Driving: Difference between revisions

(remove attribution & unnecessary titles, cleanup tag)
m (Small typo correction)
 
(33 intermediate revisions by 15 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Cleanup|This article could be useful, but at the moment it is one person giving his or her ideas on the subject.  It is much too informal; it needs to be re-written with a more neutral point-of-view, and to remove the first-person-perspective references.  It should not read like a forum post.}}
[[File:GTA_Driving.jpg|thumb|right|Driving in GTA IV.]]


== Introduction ==
'''Driving''' is a core aspect in the [[Grand Theft Auto|Grand Theft Auto series]], encompasses nearly all activities in the games. The act of controlling aircraft as well as sea vessels falls under this article.


:Yes, you have to read through the whole thing, each passage builds on the knowledge gained in the passage preceding.
== Description ==
=== Controls ===
Vehicle control has virtually remained unchanged throughout the series. Entry into a vehicle, be it by [[carjacking]] or otherwise, requires only a stroke of a key or button. Road vehicles since Grand Theft Auto 1 (and, similarly, ships) allow the player to accelerate, brake, steer and engage the handbrake or emergency brake (E-brake). When a vehicle is stationary, the brake command can be used to reverse a vehicle, while the E-brake can be used to execute sharp turns or while parked on an incline to prevent rolls down the slope. Road vehicles are commonly available with a working horn and a [[Radio Stations|radio]] or, for emergency vehicles, [[Emergency Vehicle Radio|emergency radio chatter]].


For everyone who didn’t press the back key, welcome. You made it.
For more elaboration on driving and controls, see:
* [[/Controls]]
* [[/Learning to Drive]]


This article outlines the basics of driving...
The controls of aircraft are significantly different. [[Helicopter]]s require the player control the speed of the rotor using the acceleration and brake commands, while banking requires the used of both the steering commands for side banks and two pairs of directional commands for forward/backward leans and turning. Similarly, [[Fixed-Wing Aircraft|fixed-wing aircraft]] utilize acceleration and brake commands to control forward thrust (affecting lift), steering commands for ailerons control, and two pairs of directional commands for elevator and rudder controls.


== The Basics ==
=== Factors ===
The ability to control a vehicle is adversely affected by the type of vehicle the player is in. [[Motorcycles]] in GTA 1, for example, are capable of climbing up staircases when conventional cars can't. On the other end of the spectrum, larger, heavier vehicles, such as buses and trucks, are less maneuverable and often times lack in speed, making them poor candidates for evasion from the police although their durability and weight can also be taken into consideration. Heavy vehicles can also be used for fun as a battering ram against other smaller vehicles.


Certain vehicles may also come equipped with special features, such as a weapon (e.g [[Tank]], [[Rhino]] and [[Hunter]]), a water cannon ([[Fire Truck]]) or [[Towing|towing apparatus]] ([[Truck Cab]] or [[Tow Truck]]), which may be used to the player's advantage.


-The gas is on the right; the brake is on the left… one at a time people. Some people astound me!
[[Vehicle Damage|Damage]] resistance should also been considered. A weaker body may offset the high performance of certain vehicles, while a slow, heavy vehicle may be far more resilient to damage. If a player is not proficient enough in their driving or has not properly planned their path to their destination, the choice of vehicle may become a hindrance if the player is urgently completing a mission or escaping from pursuers.


'''Any Vehicle goes through a few stages before it’s toast.'''
=== Camera views ===
As is the player while on foot, the variety of camera views while driving varies between games, but may be classified into two groups:


-New- It’s brand new, runs like a champ. That seems to last a really long time, doesn’t it?
* [[Top-Down Perspective|Top-down view]], which is purely used in [[Grand Theft Auto 1|GTA 1]] (London packs included), [[Grand Theft Auto 2|GTA 2]] and [[Grand Theft Auto Advance|GTA Advance]]. The camera view is also available in [[Grand Theft Auto III|GTA III]], as well as [[Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars|GTA Chinatown Wars]], which employs a top-down and forward viewing hybrid.


-Damaged- It’s got dents in it. But it is not smoking or on fire.
* 3D view, standard in [[Grand Theft Auto III|GTA III]], [[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City|GTA Vice City]], [[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas|GTA San Andreas]], [[Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories|GTA Liberty City Stories]], [[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories|GTA Vice City Stories]] and [[Grand Theft Auto IV|GTA IV]], which usually employs a forward viewing angle or a cinematic view that takes advantage of an enhanced 3D environment.Originally, GTA III features four camera angles, in addition to the aforementioned top-down view, including two tail cams (further and closer to the player's vehicle), a bumper cam and, a cinematic cam. From GTA Vice City onwards, a third tail cam positioned even further from the player's vehicle is added.


-White Smoke- There is thick white smoke coming out from under the hood. Probably because you rammed that N.O.O.S.E Patriot back on Dukes.
== Specific topics ==
* [[Carjacking]], breaking into a vehicle or stealing an occupied vehicle.
* [[Drive-By Shooting|Drive-by shooting]], the ability to fire a weapon from a vehicle.
* [[Bail Out|Voluntary]] and [[Involuntary Ejection|involuntary ejections]], the ability to jump out of/off or be thrown out of/off a vehicle.
* [[Towing]], the ability to haul trailers or other vehicles.
* [[Vehicle Damage|Vehicle damage]].
* [[Vehicle Missions|Vehicle sub-missions]].


-Black Smoke- There is thick black smoke coming out from under the hood. Your car is trash. Find a new one if at all possible.
* [[Garages]], storage area for vehicles.
* [[Spray Shop|Spray shops]], establishments allowing players to eliminate wanted levels while in a road vehicle.
* [[Car Bomb|Car bombs]].
* [[Mod Garages|Modification garages]] for road vehicles.
* [[Crusher]], a device used to crush vehicles for rewards.


-Cut Out- The engine stops… trust me, it won’t start.
* [[Prostitutes]], NPCs, which can be picked up while on a car and "used" for player health.


-Fire- GET OUT OF THE CAR! It’s over; your car is now useless. And will explode soon.
== See also ==
 
* [[On-Foot Abilities|On-foot abilities]]
-In this game, physics are brought to new heights. The large heavy vehicle will drive like all other big heavy vehicles, BRICKS! And small fast sports cars drive like go-karts. So proving the point that each car drives differently in this game isn’t hard.
[[Category:Vehicles| ]]
 
[[Category:Terminology]]
 
[[Category:Gameplay]]
 
[[Category:Features]]
== Some vocabulary for you ==
 
 
'''YOU WILL SEE THESE USED MORE THAN ONCE! LEARN THEM'''
 
:-Blue Groove- The blue groove is the mental line that is made and changed every second. This groove is the one that your mind chooses as its best plan of action. For example, the blue grove for a normal turn would be a sweeping arch.
 
:-Feather- To feather the throttle means to work the throttle back and forth between 40%-90% throttle to achieve an optimum level of spin on the car. (When the rear wheels of a car are broken free from the pavement the result is the rear wheels want to instantly slide to the outside of the turn. We can’t have them doing that now can we? So by controlling the speed at which the rear wheels spin, we control how much the rear wheels slide.) When going through a turn, to kick the back end farther toward the outside of the turn, throttle on. If you want the rear wheels to come more in line with the front wheels, throttle off. This is used in many situations where the engine controls the spin of the car.
 
:-Understeer- When the vehicle makes a wider turn than was intentionally planned. (The rear wheels did not kick out enough)
 
::This is a picture showing the blue groove as a green dotted line and the Red line represents the line that the car actually takes.
::[[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Understeer.svg]]
 
:-Oversteer- When the vehicle made a tighter turn than was intentionally planned. (The rear wheels kicked out too far.)
 
::This is a picture showing the blue groove as a green dotted line and the Red line represents the line that the car actually takes.
::[[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/Oversteer.svg]]
 
Okay, now I’m ready to tell you the best driver profile.
 
 
== Ideal Driver ==
 
 
: <big>'''-Rational behavior-'''</big> This driver is calm and collected in his/her thoughts. This driver recognizes an objective, and collects a rough plan of how to achieve it.
::*I.E. this driver does NOT use a Ballista Compact to force a Trashmaster off the road...
 
: <big>'''-Situational Awareness-'''</big> This driver makes decisions based upon the situation; not by anger or fear.
::He/She is aware of the weather.
::*I.E. If it is raining, the roads are wet, you have less traction, so maybe a Banshee with a blown out back tire may not be the best idea.
 
::A good driver is also aware of the lay of the land. 
::*I.E. If the cunning getaway plan involves fast turns and small alleyways, this Driver will NOT be picking a Firetruck as the getaway vehicle.
 
: <big>'''-Mini-map-'''</big> This may be the most useful tool you ever receive. Many people can’t get to the end of the street without one. Much of the information you need to know is within the confines of a small circle. One of the better features is the built in GPS route tracker, very handy when you need to get somewhere but you have no idea how to get there. Wow, what can't technology do…?
::*Keep in mind the route tracker will only actually tell you the shortest LEGAL route to your destination, most of the time there is a shortcut. Knowing them is key to evading cops, cutting your commute time in half, and speeding through those pesky intersections in Times Square. But those you have to find yourself. (This page can’t tell you everything, that’s no fun.)
 
: <big>'''-Acceleration and Deceleration-'''</big> These two things may be the hardest to master. Accelerating smoothly is easy enough but learning how to decelerate is a different story. Deceleration is not confined to pressing the brakes and calling it good. There are several ways to decelerate,
 
:: '''-The Throttle-''' In addition to speeding the car up, did you know that lifting off the throttle actually slows a car down? *GASP! I’m not sure if you’re familiar with the concept but let's give it a try shall we? By lifting off the gas, you have allowed the cars back wheels to spin freely. Not under any power load. So the car will be less likely to break loose and understeer in corners. This is the alternative to smashing the gas and the brake at the same time.
 
:: '''-The Brakes-''' These are mighty useful little buggers. They usually do a good job in slowing and stopping the vehicle. The problem lies in that most of the time, when a driver wants to slow down they smash the L2 button into the controller, causing the wheels to lock up. We use the E-brakes for that! The new PS3/X-box 360 controllers have these amazing buttons, variable in fact, allowing for a controllable amount of brakes or throttle to be used. USE THEM! Don’t slam on the brakes, the resulting skid is less effective than pushing the brakes to the point where they almost lock-up but don’t. This allows the brakes to do their work to slow the car in a controlled manner.
:: '''-Sudden Deceleration-''' ''NOT RECOMENDED!'' Hit something, preferably something that doesn’t move well.
::Primitive sounding isn’t it… but think of it this way, brakes don’t work well when you’re going 250mph, but an analog physical object, like ::say… another vehicle, doesn’t really give a crap how fast you’re going. So in extreme cases, this skill can be used.
 
: <big>'''-Cornering-'''</big> This Driver can take any turn with ease, is able to gauge the size and power of his/her car, gauge the turn’s intensity and size, and gauge the traffic and situational factors, to complete the turn in the fashion he/she choose as the best fit.
 
Alright, that about sums up the ideal driver, now we will talk about how to become an ideal driver, most problems stem from a lack of cornering knowledge. So that’s what we will start with.
 
 
 
== -Basic Cornering 101- ==
'''Each turn involves four basic steps'''
 
:-Deceleration, a slowing of the vehicle to a speed in which the turn is possible.
:-Set up, a period in which the vehicle is set up to get the most out of a turn.
:-Coasting, a period which consists of the first half of the turn and a state in which neither the gas nor the brake are engaged.
:-Acceleration used in the back half of the turn. Easing onto the gas allows for a smooth take off.
 
So to summarize, slowly into the turn and quick out.
 
 
== Advanced Driving ==
 
:'''-Understeer and Oversteer-''' The two extremes of the cornering world. The trick that most people, even experienced drivers don’t see is that, while the extreme of both conditions is dangerous, each condition can be controlled, and used to some extent.
 
::*Oversteer (defined in the vocabulary section) is the most useful, kicking the rear wheels out and being able to control that kick is crucial. That kick I’m referring to is the rotation of the cars rear end towards the outside of turn. Typically this is under power and feathering the throttle is used to control it in these cases feathering the brake is a crazy trick to try. Mastering the art of controlled oversteering, is just that a mastery, it’s difficult and at times frustrating, but when you get it down, the rewards are plentiful.
 
::*Understeering is less of a science, if your vehicle is Understeering it’s probably heavy and you’re trying to make the vehicle move through the turn more quickly than is possible, the only real fix for understeer is to slow down, or you can use an oversteering technique, like cornering under power…

Latest revision as of 16:46, 23 December 2011

Driving in GTA IV.

Driving is a core aspect in the Grand Theft Auto series, encompasses nearly all activities in the games. The act of controlling aircraft as well as sea vessels falls under this article.

Description

Controls

Vehicle control has virtually remained unchanged throughout the series. Entry into a vehicle, be it by carjacking or otherwise, requires only a stroke of a key or button. Road vehicles since Grand Theft Auto 1 (and, similarly, ships) allow the player to accelerate, brake, steer and engage the handbrake or emergency brake (E-brake). When a vehicle is stationary, the brake command can be used to reverse a vehicle, while the E-brake can be used to execute sharp turns or while parked on an incline to prevent rolls down the slope. Road vehicles are commonly available with a working horn and a radio or, for emergency vehicles, emergency radio chatter.

For more elaboration on driving and controls, see:

The controls of aircraft are significantly different. Helicopters require the player control the speed of the rotor using the acceleration and brake commands, while banking requires the used of both the steering commands for side banks and two pairs of directional commands for forward/backward leans and turning. Similarly, fixed-wing aircraft utilize acceleration and brake commands to control forward thrust (affecting lift), steering commands for ailerons control, and two pairs of directional commands for elevator and rudder controls.

Factors

The ability to control a vehicle is adversely affected by the type of vehicle the player is in. Motorcycles in GTA 1, for example, are capable of climbing up staircases when conventional cars can't. On the other end of the spectrum, larger, heavier vehicles, such as buses and trucks, are less maneuverable and often times lack in speed, making them poor candidates for evasion from the police although their durability and weight can also be taken into consideration. Heavy vehicles can also be used for fun as a battering ram against other smaller vehicles.

Certain vehicles may also come equipped with special features, such as a weapon (e.g Tank, Rhino and Hunter), a water cannon (Fire Truck) or towing apparatus (Truck Cab or Tow Truck), which may be used to the player's advantage.

Damage resistance should also been considered. A weaker body may offset the high performance of certain vehicles, while a slow, heavy vehicle may be far more resilient to damage. If a player is not proficient enough in their driving or has not properly planned their path to their destination, the choice of vehicle may become a hindrance if the player is urgently completing a mission or escaping from pursuers.

Camera views

As is the player while on foot, the variety of camera views while driving varies between games, but may be classified into two groups:

  • 3D view, standard in GTA III, GTA Vice City, GTA San Andreas, GTA Liberty City Stories, GTA Vice City Stories and GTA IV, which usually employs a forward viewing angle or a cinematic view that takes advantage of an enhanced 3D environment.Originally, GTA III features four camera angles, in addition to the aforementioned top-down view, including two tail cams (further and closer to the player's vehicle), a bumper cam and, a cinematic cam. From GTA Vice City onwards, a third tail cam positioned even further from the player's vehicle is added.

Specific topics

  • Prostitutes, NPCs, which can be picked up while on a car and "used" for player health.

See also