Digg

Donkeys and Elephants and Delegates,oh my!
Check out the most popular Elections 2008 content on Digg.

5 Things You Didn’t Know About Grand Theft Auto

au.askmen.com — The 2008 release of Grand Theft Auto IV turned the video game industry on its head, as it broke sales records and made headlines. The successful Grand Theft Auto (GTA) franchise has 10 games for different systems, and while controversial for its violent and sexual content, the games remain hugely popular...

Bury

upick 50 days ago, made popular 49 days ago

1081 diggs
digg it

119 Comments
Who Dugg It?
Blog It
Email It

Jennica, on 07/17/2008, -3/+128Another "Next page" article. I mean, the menu on the side is longer than the article, and they can't put it on one side?
- TokenBlack, on 07/18/2008, -21/+4I am not trying to be rude in any way, but people need to start learning that "next page" articles are made to increase hits, which will force the advertisers to pay the site more than if all 5 things were on one page. Maybe you already know that...
  - FoolishMortal, on 07/18/2008, -2/+28Everyone knows that. But that bit of knowledge doesn't make it any more pleasant to click "Next Page" six times to read five paragraphs and see three pictures.
    
    As a side note, everyone should get adblock so they dont have to see the ads at all. These sites shouldn't be rewarded for practices like this.
  - Smashure, on 07/18/2008, -0/+4If we use adblock does the site still get the money from the ad? or does that depend on each different site and the way their ads are setup? (i.e. per click ads, or per site hit ads)
  - Lythium, on 07/18/2008, -1/+4....This Internet still has ads? ;)
- IHaveIssues, on 07/18/2008, -0/+3Even their "Print this" function is faulty, it doesn't print the whole article, it prints only that one page. ***** 'em.
- nickbertovich, on 07/18/2008, -0/+2I knew all of these things about Grand Theft Auto.
sandersdamnit, on 07/17/2008, -4/+193buried for inaccuracy, should have been titled 5 Things You Didn’t Know About Grand Theft Auto if you didn't know a ***** thing about it to begin with
- Warden72, on 07/18/2008, -2/+11This may be considered accurate since it's AskMen Australia edition, where GTA is banned or toned down.
  - borez, on 07/18/2008, -2/+1Well I don't know about you, but mine was the British edition.
  - p0ss, on 07/18/2008, -1/+1I dont think i know ANYONE who doesn't know that much about GTA, even if they havent played it.
  - da1e, on 07/18/2008, -3/+2banned? toned down? no its not. were are nearly cool like you americans. nearly.
  - noerrorsfound, on 07/18/2008, -0/+1@p0ss: Jack Thompson
  - Prathik89, on 07/18/2008, -1/+1GTA isnt banned here.
- milsorgen, on 07/18/2008, -3/+2true that man, it was the most asinine ***** i've read in a while and @ Warden72> You're a rube.
Elliottx, on 07/17/2008, -45/+9It's *****
It's *****
It's *****
It's *****
It's *****

You know it's true, but you've convinced yourself otherwise.
- TheGreyArea, on 07/17/2008, -3/+7You're *****, bitch.
- NGliam, on 07/18/2008, -2/+11It's not *****, it's good, it's just nowhere as good as it coulddd be.
- NeoNightmareX, on 07/18/2008, -2/+16Obvious troll is obvious.
  - Elliottx, on 07/18/2008, -1/+1Obvious 4Chan, meme spitting, 'Internets' repeating /b/tard is........a *****.
    
    (PSSSSST. That's you)
- Mrdudeperson, on 07/18/2008, -2/+9Just shut up man. Its not that bad...
- M724, on 07/20/2008, -0/+2@Elliottx:
  You're *****
  You're *****
  You're *****
  You're *****
  You're *****
  
  You know it's true, but you've convinced yourself otherwise.
SpectralSounds, on 07/17/2008, -8/+40I was actually pretty dissapointed with GTA4. It had a pretty good story, but I never felt the urge to finish the game. Mostly because when I did try and get through the game, I had all of the NPCs whining that I wouldn't take them out and babysit them. I tried to 100% the game, which in my opinion is pretty ***** boring. I played the multiplayer and was really excited about the possibilities there and in some games I had a blast, but there were too many bugs to keep me playing.

Oh well. Maybe the DLC or a patch will get me interested in playing again.
- xcheats, on 07/18/2008, -0/+5Agreed. I don't know how long it actually took me to get into a match. I would have to try like 50 times before it wouldn't bug out and I could get in a game with a friend on Xbox Live.
  - myhandleondigg, on 07/18/2008, -0/+3it was pretty bad for the first few days but i haven't noticed any problems in months.
MiniCooper2007, on 07/18/2008, -0/+10I like honking my horn by hookers in that game.

huh?
Scriabin, on 07/18/2008, -12/+5The only reason I've ever played GTA was to enter in a bunch of cheats and do crazy *****. It's a real stress reducer when you're watching your car domino explosion take out a crowd of people. Other than that, it's never done much for me. I'm a civilization 4 guy. Yep, THAT type of gamer.
- gl77, on 07/18/2008, -3/+3so its safe to say that youre a lover, not a fighter.
  - lAmoebal, on 07/18/2008, -1/+1If that's your definition of love, I don't want to be loved by you.
DJFlipped, on 07/18/2008, -0/+51A 5 item list one two pages... not cool
lanzemurdok, on 07/18/2008, -4/+17so, there are officially six "top 10" style submissions in the front page.

sweeeeeet.*

*is not really sweet.
- quamb, on 07/18/2008, -1/+4"Top 10 reasons to write a Top 10 list"
  
  1. Digg.
  2. Digg
  3. Digg.
  
  etc...
  - lAmoebal, on 07/18/2008, -0/+2What about the other 7? The suspense is killing me.
  - robertoscunha, on 07/18/2008, -0/+0Next page, of course!
BedPost, on 07/18/2008, -0/+57Am I the only one who's stopped playing this game completely since I've beat it? I mean... I just put it down, expecting to pick it back up later... and it never happened. It just hasn't drawn me to it.
- Avaseal, on 07/18/2008, -0/+31I tried beating it..I really did. But there's something about having people call you every 5 minutes wanting you to go pick them up and hang out that just isnt fun to me. I play video games to avoid that kind of crap.
  - p0ss, on 07/18/2008, -0/+6Agreed, And yet i still play San Andreas from time to time.
  - kylejn, on 07/18/2008, -1/+3You know you can turn that off, right?
  - djlethal, on 07/18/2008, -1/+4how??
  - Juice7, on 07/18/2008, -0/+4Accept their invitation then call them back and cancel the plans and you won't lose any likeness.
  - thebza451, on 07/18/2008, -1/+3or turn your in-game phone off. durr.
- DavidGuetta9, on 07/18/2008, -0/+4I beat it but with a huge break in between starting and beating it. Haven't touched it since I finished it
- andymci, on 07/18/2008, -0/+5You're not alone. I played the game, beat it, spent some time on multiplayer, and then moved on.
- Goldbricker, on 07/18/2008, -1/+6I couldn't get to the end. Just too much repetitive ***** and the missions were ***** like watching paint dry. Don't force me to drive some ***** to the other side of the city. I don't WANT to. Overall a stunning visual game, but they really need to work on the fun factor.
  - ScionX, on 07/18/2008, -0/+3It wouldn't even be that bad if they didn't normally force you to use their POS car to drive them around. I couldnt stand the missions that I'd be rolling around in a sports car & suddenly the mission wanted me to drive him to the other side of the city in his POS vehicle.
- viserov, on 07/18/2008, -1/+12I beat it at least once a day.
- myhandleondigg, on 07/18/2008, -1/+1i beat it really quick in a weed and gin induced frenzy without doing any cop missions or races. i was immediately bored and couldn't remember anything so i played through again taking my time doing all the side missions, which was reasonably fun. once that was done i was immediately bored, so i started up a 3rd one and once i got to the algonquin island and finished up packie's missions i just got super bored and haven't played in a week or two (and i don't have any other games that are decent for xbox 360). i'm tired of going ***** bowling with these people.
- barkeep8, on 07/18/2008, -0/+1I understand where you're coming from, I feel the same way. BUT, Rockstar still made their $$$!
  
  I haven't played it much since I beat it, but occasionally I still like starting it up after a frustrating day at work and becoming a psychopath for an hour or two.
DragonForce4, on 07/18/2008, -7/+8I've had it with these ***** prostitutes in my ***** trunk
- paulmer2003, on 07/18/2008, -1/+4YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG!
TheTaoOfBill, on 07/18/2008, -1/+35I love the last one. Because it's 100% *****
- Quizboy, on 07/18/2008, -1/+16Totally; "Some speculation for GTA V ideas include...the ability to speak (using your own voice) with other characters." Who the ***** wants that?!
gcauthon, on 07/18/2008, -0/+6I knew two of the things on that list. Buried as inaccurate.
vivisimonvi, on 07/18/2008, -2/+8I was expecting in-game things you didn't know like...

cash is useless!!! hey just like in our economy!
WhoIsMikeJones, on 07/18/2008, -1/+46Were not done sucking money out of you,so heres another page

1- Phil Collins did voice work for Grand Theft Auto
You might not associate Phil Collins with video games, but the former Genesis front man is just one of dozens of celebrities who’ve
leant their talents to Grand Theft Auto. Some others to contribute include Samuel L. Jackson, Ray Liotta, Michael Madsen, Iggy Pop, Lawrence Taylor, Peter Fonda, Ice-T, Burt Reynolds, and Axl Rose. Within this entry of five things you didn’t know about Grand Theft Auto is the buried fact that GTA was one of the first video game franchises to recruit celebs for voiceover work.

2- Grand Theft Auto talks a lot of sh!t
In the video game equivalent of hip-hop battling, Grand Theft Auto has traded jabs with games it accuses of copying its format. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, for example mocks Activision’s True Crime with a billboard that reads “True Grime” and pictures a garbage truck. Grand Theft Auto III pokes fun at Driver, another similar game, and its main character Tanner. The Grand Theft Auto game features a mission called “Two Faced Tanner” that requires the player to kill a Tanner look-alike who walks like a female.

3- Grand Theft Auto has been sued for nearly $1 billion
Grand Theft Auto is no stranger to the court docket. Leading the way in the anti-Grand Theft Auto witch hunt is lawyer Jack Thompson, who has organized several lawsuits against publisher Rockstar Games on behalf of families who’ve had a loved one killed by a gamer. Thompson, who has called Grand Theft Auto a “cop-killing simulator,” launched a $246 million lawsuit in 2003 after a pair of teens, saying they were inspired by Grand Theft Auto III, shot two motorists. Two years later, a Grand Theft Auto-playing 17-year-old killed two police officers and a dispatcher, and Thompson filed another suit, though its amount wasn’t made public.

4- Grand Theft Auto games offer more than 200 side missions
Grand Theft Auto players don’t have an excuse to get bored. They can find hours of entertainment traveling the game’s cities and leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Beginning with GTA III, the first open game of the franchise, the games feature close to a combined 400 story missions, with more than 200 side missions. GTA IV leads the way in the latter category. Most impressive is the fact that most missions contain several stages.

While the story missions are integral to your success, it’s perhaps the side missions that are the most fun. Hit the gym to pump a little iron and you’ll see your player bulk up. Visit the tattoo parlor to get inked and you’ll raise your street cred. Hungry? Stop at fast food joints to get some grub. Just remember, don’t eat too many hamburgers or you’ll gain weight and be laughed at by random people on the street. Want to make a few extra bucks? Hijack a taxi and go pick up fares. If you’re a lady’s man, dote over your girlfriends (yes, it’s plural) by taking them on dates to keep them happy. Keeping a handle on these side missions while conquering the game’s objectives will have you glued to your controller.
5- Grand Theft Auto V buzz is already underway
GTA IV has barely hit shelves, but video gamers are already getting primed for GTA V, though there’s no official information about when or if the game will be released. Plenty of gaming sites and message boards have speculations about the potential game, which could be released sometime between 2010 and 2014. Because the franchise’s graphics, story and gameplay get progressively better, fans are hoping the game’s next installment won’t disappoint. Some speculation for GTA V ideas include a multiplayer version that will allow you to put your likeness on a character, the ability to speak (using your own voice) with other characters, open buildings to explore, international travel, and destruction of buildings instead of just vehicles.
- DeathJux, on 07/18/2008, -1/+3Phil Collins? That cheese-burger eatin' *****?
  
  BAAAAAAAAM.
ChinezePanda, on 07/18/2008, -0/+32I knew all of that in that "article"

1 Thing this articles publisher didn't know..

"IT COULD FIT ON ONE PAGE"
- DarrylWatts, on 07/19/2008, -0/+1more clicks towards advertising.....
DevinOlsen, on 07/18/2008, -2/+26I'll probably get buried for this...

GTA IV was a HUGE disappointment for me... When I heard about all the features; Online MP, Online Co-Op, Huge Cities, Updated GFX, Based off real worlds, New physics engine, etc... I was left riding the hype train.
Then days/weeks before the game came out reviews started pouring out onto the net claiming this to be "The greatest game since Zelda (for 64)". With all the prior hype, and the over the top incredible reviews, I was pumped for my GOTY...
When I picked up the game I knew immediately that the game was *****... The old school 'feel' of GTA was gone, and what had replaced it was a clunky, casual gamer feel... The game looked the same, but never ever played right.
The one saving grace to it all I thought would be online Co-Op... Well if there are any game developers reading this, here is a protip: DONT DO WHAT ROCKSTAR DID FOR YOUR LOBBY SYSTEM.
I don't think I could properly word the frustration that comes with having to deal with a clunky-slow-un intuitive UI... The cell phone idea had potential (just like the rest of the game) but ultimately fell flat. Getting into a MP game was slow, and tedious... and once you finally did get into a game it was then luck to see if you would actually stay in the game, or get booted out just before it started.

I'm rambling on now..

Basically GTA was a massive disappointment for me, and I feel like the only thing to blame is Casual Gaming... Rockstar wanted to appeal to the masses, rather then the core gamers... and boy did they.
- selmer, on 07/18/2008, -5/+11Let' s be honest here...we are getting our ***** panties in a bunch over this *****. GTA IV was ridiculously fun, given the quality of the graphics, the story, the open-ended nature of the game and the fact that you can entertain yourself for hundreds of hours for $59.99. Don't you think its a little much to demand all the crazy ***** you are talking about, for sixty bucks? I spend more than that on one ***** date.
  - mediaspree, on 07/18/2008, -0/+13Yeah that Michelle is one demanding bitch.
- itsthebrod, on 07/18/2008, -3/+5It sounds like GTA IV was a disappointment to you because you waaaaaaaaay overhyped yourself. The stuff you mentioned sounds way too ambitious to come out in a single game. That said, GTA IV lived up to my expectations and sure, there could've been things done better, but you really can't expect to have it all on the first game of a next-gen console. Look at the progression of GTA 3 to GTA:SA. Graphically speaking, the game is amazing.
- Prathik89, on 07/18/2008, -2/+2I agree, so I'm looking forward to Saints Row 2 now.
dhVyse, on 07/18/2008, -1/+15Where's the buried as awful article button?
- russdogg, on 07/18/2008, -0/+4its the "okay this is just lame" link.
YancyFryJr, on 07/18/2008, -1/+4Wow! People are speculating what's going to be in GTAV?! I did not know that!

Just goes to show, you learn something new everyday.
mrzisme, on 07/18/2008, -5/+2how many ***** GTA articles have there been in the last month
hirschab, on 07/18/2008, -0/+4Yeah, I knew.... all of that.... from previous Digg submissions about GTA
Firespray1138, on 07/18/2008, -1/+5I got distracted by the picture of Hayden Panettiere on the sidebar...
- nonstop87, on 07/18/2008, -0/+2Is it a bad thing I went back to the article to see for myself?
- jbrand45, on 07/18/2008, -0/+2Mmmm, Hayden Panettiere . . . . /fondle
Dunge, on 07/18/2008, -0/+2Oh we didn't know that??!?!
russdogg, on 07/18/2008, -0/+5Lame lame article.
Gypsy61, on 07/18/2008, -0/+7Is AskMen still even relevant? Are they goldfarming diggs?
theamazingkort, on 07/18/2008, -0/+1There's not enough bitching, can I see a little bit more disdain, please?
KurtangleTN, on 07/18/2008, -7/+16GTA IV sucks so bad yet for some reason this ***** hits the front page.

I hate GTA 4 so much, I was so hyped and then majorly pissed at the game. It's beyond repetitive, other than two or three missions they might have all been the same thing. There is ***** all to buy besides guns, no safe houses, you own multiple apartments ranging from livable to lavish yet Niko is constantly bitching about money.

Worse off is how much ***** they removed from GTA: SA. No more planes, no more bikes, no more robbing houses, no more car customization, no gambling, etc, etc. Although these are side *****, GTA's side ***** has always separated it from the clones.

The city is far from impressive, it's ugly, everything looks the same and everything is pretty much static or non interactive. I can't stand how you can only enter like 2 buildings a city block. It's tough to compare but compare just the open world aspects of oblivion and GTA. You can steal from anyone, enter any building (some may need keys, however), steal anything in the building. You can't do ***** that even resembles that in GTA. Sure Oblivion most likely has less buildings but that's the flaw of putting it in a city. Not only do you have to limit interaction the amount of cars combined with the ***** ***** controls means car chases are a major hassle, not a thrill.
- G0thDetect1ve, on 07/18/2008, -3/+0Sounds to me like you're the sort of person who actually likes robbing houses...
  
  As for the things they left out:
  Planes- Couldn't put them in because of 9/11
  Bikes- I suppose you mean bicyles, why would there be people riding bicyles round NYC? you have to think where the game is set!
  Robbing houses- Niko is not a thief!
  Car customization - It sucked on San Andreas, and was only put in because it fit in with the dynamics of one of the gangs.
  Gambling- San Andreas has an island which is supposed to be Las Vegas, that is why there is gambling. It's not as popular in NYC.
  
  Maybe you should look at what you actually can do on GTA IV.
  - sg7791, on 07/18/2008, -0/+1I guess you've never been to New York.
    Lots of people ride bikes. Lots. And gambling is illegal.
  - KurtangleTN, on 07/18/2008, -0/+1Planes - Please, they could easily just do what MS flight simulator did and remove explosions on buildings, basically just completely turn it around.
    
    Bikes- Yeah, they do ride bikes.
    
    Robbing- Uh, yeah he is..
    
    Car customization- No it didn't, it was fun and added a lot depth to the game for a lot of people.
    
    Gambling- Atlantic City? New Jersey? Underground gambling? There is gun control but that doesn't mean you can't buy guns in the game.
Darkswarm, on 07/18/2008, -0/+2Already knew it all. Buried as inaccurate.
barkeep8, on 07/18/2008, -0/+1I haven't played it much since I beat it, but after an especially frustrating day at work, I still like to start it up and become a psychopath for an hour or two.
8ballblack, on 07/18/2008, -0/+1I already knew all 5 of those points...
Xviper78, on 07/18/2008, -1/+06. It kinda ***** sucks. It's boring as hell.
csonjeow, on 07/18/2008, -0/+1Watching the gambling on TV made me think that gambling was somewhere in the game..kinda disappointed it wasn't. Same goes for that driving range by the docks.
BoogieKnight, on 07/18/2008, -0/+1I hate the 'thing you didn't know' list that of course knew
StylusEcho, on 07/18/2008, -2/+4"3- Grand Theft Auto has been sued for nearly $1 billion"

...how does one sue a franchise?
- monkbot1, on 07/18/2008, -0/+3ask McDonalds
AnarchoGoth, on 07/18/2008, -0/+4I think it is morally wrong to name a mission "Kill Phil" when the object of the mission is not to kill Phil Collins, but to protect him.
Akaziel, on 07/18/2008, -0/+4Yeah once you get into GTA IV's multiplayer, it's a lot of fun. But getting there is REALLY annoying, and they make it so I CAN'T just set up a game for me and my friends, unless I have at least like, 5-10 of them online at once. Then you have the complete and utter jackasses. I had this redneck ***** start screaming at the host to boot me before a match started. Why? Because he could hear my fan over my headset. No one else could hear it, but he was DEMANDING I get kicked. No one listened. Then in the match, he was the single whiniest player I've ever heard (and he was clearly an adult, not a kid or teen). Everything was "Man this car sucks! Aw man this gun sucks! You killed me, you ***** cheated! I had lag!"
4degrees, on 07/18/2008, -1/+1funny no mention of Jake Busey on that list of celebs...
- itsthebrod, on 07/18/2008, -0/+4Who?
Rudegar, on 07/18/2008, -0/+1i only really associate Phil Collins with trying to stop Timmy And The Lords Of The Underworld from playing
monkbot1, on 07/18/2008, -1/+16. GTA IV is a big pile of ***** the only game more over rated is metal gear four. these cames peaked with their previous installments now its just polish.
copaceticZ, on 07/18/2008, -1/+1saint's row 2 people its going to be ***** great i know it.
jimmick, on 07/18/2008, -2/+2GTAIV was a bit too chunky for me.
The game's meant to be a sandbox "Oh, there's a plot? And it's decent?" Sort of game.
GTAIV sort of, insists itself
- itsthebrod, on 07/18/2008, -0/+4What the hell are you talking about? Chunky? Insists itself?
Kfresh34, on 07/18/2008, -1/+1i knew the phil collins thing
notwizt, on 07/18/2008, -0/+1Buried like hell. Thanks for playing.
spiraltri3e, on 07/18/2008, -0/+8"which could be released sometime between 2010 and 2014."

This is the worst article ever.
spin164, on 07/18/2008, -0/+2From the stuff I'm reading it sounds like it's not worth the $60.
- silverharbinger, on 07/20/2008, -0/+1It's a great game. I rented it first because I've never been a big fan of the GTA series in general, and I was hesitant to buy it based on all of the nit-picking I had read online. I hadn't played the game for long at all before I realized that renting it was huge mistake, and I should have just bought it to begin with. It's not going to be for everyone, but the story and most of the missions are top-notch, heart-racing fun. Sometimes it gets repetitive, but I find myself coming back for more again and again. Personally, I haven't enjoyed a game this much since Oblivion.
  
  Without knowing what you're into, you still might want to rent it first anyway.
diggtochina, on 07/18/2008, -1/+3I got a question for askmen.com; Why not just put the whole article on one page? Oh right, you just want more ad exposure.
Tokyosexwhale, on 07/18/2008, -0/+1Man this is from Australia. It sucks for gamers in Australia. I'm sure they're banking that whoever's reading this is too damn poor to afford their ridiculously priced games and therefore doesn't know jack about major franchises. Big surpirse on the last one though. GTA V? Why didn't I think of that? What a brilliant idea to keep churning out sequels til the well runs dry! Let's call the movie industry, they'll love this groundbreaking new business philosophy.
bodisatvah, on 07/18/2008, -0/+1Can't you people tell when advertisers are trying to sell you something. Protip: Advertisers study psychology in great detail and often hide their work so it isn't perceived as advertising.

I like the game and all, but this is simply advertising.
G0thDetect1ve, on 07/18/2008, -0/+1This article is awful. I knew everything in it. Shame.

This comment, on the site, is ace though:

Anonymous says:
This article was pretty uninformative. It really didn't tell anything worthwhile. If there were a #6 it would be "Grand Theft Auto has cars in it".

Haha
sjbradyusd, on 07/18/2008, -0/+2buried for an ugly website. about a 100 words then a "more" button. come on.
katerpilar, on 07/18/2008, -0/+2i bet you didn`t know GTA IV is comming to PC either
source: PC-Gamer Malaezia
Show 51 - 54 of 54 discussions
Login or register to add a comment

Create a new account or login to join in the conversation on Digg. You'll also be able to Digg stories to help promote things you like.

5 Things You Didn’t Know About Grand Theft Auto

Login or register to add a comment