[Niteye]

I think it's just a tradition that stuck around. GTA1 had Liberty City, San Andreas and Vice City, GTA2 cities weren't really based on anything in particular and for GTA3 and onwards they decided to remake GTA1 but in 3D.

I think people are overthinking it with "universes" and "Miami co-existing with Vice City" etc. Vice City is just R*'s rendition and representation of Miami. Only the cities you actually roam in have fictional names.

This post has been edited by Niteye on Sunday, Jun 10 2012, 20:10

[RipGore]

QUOTE (Halo_Override @ Sunday, Jun 10 2012, 12:07)

1) By using parody cities Rockstar is protected against legal action taken by a real city, who could claim damages to their reputation. ("You said our police force is corrupt, so we're suing you.") 2) Some landmarks are privately owned. For instance, to use the HOLLYWOOD sign in an entertainment product you have to get permission from the organization that owns it, and (generally) pay them. But by using VINEWOOD you're clear. 3) Artistic license -- you can make your own decisions about how your city will be shaped and arranged, and nobody can complain "this version of Fifth Avenue isn't like the real Fifth Avenue, this game sucks" or "Harlem is too small". Well, you can, but it makes you a dick.

Great explanation. Kids, listen....

[SmC12]

As was mentioned, GTA is a parody of American culture. Alot of games use fictional locations which are based on real places because it allows for more creative freedom. If you limit yourself to re-creating New York exactly how it is in real life then you don't have that freedom to change things to suit your story or to make the game more fun. Also using real products and locations often costs more money and requires licenses, because you're using someone else's landmark or product in media and that has legal protection. By making everything fictional it means it's owned by Rockstar.

The GTA cities are only based on the real location, there's many things that don't exist in real life but they make the game more enjoyable, and it gives the location a more personal touch from R*. We all know what LA, Miami and NYC look like so it's more fun to play in a parody of those places.

[simkas]

It has nothing to do with lawsuits, I doubt Rockstar give a sh*t about that stuff. It's because the GTA world is a living parody of the modern world, taking real stuff and pushing it to the extremes. City names are all a part of that.

[LostScotsman]

QUOTE (Halo_Override @ Sunday, Jun 10 2012, 20:07)

1) By using parody cities Rockstar is protected against legal action taken by a real city, who could claim damages to their reputation. ("You said our police force is corrupt, so we're suing you.") 2) Some landmarks are privately owned. For instance, to use the HOLLYWOOD sign in an entertainment product you have to get permission from the organization that owns it, and (generally) pay them. But by using VINEWOOD you're clear. 3) Artistic license -- you can make your own decisions about how your city will be shaped and arranged, and nobody can complain "this version of Fifth Avenue isn't like the real Fifth Avenue, this game sucks" or "Harlem is too small". Well, you can, but it makes you a dick.

Cool answer, thanks. It dont bother me at all I love the parody and spoofs of GTA. But it was just something that I had wondered. thanks for everyones answers

[GTAboyWonder]

Y'see, that's what makes GTA. R* is trying to show us that the virtual world can have it's own earthly concern. The world it revolves in has no cosmos of the existent universe WE live in. It's trying to jeer our habitat and demonstrate the vulgar appearance of each living metropolis it's contributing.

Or they just like to f*ck around!

[GarrowsKai]

QUOTE (nkjellman @ Sunday, Jun 10 2012, 20:05)

This is a good topic. In GTA III there is a billboard advertising Miami, and Ray leaves for Miami. (Not Vice City) London was a real city used in GTA London, and in Ballad of Gay Tony Luis and Tony were talking about London. I also saw a poster in Tony's house that mentioned that Masonett 9 is in Liberty City, Las Vanterus, and London. The other city I noticed that was real is Hong Kong which was brought up in GTA China Town Wars. However I noticed was in Vice City and Vice City Stories, the state their in is still Flordia. States of the United States in the GTA Universe that we know about are Liberty State (New York), Alderny State (New Jersy), Flordia, and San Andreas (California/Navada). But I'm not sure but I think Bone County (Navada) might be the state that LV is in. I heard someone mention it. Besides the thing in GTA III, it seems that US cities are fictional as their where the games are taking place. The cities in other countries are real because the game isn't there. They don't want to make a city look bad I guess. (with the exception of London.)

I think part of the reason for GTA:London being set in London is because it was set back in the 60s, whereas in GTA1 (with Liberty City, Vice City and San Andreas) it was set in the present day. Basically in the 2D era I think R* thought that with it being set in the past it was fair game to use the real city name.

When they moved onto 3D era, III was set in the present time (2001) so along with not having the ability to create a proper replica of NYC they may well have been thinking along the same lines as when they did the original in that it was just prudent to use a fictional city, so they went with Liberty City a second time. Then when it came to do VC and SA they kept them as the original cities from the original GTA (with the exception of SA which had been a portrayal of only San Francisco in GTA, but it was still set in the same region). Also when doing LC for a second time they may well have just decided it was more fun to have their own fictional cities, rather than try to re create real life ones.

I have a feeling that now they have no desire to go back to a London setting, the US really just works better for GTA games, so they aren't going to bother creating an in game version of London.

That's all speculation of course but it seems to be the most logical explanation for London being London in the old GTA.

This post has been edited by GarrowsKai on Sunday, Jun 10 2012, 20:21

[nkjellman]

Here is a pic of the sign in Tony's Apartment in Ballad of Gay Tony that I took awhile ago.


Here is the image of the Miami Billboard on GTA III's map.

(I know its GTA IV, but its GTA III's map and the billboard is there in GTA III. I was testing the mod so I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone.)

[GarrowsKai]

QUOTE (simkas @ Sunday, Jun 10 2012, 20:13)

It has nothing to do with lawsuits, I doubt Rockstar give a sh*t about that stuff. It's because the GTA world is a living parody of the modern world, taking real stuff and pushing it to the extremes. City names are all a part of that.

I'm sure they do. Lawsuits are probably the single most damaging thing that can happen to a company.

[Halo_Override]

QUOTE (LostScotsman @ Sunday, Jun 10 2012, 12:15)

QUOTE (Halo_Override @ Sunday, Jun 10 2012, 20:07) 1) By using parody cities Rockstar is protected against legal action taken by a real city, who could claim damages to their reputation. ("You said our police force is corrupt, so we're suing you.") 2) Some landmarks are privately owned. For instance, to use the HOLLYWOOD sign in an entertainment product you have to get permission from the organization that owns it, and (generally) pay them. But by using VINEWOOD you're clear. 3) Artistic license -- you can make your own decisions about how your city will be shaped and arranged, and nobody can complain "this version of Fifth Avenue isn't like the real Fifth Avenue, this game sucks" or "Harlem is too small". Well, you can, but it makes you a dick. Cool answer, thanks. It dont bother me at all I love the parody and spoofs of GTA. But it was just something that I had wondered. thanks for everyones answers

Happy to oblige!

[GreenReign]

This is a bit off-topic but didn't want to create another thread, and kind of has to do with the same purpose. Why does R* use fictional car names? Why can't they use the real makes and models? The cars as the cities are kind of based on real life counterparts, I mean it can't be that hard to get a license to use a Dodge Viper, or Ferarri for instance.

[Halo_Override]

QUOTE (GreenReign @ Sunday, Jun 10 2012, 12:37)

This is a bit off-topic but didn't want to create another thread, and kind of has to do with the same purpose. Why does R* use fictional car names? Why can't they use the real makes and models? The cars as the cities are kind of based on real life counterparts, I mean it can't be that hard to get a license to use a Dodge Viper, or Ferarri for instance.

Same kinda deal. Car companies own their designs, and can be picky about how they let images of their vehicles be used. This is why you see so many racing games that don't allow vehicle damage (or keep it really minimal). Also, they often charge.

By making up their own vehicles, Rockstar can do whatever they want with them and not have to answer to anyone else.

[TheBossMan5000]

It's called "parody"

[FrozenViceCity11]

Why Vinewood, why not Hollywood?

[SmC12]

QUOTE (FrozenViceCity11 @ Sunday, Jun 10 2012, 20:46)

Why Vinewood, why not Hollywood?

QUOTE (Halo_Override)

2) Some landmarks are privately owned. For instance, to use the HOLLYWOOD sign in an entertainment product you have to get permission from the organization that owns it, and (generally) pay them. But by using VINEWOOD you're clear.

Try reading the thread.

[Halo_Override]

QUOTE (FrozenViceCity11 @ Sunday, Jun 10 2012, 12:46)

Why Vinewood, why not Hollywood?

If you're asking why they used "Vine"-wood specifically, "Hollywood and Vine" is a well-known intersection.

[GarrowsKai]

QUOTE (Halo_Override @ Sunday, Jun 10 2012, 20:56)

QUOTE (FrozenViceCity11 @ Sunday, Jun 10 2012, 12:46) Why Vinewood, why not Hollywood? If you're asking why they used "Vine"-wood specifically, "Hollywood and Vine" is a well-known intersection.

That's the best thing about the fictional cities imo, seeing how they go about naming things.

For example New York has Brighton Beach, whereas in LC it's known as Hove beach. This is because Brighton Beach was named after Brighton in the UK, which now known as Brighton and Hove

[MilezDawg]

QUOTE (LostScotsman @ Sunday, Jun 10 2012, 20:02)

QUOTE (HOLDMYBALLSACK @ Sunday, Jun 10 2012, 19:58) because its not real life its a game, games do not contain real worlds they can be copies but they name different to avoid lawsuits! I know the game is not real life, but neither is max payne but rockstar use real life city names in that game? Would rockstar face lawsuit over using a real life city game in gta but not in Max payne?

The thing is Max Payne isn't running around New York beating hookers with a baseball bat or going on a killing spree on top of the Empire State Building with the F.B.I. bearing down on him while he's firing an RPG into the air trying to take down a SWAT helicopter.
Same reason R* dosen't and can't use real life car manufactures. You know Ford or Chevorlet would not want their brand of vehicles in a game where you can peform drive bys or mow down pedestrians left and right in a Ford Mustang or Chevy Camero. It gives R* more freedom and alows for greater parodies with fictional cities, cars, resteraunts, etc.
I'm an American and I love my country but IMO it's so awesome how R* lampoons our society, they do a stellar job at it.

[Halo_Override]

QUOTE (GarrowsKai @ Sunday, Jun 10 2012, 12:59)

QUOTE (Halo_Override @ Sunday, Jun 10 2012, 20:56) QUOTE (FrozenViceCity11 @ Sunday, Jun 10 2012, 12:46) Why Vinewood, why not Hollywood? If you're asking why they used "Vine"-wood specifically, "Hollywood and Vine" is a well-known intersection. That's the best thing about the fictional cities imo, seeing how they go about naming things. For example New York has Brighton Beach, whereas in LC it's known as Hove beach. This is because Brighton Beach was named after Brighton in the UK, which now known as Brighton and Hove

They're pretty clever with their renaming. I'd guess it's one of the more fun parts of the job.

[Chickenwing]

I was playing GTA IV a couple of days ago and I shot someone in the leg and he yelled out...

"Please leave me I have a wife and two kids back in Cleveland"

Never heard the mention of a real place before in GTA :9