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

[The Last Stand]

GTA: San Andreas originally had a direct competitor before its release day.

A John Singleton written and directed video game called Fear & Respect. Featuring Snoop Dogg.

Midway was meant to publish it, but it got canned for unknown reasons.

The story likely would've been engaging, but the graphics and gameplay looked average at best. Still, it could've sold on name recognition alone.

 

[D.Angus]

GTA: San Andreas originally had a direct competitor before its release day.

A John Singleton written and directed video game called Fear & Respect. Featuring Snoop Dogg.

Midway was meant to publish it, but it got canned for unknown reasons.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=SA-ZbbG2YNA
The story likely would've been engaging, but the graphics and gameplay looked average at best. Still, it could've sold on name recognition alone.

Oh man.. I remember seeing the Game Informer featuring this game.. Every so often I'd find my self wondering of what ever happened to that PS2 looking Snoop Dog game, and lo and behold it was canceled. I honestly wish there were more GTA Clones still being made today, maybe then GTA V wouldn't be three generations strong if there were even mediocre games to compete with it.

 

[The Last Stand]

Oh man.. I remember seeing the Game Informer featuring this game.. Every so often I'd find my self wondering of what ever happened to that PS2 looking Snoop Dog game, and lo and behold it was canceled.

Not going to lie, that looks cool.

I honestly wish there were more GTA Clones still being made today, maybe then GTA V wouldn't be three generations strong if there were even mediocre games to compete with it.

Trends come and go. GTA clones were popular then because of the success of GTA 3/VC.

Now the trend is battle royale.

I would like to see more GTA clones as well. Three traits that make a good GTA clone: open world, soundtrack and story.

 

[Milwaukee Macho Man]

I remember being excited for Fear and Respect.

 

[White Devil]

Remember APB?

 

[Fuck Y'all]

Remember APB?

too bad it failed; maybe GTA Online would be better, since it would have actual competition

 

[Dom Cruise]

GTA: San Andreas originally had a direct competitor before its release day.

A John Singleton written and directed video game called Fear & Respect. Featuring Snoop Dogg.

Midway was meant to publish it, but it got canned for unknown reasons.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=SA-ZbbG2YNA
The story likely would've been engaging, but the graphics and gameplay looked average at best. Still, it could've sold on name recognition alone.

Midway also had and cancelled a GTA esque game called This Is Vegas, so they had no less than two different games similar to aspects of GTA San Andreas and canceled them both.

 

[White Devil]

This is Vegas looked fucking awful though.

 

[Syaoran Li]

Oh man.. I remember seeing the Game Informer featuring this game.. Every so often I'd find my self wondering of what ever happened to that PS2 looking Snoop Dog game, and lo and behold it was canceled. I honestly wish there were more GTA Clones still being made today, maybe then GTA V wouldn't be three generations strong if there were even mediocre games to compete with it.

Agreed, if any genre of PS2 games needs to make a comeback, it's GTA clones

PS1-esque survival horror has become a recent trend within indie game devs but I'm wondering if GTA clones could be a viable trend in indie gaming at all since open world's more difficult to develop with a small indie team and then there's licensing music.

I'd make one myself and had a few concepts for an ideal GTA Clone in the Sixth Gen style, but I'm just a worthless "ideas guy" and don't know anyone with the know-how to make a small game or even mod a pre-existing one.

The music licensing could be gotten around via smaller artists and if you want more established hits from older genres, there's companies like Drew's Famous and The Countdown Singers who do sound-alike covers of popular songs for the explicit purpose of being played or licensed at a cheaper rate than the actual songs themselves

Midway also had and cancelled a GTA esque game called This Is Vegas, so they had no less than two different games similar to aspects of GTA San Andreas and canceled them both.

IIRC, there was also a cancelled attempt at a Goodfellas game that was meant to cash in on both the GTA Clone trend and the success of the first Godfather game (one of my favorite GTA clones, honestly) but I'm not sure who was going to make it and a Google search doesn't show much,

But I remember hearing about it online and in one of the magazines. Might've just been a rumor that got picked up by one of the magazines or maybe it got cancelled before they made it to the actual pre-alpha development stage?

 

[Milwaukee Macho Man]

too bad it failed; maybe GTA Online would be better, since it would have actual competition

APB failed? I thought it was still going...

 

[Fuck Y'all]

APB failed? I thought it was still going...

but it can't compete with GTA tho

 

[White Devil]

APB failed? I thought it was still going...

It's pretty unfun.

 

[Syaoran Li]

APB failed? I thought it was still going...

Nah, it was a massive bomb.

They released an improved version that was cheaper but it didn't gain the popularity it needed and the initial APB's flop more or less crippled its momentum,

Final Fantasy XIV was in a similar situation until A Realm Reborn saved it

 

[Dom Cruise]

IIRC, there was also a cancelled attempt at a Goodfellas game that was meant to cash in on both the GTA Clone trend and the success of the first Godfather game (one of my favorite GTA clones, honestly) but I'm not sure who was going to make it and a Google search doesn't show much,

But I remember hearing about it online and in one of the magazines. Might've just been a rumor that got picked up by one of the magazines or maybe it got cancelled before they made it to the actual pre-alpha development stage?

Never heard of a potential Goodfellas games but I do remember there was a canceled Taxi Driver game.

 

[Syaoran Li]

I'm gonna be honest, I'd love to see a PS2-style GTA Clone with an old-school horror theme and Halloween motifs. Yeah, Level 7 of The Simpsons Hit & Run had that but I'm talking one where you're not bound by a T rating and the monsters are actually dangerous.

Heck, a low-budget M-rated GTA Clone that followed the same story structure as Hit & Run would be a very unique idea. Maybe have seven chapters and each chapter is a different point in the timeline?

I probably wouldn't have multiple protagonists for each chapter but the idea of each chapter getting a little darker and weirder as the story goes along before going full-on horror in the final act would be interesting.

The problem is that a lot of "ideas guys" have these lofty goals and their lack of understanding and skill makes their plans grandiose and unrealistic which is why everyone hates them. I'll admit, I have no skills as a coder, programmer, or developer but I know that you'd have to keep any independent production small in scale to save on money and technical limitations.

Open world games pose a particular challenge since even indie developers with experience will get lofty and end up overpromising while the actual in-game map is too empty and generic.

Morrowind and Vice City (GTA 3 to a lesser extent, but it's sparse by today's standards) had the solution of a relatively small in-game map that made up for the width with depth. There was more to do and you could soak in the atmosphere.

If I were to type up a design document for an old-school GTA Clone, I'd keep that in mind. A small map with only a few areas but the areas have a distinct look and feel while the story and gameplay would be engaging

Never heard of a potential Goodfellas games but I do remember there was a canceled Taxi Driver game.

I remember that one too, I think it's possible that the Goodfellas license was picked up alongside Taxi Driver and that's why we never saw anything come from a Goodfellas game but the canceled Taxi Driver game is more well-documented.

 

[The Last Stand]

Midway also had and cancelled a GTA esque game called This Is Vegas, so they had no less than two different games similar to aspects of GTA San Andreas and canceled them both.

This is Vegas: a $40-60 million project that ended up shit canned after Midway went defunct and WB bought that property.

Guess it was a gamble after all, and Midway went bankrupt.

Ambitious would be the best word to describe This is Vegas.

 

[Maurice Caine]

I hope they'll bring GTA back with a good sequel in a couple of years, been real tired of V.

 

[Sithis]

I hope they'll bring GTA back with a good sequel in a couple of years, been real tired of V.

Earlier this year I would have had hope but after learning about Lazlow's departure and seeing more of Take Two's influence and shilling shart cards for Online I have my doubts. And they're clearly planning some very big and very expensive things for GTA Online considering they've been dolling out $1 million just for logging in once a month. I feel like it will perform well enough Online that they will become more solidified in their thinking that quality story content is less important than persistent online gameplay.

The only things that will save VI imo are:
1. Quality yet innovative story - enough mob shit and hood shit. Keep the good from GTA V. Make it a long enough story to keep people entertained, and have enough to do on the side.
2. Change the setting away from San Andreas or Liberty City. I am sick of San Andreas and Liberty City. Personally I'd prefer a return to Vice City but it's hard to tell if they'll go with that. Las Venturas would even make for a fun setting as long as they added some nearby territory other than open desert.
3. Keep the sense of humor and resist caving to the troons and cancel mobs. One thing that has consistently made Rockstar Games stand out with GTA is the stories aren't afraid to deal with gritty shit while also openly mocking people on all sides of the aisle. It doesn't matter if you're christian, atheist, white, black, republican, democrat, old person, young person, coomer, gamer etc there is something in them all to mock you. And that's a great equalizer to have, the courage to laugh at everyone, regardless of which groups you might offend.

 

[Fuck Y'all]

Earlier this year I would have had hope but after learning about Lazlow's departure and seeing more of Take Two's influence and shilling shart cards for Online I have my doubts. And they're clearly planning some very big and very expensive things for GTA Online considering they've been dolling out $1 million just for logging in once a month. I feel like it will perform well enough Online that they will become more solidified in their thinking that quality story content is less important than persistent online gameplay.

The only things that will save VI imo are:
1. Quality yet innovative story - enough mob shit and hood shit. Keep the good from GTA V. Make it a long enough story to keep people entertained, and have enough to do on the side.
2. Change the setting away from San Andreas or Liberty City. I am sick of San Andreas and Liberty City. Personally I'd prefer a return to Vice City but it's hard to tell if they'll go with that. Las Venturas would even make for a fun setting as long as they added some nearby territory other than open desert.
3. Keep the sense of humor and resist caving to the troons and cancel mobs. One thing that has consistently made Rockstar Games stand out with GTA is the stories aren't afraid to deal with gritty shit while also openly mocking people on all sides of the aisle. It doesn't matter if you're christian, atheist, white, black, republican, democrat, old person, young person, coomer, gamer etc there is something in them all to mock you. And that's a great equalizer to have, the courage to laugh at everyone, regardless of which groups you might offend.

>he didn't know that Dan Houser also left

dude, stop dreaming; there won't be next GTA

 

[Milwaukee Macho Man]

They're literally adding the biggest soundtrack expansion since the PS4/One editions. Unless its complete garbage music (which it could be based on some of the stations they added but I dont expect it this time) then they're probably paying some decent license fees for a 7 year old game.

GTA Online isnt going anywhere and I dont see a GTA VI coming any time soon.