h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: The GTA3 Trilogy - A3698274
Author: GodBen-The god of doors, ducks, eunuchs, and car dealerships - U518809

Now it's a wee bit long (there's an understatement) but it's an important subject that has been so far ignored in the EG.

important... I have not read it entirely. I have one comment concerning the title. It is probably not good to have three letter codes or other kinds of abbreviations in the title. Perhaps it would be better to write it out as: "The 'Grand Theft Auto' Game Trilogy"

I'll go read it and be back here with more comments soon

HELL

There's a problem with the links at the bottom of the entry - you need to use the full "http://www.etc... " link within your tags

Alright, I fixed the link problem and changed the name.

I'm not a fan of computer games, but I am a fan of long detailed guide entries, and this is certainly detailed!

I like the style, and the content's very good, I'm glad you changed the title as well, I was about to suggest that, would it be possible to include the fact that it's a computer game in the title?



Good work!



Z

Alright, I've updated the title again.

*swoops in*

I have come, armed with the Giant Peer Review Notepad.
I've just addressed the intro and the first game this post as I realised the notes were getting REALLY long.

First things first though, I'm really glad to see a detailed entry on these games. I love them and I think you've done a good job.


I think titles need to be italicised. So things like Grand Theft Auto: Vice City etc need to be put in

"beating records in relation to most and fastest sales."
Are you certain about this? This implies that the GTA3 games are THE largest selling games ever...which I don't know if it's true or not so I'm just checking.

You have written all of the part about the original GTA game in the past tense. However you can still play it so the actual description of the gameplay should probably be in current tense.

"You could do missions that you got from pay phones, or you could just roam freely around the city, it was up to you, but the ultimate aim was to get a specified amount of points to move on to the next city."
This is a very long sentence and it may be worth breaking it up a bit.

"new features like multiple gangs that you could work for"~~ new features such as the possibility of working for multiple gangs

"it seemed like the series might"~~ it seemed as if the series might..

"The games producers, Rockstar"~~The game's producers, Rockstar

"inclusion of famous actors to play the cast"~~ inclusion of famous actors in the game cast (I THINK)

"You play an unnamed main character2 who at the start of the game is taking part in a bank"~~ You play an unnamed main character2 who, at the start of the game, is taking....

"But Catalina double-crosses him; she shoots him and leaves him for dead."
Catalina however, double-crosses him; shooting him and leaving him for dead.

"He ends up getting arrested and is sentenced to 10 years in prison and is being taken to Liberty City Penitentiary in a police convoy."
He ends up getting arrested, is sentenced to ten years in Liberty City Penitentiary"

"But while going over a bridge the convoy is attacked by the Columbian Cartel (The gang run by Catalina) who kidnaps an old oriental gentleman who is a prisoner in the convoy. In the confusion your character and another prisoner called 8-ball manage to escape in a car just before a bomb planted on the bridge explodes, destroying it."

However, the Penitentiary-bound police convoy is attacked by The Columbian Cartel (a gang run by Catalina). The gang kidnaps an old oriental gentleman from the convoy and in the confusion your character and another, named 8-ball, manage to escape.

(I don't think you need to include quite as much detail which is why I left out the bridge)

"some “jobs” done"~~no double inverted commas, they need to be singles please.

"to carry them out for him"~~to carry them out.

"As he progresses through"~~As you progress through

"but the pay gets better, and he needs the money to buy new weapons and ammo, and certain missions need some financial investment before they can begin them."
but the pay gets better and you need money to purchase new weapons and ammunition. There are also certain missions which need financial investment before they can be unlocked.

"that he can get revenge on Catalina for betraying him at the start of the game."
that you can get revenge on Catalina for betraying you at the start of the game.

"But the majority of the game is spent driving cars, which controls just like most car racing games."
However, the majority of the game is spent driving cars, controlled much the same as car racing games.

“Ammu-nation”~~change to single inverted commas

"Certain vehicles are only around during certain times of the day, like trash collectors are only around in the morning."
Certain vehicles are only around during certain times of the day, for example trash collectors are only around in the morning.

"To get rid of your wanted level then go to a re-spray shop and have your car re-sprayed"
To get rid of your wanted level go to a (are these actually named something?) and have your car re-sprayed
Also change the double inverted commas in the footnotes.

"like the vehicle missions."~~ such as vehicle missions

"police car, of any other type of law enforcement vehicle, and you can do the vigilante missions"
police car or any other type of law enforcement vehicle, you can do vigilante missions. These involve chasing down criminals around the city.

"And in a taxi you can take on the role of a taxi driver."~~ No and at the start of a sentence unless you're a posh novelist everyone knows! "Whilst driving a taxi you can take on the role of a taxi driver"

"These missions allow you to earn some extra money, and for completing them you get rewards."
These missions allow you to earn extra money. Your reward is dependent on time taken and the number of missions completed.

"One of the main features of the game"~~Dude these aren't a MAIN feature change this to "one of the best features of the game"

"a city based on New York"~~a city based on New York, USA (Yes I know it's pedantic but bear with me)

"In the game there is only one city, unlike the previous games where there was several cities, but at the start of the game you only have access to a small part of it and the rest only becomes unlocked as you do the missions."
In this version of GTA there is only one city, unlike previous games which included several cities. However in the beginning you can only access a small area, other parts are unlocked as you progress through the game.

"You start the game in Portland, a largely industrial area to the east, which is cut off from the rest of the city because of the bomb that destroyed the bridge at the start of the game."
You start the game in Portland, a largely industrial area to the east, cut off from the rest of the city due to bridge repairs being carried out.

"red light district (Home of the Diablo gang)"~~(home of The Diablo Gang)

city near Chinatown (Run by the Triads) and Saint Marks (Run by the Mafia).~~ (run by The Triads) and Saint Marks (run by the Mafia).

If Mafia is capitalised here then it needs to be in capitals earlier too when you talk about....Luigi?

“Last Requests”~~double inverted commas

"in the centre of the city." ~~in the city centre

(home of the Yardies gang)~~(home of The Yardies Gang)
(home to the Yakuza)~~(home to The Yakaza)
(Home of the Columbian Cartel)~~ (home of The Columbian Cartel)

“A Drop in the Ocean”~~ double inverted commas

(Home of the Southside Hoods gangs)~~(home of The Southside Hoods gangs)
(Another home of the Columbian Cartel)~~(another home of The Columian Cartel)

"in the PS2s"~~in the PS2's

"open ended"~~open-ended

"The 3D city felt much more real than the top-down 2D versions of the previous game, and it made you feel as though you were a part of the game. The well-written story, which culminated in an epic action film type ending, made the game an even bigger hit."
The 3-D city feels much more realistic than the top-down 2-D versions of the previous game, making you feel an actual part of the game. The well-written story, culminating in an epic action film-type ending, made the game an even bigger hit.

"But success didn’t come without it’s troubles"~~But success doesn't come without its troubles



Sorry for so many points but they should make it a better read so it's worth it.
I'll be back to tackle Vice City next

Kats

Oh no! Having read the post through I feel really really guilty now and I've been informed by a friend that they would feel really cheesed if they got a huge post like that.

Not at all. If it'll never get through PR if a scout doesn't select it.

I've updated all the parts you've pointed out. In relation to your question about sales, GTA3 did hold the record for best selling game on the PS2 and was knocked off a year later by Vice City. San Andreas probably hasn't been out long enough to get the top spot, and I'm not sure if Vice City still has it.

'"in the centre of the city." ~~in the city centre'

Seriously? It's (although not necessarily) the same thing!

GB,I'm curious as to why you don't expand the original GTA/2 to make it about the series rather than the PS2 titles.

'City centre' is more commonly used to denote an area - what Americans would call 'downtown'. The centre of the city may not be the same thing.

That's what I said.

"It's (although not necessarily) the same thing!"

"The centre of the city may not be the same thing."


...

Yup.

Which is saying the same thing.

Stop quibbling HPB The city centre is the commercial centre of the city, where as the centre of the city is the direct middle of the place.

I'll try and do Vice City today GB, sorry I'm being a bit slow.

Kat

Excellent Entry

Can't think of much to add:


GTA3:
For the note about the guy's name being Claude, maybe you could mention that he cameos in GTA: San Andreas and he is called Claude by Catalina.

GTA:SA
Maybe you could mention that Officer Tenpenny in is voiced by Samuel L Jackson (Pulp Fiction, The Incredibles, etc)

When talking about the Gant/Golden Gate Bridge, you could mention that San Fierro also features the Kincaid Bridge, a replica of the Forth Bridge in Scotland. This is probably because Rockstar North's offices are just down the road from the Forth Bridge.

Just to add my on the bridges, I think its both the forth road and forth rail bridges that are in the game

rik