Summary
- Ex-Rockstar Games developer Obbe Vermeij reveals Grand Theft Auto 3 almost gave players a one-star wanted level for running red lights.
- The developer says the feature was quickly removed after it “was not popular with the team.”
- Vermeij also gave fans an insight into how the traffic lights in Grand Theft Auto 3 were coded.
An ex-Rockstar Games developer has revealed that the iconic Grand Theft Auto 3 very briefly included a feature that gave players a one-star wanted level for running a red light. The developer also revealed some other interesting details about the game’s traffic light system but was quick to point out that this wanted level feature was promptly removed after it proved incredibly unpopular with fellow Grand Theft Auto 3 developers.
The release of Grand Theft Auto 3 in 2001 marked a huge turning point for the franchise as it was the first 3D game in the series. While the first two Grand Theft Auto games were a success for Rockstar Games, the studio’s venture into a 3D world for the Grand Theft Auto series would go on to give fans some of the most iconic titles of all time, including Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto V, and more. While some of these titles are now decades old, Rockstar has always remained tight-lipped about its development process. Thankfully, one ex-developer regularly gives fans the lowdown with new tidbits of information on the studio’s older games.
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GTA 3 Almost Gave Players a Wanted Level for Running Red Lights
After revealing plenty of other details about iconic Grand Theft Auto 3 features, ex-Rockstar Games developer Obbe Vermeij is back with another Twitter post discussing the game’s traffic light system. According to Vermeij, Grand Theft Auto 3‘s traffic lights cycle through three different states: north/south, east/west, and pedestrians. The developer explained that the traffic light’s model orientation determines its cycle. However, the code was actually stored in road nodes, which is why cars still obeyed the lights even if they had been knocked over and destroyed by the player. However, the most interesting thing about Vermeij’s new post is the reveal that the game very almost gave players a one-star wanted level for running red lights, but it was “quickly removed” as it wasn’t popular with fellow developers.
The addition of this feature could have been a game changer for Grand Theft Auto 3, and not necessarily in a good way. As a fellow Twitter user pointed out, there are plenty of other open-world games that enforce traffic laws, such as 2002’s Mafia. “Definitely slowed the game down quite a bit,” Twitter user Michael Hamilton said about Mafia‘s traffic law enforcement. They went on to explain that while it “might be more realistic,” it “doesn’t make for a fun experience.” However, Vermeij defended Mafia, saying that he thinks the concept of giving players a wanted level for running red lights “suits” Mafia more than Grand Theft Auto as “the game was a bit more slow-paced.”
Grand Theft Auto 3 was one of three GTA games to be remastered back in 2021, along with Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Unfortunately, their launch was met with a massive backlash from gamers and critics due to the visual glitches and bugs present in all three titles. While Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition was published by Rockstar Games, it was developed by Grove Street Games, who had previously worked on mobile ports of the three games. All three games have since received substantial updates to improve the overall performance and visuals, but user reviews remain mixed.
- Released
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October 23, 2001
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood, Strong Language, Violence