GTA IV and the real NYC

[evanylee]

I've noticed that some of the storefronts look exactly the same as the real stores, as if Rockstar and the store had some agreement.

For example, the Italian sandwich place on Mulberry and Grand St.


And the in game version


Anyone else catch any others like this? I think I saw a Duane Reade ingame somewhere

[Doc Holliday]

The south Bronx looks almost exactly the same. It's pretty freaking cool actually.

[fatius]

Driving down central park west is almost perfect for a while. Buildings like the dakota and the like are pretty spot on... once you get to the south end of the park, it kinda loses it though.

Driving over one of the bridges into queens/brooklyn is pretty good. The pepsi sign is replaced by whatever soda that is in the game. The domino sugar factory is almost perfect, but it's got a new name in the game. Also the "Silverback" sign is "Silvercup" in real life, which is a TV/Movie studio where they make things like 30 rock and Sopranos (RIP).

When driving around, I'm shocked occasionally at how close some things are. A store here, an intersection there, then I get confused thinking a real street will be there, but it's not.

[Pein]

There's a store in the game called jizzy jims which is based on jimmy jazz an urban clothing store chain

[besada]

I dunno, but the comments on Stephen Totilo's blog on the same issue are hi-larious.

I couldn't decide whether I was paralyzed with rage or laughter.

[bdizzle]

There's a store in the game called jizzy jims which is based on jimmy jazz an urban clothing store chain

ya flatbush ave looks pretty close to flatbush in the game

[Grifter]

I crossed the Manhattan Bridge daily for school and the view of the buildings is eerily close.

[laceystorm]

some parts are a totally wierd mashup though....they put chinatown, times square, and grand central station all a few blocks from each other, downtown where the east village ('easton') should be....??? and the village is all highrises....?

[CoG]

I used to live in DUMBO (BOABO in the game). The feel is pretty damn close, it's just a lot smaller.

[VaLiancY]

There is a Nokia ad with a lady in a kimono drawn in the old Japanese watercolor style near 34th Street, If I could remember clearly I think that same ad is near Kiki's(online girlfriend) house.

Now I have to find it to be exact.

Edit - Isn't it great being a Yorker and playing this game a blast?

[Pimpwerx]

I don't know. I lived by Brooklyn College, and afaik, it's not even in the game. Prospect Park got merged into Bensonhurt/Bayridge at the south, and well into Queens at the north. Top of the park should be Manhattan Bridge, but I think that's not even there and is the Queensboro Bridge instead. I think the southern one is the Brooklyn Bridge, and the northern one the Triboro. I can't speak much for Bohan, since I never went to the Bronx except for a Yanks game. I haven't explored Manhattan enough yet, but the Upper West Side looks close enough to what I remember. My sis used to live near 140th. PEACE.

[Ephemeris]

Edit - Isn't it great being a Yorker and playing this game a blast?

Sure is

I don't know. I lived by Brooklyn College, and afaik, it's not even in the game...

hey, that's not too far from me. :P

[permutated]

Nice find OP!

[evanylee]

Edit - Isn't it great being a Yorker and playing this game a blast?

it makes the game easier to get around. I live across from the 34th street postoffice, but in GTA they put it next to the Met. Looks the same though

[BobM]

it makes the game easier to get around. I live across from the 34th street postoffice, but in GTA they put it next to the Met. Looks the same though

thats awesome.

wouldn't it be cool if you could BUY a house in the game that matched the house you live in?

[h3ro]

Isn't it great being a Yorker and playing this game a blast?

QFT.

I nearly lost my mind yesterday. I was driving around Astoria, Queens and it looked EXACTLY like the area of the first apartment, train tracks overhead and all... I was freaked out for a few minutes...

[Beezy]

Bohan seems like it's only based off of the South Bronx. It looks pretty close, but I wish the North Bronx was in it too.

[Schattenjagger]

QFT. I nearly lost my mind yesterday. I was driving around Astoria, Queens and it looked EXACTLY like the area of the first apartment, train tracks overhead and all... I was freaked out for a few minutes...

im from astoria and was pretty diappointed with the city..
not really close at all.

when will we get a 100% true replica of a city? next generation?

[h3ro]

im from astoria and was pretty diappointed with the city.. not really close at all. when will we get a 100% true replica of a city? next generation?

I thought they nailed it, in terms of the feel and aesthetic. Obviously, we haven't reached photorealism yet, but the sights and sounds were spot on, heck, they even threw in Diners being all over the place. I don't think R* was going for a 100% replica, but more so for the feel of living in NYC.

Try this, drive down Hoyt Ave or Crescent Ave in Astoria, then down the street with Roman's apartment and tell me you don't do a double take or go "woah".

[MWS Natural]

There are nice parts to Jersey...really there are. Damn you Rockstar =(

[knicks]

Wow thats pretty fucking cool.

[thetrin]

I don't live in NYC, and I've always been there a couple times, so a lot of the similarities are lost on me. That said, it's conceptually really awesome to hear that they did this. I'd really love a game set in Boulder, CO, where I used to live. It's the perfect setting for a Twin Peaks style horror game.