The GTA appreciation thread ( no spoilers please)

[getawayturtle]

Hello, having started playing GTA 4 again recently I have come over feeling all nostalgic, and ended up playing GTA Vice City also, which has bought back a lot of fond memories

I know theres some other old threads specific to GTA 4, GTA V etc, but I thought it would be nice to have a thread where people can share memories for all things Grand Theft Auto, from the original to the more recent games.

Also clogging up the Internet Meme thread might also have something to do with it.

So everyone, what are your fondest GTA moments?

[Triumph Man]

Anyone else ever get bored and start driving normally?

[P-Jay]

Triumph Man said:

Anyone else ever get bored and start driving normally?

Stopping for red lights, staying to the correct lane etc - yeah for about 5 seconds, the games don't really work that well done 'normally'.

God I hope GTA V is a HD version of San Andreas with some cool new stuff.

[TheTurbonator]

I'd owned all the GTA's up to GTA 4 and remember seeing the first one for the first time when it was first released and my mate was playing it when I walked in. Ever since then I've owned a copy of every one up until GTA 4 which I had for the XBOX. I used to have a lot of fun on that, when me and my mates would get together online and get helicopters and gang up and repeatedly chase someone down with them.

It's been great growing up with the series and seeing it evolve and each one just shows how much computers and gaming has improved over the years.

GTA 3 has always remained my favourite though. It just seems to have a very dark atmosphere and feeling to it when you play it and it suits it very well.

[Fabric]

Has to be one of my favourites.

[NoVetec]

Triumph Man said:

Anyone else ever get bored and start driving normally?

Yes!

Only here and there though, mind. Soon find a crowd of people to run over.

I have many fond, yet clogged up in my head memories of all the GTAs (with the exception of London). I'll have a good think and post a list soon.

One thing I can recall on GTA 4 though: There's a part on the map by the water (on the same side just up from Heli-Tours IIRC, it could perhaps be on the same island but other side, haven't played it in a while) where you can have a good stab at running people over in the most glorious and bloody fashion.

Start off in a fast and/or heavy car at the car park, drive down the steps and start mowing those peds down! I have to stay I do enjoy running people over more on GTA4 compared to the other ones due to the improved graphics and the different ways that people crumple and collapse when you hit them.

[Gun]

Fabric said:

Has to be one of my favourites.

In a similar vein, from GTA 3



Think GTA is my favourite game series.

[Turbodiesel1690]

The GTA series of games are absolutely brilliant. When I got 4 for the PS3 the graphics looked so real I was actually scared to bump into the cop cars....for about 2 minutes that lasted but mindblowing games overall, looking forward to 5

[Robb F]

Seeing those pictures gave me an overwhelming sense of fondness. Like when you meet an old friend for the first time in years.

GTA:V soon!

[sherbert90]

One of the best things about GTA that I find is how it stays with you. For example, if a particular song comes on the radio, i am instantly taken back to the many hours I spent playing.

[NoVetec]

sherbert90 said:

One of the best things about GTA that I find is how it stays with you. For example, if a particular song comes on the radio, i am instantly taken back to the many hours I spent playing.

I was 12 when Vice City came out, it was my first real foray into 80's music.

[sherbert90]

NoVetec said:

I was 12 when Vice City came out, it was my first real foray into 80's music.

So was I! My parents just made sure I understood the difference between fantasy and reality. I mean, I'm perfectly well adjusted now at 21. That said, disagree with me and I will steal your car and burn it out

[Famous Graham]

Being a child of the 80s (well, grew up in them, was born in 73), Vice City is definitely my favourite.

Bombing along on a motorbike in a crap shirt to the sound of Flock of Seagulls

[NoVetec]

sherbert90 said:

So was I! My parents just made sure I understood the difference between fantasy and reality. I mean, I'm perfectly well adjusted now at 21. That said, disagree with me and I will steal your car and burn it out

Mine went like this:

"Mum, can I have the new GTA?"

"You can't murder prostitutes in this one can you?"

"No..."

"Okay."

My Mum was a pseudo-feminist back then, she banned me from eating Yorkie bars when they had that "It's not for girls" ad campaign.

She also thought GTA III was a racing game when she bought me that one.

[TheTurbonator]

NoVetec said:

sherbert90 said:

So was I! My parents just made sure I understood the difference between fantasy and reality. I mean, I'm perfectly well adjusted now at 21. That said, disagree with me and I will steal your car and burn it out

Mine went like this:

"Mum, can I have the new GTA?"

"You can't murder prostitutes in this one can you?"

"No..."

"Okay."

My Mum was a pseudo-feminist back then, she banned me from eating Yorkie bars when they had that "It's not for girls" ad campaign.

She also thought GTA III was a racing game when she bought me that one.

Similar story when I asked my Mum for the first GTA.

"You can't have that it says 18 on the box"

"It's only because you can steal cars in it"

"Hmm okay then"

Then my Mum walked into my room a few days later and saw me setting people on fire with the flame thrower. I remember her telling me "don't you think about the fact that those people might have families" I can't remember what I replied with but she didn't take the game off me nor said anything about it again.

Edited by TheTurbonator on Friday 1st June 19:23

[LukeSi]

First GTA I ever played was Vice City. Got it as part of the bundle when I got my first console (a PS2) in 2004. Crikey so I was about 10 when I first played Grand Theft Auto. Brilliant game. Can't wait for GTA V. Depending on when it comes out I might be able to buy it legally

[getawayturtle]

I think my best moment was when I was on GTA VC and I first managed to get hold of the minigun. I then made my way in my bashed up Kaufman cab to the Malibu Club, walked inside, and let the minigun rip.

The blood. The screams. The breasts.

Marvellous.

[NoVetec]

With regard to GTA 4 and the impending GTA 5, which console do we think is the best for this game/type of game?

I had GTA 4 on the Xbox and I've always believed (perhaps technically incorrectly) that the Xbox is/was the best console for any open-plan, data-heavy game.

[Fabric]

NoVetec said:

With regard to GTA 4 and the impending GTA 5, which console do we think is the best for this game/type of game?

Neither really, it'll be practically identical on both, being coded for the xbox (where the RAGE engine was developed) then ported to the PS3.

PC is where it's at.

[TomN94]

I'm pretty much the same as LukeSi.

My fondest moment's are...getting the big Mansion in VC, getting the Dodo to fly in 3, and IV, just...everything, finding the hidden car on happiness island, and just annihilating everyone in sight, and finding the heart of liberty city. Properly taxiing the planes on San Andreas, hours of fun with that, the gym and fast food places were good too, I think my proudest moment though, was working out what "Glory Hole, where strangers become friends, Glory Hole you don't need to know names" actually meant..