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

[PlapPlapPlapPlapPlap]

Am I the only one who likes some of the aspects of San Andreas but thinks the story and characters are kinda overhyped/glazed?

I've still never fully finished it. Back in the day on the shared family file we got stuck at Flight School. I bought myself DE for Christmas and as an adult it's piss easy and I blew right through Flight School, Supply Lines, and all the other old trouble spots I remembered, but it's a grind and just not very fun. I powered through until eventually my power randomly went out while collecting the horseshoes in LV (of course I had like 40 in the bag and hadn't saved since the start of the hunt) and at that point I just said fuck it and still haven't picked it back up. This was like three months ago.

One of my main beefs is that SA seems like it spends an eternity in a tutorial state. In 3 and Vice City you're off and running after like 5 missions at most. How many missions go by in SA before you can even access Ammunation? Then they spend too much time training you on the turf war bullshit only to banish you to the countryside like three missions later and send you on wild goose chases back and forth across those obnoxious winding roads. It's stupid. I don't get why the game is so widely referenced and revered by the public. Nig culture heckin cool I guess.

 

[30+GameOvers]

I've still never fully finished it. Back in the day on the shared family file we got stuck at Flight School. I bought myself DE for Christmas and as an adult it's piss easy and I blew right through Flight School, Supply Lines, and all the other old trouble spots I remembered, but it's a grind and just not very fun. I powered through until eventually my power randomly went out while collecting the horseshoes in LV (of course I had like 40 in the bag and hadn't saved since the start of the hunt) and at that point I just said fuck it and still haven't picked it back up. This was like three months ago.

One of my main beefs is that SA seems like it spends an eternity in a tutorial state. In 3 and Vice City you're off and running after like 5 missions at most. How many missions go by in SA before you can even access Ammunation? Then they spend too much time training you on the turf war bullshit only to banish you to the countryside like three missions later and send you on wild goose chases back and forth across those obnoxious winding roads. It's stupid. I don't get why the game is so widely referenced and revered by the public. Nig culture heckin cool I guess.

That's my main issue with SA too, it feels less like a cohesive experience and more like 3-4 separate tech demos stitched together. Vice City takes place in one town and I remember(and enjoy) it infinitely more. The turf war feature is confusing for me, since most players will ignore it entirely or only take one district before the game takes it away from them. Unless you're going for 100%, why bother putting the story on hold to grind territories that will become meaningless in a couple of missions anyways? Stinks of cut content, this feature probably meant more in the early builds. Maybe the game would benefit from a smaller map like in GTA 5 and leave San Fierro/Las Venturas and the desert for a theoretical "San Andreas Story" type game.

 

[pikachudidnothingwrong]

SA had one hell of a setting and atmosphere. The lighting, era, lighting and music really just clicked. Maybe not as much as VC but still a lot of mems. I just wish they expanded gang turf stuff to other parts of the map. I also liked having three different cities and country areas. It made things feel fresh longer. And he amount of stuff to do and things in the world was.. second to none. One of my favorite things was to steal the rain that looped around the entire map and all three areas. That and playing with the wheat thresher in the cities...

So much middle of nowhere and creepy shit too. The little towns were interesting too. Wish they game you more things to buy around the map though. The RPG elements and car modding were just bonuses. The no/lockable wanted level should have been a standard going forward! I spent so much time just fucking around he world having fun.

I still see it as the standard for sandbox worlds/games.

I'd love to see some dav have the balls to make a game in an old graphics engine like hat but using all the modern hardware power in every other aspect.. See what could be done. Like a dream idea.

 

[The Last Stand]

Happy 17th birthday, GTA IV!

I loved the opening hour of GTA 4 with exploring Hove Beach. The first time, you feel like an actual tourist in an unknown environment, learning everything as you go. The beginning missions do help set up the new mechanics, new city and establishing characters.

 

[genericwhitemale]

Personal thoughts on the series is that, as basic bitch of an answer as it is, I think V is objectively the best one. Best gunplay, best USP (heists and three playable characters instead of the dating mechanics from IV and the gang war stuff from SA) and unlike IV, which I felt was inconsistent in tone (alternating between serious, tragic Rockstar writing and silly, cartoony GTA writing), V felt appropriately written. I've never understood the "it's got bad writing" argument because to me it's written exactly as well as it needs to be, which is as a tongue in cheek action comedy/social satire. IV had some insanely good writing that felt out of place in a wacky sandbox like GTA, and VC is aesthetically the most interesting to me but has aged pretty poorly (as most of the 3D games have).

In terms of VI and the future of the series, I don't hold out much hope. Those Bloomberg article by Jason "it's crazy a game studio looks like this in 2021" Schreier about how Rockstar were making steps to being more sensitive in their writing and making sure not to punch down is always a harbinger of doom, but even if there weren't red flags like that, most of the key people involved in the older games are gone. Leslie Benzies left in 2014 and Dan Houser left in 2020, so without the project lead and head writer I don't know who's taking charge at the company. It's thousands of people working across the world without a distinctive voice taking charge, which makes it more likely they'd just be subverted by outside interests asking them to be more progressive and sensitive.

 

[William Murderface]

But I've pointed put before in this thread that Rockstar has been kowtowing to the sensitivity mob since at least VC. The Haitian community got all offended about the Haitian gang and Auntie Pollet in VC, so R* changed them to Mexican cholos in VCS. For the remastered and DE versions, they take out Phil Cassidy's rebel flag. The tranny action figure being excised from a storefront in V is the latest appeasement move by the company, so it shouldn't be a real shock that they are going out of their way to not be offensive to anyone which ends up making it even worse somehow. Here's a bank robber and a thief and a murderer and a psychopath and a cannibal and a rapist...but at least he isn't a racist because that's somehow the worst thing ever.

 

[genericwhitemale]

But I've pointed put before in this thread that Rockstar has been kowtowing to the sensitivity mob since at least VC. The Haitian community got all offended about the Haitian gang and Auntie Pollet in VC, so R* changed them to Mexican cholos in VCS. For the remastered and DE versions, they take out Phil Cassidy's rebel flag. The tranny action figure being excised from a storefront in V is the latest appeasement move by the company, so it shouldn't be a real shock that they are going out of their way to not be offensive to anyone which ends up making it even worse somehow. Here's a bank robber and a thief and a murderer and a psychopath and a cannibal and a rapist...but at least he isn't a racist because that's somehow the worst thing ever.

With the exception of VCS, all of the references you made are changes they've made within this decade, when their shift in company culture has been most notable. That's just more fuel to the argument that the corporate parasites that infect these companies really made a push with Rockstar post-RDR2, when the big backlash about their crunch culture made headlines.

 

[I am Jack's dead arm]

With the exception of VCS, all of the references you made are changes they've made within this decade, when their shift in company culture has been most notable. That's just more fuel to the argument that the corporate parasites that infect these companies really made a push with Rockstar post-RDR2, when the big backlash about their crunch culture made headlines.

They also did remove saying Haitians in VC.

 

[The Last Stand]

and unlike IV, which I felt was inconsistent in tone (alternating between serious, tragic Rockstar writing and silly, cartoony GTA writing), V felt appropriately written. I've never understood the "it's got bad writing" argument because to me it's written exactly as well as it needs to be, which is as a tongue in cheek action comedy/social satire. IV had some insanely good writing that felt out of place in a wacky sandbox like GTA,

I found the tongue in cheek writing from IV to be consistent with Niko's cynicism with America. Almost like you are viewing America from HIS perspective. I will say that Niko's cynicism is too on the nose, which I talked about it. Think about it, the cheeky satire comes more from Liberty City and its brands than the main characters itself. Maybe the overarching deconstruction of the American Dream, but that's a stretch.

But I've pointed put before in this thread that Rockstar has been kowtowing to the sensitivity mob since at least VC. The Haitian community got all offended about the Haitian gang and Auntie Pollet in VC,

In fairness, GTA was just establishing itself as a franchise then. I'm sure R* or Take Two couldn't afford much controversy from their ... crime open-world game. Also remember that GTA IV had controversy from MADD over the player's ability to drive while drunk.

 

[Xavier Renegade Angel]

But I've pointed put before in this thread that Rockstar has been kowtowing to the sensitivity mob since at least VC. The Haitian community got all offended about the Haitian gang and Auntie Pollet in VC, so R* changed them to Mexican cholos in VCS. For the remastered and DE versions, they take out Phil Cassidy's rebel flag. The tranny action figure being excised from a storefront in V is the latest appeasement move by the company, so it shouldn't be a real shock that they are going out of their way to not be offensive to anyone which ends up making it even worse somehow. Here's a bank robber and a thief and a murderer and a psychopath and a cannibal and a rapist...but at least he isn't a racist because that's somehow the worst thing ever.

So it's gonna be like the saints row reboot :*(

 

[The Last Stand]

In terms of VI and the future of the series, I don't hold out much hope. Those Bloomberg article by Jason "it's crazy a game studio looks like this in 2021" Schreier about how Rockstar were making steps to being more sensitive in their writing and making sure not to punch down is always a harbinger of doom, but even if there weren't red flags like that, most of the key people involved in the older games are gone. Leslie Benzies left in 2014 and Dan Houser left in 2020, so without the project lead and head writer I don't know who's taking charge at the company. It's thousands of people working across the world without a distinctive voice taking charge, which makes it more likely they'd just be subverted by outside interests asking them to be more progressive and sensitive.

IMHO, that's not even the WORSE of it. It's obvious that their focus is on creating a metaverse with GTA VI thanks to the success of GTA Online and Fortnite for revenue generation. Why do you think they hand waved their initial promise of GTA V single player DLC away? I suspect the single player to be rushed with many features saved for the online portion.

 

[30+GameOvers]

But I've pointed put before in this thread that Rockstar has been kowtowing to the sensitivity mob since at least VC. The Haitian community got all offended about the Haitian gang and Auntie Pollet in VC, so R* changed them to Mexican cholos in VCS. For the remastered and DE versions, they take out Phil Cassidy's rebel flag. The tranny action figure being excised from a storefront in V is the latest appeasement move by the company, so it shouldn't be a real shock that they are going out of their way to not be offensive to anyone which ends up making it even worse somehow. Here's a bank robber and a thief and a murderer and a psychopath and a cannibal and a rapist...but at least he isn't a racist because that's somehow the worst thing ever.

If I recall, the actual original VC game wasn't censored, aside from a line saying "Kill the Haitians" changed to "Kill the gang members" or something. Can't speak for VCS as I haven't played that one yet, and DE shouldn't even be taken seriously, nobody is playing that one unless they're brainless nigger cattle or clueless console gamers.

So it's gonna be like the saints row reboot :*(

It's gonna be like the worst parts of GTA 5 but with a little bit of of original vision of GTA 6 and what it was supposed to be, trying to break thru the mediocrity. Most of the game will be a disappointment and definitely a game for "the modern audience" that the anti-woke is still going to slurp up and defend till their dying breaths, but there will be some flashes of brilliance, which you will be able to tell were designed back 10 years ago when Rockstar was a much different company.
I genuinely don't really care, Vice City without the neon lights, 80s music and many many references to shows and cinema just isn't the same. Scarface: The World is Yours is an actual proper follow up in the same vein, GTA 6 will feel more like an expansion pack to 5. I didn't see too much that was revolutionary or new from the leaks.

 

[The Last Stand]

If I recall, the actual original VC game wasn't censored, aside from a line saying "Kill the Haitians" changed to "Kill the gang members" or something.

That was the censorship, in context with the American release. The Japanese release was censored to remove sexual themes in accordance to the CERO.

 

[PlapPlapPlapPlapPlap]

I'm not too concerned about the tone of VI because I don't remember any "punching down" in V, which on the whole I enjoy (I'll reviewsperg some other time), the general theme of the game I remember is LA rich people are shitheads and money corrupts you, also government evil but it's for your own good. BJ and Tonya (the tow truck people) were irresponsible drug addicts but the game wasn't all "lol look at these stupid niggers" about it, at least that wasn't the vibe I got. Trevor has a whole mission arc where he encounters and snipes at those vigilante immigration officers and then eventually kills them, for no discernible reason other than some R* writer wanted to platform about the issue. If I really wanted to stretch I could say that Michael's female family members felt like the sort of attractive-but-joyless shrews you'd see in a Judd Apatow movie, but is that really punching down?

The VI trailer had obese black girls twerking on the tops of cars going down the highway, which is a way more on-the-nose stereotype than anything I can recall in V.

 

[Buster Scruggs]

The tranny action figure being excised from a storefront in V is the latest appeasement move by the company, so it shouldn't be a real shock that they are going out of their way to not be offensive to anyone which ends up making it even worse somehow.

I may be misremembering, but didn’t they also go out of their way to remove the “Muscular women” NPCs from gym areas around the cities a few years after release, as troons mislabeled them as being “transphobic”?

 

[Xavier Renegade Angel]

I'm not too concerned about the tone of VI because I don't remember any "punching down" in V, which on the whole I enjoy (I'll reviewsperg some other time), the general theme of the game I remember is LA rich people are shitheads and money corrupts you, also government evil but it's for your own good. BJ and Tonya (the tow truck people) were irresponsible drug addicts but the game wasn't all "lol look at these stupid niggers" about it, at least that wasn't the vibe I got. Trevor has a whole mission arc where he encounters and snipes at those vigilante immigration officers and then eventually kills them, for no discernible reason other than some R* writer wanted to platform about the issue. If I really wanted to stretch I could say that Michael's female family members felt like the sort of attractive-but-joyless shrews you'd see in a Judd Apatow movie, but is that really punching down?

The VI trailer had obese black girls twerking on the tops of cars going down the highway, which is a way more on-the-nose stereotype than anything I can recall in V.

Mike's family was based of the sopranos. The way I see it's gonna be like rdr2 black people around but can't say the nword. And Jason is incompetent and Lucia is a girl boss

 

[30+GameOvers]

I may be misremembering, but didn’t they also go out of their way to remove the “Muscular women” NPCs from gym areas around the cities a few years after release, as troons mislabeled them as being “transphobic”?

Not sure about that, but I do know for a fact they removed some random "transphobic doll" that made fun of trannies. It's still there on 7th gen releases but it's gone from the PC and next gen ports.

 

[Xavier Renegade Angel]

Not sure about that, but I do know for a fact they removed some random "transphobic doll" that made fun of trannies. It's still there on 7th gen releases but it's gone from the PC and next gen ports.

They're used to be a lot of trannies by th3 gay bar but they removed them with generic npcs

 

[Buster Scruggs]

Not sure about that, but I do know for a fact they removed some random "transphobic doll" that made fun of trannies. It's still there on 7th gen releases but it's gone from the PC and next gen ports.

I tried looking and only came up with this

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2022/04/transphobic-content-and-jokes-removed-from-latest-gta-v-remasters/

Basically for TLDR they made it so drag queens and “other harmful stereotypes” wouldn’t spawn in the open world, but would still be available in the director mode, albeit with any lines referring to their gender being removed. The article also brings up the tranny doll, but again I could’ve sworn one of the “negative stereotypes” removed was roid raging women, for the sole reason being trannies thought they were supposed to be just buff troons, and not a joke on ugly looking women body builders.

 

[The Last Stand]

The VI trailer had obese black girls twerking on the tops of cars going down the highway, which is a way more on-the-nose stereotype than anything I can recall in V.

That's not even a "stereotype," that actually happened. Even so, GTA VI will be outdated based on current events.