Newest GTA: SA info

[Thirteen]

Grand Theft Auto developer Rockstar North wisely recognizes that among all of its games' most memorable characters--Tommy Vercetti, 8-Ball, and all the rest--the biggest stars, both literally and figuratively, have been the cityscapes in which your criminal hijinks take place. Think back on your experience with previous games and you'll first recall the New York-style back alleys of Liberty City or the multicultural flair of the Miami-like Vice City. The Grand Theft Auto games are defined by style, and the urban landscape is a crucial element--perhaps the crucial element--that defines this style.



The teeming cityscape of Los Santos is home to many districts, neighborhoods, and types of people.
For its next installment in the vaunted crime drama series, Rockstar is thinking big--real big. As you may know, the developer isn't stopping at one city, because you'll be able to explore three of them (not to mention the countryside in between them) as you make your way through the fictionalized California that is San Andreas. All told, the game world is purported to be five times the size of Vice City, and we wanted to know all about it. So we've been fortunate to secure new information on the neighborhoods that will make up Los Santos, the Los Angeles-styled capital city of San Andreas and home to the game's lead character, Carl "CJ" Johnson. From the looks of what we've seen, Los Santos alone could make up an entire chapter in the series on its own, so the fact that there are two more cities yet to be revealed is frankly a little mind-boggling.

So what are the areas that compose Los Santos? In our previous look at the game, we've only seen a small sampling of what this bustling metropolis will offer, but let's take a look at what we know now...

The Grove




Orange Grove, known affectionately to its residents as simply The Grove, is the neighborhood where CJ grew up, and naturally it will become his home base after he's escaped the mean streets of Liberty City. Not that Los Santos' streets are any less mean, mind you; after all, The Grove is home to the Orange Grove Families, the gang CJ will return to and eventually take control of as he rises to power among the criminal underworld of the city, and eventually, the state. CJ's experience in The Grove will be intensely personal--he returns to a home that's minus one mother and one younger brother, and he'll have to reconcile the loss of his family while running the streets with his older brother Sweet.

Vinewood




Far from the crime-ridden neighborhood of The Grove is the glamorous, fast-paced lifestyle and the dirty sidewalks of Vinewood. On the Vinewood strip you'll find tourists by the dozens eating up the rich history of this glitzy district. Keep an eye out for such landmarks as the Cathay Theater, the walk of fame, and the famous Vinewood sign, nestled high up in the Vinewood hills. And if you want to visit the real Vinewood aristocracy--and perhaps some prime robbery targets--you can head up into those hills to find the truly impressive mansions and estates of the Vinewood elite. Vinewood's population runs the gamut from the poor and destitute to the rich and famous.

The preceding are just some of the districts of Los Santos. Keep reading to learn about the rest of them--as well as about some brand-spanking-new rapid transit options for navigating between them. Plus, we've got the good word about CJ's inability to instantly drown when he touches water!

Getting Around Town

Rodeo




Vinewood may be the old seat of Los Santos' glitz and glamour, but the truly rich and snooty prefer to live and shop in Rodeo. This is the most affluent area of Los Santos, and it's where you'll find the most plastic surgery and designer clothing of any district in the city. If you're not thinking Beverly Hills yet--well, we just said it, so now you are. Think lots of trendy architecture and beautiful plastic people, and you're thinking the neighborhood of Rodeo.

Downtown




Given CJ's way of life, downtown Los Santos may not seem worth visiting--it's the financial center of the city, with a skyline that can be seen from miles around. You'll find all manner of bankers, businessmen, and other people in high-powered suits milling around downtown, not to mention landmarks like the Los Santos Convention Center and the Doc G Records Building (inspired by the famous Capitol Records building).

You'll be able to zip into and out of the downtown area with ease by riding the Brown Streak railroad, Los Santos' public transportation line. The Brown Streak travels to all parts of the city, making it a cinch to get from place to place. Just make sure you're on the train, and not in front of it.

The Beach




Previous Grand Theft Auto lead characters have had a famous aversion to water, so we can appreciate the delicious irony that the beaches of Los Santos will be a likely place for CJ to visit for a swim. And swimming won't just be a way for your virtual alter ego to cool off--it'll serve as good exercise to keep him in shape, too. The beach is also a great place to go if you're just looking to stir up trouble among the populace, as it'll always be crowded with tourists and sunbathers during the sweltering daytime. You'll even find attractions like an amusement park on the pier and the Santa Maria boardwalk that will make the beach worth a visit, not to mention the occasional beach party that may be going on well into the night. But if you attract the attention of the coppers, beware--whether you're on foot or in a car, the sand will always slow down your getaway.

The Freeway




New to the Grand Theft Auto experience are the twisting freeways that will serve as your rapid conduit through and around the city, as well to San Andreas' other major cities of San Fierro and Las Venturas. If nothing else, the Los Santos freeway will be a welcome timesaver--local street traffic can often delay your trip from one place to another. If you're trying to get somewhere in a hurry (and what street thug isn't), the freeways will be the way to go. In case you were wondering, Rockstar assures us the traffic on Los Santos' freeways will never be as bad as the standstills you see on those of the real Los Angeles.

Unlike in previous Grand Theft Auto games, if you do keep to the city streets, you'll get a little extra navigating help in the form of street signs that you can use to locate buildings by their actual addresses. Unlike in the cities Liberty and Vice, Los Santos' streets actually have names, and you'll need to pay close attention to names and intersections if you want to really learn your way around the place.

Clearly, Los Santos is a big place, and a seedy one as well. How will you blend in with the locals and find your place in the criminal hierarchy? Read on to find out one way you'll be able to carve out your own identity in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Getting Ink



Ouch, that stings.
We've already reported on some of the ways that you'll be able to alter and control San Andreas main character Carl "CJ" Johnson's appearance--for instance, by heading down to Reece's Hair Facial Studio and getting that fade you always wanted, and by keeping his tubby butt in shape by going to the gym and laying off the fast food. But how about getting a gang tat to show off your true colors? Tattooing was a central part of early '90s gang culture, and you'll be able to take CJ down to the local tattoo parlor to get him branded with his own stamp of allegiance.

Getting a new tattoo will be as easy as visiting a tattoo artist, browsing and selecting from the included assortment of designs, and then telling the artist where you want the tattoo done. In keeping with the gangsta rap spirit of the storyline and your surroundings, the tattoos that will be available will be of the gangs-guns-and-girls variety.

With this degree of customization--from your fitness to your haircut, your threads to your ink--you'll essentially be able to mold CJ into just about any character you can think of.

Count on Your Crew



"So I says to the guy, I says, 'You gonna eat that?'"
You'll get a real sense of where you belong in Los Santos and the other areas of San Andreas, because rival gangs control various sections of the cities and surrounding areas. This can work both as a help and a hindrance. If you're being chased by the police or by enemy gang members, you can try to lure them onto your home turf and let members of your own gang come to your aid, bailing you out of what would otherwise be a rough situation. But beware--if you stray into the turf of a rival gang, whether in a car or on foot, you will be attacked, and not even all at once. Gangs will use varying tactics to take you out, by splitting up, sending ahead advance attackers, and using other wily maneuvers.

The communication between gang members in GTA: San Andreas will mark the most complex character interaction yet for the series; you'll see guys greeting each other, talking on street corners, and flashing gang symbols. These are key signs you'll need to watch for.

Protect Your Ride



Want a clean car? Go to the carwash. That's just how it is.
Unlike in Liberty City and Vice City, where every car is apparently new right off the lot, the cars of San Andreas aren't always in the best of shape. The rides you'll pick up, even new ones, will get dirty simply from constant use--you'll see dirt showing up around the wheel wells, on the windshield, near impact points after a fender bender, and in other common trouble spots. If you want to keep riding around in style, keep a look out for carwashes that you can use to maintain the sleek look of your vehicle.

Some of the cars you jack will sport some pretty serious damage, too--look for everything from broken windows to loose bumpers and even bullet-riddled doors. Apparently, some of these cars have already seen a good deal of action.

A New View on the Action

Rockstar's latest entry in the Grand Theft Auto series will feature a new "intelligent" camera system that will automatically tailor itself to the action but also give you a great deal of manual control, both on foot and while driving. In the new game, you'll be able to freely control your aim with the right analog stick while using any ranged weapon and running or strafing with the left analog stick. Essentially, you'll be able to look in a direction other than straight forward while you're moving, which should help your control quite a bit while playing some of the game's tougher missions.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is still a couple of months away from release, and we continue to eat up every piece of new information on the game as ravenously as you do. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more updates on the people, places, and gameplay in what will surely prove to be one of the biggest games of the year.

www.gamespot.com

[...'BfCfC'...]

props , that was some great info

[Throwback]

man, i want this game more and more everytime i read more info.

[Montana00]

drool

[Primo]

Let me get this straight Los Santos is one city, San Andreas in another, and Los Venturas is another. Holy shit the game is fucking huge

[Montana00]

5 times the size of the entire vice city world

[7even]

Im sure sometimes I will just play great music on the radio and simply just drive around and check the hood like if it was a regular day in real life LOL. awesome.

[CRAFTY]

Man, this shit sounds really good.

[Diabolical]

I have some more info, sorry if its been posted b4.

Confirmation List

All information which has officially been confirmed by Rockstar Games as being in GTA:SA will be placed here.

* General Information
* The new Grand Theft Auto game will be known as Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
* The new GTA game will be Sony PlayStation2 Exclusive.
* The Official Game Description from Rockstar Games:
* Five years ago Carl Johnson escaped from the pressures of life in Los Santos, San Andreas... a city tearing itself apart with gang trouble, drugs and corruption. Where filmstars and millionaires do their best to avoid the dealers and gangbangers.
Now, it's the early 90s. Carl's got to go home. His mother has been murdered, his family has fallen apart and his childhood friends are all heading towards disaster. On his return to the neighborhood, a couple of corrupt cops frame him for homicide. CJ is forced on a journey that takes him across the entire state of San Andreas, to save his family and to take control of the streets.
* The game will be based around "Recent Films" relating to the Californian gangster theme.
* The GTA style innuendo's will return, bigger and better than before.
* The game will use a Dual-Layer DVD because Rockstar have already filled up a full DVD disk!
* The [Game Boxart] will look like this.
* The game should take the average player no less than 150 hours to complete.

* Release Dates
* USA and Surrounding NTSC Areas: October 19th, 2004
* UK and Europe: October 22nd, 2004
* Australia: October 28th, 2004 [Click Here For More Info]

* Characters
* [Carl Johnson] - The main character and the gangster who the player will control.
* [Sweet Johnson] - Carl's brother and part of the Orange Grove Families Gang.
* Brian Johnson - Carl's 10 year old brother who was killed in a tragic car accident. Some people blame Carl for his death.
* Kendl Johnson - Carl's sister. Not much is known about her as of yet but she is always arguing with Sweet.
* [Smoke] - A family friend of the Johnson's who also takes his place in the Orange Grove Families Gang.
* [Ryder] - Another friend of Carl and member of the Orange Grove Families Gang.
* [Old Reece] - Carl's Barber. The guy who will be in charge of giving you all of your wacky hair styles.
* Eddie Pulaski - One of the corrupt cops who frame Carl for homicide and make his life difficult.
* Frank Tenpenny - The other corrupt cop who is always getting on Carl's back.
* [Cesar] - A mysterious Latino character armed with a .45 and a body full of tattoos.
* [LSPD] - The guys who'll be constantly on your tail when you break the law in Los Santos.
* Mysterious Cabin Woman - A girl from a previous GTA re-appears as Carl's Accomplice... We predict Catalina.

* Gangs
* [Orange Grove Families] - Carl Johnson's gang who the player will move with throughout the game.
* [The Ballas] - A rival gang of the Orange Grove Families.
* The Flats - Another rival gang

* The City / Map
* The state of San Andreas is made up of the cities; Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas.
* The three cities from above will be named Los Santos, San Fierro, and Las Venturas in the game.
* Each city is the same size as Vice City.
* The entire game will be about Four to Six times bigger than Vice City.
* San Fierro will contain hills and will be more driving based.
* You can drive from Los Santos, through the countryside, up a mountain and into San Fierro, then onto Las Venturas.
* Driving through the desert will be vibrant and alive with weird things to see.
* There will be tumble-weed in the desert.
* The game will contain photographs and digital images as textures.
* There will be Lakes, a Mountain, Farms and Fields plus more in the countryside.
* The map is so big players will get lost frequently.

* Buildings / Places
* There will be a lot more buildings with open interiors.
* The only loading times in the game will be a short pause when you enter buildings!
* There will be places in GTA San Andreas called the following:
* [Los Santos]
* San Fierro
* Las Venturas
* [Well Stacked Pizza]
* [Tuff Nut Donuts]
* [St. Brutus Motel]
* [Reece's Hair Facial Studio]
* [Mount Chiliad]
* Angel Pine
* Dillamore
* [Vinewood]
* [Gasso Gas Station]
* Pay N' Spray
* Orange Grove is the name of the area where Carl and his gang will live.
* The Mountain, Mt. Chiliad, Is the biggest single object in the game.
* There are tunnels and lots of foliage on the mountain.
* There is a Liquor Store, Bakers, Single Screen Cinema and a Trailer Park in Angel Pine.
* Dillamore contains a Gas Station.

* Graphics
* The graphics engine has been tweaked.
* Smog will be present in Los Santos, and real-time reflections on cars, windows, and mirrors, as well as new techniques like radial lighting, which allows for more realistic shadowing, and soft-shadow lighting for interior levels will be present.
* Everything in the game now has independent models for day and night to give better lighting and shadowing.
* Shadows can be used to hide yourself, to help pick off unsuspecting enemies.
* Real sunlight is simulated, and shadows are placed where they would really be.
* There are different sets of lighting for day and night which helps create a more realistic feel.
* Weather effects have been added to.
* There are various things to do and places to see in the countryside, such as farms which keeps the game feeling alive.
* Vehicles will accumulate dirt and rust as you play through the game.
* The HUD will be similar to that of GTA3 and Vice City.
* There will not be as many 'pop-up' items while the player is moving throughout the game.
* Trees will be rendered as a group from distance, but rendered separately as the player gets closer. This allows a much bigger draw distance.
* The Draw Distance in the countryside is 4 times better than that in Vice City.
* You will start to see clouds when you reach a certain altitude on Mt. Chiliad.
* The foliage in the countryside is only drawn when the player can see it which keeps the game feeling vibrant and alive, but also maintains a steady framerate.

* Game Play
* The game will have rag-doll physics, or “Impact Animation” in Rockstars words.
* In the Las Venturas city, you will be able to buy and build a casino and then run it you can then gamble your money in the casino.
* You need to eat to retain your stamina. If you eat too much fast food, you become fat and pedestrians mock you for being fat. You also run slower and vehicles move slower. Beating certain missions is almost impossible unless you're in the right physical shape. To remedy this, you can go to a gym to exercise.
* You can now rob homes. The robberies will require skill and planning, however.
* You can recruit gang members and use them to do four person drive-by’s.
* Being a Gang Member only makes up about 15% of the total game.
* Carl Johnson can visit Old Reece (The Barber) and get his hair cut into numerous different styles which the player can decide. Pedestrians and characters will make remarks on your hair, depending if it looks cool or un-cool.
* Carl and the Orange Grove Families can take over areas and generate money from them. This is just one of the many things which can add to the replay value even after the game has been 'completed'.
* Swimming is now a part of the game, if you drive a vehicle into the water, you have two choices, climb out of the window and swim to shore, or stay in the car and sink, where you will have a certain amount of underwater stamina. Swimming will also be involved in some missions.
* There are parts of the game where you will work as a gang, and parts where you will work alone.
* The game is now very non-linear, and depending what choices are made, it will be rare for 2 players to have the same type of game. The missions will be the same, but so much can change depending on choices you make.
* There will be In-Breds and Degenerates in the Countryside and some missions will reflect the contrast between the towny and the country people.
* Characters have more bones which results in numerous different facial expressions.
* There are now many more ways to complete missions. You could run straight in shooting, or sneak through the shadows and pick off the enemies one by one.
* When the player only has one wanted star, hiding in the shadows should be enough to throw police off your trail.
* The player must tap the X button on the bike in order to pedal faster.
* The camera will automatically zoom behind the player at the touch of a button and the player then has the ability to freely target using the analogue stick. The auto-target will still be a part of the game though.
* The game will take at least three times longer to complete than Vice City.
* The longer the player holds down the R1 button, the more chance there is of getting a headshot on an enemy.
* Unlike previous GTA Games, the players stats actually change the way 'their Carl' will behave. If a player drives around on a bike a lot, they will be a good bike driver in the game, but won't be as good at driving a car.
* The player may have the possibility to change clothes or get tattoos in the game.
* Three confirmed hairstyles include "dripping Jheri curls, a fashionable Afro and a towering flattop."

* Weapons
* Your character can [Dual Wield] pistols, sub machine guns and potentially other weapons.
* The choice of weapons will match the weapons of the early 90's.
* So far we have seen:
* [Colt. 45]
* [Ingram Mac 10]
* [Uzi 9mm]
* [Spas 12 Gauge Shotgun]
* [Chrome Shotgun]
* [M-16 Assault Rifle]
* [AK-47]
* You will have an accuracy meter at the top left of the screen, and the more enemies you hit, the better your accuracy will become.
* The crosshairs which are aimed at people will change colour depending on how much health the enemy has. Green will symbolise almost full health, yellow represents half health, and red shows the character is almost dead.

* Vehicles
* There will be 90’s versions of some GTA3 / VC cars.
* The following vehicles will most likely be in the game (probably under different names):
* [BMX Bicycle]
* [Greenwood]
* [Bobcat]
* [Gang Truck]
* [Lowrider]
* [Manana]
* [Pick Up Truck]
* [Police Helicopter]
* [Police Motorbike]
* [LSPD Cop Car]
* [Sentinel]
* [Sports Car]
* [Sabre]
* [Sanchez]
* [Virgo]
* [Walton]
* [Hatchback]
* [Monster Truck]
* [Combine Harvester]
* [Gas Tanker]
* [4 x 4 Jeep]
* [Linerunner]
* [Quad Bike]
* Some vehicles are made specifically for the countryside, while others are for the streets of the city.
* It is possible to attach and detach the trailer on the back of large trucks.
* The Monster Truck does not have a hand brake, but rather the ability to switch to 4x4 steering mode, which gives the vehicle an extremely small turning circle which is great for navigating through the trees in the country side.
* Players will have to be very careful when driving the Gas Tanker as it will Jack-Knife very easily.

* Artificial Intelligence
* Enemy / pedestrian AI will be greatly revamped and they will think more logically. You can't beat someone to death in broad daylight and not have people notice and react.
* Your enemies will be smarter, which will make robbing houses take a lot of skill.

* Music
* There will be a rap station, but there will be a variety of other stations as always.
* There will be three times the amount of licensed music than in Vice City.

[Diabolical]

I cant wait to get this, im gonna be in the house 24\7