Grand Theft Auto III: Difference between revisions
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=== Free roaming gameplay and availability of city areas === |
=== Free roaming gameplay and availability of city areas === |
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[[Image:Gta3casino.jpg|thumb|left|280px|Roaming about outside ''Kenji's Casino'', PS2 version]] |
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| ⚫ | Like previous ''Grand Theft Auto'' games, '' |
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| ⚫ | Like previous ''Grand Theft Auto'' games, ''GTA3''s gameplay is considerably non-linear. While the game does include a linear set of missions and storylines that involves entering specific [[halo]]-shaped markers to activate missions (shaking down a local business for "protection money", clearing the streets of drug dealers, or assassinating leaders of rival gangs, for example) and completing them in order to advance in the ranks of his current gang, many of these aspects are not mandatory to be performed. Alternately, it is possible to ignore the main missions and play side missions, and the player may choose to explore the city, stealing cars, running over pedestrians, and avoiding (or opposing) the police. If the player acquires a [[taxicab]], he can pick up designated [[non-player character]]s as fares and drop them off at different parts of the city for cash payments; obtaining an [[ambulance]] allows the player to pick up injured non-player characters and drive them to the hospital for a cash reward. Fire fighting and vigilante police missions are similarly available. Thanks to the open-ended game design, the player's character has a degree of freedom in his actions that, although heavily inspired by [[Rockstar North]]'s (then DMA Design) earlier [[Nintendo 64]] game ''[[Body Harvest]]'', was groundbreaking in 2001 and has arguably been only surpassed by the game's sequels. |
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New neighborhoods and districts in Liberty City become open to the player's exploration as missions are completed and the game's story unfolds. However, as new areas open up, access to other, previously accessible areas become more dangerous or less accessible once the player has fulfilled those areas' purposes. Similarly, the player's progress through the story affects his view in the "eyes" of non-playable characters. As the player completes missions for different gangs, rival gang members will come to recognize the character and subsequently shoot on sight. |
New neighborhoods and districts in Liberty City become open to the player's exploration as missions are completed and the game's story unfolds. However, as new areas open up, access to other, previously accessible areas become more dangerous or less accessible once the player has fulfilled those areas' purposes. Similarly, the player's progress through the story affects his view in the "eyes" of non-playable characters. As the player completes missions for different gangs, rival gang members will come to recognize the character and subsequently shoot on sight. |
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Revision as of 18:54, 5 June 2006
| Grand Theft Auto III | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | DMA Design/Rockstar North (PS2, PC); Rockstar Vienna (Xbox) |
| Publisher(s) | Rockstar Games |
| Engine | RenderWare |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 2, PC, Xbox |
| Release | |
| Genre(s) | Action |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
Grand Theft Auto III (GTA III) is a computer and video game developed by DMA Design, published by Rockstar Games in October 2001 (see 2001 in video gaming) for the PlayStation 2 video game console, May 2002 for Windows-based personal computers (PCs), and in November 2003 for the Xbox video game console. It is the third in the Grand Theft Auto series and the first in the PlayStation 2.
The game centers on a nameless criminal who was betrayed by his girlfriend in a bank heist, and is required to work his way up the crime ladder of the city, before confronting her and eventually taking his revenge. Like its predecessors, GTA III implements sandbox-like gameplay, where the player is given the freedom to perform various activities in a large city, such as performing missions, exploring the city, committing criminal acts, or completing odd quests.
The game concept and gameplay, coupled with the use of a three dimensional game engine through the use of RenderWare, contributed to Grand Theft Auto III's positive reception upon its release and became 2001's top grossing video game. GTA III's success was a significant factor in the series' subsequent popularity; as of 2006, four GTA sequels set in GTA III's universe have been released. GTA III's violent and sexual contents have also attracted moral panic and controversy.
Setting and plot
Grand Theft Auto III takes place in Liberty City, a fictional city on the East Coast (based on New York City). The timeline of the game was intended to be set at the present time around the first release of GTA III, October 22, 2001; this was indicated by the Liberty Tree website, which included plot points that connect to events in the beginning of the game, in its last existing monthly entry, dated October 18, 2001 [1].
Throughout the story, the protagonist and player character is never named (though he is referred to in the fan community variously as "Fido" or "The Kid".) He received the name "Claude" in a brief cameo in the series' later game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas; because of this name he is theorized to be "Claude Speed" from GTA2.
Template:Spoiler The player character is double-crossed by his partner/girlfriend, Catalina, during a bank robbery and sent to jail. While he is being transferred, an attack on the police convoy sets him free.
The player character then takes on work as a local thug and rises in power as he works for multiple rival crime gangs, a corrupt police officer and a media mogul. In the process, Maria, the mistress of a local Mafia boss, begins to show a liking to him, and saves him from a Mafia death trap, while remaining close to him throughout the storyline. Eventually, his exploits attract the attention of Catalina, now backed by a strong gang, resulting in the kidnapping of Maria. This gives him the opportunity to face Catalina once more, which results in a large firefight and Catalina's death. Maria was rescued, but was suggestively killed by the player character at the end of the storyline, when Maria, overly excited, would not stop talking to him. Template:Endspoiler
GTA III's storyline borrows themes from famous films, television programs and pop culture. The Godfather, Carlito's Way, The Sopranos and Goodfellas are the main influence in the game's story [citation needed].
Characters
The storyline, while not as integral with the game as its sequels, depicts the character development of several individuals and bosses, through cut scenes before the start of each mission, as the player progresses though the game. Most of the characters encountered center around corruption, crime and a fictional drug called "SPANK", which was a growing menace in the city.
With the success of Grand Theft Auto III and its sequels, several of these characters or their relatives reappear in future GTA titles with major or minor roles, and their personal background expanded, particularly Leone Mafia don Salvatore Leone, media mogul Donald Love, Phil, the One-Armed Bandit, 8-Ball and Catalina.
The voice cast for the game's characters features several established celeberties. Notable voice actors include Frank Vincent, Michael Madsen, Michael Rapaport, Joe Pantoliano, Debi Mazar, Kyle MacLachlan, and rapper Guru
Gameplay
Introduction
The core gameplay of Grand Theft Auto III combines elements of a third-person shooter and a driving game, and allows the player a large, open environment to move around in. On foot, the player's character is capable of walking, running and jumping (but is incapable of swimming), as well as utilizing weaponries and basic hand to hand combat; he is also capable of driving a variety of vehicles, including several boats and a light aircraft. Multiplayer modes from previous GTA titles were also dropped, favoring single player gameplay only. (However, Multi Theft Auto, a user-made mod, enable players to play GTA III online against each other.)
The gameplay mechanics of GTA III are very much based on that of its predecessors, Grand Theft Auto and Grand Theft Auto 2, with a three dimensional graphics facelift. Namely, they shared the following features:
- Open-ended gameplay
- Principle emphasis of carjacking to acquire vehicles
- Money system
- Monetary awards for killing pedestrians (although this feature now requires the player to pick up the money dropped by dead pedestrians) and performing stunts while driving
- Wanted levels and law enforcement
- Methods of police evasion
- Rampage missions
- Vehicle import-export services
- Train services
- Gangs
GTA III also retained other features that were common to the previous two titles, but largely removed in subsequent GTA titles. These include, but may not be limited to:
- Monetary awards for car crashes, destroying vehicles
- A vehicle crusher
- An optional top-down camera view, which is used in full in previous GTA installments.
Most of the GTA titles that follow GTA III would feature a largely similar gameplay system as in GTA III, including the heads-up display (HUD) design that became standard feature to such games, as well as the game engine that would be used for all console and PC versions. However, most of these titles have improved over GTA III's core design by providing better and improved features, player controls, weapon systems, visual representations, vehicles, and graphics, as well as larger playing areas.
Carjacking and vehicles
The principal activity in GTA III is carjacking: the player may walk up to the side of a passing car and press a single button to yank the driver out of the car, get in, and start driving. While not nessesary to be performed at all times, carjacking is often required if the player isn't provided with (or has lost) their own vehicle and needs to travel quickly. Each car has its own particular performance characteristics; for instance, a "Mafia Sentinel" sedan is much faster and able to corner much better than a heavy truck. However, attempting to car-jack a Mafia vehicle often results in pursuit by the former occupant (who is invariably armed). These risk-reward balances give the game more subtlety than the nature of the in-game actions would suggest.
A characteristic in this game that was greatly emphasized in the GTA series was relations from in-game cars to real cars. A few examples of this are how the "Perennial" station wagon resembles an first generation Chevrolet Nova, the "Moonbeam" minivan resembles a Chevrolet Astro, and the "Banshee" sports car resembles a Dodge Viper. Another notable relation is the "Maibatsu Monstrosity" (not present in game, only heard on in-game radio commercials);" this is an obvious parody of the real-life Daihatsu Midget.
Law enforcement and result of arrest or injuries
The Liberty City Police Department (LCPD) is the city's police agency. Any type of infractions will raise the player's wanted level and thus cause the police to give chase. Minor infractions such as carjacking or fist assaults will cause a one-star wanted level, causing cops to give chase on foot or car, but only if an officer actually sees the crime.
Gunning down pedestrians and destroying cars will further raise the wanted level (the maximum level is six stars) and eventually bring increasingly stronger police enforcement in the form of SWAT teams, FBI agents, and the National Guard. The only methods to rid of wanted levels are to pick up police-bribes or repaint the car the player is driving at one of three local Pay 'N' Sprays in the city. Unfortunately, completing certain missions inevitably causes the player to gain the attention of local police enforcement.
Once a player character collapses from their injuries or is arrested, he is respawned at a local hospital or police station, respectively, at the expense of losing all weapons in hand and an amount of money for "medical expenses" or "bribes". This is similar to previous GTA games, however here the player character is essentially offered unlimited "lives", as opposed to a limited number of lives in Grand Theft Auto and Grand Theft Auto 2. Thus, this allows the player character to "die" as many times as he pleases.
Free roaming gameplay and availability of city areas
Like previous Grand Theft Auto games, GTA3s gameplay is considerably non-linear. While the game does include a linear set of missions and storylines that involves entering specific halo-shaped markers to activate missions (shaking down a local business for "protection money", clearing the streets of drug dealers, or assassinating leaders of rival gangs, for example) and completing them in order to advance in the ranks of his current gang, many of these aspects are not mandatory to be performed. Alternately, it is possible to ignore the main missions and play side missions, and the player may choose to explore the city, stealing cars, running over pedestrians, and avoiding (or opposing) the police. If the player acquires a taxicab, he can pick up designated non-player characters as fares and drop them off at different parts of the city for cash payments; obtaining an ambulance allows the player to pick up injured non-player characters and drive them to the hospital for a cash reward. Fire fighting and vigilante police missions are similarly available. Thanks to the open-ended game design, the player's character has a degree of freedom in his actions that, although heavily inspired by Rockstar North's (then DMA Design) earlier Nintendo 64 game Body Harvest, was groundbreaking in 2001 and has arguably been only surpassed by the game's sequels.
New neighborhoods and districts in Liberty City become open to the player's exploration as missions are completed and the game's story unfolds. However, as new areas open up, access to other, previously accessible areas become more dangerous or less accessible once the player has fulfilled those areas' purposes. Similarly, the player's progress through the story affects his view in the "eyes" of non-playable characters. As the player completes missions for different gangs, rival gang members will come to recognize the character and subsequently shoot on sight.
Money system
Similar to previous Grand Theft Auto incarnations, money is partly crucial in GTA III, as it may be used to purchase weapons and body armor, recolor a vehicle in hand to evade police, and allow the player to access a handful of missions. Like earlier GTA games, successful completion of storyline missions would typically rewards players with large sums of cash, ranging from thousands of dollars for earlier missions to hundred of thousands of dollars for later missions. Side missions also grant the player cash award, although level-based missions (Vigilante, Paramedic and Taxi missions, etc.) actually begin providing small amounts and gradually increase the award money given as the player continues to progresses through these missions, with the addition of combo bonus cash for completing several successful levels in a row. Other methods of retrieving cash (albeit in smaller amounts) include destroying vehicles, killing pedestrians for scattered money, other minor offenses and vehicle deliveries.
Unlike previous GTA games, the amount of money in the player's possession is no longer a requirement to unlock new levels in the city in GTA III. Instead, key events in the game's storyline are now responsible for this role.
Because of the wide array of methods to earn money, the large amounts of monetary awards given in many occasions and the lack of methods to sufficiently spend the collected cash, it became easy in GTA III to accumulate large amounts of money and never run out of cash if the player continues to perform missions or creating chaos in the streets outside missions [citation needed]. This became a point of criticism from a handful of players as it made the game easier to complete than previous games in the series [citation needed]. The money system was subsequently revised, beginning from the next game in the series, 2002's Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, in which the average amounts of money awarded and several service costs are reduced to one tenth of those of GTA III, more options (some of which are costlier) are given to spend the given money, and several non-mission activities are no longer given cash awards.
Weapons
The selection of weapons provided in the game consists of firearms and explosives, with the addition of two forms of mêlée attacks. The weapons themselves are largely similar to the selection of weapons from other Grand Theft Auto and Grand Theft Auto 2, such as fist attacks, the pistol, the machine gun (which has been expanded to include one submachine gun and two rifles in Grand Theft Auto III), the rocket launcher and the flamethrower from GTA, and the shotgun and thrown weapons from GTA2. The porting of the GTA III into a three dimensional environment also allowed for the inclusion of the sniper rifle and first-person aiming using the M-16 rifle and rocket launcher. In addition, it becomes possible in the game to perform drive-by shooting using the Uzi submachine gun. Weapons may be purchased from local firearms dealers and businesses, retrieved for free from certain dead gang members, mission-specific characters and law enforcers, or picked up in certain spots in the city.
The varied nature of the weapons is prevalent in play; in addition to the severity of damage that each weapon may inflict on an individual or objects, certain weapons, while wielded, may restrict movement when carried or when fired, while other weapons create wider splash damage, especially those utilizing fire or explosives, placing the player at risk of injuring themselves while using such weapons.
The console versions of the game allowed the player to auto-aim with the push of a button, holding human targets at gun point using most firearms, with the exception of first person aiming for the sniper rifle, M-16 and rocket launcher, which are controlled by the analog stick as the player presses the same autoaim button. Because the PC version allows the player to aim targets with a mouse, the autoaim system was removed. This control difference is also seen in the console and PC ports of Vice City and San Andreas.
The list of weapons, as sorted by the weapons' in-game slots, is as followed:
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Environment simulation
The game is remarkable in its simulation of a large, active city, with three different neighborhoods populated, which is largely credited by the use of levels of detail (LODs) to display distanced environments, and minimize memory use while doing so. Passing vehicles and pedestrians are not merely cosmetic parts of the environment, but actually play a significant role in gameplay. Cars can be smashed or stolen, and citizens can be beaten up, robbed, run over, or shot, allowing the player to extract money and/or weapons. Law enforcement and members of rival gangs can be attacked and will return fire, while medical worker in ambulances arrive to revive certain dead murder victims and fire fighters in fire engines arrive to put out fires. The game is also noted for the emergent behavior of its non-player characters. Pedestrians sometimes get into fights, and car accidents between non-player vehicles may occur on their own; there are even other carjackers in the city. The city also undergoes a 24-hour time cycle, which allows for both day and night time periods, as well as cycling weather, including overcasts, rain and heavy fog.
Radio stations
One of the game's subtler inclusions was a variety of radio stations (part of the official soundtrack). The stations feature music specially written for the game (as well as many songs originating from the first two GTAs), but also includes licensed music, some of which were excerpts of several actual music albums; this combination differs from those of the game's predessecors, which featured entirely original soundtracks. One of the stations was a full-length talk show, and many of the callers were actually characters from the story missions, often demonstrating the same views and eccentricities that had become apparent to the player during the missions.
Each station featured various commercials at intervals. These ads often referred to their advertisers' official websites, such as Petsovernight.com. All of these sites actually existed; they were set up to tie in with the game. However, although looking very much like genuine online stores, all links to purchase or order the products actually led to Rockstargames.com. The radio ads also gave out their official phone numbers which were also (apparently) registered by Rockstar; however in this case curious gamers only found an answer phone at the other end.
The list of Grand Theft Auto III radio stations is as followed:
Development
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Cuts and changes
Prior to the 2001 release of the final game, several modifications were made on GTA III. The changes were apparent as several promotional materials had previously displayed features that would be absent in the final version of the game. While cuts and changes are frequent during game development, the changes in GTA III were of interesting discussion as they were made around the time when the September 11, 2001 attacks occurred; this led some gamers to speculate that at least some of the changes were motivated by the attacks. Although little was disclosed about the types of changes to be made and when they were conducted, Sam Houser, the president of Rockstar Games (based in Manhattan, New York City), was quoted September 19, 2001 in mentioning a review would to be undergone for GTA III, in addition to confirming the delay of the game's release by three weeks [2][3][4] (the original, rough release date was suggested by Houser to be on October 2 [5]):
...our biggest games, including Grand Theft Auto 3, have been delayed slightly.
This decision is based on 2 factors, firstly it has been a little difficult to get work done in downtown Manhattan in the last week since basic communications infrastructure has been intermittent at best, and secondly we felt that a full content review of all our titles was absolutely necessary for us in light of the horrifying event we all witnessed in NYC last week.
As for Grand Theft Auto, since the game is so huge the review is no short process. So far we have come across certain small contextual references that we were no longer comfortable with, as well as a couple of very rare gameplay instances that no longer felt appropriate to us. We apologise to you and all the people waiting for this game to ship for the delays that have now ensued, but I'm sure you can understand our reasoning.
The most evident change in the game was of the police cars' paint scheme; the new color scheme of the LCPD is modeled in a panda-like black-and-white design similar to the LAPD, while the old color scheme of blue with white stripes (seen in previews and the manual map) resembles that of the NYPD. Pre-release screenshots in the game's official website depicting police cars had also undergone modifications, around a week after the attacks [6]. The NYPD-like paint scheme would eventually be reintroduced in Liberty City Stories, but uses black instead of NYPD's blue color.
Another notable change is the removal of Darkel [1][2], an in-game character, for the final version of the game. Mentioned in several early video game publications and websites, Darkel was to be a revolutionary urchin who vowed to bring down the city's economy. One mission involved stealing an ice cream van, using it to attract pedestrians, then blowing it up [7] (this mission would eventually be given by El Burro instead in the final version of game). Darkel was also originally expected to give out Rampage-esque missions [8] and even had his voice recorded for this part [9]. Rockstar later decided that they would like to go back to the original system of giving out rampages as featured in Grand Theft Auto and Grand Theft Auto 2. Although Darkel and his missions were removed indefinitely, the character remains listed in the manual's credits, as well as having a character texture retained in the game's data files [citation needed].
Although often rumored, no airplane missions were altered or changed in the wake of 9/11, as there were no missions to remove. The Dodo airplane, the only aircraft in the game, was also a point of discussion; the wings of the vehicle were significantly shortened and, although possible to fly continuously around Liberty City, the Dodo was considerably difficult to control, and a full winged version could be seen flying around the city.
Other changes included stopping the selection of certain character models when using cheat codes in (the generic South Asian cab driver, for example) [citation needed] and removing the aforementioned ability to blow limbs off non-player characters in the PlayStation 2 version of GTA III (which may be activated using the "nasty limbs" cheat code. Though there are no on-screen confirmation when entered successfully like other cheat codes, the cheat is still activated) [citation needed].
Graphics
Grand Theft Auto III's graphics is a significant departure from it predecessor, most notably for its use of a forward viewing perspective as the default view, similar to a majority of third-person shooters and driving games, and improved street-level graphics. The game also included several additional camera views, including top-down perspective used in full in GTA III's predecessors, and a cinematic view. The game is the last major title in the GTA series, with the exception of Grand Theft Auto Advance, to include top-down camera views. For console versions of GTA III, the game runs under a lower display resolution, whilst the PC version permits resolutions of up to 1240 by 1024 pixels.
The environment in game is primarily displayed through the use of level of detail (LOD). LOD is applied in game by allowing only areas directly surrounding the player to display objects in higher polygon counts (notably, larger objects such as vehicles, buildings and terrain) or minor props (i.e. street furniture); areas far from the player are displayed with lower polygons and need not include minor props or vehicles, assuming that the player will not be able to notice such details under conventional means. As such, LODs aid GTA III in displaying a large environment with a further draw distance, while ensuring that the game's performance remains optimum. When traveling within an island in the city, the game would consistently swap models of varied detail as the player moves from one area to another. However, as the player travels into another island, the game is required to load detailed models files of the entire destination island while also loading low detailed models for the islands the player is moving away from, requiring substantially more processing time; in the process, the game pauses gameplay and displays a "Welcome to..." screen for a short amount of time, before gameplay can resume.
As is the environment, vehicles and pedestrians are depicted in full three dimensional models, compared to flat top-down sprites in previous games. Both vehicles and pedestrians are constructed from individual polygon parts with a central "core" (the wheels, engine, chassis and body of vehicles, and the torso of pedestrians). The damage system of vehicles consists of representating the minor vehicle parts (doors, frontal quarter panels and bumpers) as undamaged, damaged or missing, based on the types of collisions detected on the vehicle; the core of each vehicle, on the other hand, remains visually unchanged despite heavy damage. As pedestrians in GTA III are made out of six separate polygon parts (four limbs, a head and a torso), it is possible to detach the limbs of a pedestrian or effectively "popping" the head of the pedestrian (through heavy firearms or explosives). This feature is evident in the PC version, but was not included by default in the PlayStation 2 version (although it could be enabled via a "nasty limbs" cheat code).
As the game runs in a 24 hour cycle and includes changing weather, the game's graphics engine is also required to simulate day and night periods, as well as weather effects for each time of the day. For specific times of the day and weathers, colored shadings would, alongside the static grey shading, gradually appear and disappear on all elements. In addition, overcast, rain and fog would also decrease draw distance in varied degrees, decreasing as its begins to take effect and increasing as the weather abates. As with most visual effects such as fire and smoke, weather effects such as rain drops and close-proximity fog are represented by sprites. The color of the sky and clouds would also correspond to the current time and weather. Other effects include occasional lightings in rains, a rainbow after a rain and the sun, which moves from the northeast of the city in the morning to the southwest in the evening.
The game was the first in the series to use motion blurring (dubbed "Trails" in the PC version of the game), semi-transparently rendering the last in game video frame to the current frame. The feature was also included in the PC version of the game, but could be toggled on and off.
Ports and remakes
Two years following the initial PlayStation 2 release of Grand Theft Auto III, versions for the personal computer (PC) and Xbox had been made made available. GTA III is particularly notable for being the first game in the series to be originally released for the console; previous Grand Theft Auto titles began as PC versions, before they were ported to consoles and handheld consoles. Following GTA III, PlayStation 2 GTA games generally followed GTA III release pattern, in which the PC port is released within seven to eight months after the PlayStation 2's release.
The PC version of the game, released on May 21, 2002, has been criticized for performance problems, especially in light of the much smoother performance of Vice City. This was due to technical issues; the game engine rendered everything within the draw distance, even things hidden behind buildings or trees, whereas Vice City only rendered what could actually be seen [citation needed]. The PC version does, however, support higher screen resolutions and a custom option for MP3s playback in cars.
The Xbox version was initially supposed to be released in spring 2002 but it was shelved when Sony signed an agreement with Take-Two Interactive (Rockstar Games' parent company), making the GTA series a PlayStation 2 exclusive until November 2004 [citation needed]. However, the agreement was amended in 2003 and the Grand Theft Auto: Double Pack containing both GTA III and Vice City was released for PS2 and Xbox in December 2003. The Xbox version of the Double Pack has improved audio, polygon models, and reflections over the PC and PS2 versions of the game. The Double Pack was not released for PC. In addition, a Nintendo GameCube port of GTA III was planned to be released alongside the Xbox version [10], but was cancelled for unknown reasons.
In November 2005, GTA3 was re-released again on X-Box, this time bundled with the other GTA games in a trilogy boxset. There was no new changes and it contained the Double Pack version.
Two handheld titles based on GTA III have also been released. Grand Theft Auto Advance (2004) was initially intended as a Game Boy Advance port of GTA III, but has since introduced a new storyline set in Liberty City, roughly one year before the events in GTA III. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (2005) was released for the PlayStation Portable, which is also set in the same location as GTA III, but takes place in 1998, three years before the events in GTA III.
Market performance and critical acclaim
Upon its release, Grand Theft Auto III unexpectedly emerged as a smash hit at its initial US$49.95 price and became the #1 selling video game of 2001 in the United States. Later discounted to $19.95 as part of Sony's "Greatest Hits" program, it continued to sell well and went on to become the second best-selling video game of 2002, behind only its sequel, Vice City. This was a remarkable achievement in an industry where most games experience strong drops in sales despite price drops, as gamers have a strong tendency to purchase only the "next new thing". GTA III continued to enjoy strong sales as part of the Xbox Double Pack, even though it was two years old when the Double Pack hit shelves in December 2003. The Double Pack's success for Xbox was due to several factors, the critical acclaim (not just for the GTA series but also for the Xbox improvements) and controversial game content, two games in one, graphical improvements, and lastly the Double Pack debuted at half the price of a regular Xbox game.
GTA III was the first game in the series to feature a deep storyline with high quality voice acting and navigable three dimensional graphics. All of this is seamlessly integrated in the realistic setting of a (dysfunctional) urban environment which parodies a real-life city. Although multiplayer was discarded, it had a minimal impact as the many major improvements won legions of fans over to a series which formerly enjoyed a cult following. Also notable is that GTA III was the first in the series to be released on video game consoles before the PC, citing the growing size of the console market. As a result of these shrewd moves, the Grand Theft Auto series was now a blockbuster franchise. Most subsequent games in the series have followed the GTA III formula and have been best-selling and critically-acclaimed (and controversial) as a result, with the release of four additional GTA sequels, all of which are set in GTA III's universe and take place at a period of time before GTA III. In addition, GTA III was perhaps responsible for sparking the release of similar games from rival developers (dubbed "GTA clones" by certain parties) such as The Getaway (2002), True Crime: Streets of LA (2003), and The Simpsons Hit & Run (2003).
The game was touted as revolutionary by several game review websites and publications, and received such rewards as Game of the Year from GameSpot, GameSpy, and Cheat Code Central, and Best Action Game of 2001 by IGN, receiving an average of about 95% from the review websites and publications. [11] [12]
Criticism
Aside from its violence (see Controversy), there was criticism, often for the "lack of criticism" that surrounded the Grand Theft Auto series after the launch of Grand Theft Auto III. In other words, GTA III and especially subsequent GTA games following the GTA III formula were so sure to be critically acclaimed blockbusters that they were not seriously scrutinized (most flaws were downplayed) during early reviews. Alternatively, many reviewers were biased in favour of the GTA series. While GTA III's sequels undoubtedly improved on many aspects of gameplay, many technical glitches were also carried over.
One example were the "ugliness" and simplicity of GTA III characters and objects which became especially noticeable if the main character was walking around instead of driving. Such graphics are similar on the level of Half-Life (1998) and subpar to Quake III (1999), but this was rarely criticized and GTA III and its sequels routinely received higher graphics scores than other smaller-scaled yet better-looking games.
There were also serious recurring problems such as clipping (when characters and objects get "half-stuck" in walls and the ground), and another bug which caused vehicles to often disappear without warning. The response to the dynamic living city environment was mixed; there were few cars or pedestrians on screen, short view distances and "disappearing" cars, and very short-term street damage. AI for NPCs is relatively poor compared to modern shooters (such as Half-Life). The designers compensated for the lack of AI with scripted sequences and careful placement of enemies to raise the difficulty of the missions, but this also gave them low replayability. Many of these issues were not fixed in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
Part of GTA III's technical problems was due to the need to accommodate the relatively underpowered PlayStation 2 (compared to the Xbox, PC and even Dreamcast in certain respects) [citation needed]. Also, it was widely believed that GTA III lacked the vast development resources of its sequels, since it was considered a risky gamble at the time [citation needed].
Controversy
GTA III is controversial because of its violent and sexual content, and it generated moral panic upon its release. For examples of video game violence, many TV news channels often show a play session of GTA III where the main character is gunning down pedestrians and blowing up police cars. The player is rewarded with cash for various illegal and immoral actions: one allegation, frequently cited in the press, was that in the game, players could carjack a car, pick up a prostitute, have (implied) sex with the prostitute, and then kill her and steal her money [citation needed]. This action, while permitted ("sex" restores the player's health, up to 125% of its normal maximum), is never actually required. In addition, all in-game crimes incurs the wrath of the police, and it is also possible to play without committing the aforementioned criminal acts. Various critics hypothesized that if children were to play the game, they might acquire sociopathic attitudes toward others. Several minors arrested for car theft in the United States claimed their motivation was derived from playing the game, but it could be considered highly likely that they were simply sociopathic troublemakers attempting to get themselves off the hook by claiming their responsibility was diminished. The fact that thousands or even millions of other people have played this game and not committed a crime would lend particular credence to this persective, arguably [citation needed].
It was because of GTA III that the Wal-Mart chain of retail stores announced that, for games rated "M" by the ESRB, its stores would begin checking the identification of purchasers who appeared to be under 17 [citation needed].
After its initial release in Australia, the game was banned—the only country to do so—and a censored version of the game was released in its place [13]. A key reason why this course of action was taken was that Rockstar did not submit GTA III to the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC), the body that, among other things, rates videogames according to their content in Australia. Lacking a suitable R18+ rating (the highest rating being MA15+), the game was "Refused Classification" and banned for sale because it was felt that the game was unsuitable for an audience older than 15, but younger than 18. Australia still does not have an R rating for videogames like it does for movies.
Interestingly, while the sequel Vice City was censored by the OFLC, the next sequel San Andreas was not, despite featuring more "mature" content (although, later, San Andreas was once given a Refused Classification rating amid the "Hot Coffee" controversy), leading many to conclude that the only reason the game was banned in the first place was that the OFLC was angry at Rockstar for not submitting the game for review [citation needed]. Among other things, the censored version removed the ability to pick up prostitutes; however it was later found that standard gore (where limbs may actually be shot or blown off a non-player characters) was still available if unlocked by entering what in other countries' versions was a "nasty limbs" cheat code [citation needed], and the uncensored version was also playable by changing the computer's time zone to that of the United States [citation needed].
On October 20, 2003, the families of Aaron Hamel and Kimberly Bede, two young people shot by teens William and Josh Buckner (who in statements to investigators claimed their actions were inspired by GTA III) filed a US$246 million lawsuit against publishers Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive Software, retailer Wal-Mart, and PlayStation 2 manufacturer Sony Computer Entertainment America [14][15]. Rockstar and its parent company, Take Two, filed for dismissal of the lawsuit, stating in U.S. District Court on October 29, 2003 that the "ideas and concepts as well as the 'purported psychological effects' on the Buckners are protected by the First Amendment's free-speech clause." The lawyer of the victims, Jack Thompson, denied that and is trying to get the lawsuit moved into a state court and actioned under Tennessee's consumer protection act [16]. The lawsuit is still pending as of the end of 2004. For similar reasons, a lawsuit has erupted over Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
See also
References
- ^ Liberty Tree, October 2001. "Rockstar News". URL accessed on May 28, 2006.
- ^ "Take-Two to revise and delay two PS2 games". GameSpot. Retrieved May 13.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Release Delay Confirmed". GOURANGA!. Retrieved May 6.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Playing the Sensitivity Game". Wired News. Retrieved May 6.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "R* Clarifies Release Date Reports". GOURANGA!. Retrieved May 6.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "GrandTheftAuto3.com & L-Tree Updated!". GOURANGA!. Retrieved May 6.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Grand Theft Auto: How Smart is the AI?". IGN. Retrieved May 6.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Grand Theft Auto 3 Information (based on early pre-release game publications)". GOURANGA!. Retrieved May 6.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ Bill Fiore at The Internet Movie Database. URL accessed on May 13, 2006.
- ^ "Grand Theft Auto III and Vice City on Nintendo GameCube". GameCubicle. Retrieved May 6.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Grand Theft Auto III Reviews". Game Rankings. Retrieved May 6.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Grand Theft Auto 3 Awards". Take 2 Interactive. Retrieved May 6.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Australian GTAIII ban upheld". GameSpot. Retrieved May 6.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Lawsuit filed against Sony, Wal-Mart over game linked to shootings". CNN. Retrieved May 6.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Families sue over GTAIII-inspired shooting". GameSpot. Retrieved May 6.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Rockstar seeks to dismiss GTAIII lawsuit". GameSpot. Retrieved May 6.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help)
External links
Official sites
- Rockstar Games' official Grand Theft Auto III website
- Liberty Tree, fictional newspaper for Liberty City. This site provides some insight on GTA III's storyline, with news articles dating from February 2001 to October 2001, when GTA III was released. The Liberty Tree is also owned by Love Media.
- Love Media, the official teaser site a fictional media conglomerate owned by Donald Love. Love Media is also advertised on GTA III radio stations run by Donald Love.
- Dormatron, another teaser site heard on radio stations, featuring fictional weight loss equipment to be used while sleeping. (Note that the actual site is only available through a pop-up window.)
- Pets Overnight, a teaser and fictional online store heard on several GTA III radio stations allowing customers to buy pets and have them shipped to the customers' home overnight.
- Francis International Airport, the teaser site for Francis International Airport in Shorside Vale.
- Pogo The Monkey, another teaser site as heard on a humorous radio advert about a fictional video game, featuring a monkey named Pogo who has many goals and adventures. (Note that the actual site is only available through a pop-up window.)
Third party resources
- Grand Theft Auto III at MobyGames
- Grand Theft Auto III at IMDb
- Grand Theft Auto III at GameFAQs
- Grand Theft Auto III at StrategyWiki (previously hosted by Wikibooks)
Fan sites
- GTA3.com, part of the GTA Network
- GrandTheftAuto-3.com
- GTA III at PlanetGrandTheftAuto.com
- GTA III at GTA Underground
- GTA III at the GTA Place's
- GTA III at GTAGaming.com
Modding sites
- GTA III at Mod DB
- GTA III at GTA Modding, a Wiki and a part of the GTA Network
- File editors for GTA III and other RenderWare-based GTA games at GTATools.com
- GTA Projects; includes a full conversion mod that ports the city of Liberty into Vice City's game engine.
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