GTA 3 Dev Unveils Iconic Feature's Origin

Summary

• The iconic cinematic camera angle in Grand Theft Auto 3 originated from a "boring" train ride.
• Obbe Vermeij, an ex-Rockstar Games developer, has revealed the development process behind the feature.
• The developer created the camera angle for train rides, but went on to implement it for cars after fellow Rockstar devs found it "surprisingly entertaining."

An ex-Rockstar Games developer has shed light on the origin of the iconic cinematic camera angle in Grand Theft Auto 3, tracing its roots back to a "boring" train ride. This feature, which has become a staple in every subsequent Grand Theft Auto title, was born out of necessity and creativity. Grand Theft Auto 3 marked a significant evolution for the series, transitioning from a top-down view to immersive 3D graphics and introducing numerous groundbreaking enhancements.

Obbe Vermeij, who contributed to some of Rockstar's most celebrated titles such as Grand Theft Auto 3, Vice City, San Andreas, and Grand Theft Auto 4, has been sharing fascinating insights into the series. Since starting to post on his personal blog in 2023, Vermeij has continued to engage fans with trivia on his Twitter account, including explanations for why Claude in GTA 3 is a silent protagonist. His latest revelations focus on the development of the iconic cinematic camera angle.

GTA 3 Dev Reveals How Iconic Cinematic Train Camera Angle Came to Fruition

In a recent Twitter post, Vermeij shared that he initially found the train rides in Grand Theft Auto 3 to be "boring." He contemplated allowing players to skip directly to the next station but realized this would cause "streaming issues." As a solution, Vermeij decided to implement a dynamic camera that would switch between various viewpoints along the train tracks, making the journey more engaging. Encouraged by a colleague's suggestion to apply a similar technique to cars, the team found this new camera angle "surprisingly entertaining," thus birthing the iconic cinematic camera angle.

Vermeij noted that this camera feature remained unchanged in Grand Theft Auto Vice City, widely regarded as one of the best entries in the series. However, it was later refined by another Rockstar employee for Grand Theft Auto San Andreas. A dedicated fan even went to the effort of removing the cinematic camera angle from Grand Theft Auto 3 to illustrate what the train journey might have looked like without Vermeij's innovation. In response, Vermeij explained that the original camera angle would have resembled driving a car, positioned slightly above and behind the train carriage.

Recently, Vermeij also confirmed details from a major Grand Theft Auto leak in December, which disclosed that Rockstar had once explored an online mode for Grand Theft Auto 3. The leaked design document outlined plans for character creation, online missions, progression systems, and more. Vermeij admitted to having developed a rudimentary deathmatch mode for the game, where players could earn points by eliminating each other. Unfortunately, the online mode was ultimately scrapped as it "needed a lot more work."