Tropic

Revision as of 04:16, 16 June 2011 by ZS (talk | contribs)
The Tropic in GTA Vice City.

The Tropic is a large drivable boat in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, and Grand Theft Auto IV.

Design

GTA Vice City — GTA Vice City Stories

Earlier iterations of the Tropic prior to GTA IV are essentially flybridge motor yachts or cabin cruisers, evidently featuring living space on the lower compartment of the boat and a partially covered bridge on top; in GTA Vice City and GTA Vice City Stories, a small kitchen is visible from the door in the back, while in GTA San Andreas, the front windows are semi-transparent, allowing the player to see a small living area with red curtains, tables and two sofas. The Tropic in GTA Vice City Stories, however, is sharply reduced in height, with its top chopped and featuring an open flybridge.

It is also one of the boats wanted by the Civil Asset Forfeiture Impound for export in GTA Vice City Stories.


GTA IV

File:Tropic-GTA4-variant2-front.jpg
A Tropic in GTA IV, with a spoiler, a canvass roof and a fairing (Different deck and roof design).

In GTA IV, the Tropic is still a cabin cruiser but has a low-profile cabin housed in its bulky hull and has moderate speed. The boat, however, is distinguishable from other speedboats by its accessories. For any Tropics with an optional spoiler, retractable roofs (front, back, or both) or a glass fairing (front only) may be further attached on the spoiler itself. As the boat is reduced to a size smaller than even the Jetmax or Squalo, the title of largest boat now belongs to the Tug Boat, which is easily twice the size of the pre-GTA IV Tropic. It is modeled after the Bayliner Cruiser.

Performance

Being large, the Tropic between GTA Vice City and GTA Vice City Stories is generally one of the slowest of all boats (in a similar level as the Marquis and Rio) due to its size and weight.

The GTA IV rendition features improved performance, but remains a low-end speedboat as the third-fastest having a similar speed as the game's Dinghy. For this reason, it is the least used boat in the multiplayer races of GTA IV.

Trivia

  • In GTA San Andreas, there's a visual effect glitch that has Carl go into an "invisible chair" sitting position for one second as he changes the radio station. This happens because the Tropic uses the same animations for changing the radio station as normal cars and boats with seats. This also happens with Dinghy.
  • In GTA San Andreas, there is a glitch that if the player moves the character up into the cabin (where you sit and drive the boat), you can see completely underwater without any visual deterrants.

Locations

GTA Vice City
GTA San Andreas
GTA Vice City Stories