Grand Theft Auto 3's Cinematic Camera Angle: A Train Ride's Unexpected Legacy
The iconic cinematic camera angle, a staple of the Grand Theft Auto series since Grand Theft Auto 3, had an unlikely origin: a "boring" train ride. Former Rockstar Games developer Obbe Vermeij recently shared the behind-the-scenes story on his Twitter account.
Vermeij, a veteran who contributed to GTA 3, Vice City, San Andreas, and GTA 4, initially created the dynamic camera angle for the game's train sequences. He explains that the original concept of skipping the train ride entirely was impractical due to potential streaming issues. To enhance the otherwise monotonous train journey, he implemented a camera that shifted between various viewpoints along the tracks. The unexpected result? A fellow developer suggested applying this same approach to car driving, and the team found it "surprisingly entertaining," thus solidifying its place in gaming history.
The cinematic camera angle remained largely untouched in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, but underwent revisions by another Rockstar developer for Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. A fan's experiment removing the feature from GTA 3 highlighted the stark difference, with Vermeij confirming the original train ride camera would have been a simple overhead perspective, similar to a car's view from above and slightly behind.
This anecdote adds to Vermeij's ongoing series of Grand Theft Auto development insights shared since 2023. He previously shed light on the reasoning behind Claude's silence in GTA 3, and recently corroborated details from a significant Grand Theft Auto leak from December. This leak revealed plans for an online mode for GTA 3, including character creation and online missions, a project Vermeij confirmed he contributed to with a basic deathmatch implementation. Unfortunately, this online mode was ultimately scrapped due to its extensive development needs.
