Yqu Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/ might be a lil offtopic, but amazing blog, OG dev sharing his stories and info about older games development KogaClaws, Krymefull, Ivan1997GTA and 14 others 15 1 1 Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoslice Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 27 minutes ago, fraudmaster said: https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/ might be a lil offtopic, but amazing blog, OG dev sharing his stories and info about older games development Pretty rad mate. Nice fun tidbit about the moon sizes changing https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/why-does-moon-change-size-when-you.html Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072268236 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexiture Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 22 minutes ago, neoslice said: Pretty rad mate. Nice fun tidbit about the moon sizes changing https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/why-does-moon-change-size-when-you.html fanfiction neoslice, REVENGE777, DeeJayRaccoon and 2 others 1 2 2 Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072268247 Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhostFR Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 23 minutes ago, neoslice said: Pretty rad mate. Nice fun tidbit about the moon sizes changing https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/why-does-moon-change-size-when-you.html I'm sad that there is no SA related stuff for now. I would read/watch any making of SA or developer notes sanjay3207 and REVENGE777 2 Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072268249 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jakub1904 Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 16 minutes ago, Lexiture said: fanfiction No, it is not. https://twitter.com/ObbeVermeij/status/1723424031808839801 Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072268261 Share on other sites More sharing options...
REVENGE777 Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 3 minutes ago, Jakub1904 said: No, it is not. https://twitter.com/ObbeVermeij/status/1723424031808839801 Thank you bro, idk what dude is on about. Read the whole blog and it all seems solid walio674 and Lexiture 1 1 Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072268264 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spider-Vice Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 (edited) 37 minutes ago, Lexiture said: fanfiction You're being cringed at but there are some indicators this might not be real - at least not written by the real person. The Twitter account doesn't have any current Rockstar employees following it like many other ex-devs do (Obbe was a director of tech not some random dev) (edit: I checked and there's a couple now, but when it first came out there was none and the account is from 2019...), his writing is off and not like the one you can find on his LinkedIn, he didn't advertise that there, the name of the blog is very leaky-sounding ("insiderockstarnorth") and I've heard a lot of the info in the blog is taken from the NoClip documentary about DMA Design in which he was interviewed. Even if it's legitimate it's a lot of cool insight but nothing that's applicable to anything recent lmao. He quit R* in 2009. Edited November 20, 2023 by Spider-Vice bahraini_carguy, AllData, Xane_MM and 3 others 5 1 Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072268272 Share on other sites More sharing options...
The-Ghost Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 1 minute ago, Spider-Vice said: You're being cringed at but there are some indicators this might not be real - at least not written by the real person. The Twitter account doesn't have any current Rockstar employees following it like many other ex-devs do (Obbe was a director of tech not some random dev), his writing is off and not like the one you can find on his LinkedIn, he didn't advertise that there, the name of the blog is very leaky-sounding ("insiderockstarnorth") and I've heard a lot of the info in the blog is taken from the NoClip documentary about DMA Design in which he was interviewed. Even if it's legitimate it's a lot of cool insight but nothing that's applicable to anything recent lmao. He quit R* in 2009. I initially didn't think much of it but now I am thinking there'd be no way a dev would just randomly talk about the games like this, it's not very "Rockstar" like. Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072268275 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 I haven't read it all but the Agent stuff is all stuff that's out there already I think. It feels like it's a lot of stuff that's been mentioned and talked about here and there over the years but just rephrased by this guy. Could be wrong but yea, idk, feels like a bunch of stories that I've already read. Forek, bahraini_carguy and Spider-Vice 3 Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072268311 Share on other sites More sharing options...
universetwisters Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 At least I finally have an answer as to why the moon size changes whenever you shoot it. I am finally willing to accept death in peace, knowing that the last of my daunting questions have been answered Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072268324 Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhettoJesus Posted November 21, 2023 Share Posted November 21, 2023 Interesting stuff, I've never thought about the moon size Easter egg, but it's cool to see that there is a reason for its existence. Aryan_MNV 1 Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072268744 Share on other sites More sharing options...
cant remember Posted November 21, 2023 Share Posted November 21, 2023 Obbe Vermeij was recently also on a podcast, someone posted it in the GTA III beta thread somewhere I think, it's in Dutch but he talks about some of the same things that are written in the blog. It's interesting that a lot of the devs, if not most, weren't involved in the development of the previous gta game, I wonder how many of them haven't actually even played the previous entries. Regarding the same cars everywhere thing, makes sense it's a memory issue but why haven't they ever fixed it for GTA4, or the PC versions. I think GTA5 on PC still has it today. Ivan1997GTA 1 Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072268749 Share on other sites More sharing options...
And It Came To Pass Posted November 21, 2023 Share Posted November 21, 2023 I like reading blogs like this about things only us select few weirdos care about. ”It was a James Bond game and Jimmy is the Scottish version of James.” Fake news Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072269029 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krymefull Posted November 21, 2023 Share Posted November 21, 2023 26 minutes ago, nob said: ”It was a James Bond game and Jimmy is the Scottish version of James.” Fake news Isn't Jimmy just a longer variant of Jim which it was a diminutive of James? Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072269066 Share on other sites More sharing options...
The-Ghost Posted November 21, 2023 Share Posted November 21, 2023 7 hours ago, cant remember said: Obbe Vermeij was recently also on a podcast, someone posted it in the GTA III beta thread somewhere I think, it's in Dutch but he talks about some of the same things that are written in the blog. It's interesting that a lot of the devs, if not most, weren't involved in the development of the previous gta game, I wonder how many of them haven't actually even played the previous entries. Regarding the same cars everywhere thing, makes sense it's a memory issue but why haven't they ever fixed it for GTA4, or the PC versions. I think GTA5 on PC still has it today. Purely my guessing, both of those games were made for the 7th generation, even with the additional (but still low) memory those consoles had over the original consoles, more stuff needed to make use of that memory, and the PC ports never addressed those aspects as some kind of "if it's not broken..." I feel like the next game will be better in this regard, judging by how some stuff persistently stay in your game in RDR2, hopefully cars get some of this treatment. Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072269117 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zikomos Posted November 23, 2023 Share Posted November 23, 2023 He's already removed the majority of blog posts: https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/sorry-you-missed-it.html Tez2 and NightmanCometh96 1 1 Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072270025 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImmortalKombat Posted November 23, 2023 Share Posted November 23, 2023 Please tell me someone managed to save the blogs. NightmanCometh96 1 Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072270041 Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Detective Posted November 23, 2023 Share Posted November 23, 2023 His blog was really awesome and it gave a really good insight in the work of making those beloved games. By the way, Obbe seems a really really cool guy and he answered a lot of questions on twitter too. He talked on twitter that he got an email from a former collegue letting him know that "several people in North didn't like the blog" and on his last post he said that they told him the blog was "ruining the Rockstar mystique". What mystique? I think Rockstar's plan is getting the people to think that their games were delivered by God himself and not by the work of their developers and artists. By the way, these games are 20 years old, the more time passes, more the chance of these kind of information being forever lost. It's not like he was posting screenshots of unreleased games or financial spreadsheets, he was talking about his personal experiences from 20 to nearly 30 years ago. Aryan_MNV and Tez2 1 1 Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072270051 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zapper Posted November 23, 2023 Share Posted November 23, 2023 1 hour ago, The Detective said: What mystique? I think Rockstar's plan is getting the people to think that their games were delivered by God himself and not by the work of their developers and artists. That's essentially what Dan Houser said out loud back in 2018. I'd say most of their heads share the same ethos. Quote It reminds me of what Houser told me when I asked him why he continues to make video games; the thing that, throughout 20 years running the company, has personally given him the joy and the hope to persevere; the thing that explains Rockstar's shroud of secrecy, its shunning of the spotlight. “Sam and I talk about this a lot,” he replied, “and it’s that games are still magical. It’s like they’re made by elves. You turn on the screen and it’s just this world that exists on TV. I think you gain something by not knowing how they’re made. As much as we might lose something in terms of people’s respect for what we do, their enjoyment of what we do is enhanced. Which is probably more important.” They value collective work more than anything, so that the logo is ROCKSTAR for the overwhelming majority of their audience, no matter who's behind it. Even their BAFTA fellowship award is for the entire company, not for any individual. That was only the second time in history where BAFTA awarded an organisation instead of an individual. Aryan_MNV and MaveriX 1 1 Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072270091 Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcusXVX Posted November 23, 2023 Share Posted November 23, 2023 (edited) 3 hours ago, ImmortalKombat said: Please tell me someone managed to save the blogs. If you can find the links to each blog post, they seem to be archived on web.archive. Here are the ones I have found so far https://web.archive.org/web/20231122204437/https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/development-of-vice-city-2002.html https://web.archive.org/web/20231122210856/https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/network-game-in-gta3.html https://web.archive.org/web/20231122210922/https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/streaming.html The only other links I can find are for posts that are still up on his blog, hopefully those have been archived as well in case they get removed. EDIT: Adding additional links I find https://web.archive.org/web/20231122133927/https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/distractions-agent-z.html https://web.archive.org/web/20231122004936/https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/development-of-gta3-1999-2001.html https://web.archive.org/web/20231122004937/https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/bugs-bugs-bugs.html https://web.archive.org/web/20231122004938/https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/1999-beginnings-of-gta3.html https://web.archive.org/web/20231122004940/https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-development-of-manhunt-1999-2003.html https://web.archive.org/web/20231122004939/https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-development-of-gta-gta-2-1994-1999.html Edited November 23, 2023 by MarcusXVX Valtr, SonnyTommy, Jakub1904 and 3 others 6 Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072270099 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tez2 Posted November 23, 2023 Share Posted November 23, 2023 Rockstar continues to maintain their secrecy on old development notes as some family taboo. It's the same deal with Mike Dailly when he showed his prototype videos. We're talking games almost two decades old. Not recently released games. I mean when talking about the wild story behind a bug from a game released ~20 years ago or why a game decision was done a certain way, you wouldn't expect negative reactions, than say releasing a game in the same launch state as CP77 and then going story-time, a week later, in some interview. I do understand why Rockstar didn't like what he said about Agent, but that was cancelled a decade ago and already known. It's not like the majority of the community would start asking them to cancel VI in favor of bringing back Agent. Much like how the Bully 2 fans hope to see that to be a possibility. 1 hour ago, Zapper said: That's essentially what Dan Houser said out loud back in 2018. I'd say most of their heads share the same ethos. If we're to take that as reasoning to maintain the secrecy, then you can kinda see the indirect contribution of that principle to crunch culture prior to RDR2's release. Leading to the build-up of excitement for junior/entry-level devs to pursue a position at Rockstar and not take a step back and reconsider. Like the aftermath of Jason's articles. American Venom, BakeWithMe1000, AgentJizzle and 8 others 11 Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072270133 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jakub1904 Posted November 23, 2023 Share Posted November 23, 2023 2 hours ago, MarcusXVX said: If you can find the links to each blog post, they seem to be archived on web.archive. Here are the ones I have found so far https://web.archive.org/web/20231122204437/https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/development-of-vice-city-2002.html https://web.archive.org/web/20231122210856/https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/network-game-in-gta3.html https://web.archive.org/web/20231122210922/https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/streaming.html The only other links I can find are for posts that are still up on his blog, hopefully those have been archived as well in case they get removed. EDIT: Adding additional links I find https://web.archive.org/web/20231122133927/https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/distractions-agent-z.html https://web.archive.org/web/20231122004936/https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/development-of-gta3-1999-2001.html https://web.archive.org/web/20231122004937/https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/bugs-bugs-bugs.html https://web.archive.org/web/20231122004938/https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/1999-beginnings-of-gta3.html https://web.archive.org/web/20231122004940/https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-development-of-manhunt-1999-2003.html https://web.archive.org/web/20231122004939/https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-development-of-gta-gta-2-1994-1999.html There's also this one about San Andreas: https://web.archive.org/web/20231122202759/https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/development-of-san-andreas-2003-2004.html WastedHymn and TonyRyodan 2 Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072270153 Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRANDHEIST Posted November 23, 2023 Share Posted November 23, 2023 Sh*t, he didnt make it to writing about IV... NightmanCometh96, SonnyTommy, Krymefull and 1 other 3 1 Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072270155 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImmortalKombat Posted November 23, 2023 Share Posted November 23, 2023 (edited) 3 hours ago, MarcusXVX said: If you can find the links to each blog post, they seem to be archived on web.archive. Here are the ones I have found so far https://web.archive.org/web/20231122204437/https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/development-of-vice-city-2002.html https://web.archive.org/web/20231122210856/https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/network-game-in-gta3.html https://web.archive.org/web/20231122210922/https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/streaming.html The only other links I can find are for posts that are still up on his blog, hopefully those have been archived as well in case they get removed. EDIT: Adding additional links I find https://web.archive.org/web/20231122133927/https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/distractions-agent-z.html https://web.archive.org/web/20231122004936/https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/development-of-gta3-1999-2001.html https://web.archive.org/web/20231122004937/https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/bugs-bugs-bugs.html https://web.archive.org/web/20231122004938/https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/1999-beginnings-of-gta3.html https://web.archive.org/web/20231122004940/https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-development-of-manhunt-1999-2003.html https://web.archive.org/web/20231122004939/https://insiderockstarnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-development-of-gta-gta-2-1994-1999.html Thx for the help! I have these saved now in case anything happens. Also I didn't get to read all of them before R* decided to be a dickhead abt it Edited November 23, 2023 by ImmortalKombat TonyRyodan 1 Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072270163 Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhostFR Posted November 23, 2023 Share Posted November 23, 2023 That's a real dick move from R* NightmanCometh96 1 Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072270168 Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRANDHEIST Posted November 23, 2023 Share Posted November 23, 2023 The big change from SA to IV would have been interesting to hear about... From RenderWare to RAGE NightmanCometh96 1 Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072270173 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImmortalKombat Posted November 23, 2023 Share Posted November 23, 2023 (edited) 9 minutes ago, GRANDHEIST said: The big change from SA to IV would have been interesting to hear about... From RenderWare to RAGE I have asked him to privately send the dev process of IV. Hopefully he does Edited November 23, 2023 by ImmortalKombat TonyRyodan and NightmanCometh96 2 Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072270176 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krymefull Posted November 23, 2023 Share Posted November 23, 2023 (edited) 35 minutes ago, GhostFR said: That's a real dick move from R* It's not a dick move, it's a f*cking low blow nutshot. Obbe Vermeji worked at Rockstar for more than 20 years and he was more than happy to share his personal experience with the company. The blog was full of interesting and unique information about R* and the development of their titles that the public - neither the fans knew about until now. It is essentially the burning of the Library of Alexandria as a lot of info was - and probably forever - lost thanks to some insecure suit at R* or T2. Edited November 23, 2023 by DubiousThiny ImmortalKombat, TonyRyodan, NightmanCometh96 and 2 others 4 1 Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072270179 Share on other sites More sharing options...
cant remember Posted November 23, 2023 Share Posted November 23, 2023 What a shame. He wrote about some things that were really interesting and I didn't know yet. I was fascinated to learn how the PS2 disc is mastered in a way to optimize read-speed when loading the map assets, and they were still pushing the limits of streaming and added drag to the player's car in certain areas. The GTA3 development period is a subject I'm extremely curious about. I was very hyped for it and drooled over the screenshots back then, let my imagination run wild over the first wireframe videos. I really hope one day we will get to see more of "beta GTA3" Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072270209 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tez2 Posted November 23, 2023 Share Posted November 23, 2023 1 hour ago, GhostFR said: That's a real dick move from R* Turns out it's not really a move from Rockstar, but more of peer pressure. NightmanCometh96, Aryan_MNV, SonnyTommy and 2 others 4 1 Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/993903-obbe-vermeij-blog-about-trilogy-and-gta-iv/#findComment-1072270226 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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