Would a powerful protagonist work?

[helloworld]

We've never had a protagonist who is a big crime boss from the start of the game. The closest examples are Tommy Vercetti, CJ and Vic Vance, but they build up their empire throughout the story. I'm thinking of a character like Tony Soprano. Do you think a concept like this could work in a GTA game, or would it be too limiting for the narrative and gameplay? 

[44Orca]

1 hour ago, helloworld said:

We've never had a protagonist who is a big crime boss from the start of the game. The closest examples are Tommy Vercetti, CJ and Vic Vance, but they build up their empire throughout the story. I'm thinking of a character like Tony Soprano. Do you think a concept like this could work in a GTA game, or would it be too limiting for the narrative and gameplay? 

That does sound interesting, but.. problem is difficult from writing perspective yeah, the gameplay I think will be fine..sort of. Now I have no clue about how crime, mafia and such works so that could be why I can't think of anything good.

What will be the focus? Take over the entire city/state from rivals? Find himself in trouble with agents or rivals who infiltrated the organization to get to him, trying to defend it? Or the plot will be the downfall of him and his criminal organization, that he ends up losing everything? Some of these together?

I can't come up with something better as core plot (something we haven't seen before) but maybe that's just me.

 

Mafia III changed it to a bit more open world from the linear storytelling in past games and that didn't go well exactly, so GTA having a more "criminal empire building/defending" type of gameplay focus (aside the usual driving and such which will probably be less since you are the boss already) I am not sure how that will go. It will be a different GTA than what we previously had. If done right it could be good.. but sounds really difficult idk.

 

Edit: Trevor was the closest too I think now that I remembered, during the story not after,  he had his own organization in a way but nothing big.

Edited October 14, 2024 by 44Orca

[JE77]

It could work like in Stants Row 2 and Stants Row 3, just without the dumb zombie stuff in the third one.  

[universetwisters]

5 hours ago, helloworld said:

We've never had a protagonist who is a big crime boss from the start of the game. The closest examples are Tommy Vercetti, CJ and Vic Vance, but they build up their empire throughout the story. I'm thinking of a character like Tony Soprano. Do you think a concept like this could work in a GTA game, or would it be too limiting for the narrative and gameplay? 

 

I think we kinda got this with Michael. Not in the sense of power, but moreso in the sense of what they have. Even though he was retired (and reportedly f*ckin broke lol), by the time we start playing as him in V he already has a very big mansion and luxury car, stuff we didn't get until, at the earliest, the middle of VC when you took over Diaz' mansion

 

I think it all depends on the narrative tbh. If it's like Michael's story where it's some guy going through a midlife crisis or living beyond his means then yeah I think it can work. But if it's like Niko came to America and all of Roman's emails were true about the mansions etc, it probably wouldnt be as good as what we have now tbh

[Pashaforever]

We had this with Johnny, who was VP and later the President of his MC. TLAD was undercooked imo, I wouldn't mind another one.

[universetwisters]

10 hours ago, Pashaforever said:

We had this with Johnny, who was VP and later the President of his MC. TLAD was undercooked imo, I wouldn't mind another one.

In fairness tho, him being VP (and later president) seemed like it was just a title and nothing else. It’s not like you could have done anything particularly conducive or detrimental for the club within the game. Johnny could’ve been the lowest tier grunt and not much would change other than him being allowed in Billy’s circle 

[Silver]

I don't know really, part of what makes GTA compelling from a gameplay and story perspective is that rags to riches type of story.

 

If being a boss from the get-go means starting the game at the top and staying there for the rest of the story then it'd make for a fairly boring experience in my opinion. You wouldn't accomplish anything as a player and essentially be a in post-game state throughout. You wouldn't have to do much dirty work (if any) as you'd surely have people working for you. You'd barely unlock anything worthwhile as you'd certainly have access to everything already. Other than that, the story would probably revolve around you living the life and managing your empire while worrying about losing it all, either because of the competition/other opponent or someone betraying you.

 

Starting as a boss but losing everything and having to rebuild your empire would work but it would go back that rags to riches formula.

[LowTierDude]

Theres Michael

[Jeansowaty]

Sure, I would definitely be open to that. All depends on the narrative.