Real-life texture sources and references used in GTA San Andreas

[Mehaniq]

Temple Pay'n'Spray banner "Auto partS" I found on Melviny's Auto partS on 7833 S Central Ave, Los Angeles. Garage has 2 banners and true banner is left.

garag3_lawn.txd - sprysig1
from gta3.img

 

 

New banner design in 2015:

 

 

[Soxter]

Congratulations man! You've must put uncountable hours on your research

[CynicalMexican]

What's really interesting is that the majority of these businesses are literally photoshopped versions of real businesses. Only starting with LCS did it seem that R* just created these signs from scratch.

[Mehaniq]

Las Venturas Fire Station #3 on Redsands West originally is Las Vegas Fire Station #3 on 2645 W Washington Ave, Las Vegas

Funnily enough, in San Andreas, there are stable parking spaces in front of the garages for drivers, although there are plenty of "no parking" signs. The texture of the second of the four gates is repeated on all gates in the game. Number on sign changed from 2645 to 6254

 

vgnfirestat.txd from gta3.img

images:
vegasfiredept1_256
vgnfirestat1_256

 

Google Street View since 2007:

 

 

2019: Sign been removed and new building starts

 

 

Old photo:

 

 

Sources:
https://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMAD0J_Safe_Place_Haven_Fire_Station_Number_3_Las_Vegas_NV

 

 

[squidiskool]

 

Wow! I congratulate you for putting TONS of hard work into this.

 

 

On 8/4/2021 at 5:48 PM, Mehaniq said:

1981: Very old design

 

Interesting to see what adult shops were like back in the 1980s...

 

[Mehaniq]

El Senor Taco from East Los Santos we can see on 1517 E Florence Ave, Los Angeles. Texture contains unused drinking water vending machine image which is nowhere involved in the game, but we can see a small part of it under the canopy of this institution. For some reason, the color of the text does not match what we see in the game texture. And I was also looking for the front door to this building, but it was not there.

gangblok1_lae2.txd - tacostand1_LAe
from gta3.img

 

 

Redesign since 2009: New banners and fonts

 

 

2020: New design and color

 

 

Amateur photos:

 

 

 

 

[Duhillestpunk]

On 8/12/2021 at 11:00 AM, CynicalMexican said:

What's really interesting is that the majority of these businesses are literally photoshopped versions of real businesses. Only starting with LCS did it seem that R* just created these signs from scratch.

Ikr?

[Mehaniq]

A group of lost stores from whole Los Santos we most likely won't see. But I know where they are and I have only two old photos from the Internet where you can see them.

1. Zapateria Sorid (Zapateria Doris) on 221 W 8th St, Los Angeles

2. Will's Snack Shop (Bill's Snack Shop) presumably on 225 W 8th St, Los Angeles
3. Manchap bldg. (Chapman bldg.) Botanica El Buda on 225 W 8th St, Los Angeles

 

civic06_lan.txd

civic07_lan.txd
downtown1_las.txd
gymblok2_lae2.txd

lashops1_las2.txd

melrose11_lawn.txd
melrose19_lawn.txd

mainlcawn.txd

from gta3.img

 

Images:

downtsign11_LA (Zapateria)
downtsign2_LA (Will's Snack Shop and Manchap bldg. Botanica)

Will's Snack Shop has 2 different variations of banner: with address and without.

 

 

In-game screenshots:

 

Real life building where these shops were located:

 

Old photos during which these shops still existed:

[Rhoda]

This is incredible.

[CynicalMexican]

You even found the illusive "Will's Snack Shop"! Mate you are a f*cking legend.

 

EDIT: What's really interesting is that the photo reference for these businesses is from the 2002-2004 time period, not 1992. 

 

I wonder if the GTA SA remaster will feature much different businesses. Depending on whether R* still has the hi-res versions of these textures. I'm super curious.

Edited August 16, 2021 by CynicalMexican

[Mehaniq]

3 hours ago, CynicalMexican said:

You even found the illusive "Will's Snack Shop"! Mate you are a f*cking legend.

 

EDIT: What's really interesting is that the photo reference for these businesses is from the 2002-2004 time period, not 1992. 

 

I wonder if the GTA SA remaster will feature much different businesses. Depending on whether R* still has the hi-res versions of these textures. I'm super curious.

If you seriously do your research, I am sure that you can find many errors regarding the relevance of textures, so I resigned myself to the fact that despite the events of the game in 1992, we still see cities in the state of 2002-2004. I did not notice too gross mistakes, but if I had the opportunity to see the Street view of Google in 1992, I would get a completely different image of cities.

Regarding the remaster, I believe that the original photographs with a lower level of compression can be used (if they are preserved to this day). Or similar signs will be professionally drawn manually by an expensive designer, because even I can repeat many of them using Photoshop, overlay layers and fonts, of which there are a lot to choose from these days, unlike in 2004, when even Google panoramas did not exist.

[Mehaniq]

There is another jewelry store on South Broadway, also called Guadalajara. His display case is often found in Los Santos in many many many different places. And also in the game there is an unused texture with one of the signs of this store, which is hidden in the space above the entrance to the inside. 714 S. Broadway, Los Angeles

 

sunrise09_lawn.txd

beafron2_law2.txd

mainlcawn.txd - downtsign3_LA (banner)

 

sunset04_law2.txd

melrose11_lawn.txd

melrose19_lawn.txd

melrose03_lawn.txd

lngblok_lae2.txd

lashops1_las2.txd

lashops1b_las2.txd

lanbloka.txd

mainlcawn.txd

lanblokb2.txd

ebeachcineblok.txd

downtown3_las.txd

civic03_lan.txd

civic06_lan.txd
lanblokb.txd - downtshop2_LAn (store front)

 

from gta3.img

 

 

Edited August 16, 2021 by Mehaniq

[Mehaniq]

Garden Equipment N&P on Las Colinas with number 555-0079 including small advertisement on Willowfield originally located on 4460 W. Imperial Hwy. Inglewood and has overturned logo with J&N Garden Equipment name and number (213)671-0079

eastshops1_lae.txd - gardenshop1LAe (shop)

wasteland_las2.txd - ja_sgcombo3 (small sign)

from gta3.img

 

 

Building removes between 2012 and 2015:

 

 

Amateur photo:

 

 

 

Edited August 16, 2021 by Mehaniq

[Mehaniq]

 

[Mehaniq]

Tony's liquor I found on 5707 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles and also brown brick wall with few bricks painted in white been used in Idlewood and Willowfield on 2 Tony's Liquor shops, Liquor and Deli shop and Ammu-Nation

 

idlewood3_lae.txd
lashops93_las2.txd - sanpedton5 (banner)

idlewood3_lae.txd

lashops93_las2.txd
idlewood6_lae.txd
lasraodnshops.txd - sanpedton1 (brick wall)

from gta3.img

 

 

Screenshots since 2008:

 

 

New wall and banner:

 

 

Brick wall matching:

 

Amateur photo at night:

 

 

 

[Mehaniq]

 

[squidiskool]

On 8/23/2021 at 4:29 AM, Mehaniq said:

 

[Mehaniq]

East Los Santos Garcia's Discount sign I found on 8876 S Central Ave, Los Angeles but only in 2007 we can see it here. 

eastls1_lae2.txd
furniture_lae2.txd

image: comptsign1_LAe
from gta3.img

 

Google Street View:

 

[Mehaniq]

 

[Mehaniq]

Bleecker Bob's Golden Oldies shop from Market zone must be placed on 7555 1/2 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles but it closes on March, 2000 and I dont know where are texture photo from because GTA San Andreas content for textures shoots between 2002-2004 (as I know between Vice City Release and San Andreas release). I found only one bad quality photo with this store front.

melrose11_lawn.txd - melrshop07_LAwN (windows and door)

melrose11_lawn.txd - melrsign07_LA (clock)
melrose15_lawn.txd - 2winsmel_lawn (only windows)

from gta3.img

 

Photo from original store when it exists at unknown year:

 

Google Street View with another shop on this address:

 

 

 

[Mehaniq]

 

[Mehaniq]

I have reviewed so many electronics stores in different areas of Los Angeles and have already lost hope that I can find it. But yesterday I was accidentally lucky and managed to do it! On address 759 S Broadway, Los Angeles

Txd's:
downtown3_las.txd

lanbloka.txd

lngblok_lae2.txd

melrose03_lawn.txd

melrose11_lawn.txd

sunrise09_lawn.txd

sunset04_law2.txd

image:
downtshop3_LAn
from gta3.img

I think starts from 2008 this shop never exists at this place but some of advertisement inscriptions we can see in 2009 when shutter is open.
Street View Screenshots:

 

Repainted between 2009-2011:

 

[Mehaniq]

Diamond Specialists from East Los Santos and Jefferson is Leon Diamond Specialists on 3116 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles

image: gangsign1_LAe

Txds:
eastbeach2a_lae2.txd
jeffers5a_lae.txd
from gta3.img

 

 

Google Street View:
 

 

Closed in 2009-2011:

 

 

Internet photos:

 

Edited September 11, 2021 by Mehaniq

[Mehaniq]

 

[wadieXkiller]

That's impressive!

Well done guys, good researches!

[Mehaniq]

The Beaumont Company from Commerce, Los Santos advertisement board is a Real Estate Property Management company from Los Angeles. Last 4 digits in phone number is identical. (9761)

Website: https://www.beaumontco.com/

The lawyers of this company could sue for the use of their logo, which is probably patented.

lanblokb.txd - forleasesign
from gta3.img

 

 

Edited September 17, 2021 by Mehaniq

[Mehaniq]

 

[CynicalMexican]

Kind of a random note, but now that the GTA Trilogy is becoming a reality, I'm curious to see what the textures will look like.

 

Here's hoping we get these original textures in HD resolution, but as @Mehaniq pointed out, R* likely took a lot of these texture sources without consent (irony), and in fact, some textures in GTA 3 and Vice City re-releases in 2011 were edited because of this.

 

So, we may get completely different textures for these re releases. Rockstar didn't start making original business textures until GTA 4.

[Mehaniq]

On 10/1/2021 at 1:12 AM, CynicalMexican said:

Kind of a random note, but now that the GTA Trilogy is becoming a reality, I'm curious to see what the textures will look like.

 

Here's hoping we get these original textures in HD resolution, but as @Mehaniq pointed out, R* likely took a lot of these texture sources without consent (irony), and in fact, some textures in GTA 3 and Vice City re-releases in 2011 were edited because of this.

 

So, we may get completely different textures for these re releases. Rockstar didn't start making original business textures until GTA 4.

I have several options for the development of events.

1. Rockstar uses source material from those photos that were taken in 2002-2004, but will not use texture compression and, if necessary, use automatic machine increase in quality. The problematic textures will be redone at all so as not to expose the game to the risks of the likelihood of getting a lawsuit from the owner of establishments and shops.

2. Using a good experience with creating textures for shops and buildings in GTA5 - Rockstar will hire experienced artists who will create completely new textures based on the old ones from the original game, but in very good quality and fixing any problem areas that would put the game at risk given that, that it is now 2021 and already many people have access to the Internet to see violations. And in 2004, the game was bought on CDs and no one could have imagined that there are real stores in the game, with the exception of those who lived in Los Angeles at that time.

3. Nothing will change except for improving the quality of textures and effects inside the game. The textures will be the same, but increased in size. The stores will have the same names. Only those logos that clearly infringe copyright and patent will be removed. For example such as Vigo, Sigue, etc

It will not work to make new, better photos for textures, because for a game about 1992 it was outrageous to show Los Angeles in 2004, but many buildings in 2004 existed in 1992, but from 2010 to 2020 the city has changed a lot and we can no longer restore what we need view

[Mehaniq]

Pik'N'Go market from Jefferson, Market, Vinewood (LS) and Redsands West (LV) is a real Pic N' Go Market on 2610 San Pedro St, Los Angeles:

Shop Sign - gangsign4_LAe

barrio1_lae2.txd
furniture_lae2.txd
glenpark1_lae.txd
jeffers5a_lae.txd
melrose05_lawn.txd
vegasbuild.txd
vgsespras.txd

Store front - gangshop12_LAe

barrio1_lae2.txd
eastbeach2a_lae2.txd
furniture_lae2.txd
melrose05_lawn.txd

from gta3.img

Real life screenshots from Google street view:

Edited October 16, 2021 by Mehaniq