Weather: Difference between revisions

'''Weather''' is an fundamental aspect that has been existing throughout most of the [[Grand Theft Auto]] games; [[Grand Theft Auto III]] being the first to have multiple weather changes viewed in a 3-Dimensional form. It plays a crucial role by complementing to the vibes and atmosphere of the game such as a pink setting sky to suit the Vice City's 80's vibe and a dull, plain sky to suit the [[Liberty City]] atmosphere. The weather in the game is controlled by a time cycle which controls certain weather types to occur at a particular time. Anonymous types of weather occur at rarer times than others. In places such as [[San Andreas]], A certain type of weather only occurs in a particular climate or area such as sandstorms in the desert of [[Bone County]], [[Las Venturas]]. Thus, some time cycles of weather are included exclusively for a Grand Theft Auto game depending on the area's real-life climate. The games can also simulate transitions between weather types. For example; it may be cloudy, then a slight drizzle may fall, followed by rain and then a thunderstorm. This is a perfect example of the wide varieties of weather mixtures the game is capable of doing. Thus only the main core, standalone weather types are listed below rather than 30 different combinations. The games can also simulate wind, which can realistically result in trees swaying back and forth and planes pushed at random directions.

'''Rain''' occurs in most GTA games from every 3-5 days though sometimes it can vary depending on what climate you are in. For example, in [[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas]], rain may occur in Los Santos, San Fierro, and in the countryside, but never in Las Venturas and the desert. [[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City]] first introduced realistic rain drops forming on the player's screen as if they were literally in the protagonist's shoes. The III era first introduced car's headlights reflecting the rain on the road which instantly resulted in senses of realism, making the game more 'alive'. The rainfall can vary depending on how clear the skies are. Heavy rainfall results in occasional thunder and lightning, causing the console version's controller vibrate rapidly, again as a sense of realism.

=== Sunny/clear ===

'''Sunny''' weather occurs quite often in most cities, ranging from 2-4 days in the III era; especially if you are flying in a [[Helicopter]] or [[Plane]] above the clouds to see you could view it pretty much nearly everyday. The III era first introduced players to visualise heatwave when the sun reaches blazing heats however does not affect the player's health in any way. It brings a cheerful atmosphere and reputation to areas such as Vice City and most areas in [[State of San Andreas|San Andreas]]. The sun causes short shadows to appear behind objects such as lampposts and buildings. A clear sky implements a similar reaction.

A '''sandstorm''' is an unique weather available in GTA San Andreas. They arise when a gust front blows loose sand and dust from a dry surface. It occurs regularly only in the desert or near [[Las Venturas]] as it suits the climate. It clearly mimics aspects of the Nevada desert in Las Vegas. When sandstorms occur, visibility is severely restricted. Clouds of dust can be seen blowing and the sky's color changes to a dull brown. Sandstorms also have a physical impact on flying vehicles (such as fixed-wing aircraft), blowing them hard towards random directions, which can make flying treacherous.

 

 

Watching the sunset or sunrise in GTA makes this undoubtably one of the most beautiful types of weather in the game. The colour of the sun when it sets or rises depends on the city. In places such as San Andreas and Liberty City, the sun varies from orange, yellow and red whilst Vice City's sky is usually pink or purple to suit the 80's Miami atmosphere. The colours of the sky play a vital role in bringing up the atmosphere of a city. The shadows off objects and pedestrians become longer however the process of the sun setting only lasts around 2 to 3 hours (Game Time).