Modern Past Posted December 20, 2020 Share Posted December 20, 2020 I feel like most people don't even think about how much Alderney is like New Jersey. That is what it's based off right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingzy Posted December 20, 2020 Share Posted December 20, 2020 Definitely, the whole Mafia culture in the area also makes the Jersey influence pretty obvious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zello Posted December 20, 2020 Share Posted December 20, 2020 New Jersey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiejoearmstrong8 Posted December 20, 2020 Share Posted December 20, 2020 (edited) It is, it's based on a mixture of different towns in the part of New Jersey that borders NYC. Jersey (the place New Jersey is named after) is one of the UK's Channel Islands, Alderney is another, hence the choice of name. The different towns/areas are a bit more mixed up and not in the correct geographical postions that correspond to the real life areas as much as the areas in the boroughs of Liberty City are, but it's still possible to tell which ones are based on or influenced by which NJ ones. This list from the GTA wiki seems very accurate: Westdyke (Weehawken) Leftwood (Englewood and Westwood) Alderney City (Jersey City, Newark and Trenton) Berchem (Hoboken, North Bergen) Acter (Kearny, East Newark) Normandy (Bayonne) Tudor (Elizabeth) Port Tudor (Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal) Acter Industrial Park (Industrial District of South Kearny) This also includes a lot of buildings and landmarks based on real life New Jersey ones. For example Plumbers Skyway is based on Pulaski Skyway, the derelict bridge is based on Dock Bridge, the Booth Tunnel is based on the Lincoln Tunnel, the small Portuguese area is based on a real area with a high Portuguese population called The Ironbound, most of the tall buildings in Alderney City are based on real ones. And an interesting one, "Honkers" is based on the real life New Jersey strip club that was used as the "Bada Bing" in The Sopranos. So yeah it's just like everywhere else on the map in this respect. I find it fun to look up different areas that areas in the game are based on using google images or google maps and see how much they look like the game, it's amazing how close to real life some of them look. Edited December 20, 2020 by billiejoearmstrong8 universetwisters, Yinepi, Zello and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
universetwisters Posted December 20, 2020 Share Posted December 20, 2020 Hell no alderney is clearly based on bejing f*ckin liars Zello 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Americana Posted December 20, 2020 Share Posted December 20, 2020 Alderney is based on East Egg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiejoearmstrong8 Posted December 20, 2020 Share Posted December 20, 2020 (edited) Another fun little fact is it seems up to a certain point in development they were planning to name it after the second largest Channel Island behind Jersey and call it Guernsey or New Guernsey (rather than the third largest and less similar sounding Alderney). This is evidenced by a couple of times in cutscenes where a character refers to it as Guernsey (eg Jimmy Pegorino: "We ain't a real family to them - just a bunch of Guernsey goombas"), must've been ones recorded early on. I guess they decided it was too obvious - with place names it often seems that they could've picked a closer one to the real name but chose not to, I think they like to make sure it doesn't just sound like a list of obvious spoof names. Like even if they didn't want to called it Guernsey or New Guernsey I'm sure they considered at least calling it New Alderney, must've been a deliberate choice not to. Edited December 20, 2020 by billiejoearmstrong8 Yinepi 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance Mayhem Posted December 21, 2020 Share Posted December 21, 2020 17 hours ago, universetwisters said: Hell no alderney is clearly based on bejing f*ckin liars No, that'd be the real-life Rhode Island. I've driven there, and I didn't have to cross a bridge or take a ferry. Bunch of mendacious isolationists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
universetwisters Posted December 21, 2020 Share Posted December 21, 2020 4 hours ago, Lance Mayhem said: No, that'd be the real-life Rhode Island. I've driven there, and I didn't have to cross a bridge or take a ferry. Bunch of mendacious isolationists. Wtf don’t say that about where they film family guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Americana Posted December 21, 2020 Share Posted December 21, 2020 On 12/20/2020 at 7:23 PM, billiejoearmstrong8 said: I guess they decided it was too obvious - with place names it often seems that they could've picked a closer one to the real name but chose not to, I think they like to make sure it doesn't just sound like a list of obvious spoof names. Like even if they didn't want to called it Guernsey or New Guernsey I'm sure they considered at least calling it New Alderney, must've been a deliberate choice not to. Yes, which is interesting, as in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas they didn't have problems with leaving Los in Los Santos, San in San Fierro and Las in Las Venturas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiejoearmstrong8 Posted December 21, 2020 Share Posted December 21, 2020 Just now, Americana said: Yes, which is interesting, as in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas they didn't have problems with leaving Los in Los Santos, San in San Fierro and Las in Las Venturas. True! I guess they just kind of try to balance it so that the names aren't too obvious overall with some more obvious and others less obvious. I think they don't want it to feel like a knock off of the real thing, but their own legitimate city just heavily influenced by the real thing, so they pick the names and design it with it not just being a straight up spoof in mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance Mayhem Posted December 21, 2020 Share Posted December 21, 2020 This brings something to mind that probably isn't worthy of its own thread, so I'll put it here. Obviously, the real names of nations appear in-game, but how do you feel about the inclusion of real-life state and city names? Immersion-breaking, or making it seem more real? (I refer to Niko telling Eddie he's from Florida, and some songs on the radio that mention states or cities.) I'm okay with it, but maybe some of you feel otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiejoearmstrong8 Posted December 22, 2020 Share Posted December 22, 2020 (edited) 9 hours ago, Lance Mayhem said: This brings something to mind that probably isn't worthy of its own thread, so I'll put it here. Obviously, the real names of nations appear in-game, but how do you feel about the inclusion of real-life state and city names? Immersion-breaking, or making it seem more real? (I refer to Niko telling Eddie he's from Florida, and some songs on the radio that mention states or cities.) I'm okay with it, but maybe some of you feel otherwise. It doesn't bother me either. If they had to stick strictly to only GTA names for everything it would only be limiting. Having it be a mix where it's mostly GTA names but a few real life references thrown in means when there are unavoidable real life references (eg on the radio in songs or with celebrity DJs as themselves) it isn't awkward or a problem. Just like the city designs, they're extremely influenced by real life but they retain the freedom to get creative and do whatever they want with the real life inspirations rather than being tied to just trying to replicate places exactly. Somewhere between made up and real works best for it. Edited December 22, 2020 by billiejoearmstrong8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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