Grand Theft Auto Grieving Thread - Yep, I've been drinkin' again...

[The Last Stand]

Another thing about V: Something interesting I've been aware of for a long time but didn't pay attention to until a few months back is that people have created realism mods and hosted them on private "roleplay" servers where instead of GTA Online, the idea is to create a character and essentially do improv using GTA's mechanics and map. This exact idea was actually very popular on Arma for years and second only to the DayZ mods in popularity.

I think what fascinated me how is how it naturally encouraged people to explore and use the more overlooked parts of GTA V's huge map (the game's most important asset by far) and actually use the series lore without even knowing because it's just built into the map. There's an entire dimension of detail that I feel R* never bothered to follow up in pursuit of making GTA V more cinematic and it's interesting that by stripping away the crazier shit and making players more fragile (almost pushing them to think of themselves more as NPCs than protagonists), the game suddenly feels much deeper.

Interesting fact I heard about GTA V RP (I think the official name is FiveM or RP), you would need a second copy of GTA V to even access the RP mod. If you have a modified copy of GTA Online, you would be booted out of the session in theory. Imagine people so invested in the world and modding, they would buy the game twice. That shows the potential GTA has for the PC community.

I don't have a PC for GTA, but I love seeing all the mods the community would make for the series. Not just with adding cars and weapons, but changing the world entirely with new assets and manmade customization. My favorite is the GTA 3D mod recently released, it shows GTA 3 in its alpha stage with original assets and even manmade ones from past screenshots. Archival history made by a few people.

Shame that R* (or Take Two) almost tried to destroy the modding scene by sending a mod script a cease and desist to "protect GTA Online". In reality, the cheats used online are from somewhere else entirely. And it was getting in the way of their revenue stream. If R* truly cared about protecting their online multiplayer, they would've patched or fixed the multitude of cheaters on console GTA IV/V and especially Red Dead Redemption.

 

[Syaoran Li]

I've got mixed feelings about Grand Theft Auto IV to be completely honest;

It has the best story of the entire series and strong characters, but the gameplay is just god-awful (especially the driving mechanics) and the game itself feels very sparse, almost as if Rockstar was deliberately keeping it bleak and boring outside of the story as some sort of over-correction of the insanity seen in San Andreas and the Stories games since the game was touted as a more realistic take on GTA.

The fact that they scrapped the setting and continuity of the 3D Era also sucked at the time, so I admit I hated GTA IV when it first came out and I wasn't alone in that regard, given that Saints Row was able to get popular for a while precisely because Saints Row 2 billed itself as a fun alternative to the grimdark GTA IV.

However, the worst aspects of IV are mostly prevalent in the vanilla version and the two DLC's alleviated a lot of the main issues with the game, although I admit that I disliked the patches that removed songs with an expired license, since it hit Lost And Damned the hardest, which had some of my favorite in-game songs of any GTA game.

GTA V was a partial return to form, with more vehicles, weapons, and gameplay outside of the story mode and it didn't feel as tryhard grimdark as the vanilla version of IV felt.

Sadly, GTA V had a much weaker story and GTA Online really hampered any potential for improvement of GTA V's single-player since all the DLC's and updates were exclusively meant for multiplayer mode and we didn't get any DLC for the story like we did in IV.

However, with RDR 2 being the smash hit that it is, I'm cautiously optimistic about GTA VI, especially if the rumors of the game being a period piece are true.

Given that Dan Houser has outright said that he doesn't want to do a modern-day GTA right now because of the current political climate, I'm inclined to believe that the rumors of the next GTA being set in the 80's or 90's again are probably true. Especially since the interview states that Houser is less worried about being attacked by the "woke" crowd per se, and is more concerned with making any attempt at satire actually work since we pretty much live in Clown World.

See, RDR 2 was a game changer for the open-world approach that Rockstar usually takes and I get this feeling that the RDR games are meant as a midway point for the HD Era GTA games where they can both pay homage to the Western genre the same way that GTA pays homage to crime films and test out new ideas for the next GTA game.

While parts of these elements appeared in the 3D Era GTA games (San Andreas had countryside and Vice City had birds and a shark, although you couldn't interact with either animal) those games were built on an entirely different game engine than GTA IV, GTA V, or the Red Dead Redemption games.

RDR 1 gave us animals on the map and countryside in the newer game engine, and both of those appeared in GTA V.

RDR 2 has the largest map yet and has not only a wide variety of terrain and biomes, but also a very in-depth system for weather and wildlife and the most life-like take on human NPC's and towns of any game in either the GTA or RDR series.

I think we're probably going to see those same elements applied to GTA VI in a more modernized context.

 

[The Last Stand]

It has the best story of the entire series and strong characters, but the gameplay is just god-awful (especially the driving mechanics) and the game itself feels very sparse,

I agree driving did feel heavier, especially when top speed and about to turn. And collusions had more impact to them, cars could become more deformed and hitting even small objects would throw you off track. Not unplayable, but took some getting used to. However, I liked the addition of free aim for drive-bys. Shooting felt like you had more control in your shots. The cover system was a welcome addition in GTA IV; I wondered how we got by without it.

Motorcycles were hell in the original IV: sport bikes were too fast and one slight collusion would send you flying. Choppers were slow. but still easy to fall off. The Lost & Damned nerfed bike collusions; it is harder to fall off your bike.

The fact that they scrapped the setting and continuity of the 3D Era also sucked at the time, so I admit I hated GTA IV when it first came out and I wasn't alone in that regard,

I wondered how they would tell the story starting with GTA IV. GTA III to Vice City Stories was its own canon, then GTA IV reset. But still had references to past GTAs, almost like a reboot of sorts. But how do you explain having Laslow in GTA V?

Sadly, GTA V had a much weaker story and GTA Online really hampered any potential for improvement of GTA V's single-player since all the DLC's and updates were exclusively meant for multiplayer mode and we didn't get any DLC for the story like we did in IV.

I agree. There was so much potential for single player DLC: prequel missions as Franklin about Forum Families, more heists involving Micheal & Trevor, even expanding on Sandy Shores as a setting. I heard they were planning on making a jetpack as single player DLC, but got worked into Online. Damn shame. I really hope R* changes their course with their online models.

 

[UE 558]

I've got mixed feelings about Grand Theft Auto IV to be completely honest;

It has the best story of the entire series and strong characters, but the gameplay is just god-awful (especially the driving mechanics) and the game itself feels very sparse, almost as if Rockstar was deliberately keeping it bleak and boring outside of the story as some sort of over-correction of the insanity seen in San Andreas and the Stories games since the game was touted as a more realistic take on GTA.

The fact that they scrapped the setting and continuity of the 3D Era also sucked at the time, so I admit I hated GTA IV when it first came out and I wasn't alone in that regard, given that Saints Row was able to get popular for a while precisely because Saints Row 2 billed itself as a fun alternative to the grimdark GTA IV.

However, the worst aspects of IV are mostly prevalent in the vanilla version and the two DLC's alleviated a lot of the main issues with the game, although I admit that I disliked the patches that removed songs with an expired license, since it hit Lost And Damned the hardest, which had some of my favorite in-game songs of any GTA game.

GTA V was a partial return to form, with more vehicles, weapons, and gameplay outside of the story mode and it didn't feel as tryhard grimdark as the vanilla version of IV felt.

Sadly, GTA V had a much weaker story and GTA Online really hampered any potential for improvement of GTA V's single-player since all the DLC's and updates were exclusively meant for multiplayer mode and we didn't get any DLC for the story like we did in IV.

However, with RDR 2 being the smash hit that it is, I'm cautiously optimistic about GTA VI, especially if the rumors of the game being a period piece are true.

Given that Dan Houser has outright said that he doesn't want to do a modern-day GTA right now because of the current political climate, I'm inclined to believe that the rumors of the next GTA being set in the 80's or 90's again are probably true. Especially since the interview states that Houser is less worried about being attacked by the "woke" crowd per se, and is more concerned with making any attempt at satire actually work since we pretty much live in Clown World.

See, RDR 2 was a game changer for the open-world approach that Rockstar usually takes and I get this feeling that the RDR games are meant as a midway point for the HD Era GTA games where they can both pay homage to the Western genre the same way that GTA pays homage to crime films and test out new ideas for the next GTA game.

While parts of these elements appeared in the 3D Era GTA games (San Andreas had countryside and Vice City had birds and a shark, although you couldn't interact with either animal) those games were built on an entirely different game engine than GTA IV, GTA V, or the Red Dead Redemption games.

RDR 1 gave us animals on the map and countryside in the newer game engine, and both of those appeared in GTA V.

RDR 2 has the largest map yet and has not only a wide variety of terrain and biomes, but also a very in-depth system for weather and wildlife and the most life-like take on human NPC's and towns of any game in either the GTA or RDR series.

I think we're probably going to see those same elements applied to GTA VI in a more modernized context.

In RDR2 it seems like all of the modern politics/modern cultural jabs are mainly in the background in favor of delivering a good story set in fun playground full of likable side characters that wound up being liked by many demographics ranging from the leftist Polygon and Kotaku to more right leaning guys like TheQuartering, NoBullshit, and fellow Kiwi Sophia Narwitz of NicheGamer...why do I get the feeling Volition will learn nothing from RDR2 and go full TDS with the next Saints Row?

I can already see the Drumpf and “Johnny Gat says Trans Rights” cringe appearing in SR5

 

[Syaoran Li]

In RDR2 it seems like all of the modern politics/modern cultural jabs are mainly in the background in favor of delivering a good story set in fun playground full of likable side characters that wound up being liked by many demographics ranging from the leftist Polygon and Kotaku to more right leaning guys like TheQuartering, NoBullshit, and fellow Kiwi Sophia Narwitz of NicheGamer...why do I get the feeling Volition will learn nothing from RDR2 and go full TDS with the next Saints Row?

I can already see the Drumpf and “Johnny Gat says Trans Rights” cringe appearing in SR5

Assuming that there's even another Saints Row since Volition killed the franchise twice, first with Gat Out of Hell and then they botched their attempt at a reboot with Agents of Mayhem.

Then again, THQ Nordic might buy the rights to Saints Row and bring the series back to its glory...

 

[UE 558]

Assuming that there's even another Saints Row since Volition killed the franchise twice, first with Gat Out of Hell and then they botched their attempt at a reboot with Agents of Mayhem.

Then again, THQ Nordic might buy the rights to Saints Row and bring the series back to its glory...

Still, if they did, I could easily imagine them making some cringy reddit-tier political jokes in it to make Twitter and REEEEEEEEEEEEEra happy

 

[The Last Stand]

Saints Row was made to be a parody of GTA: San Andreas, while refining the mechanics that GTA brought to the table.

In execution, I say it succeeds. If you paid attention to the world, it had little gags of mature humor. I'm impressed, given the original intent of Saints Row, there's a decent story (actually three, but it all comes together) with well written characters. Johnny Gat was my personal favorite, with Ben King being a close second.

There's no auto-aim in Saints Row, you use the analog stick to aim, giving you freedom in combat. Another trait that is under appreciated with open world games: freedom. In Saint's Row, there are three gangs in Stilwater (Stillwater?): Los Carnoles, Westside Rollerz and the Vice Kings. All fighting for control of the city, when your nameless and silent protagonist gets caught in the crossfire, only to be saved (and later canonized) into the Three Street Saints. After a couple tutorial missions, you are tasked to regaining control of the city by interfering with the three gangs. You could do them in any order; each gang has its own story thread and missions.

You unlock missions through getting respect: which you can gain by completing missions, doing side activities, even extra by wearing purple. This is a double edged sword. One one hand, the game encourages you to just have fun with the world instead of always being jogged down in story. The activities actually fit in with the carefree tone of the game. Mayhem, which is like rampages in GTA, only you can destroy anything with the tools given. And insurance fraud where you use the physics to "ragdoll" into traffic. The bigger the collusion or crash, the more cash you would get. They were enjoyable distractions to the story.

However, as mentioned before, you needed "respect" to unlock story missions and a couple other activities. Some of the activities, to me at least, were difficult or not very fun to do because of aged game mechanics or glitches. Each activity had eight stages, if you failed on LVL 7, you'd have to start over. Having to do activities to do missions seemed counter initiative to having an open world.

For a first generation Xbox 360 game, it was a great game in its own laugh. I had more laugh out loud moments just playing through the story than any moment in GTA. It was a nice change of pace from the "structure" of GTA. It aged better than GTA: San Andreas because of its controls and premise, but still has lingering problems for a 2006 game.

 

[Vault Boy]

In RDR2 it seems like all of the modern politics/modern cultural jabs are mainly in the background in favor of delivering a good story set in fun playground full of likable side characters that wound up being liked by many demographics ranging from the leftist Polygon and Kotaku to more right leaning guys like TheQuartering, NoBullshit, and fellow Kiwi Sophia Narwitz of NicheGamer...why do I get the feeling Volition will learn nothing from RDR2 and go full TDS with the next Saints Row?

I can already see the Drumpf and “Johnny Gat says Trans Rights” cringe appearing in SR5

What makes you think that Volition would do that in the next Saints Row? Was Agents of Mayhem preachy or something?

 

[CausticMinory]

If I remember correctly, AoM had "progressive" lesbian relationships, a Justin bieber parody in 2017, girl power, dated memes, and it was a slog to play. So not preachy but Volition could try to go the "Go woke" route if they think it'll get attention

 

[UE 558]

What makes you think that Volition would do that in the next Saints Row? Was Agents of Mayhem preachy or something?

Never played it because it looked way shittier than 4, but I sure as fuck remember this

https://archive.fo/cB6Uz

 

[Cod of War]

Never played it because it looked way shittier than 4, but I sure as fuck remember this

https://archive.fo/cB6Uz

View attachment 853909

And here I thought the new boss getting pissy about Freckle Bitches and them hating the porn stars was the all there was.

 

[The Last Stand]

Even Saint's Row handled a silent protagonist with character better than GTA III. Just by facial expressions and body movements. Claude in GTA 3 was just a stiff.

Speaking of dialogue, one underlooked aspect of GTA 3 that I liked: the pedestrian banter. Just walking through the city, hearing random one liners from peds just walking around. A couple of my favorites.

Especially this old man. My mother's my SISTER! I actually said that to a friend randomly, she thought it was funny. Now it's an inside joke.

 

[Syaoran Li]

Even Saint's Row handled a silent protagonist with character better than GTA III. Just by facial expressions and body movements. Claude in GTA 3 was just a stiff.

Speaking of dialogue, one underlooked aspect of GTA 3 that I liked: the pedestrian banter. Just walking through the city, hearing random one liners from peds just walking around. A couple of my favorites.

Especially this old man. My mother's my SISTER! I actually said that to a friend randomly, she thought it was funny. Now it's an inside joke.

GTA III had some of the best pedestrian dialogue of any game in the series. That particular guy's quotes are my favorite.

 

[Cod of War]

Casino update dropped for GTA V today, anyone try it? I'm assuming it's more expensive shit and annoying contacts pestering you buy new shit.

 

[The Last Stand]

Casino update dropped for GTA V today, anyone try it? I'm assuming it's more expensive shit and annoying contacts pestering you buy new shit.

R* has two currencies for GTA Online now; they added "chips" in the game only useable in the casino as of now. Chips are $1 so 100,000 chips are 100K in game money. Since you can buy in game money with shark cards, I speculated that this would count as gambling. As you can use real money to buy and gamble chips. Which you can win or lose.

 

[Cod of War]

R* has two currencies for GTA Online now; they added "chips" in the game only useable in the casino as of now. Chips are $1 so 100,000 chips are 100K in game money. Since you can buy in game money with shark cards, I speculated that this would count as gambling. As you can use real money to buy and gamble chips. Which you can win or lose.

I can hear the bullshit already.

It's not really gambling because you're not using real money directly. You bought a digital currency and then used the digital currency to buy digital chips and then used those digital chips to gamble.

 

[SiccDicc]

I can hear the bullshit already.

It's not really gambling because you're not using real money directly. You bought a digital currency and then used the digital currency to buy digital chips and then used those digital chips to gamble.

Works for those weird as fuck bidding sites -- you know the ones that say you can buy a TV for ".99 cents", they don't tell you it's their own special currency you're buying which are the cents. Haven't seen them get in any trouble with it.

Plus I think schools do casino nights where you throw real money to win various prizes, but it's never cash... although that might follow under charity exemptions, I dunno. I haven't seen Rockstar use lootbox logic with this, they seem pretty open to it being gambling in a video game, but no different than say when Pokemon had their slot machines and such or when San Andreas had a casino. I'm a bit biased, though, since I've been waiting for the casino to open with stuff to do. It's a fun distraction when waiting for cooldowns from client jobs or VIP work.

 

[Fuck Y'all]

I can hear the bullshit already.

It's not really gambling because you're not using real money directly. You bought a digital currency and then used the digital currency to buy digital chips and then used those digital chips to gamble.

tell that to Polish players; they got banned from casino due to faggy anti-gambling bill

 

[Billy_Sama]

GTA III had some of the best pedestrian dialogue of any game in the series. That particular guy's quotes are my favorite.

I am partial to the dialogue the Vercetti gang gibber in Vice City myself while watching them go after the hapless security guard.

 

[Duncan Hills Coffee]

Even Saint's Row handled a silent protagonist with character better than GTA III. Just by facial expressions and body movements. Claude in GTA 3 was just a stiff.

Speaking of dialogue, one underlooked aspect of GTA 3 that I liked: the pedestrian banter. Just walking through the city, hearing random one liners from peds just walking around. A couple of my favorites.

Especially this old man. My mother's my SISTER! I actually said that to a friend randomly, she thought it was funny. Now it's an inside joke.

I've only ever paid attention to pedestrian dialogue exactly one time, and it was in GTA IV (ironically enough). I nearly ran over some woman and she cried, "I nearly pissed my scented panties!"

I really need to pay more attention to the pedestrian comments.