simplicity

If you have some time to spare and you are a Grand Theft Auto fan, I urge you to read the following two-part article:

Part 1: Grand Theft Auto: The Inside Story

Part 2: The Making of Grand Theft Auto IV

While there aren’t any new surprises in part 2 in respect to the game, it’s still a great read and helps to reinforce the idea that this very well may be the game of the year. Part 1 is a great look at the first few games in the series and how the Rockstar team created a brand new genre of games as well as the creative process behind them:

“I think what was very special about the GTA III development process � and it’s something we still cling on to � was the fact that ideas would come into the game from anywhere and everywhere in the company; it was the son of so many great minds and opinions and attitudes and energies, and everybody was just throwing it in the pot. It’s an example that’s been taken out of context in the past, but from a pure game-mechanic point of view, the fact that you could go with a hooker and then go and whack her and take your money back, just the game mechanics of that � looking at it completely isolated from the fact that it involves a hooker � were brilliant, I thought. And that was the contribution of just this one guy � that was his bit.”

The article also makes a point to discuss the fact that the main character in GTA 3 never spoke:

“That was one of those things where I think I only remember noticing kind of late on, like: ‘Fuck � he doesn’t speak’. And I’ve never said that to anyone before � I’m being honest here. But I remember thinking, well, it kind of works � who cares?”

If you can’t get enough of the GTA franchise or are highly excited about number four, I’d recommend finding some time to read this article.