[E3] First details about GTA: San Andreas (ITS HUGE!!!!)

[AlexMax]

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/1325/sanande3screen021.jpg

http://gamesradar.msn.co.uk/news/default.asp?pagetypeid=2&articleid=30218&subsectionid=1585


[13/05/04 08:29]
Rockstar spill the beans. San Andreas details galore inside: plot, locations and new gameplay revealed

So. Now we know. San Andreas is NOT Los Angeles, it's a whole state. Los Santos, on the other hand is, to all intents and purposes, LA. The game's two other cities, San Fierro and Las Venturra are based on San Francisco and Las Vegas respectively. There'll be countryside between the three main areas, each of which is roughly the same size as the whole of Vice City. Big, in other words. Overall, the game will be an incredible four to six times the size of its predecessor.

Main character Carl Johnson is going to have his work cut out. Returning to his old haunts after five years in the Liberty City slammer, and blamed by his older brother Sweet for younger bro' Brian's accidental death, he'll be making his way through an early 90's streetscape besieged by rival gangs.

The most significant gameplay changes are a new stamina meter, meaning you need to eat, and massively improved building interiors. You'll be able to commit burglary now, or run a casino in Las Venturra. If you're feeling less ambitious you can just gamble away your ill-gotten gains on the tables in LV.

Brilliantly, improved AI means you can recruit a gang, the Orange Grove Families, and drag members along on missions. Up to four people can complete a drive-by mission, for instance.

FOUR TO SIX TIMES!!! FOUR TO SIX FUCKING TIMES!!!

Three cities, each the size of Vice City. That just totally blows my mind...

[Petoe]

Holy shit Batman!!!
That sounds good... maybe too good. I wonder how many bugs this game will have since it will be so HUGE. Ah, it'll still be a wonderful game I guess. :)

[Rainman]

Sound nifty. I'm more interested in the new gameplay mechanics than anything. The stamina meter sounds like it'll add some interesting gamplay as well as the improved AI. I just hope it's not too much like GTA3 like Vice City was. Not that that's a bad thing, just I'd like something new.

[AlexMax]

Gameplay mechanics? Here's what's been released just a few hours ago...


San Andreas isn't a city. Its a state made up of three different city. Each one of those cities is about the size of GTA:VC. Los Santos (LA), San Fierro (San Francisco), Las Venturra (Las Vegas). Theres also a lot of rural country area inbetween the cities, which makes this game feel like a living world.

You play as Carl Johnson, whos an African American.

There are actual mountains in the game, and yes you can drive up/around them.

You can ride bikes and you'll have to repeatedly press the X button to keep going.

Big graphical leap. Better lighting and real-time reflections on cars, windows and mirrors.

You can build and run a Casino in Las Venturra.

Game takes place in the early 1990's.

The game's storyline is going to have a much stronger focus, even when not playing in missions. Its also going to be a bit more dramatic and serious than the previous two storys.

You can now rob homes, but you have to plan it out properly or you'll die.

You can have a group of people with you, helping you perform drive-bys (a four-man drive-by is now possible).

Swimming IS finally included!

Theres a bunch of new skills to learn that you earn over time, some even from side-quests and minigames.

You have to eat to keep proper stanima, but if you eat too much and don't exercise enough, you'll become fat, run slow, and it will make some missions impossible to complete. You have to go to the gym and work off your fat (you'll also be called a "fat bastard" by other people in the game).

Improved targeting system, but Rockstar won't say whats been changed, they said that you should think of Manhunt's gunplay.

Improved hand-to-hand combat.

Rag-doll physics when you shoot people.

[Carmine]

Wow, so basically GTA is getting closer to the Sims. Nah, this stamina meter thing sounds like it could get a bit annoying after awhile. I mean, most people don't spend all they're time on a mission. I mean, sometimes I just like to spend an hour or 2 having fun around the city. But, if I gotta feed my character every now and then. Well... Depends on how long each meal is I guess. If it's only every hour or 2, then I could live with that :shrug: .

The robbing homes thing sounds pretty bad-ass, and a few of the other features. Swimming will be a lifesaver... Literally. And yeah, this is already stepping up to be like, the most controversial GTA ever :thumbsup: .

[Rainman]

If you think about how often you have to eat you might get a perspective on how often it'd have to be. Personally, I can go a long time if I'm occupied with something. Perhaps even a whole day. That's not healthy, but it possible.