot somewhere in the middle, keep the bike going just slow enough so you can see all the bustle on the streets. Activity shines through Folsom Way, Bohan’s western Italian stronghold, bakeries side by side with taquerias as the borough goes Puerto Rican. Kids bust fire hydrants a little ways off (another immediate challenge to keeping your bike steady), hustlers eye you by dumpsters, banners and flags criss-cross between buildings. Welcome to Bohan.

 

You're hit with your first interruption crossing onto Switch Street. Riding slow, you’ll hear wheels squeak on the pavement, look to your left just in time and you'll see a shopping cart freewheel it's way out the alley, rider waving you to stop.

 

Slowing down a little, you see that it's Ridgewell. His cart is full of knick knacks: bottles, clothes, books by the dozen. Grind your foot on the pavement, careful with the pizza; “Marky! Marcus!” he’ll shout.

 

Marcus sighs. “I’m in the middle a’ something.”

 

“Enterprising as ever. Always liked that ‘bout you, Marcus, always did. Pizza route?”

 

“Yeah. Joliet.”

 

“Joliet, huh? Well, I’m just makin’ my way down myself, ova’ there…. don’t worry, ain't gon’ slow you down, ain't e’en a little.” 

 

Odd since he's been slowing you down already. “Good to keep yourself enterprisin’ these days, Marcus. Gotta keep free. Only way to keep free. Keep that money in the community.”

 

“Guess so.”

 

“Still wit’ them wops?”

 

“I mean, it's pizza.”

 

“Never liked ‘em, brother, never did. And I'll tell ya’ it goes the other way too, believe me. When I wa' back in 'Nam...”

 

Marcus cuts him short. “A buck’s a buck, man. Best I can get.”

 

Ridgewell nods, keeps nodding. “You be well, brother, you be well. Y’ever find yo’self over that way again you pay me a visit now, ya’hear? Peace and love. Peace and love, peace and love young brother.. peace and love.”

 

He’ll trail off, keep his chanting going, ride his cart back off to the alley rightward. Pick up the pace, only a little ways off now, first apartment block across the street from the dry cleaner’s. Familiar, actually

 

Pull into the marker and Marcus parks his bike, throwing glances across the street at a gang forming outside the dry cleaner’s, also riding bicycles. Well, sitting on them at least.

 

"Bohan Kings" Marcus mutters and then hoofs it up the steps to the inside.

 

The decor in the foyer is severely outdated and it smells like ammonia but don't let that dissuade you from the task at hand.

 

Apartment 13 is on the second floor, third door on the left. Ring the bell and wait. After a few seconds a little old lady answers.

 

“Oh. Uh... Yes?”

 

“Mrs…” Marcus squints at a note on the box, “Rifkind. Your pizza.”

 

“Ah. Thought I'd see Aldo. Has he...”

 

“Moved upstate. Quite some time ago actually.”

 

“Oh, that is a shame. Good to see Arthur giving you people a good shot.” 

 

She pulls a few bills out of her robe and hands them over. Marcus greets the friendly Jewish couple scoping him out from next door and goes downstairs with a tip.

 

Outside he sees the kings still hanging by the dry cleaner’s. They hurl insults and you gotta scatter. Your place is close by but you can't head home immediately because these guys are real scumbags who'll probably kick in your door. Gotta lose them before retiring.

 

Use the map to navigate the city streets in order to lose your would be attackers. If you move evasively this should be easy enough. There are about four or five of them, so even if you lose one there's a chance they may split up and pursue you on your own. The conclusion can also come a little quicker if you lead the kings into oncoming traffic or go places where they're likely to get pigeonholed or stuck. Once you've successfully lost them all you can (finally) begin to make the journey home. 

 

Once there, Marcus enters his grotty little apartment to find his mother in the kitchen. She seems oblivious to his presence but Marcus says hello. 

 

“Hey Ma.”

 

“Ahh, there you are baby, I ain’t hear you come in. Artie let you off early? I thought you was working late...”

 

“Yeah... he let me go early. Nice guy. Something smells good! What you making?”

 

“Just a little something... wanna try?”

 

The choice is yours. Either way the conversation continues.

 

“You wanna watch some TV? I’m gonna go watch my shows.”

 

“Nah I think I’m just gonna go to sleep... been a long day.”

 

Moms just carries on into the living room and begins watching the TV at high volume. Marcus is used to it. He beds down for the night.

 

Mission-Complete.png

 

Edited by The Notorious MOB
The Coconut Kid

Let me echo what FB has said -- this is a great introduction! You have managed to pull off having all three protagonists involved from the beginning, which is not an easy ask, but the way you've done it makes it look effortless.

 

Alright, so Danny first. I feel like I'm doing you a bit of a disservice with this comparison but he is reminding me of Manny Ribera in the best way. You've laid it down that he's connected, or has a knack for making connections at least, from the very start, from Wilmer in lockup (I have a feeling we'll be seeing/hearing of him later) to the contact he has in Vito when he hits the bricks. That's as far as the Manny comparisons go though because you establish quite quickly that he's been around the block and isn't afraid to argue for a better deal for himself. He's not going to work for Vito, who's about as sleazy as it gets; he's going to work with him. You sell that Cuban fury and swagger like a motherf*cker.

 

Next, Tommy. I reckon Rebel Yell is going to sh*t when he reads about this guy; seems right up his alley :pp. You seem to be going in the opposite direction of what I expected when I first clocked him -- the sloppy, full-on Bad Lieutenant vibe rather than someone who goes about his work effortlessly and without breaking a sweat. It's clear there's a system to game but I'm left with the feeling that this guy hasn't quite cracked it yet -- sweating out a hip flask in a munted car in Scranton. The way you worked in the comply or refuse was a nice touch and it makes me wonder if this is part of a broader dynamic you're going to work into the gameplay sections.

 

Lastly, Marcus. You haven't given this guy as much to do as Tommy or Danny but I think what he isn't doing speaks volumes about him. He comes across as a honest, hard-working fella and the way you work in Marcus having to lose the group of Bohan Kings on foot not only underscores this (you've emphasised lose them, not shoot them or front up to them) but also hints at a protagonist who'll use his environment to his advantage in missions and go about things a bit smarter & quietly.

 

Gotta give a shoutout to some of the place names and radio commentary you've slipped in... Aupschitz Creek genuinely made me laugh and set the tone for the grimy backdrop and I could find the humour quickly in the woman/black man in the White House jibe. If you named the ball player Crockett as a nod to Sonny Crockett's past as a footballer in Miami Vice then you're a bonafide easter bunny with that kind of easter egging. Don't think I didn't cop the nods to Blues Brothers or Do The Right Thing either... ;)

 

Great stuff both of you. Honestly, the only gripe I can find with this is that the font's so small I struggled to read it on the forums -- but that seems more like a forum stuff up than anything. If you can change it for future missions, please do.

Edited by The Coconut Kid
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  • Like 1
Nefarious Money Man

Thanks for the comments guys, glad you're enjoying it. Introducing three protagonists at once has the potential to come across choppy if not done correctly, so glad that you were both so taken in by the atmosphere that it came across naturally.

 

It's really hard to disassociate Steven Bauer from the character of Manny Ribera (despite him actually having quite a successful career for a time), and it's admittedly something we've not really shied away from. Although his connections are typically more so in sanitation than in the sanitarium, if you know what I mean. Coming from a prison environment (that probably wouldn't be far off the latter to be honest), he knows that connections are key and he and Vito have a symbiotic relationship, in that Vito needs somebody to help him out with planting his flag and Danny needs somebody just deep enough in the underworld to help him hit the ground running. It definitely goes deeper than that but that's essentially what's happening on the surface. Hopefully you caught the little nuances in there that give more of an insight into their relationship while on the inside as well.

 

As far as Tommy is concerned.. haha, yeah he's pretty sloppy. I think there's some sort of a sense there that he used to be a pretty decent cop but that's really starting to fade. Something that you've actually picked up on is that he does have a choice to be a slightly better person, and that's left largely down to the reader here. It's sort of a moral decision - what will this guy actually do if I take off his cuffs as opposed to whether or not you want to treat him like an animal from beginning to end. There's plenty of evidence there to suggest he's a slippery character but he actually ends up being fairly complicit in the end. The way he sees it he'll be out before sunrise after all.

 

Marcus isn't really the type to shoot first and ask questions later. In fact he isn't really the type to shoot at all initially. He goes to work and does his 9-to-five (in theory at least) and then goes back to his humble existence. Growing up in the ghetto though, he's also subject to all the pleasantries in life that usually come with it. He's definitely more honest than the other two but he's also relatively young by comparison too. He generally just has this really cynical outlook on life, which will probably be a major factor in how he operates from here on out. In terms of references... some were intentional. Some not. By Blues Brothers I take it you're referring to Joliet Street, which was actually one that already existed in GTA IV. The news broadcast is based firmly around real life events but Crockett was an all too easy conversion to make lol. Not saying it's actually Sonny Crockett playing for the Raiders or anything but his past as a football player would have been what inspired it, yes.

 

@The Coconut Kid. The forum has a default setting that puts the text at around 14pt. I actually knocked it up to 16 (which is the next available size) but honestly it looked a bit too big for comfort. Perhaps you should try zooming in a bit. Is this the only topic you have trouble reading the missions from? They're all set to default as far as I know.

Edited by Money Over Bullshit
  • 2 weeks later...
LowTierDude

Gotta say, this was pretty good. While I have reservations against concepts set in a Scorcese-esque/Soprano-esque New Jersey/New York City similar to those shared by universetwisters as well as direct pastiches of people and events from real life, the set-up and story seems to be heading in a very interesting direction, and as your previous concepts have proven to me, you can set characters and settings up on familiar ground and you can still write a fun, hard-boiled crime drama based on it.

 

Description-wise, definitely an improvement over Red Line in terms of readability, so to speak. It's much more informative and straight to the point, with the motivations and intents of every character as well as the underlying theme of the concept mostly clear from the get-go.

 

Interesting of you to put in a cop as one of the protagonists, would love to see how his style of gameplay, and his interactions with the other protagonists, play out for the rest of the story.

 

The prologue was pretty good as well, I kinda like how it starts off really quiet and slow, before going straight to a foot chase. It's a typical scenario in stories like these, but works really well here. Dialogue is great, as usual, with the same kind of Elmore Leonard feel as your other concepts.

 

I guess my only gripe is music, I suppose. I personally feel like The Jive, The Vibe and SOL have more-or-less the same disco/boogie format, which can get kind of repetitive after a while from the perspective of someone who might hypothetically play this concept. Perhaps you may want to consider switching SOL into a 70s-to-early-80s Jazz Funk or Jazz Fusion station similar to the soundtrack of Driver: Parallel Lines (with artists such as Donald Byrd, Roy Ayers, Tom Browne, Deodato or Lonnie Liston Smith, just to name a few) or a smooth jazz/AOR-type station, shift some of the tracks from SOL over to The Jive, and turn The Vibe into a purely soul/quiet storm station.

 

Speaking of The Jive, a song that I would probably add to it would probably be I Like What You're Doing To Me by Young & Company, since that song was super popular in the NJ dance crowd during the early 80s.

 

I would probably throw in a protopunk/early post-punk station (with tracks from bands like Suicide, Television, Iggy Pop or New York Dolls) as well, to drive that feeling of gritty early-to-mid 80s NJ/NY a little further.

 

That said, great effort on this, and I am looking forward to see how this concept gets fleshed out.

Edited by DownInTheHole
  • Like 2
slimeball supreme
11 hours ago, DownInTheHole said:

The prologue was pretty good as well, I kinda like how it starts off really quiet and slow, before going straight to a foot chase. It's a typical scenario in stories like these, but works really well here. Dialogue is great, as usual, with the same kind of Elmore Leonard feel as your other concepts.

Thanks for the high praise man, especially the comparison to Elmore Leonard. Great writer and he's always been at some level a point of inspiration for me. Which parts remind you of him do you think? Do you have a favorite book by him? I'm not quite sure why you addressed us both as your but we appreciate it

  • Like 1
LowTierDude
3 hours ago, slimeball supreme said:

why you addressed us both as your but we appreciate it

Oh, sorry man. My apologies.

 

3 hours ago, slimeball supreme said:

Which parts remind you of him do you think?

The way the characters talk to each other. It's got that similar kind of street grit to it that I get from reading Leonard's books.

 

3 hours ago, slimeball supreme said:

Do you have a favorite book by him?

I've read a bit of Rum Punch and Get Shorty, kinda liked the former a little more, mostly cause I've watched Jackie Brown. I've also watched Justified (which had great dialogue) which was apparently based on one of his short stories.

 

More of a Cormac McCarthy guy myself though.

 

Edited by DownInTheHole
  • Like 1
Nefarious Money Man
On 4/17/2020 at 10:41 AM, DownInTheHole said:

I guess my only gripe is music, I suppose. I personally feel like The Jive, The Vibe and SOL have more-or-less the same disco/boogie format, which can get kind of repetitive after a while from the perspective of someone who might hypothetically play this concept. Perhaps you may want to consider switching SOL into a 70s-to-early-80s Jazz Funk or Jazz Fusion station similar to the soundtrack of Driver: Parallel Lines (with artists such as Donald Byrd, Roy Ayers, Tom Browne, Deodato or Lonnie Liston Smith, just to name a few) or a smooth jazz/AOR-type station, shift some of the tracks from SOL over to The Jive, and turn The Vibe into a purely soul/quiet storm station.

 

Speaking of The Jive, a song that I would probably add to it would probably be I Like What You're Doing To Me by Young & Company, since that song was super popular in the NJ dance crowd during the early 80s.

 

I would probably throw in a protopunk/early post-punk station (with tracks from bands like Suicide, Television, Iggy Pop or New York Dolls) as well, to drive that feeling of gritty early-to-mid 80s NJ/NY a little further.

 

That said, great effort on this, and I am looking forward to see how this concept gets fleshed out.

Thanks for the comments. Those genres you listed would probably be a bit more contiguous to the 1970s I feel. And the fact that you quoted Driver: Parallel Lines kind of supports that. We wanted to really give the soundtrack a more modern feel in keeping with the overall vibe of the story, with most of the featured tracks being older than 5 years old. We were also somewhat conscious of not having it be too similar to the ones in the Vice City games. So instead of quiet storm and soul like VCFL, we went for a more synthesizer driven, funky brand of R&B for The Vibe. With the funk stuff we also didn't want to do any really West Coast sounding stuff like what was in San Andreas.  SOL is purely just Philly soul (or The Sound of Philadelphia as its known). Which is fairly unique in itself.. not sure if you were aware of that. At first glance it probably does look like just another generic soul station but it's not. Jazz isn't really my personal forte but there is a separate radio station exclusively dedicated to it there. Thank you for the song suggestion though. We might look at adding it to Jive in a future update.

Edited by Money Over Bullshit
LowTierDude
1 hour ago, Money Over Bullsh*t said:

SOL is purely just Philly soul (or The Sound of Philadelphia as its known). Which is fairly unique in itself.. not sure if you were aware of that

Yeah I know. Parliament, MFSB and the like.

 

 Sure there probably are some regional differences between them and regular funk, R&B and disco but in the end it all boils down to just discotheque/neighborhood cookout booty-shaking music imo, but I hear you man

Edited by DownInTheHole
  • Like 1
  • 1 month later...
Claude4Catalina

I've gotta say boys, that was a pleasant read!  you know I'm a sucker for the Scorsese vibe and the sheer amount of world building here is on par with GTA IV, I recall the first time I disembarked the Platypus as Niko and feeling overwhelmed by the amount of in game pop culture references and you've recreated that feeling perfectly!  I'm also picking up a fair hint of Carlito's Way from Danny's story so far and that is fine with me!  all in I'd call this a great pastiche of a fictional world we are all familiar with, I didn't feel at any point that it bordered on cheap parody or straight up ripped from the media scenes.  ace work guys, can't wait to see more!

  • Like 2
  • 1 month later...
Nefarious Money Man
On 5/19/2020 at 4:07 PM, Claude4Catalina said:

I've gotta say boys, that was a pleasant read!  you know I'm a sucker for the Scorsese vibe and the sheer amount of world building here is on par with GTA IV, I recall the first time I disembarked the Platypus as Niko and feeling overwhelmed by the amount of in game pop culture references and you've recreated that feeling perfectly!  I'm also picking up a fair hint of Carlito's Way from Danny's story so far and that is fine with me!  all in I'd call this a great pastiche of a fictional world we are all familiar with, I didn't feel at any point that it bordered on cheap parody or straight up ripped from the media scenes.  ace work guys, can't wait to see more!

Sorry mate.. ain't really been active lately but thanks so much for the feedback nonetheless 🙂

Edited by Money Over Bullshit
Nefarious Money Man
On 7/4/2020 at 3:39 PM, Claude4Catalina said:

that's not a problem matey, you all good?

I'm doing good mate. Just been tied up. All is good on your end I hope.

  • 2 months later...
Nefarious Money Man
On 5/19/2020 at 4:07 PM, Claude4Catalina said:

I'm also picking up a fair hint of Carlito's Way from Danny's story so far and that is fine with me!  all in I'd call this a great pastiche of a fictional world we are all familiar with, I didn't feel at any point that it bordered on cheap parody or straight up ripped from the media scenes.  ace work guys, can't wait to see more!

I actually just recently re-watched Carlito's Way and its not so spectacular prequel recently and this comment came to mind. I didn't really consider it before - as in the similarities weren't that clear to me, but I guess they are quite similar in ways. Both are Latino gangsters who come back into the fray after spending years on the inside. In CW there's a lot attached to this. The new players on the scene, the loss of respect etc. And while I don't think Danny would have been anywhere near on the level of Carlito Brigante, I think there could be potential there to explore some of those aspects. Danny's still got some friends, but how does he adjust to the outside and the ever changing underworld now as he starts out on a journey that people like Carlito would have taken before? Food for thought, if nothing else. So thanks for getting me thinking mate 😊

  • 3 months later...

Hey Money Over Bullsh*t, I love everything about your story-writings and I respect and appriciate the time you put in this, very well. Also can you maybe tell who the Johnny Morello picture is the young guy, he looks Italian to me. Thanks.

  • Like 1

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