Friday, September 3, 2004

Country Living: The Open Roads of San Andreas
September 03, 2004 - It's been a week or two since we last updated you on the progress that Rockstar Games is making with Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas(thats a joke) (unless you want to count yesterday's soundtrack story), so we figured that today was as good as any to fill you in on some of the more interesting aspects that GTA will be offering when it hits store shelves this coming October. More specifically, we wanted to give our readers explicit details on those open areas between the three major cities that we've been hearing about for months now; in addition to the improved gunplay mechanics and a few other little surprises you may not have already known.

Luckily for us, we had the opportunity to see a newer build of San Andreas a few weeks back; but up until now had been asked to keep what we saw a secret so that we could bust it out when the time was right. Believe us when we say that we really wanted to tell you about that experience too -- because based on what we saw, the countryside environments of San Andreas are just as interesting (if not more so) than the cityscapes and urban settings we've grown accustomed to.

one of the biggest questions that people have been asking us since the countryside was announced was how long it would take to drive across it from corner to corner. Unfortunately the answer to that question still isn't known yet; as Rockstar representatives were rather honest with us when they told us that they hadn't really timed it and still have more elements to add before they'd do so. Even still, the land area in San Andreas is huge and as an example, we witnessed our guide travel back from one of the game's several small towns to Los Santos over the span of which, seemed like nearly twenty minutes. He wasn't exactly lollygagging either -- as he used both the brand new Monster Truck vehicle, a dirty lawnmower-sounding dirt bike, and an airplane similar to that of Grand Theft Auto III to get us there. If that doesn't tell you how big the state of San Andreas really is, then get ready to be wowed when you finally play it.

Anyhow, Rockstar reps confirmed with us that there would be a dozen or so small townships scattered throughout the countryside area -- with each possessing their own unique look, theme, and citizen mentality. Unfortunately, we didn't get to experience the rural locals for ourselves in this build (it looked as though they had been added in yet), though the differences in style compared to Los Santos were immediately obvious. In the sleepy little town we visited, for example (a moderately-sized trailer park spot known as Angel Pine), there were all manner of differently structured buildings and landmarks that screamed small neighborhood.

Very reminiscent of the patchy communities I remember growing up with in the 1980s-era California cities of Lancaster and Palmdale, Angel Pine comes complete with its own mom and pop liquor store, a quaint little bakery, a single-screen theater, and a humorously-named motel known as "U-Get-In." Additionally, there were a ton of single-wide trailers on the edge of town in addition to a mix of dirt roads and pave streets that should strike an immediate chord with anyone who's ever taken a road trip and stopped for gas somewhere off the main freeway. It's pretty cool.

What's more impressive, however, is the gigantic mountain that stands next to Angel Pine in the distance. Confirmed by Rockstar to be the largest single object in the history of Grand Theft Auto games, Mount Chiliad is more than half a mile tall with various roads that players can take to get to the top. For our trip upwards, though, our guide split his time between riding the aforementioned dirt bike and a little sweet quad-cycle that had a physics system almost comparable to legitimate quad racing titles.

And as we traveled upward, the mountain view further went to prove Rockstar's claim that everything in the game casts a shadow -- as the trees, rocks, and mountain itself all had a realistic effect on the areas we looked towards in relation to the position of the sun. Additionally, the draw-distance was far beyond that of the previous GTA games with a breathtaking view that allowed us to see miles in the distance (our guide even busted out a disposable camera to zoom around and get a better look), while our bike kicked up a convincing dust cloud behind us. Frankly, this whole range of visual wizardry looked pretty damned awesome.

Our time on the mountain wasn't just for sightseeing, however, as our guide next took us to a safe house cabin near the landmark's peak. Once we arrived, we noticed that that cabin was occupied by a good number of armed FBI agents; and as it turns out, we had to go through them to kill a government witness. Apparently, CJ has been blackmailed into hunting this guy down as a favor to a major character that Rockstar wasn't ready to reveal yet, but needless to say, it had to be done no matter who it was that was asking. Moments later, gunfire was everywhere and CJ and FBI agents had the lead flying with reckless abandon.

After CJ had eliminated a few of the agents, the remaining group of them grabbed the witness and threw him into the back of a black sedan. From here, the mission requirement became that of a car chase, as CJ hopped on his motorcycle and followed the car down the spiraling mountain road. Once again, the impressive dust cloud kicked into high gear and there were a great number of particles and special effects as CJ fired at the car in order to get it to stop. Eventually Carl managed to stop the automobile before it could make it to safety, and after quickly disposing of the witness had to whip out his camera accessory to take a picture of the corpse as proof of his accomplishment. With the mission complete, Rockstar's reps found it the perfect time to take us back to Los Santos via the long and winding highway.

Though we didn't get to see them for ourselves, there was still a great deal of other townships that populated the land as well. Close to our destination lied the little nook known as Dilamore, while other such places like Palomino and Blueberry were further out towards the other major cities. There were farms, lakes, forests, and gas stations too; but the area is so huge, I doubt we'll ever truly grasp how big it really is until we can finally sit down and explore it.

What we saw above wasn't the only new goody to be discovered in San Andreas, however, as we also learned about one of the brand-new weapons in Grand Theft Auto -- the Desert Eagle.

Large and imposing, the massive handgun has more stopping power per round than any other weapon except for sniper rifles; and when CJ first starts to try and use it, he'll barely be able to hold onto it when firing; as he'll need to get more used to the weapon first before he can become proficient with it. It's an intriguing weapon to be sure, and one that Rockstar tells us is one of the most lethal new weapons on the game.

Easily one of the funniest things we saw, the ability to ride an industrial strength lawnmower has been included in GTA as well. Considered a last-ditch ride, this goofy looking automobile will likely have little practical use when running from the law, but we'll be damned if it isn't funny. Plus, it is legitimately faster than running -- so who knows? Maybe you can find a use for it after all.

But if you're looking for something to do in-between mower runs, be on the lookout for rural races that take place all over the state. Whether it's an uphill rocky road race in your 4x4 or a motocross competition with your dirt bike, there are plenty of moneymaking and adrenaline-pumping activities.

In the rolling hills west of Los Santos, players can expect to find a cozy little truck stop known as RU Haul. Always looking for extra drivers, the owner is perfectly willing to throw CJ some cash if he can tow pull some cargo.

What makes this particular job so damn cool, though, is that hauling cargo is done with a traditional 18-wheeler -- which also happens to be the largest road vehicle in the game. Boasting fully-articulated physics, the truck supposedly behaves and reacts exactly like a real trailer should; with a loss of grip if you take corners too fast or jackknifing if you make too harsh a turn when avoiding obstacles. The trailer can disconnect too, so your truck will react and move in different ways depending on what you've got going on in the back.

Players will probably want to use the 18-wheeler as often as possible too; because they'll be able to earn thousands of dollars for completing lower-level projects or tens of thousands for delivering hot and stolen goods that the police are looking to confiscate. Players should keep in mind, however, that hauling missions are completely timed. So if they screw up and miss their window, their payoff will be cut to half of what it was supposed to be.

One final aspect of the 18-wheeler that players should take note of is that Rockstar tells us that they make unbelievable "rolling bombs." So if you ever want to take out a large group of guys in concentrated areas or just want to see a bunch of pretty lights, simply speed your tanker towards the crowd and dive out at the last minute. Follow it up with a quick blast with your rocket launcher and BOOM! Instant mass barbeque!

Because of its varied landscape, San Andreas boasts quite a few different kinds of plants. To render these as realistically as possible, Rockstar North has developed a special technology that draws in foliage around the character model (known as procedural rendering). What happens is, the designers tag areas with different terrain designations that are then assigned specific kinds of plants and shrubbery. Different varieties of underbrush and grass, for example, will automatically be drawn in based on your location; while rocks, fallen logs, and other such things will also be computed into the equation should step in the right area. Players can expect dozens of different planets in all.

Another cool little feature related to nature, is the fact that the moon now goes through regular phases. Since the game has its own internal clock that keeps track of what days you've spent in the world, it knows what day of the week it is as well. And just as it does in our universe, the moon in the San Andreas universe will cycle through a 30-day phase so that it changes every evening. What's more is that the moon and the stars will even look brighter when you're away from the lights of the city and in the comforts of the countryside. Nice!

Manhunt fans should be pleased to know that Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is borrowing a lot of that game's ideas when it comes to targeting and firing your gun. Completely redone, the new gunplay mechanic still retains similar controls so that veterans of the earlier games don't have to relearn everything from scratch. R1 still targets your enemies, for example, and you can still perform random fire with the circle button.

But once you've pressed R1, you'll receive a number of new options for an expanded approach towards how you target your enemies. So at first, CJ will aim at the closest hostile enemy and skip non-hostiles altogether. If there isn't a hostile in the area, however, he'll simply auto-target the closet person to him within a range of just over 90 degrees. But if there still isn't a target that meets his requirement, CJ will then default into free aim mode. In this mode, the camera will now rest behind your character while the reticule appears in the center of the screen. Even further, the right analog stick finally allows players to move the camera up, down, left, and right, while they move (or strafe) their CJ model with the left.

This kind of approach means that the game will play more like several other mainstream third-person shooters (like the aforementioned Manhunt), while allowing players to target whomever they want without using an auto-lock. While using this kind of targeting system, L1 now acts as the firing button -- though circle can still fire when not using the new targeting system. Old school GTA veterans shouldn't worry, though, as the system will still allow them to cycle through locked targets with the L2 and R2 buttons; which will apply regardless if CJ is in auto-lock or free-aim mode.

Now as we're sure you've guessed by now, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas has also added a number of RPG-like elements to its gameplay system, and its application to the targeting system is pretty important. In fact, there are six different attributes related to how players use guns that can affect their overall performance when firing. Naturally, these skills can be improved upon over time (by using that particular weapon and it's action more frequently, ala The Elder Scrolls games). Listed below are the categories that would-be gun maniacs can look forward to:

Reload Time: The more improved CJ becomes at this skill, the fewer seconds he'll need when reloading. This is extremely important when involved in large-group firefights.

Fire Rate: This skill dictates how many bullets CJ can spray in a certain amount of time. The better the skill, the more ammo he can unload in shorter instances.

Accuracy: When players improve this skill, the circle outside of their reticule will expand and contract for better a visual representation of your target lock. As always, crouching also improves the precision of your shots.

Weapon Stance and Movement: Each weapon has a different ability relative to that weapon type that can be unlocked. This means that some weapons, for instance, can earn the ability to allow CJ to move while firing. While others improve your character's weapon stance so that he has faster strafe speeds or uninhibited backwards movement when firing.

Dual Weapons: What Rockstar is calling "The Ultimate Upgrade," this skill allows CJ to handle two weapons at a time. This effectively doubles CJ's firing rate and length of time between reloads.

And so yet another one of our massive features has come to and end. We hope you found the information in this installment helpful, and we'll take this time to remind you to check our media page below for several new screenshots that you won't find anywhere else. We'll be back with more on Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas soon (yeah, like we really needed to tell you that).

It's difficult to remember a time in gaming before Grand Theft Auto, since it's been such an incredibly influential series. But when Grand Theft Auto III hit the scene in 2001, there was nothing out there like it...except for the game's relatively little-known 2D predecessors. GTA III was a remarkable game for a variety of reasons, but perhaps the most important of these was the game's urban setting. Here was a game that did the unthinkable: It proved that you didn't need some high-tech futuristic dystopia or some medieval fantasyland to make a memorable setting. A relatively mundane real-world urban environment could be even more exciting than any make-believe, fictional world. As well, this urban setting made it so that GTA III was easy to relate to. It all felt familiar, in a way. No logic leaps were required.

Since then, urban settings in games have become pretty played out, actually. It took a while for the Grand Theft Auto clones to hit the market, but they're here, and their effects undermine Grand Theft Auto's own authenticity. Fortunately, the next game in the GTA series is likely going to make yet another dramatic shift from what you've come to expect. The game's setting of the state of San Andreas, which will purportedly be five times larger than 2002's Vice City, will consist of three different cities (based on Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Las Vegas)...as well as vast stretches of countryside separating them from one another.

"Countryside." Say it aloud, and listen to the lack of excitement in your voice. No, it doesn't sound exciting or interesting at all? Hardly any games take place out in the countryside. With good reason, right? Nothing happens out there. It's flat. It's boring. It's empty. There's nothing to do...right?

But we're talking about Grand Theft Auto here--the series that took everyday humdrum tedium and turned it into one of the greatest gameworlds ever. With this in mind, we recently paid a visit to Rockstar Games for a firsthand look at Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas' new countryside environments and corresponding gameplay elements. We were skeptical, since we had trouble imagining how something like this could possibly stand as an exciting, new component of what's still going to be known as an urban-themed game. Yet we left the meeting more excited for San Andreas than ever. If you're having trouble imagining what the wild outdoors can do for Grand Theft Auto, we're here to set the record straight.

If the crime-infested cities of San Andreas call to mind movies like Boyz N the Hood and Menace II Society, the countryside will hearken back to Thelma & Louise and Deliverance. If you've never seen these movies, the point is, the game will retain its edge inside and outside of the metropolis. We got a chance to see a good chunk of San Andreas' countryside (which, in total, should be about 50 percent of San Andreas' entire landmass) and definitely got a good feel for the distinctively quaint-yet-dark style that the developers are going for here.

The countryside will be scattered with a dozen small towns, each with its own local populace. These are simpler folk, many of whom are clad in overalls or can be seen walking with their spouses hand in hand. The countryside includes all sorts of new vehicles you'd expect to see out in the boondocks but that would look out of place in the big city. We're talking RVs, ATVs, monster trucks, mountain bikes, tractors...even bulldozers.

The countryside will put San Andreas' stifling cityscapes into perspective. These cities don't exist in a vacuum; they're part of a bigger picture. And the bigger picture of San Andreas, the game, is this: Despite appearances, San Andreas is not just about early '90s thug life. The urban hip-hop thing's been done top to bottom already. Rockstar prides itself on staying ahead of the curve and being a leader in defining style and trends in gaming rather than being a follower. The all-encompassing style of San Andreas ought to put that reputation to the test. Learn more about the fringes of San Andreas next.

One of the interesting aspects of San Andreas' countryside is that it gives the developers license to get away from the flat urban sprawl the GTA series is known for. Case in point: Consider Mt. Chiliad, a San Andreas landmark that reaches an elevation of a good half-mile. We got a chance to see CJ, San Andreas' makeshift protagonist, bike his way up this mountain so that he could peer off the side of it. The increased draw distance of San Andreas--which is four times greater than that of Vice City--is perhaps most apparent from this point, because it's possible to see way out on the horizon, which is dotted with evergreen trees. The expansiveness of the outdoor environments seems like a refreshing change from the density of the city--and it represents a dramatic contrast, since the city really is never going to be too far away from the country.

Not to get ahead of ourselves, but the most impressive part of the demonstration was not so much any aspect of the countryside itself, but it was what happened as CJ drove (on a new motorcycle called the Wayfarer, which was reminiscent of a Honda Gold Wing) from the countryside and into the heart of Los Santos, San Andreas' LA-style capital city. Remember, this game will have no interruptions caused by loading times as you're cruising around the state, so you'll be able to drive for miles and miles without being taken out of the experience of the game.
It's one thing to read about this expansiveness, but it's quite another thing to actually see it. As the sky fills with smog and denser and denser networks of electrical wires--in addition to more and more traffic--a pretty amazing shift occurs. If you've ever driven cross-state or cross-country, you know the feeling, and GTA: San Andreas seems to capture it very well. One of the things that's always been great about Grand Theft Auto is the sense of escapism that the games provide. In essence, the world becomes your playground. San Andreas seems like it will take this notion one step further by letting you get away from it all even in the context of the game itself.

While the new towns and simple folk out in the countryside looked like they could offer up some promising gameplay experiences, we have to admit that the new vehicles are what got us the most excited. The new ATV featured the sort of bouncy suspension and throaty engine noise that distinguishes the real-world vehicle, only it's much faster here than in real life. CJ can easily catch air on this thing, and it just looks like great fun to drive. The physics for it look distinctly different from other vehicles, especially since CJ can do a lot of motorcycle-style stunts on the ATV. However, it does boast the handling of a small truck.

Speaking of trucks...the new monster truck handles differently from the smaller varieties, let's just say. This behemoth features four-wheel steering and independent suspension and is capable of pulling some wild donuts as you're skidding around on the dirt. You can just imagine the sorts of havoc you could wreak in a vehicle of this size. Rockstar reps used the monster truck to demonstrate the range of styles that the game would eventually capture by skidding around in the forest while listening to hard rock in an American flag-emblazoned monster truck that hardly suggests the hip-hop theme that San Andreas is already well known for. What is this? Grand Theft Auto: Hicksville? At any rate, it's very cool.

We didn't get a chance to see it, but Rockstar also gave us some new details about the bulldozer, which will feature new physics of its own, including rear-wheel steering, for one thing. The front wheels are locked, so you'll have to get used to some pretty unusual mechanics to get a handle on this beast. Its plow will be fully functional via the right analog stick, so you'll be able to use it...to smash stuff, of course, or to flip cars and stuff like that. The world of the game will also be filled with many more breakable objects, which should make bulldozer rampages that much more interesting.

The countryside won't just be about joyriding, of course. The plot of the game will send CJ out of the city and in to the woods with good reason. Read on to find out what types of things he'll have to do while outside the reach of the long arm of the law.

We got to see one story mission out in the wilderness in which CJ (who's apparently been blackmailed at this point in the plot) needed to hunt down a particular individual who was in witness protection. CJ then needed to take the man out. Finally, he had to snap a photo as evidence of his work. The "protection" part of witness protection, in this case, included several FBI goons, who CJ was able to take out with dual-wielded pistols (predictable yet new to San Andreas, nonetheless). The witness, at this point, bails, which triggers a high-speed chase down Mt. Chiliad, with CJ trying to spray the guy's car with Uzi fire from behind the handlebars of his BMX. The dust that was kicked up by the getaway car made pursuit difficult, and, in fact, CJ ended up blowing up the car rather than disabling it. As a result, the witness perished in the explosion, thus leaving behind insufficient evidence. Mission failed. But, man, that's a pretty cool way to fail a mission.

There was lots of other cool stuff to see in the countryside. Some always-interesting signage adorned the town streets, and we spotted other vehicles, like a police truck, lurking around. And we also got to see the new-and-improved flyable Dodo prop plane in action. Now there's full-on, fully implemented flight in San Andreas, and there will be no better way to cross the state than in one of these planes. The Dodo's handling looked pretty squirrelly but very realistic--like its sound effects. We were left wondering what other types of winged vehicles might be hidden in the game. (Bring on the stealth bomber!) At any rate, the Dodo again demonstrated the sheer scale of San Andreas' landmass, which obviously appears much greater than previous games. Yet, what we learned from seeing the details in the countryside is that it won't just be empty expanse. The sorts of interesting incidental events that make the world of Grand Theft Auto so entertaining are going to be out there as well.

It's worth mentioning some of the technical details that have evidently gone into San Andreas. You've seen screenshots of the game, which feature GTA's unmistakable art style...but seeing the game in action really does go to show that this game looks a lot better than Vice City, by comparison. There really is a lot more detail going on, and characters and animations generally look more vibrant and lifelike. Vehicle physics for the new types of rides are a joy to behold, and the improved draw distance and eliminated loading times make for differences that may seem subtle yet actually have a rather profound effect on gameplay. We also noted that all the sound effects in the game, for weapons and such, seem to be new--and very loud. If you've ever played Manhunt, then you know Rockstar North is capable of some very hard-hitting audio, and you can expect to hear more along these same lines in San Andreas. The game will also incorporate Manhunt's blocking system and more-advanced hand-to-hand combat. Additionally, you can also expect lots and lots of new jacking moves. The best one we saw was when CJ delivered a smashing backfist to an unfortunate soul who was riding a Wayfarer. Thanks for the ride, chump.

Rockstar's revealed other details to us, such as how you'll be able to find and use lots of new weapons in San Andreas. We spotted a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, and we're also told that a shovel will be available, replete with the satisfying "klunk" sound you'd expect. Planes, which include the Dodo as well as the new crop duster, will feature a new type of radar, allowing you to easily gauge your altitude. Mountain biking won't just be for fun, but it'll be for competition, so expect a downhill race to be one of the game's new driving challenges. Also, fires will break out in San Andreas from time to time, and CJ will be able to extinguish them with the proper equipment. It's clear that Rockstar North just keeps layering more and more detail into this game, and it's definitely making all of this detail fit together.

Speaking of details, what about your threads? Whether you're cruising the streets of Los Santos or going for a drive in the country, you'll naturally want to look your best. Keep reading to find out how CJ will suit up with style.

Previous games in the Grand Theft Auto series have placed little emphasis on your characters' clothing. As Tommy Vercetti, you could don only a few alternate outfits that were scattered strategically around town, while GTA III's nameless antihero conducted all of his dirty business in the same drab, unassuming garb. No longer is this the case, because San Andreas will give you plenty of options for mixing and matching clothing and hairstyles to achieve the look that makes the ladies swoon and your enemies shrink in fear.

Speaking of your enemies, you'll have to take them into consideration when you select the style and coloring of your clothes. Gang colors will play a large part in your relations with other people in the game, because they'll help identify you to other members of your own crew who will help you out in a tight spot. But be warned, because flashing your colors will also draw the unwanted attention of the police and--even worse--members of other gangs. Thus, you'll have to walk the line between dressing out and playing it safe if you want to get by on the mean streets of Los Santos and San Andreas' other cities. Fortunately, you'll have plenty of places to shop, so scoring the perfect duds will be easy.

Binco

At the beginning of the game, CJ will start out wearing only a basic T-shirt and a pair of pants, but, naturally, you'll want to style up as soon as you gain notoriety. Binco is the first clothing store you'll visit, because it's just a few blocks from the Orange Grove Families territory that you'll use as a base, and because it's a discount store that will sell you some functional threads on the cheap. You won't find Los Santos' flashier fashions at Binco, but you will be able to get your gang colors without outlaying a massive stack of cash. What's more, folks from around the way will gain more respect for you once you've outfitted yourself in a style they're familiar with.

Binco is for the aspiring thug on a budget. SubUrban is where you go when you've made it. You'll want to take CJ over to SubUrban for some classier hip-hop fashions once you've got a bit more disposable income to work with. Of course, if you're plying your street trade properly, that kind of cash should come naturally. People will respect you more when you're clad in gear from SubUrban, which carries brands such as Base 5 and Mercury, than when they see you wearing the cheaper stuff peddled at Binco. The items at SubUrban come at a price, so you may only be able to afford one or two pieces at first. But keep earning green and you'll soon be wearing only the finest fashions.

This is the athletic-themed store that you'll go to when you've got plenty of cash, and you've trained CJ until he's fit and muscled. The stuff you'll find in ProLaps is quite pricey, and it's the place where you'll find jerseys, designer tennis shoes, shorts, hats, and other sports-related gear. The mainstream clothing for sale in ProLaps will help you downplay your gang ties--if you want it to do so--or you can just don it to show off your finely honed physique. ProLaps proves how in-depth Rockstar is getting with San Andreas' clothing system. You can literally make CJ look like a professional basketball player if you want to.

Clothes may make the man, but CJ's hair will need tending to as well if you want to complete your look. We've reported previously that you'll be able to visit places like Reece's Barbershop to touch up your fade, and now we've learned that there is an assortment of hairstyles that you'll have access to, which includes cornrows, an afro, a shaved head, and even a finely Jheri-curled coiffure. And just like your clothing, your hairstyle will play a large part in the way people--both women and men--react to your presence.

By all indications, Rockstar North is cramming an incredible amount of content into this game, so we'll just have to see how it all fits together. GTA: San Andreas superficially resembles other hip-hop-inspired games, but it will clearly have a lot more to it than most of those other games. Based on what we've seen of the countryside elements in action, we just can't wait to get our hands on the game. The new vehicles alone look like a lot of fun, and the new countryside environments present new types of terrain to traverse, which should certainly be interesting. We'll continue bringing you more about GTA: San Andreas as we lead up to the game's October release.












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