Grand Theft Auto V Adopts Skyrim-Style Skill System

Cognimancer

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Jun 13, 2012
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Grand Theft Auto V Adopts Skyrim-Style Skill System



Practice makes perfect, and GTA V's trio of protagonists will have plenty of opportunity to improve their criminal talents.

When Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas tried its hand at RPG elements, results were ... mixed, at best. As it turns out, fans of the open-world crime sandbox genre weren't terribly enthused about directing their in-game avatar to hit the gym regularly and balance his diet. These mechanics were absent from GTA IV, but Rockstar seems to have learned a few lessons (possibly inspired by action-RPGs like Skyrim) and designed a new skill progression system for the upcoming fifth entry to the series. Despite this new system sounding like it belongs in a swords-and-sorcery type of setting, skill progression and special abilities may just enhance the classic formula.

GTA V's three protagonists [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/123627-Grand-Theft-Auto-V-Trailer-Tells-a-Three-For-One-Tale] each have their own set of skills. Retired mobster Michael is handy with a gun, while automobile aficionado Franklin is better at driving and Trevor's military experience makes him an ace pilot. Each of these skills, among others, will improve with use. Each character's strength, stamina, lung capacity, and stealth skills will also get better over time, allowing players to further specialize each character or balance them into jacks of all trades.

Each of the lead characters is distinguished even more by a unique special ability. Michael can slow the action into Max Payne-esque bullet time during firefights. Franklin uses a similar slow-down effect when driving to pull off tricky maneuvers, and Trevor can activate a rage mode where he inflicts more damage and becomes resistant to enemies' attacks.

Michael, Franklin, and Trevor are more than just character classes with names, though. In their down time, each of them has their own life that they'll be tending to while you aren't actively controlling them. Switch characters at any given moment, and you could find your new active character at home watching TV or preparing to jump out of a helicopter, or anything in between. During missions, switching perspectives will allow you to dynamically jump between different aspects of a carefully-planned heist, or simply flank an entrenched enemy with one character will another keeps them busy. It's a novel way to make sure the player is never more than a button's press away from a fresh scenario, while bringing a layer of tactics to group firefights.

Between these new details and what we already know, Grand Theft Auto V is shaping up to be Rockstar's most ambitious project yet. It also makes me that much more disappointed that the main story can't be played through in three-player co-op, though Rockstar has its reasons.

Grand Theft Auto V is planned for a September 17 release on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Source: Edge [http://www.edge-online.com/features/grand-theft-auto-v-inside-rockstars-next-epic/]

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T3hSource

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Mar 5, 2012
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What? GTA San Andreas' system wasn't that burdensome, CJ had to eat once every 3 days, which is 72 minutes straight up playing without ever saving the game in one of the many many safe houses the game had. I've only had that during the pimp and taxi mission runs. Although vigilante missions were tough without the tank or Hunter heli, let's not forget the harrier jet :3

However grinding lung capacity was not fun and neither was weapon skill for weapons the player doesn't use often, cost a lot or are just hard to find. I used to grind the weapon levels on the planes in the Los Santos Airport, because they are tough as hell and take a lot of shots, which turns into fireworks if you overdo it and the cops are determined to get to you :D

Captcha: no regrets - Definitely.
 

PBMcNair

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T3hSource said:
What? GTA San Andreas' system wasn't that burdensome
I know right ? It was nice to have something ticking over like that, meant getting chased all over the city by the cops for half an hour was at least giving skill increases(and fun, there was also fun).

I missed them more than I realized in GTA 4. I was watching a friend playing on release day, so he got in a car and promptly totaled it. We were all "driving skill must be low". 10 minutes later he was looking around the menues and we realized that the cars just handled like ass. We were not amused.
 

Worgen

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Whatever, just wash your hands.
Lets see it adopt a PC release, then I'll be impressed.
 

omicron1

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I think this is a good thing - GTA's not really the place to stick survival elements.

Someone'd better make a mod to introduce Fus Ro Dah, though.
 

Longstreet

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First things first, where is that pc release?

Now i am curios how they are gonna pull it off, specially since the skyrim level system was its biggest flaw.
 

Shoggoth2588

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Skill-system similar to that of Skyrim?! I'm sorry for not reading more than the title of this article but I just had to chime in with exclamations of my excitement and how I am definitely going to grab this thing early on. As for San Andreas skill system, the thing I hated about it was how you had to do tutorials no matter what. This created a potential scenario where you can have a moderately high flight skill and still be forced into those tutorials. I hope this doesn't happen in GTAV but I'm really optimistic.
 

mad825

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So a mobster is more experienced with a gun than a ex-solider? The logic seems legit.
 

CyberMachinist

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Color me interested then, although i kinda wish there was a PC release as well.

I just hope they can balance it, I'm sure we all know what the skill system was like in Skyrim.
 

l3o2828

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This is all fine and dandy, I really liked the San Andreas skill system.

But really...PC port,please?
 

ClockworkSailor

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mad825 said:
So a mobster is more experienced with a gun than a ex-solider? The logic seems legit.
Makes sense somewhat if they are going with he was a pilot. The military isn't all that big on cross training unless you personally seek it out. I had to beg to get advanced weapons training when I was in the Navy and that was useful for ship defense. If a pilot needs a firearm then you already have a lot of problems that need addressing first
 

ClockworkSailor

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Mr.Tea said:
mad825 said:
So a mobster is more experienced with a gun than a ex-solider? The logic seems legit.
Not everyone in the military is a gun-toting marksman footsoldier...

Considering his in-game skill is being a good pilot, I think it's safe to assume that he was, you know, a pilot. It's possible, and even likely, that he never really had to handle a gun beyond basic training.

To put it another way, "Being a soldier" doesn't automatically make you a great marksman. Why couldn't a civilian gun-aficionado be a better shot than certain soldiers? Especially soldiers who are actually pilots...
Beat me to the punch... well played
 

octafish

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Apr 23, 2010
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A shame that they are saddling you with friendly AI on current gen machinery. Especially with an open world game. They are going to get shot in the back a lot.

captcha zombie attack. Yep, that is about the AI I'm expecting.
 

Roofstone

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May 13, 2010
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Every single bit of information makes me more and more impatient!

Can't someone invent a time machine like, N-.. well I guess it doesn't really matter WHEN he invents it, as long as he brings it to me. I want this game already! D;
 

piinyouri

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Mar 18, 2012
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Oh hell yeah!
That was my favorite aspect of SA, using all the guns and driving/flying everything to become better at them.
 

Adam Jensen_v1legacy

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Sep 8, 2011
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I actually like this. It didn't bother me in San Andreas. The game rewarded me for having fun by giving me more fun. There's nothing wrong with that.