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Like a billions other gamers at the present time, I’m currently really enjoying Vice City, and it doesn’t seem that long ago that I was playing the crude and controversial original on my PSone all those years ago.
Grand Theft Auto started from humble beginnings, and I’m sure a few of you remember playing it, running down groups of Hari Krishna, blowing stuff up, running around making the main character burp and fart and listening to the great radio tunes.
I still remember when it was announced that one day long into the future there was going to be a 3D GTA and who’d have thought that the series would eventually get this big!
Since the release of the amazingly successful GTA3 last year, the franchise has now become one of the biggest in the industry, pulling in millions of sales and millions of pounds.
In short, as Vice City shows, the GTA franchise is now basically a license to print money.
However, one of the main criticisms levelled at the new GTA title by a few people is that it’s nothing more than the same as GTA3 but set in the 1980’s with a bit of a facelift, a few new features like bikes and helicopters plus a big 80’s soundtrack. It’s a fair point I suppose, as although it is a lot better than its predecessor in my opinion and I love it to bits, it’s not a revolution or big step forward. It’s more like GTA3.5.
I don’t really mind the similarities, as the game structure, mission styles, weapons and vehicles all feel nice and familiar, plus the massive new soundtrack, bigger city and more differing vehicles kept it fresh and appealing.
So GTA has undoubtedly become a highly successful franchise, and what do you do with a highly successful franchise?
You milk it of course.
Not wanting to put a dairy pun into it, but there may come a time when a successful game will feel stale and past its sell by date if it’s milked too much, and I hope that doesn’t happen with GTA.
With all this success comes the temptation to become rather slack and rest on your laurels when developing sequels or add-ons. Vice City isn’t like that but what will the future bring?
Even Rare have been guilty of milking games, with Banjo Kazooie spawning the similar Donkey Kong, Banjo Tooie and Conker without much change or improvement.
In fact, the way the GTA series has gone is similar to the Gran Turismo series:
GT1 & GTA1 set out the basis of series.
GT2 & GTA2 added more but not revolutionary.
GT3 & GTA3 were big PS2 sequels.
GT Concept & GTA: Vice City not true sequels but still great.
GT4 being developed & GTA4??
Although I’d like to see GTA4 at some point, I don’t mind a few more Vice City style follow-ups. I’d like to see perhaps a 70’s San Francisco style city (a bit like the original Driver but with a new and improved GTA makeover) with a sort of Bullitt/Dirty Harry style feel with it’s bright airy feel, hills & grandiose landscape, bay area, Alcatraz, trams, tower blocks, stylised buildings and roads filled with cool 70’s American muscle cars. Maybe we could have a groovy 60’s London filled with the usual Michael Caine cockney clichés, dodgy geezer gangster types, Mini’s, old police vans and all the other stuff that was probably in the previous GTA: London add-on pack.
A Las Vegas style city complete with huge wacky buildings and bright neon lights would rock! An ultra cool Ocean’s Eleven style criminal vibe filled with slick characters, more big American cars and lots of Elvis impersonator pedestrians to run over! You could buy and explore corrupt casinos and extravagant auditoriums with those big-haired German magicians entertaining the crowds with their white tigers.
With the wave of online related games about to hit us like a big gaming tidal wave, a sure bet is GTA Online?...
Imagine a big sprawling city filled with gamers all going about their business: you could be criminals, pedestrians, motorists, police, firefighters, ambulance drivers, pizza boys, taxi drivers etc. Plus I’m sure there can be a few more activities and jobs to do.
In the end though, I think a game like that could end up like online anarchy if there are too many players all causing free-for-all havoc.
To avoid going down the Tomb Raider and FIFA route of releasing add-on/semi sequels though, and if they are to keep their credibility and not end up being criticised for pumping out repackaged cash-ins every year or so, we would expect Rockstar to eventually develop a true GTA sequel: GTA4 on PS3??
But how can you really improve on the Vice City game structure?
Sure, the improved power of the PS3 would give a graphical boost, and maybe even a bigger city, but in terms of gameplay I’d think that GTA4 would be more evolution rather than revolution?
You can be sure that the fat cat moneymen are licking their lips at the prospects and future of the GTA series; they can envisage a future filled with faithful fans continually buying repackaged GTA follow-ons and so their bank balances fill to bursting point.
I don’t mind a few more semi sequels like the fantastic Vice City, but lets hope Rockstar don’t sell out and give the fans some more decent GTA experiences without lowering the quality.
Maybe they’re thinking about GTA4 right this minute...
Grand Theft Auto started from humble beginnings, and I’m sure a few of you remember playing it, running down groups of Hari Krishna, blowing stuff up, running around making the main character burp and fart and listening to the great radio tunes.
I still remember when it was announced that one day long into the future there was going to be a 3D GTA and who’d have thought that the series would eventually get this big!
Since the release of the amazingly successful GTA3 last year, the franchise has now become one of the biggest in the industry, pulling in millions of sales and millions of pounds.
In short, as Vice City shows, the GTA franchise is now basically a license to print money.
However, one of the main criticisms levelled at the new GTA title by a few people is that it’s nothing more than the same as GTA3 but set in the 1980’s with a bit of a facelift, a few new features like bikes and helicopters plus a big 80’s soundtrack. It’s a fair point I suppose, as although it is a lot better than its predecessor in my opinion and I love it to bits, it’s not a revolution or big step forward. It’s more like GTA3.5.
I don’t really mind the similarities, as the game structure, mission styles, weapons and vehicles all feel nice and familiar, plus the massive new soundtrack, bigger city and more differing vehicles kept it fresh and appealing.
So GTA has undoubtedly become a highly successful franchise, and what do you do with a highly successful franchise?
You milk it of course.
Not wanting to put a dairy pun into it, but there may come a time when a successful game will feel stale and past its sell by date if it’s milked too much, and I hope that doesn’t happen with GTA.
With all this success comes the temptation to become rather slack and rest on your laurels when developing sequels or add-ons. Vice City isn’t like that but what will the future bring?
Even Rare have been guilty of milking games, with Banjo Kazooie spawning the similar Donkey Kong, Banjo Tooie and Conker without much change or improvement.
In fact, the way the GTA series has gone is similar to the Gran Turismo series:
GT1 & GTA1 set out the basis of series.
GT2 & GTA2 added more but not revolutionary.
GT3 & GTA3 were big PS2 sequels.
GT Concept & GTA: Vice City not true sequels but still great.
GT4 being developed & GTA4??
Although I’d like to see GTA4 at some point, I don’t mind a few more Vice City style follow-ups. I’d like to see perhaps a 70’s San Francisco style city (a bit like the original Driver but with a new and improved GTA makeover) with a sort of Bullitt/Dirty Harry style feel with it’s bright airy feel, hills & grandiose landscape, bay area, Alcatraz, trams, tower blocks, stylised buildings and roads filled with cool 70’s American muscle cars. Maybe we could have a groovy 60’s London filled with the usual Michael Caine cockney clichés, dodgy geezer gangster types, Mini’s, old police vans and all the other stuff that was probably in the previous GTA: London add-on pack.
A Las Vegas style city complete with huge wacky buildings and bright neon lights would rock! An ultra cool Ocean’s Eleven style criminal vibe filled with slick characters, more big American cars and lots of Elvis impersonator pedestrians to run over! You could buy and explore corrupt casinos and extravagant auditoriums with those big-haired German magicians entertaining the crowds with their white tigers.
With the wave of online related games about to hit us like a big gaming tidal wave, a sure bet is GTA Online?...
Imagine a big sprawling city filled with gamers all going about their business: you could be criminals, pedestrians, motorists, police, firefighters, ambulance drivers, pizza boys, taxi drivers etc. Plus I’m sure there can be a few more activities and jobs to do.
In the end though, I think a game like that could end up like online anarchy if there are too many players all causing free-for-all havoc.
To avoid going down the Tomb Raider and FIFA route of releasing add-on/semi sequels though, and if they are to keep their credibility and not end up being criticised for pumping out repackaged cash-ins every year or so, we would expect Rockstar to eventually develop a true GTA sequel: GTA4 on PS3??
But how can you really improve on the Vice City game structure?
Sure, the improved power of the PS3 would give a graphical boost, and maybe even a bigger city, but in terms of gameplay I’d think that GTA4 would be more evolution rather than revolution?
You can be sure that the fat cat moneymen are licking their lips at the prospects and future of the GTA series; they can envisage a future filled with faithful fans continually buying repackaged GTA follow-ons and so their bank balances fill to bursting point.
I don’t mind a few more semi sequels like the fantastic Vice City, but lets hope Rockstar don’t sell out and give the fans some more decent GTA experiences without lowering the quality.
Maybe they’re thinking about GTA4 right this minute...
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Maybe not about war, but certainly evil.
He's talking about "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" by the way.
Besides, quite a lot of classical music is about war...
Yeah, just look at Clockwork Orange, hah hah!
ssxpro wrote:
> Thug? What kind of thug listens to classical music during every
> drive-by shooting?
so, what kind of music DO thugs listen to? Being a little general aren't you?
Just because someone listens to classical music, doesn't make him a gentleman.
And to buffoon Darwock, who again accuses me of having a closed mind because I don't like the same things he does, I can only again call you a fool.
> Thug? What kind of thug listens to classical music during every
> drive-by shooting?
so, what kind of music DO thugs listen to? Being a little general aren't you?
Just because someone listens to classical music, doesn't make him a gentleman.
And to buffoon Darwock, who again accuses me of having a closed mind because I don't like the same things he does, I can only again call you a fool.
ssxpro wrote:
> Thug? What kind of thug listens to classical music during every
> drive-by shooting?
I wouldn't rise to the flame bait ssxpro... I mean GTA3 is not only unique in itself but it also incorporates complete games like Driver and Crazy Taxi. Insane Bartender can't see this becuase he has a closed mind.
> Thug? What kind of thug listens to classical music during every
> drive-by shooting?
I wouldn't rise to the flame bait ssxpro... I mean GTA3 is not only unique in itself but it also incorporates complete games like Driver and Crazy Taxi. Insane Bartender can't see this becuase he has a closed mind.
I guess that's why you're not a games designer.
Thug? What kind of thug listens to classical music during every drive-by shooting?
Though I would likely be better off not commenting on this, I will anyway.
GTA has already done about as much as it can. What else can it add (other than gameplay :Þ)? More guns? More varied missions? More people to randomly kill without thought? A few more vehicles maybe? Update the grpahics?
At the end of the day, the game is just ploughing around the streets hitting things and picking things up, the only way to improve is to change the way the game is played completely. But how? The game is about being a thug, how do you revolutionise thuggery?
Personally, I don't see many ways forward, other than what would only be classed as "upgrades" which will retail at £40 a pop.
GTA has already done about as much as it can. What else can it add (other than gameplay :Þ)? More guns? More varied missions? More people to randomly kill without thought? A few more vehicles maybe? Update the grpahics?
At the end of the day, the game is just ploughing around the streets hitting things and picking things up, the only way to improve is to change the way the game is played completely. But how? The game is about being a thug, how do you revolutionise thuggery?
Personally, I don't see many ways forward, other than what would only be classed as "upgrades" which will retail at £40 a pop.
Not sure, but even an online version of GTA3 would be great fun!
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