Rockstar: Multiple Characters in Grand Theft Auto V a "Leap of Faith"

[Alex Co]

Rockstar: Multiple Characters in Grand Theft Auto V a "Leap of Faith"

Rockstar art director Aaron Garbut admits that having multiple main characters in GTAV was an interesting idea that could "backfire."

Speaking to EDGE [http://www.edge-online.com/features/rockstar-norths-aaron-garbut-on-the-making-of-grand-theft-auto-v-our-game-of-2013/], Rockstar art director Aaron Garbut revealed that right from the start of development of Grand Theft Auto V, the studio decided it wanted three "switchable" characters to be the protagonists; but also admitted that it was a "leap of faith," and how it could have backfired.


We decided right at the start we wanted to do three switchable characters, we decided who the main characters were and we decided the general tone for the game. Then we just built and evolved and let the game dictate itself...[Having] multiple characters was a leap of faith. It was an interesting idea, and it felt like we could do interesting things with it, but it also felt like a change to the core of the game that might backfire. I think it really worked out. It's so hard during development to get perspective - you get so used to looking for the problems that it becomes almost impossible to step back and see the positives.


For those who've yet to play GTAV, the series' fifth main entry had three controllable protagonists in Michael, Trevor and Franklin, whose stories interconnected as the player completed missions.

Released last year for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, GTAV was not onlysnagged the VGX's Game of the Year award [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/128014-Grand-Theft-Auto-V-Breaks-1-Billion-In-Three-Days] beating out the likes of The Last of Us and BioShock Infinite.

You can read our review where we recommend buying it [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/reviews/10598-Grand-Theft-Auto-5-Review-People-Suck] "only if you're prepared to play as characters with no justifiable motivation for doing awful things to people."

Source: EDGE [http://www.edge-online.com/features/rockstar-norths-aaron-garbut-on-the-making-of-grand-theft-auto-v-our-game-of-2013/]

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[Ignatz_Zwakh]

You should also mention the lack of any real overarching narrative. It plays out like a bloody fragmented tv series.

 

[TristanBelmont]

Way to end this piece, mate.

 

[Danial]

If by A big leap they mean A dumbed down human Sopranos Box set, a dumbed down Human box set of The wire and what would happen if everyone from breaking bad joined /b/, Then I guess they did well?

No really, as much as i enjoyed GTA5 the characters were by far the worst part of it, they felt... boring and flat with extra impossible to like.

 

[josemlopes]

You should also mention the lack of any real overarching narrative. It plays out like a bloody fragmented tv series.

I felt a bit of this too, only near the end of the game there is some sort of shared goal that seems to drive the characters anywhere. The start is nice too but the middle really drags on a bit with them just doing stuff and being in the exact same situation by the end of it.

 

[Lono Shrugged]

I liked the contrast and the way they generally played off each other. I always assumed their motivation was the same as mine: fun

They were my favorites of the whole series. They were likable while being over the top and cartoonishly violent. I don't understand the hatred, but then again I took a lot of the game with a grain of salt in terms of serious drama.

Sometimes you want Crank, sometimes you want The Wire.

 

[Grabehn]

No matter how much I read about the awesome "whatever" this game had, I just can't get myself to care about these games anymore, I couldn't get past the "serious/realistic" tone they tried to create with GTA 4, and that was just about enough to make me lose any interest on the new iterations.

 

[Hyperstorm]

No matter how much I read about the awesome "whatever" this game had, I just can't get myself to care about these games anymore, I couldn't get past the "serious/realistic" tone they tried to create with GTA 4, and that was just about enough to make me lose any interest on the new iterations.

Yeah, I'm with you on this one. There was nothing I liked about GTA IV no matter how much I tried. An unlikeable player character and a stalker boyfriend/ cousin were the low points.

Vice City and San Andreas remains my favourites and I have played them umpteen times.

Now, if I want that old skool GTA fun I play Saints Row 2 which comes with the added bonus of having absolutely no load times.

 

[chiefohara]

Vice city was when it hit its peak for me.

Great character, great story and just amazing fun.

As for GTAV, more trevor , less michael and franklin

 

[truckspond]

Once it comes to PC then I will be interested in GTAV

Main reason: Mods

http://www.nerdcubed.co.uk/videos/nerdcubed-challenges-survive-carmageddon-gta-iv/

 

[Strazdas]

"only if you're prepared to play as characters with no justifiable motivation for doing awful things to people."

So, basically, the characters were human? The horror!

 

[FalloutJack]

"only if you're prepared to play as characters with no justifiable motivation for doing awful things to people."

Don't most GTA players roam around the city, killing people in different and creative ways, recklessly driving cars all over the place, already? What, pray tell, is the difference here?

 

[smithy_2045]

Vice city was when it hit its peak for me.

Great character, great story and just amazing fun.

As for GTAV, more trevor , less michael and franklin

Oh god no. If Trevor was the sole protagonist, I would've stopped playing very quickly. Michael and Franklin were much more interesting characters, and the only thing that made Trevor remotely tolerable was his interactions with Michael and Franklin.

 

[surg3n]

I was dubious, but was kinda sold on the idea after playing between characters. I think one of the later Need for Speed games had this body switching mechanic and that put me off the whole idea. For me, Mike was the weak link, Trevor is best for flying and shooting, Frank is best for driving, and Mike is best for wasting time and whining.

The story just wasn't as strong as SA or even GTA4 IMO, it was just a sequence of events with the only underlying thing being greed and distrust. At least Nico's story had a proper conclusion - it forced the player to choose between a miserable girlfriend or an irritating cousin... the 'OK nobody has to die' ending wasn't an option.
We see that in games too much, the tabloid moral descisions about whether to kill a lifelong friend or not... Farcry3, BF4, Fallout3. It's getting kinda mundane, maybe the should get a grip.

 

[Evonisia]

The characters worked (besides their rather inconsistent relationships), but while they didn't backfire on GTA V, the story certainly did. That crap 'good' ending, too.