This is how GTA4 should go down:
(these points have been in development for a while now, with the ideas of you guys being an influence)
THE FUTURE - The game has been set in the present, 20 years ago and 10 years ago. Setting it in the future would allow the previous three games to intertwine, with stars from the previous games making cameos. My modest proposal was to call it "GTA: Liberty City 2010", but with the new PSP game out, this would most likely need to be changed. As for the year 2010, this distance of roughly ten years would be enough time to make sufficient improvements to the game, whilst keeping many things the same (i.e. the strong Mafia/Yakuza elements).
GEOGRAPHY - I see that most people are adamant that "bigger is better". I'm going to go against the grain and say that GTA 4 should be SMALLER IN AREA THAN SAN ANDREAS. But before you shun my theory aside, hear me out. I shall illustrate my idea by comparing GTA 3 to GTA Vice City.
GTA 3 - Liberty City - a game that flipped everyone onto their heads and established a new frontier for gaming. Then along came Tommy Vercetti and Vice City. Now this game (Playstation's most successful ever) inadvertently exposed all the weaknesses of its predessesor. Because once you've finished the missions, what else could you do in the city... drive around (without a map) killing people?
But Vice City wasn't a better game by breath, it was a better game because it was denser. It was approximately half the size of LC, but with more missions, stronger characters, a thicker plot (based on Carlito's Way and Scarface) and unrestricted travelling options, it shat all over GTA 3.
And that's what Rockstar need to do; look at the example of VC and say: "Let's not design huge acres of land that are never used. Let's keep condense the city like we did with Vice". Because as much as I LOVED San Andreas, I qestioned the logic behind the following:
1) THE COUNTRYSIDE - it was huge!! Yet how many meaningful missions were there on it. For me, (apart from the beautiful Mt. Chiliad) it was just a pain to drive around. 2) LOS SANTOS WESTSIDE - It was half the size of Vice City, with about 2 missions in total. 3) LAS VENTURAS - My least favourite city in SA because the huge outer ring was made up entirely of apartment blocks!
SAFEHOUSES - I agree with many people on this forum that the prices should be realistic (it'll make us appreciate them more). But in addition to this, a number of extras could be incorporated, such as:
1) A Helipad that you can SAVE YOUR HELICOPTER ON
2) A Dock that you can SAVE YOUR BOAT IN
3) A Yacht as a safehouse - how cool would that be? You could even cruise around in it and have some missions as well
MISSION IDEAS:
1) Underwater missions - cracking the last frontier of the GTA universe. Scobadiving amongst the sharks
2) Police missions - proper ones, where you chase down criminals like Carl Johnson and Tommy Vercetti. The missions could be dealing dealing with regular crims or they could be large-scale, multi layered ones
3) Sports missions - one thing about Vice City that made it so popular were all the business missions. Running a sporting organisation would be fascinating. This idea is in its grassroots, but maybe a baseball team that needs a pick-me-up could work
4) Golf course missions - there were 3 golf courses in San Andreas, none of which were used. I'm not saying you have to be able to play golf, but running the business gangsta style is the focus - not your handicap
5) Pilot missions - Transporting both people (in 747's) and cargo (drugs, cash, weapons) all over the country for money
VEHICLES - The speedometer is a good idea; maybe it could be a pop-up (e.g press left directional button to see how fast you're going). The following modes of transport would be introduced:
1) Big airline planes like 747's
2) Jetskis
3) Tandem bikes
4) 3-wheeled motor bikes
5) Hang gliders
EXTRAS:
Ammo icons - Isn't it annoying when you have an array of deadly weapons, yet only a few bullets/rockets for each one. This could change by introducing the ammo icon. Considering that whenever you pick up a new weapon, you get a certain amount of ammunition. The same could apply when you pick up this icon - so now 2 sniper rounds becomes 12, 4 desert eagle bullets becomes 20 and so on.
City development - it would be cool to see the city around you change as you go from mission to mission and town to town. Like in Vice City where Vercetti blows a hole in that building. If that building was slowly being reconstructed, that could later become another mission.
Weather - When it rains, it should flood in some areas. It would be even sweeter if it could snow.
