14 DAY TRIAL // Rockstar Games has gone into detail about the shooting and combat mechanics from its upcoming Grand Theft Auto 5 open world experience.
The developer has confirmed the big improvements made to the two systems and has detailed how it's incorporated elements from Red Dead Redemption or Max Payne 3, not just from the previous GTA titles.
Grand Theft Auto V is awaited by millions of gamers, and many have thoroughly enjoyed the official gameplay video presented by Rockstar yesterday.
Now, the studio has gone into further detail about certain gameplay mechanics and how they were refined from GTA IV with elements from Red Dead Redemption or Max Payne 3.
"A massive amount of work went into overhauling animation systems, targeting, and camerawork to really open up new opportunities for the player in the kind of freeform, open-world action shootouts that are the heart of Grand Theft Auto. We wanted shooting to feel more precise and satisfying while supporting multiple styles of play," Rockstar Associate Producer Phil Hooker told GI.
Major additions include an improved run and shoot system that doesn't force players to aim down the sights of a gun, as well as an improved locomotion system that changes the way the character runs when holding a gun to shoot at others or just when trying to threaten others.
According to Hooker, the gunplay is based on other GTA titles, but it's also influenced heavily by Max Payne 3 and Red Dead Redemption, two previous Rockstar games.
"The best way to describe the gunplay is that it's evolved through influences of all three games. It's still GTA-based at its core, but as we've collaborated with other studios along the way we've tried to bring in all the appropriate parts from the different projects, from the more advanced cover components and targeting of Red Dead Redemption to the more fluid transitions in and out of gun combat from Max Payne 3."
Targeting will feature three distinct modes in GTA V, including assisted aiming, traditional GTA, and free aim.
"Assisted aiming gives players a larger targeting area as well as a little more help analyzing targets to try and pick the largest threat. Traditional GTA is the closest to previous GTA's soft lock option. It shares all the characteristics of assisted aiming, with the additional ability to flick left and right between targets using the right stick."
"Another new refinement is that every aim mode now has a timer that breaks lock so you have to be more tactical in your approach – you can no longer just rely on holding and shooting until a target is dead."
Grand Theft Auto V is out for PS3 and Xbox 360 on September 17.