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View Full Version : GTA3 411 (for the PC) - possible new features if xbox gets a versions?!?!



DZNUTZ
04-23-2002, 12:45 PM
First off...i know everyone is sick and tired of rumors about the availability of this game..i'm not adding fuel to the fire...but i just thought since xbox and pc offer some of the same functions...a couple of these new features for the pc version (adding music and replay feature) would be quite possible for and xbox version!!! and remember...don't shoot the messenger

Grand Theft Auto III Interview
Creative Director Dan Houser and Development Director Leslie Benzies, both of Rockstar, share their thoughts and the release date for GTA3.

April 21, 2002 - Even before the PC version of GTA3 was officially announced, we had loads of email flooding the office full of questions about the game's features. Rockstar's kept a pretty tight lid on the information up till now, only just recently openly acknowledging the game's impending release.
And now that the cat's out of the bag, we're getting even more letters and questions about the impending release of GTA3. People want to know why the PC version is coming out later than the PS2 version? They want to know what additions or changes will be made to accommodate and profit from the transition to the PC. How will the controls work? Is it mouse-based? What about mp3s? We had the same questions, so we thought we'd ask Rockstar to fill us in.

Of course, the two biggest questions on everyone's mind are what sort of multiplayer options might be included and when the game should arrive in stores. We have answers to all of those questions (and a few more) in a special interview with Dan Houser, Creative Director, and Leslie Benzies, Development Director, both of Rockstar Studios.

IGNPC: Sure, all of us in the PC gaming community are snobs. We like our games and were a little surprised when a game that was "rightfully ours" was released on the PS2 first. Please tell us at least that you're excited to get back to work on the PC version.

Dan Houser: It's a difficult issue determining which platforms to support first, but of course there are two ways of looking at things - either you want a game first, or you want it second with a further 6 months of technical development and performance enhancement. The months since the PS2 version came out haven't been spent idling away time on a beach before rushing to finish a PC port in three weeks flat. To do the PC version justice we had to take our time to make sure everything was right. The delay between versions is proof of the passion the team feel for the PC platform. We have previously released PC and PSX versions of GTA simultaneously and believed both versions suffered slightly from a lack of attention to detail. To make a game with this varied control systems, with this many textures and with this much to potentially go wrong and release it simultaneously on two platforms was not going to be possible.

IGNPC: Will there be mp3 support for gamers to create their own play lists for the different radio stations while driving around in their new rides?

Les Benzies: There is full support for playing mp3s in the PC version of Grand Theft Auto III. All of the mp3s that exist on the PC become an additional radio station that is selectable like any other.

Dan Houser: I think we have taken game music to a new level with the work in GTA3. The response to it on the PS2 version has been very positive and proved to us a game soundtrack can have the same impact as a movie soundtrack. We have twenty-year-old guys e-mailing us and asking us about opera! However, although we have over 4 hours of music in the game, the play through time for an average player of the game is something like 100 hours. Of course, we hope people will listen to the radio provided, but the option to slip on something quiet, seductive and personal while driving off to do a particular difficult mission can only add to people's enjoyment of the game.

IGNPC: The control system has been debated a bit around the internet as to whether the gamepad is the best control for the game or whether the mouse and keyboard offered a little more flexibility for an action shooter of this type. How are you guys handling the control scheme?

Les Benzies: We've spent a huge amount of time perfecting the controls for the PC version and believe we've come up with the ideal setup. There are two control methods. The first we call 'classic' as it is exactly the same as the PS2 controls. This mode works with either the keyboard or a joystick. The second method we call 'standard' which is a completely new configuration made especially for the PC and it requires a mouse to function. In standard mode, the camera and therefore player's direction is controlled with the mouse while movement and all other actions are managed on the keyboard. This means that targeting is very different from the classic mode as there is no lock-on button but instead the player uses the mouse to aim all the weapons.

IGNPC: There must have been some pretty hefty thought about multiplayer support and why it was decided that it wouldn't be included in the final game. Can you tell us a bit about your thinking on this?

Dan Houser: Of course, this was something we thought long and hard about, but in the end it was a fairly simple decision. We feel the single player experience - the game as it is - is very revolutionary - the number of different types of gameplay - driving, running, shooting a huge variety of weapons, interacting with npcs, holding up shops, exploring something bordering on a fully developed game world, driving boats and so on, and above all the seamless way it is integrated into one game represents a step forward for action games. The game has personality and attitude in a way that integrates style and gameplay so that they become the same thing - the way the cars handle, the way the player walks, what you hear on the radio or from pedestrians, the missions and the characters you meet -all feel like they are part of the same, massive world.

We just didn't feel we could make similar advances for a multiplayer game. To do justice to the key concepts of GTA, non- linearity, seamless moving between the action, attitude and complete immersion into a funny game world, we have to do something more than just death match, and to do that will take a lot of time. We have always had the attitude with GTA that any new version must have significant advances on its predecessors and if a new feature is added, it must be as good and complete as everything else in the game.

IGNPC: We all know the PS2 is a nice console, but part of the fun of bringing the game to the PC was the opportunity to spice up the look a bit. What all have you guys done to take advantage of the graphical power offered by high-end PCs?
Les Benzies: We've taken advantage of the amazing power available in the latest PCs by allowing the player to configure things like the draw distance for all buildings, cars and peds in the world and by having a changeable amount of cars and peds on the streets, making the city look much busier. The textures used in the city are much higher resolution and have more colors so everything looks much sharper. With the extra memory available in the PC we've added replays, which allow the player to play back the previous 30 seconds of gameplay. If you do something cool then hit the replay button and watch the action again from different camera angles. The replay is also saved to disk so you can e-mail any cool sequences to your buddies.

There's some really neat audio effects taking place in the game too. We fully support surround sound systems and you really feel like you're in the action when surrounded by police with helicopters flying overhead. As well as sounding great it really helps with gameplay as you can pinpoint exactly where the cops and other pedestrians are.

IGNPC: Along the same lines, what sort of system specs are we looking at here? How scalable will the game be for those that don't have the top of the line computers?

Les Benzies: We went for a minimum spec of p3 450 with 96mb of ram and a 16mb graphics card with which the game will run well but to see it in its true beauty you need at least a p3 700 with a 32mb graphics card. With the ability to drop the draw distance it will run well on a lower end machine.

IGNPC: And of course the most-asked question we hear from our readers every day...is there a set release date yet?

Dan Houser: The game will hit stores on May 21st in the US and May 24th in the UK.

-- Dan Adams;)

http://pc.ign.com/articles/357/357751p2.html

l Maximus l
04-23-2002, 12:55 PM
While it is quite possible that they could incorporate music playback on the XBox for this game, this article doesn't come out and say it. But, it's great news for GTA3 lovers if they want it for the PC.

I would hope that the PC version and the XBox version atleast have touched up graphics. The game is ugly, but, yes, it's fun. I had a chance to play a little of it recently...prior to that, I haven't had any exposure to the game, admittingly. I know graphics aren't everthing, however, the XBox and the PC are far more capable of better graphics than the PS2 version of it. The graphics do bug me a little on the PS2.

LynxFX
04-23-2002, 02:15 PM
They had another interview at Gamespy about it for the PC.

It is basically the same info. No talk of the Xbox but definately said that the PC version looks and plays much better than on the PS2. This will not be another fast port.

No multiplayer though, that stinks. :(

Ninja Scroll
04-23-2002, 02:17 PM
YO dznutz, your my dawg and all but you dont have to flood the forums with threads to get recognized:rolleyes:

And another GTA3 thread does not help da cause either.:(

Bart Simpson
04-23-2002, 05:48 PM
Ok I'm new and all but just be nice. I'm sure he doesn't want to hear that stuff. He's just trying to help people out and saying that GTA3 for PC has a release date now, and some people don't go to search for a certain title they actually look at the pages not just missing out on things. I am not trying to be ****y or anything like that, I'm just saying.

Nice Info MAN! I really enjoyed that! Just in time for my brothers birthday, I'll pick 2 up one for me and him. I know you can burn them and get them free, but you know what? I'd rather spend as much money as I can for Rockstar and DMA Design for all the hard work they put into this game!:)

E-Xbox
04-23-2002, 06:56 PM
hmm...
2 things i hate bout this thread

1. its old news...
2. its a GTA thread!

dznutz..no offence...
but im really sick of hearing gta 3 stuff

peace