After 13 years, Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA VI) will finally release on 19 November. Developed by Rockstar Games, whose Edinburgh North office is located just one mile from Edinburgh University’s main library, GTA VI is expected by analysts to smash sales records. As the hype builds on social media, it is even more fascinating to remember the human craftsmanship and technological advancements on display.
This is Rockstar’s first new game since the critically acclaimed Red Dead Redemption 2 (RDR2) in 2018. GTA VI’s earliest development steps actually began in 2014 alongside RDR2; however, the latter became its own behemoth in one of the most publicised cases of crunch time the gaming industry has seen. Crunch time refers to an intense period of extreme working hours and time pressure close to a gaming release. Jennifer Kolbe, head of publishing at Rockstar said the criticism was “a real moment for Rockstar to look at itself” and do better on future projects. Remarkably, Rockstar has also confirmed the game was made entirely without Generative AI.
But what have they actually been working on that’s needed all this time? Well, to put it simply, GTA VI will have some of the most lifelike AI-driven features ever seen in a video game. Thanks to their custom-made Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE), the game is expected to boast some of the most robust real-time simulations ever seen. The advanced technology on display is said to include randomised weather shifts and real-time water simulation physics.
Rockstar is bringing back the dynamic terrain system seen in RDR2, where different environments react uniquely to impact. Walk in snow and footprints form, walk through mud and the ground moves with the weight. Real-time reactions will give traversal a brand new feel. Vehicles will also gain or lose traction based on what terrain they drive over. Regarding vehicles, traffic is also expected to level up in sophistication. Drivers will now have what are effectively an individual GPS, assessing optimal routes to avoid congestion like a human driver. While GTA V had a one-size-fits-all approach to programming drivers, this game is offering a much more reactive and grounded presentation.
Non-Player Characters (NPCs) will also be even more reactive to the protagonists’ actions, with choices like wielding weapons in public set to provoke a dynamic reaction. Insider reports say that hundreds of thousands of lines for NPCs have been recorded to account for environmental or player-influenced scenarios, meaning that there is a unique response for almost any action.
GTA VI’s dual protagonists Jason and Lucia are also set to be far more sophisticated than GTA V’s trio of protagonists. The claims are that how the players approach their relationship could affect the story’s progression and suggest a whole new level of decision-making with more to consider than RDR 2’s ‘honour system’, which changed the story based on good vs bad deeds chosen by the player.
But can a game be too realistic? In line with the series’ famous (or infamous) raucous tone, human anatomy has had a keen focus. Simulations of muscle sway which are most keenly observed in sexual animations, have been proudly shown off over GTA VI’s marketing campaign. While the series prides itself in knowing no bounds, some have criticised that the most advanced GTA ever is falling back on the same “sex sells” fan service it used decades ago. But where is the line between irreverence and artistic licence? GTA has always been heightened reality, sometimes outright spoofs; and many will argue that heightening the reality of sexual themes is part of hyper-realistic storytelling. GTA V had its fair share of sexual content but also told a compelling narrative about greed and human nature.
The way Rockstar has integrated technology into this game will likely inspire future game developers and the industry as a whole. Redefining the old standard of meticulously planned stories for a new wave of unpredictable storytelling fuelled by advanced AI and player choices.
Photo by Saad Chaudhry on Unsplash
