Clearing Something Up: GTA 3 Map vs GTA 4 Map

Former Rockstar North developer here. Thought I'd clear something up right quick that I've noticed on a few forums in doing a little research. Following this post I will not be replying to this thread at all, even though I'm positive some people are going to try to say that I'm either lying or that I didn't work for Rockstar North. Let me end your complaints right now with this: I don't care if you believe me. This is information for your own benefit.

NOTE: This is posted exclusively on this forum. If you want to share it with other forums, that's on you.

To end all discussion on people who think the GTA 3 map and GTA 4 map are completely unrelated:

The Grand Theft Auto storylines have always incorporated mythical cities modeled (and stereotyped) after real ones. The Liberty City in Grand Theft Auto 3 was a smaller map; if you notice the islands have MUCH less roads and such. However, put the Grand Theft Auto 3 map into a mirror and you will notice a similar structural design (and you will see why the airport is on the other side). This was just a subtle difference with no real purpose.

But rather than complain that the people who ask the question "Why are they different?" are stupid, and call them retarded for thinking they had to be the same city, let's ask how they ARE the same city:
- Mafia House in GTA 3 on far right island becomes destroyed drughouse on far left island in GTA 4 (yes different looking, same concept)
- 3 islands, one with an airport which also has another small island north of it. On GTA 3, the small island and airport are attached to the far left. On GTA 4, mirrored. Noticing a pattern?
- Some bridges and roads are changed in GTA 4 from what was on GTA 3 (ignoring the added roads on GTA 4), this is explained by the condemned bridge on GTA 4 as well as the ones which look extremely modern (GTA 3 setting = 1980's-1990's archetypes, GTA 4 setting = 2000's archetypes).
- Center island has a center area which is a LARGE park. Both games.

what it comes down to is this:
Yes, they are loosly related. However, 4's map was pulled DIRECTLY from the ideas of 3. And when I say directly, I'm not kidding. The GTA 3 theme was very low-class city citizen making his way to the top by any means necessary, but targetting audience by graphical display. The look was almost cartoonish, but appealing. Vice City was the same idea, but it took away the darkness of GTA 3 to add in a very perverted look (adding clubs, bikinis, even the "movie production" missions). GTA 4 was aimed to keep up with the games being produced for the generation of gaming systems in the present: high graphic quality and high realism. Call of Duty sells for its realism, so Grand Theft Auto upped its game a little too. Obviously you can't say it's totally realistic, I mean you can't even get in trouble for speeding and rarely can you die of one bullet, but in a game like Grand Theft Auto you can't take realism to the max without sacrificing entertainment. The realism of GTA 3's islands was low. I mean put it to scale, it MIGHT take you 2 minutes to walk very slowly from one side of the island to the other if the GTA 3 islands were put into real life. GTA 4's? Try 10-15. Again, still not 100% realistic, but it's a step without killing the game's enjoyment.

In the end, anytime anyone tells you the maps are completely different or that they completely changed liberty city, tell them they're 100% wrong. You heard it from me that the ideas behind the physical city itself in Grand Theft Auto IV were pulled directly from the city in Grand Theft Auto 3. We wouldn't have kept the same name for the city if it wasn't at least designed off the same skeleton, so if you try to say that we did you might as well give up that argument.

-Anonymous

Look at me! Breaking my word already!

Ok, so I'll give this reply in response to you. I'm assuming you're some form of moderator on these forums hence your speaking of leaving the thread open. I appreciate your feedback and understand completely. What I just typed up took me a couple of minutes and I only did it because I realized the plethora of threads that are on other forums, such as IGN, that question the validity of naming the city Liberty City when they are, in fact, two different cities. My only goal was to show everyone that they are not, in fact, two different cities, but rather a newer, developed, and slightly altered (like the mirroring, complete change of airport, etc) city on 4 as an expansion of the one on 3.

I understand many people probably claim to be developers. As far as these forums are concerned, my word is as good as theirs. I have no evidence to back myself up, or at least none that I'm going to post. I suppose if I cared enough I could pull up bank records of payment. Maybe some W-2 information. However, as I previously stated, my only goal is to put this information out there in a way that it's easily understandable. I mean, if you read it, it's 99% facts. Just information put next to each other that makes it look more understandable than someone trying to put the puzzle together by them self.

It's merely informational. It's in no way meant to be taken as direct word from Rockstar itself, as an entity. Yes I know the truth, and yes I have spoken it, but no I will not place this post under the word of Rockstar's authority because I'm not all that into violating contracts, and such. That being said, I don't believe this violates any contracts, nor would a current employee get in trouble (yes, that means you, current employees reading this right now) to my knowledge, but better safe than sorry. The Patriot Act is watching us all!

Again, thank you for your feedback, and good luck to you on running your forums. I leave this post in the hands of the readers. Discuss as you'd like.

Chiro, when I last commented about the IV map being an expanded III map and how they resembled each other, you said it was because they're both based on NYC.

Why is that not your response to this claim?

I had the same feeling, Coi Cki.

One of the biggest, WTF, this is a place I've been before, is a building I could of sworn was Donald Love's place from both GTA 3 and GTA LC. I forget what it looks like, but I'll have to take a picture soon of what it is.

The construction site looked familiar to the one in GTA 3, the one that was close to the pay n spray, and also close to the fat guy...??? Joey Leone? I think anyway.

What ever happend to the Red Light District from gta 3???