GTA3 sucks (or so evil tongues say)

[ysbreker]

sorry about that kingz, I wanted to split the thread one post later, but somehow it included your post and I had no way to undo the damage.

marek: I think I can split/merge/sticky/unsticky threads since I'm a moderator?

[Huz]

if I remember right, when you drove over pedestrian the points gained were appearing in big fonts on the screen

Moreover, the entire gameplay ( and nearly all the missions) were based on this system of gaining point killing people randomly in the streets.

Indeed, you got 'points' for nearly every violent act - ramming cars (until they exploded), running people over, jacking someone's car and then reversing over them (you got extra points for that one!), running groups of hare krishnas over for a 'GOURANGA!' bonus...

In fact the only way to complete some of the levels, unless you did the missions flawlessly, was by getting a decent 'multiplyer' (by completing enough of the set missions) and then going on a rampage until you had enough points to progress.

Of course, you could still just follow the missions and otherwise be well-behaved, but it was an awful lot harder...

I personally wouldn't say that GTA1 & 2 'suck' - they're both great fun and not just because they 'encourage violence' (as if driving your little computer-car over little computer-people does that) - but GTA3 and Vice City are in a league of their own.

[schepton]

Basic fact is simple, the game has sold millions and millions of copies....Right?

If everyone that bought the game went out and commited crimes like in the game, we'd probably all be dead...

[Marek]

marek: I think I can split/merge/sticky/unsticky threads since I'm a moderator?

Yes, that goes some way to explaining it

[Erkki]

In GTA3's case, I know it sucks. Completely derivative, no creativity, putrid graphics...the radio stations were mildly entertaining at least.

I think that's a pretty narrow-minded thing to say.

Derivative? Of what? It's a sequel, so it is obviously derivative of the previous games.

The graphics are not the best out there, but I'm actually glad not all companies are chasing new records in number of polygons and fancy effects used in graphics.

As I see it, the whole GTA series, especially GTA3 and Vice City are some of the most important games in gaming's recent history (the past 10 years or so). The series is innovative, and each title mixes new things into the amalgamation. Vice City hinted at strategy elements, which are going to be developed a lot further in San Andreas it seems.

It's social critique and awareness is not matched by any other game that I know.

It's main appeal though is that it's incredibly fun. That can be matter of taste of course; I could say I don't like The Sims, but I won't deny that it's a great game.

To me it's just so fun travelling around in a living city, doing whatever I want (as much as the game lets me). And there are a lot of fun things to do. Yesterday I just discovered a new thing in GTA3 that I had completely ignored before: you can drive a car down to the metro station and on the rails, and drive on the train tracks, competing with the subway train. There was nothing intresting down there, but it was still fun. In Vice City I found I could jump out from a flying helicopter, land in a sailing boat and commandeer it. What other games let you do these kind of things?

And the latter two games are not that much about violence and causing total mayhem any more. The only thing they reward you with for that is your criminal rating (which I personally never even looked at, practically).

Appendix. after playing both VC and GTA3 recently, I was actually making a comparision of what VC added compared to GTA3:

- motorcycles and helicopters (both really fun imho)

- pizza delivery (one more minigame, not much but still fun)

- ability to change your clothing, more clothes become available throughout the game. This was really good, kind of letting you personalize your character.

- properties you can buy (some are just save spots, but some generate money if you complete the missions of that place). This was also quite fun. And it was cool taking a helicopter and flying through all my businesses, collecting the money.

- more boats, boat races (just a small addition, not much)

- more street races

- bodyguards you can hire after finishing the game (or was it after collecting the 100 hidden packages). This is not much really as the AI isn't great.

- remote-control helicopters and planes. (just a couple of fun races)

- more story, story better connected with gameplay

- buildings you can enter, including stores you can rob (simplistic, not that fun or useful though)

- a firing range where you can practice your aim or try to get a high score

- keepy uppy beach ball (really hard and a really minor thing)

- roofs -- with the addition of helicopters and crazy jumps on bikes, the higher levels of the game world also got more developed, and became even more 3-dimensional.

Depending on how you look at it, there are quite a lot of improvements actually. nothing really innovative, but I think San Andreas will have so much more than this little list that it will be almost revolutionary. At least the previews gave me a really positive feeling about it. I certainly wasn't expecting that much.

[LeChuckie]

The Genius in the design of the cities is just one reason why GTA deserves to be at the top.

[MrHoatzin]

Yesterday I just discovered a new thing in GTA3 that I had completely ignored before: you can drive a car down to the metro station and on the rails, and drive on the train tracks, competing with the subway train.

That is how I solved Donald's mission where you had to act as a decoy while his oriental friend escaped: I drove straight down to the metro and drove around the tracks for two minutes...

[Erkki]

hehe. good thinking. I think I just drove the securicar over the bridge, desperately trying to avoid the FBI cars.