GreekChat.com Forums - Grand Theft Auto San Andreas: Oct 2004

Features for the new game, according to www.gtawh.com:

:: The state of San Andreas consists of 3 major cities; Los Angeles (Los Santos), San Francisco (San Fierro), Las Vegas (Las Venturra); each the size of Vice City
:: Overhauled graphics engine means crisper quality, realistic shadowing and reflections, and independent day- and night-time models
:: Tons of fully-rendered interiors
:: Restaraunts
:: Fully operational casino
:: The city directly affects your characters progression, abilities, and even appearance
:: Appearances and mentioning of past GTA characters
:: Well known voice acting talents
:: Increased AI and NPC recording sessions
:: Missions will be made to suit your skill level
:: Ability to recruit gang members for missions
:: Four-person drive-by
:: Your actions while not on missions reflect your position in the storyline
:: Ability to rob houses
:: You must eat to stay healty and maintain stamina
:: The city reacts to your characters health and appearance
:: You can go to the gym to work out
:: Improved Manhunt-like targeting system
:: New melee combat animations
:: Ability to swim
:: New weapons, more variety, revamped old weapons
:: Improved car handling
:: More modes of transportation
Added June 13, 2004:
:: More populated, more detailed, has more cars, weapons, challenges, characters, secrets, music, and more storyline than Vice City. The three cities have their own individual style; architectural style, vehicle population, mission types, character’s accents, and the actions of pedestrians.
:: There are new vehicles that can’t even be used in a town, such as a quad bike, that you can race in the country. San Fierro is very hilly and there is a big emphasis on driving in this part of the game.
:: Swimming was added because Rockstar knew about the constant request and was tired of being told it couldn’t be done. Not a huge emphasis was made on swimming, as the feature is there for playability.
:: In addition to eating, getting fat, and working out at the gym, another stat feature is cutting your hair. You can go to the barber and get your haircut how you want. If you have a bad haircut, pedestrians make fun of you and call you stupid. If you have a good one they are impressed.
:: The LA vibe is there with the smog, crystalline light, the thud of a basketball off in a court, the air filled with hip hop, the blazing sun, the light reflecting off low ridersbouncing with hydraulics.
:: Individualized each player’s experience to make the game as non-linear as possible.
:: The draw distance is now twice as much as Vice City in the urban environments and four times as much in the countryside.
:: The character models are much more detailed than previously.
:: The only loading times in San Andreas are slight pauses when entering buildings.
:: Game will be on a Dual-Layer DVD.
:: First-person has returned!
:: When you target someone with a weapon, green will be displayed if they have full health, yellow at half, and red if they can be killed in another shot. The auto targeting will also make much better choices based on threat level.
:: Control territories and make money off your property. Some parts of the game you can take it over yourself, and for other parts you will need your gang.
:: Car jacking has an even more threatening and sinister vibe than before, because now your gang is involved.
Added June 21, 2004:
:: On the game map Los Santos is only a tiny bit in the lower right corner.
:: You can wear a lot of new clothes.
:: Dual wield multiple gun types.
:: More mini games.
:: Vehicles get rusty and dirty as time goes by.
:: Carl's customizations include: Hairstyle, Physique, Weight, Driveing Skills, Clothes, Possessions, Weapon Skills, Chracter, Relationships, Gang.
:: The art team has snuck in plenty of special pictures and messages for fans.
:: For the first time in a series the game will adjust its diffculty if the player becomes stuck. Rockstar assures that that the adjustments will be minimal and almost invisible to the players, so the missions won't become a breeze.
:: At least once every couple of days your characer has to eat. If you skip meals he will be come weak, and if you feed him too much he gets slow and then gets fat. There is a wide selection of places to eat... so what you eat counts as well. Strength will effect his punches, but bulk up at the gym too much and he will loose speed...
:: San Andreas has its own version of Hollywood called Vinewood.
:: When the OGF fell from power, the new rival gangs The Flats and The Ballas moved in.
:: Brian Johnson is CJ's 10 year old brother that died in an accident and the reason he went to Liberty City prison for five years.
:: The Johnson family is in disarray as Carl and Kendl can't get along with Sweet.
:: Frank Tenpenny and Eddie Polaski know CJ from when he was in juvenile hall, and now they harass him in SA.
:: Cesar, a new Latino character wearing baggy slacks, an undershirt, tattoos, and a buzzcut has been confirmed.
:: Old Reece is CJ's old barber that still gives him haircuts anytime he comes in.
Added July 14, 2004:
:: A combine harvester with razor-sharp blades working on a field.
:: A dirtbike (similar to Sanchez from Vice City) riding through the forest.
:: Articulated trucks, including ones with huge detachable gas canisters.
:: A monster truck riding through a valley and a shallow river bed.
:: A jeep overlooking the sunset on a cliff.
:: An SUV driving through the meadows.
:: An ATV racing on a dirt track.
Added July 23, 2004:
:: Carl can attack enemies from behind, after hiding and sneaking through the shadows.
:: Carl's ability to swim and the length of time he can stay underwater for depends on his fitness and how often he practices swimming.
:: Members of The Orange Grove Families wear green clothes.
:: The Ballas gang members wear purple clothes.
:: Models will include up to 50% more polygons than Vice City.
:: Bicycles will move forward when the X button is held down, but tapping it will make the player travel faster.
:: Carl can roll to the side during combat on the press of a button.
:: Players can now pivot the camera around the car, in order to gain a better view.
:: A choice of haircuts are available, from shaven/bald heads to 'Afro' style cuts.
:: Not only can players choose new hairstyles, but choices of beards and other facial hair will be at their disposal.