Ideas And Gameplay Suggestions For
Grand Theft Auto 5
Hi to Rockstar's designers,
Hi gamers.
(first thing first, sorry about my bad grammar/English).
Credits to Rs
For an "Open World" game, GTA 5 has one of the most amazing digitally crafted believable world.
(i) All highrise buildings are unique and the landscape surrounding the highrise buildings are carefully designed.
(ii) Layers of complex elevated freeway (or bridges) overlaying each other that zig-zag across the city, making the world looked so believable.
(iii) City animation effects are amazing too, even down to the small details like puddles at roadside have reflection of building eon lights.
(iv) NPC's reaction around the city are very responsive to gamer's actions.
(v) Heavy traffic can be seem at outskirt freeway (only).
(vi) Car's physics that is even better than some solely racing games.
Been playing free roam gunfight for some time already and yet I could still discover new interesting places for gunfight. The whole map is really hugh and Los Santos city is complex. City's landscape is not a simple type of design like Spiderman 3 game but a very complex, very detailed believable world.
Full credits to the town planners and architects, if Rockstar did hired them to do the Los Santos city design.
Not all designs are good
I noticed 3 Rockstar games ie. Red Dead Redemption, Max Payne 3 and GTA5, have a trademark design :- no short-cut or lazy work. Well, at least to those design department they have focused on doing it so well.
Rs missed several designs that could have pushed the replay value up, by a notch or two (please read suggestion below for more details). But first, we talk about some very bad designs in GTA5 game, which I do not understand why Rockstar did not improve these.
(A) The lousy cover system.
How the heck a cover system that is as bad as RDR game, still not being improved ??!
(a1) when there are few possible spots to take cover then tapping RB may have you run to take cover at a spot where cops can shoot you !
(a2) when you run 12 feet away from your last cover and now is almost reaching the next cover which is only 7 feet away. But when you tap RB, it will make Micheal run back to the previous cover spot ie. 12 feet away ?? Isn't the nearest spot (and also the running direction) is the next cover ?
Please read below for suggestions.
(B) Aiming system is a BIG disappointment.
When you take cover near a store's swing door and use a Grenade Launcher to aim on a target. And the aiming reticle is targetted on a cop outside and yet grenade will hit the swing door near you.
KABOOM, gamers are wasted becos of shitty design and it is not gamer's fault. This also happen to Throw item when the throw angle is tight and game will do the same shitty throw.
Please read below for suggestions.
(C) All auto-feature don't work well.
The constant auto-adjustment of camera view is a major problem for a rapid shooter games. Please read suggestion below for more details.
(D) Slow and clusmy movement.
Movement isn't so fluid (as compare to SCB game)
(d1) When protagonist is in a conjested area such as in a Suburban shop or under the bridge where a lot of homeless people are staying. If you move and bump into an obstacle then it is so difficult to pull or turn him away to move in different direction PLUS you have to press button A to make him slowly pick up the pace to run again.
(d2) Rs intended design sucks - game limit gamer only slow run (sprint not allowed) when you ...
(d2-1) ... are inside store/shop/restricted area such as inside police station or military buildings.
(d2-2) ... are running on all type of steps/staircases even Stamina stat is maxed out, it is still so slow. He looked like he has already ran 10 flight of staircases but the fact is he is only running the 1st flight of a staircase. And to think of it, cops are shooting his back and he is like he don't give a damn about bullets hitting him - slowly jogging up the staircase with style !
Can't Rs do any better or is this some kind of unfair design to make gameplay harder to beat using slow run and clumsy aiming mechanism like item B above ? I don't believe Rs designers was NOT aware of item (B) crap design.
All 3 games from Rockstar ie. RDR, Gta5 and Max Payne 3 games have this slow and clumsy movement. With RDR the worst of all 3 games eg. John Marston was like running on oily ground. You can't even get Marston to walk thru a 3 feet wide door in one try. If you play SCB (or MGS5) then you can clearly see the big difference of fluid precise movements, between these games.
(E) Slow camera speed.
(e1) Slow camera panning speed when in cover.
When you are holding a weapon while taking cover, the camera movement is not really as fluid and fast as other games such as SCB or MGS5. Even you maxed the Camera setting in the option menu.
(e2) Slow camera zoom-back speed.
When you are behind cover to peek out to shoot, the camera will zoom closer. Then after shooting, the camera zoom-back speed isn't as fast as SCB eg. Sam can peek out of barricade's EDGE (not over the barricade) to shoot and the camera zoom-back speed is almost 6-8 times faster than GTA5 game.
Please read below for comments and more suggestions.
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Suggestions and comments for "GTA 5"
NOTE - Did my best to arrange suggestions in order. You may see some sudden ranting in-between suggestions becos I inserted newer items and rearranged some items in order.
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[1]. Rockstar got the "5 Stars" system all wrong
(a) Revamp the "5 Stars" system
Blinking of 5 stars gameplay is tedious when it don't retain or accumulate gamer's past effort. Example when 5 stars blinks and you make some effort and almost successfully waited out the blinking stars. But suddenly a helicopter spotted you and you have to do another round of about 2 minutes of evasion again - to wait out the blinking 5 stars.
Suggestion
5 stars system that retains or accumulate gamer's past effort.
Example during 2 stars gunfight and you run and hide for a while then the 2 stars begins to blink and the solid white stars will starts to "unfill".
[ NOTE - For easy explanation of "unfilling" the 2 stars, imagine that gravity is working sideway ie. everything is pull "down" from right to left. And the 2 stars are "filled" with white color water ].
The more time you stay undetected then the more water will leak away ie. making the 2nd. stars completely "unfilled" (non-solid and just the star outline).
But if gamer is detected again, then the 2nd. star will starts "filling" again. Until you hide and stay undetected and stars will start to "unfill" again. This system will retain gamer's past effort without having to go thru the Blinking Stars process, all over again.
If Rs think this system will make it easy to wait-out the blinking 5 stars then you can make the "unfilling" of the stars to be at a slower rate.
(b) 5 Stars system to have ranks
Becos gamer's ability will always varies, some good and some not so good. If you design something like MGS5 game main story mission which a "S rank" have many levels depending on the mission score line.
Then for GTA gamers can compete for the highest rank of 5 stars.
(b1) "Deep 5 Stars" design
Next game, ought to allow "Deep 5 Stars" gameplay, which the 5 stars will turn gold color to tell gamer that. Then from here on, different ranks will depends on final score line.
Final score line will depends on the following ...
(i) time gamer spent on the gunfight while on foot (time running around without gunfight is excluded)
(ii) nos of shots gamer got hit by cops (only minimun effecting the Final score line)
(iii) nos of headshots on cops
(iv) nos of consecutive shots that hit helicopter with RPG/Grenade Launcher.
(v) nos of successful Stunt Jumps (harder stunt jump will gain more score points).
(b2) Car's Batch-Icons will unlock depending on final score line
When gamer reach "Deep 5 Stars" then it will unlock car's Batch-Icons and this will depends on the final score line. Example a score line 5000 points will unlock 1st batch of car icons. 6000 points will unlock 2nd batch of car icons.
Car's Batch icons for customizing car logo
One of the best design of customizing your car is Forza Motorsport 4 game. Gamer can add or change car skin design and design logo can skew, change scale or change color.
For GTA next game, each batch icon achieved will unlock 10-15 car icons or logos for customizing your car (like Forza Motorsport 4 game). Please read item 38 below for more detail suggestions.
Powerful skills and augments to beat deeper 5 stars (to unlock deeper car icons)
For those deeper car icons that required more higher score line ie. very deep 5 stars gunfight then this will make it easier to achieve once gamer unlocked powerful skills and augments - Please read item 122 below for more detail suggestions.
Offer other ways to unlock deeper car icons
But allow another way for gamer to unlock deeper car icons by playing story mode mission as well. Becos not all gamers can achieve deep 5 stars gunfight. Completing 75% of game will unlock deeper car icons, 85% will unlock another batch of deeper car icons etc.
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[2]. Free roam "5 Stars" gameplay
(a) Manhunt system
(a1) helicopter needs cops feedback too.
Rs did the right thing by making cops on ground to rely on helicopter's feedback of where gamer is. But the helicopter needs the cops on the ground to give feedback to them too.
Example gunfight inside Richards Majestic compound, when you jump down from a higher level and run then all cops will take some time to get to where you are. Then helicopeters should NOT be acting like they know that you are getting ready to shoot them as they will hover behind tall building to hide. When you are not looking at them (but keep an eye on them using mini-map) then they will fly out to shoot you. This is unfair as they acted like they have psychic power.
Suggestion
Only when cops on ground see you and cops give feedback to helicopter. Then helicopter will only hide behind building when you are ready to shoot helicopter - at least this looks fair.
(b) Enemy variation
In GTA5 game, there are NOT many type of cops to add any gameplay variation and free roam can get dull, over time. Need to have more type of cops or criminals around the city. Add more enemy variation then weapon type to make a difference that are used to deal with certain type of enemies (please read item 11d below).
Look at MW3sm (MW3 survival mode) gameplay, it can be quite tense and hilarious when they have C4 dogs (but GTA cannot have this), Jaggernauts and Shielded Jaggernauts.
[ NOTE - But this doesn't mean that the below items should not add in for more gameplay variation. Just that Rs need to tone down the gunfight difficulty level. You need gameplay variation to keep free roam gunfight interesting for some time ].
(b1) The law enforcement
SCB game have - Dogs, Heavy Infantry and Shielded Heavy Infantry. For GTA, ought to have Squad Team and Riot Shield Squads. Please note that weaker enemies that moves quicker, are weak in their defense.
Example
(b1-1) dogs can be quick but 1 shot ought to kill it (allow 2 dogs maximun. Just to lead cops to find you. Rather than they looked like pyschic and always run towards you even with no helicopter help).
(b1-2) Squad Team to be a bit slower and can take 2-3 more shots than normal uniform cops.
(b1-3) Riot Shield Squads has the most highest defense with the shield and is the most slowest (like MW3sm).
(b2) The Criminals
(b2-1) Some area will have snipers (like SCB game) using the infra-red sniper gun type and they are slower to get a aim at gamer, especially you are running around then shots will only reduce 1/4 of health bar (NOT one hit kill like SCB game).
Sniper gameplay like SCB, is just a way to make gamer to take Snipers out first before they can run to that exposed area where snipers can shoot you. Add tactical gameplay design eg. sniper gun require to reload after each shot and this is where gamer hide behind cover and take advantage of it when Criminals reload.
(b2-2) Criminals around the map are like MIcheal, Franklin and Trevor. They ought to have molotov and Frag grenades. Only those criminals which are within screen view, where gamer can see them, will toss firebottle over to gamer. That criminal will yell aloud to tell his team-mate to move away before he toss a firebottle - this is to warn gamer about that toss. Gamer have 2 choices ie. shoot him or run to another spot. Tossing a grenade over to gamer then gamer can toss back to them (like MW3 game) or dive away from grenade (like MGS5 game).
(c) Get "wasted" too easily in gunfight
If you do gunfight on foot (shoot and run) then you will most likely get "Wasted" when you reach 5 stars wanted level. Why design something that not many gamer can achieve ie. escaped 5 stars gunfight on foot ? Which is a fact becos so few 5 stars escaped on foot gameplay loaded onto Youtube.
Make effort counts
For other games, if you put in effort and focus on playing cautiously and carefully then you have a very good chance of beating the gameplay. Good example are ..
(i) SCB game, Assault Playstyle on "Pakistani and Russian Embassies" of Charile's mission [exclude the Swiss Embassy becos it is so tough and unplayable, like GTA5 free roam 5 stars gunfight in some very "open" map area].
(ii) MSG5 free roam gunfight (only using Rubber-bullet and still able to defeat 3-5 enemy's base consecutively, if you play carefully)
(iii) MW3 Survival Mode.
But for GTA5 game 5 stars gunfight, even you put in effort and play cautiously and carefully, you will highly likely STILL get "wasted".
One of the main reason is - you can get shot several times in a row and get wasted even you have half health bar ie. same design as One-Shot-Kill. Gunfight needs to be more forgiving as other games to allow gamer to stay longer in the gameplay. Please read below for forgiving design.
(d) Lacked grinding gameplay for weapon upgrade
Game lacked grinding gameplay becos money can come easy at certain interval of the game where Assassination missions can get a lot of money. Then buying stocks can get even hugh sum of money. GTA game needs Weapon upgrade grinding gameplay becos money come too easy.
(d1) Few weapon upgrade example
It is easy for dev. to design these weapons upgrade without much work. It is just a matter of adjusting the animation speed (for below item i and ii). And adjust some math's calculation (for item iii to v).
5 levels of upgrade for each type of weapon
(i) Gun reload's speed (all gun have different reload speed like RE4 game)
(ii) Gun's firing speed.
(iii) Gun's shot power damage.
(iv) Gun shot range.
(v) Number of ammo in gun before each reload.
Getting loot "Permit" from helicopter's wreck.
(Weapon upgrade grinding gameplay).
To make 5 stars gunfight interesting, helicopter's wreck can have a chance of dropping random items (only at 5 stars level). This random loot item is the "Permit" to allow gun's further upgrade. Without the Permit, then the guy at Ammu-Nation will say "you need to have permit to get this weapon upgraded".
Example during 5 stars gunfight, gamer shoot down a helicopter and if there is something to loot at the helicopter's wreck then it will show up in mini-map as a bright blue square pixel. Then run to the wreck and loot a ("Permit" for type of gun is random) "Carbine Rifle Upgrade Permit for Firing Speed Level 1". This will unlock the upgrade for item (ii) above. There are 5 levels for each upgrade.
To use a better RNG (Random Number Generator) format
For the random item from helicopter's wreck, Rs need to be mindful about the mistake Capcom made in DDDA game (Dragon Dogma Dark Arisen). Becos some gamer keep getting the same item they already have. Gamer have to wait very long time before they can get the item they wanted, from the purifying process of the "Cursed item".
(d2) Only shotgun can be customised
In addition to the upgrade above, this one is only for shotgun. Can fine-tune shotgun to have "Spread-out" or "Focus" shot.
"Spread-out" can stun 3 cops with one shot and require several shots before 3 cops are dead. "Focus" can make a cop fly back several feet away ie. it focus all power into one shot. Focus shot have more further shot range whereas Spread-out have shorter shot range.
Close shot using "Focus" shot to shoot shield, can stagger a Riot Shield Squad, shooting 1 more time will make him drop his shield. This gun upgrade of item (iii) above is at level 4 upgrade ie. one more upgrade is the maxed upgrade that will make Riot Shield Squad to drop his shield by using only 1 shot.
(e) Shooting helicopter with RPG to be skill based
GTA5 game have a few unfair gameplay eg. even you get a good accurate aim and shoot helicopter with RPG, 2 things can happen. Either the helicopter suddenly will maneuver to avoid being hit OR your missile will spiral off the target (missed by a mile).
Suggestion
(e1) Allow hiding tactic gameplay in the shooting.
Example when you are shooting helicopter with a gun then you take cover and change to RPG and peek out to shoot helicopter. This will have a 80% chance of helicopter being caught off-guard. Then shooting the next helicopter will have a good chance of them avoiding your RPG since they know you are now shooting with RPG. Unless helicopter is very near to gamer then shooting with RPG ought to have very high chance of hitting them.
[ Need to put this "Hiding Tactic" in the hint pages so gamer will know dev. intended gameplay design ]
(e2) Skill based shooting.
If Rs wants to make shooting helicopter more challenging then make them hover more further away from gamer. Then helicopter's flight path MUST be fair ie. no sudden changes of flight direction to avoid incoming missile. This will require gamer to roughly guess in advance where the shot ought to be, given that helicopter moving speed in that direction. Helicopter's path can be curve or straight so this will make shooting challenging.
But you can only call a shot "Successful" only if it is a Right-On-Target hit. Not like GTA5 game, when you first shoot helicopter and it will maneuver and avoid it. Then firing the second shot will likely hit helicopter even it can be CLEARLY seen that shot is several feet off target (this don't happen to the first shot if missile is the SAME several feet off target). Meaning the game is controlling if to award that RPG shot as successful or not - which is totally unfair !
(f) Give several seconds for gamer to stay in Stealth
If you play SCB game Charlie's missions, when Sam is in stealth mode ie. hostiles are searching for him in the embassy. If a hostile just notice Sam then gamer is given about few seconds to silent that hostile before he make any shot that will blow Sam's cover.
Mini-map to have further view
For the blinking 5 Stars, gamer ought to be given about few seconds to shoot in-coming helicopters with a suppressor sniper gun (silent). But mini-map need to have further view to cover bigger area so gamer can see in-coming helicopter before being detected by them.
When helicopters are far away and their's cone-view has yet to reach gamer then shooting down that helicopter with silent weapon, should NOT get gamer detected. So this allow gamer to play a stealth gameplay and to wait-out for 5 stars.
Design escaping 5 stars with GAMEPLAY and NOT purely base on luck
GTA5 fleeing 5 stars gameplay on a moving train can get you detected by helicopter for 30-45 mins. Becos helicopter just fly into area and immediately detect you without any gameplay to avoid being spotted. Purely base on luck to avoid detection when train pass under a bridge/tunnel when helicopter is in that area.
Magnifying scope for sniper gun to have more further upgrade
For the above item to work, then gamer need a closer view to shoot helicopter when they are very far away. Uprgade from 2x Magnification to 4x and 6x then lastly 8x (like MGS5 game).
But Rs needs to adjust this a bit eg. helicopter need to space out or reduce their detection ability. So gamer is given a chance shoot helicopters to stay undetected. If gamer play it right ie. shoot the helicopter with silent weapon before its cone-view reach gamer and also avoiding pursuing cops (on foot) detection then it will get gamer nearer to wait-out the 5 stars.
(g) Random loot around city to make gunfight gameplay interesting
Look at DDDA game, in Bitterblack Isle, there are alot of strong monsters lurking in the dungeon. Around the dungeon map, there are a lot of boxes and crates that have hidden random item inside that helps gamer to fight better.
For free roam GTA game, ought to have hidden random item to loot too, to make gameplay interesting. You may not know what you will find. Some item may give gamer a better chance of getting out of a sticky scenario.
Suggestion
(g1) Random powerful weapon that has limitted ammo.
Make some good weapons that are only unlocked near the endgame. But allow these weapon to loot ONLY randomly from around the city ie. gamer cannot find these weapon lying in certain fixed area like in GTA5 game. It has to be random.
[Note
GTA5 game design is correct to have fixed weapon for looting eg. lying around city for looting. What I meant is, Rs need to do something like DDDA game, to have another batch of weapon looting but content is random]
Example gamer may loot one random weapon by opening a weapon-briefcase, to reveal hidden random weapon ie. shotgun with explosive bullet (15 nos of ammo only). Once looted a random weapon, that weapon has limitted ammo that can only help so much during that gunfight. Ammu-Nation don't sell ammo for these locked weapon until mission unlock them.
(g2) Random good temporary augment that only last 15 seconds
Make some good temporary augment that can be looted around city map. But these temporary augment can only last so long (about 15 seconds) in that gunfight. Augment loot has to be random so gamer may not what to they will find. Please read the augment suggestion below, for some augments that can last for 15 seconds (real world time).
Gamer has only 2 slots to carry temporary augment. If they find something better than they have to discard item to collect better one. At about 75% of game then gamer will get another slot, making total 3 slots to carry the temporary augments.
Two type of temporary augment
(g2-1) augment that will help you eg. reduce shot damage by 35% but only last for 15 seconds.
(g2-2) On-the-spot-augment.
This is more like a gadget eg. when gamer smash a wooden crate and random item revealed, screen will say "Detonate Stun-flare now by pression button X" (I don't knows what to call it but I call it "flare" for reference).
This will depend on situation, meaning gamer will not loot this item if there are no cops or gunfight around. Until cops are surrounding gamer then gamer run to this item to activate it (press button X) and gadget will shoot up a flare and detonate small missiles stun-grenade into area of 8 meter radius and will stun any cops within this hit radius.
(g3) Allow gamer to loot random items to stock up in MSR
Like DDDA game, free roam allow Arisen to loot items around the map then stock up items in the inventory while at an inn etc. For GTA next game, gamer ought to loot random items then gamer have to buy MSR (please read below for MSR suggestion) to stock items up.
Random items can be ...
(g3-1) ... ammo, throw items and gadgets then stock up at MSR for emergency use during free roam gunfight (much like a way MW3 survival mode where gamer can buy items at crates).
(g3-2) ... temporary augments such as item (g2) can be looted and stock up in MSR.
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[3]. Missed the design for 5 Stars escape on foot
Meaning of escaping 5 stars on foot
When I say escape on foot, I meant gamer have to hide under carporch's roof (or tall bushes) to avoid helicopter detection. Then when helicopter not looking your way then run further (to avoid that large group of pursuing cops on foot) to another carporch's roof to hide to wait-out the blinking 5 stars. The window of success for doing this is so small if you try to do this around housing area of VESPUCCI CANALS.
Whereas compare to other escape which is quite easy, such as Diving into water, Flee into a subway track (almost zero gameplay as cops don't follow you into subway), Hijack a plane and flee into the sky, Drive into a workshop (this one is quite hard to achieve), quickly change car to stay undetected and Driving to the top of hill and slowly flee on foot.
Which is why I say Los Santos city map is a waste becos this gameplay is the most challenging one (besides other escapes). But Rs just overlooked this or did not allow for such gameplay. If you forced yourself to achieve this then you will end up running around the city as helicopter will keep on spawning and detecting you like you are wearing a glowing outfit in the dark.
Suggestion for making it achievable
(a) Helicopter rely on gunners for scouring.
After shooting a right hand side gunner out of helicopter then that helicopter will have zero chance of spotting you if helicopter is facing right side to you (if this is the only helicopter in area). As on right hand side of helicopter, it has no one to scour the ground. Shooting one gunner for each helicopter should totally reduce 50% chance of all helicopters spotting you.
(b) Helicopter detecting ability
Helicopter is way too sharp and can easily and immediately spot you, like you are wearing a glowing outfit at night.
(b1) Should reduce helicopter's detecting ability
Like making the cone-view more narrow or shorter. At least they don't immediately spot you when they flies into area.
(b2) Space out helicopter location
So this gives gamer room to play stealth.
(c) More helicopter destroyed have impact on spawning location.
The more you shoot down helicopter then the more further the newer helicopter will spawn. As nearby areas have lesser and lesser helicopter becos gamer have destroyed most of them. So it has to come from other further area. Then this gameplay may give gamer a better chance to escape on foot.
[ NOTE - Gamer can pause game to call up map and it will have info of saying how many more "Helicopter are in local vicinity" before helicopter from outside of local vicinity will fly in. This way gamer will know how many more local helicopter to shoot before they have a better chance of evading them ].
To make gameplay challenging.
Beside the current group of cops pursuing you on the map, make newer cop's car to spawn near gamer and get out of car to do gunfight. THE IDEA HERE IS - gamer has to take down these newer cops BEFORE the newer helicopter (ie. spawn more further away) flies into your area PLUS at the same time running away from those pursuing cops already on the map.
If gamer can dispose the newer cops BEFORE helicopter arrives then gamer will have a chance of hiding under some roof cover to slowly run/hide from helicopter view to wait-out the blinking 5 stars. This work best if you revamp the 5 Stars system (Please read above for Revamp the "5 Stars" system).
(d) Add more tempo to gunfight gameplay.
Becos it can get a bit dull if you can run/shoot 5 stars around city for a while, as everytime is the same shoot/run. The tempo changes here is the ability to play stealth, like SCB game where Sam can do assault gunfight then jump up to ceiling pipe to hide to do stealth silent kill on hostiles below.
For GTA next game, then protagonist can use suppressed silent weapon to do stealth kill WHILE blinking stars is on-going PLUS gamer has to avoid being detected by helicopter, to stay in stealth mode.
If a group of cops is in 5 number and killing one with a silent weapon then this will NOT raise the alarm and get you detected. It will only make the 4 remaining cops to run to your current location to check while other cops in other area will continue their search on your Last Known Positon.
This Stealth kills will act as score points Multipler for Assault kill playstyle ie. Multipler ONLY apply to loud weapon gunfight.
Example
If 3 blinking stars and gamer did 2 Stealth kills and rewarded with x1.15 Multipler points. Before the 3 blinking stars wait-out ie disappear from screen then gamer start using loud weapon and do gunfight. From here on, the Multipler will apply to whatever score points gamer earned for loud gunfight. Until to the next blinking stars for gamer to rake up more Multipler. This Multipler will increase in small unit eg. 1st stealth kill is x1.1, second stealth kill is x1.15 then x1.2 and so on.
(e) More precise info on blinking stars.
For item above to work then Rs need to inform gamer when blinking stars is about to disappear from screen. So gamer will know eg. 3 blinking stars about to disappear and if gamer wanted to earn a 5 stars escape then they will use loud weapon to keep the stars increasing. Please read above for Revamp the "5 Stars" system
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[4]. Free roam gunfight need to be more "Forgiving" to create a meaty gunfight
Gunfight with cops gameplay is not as "Forgiving" as other games like Splinter Cell Blacklist (Charlie's missions ie. Raid Mode), MGS5 (free roam) or MW3 (Survival Mode) which gives gamer a prolong meaty gunfight gameplay. Gamer can get wasted too quickly during 5 stars if you stay around area for gunfight.
Suggestions for more meaty free-roam gunfight
How do you expect gamer to beat the 5 Stars cops when ...
(a) You only regenerate to 1/2 health bar.
At 5 stars wanted level and with a 1/2 health bar, you can get shot several times in a row and get "Wasted".
Suggestion
let gamer chose an augment that will regen health to 3/4 bar (Please read below for Augment suggestion). Can only equip 5 Primany and 5 Secondary augment each time when at a safehouse.
(b) Cop's car spawn very near and moving way too fast at you.
At 5 stars wanted level, don't be surprise when a cop's car suddenly appear out of nowhere, in front of you, after you shoot a helicopter with a RPG. Becos before I shoot a helicopter, I have checked there were no cop's cars around. Sometimes is unfair when they spawn too near you and speeding at you when you are shooting helicopter.
Suggestion
(b1) when a cop's car is about to stop (before cops get out of car to shoot you) then car will sound out a different short siren tone and flash a blue lighting for few seconds (even buildings around it will have that blue light reflected).
This will tell gamer a cop car stopped nearby (as cop's car may be out of screen view, like when you are shooting a helicopter). Becos there may be also other cops car speeding towards you and using the same siren tone and gamer may think cops are still on the way and didn't know one cop's car has stopped nearby.
(c) Nos of cop vans/helicopter spawning have NO limit Or not having interval for spawning
Suggestion
(c1) Need to limit a duration, for each star wanted level.
You just cannot make the cop car/helicopter coming at gamer non-stop becos this break the accomplishment target design. Meaning you have to give gamer a duration to achieve the rewards of a 5 stars wanted level, after a long gunfight gameplay.
Example if you can last very long after 5 stars wanted level then cop's car will NOT respawn to your nearest location if you managed to outrun them like taking short cut eg. Stunt Jump. Meaning they will stay on the map giving chase.
(c2) Nos of dangerous enemies to have limit
If you look at other games they have dangerous enemies but they come in limitted nos and far apart in sequence. Not like in GTA5 game when helicopter (and squad team vans) keep on spawning ! Then what is the point of shooting them down and immediately another will fly into the area ??
(d) you flee on foot so slowly.
Especially when running up steps or uphill.
Suggestion
(d1) Even with the Stamina Stats maxed out, the sprinting speed is way too slow. It is as slow as SCB game, Sam sprinting speed ! It would be right if they run at Dragon Dogma's Arisen sprinting speed.
(d2) let gamer chose an augment that will run uphill with only 10-15 % speed reduction. If running steps/staircases (up or down) then gamer can run 3 steps with quick run and NOT slow jog. In real life, if you are chased by cops, do you still run down step by step on a staircase ?
(e) game have no "Forgiving" design to give gamer a meaty prolong gunfight
GTA5 have cop's shots that can hit you twice the distance PLUS 3 times as often as other games. You need to add in small little "Forgiving" design (like other games did) to allow gamer to stay longer in the gunfight.
Forgiving design such as ...
(e1) Not all cop's cars arrived at same time surrounding the gamer. They need to space out the duration a bit but make it challenging and not impossible.
(e2) Cop's shot accuracy, shot frequency and shot range, to have more "forgiving" design. Not all shots will hit you as GTA5 can have cops hit you several times in a row and get you wasted even you have half health bar (it is the same design as One-Hit-Kill).
When this happen, gamer has no control over this scenario which is just based on the game's RNG.
(e3) If cops are moving towards you while you are in cover and you blind shoot them then they will run for cover. Same goes to when you toss a grenade over to them and exploded then other cops not injured, will run for cover.
(e4) If you drive and run car over them but missed them by few feet then they will jump out of the way and NOT still stand there to shoot you. Only those far away from your car, will shoot you but the shots damage hitting you should be minimum.
(e5) If you destroyed a heavy weight eg. squad with heavy armor and there are no more heavy weight around anymore then cops should yell "fall back...fall back" (like what SCB game when Sam shot down most heavy weight)
(e6) If you take cover beside a wall corner and cops can still shoot you then that shot ought to have lesser damage amount eg. will reduce about 25% of a direct exposed hit shot. Otherwise if that shot is as damaging as a exposed shot then what the heck do you need to take cover for ??
(f) game don't use a "Line-of-sight" system.
SCB game is a good example with the red arrow showing each enemy's line-of-sight. GTA5 game did NOT use line-of-sight design.
Example
(f1) robbing the armored van and you shoot the first guard then hide away from the view of the 2nd guard with the van blocking his view. He will know your position when you move to the right or left side of van.
(f2) when Micheal is taking cover behind a tall wall which can hide him from the cops. If you peek out to shoot from the right side of tall wall then take cover again. Slowly move towards the left side of tall wall WITHOUT peeking out, the cops will know your current location and shoot at the left side of tall wall !?
Suggestion
This is what GTA5 gunfight is lacking - gamer do not have the chance to use gameplay tactics such as this ie. tricking cops to think you are at right side of wall. Unless there are helicopter to see your current location and this is also a gameplay ie. gamer require to shoot any helicopter first, to use this hiding tactics.
(f3) Without the cop's line-of-sight detection system then it is quite hard to tell when you are about to get shoot from which direction. Or which direction has more danger of getting you shot.
Suggestion
Those cops who have the line-of-sight ie. able to see gamer then their red dot on mini-map will turn bright red. So gamer will know those cops in that direction are able to see or shoot you. This will give gamer a better chance of staying longer in gunfight even you are surround becos you know which cops can shoot you.
(g) gunfight at night, cop's sight is as good as daytime
Look at SCB and MGS5 game, enemies sight distance is tone down and require torch light to see. Unless protagonist runs into area with a lot of lighting then this will give his cover away ie. cops eye-sight distance will be like during daytime.
Meaning if Micheal is moving in the darkness then this will make him less detectable during 5 stars fleeing gameplay. Cops needs to be more closer to gamer to see, that person is actually what they are looking for ie. before cops starts shooting.
(h) when you cannot shoot while climbing a long ladder
Example there is helicopter "A" and squad team "A" is fast-roping down to the ground then you run around a corner and climb ladder up to a roof to avoid them. By the time you reach the roof, (another) squad team "B" is already shooting at you after fast-roping down from helicopter "B", to a roof just nearby your roof.
Suggestion
Hang-out team member will gives warning to gamer when newer cops are fast-roping down while gamer is climbing a long ladder up to a roof. PLUS gamer can stop climbing at any spot of ladder and able to shoot with a one-handed gun eg. handgun or machine-gun.
(i) Shots direction shown on screen is so crappy
The shots direction (red arc displayed at screen edge) sometimes not correct. Example I was taking cover beside a short wall just few feet away from a tall building on my right. But the shots direction displayed on the right side of screen edge. There were no cops at my right hand side and only a tall building.
In MW3, MGS5 or SCB game, those red arc telling gamer where shots are coming from, are displayed on screen for a while. Even when you rotate the the game-world view, those red arc will rotate too. So gamer can align the red arc to make them easier to pinpoint where that enemy actually is.
(j) Mini-map don't tell you anything about enemy type
Look at SCB game, you can tell what type of enemy by looking at mini-map. Most type of enemy, moves in a unique way eg. drones, dogs, heavy infantry and normal hostiles.
For GTA5 game, Squad Team and normal uniform cops ought to move in a unique way that gamer can tell them apart. Rs can use speed on mini-map to set them apart.
If Rs didn't know that gamer can tell hostiles apart by looking at mini-map (of SCB game) then it only means Rs did not play competitor's game as much as Kojima did. Also Kojima read a lot of gamer's feedback from competitor game's forum and improved a lot of them in his MGS5 game.
(k) Car chase turned into "Terminator" style
At 5 stars, cop's van will fly - mind you, the wording is correct "FLY" ie. in the air towards you. When this flying van scenario happen, the 4 squad team outside the van, holding onto van don't look like human at all but more like Terminators send back from the future to terminate you.
I thought I read somewhere in a forum that Rs made this game to look more like the real world. I don't think so if cops fight like Terminator. Look at COD games, even war soldiers behaved more like human than GTA5 cops. At least they acted and behaved like human.
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[5]. Other characters to benefit from other character's Special Ability
DDDA game has tons of great ideas. One example is, a secret higher chamber in Bitterblack Isle's dungeon can only access by a Strider double jump skill. Some gamer may find it hard to do that double jump to reach the higher platform. Capcom allowed other vocations such as Staff wielding vocation to levitate to reach the higher platform with ease. Then inside that chamber has a lever to open a gate. Once the gate is open, later playing as other vocation can access thru that gate. The idea is - other vocations can benefit from certain vocaton's skill.
But GTA5 totally missed this design. Rs could have designed each character's Special Ability to benefit other characters.
Example ...
(a) Franklin's Special Ability
The 50 number of Stunt Jump of GTA5
GTA5 have some Stunt Jump ramps for motorcycle that is so narrow eg. the one near Bristol Coke Storage in Elysian island that require gamer to jump across the river. If you play using other than Franklin then it is so hard to get thru that narrow ramp at high speed. And also gamer will hit obstacles on the other side of the river such as the silo or any yellow poles, that will fail you the Stunt Jump test. Only playing as Franklin make it easier as he can slow down the time while driving.
Suggestion
(a1) Franklin will leave a guide line for Ramp Stunt Jump
Once Franklin passed that narrow ramp Stunt Jump test then it will leave a 15 meters long green marking guide (or tires) line leading from that narrow ramp. Then playing as other characters will benefit from this guide line. Initially this guide line is only 15 meters long.
(a2) Cars have different level of "Stunt Jump Guide Line" parameter
All cars have "Stunt Jump Guide Line" parameter upgrade from level 1 to level 3. Each level upgrade will extend the guide line length by 3-5 meters long (in addition to the 15 meters mentioned in item a1 above) which is variable for each type of car. Meaning Car "A" level 3 upgrade extends guide line by 9 meters and Car "B" level 3 extends guide line by 12 meters.
Or to make free-roam gameplay interesting, allow destroyed helicopter wreck to drop a Upgrade Permit for car's guide line extension. Please read item 2d above for Permit suggesion.
Driving a motorcycle onto pile to jump onto a moving train gameplay
There are several rubble piles around map just near the railway track. You can find 2 piles of rubble in Elysian Island near "Bristol Coke Storage" signage. But it is so hard to drive a motorcycle onto these piles to jump onto a moving train (cup-shaped type carriage only), to flee cops during 5 stars gunfight.
The successful rate of jumping onto a moving train using a motorcycle, is soo sooo low - almost 1 in 8 chances. Main reason is becos jumping to the targetted spot varies way too much even when you make a small different of driving alignment and speed of motorcycle.
Suggestion
(a3) Franklin's ability will help to increase vehicle's "Air-Control" ability
Gun has aiming auto-correction ie. when you press LT then it will snap to the nearest target. Turning off the Aiming Assist is almost hopeless for gunfight especially during 5 stars. This same reasoning goes to this stunt jump onto train using rubble pile. There ought to have a guide to make the jump more easier to achieve.
For GTA game, then only after playing as Franklin, as he can slow down time to make correction to adjust the 50 Stunt Jump and each time he (or any characters) successfullly completed a Stunt Jump with a vehicle then that vehicle will increase a small amount of "Air-Control" ability. The more "Air-Control" ability increased for that vehicle then the more it will have control while vehicle is in the air. Such as pressing LT will make vehicle fly shorter distance or LS will make vehicle sway left or right.
[Note - another alternate design to give gamer a guide is to use the headlight - workshop will have a more narrow spot-light that can shoot light out as a long beam of light, rather than a spread out light. This beam of light will give gamer a guide to easily run into a narrow width ramp such as the one in Elysian island near Bristol Coke Storage signage]
(a4) Vehicles to have speed-meter display on screen
So gamer can do "trial and error" to land motorcycle on cup-shaped carriage by adjusting accordingly to the speed-meter. Then when gamer do land on train successfully and when they repeat the same jumping spot, using the same starting point, same drive alignment and same speed then this ought to give the same result ie. land onto train.
(a5) Vehicle can fine-tune over-steer or under-steer
Becos right now all vehicle are way too over-steer when driving at slow speed thus making it hard to make short jump. Such as those rubble pile jumping spots onto a moving train.
Gamer will not have the luxury to take their time to park the motorbike to face the rubble-pile nicely in line. Usually gamer will do the pile-jump onto train during a 5 stars gunfight, to flee the cops. Then how do you expect gamer to drive around when motorbike is so over-steer ?
Rs need to look into this motorbike gameplay as it is far more better choice than a car as motorbike can easily access narrow alley to flee 5 stars.
(b) Micheal's Special Ability
Add in some Body Armor/First Aid Kit or a gun that has 30 explosive bullet in a room (same idea as DDDA secret chamber gameplay as mentioned above). Using Micheal's Special Ability to slow down time to shoot several Criminal Snipers guarding that room (playing as other characters will have a tough time beating the Snipers).
Once Micheal has taken down all sniper then he will access room and turn a lever inside the room to make the door open. So later playing other characters can immediately access that room by that door rather than facing the snipers.
(c) Trevor Special Ability
Almost the same idea as Micheal's. Only thing is Trevor will soak up the damage to walk past a area that has many Criminal shooting non-stop. Then walking to a room to open that door which later other characters will benefit by using that open door.
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[6]. Give gamer choices to set, that can affect gameplay
GTA5 gameplay is too simple without any augment choices for gamer to set. Using augments then gamer can try out different augment to play mission or free roam gunfight, differently.
Augment choices to beat a mission or play free roam differently
Look to DDDA (Dragon Dogma Dark Arisen) game for example of variety of setting to play game differently. There are several choices gamer make, which can affect the gameplay tremendously (for Bitterblack Isle's dungeon only). Example if you tried with a setting but failed to beat a boss in certain dungeon area then retry boss battle again with another setting and it may helps you beat that same boss. This gives gamer a choice, how to play mission differently.
Note - Learn from Capcom mistake
Capcom increased the battle challange against monsters found in Bitterblack Isle's dungeon (DDDA game), becos gamers complained Dragon Dogma (DD game) was way too easy. But Capcom overly did it, as gameplay battles were littered with unfair cheating designs and bosses have ridiculously long health bar, to make battle harder to beat. Thus destroyed the game. Hope other designers learned from Capcom's mistake - Do NOT press the panic button when gamers complained that game is way too easy.
DDDA game has many setting gamer can choose, example ...
(a) Vocations and Skills
(b) Weapons to bring along
(c) Outfits
(d) Rings
(e) Augments
It looked like GTA 5 has item (a) and (b) which is, gamer can control any of the 3 characters during mission and can bring a lot of weapons too. But GTA 5 don't have items like Skill, Augment and Outfit that can affect gameplay tremendously.
Skill/Augment
If Rockstar design 10-15 nos of skills and 25 Primary Augments and 25 Secondary Augments. Then gamer can only choose 5 of each catergory, to equip them each time when they are in a safehouse. This way gamer can try out several combination, to replay story mode OR free roam gunfight with cops (please read Skill and Augment system).
Outfit
Outfits to be like DDDA game ie. each outfit can mix and match to come up with certain strength/defense/enhance skills. Example certain shoes that will make you climb ladder faster or run uphill or staircase, with only 10% to 15% speed reduction. Or certain outfits can mix and match to come up with a outfit that reduce fire damage by 50-75% etc.
Outfit that can have impact on gameplay to be "Unlockable" eg. if gamer has find a full set of oufit (like RDR game) then it will unlock outfit and then only can be bought from shops. Becos GTA5 game is quite easy when it comes to money else gamer can easily buy all outfit and this make gameplay to easy. Gamer has to earn items that has impact on gameplay.
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[7]. Skill and Augment system
Earn Augment Points (AP) by doing Random Events OR free-roam gunfight. Play story mode for unlocking and earning Skill Points (SP).
Design map suited for certain augment
Design augments that suited for certain map area so gamer can take advantge of some augment that can help gunfight in certain map area
Augment system
(a) Augment Points earned, will depends on how many stars wanted level after you managed to escape the cops.
(b) Each time your augment is effective and successfully helped gamer then Cross-Augment level will increase 3 points.
(c) Some augments are character's sensitive ie. solely for that character only. Until gamer have level up the Cross-Augment level to 100 points then that augment can be used by other characters (same as DDDA game, where a Strider's augment can be used by a Assassin vocation)
(d) Rockstar can maybe design the game to start with 5 Primary and 5 Secondary augment slots. As game progress, then gamer will earn extra augment slots to equip more augments.
Example of Cross-Augment
Character Micheal bought an augment "Taking cover at low barricade will help you reduce being shot by 50%". And if augment is being effective and helped gamer avoided a shot then it will display near health bar by showing "+3" (ie. Cross-Augment level Points) to tell gamer that an augment they equipped is effective (becos DDDA game don't tell gamer anything if augment has help gamer anything). And if this Cross-Augment level accumulated up to 100 points then this augment will become a Cross-Augment which other character can equip them without having to buy them.
Primary and Secondary Skill and Augments suggestions
Primary augments are the one that help a lot and important, secondary augments are the minor help. It is up to dev to seperate Skill/Augment out as listed together below.
Primary and Secondary Skill/Augment example
(a) 1.5 times quicker to dump car's owner out of car when hijacking a car.
(b) No reduce of speed when running uphill (or with only 10-15 % speed reduction). If running down or up staircases then will run-jump 3 steps each time.
(c) Blind shots while behind cover will have another 30% more chances of hitting the target.
(d) Improved stealth skills that will reduce cops's eyeview cone distance by 25% sight-range
(e) After dropping down to the ground (out of a moving car or jump and hit obstacle), 1.75 times quicker, to get up running again.
(f) After a heist, getting into the gateaway car will have you start the car 1.5 times faster (no more "Start up you piece of shit")
(g) Your upgraded own car will remain intact in the game when you hijack another car (only one extra car is allowed but if you hijack one more car then your own car will disappear from game) to flee the cops. This augment will cost more AP as this helps gamer a lot to make your car intact in the game.
(h) An augment that will highlight any in-coming train on mini map (as a dot) for quick jump down to escape manhunt.
(i) Able to jump extra 5 feet across a gap. Good augment to use when you need to jump from roof top building to building. But Rockstar need to give gamer info if that jump is possible or not, as some building may be too far apart.
Again, if this augment has helped gamer then Cross-Augment level will increase 3 points, letting gamer knows augment has helped gamer to jump across bigger gap. Plus when Cross-Augment level reached 100 points, other characters can equip them too.
(j) Increase your defense.
This is a special augment that can work in 2 ways.
- If you are playing as Micheal and equipped with this augment then this will reduce the damage taken by 50 % when you are taking cover (no matter how low the covering obstacle is, but will NOT reduce any direct shots damage)
- If other Hang-Out character is equipped with this augment then they will take cover during gunfight with cops. This is only for free roam becos during free-roam gunfight, the other character looked like a brain-dead character or an NPC with an AI of a negative value. Which he don't take cover at all and only stand out in the middle of all cops for gunfight and he never last long enough to help out in a gunfight.
Funny Note
[ You can design feature to let gamer know that this augment is helping NPC such as Trevor not taking cover during gunfight. When this augment is in effect then Micheal will yell out "Take cover, you piece of shit" and Trevor will run for cover. This way gamer knew that augment is being effective ! The "+3" Cross-Augment Level points should also shown near the health bar meter ]
(k) Give support to team
Other character equipped with this augment and during gunfight when you press a Direction button for "Support me" then he will support you (by shooting at cops who are shooting you) while you take down the helicopter that has several squad team fast-roping down.
(l) Increase your fear factor when using a heavy weapon.
This augment will make 25 % of the cops to run for cover, for 8 seconds, when you shoot with a heavy weapon such as Grenade Launcher. Further upgrade of this augment to level 2, will make 40 % of the cops to run for cover. This is good for crowd control when you are overwhlem by cops from few directions.
(m) Reduce shot damage by 50% to your back armor (only effective if you are equipped with Body Armor)
This augment will reduce the damage taken when cops are shooting your back. The cons is that, the 50% of armor meter damage reduced, will transfer to Health bar meter. But the Health bar meter will increase back to at least 1/2 Health bar if you take cover. This is a case of, only when you have half health bar, after some gunfight then looted an Body Armor.
(n) Shoot your way back up
This is one of the best video-game "Stay in the game" design, only found in MW3 survival mode gameplay. For GTA next game, this ought to be in the free-roam gunfight gameplay.
This augment will cost gamer an arm or a leg as this give gamer another chance at getting back into the game PLUS gamer have to equip another augment to make this augment work best ie. augment "Reduce shot damage when you are in a lying down positon". If both augment are equipped then you have a good chance of getting back into the game.
(o) Armor ON and Off
MGS 5 game has one of the best "Emergency Shield" design in video-game history. It is hilarious when Snake is fleeing the gunfight, in a cardboard. For GTA game, then gamer can equip armor ON or Off during a battle. If your health bar is almost depleted then quickly equip the armor for protection.
(p) Jerry Can's fuel will last 1.5 times longer on the ground
This augment allow gamer to pre-setup a trap in a area far away, before robbing a store. When cops are chasing you then run to that area with fuel and shot the fuel to burn ground, to block path or kill cops within fuel area. Level 2 augment upgrade will last 2 times longer on the ground.
(q) Guided ride
Like the gun auto-aiming correction which will help gamer to snap gamer aiming cursor to an enemy if that aiming cursor is near an enemy. This augment will do something like that but to a car, that will help gamer to guide the car to drive by between 2 cars, even at high speed - provided your car is somewhere near in-between the 2 rows of cars. This will be helpful if cops are chasing you in a heavy traffic area and cops with likely rammed into traffics.
[ It is such a waste Spiderman game did NOT have a guided-swing skill that allow spidey to swing in-between a double-decked buses ]
(r) Able to jump over a crouched NPC.
This augment should be in the Secondary Augment catergory as it is only useful in one spot near the registry cashier box. During a robbery, and have shot all 3 registery cashier box eg. at Suburban shop and there are 3 bags of cash lying in between a cashier who is crouching down. Then gamer can just jump over her to loot the bags of cash rather than running around the long table where the 3 registery cashier box are.
(s) Stay longer undetected by helicopter
This augment will make you stay 25% longer undetected by helicopter search light.
(t) Increase team mate health by 25%
This augment will increase their health by 25% when you loot a First Aid Kit.
(u) Increase your Tear Gas effective raduis and duration by 25%
(v) Will make your car not likely to fish-tail when rammed by cops car from behind
(w) Help you put out fire by 50% faster, when you are caught on fire
(x) Increase ammo loot by 25% when you loot a gun for ammo
(y) Shoot NPC or cops and pick up other items rather than money or cop's ammo
Icon drop item
This augment will increase the likeihood of getting other drop items by 25% chances eg. getting "Point Of Interest" (POI) so gamer can use it. Becos GTA5 game only limit gamer to use 10 nos of POI on the map.
Mini First Aid Kit drop item
Augment that will increase chances by certain % to make dead cops drops x nos. of points of First Aid Kit (full health is equal to 100 points). This kind of health augment will not be effective if gamer used Special Ability or used Heavy weapon such as RPG.
Below are each augment for each type of guns.
- cop killed by Pump Shotgun/Sawed off Shotgun will have 25% chance of dropping 3 points of HKp (First Aid Kit)
- cop killed by Sniper Rifle will have 50% chance of dropping 4 points of HKp
- cop killed by Assault Rifle will have 25% chance of dropping 3 points of HKp
- cop killed by Carbine Rifle will have 20% chance of dropping 4 points of HKp
- cop killed by any machine guns will have 40% chance of dropping 2 points of HKp
[ Please read the Relief design for easy looting the mini-First Aid Kit ]
But Rockstar must design this in such a way gamer has the chance to loot this mini HKp ie. toned down the cops attacking parameters or leave an interval/break so gamer can loot the mini HKp.
(z) Able to slide down hill when it is raining
This skill will allow gamer to make quick getaway by sliding downhill (on your butts) when it is wet.
(z1) Augment that will make you drink canned drink at dispenser by 50% quicker when your health bar is below 1/2 bar status.
(z2) A skill able to grab injured cop as hostage
Example cop gets injured by nearby explosion then gamer can run over to grab him to use him as hostage. Other cops facing you, will not shoot you but those cops at your back will shoot. Holding hostage will give gamer time to replenish his health or make a getaway by moving towards an exit or alley. Holding a hostage then gamer can only use Secondary weapon to shoot. Gamer can kick cop butts (like SCB where Sam can kick hostile butt and Sam run off)
(z3) enemies will stay longer on mini-map
Example some mission can have some enemies taking cover and stayed idle for some time then their location will vanish from mini-map. This augment will make them appear on the mini-map again and make them last 10 seconds longer on mini-map before they disappear again if you ...
(z3a) ... shoot with a powerful loud shotgun at roughly where that enemy is then his location will appear again, on the mini-map.
(z3b) ... toss a grenade out and all enemies within the explosion radius of 15 meters, that disappear from mini-map, will again appear on mini-map.
(z4) Drink Dispenser that is within mini-map range, will appear on mini-map if you health is below 1/2 bar
(z5) Reduce damage by 50%
- If you drop down from 2 floors
- If you jump out of a moving car
- If you are hit by a speeding car
(z6) Pressing Y buttons will have you and your team members, getting back to the car by another 35% quicker
(z7) Augment will help you pinpoint where the nearest ladder is (if you are on the ground or on the roof).
If the team member equipped with this augment then pressing button A+B together will make that team member leads you the nearest ladder location.
(z8) Augment will help you see which objects in that compound enviroment are explosive (when you are away from the roads ie. no car for you to shoot to explode them to kill cops). They will turn light red and highlighted for gamer to see them easily. Concealed items inside gabbage bags and dustbin sometimes holds explosive/highly flameable item and this augment will highlight them.
It is also good when you are fleeing into compound with a lot of explodeable tank that will save you from running near them becos cop shots will hit tank and tank will explode and get you wasted. Or you can shoot them to take out cops too.
(z9) Augment will help tell you which cops is holding powerful guns such as shotguns. This is helpful when you are surrounded by with 3 cops at close range eg. inside a store (1 is holding a shotgun and other 2 are holding assault rifle). Becos shotgun can kill with one shot so taking him out is the first priority.
(z10) When you are fleeing the cops, this augment will help you hide in dumpster undetected by cops nearby you. Hiding in dumpster will not make "undetected" time pass by ie. it won't make the Wanted Stars (at top right corner of screen) to start blinking. Cops will still continue to search for you. This augment is only good for gamer to bypass few cops near you. If you stay too long in dumpster then cops will come and check on that dumpster.
(z11) Augment that will make your movement to stay at normal speed when you are moving at knee high water level area. Rockstar need to design several areas around the city have have knee high water level so gamer can equip this augment to take advantage of this type of enviroment. So cops will move slower than you while they are in this kind of area.
(z12) Augment that will have a 35% chance of making destroyed helicopter (eg. hit by your RPG) to swivel down to cops car below. Provided that destroyed helicopter is within 15 meters radius of nearest cop's car (one stone 2 birds augment). Level 2 augment upgrade will increase from 15 meters to 25 meters radius.
(z13) Augment that will make team member yell out "cops shooting from here" (which is out of gamer's view) then pressing a set of button will auto-turn screen view towards those cops (only if this augment is equipped) for gamer to focus on them. This augment will relieve gamer to look where the cops are (which are out of screen view)
(z14) An augment "running back to your car, will reduce cops shot damage by 50%" then team will have a better chance of getting back into the car without "wasted" if their health is low.
(z15) An augment that will have a 35% chance of dropping ONE car's debris onto cop(s) who are within 25 meter raduis of that explosion, if you shoot with a RPG or grenade Launcher. This augment only happen at one car explosion and will not caused a chain-reaction of each car's debris if cars are close by.
(z16) An augment your team member equipped will yell out "train is approaching" when you are on a subway train track. This augment may save you from getting hit by a train while you are dealing with the cops. Plus this augment will make the 2 dumb (Hang-Out) characters to stay out of an approaching train.
(z17) An augment that will show dark red dots on mini-map for cops that is more than 10 feet different in level (such as cops are on 1st floor carpark and gamer is on 4th floor carpark). There are caprparks that is several storey high, such as the red and white color building with carpark in "Pillbox Hill" area.
This augment is helpful when you have to deal with helicopter until you see red dots on mini-map, telling you cops are almost on same floor. If cops are within 10 feet different in level then cops will appear on mini-map as bright red dots.
(z18) A skill that allow you to disable threw Sticky Bomb and retrieve it back to your inventory circular-menu
(z19) An augment that will make your scuba gear underwater head-light to be 2x more powerful ie. able to shine 2x further and a 2x bigger raduis (like DDDA game, Arisen's Elite lamp that will burn more brighter and further - if I remember correctly)
(z20) An augment that will highlight your trail of your last 250 footsteps (displayed on map or in-game world). Good for back tracking to your starting point.
(z21) An augment that will replenish your health bar meter even you are running. But at a rate of 0.75 times compare to the rate while taking cover.
(z22) An augment that will make you pour Jerry Can's fuel on the ground, 1.5 times faster. [This augment will allow gamer to use Jerry Can during a gunfight as it cannot be done becos cops are way too fast during 5 stars].
(z23) An augment that will increase your Special Ability gauge meter by 1.5 times faster if your health bar is below 25%.
(z24) An augment that will increase your gun damage strength by 1.5 times for 5 seconds, if you shot down 2 helicopters consecutively in a row with a RPG.
(z25) An augment that will reduce shot damage by 50%, if you are shot while submerged underwater.
(z26) An augment that allow gamer to use the Special Abilty meter for Sprinting Boost speed. Whenever you start to run, you will have a faster speed boost for running. When you are speed boosting then gamer can have choice to off Speed boost by pressing RS and LS down to off it.
(z27) An augment that will make you jump down from a height of 3-4 storey high floor, in a straight-up position (rather than a head down first). This standing posture jump will minimise damage even with a half health bar, gamer will survive the fall.
(z28) An augment that make gamer 100% jump over a table. Example in Discount Shop, shooting the registery box and bag of cash is behind the long table. Pressing button X, will most of the time make protagonist climb up on table then jump down. Only in rare cases, like after you jump ALONG the long table and press X then he will instantly jump across table with one hand pressing on table.
This augment will do just that with 100% chance on pressing hand on table to jump over table when button X is pressed.
Augment design must be effective in different situation or environment. Becos DDDA game have a lot of useless augments. Fuse game is also another game that used skills/Perks design but the design don't seem to have any effect on helping gamer to play it better ! After using about 50% of Skill/Perk for all characters, gameplay is still as hard as before you equip skills/perks.
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[8]. Playing free roam don't gain anything in helping to play the game better ?
It is NOT only in free roam, even the story mode too. Playing more don't help gamer to gain anything except buying stocks (during assassination missions) and gain hugh amount of cash to buy properties and buying cars. Gaining so much money in the game, is useless in helping gamer to play the game better during gunfight. The free roam gameplay just wasn't into weapon/skills/augment development but only character's stats, that don't affect the mission gameplay much or affect 5 stars gunfight much.
Look at MGS5 game, Kojima emphasised so much on main mission and free roam, to get specialist people back to the Mother Base. More specialist people then will expand base faster and unlock certain development eg. weapons so gamer can play the game more better and easier.
Some developments are a big game changer eg. the Wormhole Fulton Device which Snake do NOT have to carry KOed enemy out into the open area to fulton enemy.
IMO, Rs ought to go into Skill/Augment/Weapon development gameplay.
Weapon development is to allow gamer to uprgade the ...
- weapon damage power,
- shot range,
- increase in Ammo per weapon,
- reload speed,
- scope maginfying factor (only sniper gun have 8x scope)
For the upgrade design, do something like Resident Evil 4 game.
PLUS upgradable/customizable gadgets ...
- extending tear gas effective radius and duration,
- customizable Sticky Bomb with delay timer for chain reaction (please read item 35),
- Sticky camera (like SCB game),
- extending Flashbang (or stun grenade) effective radius.
[Note - GTA5 weapon upgrade have only extended ammo clip and a flashlight - almost no uprade at all]
GTA5 game make it too easy for weapon upgrade. You don't have to worry about money for upgrade. In contrast, look at Resident Evil 4 game, Leon has to decide which upgrade is the more important one becos money don't come easy in the game. In fact Capcom did a great job as the money amount looted, is just right to keep the important items upgraded.
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[9]. How come with Rockstar's standard, they didn't see this.
(a) Short "Wasted" gameplay (pun intended)
The 5 stars gunfight was a pig.
When you reach 5 stars wanted level you will get "wasted" very quickly if you do gunfight on foot. I am a big shooter-game fans and always have a good results playing on whatever shooter game it is. Example SCB game, there is about 1 in 3 chances of beating Charlie's Pakistani mission without any retries, playing on Perfectionist difficulty level, using ARX160 single-shot fire-mode and able to survive waves 16-20.
But I have been trying for almost 25 days already and still not manage to get one 5 stars gunfight fled on foot (running/driving into subway tunnel don't count as there is zero gameplay becos cops don't follow you into tunnel). Now, whenever I failed on 5 stars gunfight fleeing on foot, there is only one thought in my mind "How the fcuk Rs could have hire such fcuking stupid retard designers, to design gameplay in such a stupid fcuking way".
Broken design 5 stars on foot gunfight
You just cannot flee on foot to escape the 5 stars becos helicopter keep on spawning like fcuking stupid and there are fcuking sharp to spot you too. Plus you rarely can hit the helicopter with RPG when the Random Number Generator "god" decide not to award you a successful shot. Then either your missiles will spiral off target OR helicopter will make sudden changes of flight direction to avoid being hit by missile.
Broken design 5 stars car chase
What is the point of buying super fast car and motorcycle when cop's car can catch up on you and ram into you ?
How the fcuk Rs could hire these retard designers to come up with such stupid design that no matter how the fcuk you try, you will still get fcuking "Wasted"
Plus when you are riding a motorcycle and speeding very fast and yet those "SUPER" cops on foot can still shoot you right on target. Isn't a moving target fcuking harder to hit ?
Or try to lose your health until critical then drive bike towards a brown stone's pile that can propel your bike to jump up and yet those super-cops can shoot you right-on-target, while flying in the air at high speed.
I know I used a lot of swear words, that's becos I kept on trying to beat a fcuking 5 stars and still not able to do it and kept on hearing NPC and cops saying swear words - that is what I learned from this stupid fcuking game.
Suggestion
(a1) Helicopter to tone down their detection ability
Please read item 2f for Give several seconds for gamer to stay in Stealth
(a2) Space out the shots (not all shot will hit you consecutively in a row)
At 5 stars, you can get shot 4 times in 3 seconds and get wasted even you have a full health bar. Which you rarely see this happen in other shooter free roam gunfight !
Becos in other games, if you put effort and play carefully, you have a good chance of beating the gameplay. But not in GTA5 game, you still get wasted at 5 stars gunfight (like item a2), no matter how hard you try. This is how stupid the design is.
(b) 5 stars wanted level to cater for more % of gamers
You don't see many "5 stars" wanted level gunfight on foot gameplay on Youtube. Rs need to design gameplay to allow more gamer to achieve it and not only to those top 3% of good gamers. Allow for at least 25% of other levels of gamers.
(c) Beautifully crafted Los Santos city a wastage for 5 stars gunfight (On foot)
(c1) Not much time for gamer to utilise environment for cover
This is one of the biggest mistakes of the 5 stars design. If gamer wants to beat the 5 stars, they have to keep moving becos cops are way too fast moving into your position. But if you stay put, in an open area where cops can surround you and attack from few direction then you will very likely get wasted. This forced gamer to keep moving and not much time to allow gamer to stay longer at one spot, to utilise more of the environment for cover to do gunfight.
NOT totally shoot and run
Rs missed the idea of good gunfight - NOT TOTALLY mindless shooting and running around the city. But require skills of moving around that gunfight area to take down cops. The skill of knowing when and where to run, to get more advantage of gunfight (and NOT totally running away).
City Of Davis Courts Building in Rancho is a good example
A good design example of GTA5 map is "Rancho", when you do gunfight at these 4 buildings of Davis City Hall, Davis Sheriff's Station, City Of Davis Courts Building and it's carpark building. Here you can use skills of moving around to take down cops becos this area of 4 buildings allowed gamer to jump onto another area and hide to do some gunfight. More importantly the carpark allowed gamer to hide away from helicopter PLUS there is a Body Armor in police compound for looting. This kind of area is only a few on the whole map.
(c1-1) Allow design to utilise environment for close gunfight
GTA5 map has a lot of area that don't work for a 5 stars gunfight simply becos gamer get wasted too easily if gamer try to do gunfight like in area City Of Davis Courts Building . Rs need to adjust design a bit to allow this kind of close gunfight, like Rancho example above.
Suggestion
(c1-2) Even if gamer is surrounded by cops, ought to make cops to stay in cover (slowly moving closer to gamer) and only those with heavy armory (allow few only else too hard to beat) will walk forward to attack (terminator style).
(c1-3) Slow down their forward attacking speed a bit so gamer can still stay in cover for longer gunfight at one spot before moving to the next area.
(c1-4) Add in a Crouch button action so protagonist don't look so stupid by standing up to run to another cover spot, and getting shot by cops. This Crouch action allow gamer to move around during gunfight, to utilise more of environment's low wall or cars to block cop's shots.
(c1-5) Reduce their shot damage a bit and NOT shoot gamer with 3-4 shots in a row and get gamer wasted even gamer have a full health bar.
(c1-6) Design a skill based gunfight - All under item (c) suggestion will allow gamer to stay longer in an area for gunfight to fully untilise the environment for cover (NOT fully shoot and run) and to know when and where to run to avoid wasted.
(c2) Some map area too spacious lacking spot for cover
The map, with so diversive building landscape design that you can take cover almost anywhere. Different location or area of building landscape design offer different level of gunfight challenge. But most area only offer good cover for 3-4 stars wanted level. A lot of the map area are almost useless for gunfight when you reach 4-5 stars wanted level (map area Blaine County is the worst).
Suggestion
(c2-1) Add in more small covering spot, such as several dumpsters for long backlane, Concrete building facade at the front entrance of building with more planter boxes. For map area Blaine County, add more boulders, large trees or sheds around hillside for cover (like RDR game). Or some area have much lower/higher ground so able to avoid getting shot.
(c2-1) Design some underground trenches or over-head ducts gamer can climb into, to get a short-cut to move to a area nearby.
(d) Hang-out Free roam gunfight is also a pig
You can call other 2 characters for hang-out then go free roam robbery. But there is little control gamer can have over this 2 characters.
Example
(d1) Hang-out team-mate spook system
Why design the other team-mate to run off when one is injured. Would this add fun to gamer when your only team-mate runs off ?
Suggestion
Can't dev change the design a bit eg. something to hint gamer if they are about to be spooked. Example characters will freak out and say things to give gamer a hint they are about to be spooked. Then gamer can make some good shots to give them some confident to stick around as a team. Any good shots (or kill streak) make by gamer, will decrease their "Spooked" level down (or by pressing the character switch-button and it will display their "spook" level)
(d2) No warning when Hang-out team are about to be injured
Suggestion
Display their location on mini-map using color "Arrow" (like protagonist's white arrow), to tell gamer about their health status. Example if they have 1/2 to full health bar then their Arrow color on mini-map is bright green color. Bright blue color for 1/4 to 1/2 health bar. If their health is critical ie. below 1/4 health bar then Arrow color is dark blue color.
When their health is critical then gamer can adjust to that gameplay eg. run inside store to take cover until their health return to 1/2 bar (or 3/4 bar if augment is equipped)
The items (d1) and (d2) above, are already itself a gameplay if this is impletmented becos gamer have to juggle these 2 items during gunfight but don't make it too difficult to balance to make them stay in the game.
(e) Dead cop's guns are useless
What is the point of dead cops dropping ammo when your guns can have 1000-2000 rounds ? This will take away the tense gameplay by running over to cop's gun to loot ammo.
(e1) Make the need to loot cops ammo
But Rs have to tone down the gunfight difficulty level so gamer can run out to loot ammo.
(e2) Your car will hold extra ammo crates for heavy weapon
Give gamer lesser ammo for heavy weapon such as Grenade, Sticky Bomb, RPG or Grenade Launcher. So this will make gameplay more challenging for gamer to run to his/her car to get extra ammo for heavy weapon. Buying at Ammu-nation will have limitted ammo for gun but gamer can buy ammo crate and put into back of car (also in limitted crate nos) or as in item MSR below.
(e3) Can buy MSR (mini store-room) around the map. The MSR can be at any floor of buildings, access by only staircase/ladder/corridor etc. These MSR is for holding ammo crate for heavy weapon such as item (e2) above. This will make gameplay more challenging when gamer has lesser ammo for heavy weapon and runs to the nearest MSR to get refill. Provided Rs must tone gunfight difficulty down and design game to have more "Just escaped death" moment [please read item 11e ]. Then the gameplay will be as tense as MW3 Survival Mode gameplay.
(f) Stunt Jump is NOT only solely for stunt jump
Stunt Jump can be played solely or together during gunfight. But Rs don't understand that gamer may want to record some gunfight gameplay then do some stunt jump to flee the scene.
What Rs didn't see is, gamer may played into 15 mins of gunfight before coming to this STUPID narrow ramp and the mootorbike hit the STUPID silo/yellow poles on the other side. Then they have to start all over again to record gameplay to put onto Youtube. Becos gamer is purely relying on luck to pass the jump - no skill for gamer to use to pass the Stunt Jump !
Using isometric fixed camera view don't help anything.
When you design some motorcycle stunt jump ramp that is so narrow PLUS at the otherside of Stunt Jump that have some yellow short pole or a old silo eg. Bristol Coke Storage in Elysian island that can fail you. This really make it so hard to get a pass becos gamer has NO control during the flying scene, only relying on luck.
NOTE to Rs
[Re-edited :
After few nights of trying, I have managed to record a gunfight, did the Elysian island stunt jump across river and fled 5 stars by pile-jumped the motorbike onto a train. But that gunfight wasn't impressive so I thought of recording another better one. Then its a nightmare as each time the Stunt Jump across river ended up hitting yellow poles or the silo.
Then I thought to myself, why do I have to force myself to play this stupid game where gamer have to rely on luck to get a pass for the Stunt Jump ?
And you know what I did, Rs ? I quit your stupid game for the night and play other games which I have more control over it rather than your stupid design relying on luck]
Suggestion
(f1) Use back camera view during Stunt Jump.
Becos the isometric fixed camera view don't help gamer to see if they are going to miss or hit any obstacles in front when you show the view in isometric. Why not use the normal back camera view and allow gamer to press and hold a button to change to isometric view. Releasing that button will return to normal back camera view.
(f2) More air-time control over flying vehicle.
Then moving LS will allow some air-time control over the flying vehicle to avoid hitting obstacles. Rs can design certain vehicles have more air-time control of making it to sway left or right. And some vehicle can have more air-time control to make them nose-dive for making jump shorter.
(f3) Franklin will make it slightly easier for other 2 characters to do Stunt Jump.
Please read item 5a above for Special Ability that benefit other characters as well, to make Stunt Jump easier for other characters and not only to Franklin.
(g) Hugh map of Los Santos is a waste
If newbies to GTA5 game asked - why such a big ranting on the 5 stars gunfight ??
Becos with the map so hugh and complex, there are so much to offer. Each spot of the map, offer different type of landscape that provides different degree of gunfight challenge. Rs just blew the chance of NOT making use of Los Santos for intense meaty prolong 5 stars gunfight.
Gameplay map comparision with other games
(i) For SCB raid-mode gameplay, the game has 4 embassies map (raid-mode).
(ii) MW3 Survival mode has 16 maps (raid-mode).
(iii) For MGS5 free roam assault on the enemy bases - those enemy's base only scattered far apart on the whole map. In-between these enemy bases are just yellowish desert, with nothing happening in these area (even if In-between bases have gunfight, it is still yellowish desert with nothing to shout about).
But for GTA5, the whole city of Los Santos is a playground for gunfight. It would be a waste if we nelgected a proper design for this 5 stars gunfight around the beautifully crafted believable complex and detailed world of Los Santos city.
In other words, GTA5 Level designers or gameplay designers "WASTED" the effort of the map designers they have had put into GTA5.
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[10]. Need to have a "Stay in the game" (SITG) design
SITG design 1
IMO, one game has the best SITG design, is MW3 (Survival Mode), where gamer can shoot their way back up (Self-Revive) rather than immediately killing gamer off. The 2nd best SITG design is MGS5 where Snake can use Aid to heal himself (while in slow motion he can run for cover to heal himself).
This is the thrill and adrenalin rush after you managed to get back into the game. This is what makes gameplay more interesting where you are given a second chance to stay in the game.
SITG design 2
MGS5 game has another SITG design where Snake can drop a cardboard (as emergency shield when his health is critical).
For GTA5 game, actually Rockstar can design Body Armor to toggle ON/OFF. Gamer can toggle it ON when only health is critical then flee the gunfight. After fleeing area and looted a First Aid Kit then toggle armor off again.
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[11]. Why GTA5 free roam gunfight lacked the adrenalin rush and thrills
Okay, let us take MW3sm (MW3 survival mode) gameplay as comparision becos the gameplay is almost the same ie. enemies will rush forward to shoot you and you have to shoot and run.
Reasons why GTA5 free roam gunfight is lacking the adrenalin rush and thrills
(a) Music
Lacking the tense music found in MW3sm eg. Resistance map, when you are being pursued or chased by horde of strong enemies. Other games like SCB have tense music too.
For GTA5 game, the music is too relax. And cop car's non-stop siren can be annoying after some time, ought to make siren sound more fainted if car is far away. You need music something like MW3sm eg. Resistance map.
Suggestion
(a1) Can use phone to log into online radio to listen while doing gunfight on foot.
(a2) Can loot any hidden CDs for songs scatter around the map and then can use phone to play it while on foot.
(a3) NPCs around the city will listen to CDs. Gamer can see them from afar as they have a Headphone. By just pointing a gun at them then they will drop the CDs. Like DD game when Arisen armed his sword in front of NPC, they will drop whatever they are carrying. Arisen can loot the item for upgrade.
(b) Camera panning speed
MW3sm camera movement or screen panning speed is clearly more faster and fluider than GTA5 game. Other games like SCB and MGS5 have fast camera movement or fast screen panning as well. When you can pan the camera around very fast, it gives more "Wow" factor, provided the actions are explosive (like MW3sm).
For GTA5, when Micheal is holding a weapon and take cover then the camera panning speed is slow down. Or if you have to shoot few directions by peeking out of cover then the zoom-back speed (after shooting) is slower than SCB or MGS5 games.
It is like the camera is tied with a rubber-band and preventing camera to zoom-back faster. This gives gamer an unpleasant gaming experience when you have to shoot at few directions.
(c) Close VS. far range gunfight action
Firstly, MW3sm (or SCB game) gunfight usually happen at closer range. And most enemies appear out of cover, very close distance to gamer, when gamer shoot them. This gives gamer plenty of tense moment when most enemies are closer.
Secondly, actions are explosive and actions done by protagonist are very responsive and fast (such as screen panning)
For GTA5 the action can be explosive too (eg. using RPG or Grenade Launcher) but protagonist actions are more slower/movement is more clumsy PLUS camera panning is a bit slow PLUS cops are moving way faster then gamer (sigh !)
(c1) Far range action
Let's talk about cops which are far away. Most city area are quite open and you don't have many buildings where you can enter building for gunfight (like MW3sm). In open area then you can shoot them while they are very far away and this don't give gamer any wow factor at all.
Let me exaggerate this point, imagine that now the cops are very very far away, almost like a bug size to you and shooting them at this distance, has almost zero wow factor. Now imagine again in MW3sm where enemies suddenly rush out of cover, like 15-20 feet away, to shoot you and you manage to shoot them - this has more wow factor when actions are at closer range. If you are not good at imagination then watch some Youtube gameplay of both games.
(c2) Close range action
Now, let's talk about GTA5 cops where they are closer to you eg. inside carpark building. They will suddenly move out of cover to shoot you. But this usually happen only to few cops and you can shoot them without much wow factor.
But when cops do come in a larger number and got you surrounded then you will likely ended up "wasted".
THIS IS WHERE THE PROBLEM IS - gamer do NOT have the chance to go into a more intense CLOSE range battle, to give gamer a wow factor as compared to other games - either it is too easy or it is too hard and get you wasted in short gunfight becos game lacked item (e) below.
(d) Various type of enemies are dealt with certain type of weapons
Other games (eg. SCB, MGS5 and MW3sm) mostly have various type of enemies - dogs, drones, handgun enemy, assault rifle enemy. shotgun enemy, sniper enemy, heavy infantry, shielded heavy infantry, Juggernaunts, helicopters and tanks.
(d1) Weapon type makes a different.
MW3 (survival mode) have certain powerful guns such as MK46 can take down stronger enemies faster and you don't want to waste those bullets on weaker enemies. Stronger enemy have armor and they move slower then only with powerful guns can take them down and these guns have fewer ammo.
Weaker enemies moves faster and any weapon can take them down. Weaker and stronger enemies are only for their defense strength but no increase on their attack strength damage on gamer.
But in GTA 5, guns make little differences on each type of enemy ie. you don't see the importance of each gun type usage, such as saving ammo for powerful guns to use on certain type of strong enemies (reason is there are only 2 type of cops ie. normal uniform cop and squad team)
(d2) Good example of various type of enemies for adrenalin rush gameplay
SCB Pakistani Embassy - wave 17. At the front of the embassy, there are 2 barricades. If gamer defend his/her position at these 2 barricades then they are in for a good gunfight (Perfectionist mode using ARX160 maxed upgraded gun). Gamer has to tackle various type of hostiles including grenade tossing at you, charging dogs and snipers on the roof. Gameplay can be extremely hilarious if you can manage to defend your position WITHOUT even running inside the embassy. Then until Hostiles Remaining about 7, the action begins to slow down.
(e) Gives more "Just escaped death" moment
You will notice in MW3sm gameplay has a lot of these moment where gamer is badly shot (screen red) and you can flee if you run in the correct direction (enemy shot at this time, will be a bit "forgiving").
But if you make further mistakes then only you are shot down. Even then gamer is given another chance to stay in the game by "Shoot your way back up" (Self-Revive).
Becos GTA5 lacked this "Just escaped death" moment as the game will rush to kill you off immediately, when your health is critical. More so pissed is, when cops can kill you off with several consecutive shots in a row and get you wasted even you have a full health bar. And this is where GTA5 stupid design is - zero design of "Just escaped death" moment.
(f) Sound system
The sound is a bit on the low side to give more thrills.
(f1) Exploded falling debris sound like they are made of plastic ?! Example a car exploded and part of a falling door do NOT have a heavy metal "Clong" or "Clung" sound, when debris falls and hit the ground near you.
(f2) Gunshots sound do NOT have much wow factor as compared to MW3 Survival Mode - which is more crisper and clearer. But Battlefield 4 game for Xbox360, has the best gunshot sound (IMO).
(f3) Car exploded and tyre falling to the ground don't have loud enough sound. Whereas in MW3 Survival Mode, you can clearly hear a tyre dropping to the ground.
(g) No emergency short-cut/escape gameplay
Around the map, there are a lot of drive-in carpark of big mall and there have many doors. But gamer cannot access to these doors. Rs should have added a "Short-cut" gameplay.
Example
(g1) Mega mall carpark
During 4 or 5 stars wanted level gunfight, if you are inside the mall carpark or at the rear (or side) portion of mall then several of the mall's security guards will come out to shoot gamer. If you can shoot them all then one of the dead guard will drop a keycard or keys. Looting this item will allow gamer to access a door that can give gamer a quick escape into the mall's corridor (ie. a short-cut to the other side of the mall) when you are overwhelm by cops.
This corridor can be L-shaped or zig-zag for some gunfight with security guards. After beating security guards in the corridor then gamer can exit the mall via another side of the mall with lesser cops to deal with. While the cops at the rear of mall, will try to run to your current location by making a big run around the external mall building perimeter (after you took a short-cut thru the mall's corridor).
(g2) Old building compound
There is a n-shaped old building in "East Vinewood", just across the road opposite "Downtown Cab Co." But the old building compound is a dead end and not good spot for a 5 stars gunfight. If only after a gunfight with cops and guard then dead security guard will drop keys for gamer to loot that can access to a 1st floor door that leads to a balcony from a corridor. From the balcony , gamer can jump down to escape.
(h) Explosion need to have MORE impact
Look at MW3sm gameplay eg. "Resistance" map, enemy hit by C4 or Sentry Grenade Launcher, will fly off more harder than GTA5 game. You can see the power of explosion impact, just by watching how far enemy fly off and how strong the impact is. Some just fly off in a straight line and hit the wall.
(i) Adrenalin rush VS. nice clean screen world view
GTA5 game, Rs wanted a clean nice looking screen and when gamer health is critical you only see it at the health bar at lower left screen below. Which don't give much wow factor as compare to a bloody red screen.
MW3 Survival mode example
Look at MW3 Survival mode gameplay, when gamer health is critical the screen will turn bloody red and yet can see the gunfight battle going on. This gives gamer an adrenalin rush and you flee (please read item e above) and manage to escape to prolong the gunfight.
MW2 bad example
Too bloody red and blocked the battle screen view. Dev learned from this mistake and MW3 is much better that still provide the adrenalin rush bloody red screen.
SCB good example
Look at SCb game, when health is critical even the sound is lowered to mimic like you are going to pass out. But SCB made one mistake is that blood clotted on screen also blocked the "Jump" button on screen.
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[12]. Team to have learning AI (free roam robbery)
Something like DD (Dragon Dogma) game, the pawns will watch how Arisen fight during a battle and they will learn from Arisen.
For GTA next game, then gamer can go to any bar or Pub, to hire 2 to 3 characters for free roam robbery. All characters inside bar or pub have different skills/weapons speciality (like what DD game, where Arisen can go inside Riftstone and choose any pawns of few vocation choices). The more you use the same characters then the more they will learn from your gameplay.
Example ..
(a) Simple Monkey-see-Monkey-do
(a1) Teamwork attidude - Loot bags of cash
After several robberies and they watched you shoot the regiestry cashier box and loot the bags of cash. Then later they will help you to loot the bags by yelling "Keep on shoothing the cashier box, I will grab the cash for you"
(a2) Teamwork attidude - Speed up ambush's work
After several times watching you pour Jerry Can Fuel on ground, next time they will do the same when you use Jerry Can. Then gamer can highlight the map area where you want him to pour the fuel.
(a3) Teamwork attidude - Body Armor Loot
After several times watching you loot Body Armor/First Aid Kit, next time when your health is critical and whole team is near a Body Armor/First Aid Kit, one of them will run to fetch the Body Armor/First Aid Kit for you. But that characters will always get 25% of that item leaving the 75% for you - meaning Body Armor will replenish up to 75%. Gamer can access their inventory box to transfer item over, just like DD game.
(a4) Teamwork attidude - Team Weapon's choice
After several times watching you changed from other gun to Assault Shotgun to shoot stronger cops (Squad team) then next time they will do the same weapon change, to shoot stronger cops.
(a5) Teamwork attidude - Team Weapon's choice
After several times watching you changed from other gun to Carbine Rifle to shoot helicopter's gunner then next time they will do the same weapon change, to shoot gunners.
For item (a4) and (a5), Rs should not make crews to follow weapon changes to RPG/Grenade Launcher else gunfight will be too easy. These 2 items are just a matter of weapon's choices gamer prefer to use as each gamer may like different type of weapon choice. This Monkey-see-Monkey-do design will affect how crew do gunfight depending on how gamer fights. The better choice gamer make, will also help his crews to fight better as well - or vice versa.
(b) While fleeing on foot from cops after robbing store, they will NOT shoot anything or yell loudly unless you start shooting so as NOT to blow gamer's cover to exposed them where they are. Becos gamer may be trying to flee the cops totally and not looking for gunfight gameplay.
(c) When gamer aim with a heavy weapon eg. RPG then they should not run in front of gamer, blocking the shot.
In DDDA game, it is difficult to know if pawns have learn anything from Arisen, becos there is no info to tell gamer. It would be good if GTA game can tell gamer how much more will that crew fully learn a thing.
Example - Learning A.I. on character "XYZ"
"Weapon's Choices - Carbine gun to use on Helicopter" is at 10%
"Body Armor Loot" is at 28%
Then this way gamer can know how much more work they needed to get to 100% to make that crew "Learn".
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[13]. Stunt Jump gameplay to be skill based and NOT relying on luck
Example in Elysian island, behind the Bristol Coke Storage, has a very narrow width ramp for motorcycle stunt jump across the river.
Apart from aiming the motorbike or small size car to get thru the ramp is already challenging. Becos you need to speed from a great distance to get the jump distance to reach the other side of river. Then you have to rely on luck to avoid hitting the silo or any yellow poles waiting for you at the other side of river.
If Rs don't want gamer to rely purely on luck to avoid hitting the silo or any yellow poles then add this.
Suggestion
(a) More air-time control over vehicle to sway left or right, while in the air to avoid hitting obstacles.
(b) Able to shoot yellow poles away, with shotgun while in the air. But need to use the normal back view camera in slow motion to shoot poles. Only one shot is allow during slow motion then slow motion will be over. For the silo problem, just make silo futher away OR able to shoot any silo wall plate away.
Please also read item 9f above.
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[14]. Deepen the 5 Stars Wanted level gameplay
The gamelay for 5 stars wanted level is too plain. Ought to deepen gameplay.
(a) Loot senior ID card for rooms access
At 5 stars wanted level, there is a senior cop to be killed. Killing this cop will drop an ID card and looting this card and escape the 5 stars wanted level then return to the police station and use ID card to access rooms to loot items. Gamer need to play stealth gameplay correctly to stay undetected to loot items. Items to loot are random so gamer will not know what they may find. You may find access to a work-station and download files for Lester which he will later open up more Side Quests. But if you are detected then all rooms will shut down.
(b) Helicopter have a low chances of dropping items
If gamer can manage to shoot the helicopter's tail using RPG (other normal powerful guns excluded eg. sniper gun). Then helicopter will crash as a whole and debris will have a low chances of finding an item to loot. Items such as ...
(b1) random weapon type (1-4 % chances)
(b2) Ammo crate consists of 3 nos of ammo. for heavy weapon (5-7 % chances)
(b3) mini-First-Aid-Kit consists of only 15 points of health regeneration (4-8 % chances)
(b4) Body Armor consists of only 15 points of Armor regeneration (4 % chances)
(b5) Weapon upgrade Permit (8 % chances) - Please read above for full suggestion.
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[15]. Hopeless gunfight at rooftop when you reach 5 stars
What is the point of designing so many roof top for gunfight when you cannot escape once on the roof. Becos cops/helicopter will keep on coming ?? And cops will surround the building area, gamer will not escape if they have only 1/2 health bar.
(a) Hang-out characters will do what gamer do
If you toss sticky bomb to take out cops waiting at the ladder and you can fast rail-slide down the ladder, for quick escape. But the 2 dumb Hang-out characters will take their time to climb down ladder.
Suggestion
Can't they do the same trick using fast rail-slide down the ladder ?? Or if you jump down from a low roof then they should follow and jump down too - and NOT make them to run back to take the ladder !
(b) Helicoper's wreck have item to loot for gamer to stay longer in gunfight
But at 5 stars, it is quite difficult to escape from rooftop even gamer do the item (a) above. Becos at 5 stars, very likely gamer will have armor depleted and has 1/2 health bar only. At 5 stars you can get shot several times in a row and get wasted.
Suggestion
Some helicopter destroyed and may have First Aid Kit in the copter's debris, provided the destroyed copter falls onto your roof tops. Or falls onto neighbouring roof top where gamer can jump over to next rooftop (if they equipped with a "Jump" augment or skill that can make gamer jump more further between building gap).
Only in some rare cases destroyed copter's debris have Body Armor.
(c) Buying properties helps in escape (NOT always about money)
Later a mission will allow gamer to buy a Home Moving Sevices ie. using a big truck to move home's items. During gunfight with cops and while you are on the roof then can call your crew to drive the truck to your set-waypoint and he will crash that truck into that building you are on. So you can jump from the 3 or 4 storey roof, onto the truck roof top to escape. Plus, the more gunfight and crime you do, the better your Home Moving Sevices business will get.
(d) Some good gadgets for staying longer in gunfight
Later a mission will unlock a zip-line gadget that allow gamer to zip-line (from roof-top) along any street-pole wiring that is near the building (like SCB game Sam can zip-line down). Gamer can zip-line along street-pole wiring, to next or opposite road of building. Can release zip-line while halfway across the road to another building, this will drop gamer down to the road below.
Zip-line gadget can be bought at Ammu-Nation and gamer can only carry 3 zip-line gadget each time.
Or helicopter's wreck can have a low chance of 15% chances of dropping a Zip-line gadget for gamer to loot, to escape from the rooftop.
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[16]. Fast travel along with your own fine-tuned car
RDR game allow gamer to fast travel anywhere in the map, along with the horse. But GTA5 game can't do that with your car intact like if you take a taxi. If you want to use your car to reach from south to north then you have to drive all the way there !?
Can't you add in some services that can be found in few spot of the map ?
Example
(a) A train services that take your car along with your trip.
(b) A house-mover big truck services that also move car to your destination.
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[17]. Button combination design
(a) while outside car
Double tap button Y will yell to team member to get back into car and you will be outside giving protection (shooting cops) to them while they run inside car. Inside car ought to have lower chances of getting hit by cops.
Augment to reduce damage
This is helpful when your team members health is low, if gamer has equipped the augment "running back to your car, will reduce cops shot damage by 50%" then team will have a better chance of getting back into the car without "wasted"
(b) while inside car
Double tap button Y will make team member stay in car while only you get out of car. Good if just want to get out of car to loot First Aid Kit or Armor then get back into car without team tagging along.
(b) while near a ladder
Button A+X will make team member climb ladder up/down while you stand guard to protect them.
(c) Finding the nearest ladder location
Pressing button A+B together will make that team member leads you the nearest ladder location (if he equipped with an augment "Find the nearest ladder location")
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[18]. Put more work on Destroyed Helicopter
Destroyed helicopter just drop down, without much of a "wow" factor. I mean, Rs could have reward gamer some spectacular scenes, if helicopter is shot at the tail by RPG.
(a) helicopter will swivel down to the ground and slide along the road (like a big time Hollywood movies) and damage few cars along it destructive track (look at the current Spiderman game for the PS4 for example of helicopter destruction)
(b) helicopter's body hit the ground and the rotor blade will fly off in any random direction. Sometimes will cut into a buidling and stuck there. Sometimes it will roll (at blade vertical axis) and damage any things in it's way. Sometimes it will hit and cut into a cop's van or car. Sometimes it will cut down few trees (horizontally flying around)
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[19]. Pleasant surprise design
I have only looted few underwater treasure and there are many more in GTA5 (am only at 35% game completion). I do not know if there are any pleasant surprise design like the game Assassin Creed Blackflag where Edward stumbled upon a group of smugglers via a underwater tunnel/channel.
It would be a nice surprise if Michael go underwater treasure hunting and find a underwater cave (hole) that will lead him to a group of outlaws dealing with illegal business.
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[20]. Environment objects as gameplay
Gamer can use enviroment objects as gameplay
(a) Melee fight - grab a bottle or chair to hit cops or NPC.
(b) shoot overhead signage to drop onto cops
(c) Plant Sticky bomb on electrical roadside post/traffic light post then trigger it to explode will make wiring drop down to ground. If it is raining then it is a bonus as this will take out large number of cops by electrocution, over large area.
(d) Can grab enemy and throw him out of windows (or over a railing) and drops few floors below. Or do a flying kick at enemy and he will knock against a railing and fall over railing, down few floors below.
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[21]. Los Santos city don't have external glass lift ?
Several buildings in the city, ought to have glass-lift so gamer can go sight-seeing the city from a bird-eye view.
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[22]. Able to bypass time by sleeping in car
GTA5 only allow you to bypass time while sleeping at home. You can also take a long taxi drive and use SKIP to bypass time but this is useless becos sometimes you are driving your own car and calling a taxi will make your car disappear.
How about gamer able to use phone to set Alarm to choose what time to skip to ie. to wake protagonist up from sleep inside car.
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[23]. Better loading and auto-save system
(a) Better loading recent saved game
I may not understand this, why do the game don't load the recent saved game but load something else, when I start the game. Then I have to call up the pause menu and go to GAME to select Load Game then go to Select loading device.
Can't you do something like other games did, they will ask for "Select Loading Device" when you start the game. Then ask gamer which Saved Game file to load (like Resident Evil 4 game for the Xbox360 console)
(b) Quit interrupting car chase gameplay for Autosave file confirmation
If you rob an armored van and flee then game will pause and ask gamer if they want to overwrite autosave file ? By then you get back to the car chase gameplay, your car is totally halted ! Need 2 settings so gamer can still have autosave after buying from shops.
Suggestion
In Option setting, make 2 check-box for Autosave Confirmation.
Check-box for ...
(i) "After Robbing Armor Van/Stunt Jump"
(ii) "After Buying At A Shop"
Normally gamer would turn OFF item (i) and leave item (ii) turn ON.
Or another suggestion is - Always do Autosave without asking that interrupts gameplay (for item i and ii).
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[24]. Improve the Save system, to make a Checkpoint
Some mission are too long and few mission at the end part is so difficult to pass the mission. Example "Nervous Ron" had me trying for 2 nights becos I kept on crashing the plane to land it on the narrow landing strip.
Problem is when I retry the mission on 2nd night, I have to redo the whole mission again. Can't dev. design a newer save system that can create a checkpoint if that part of mission is completed with all objectives fullfilled.
Example a long mission has 3 part ie. starting part, middle and ending part. Say, if gamer completed the middle part with all objectives fullfilled then it will create a checkpoint at that ending of middile part. So when gamer play the ending part ie. the most difficult part of landing the plane and failed many times and give up and call it a night.
So next day gamer retry the mission again then they don't have to restart whole mission over again. They can retry at the last Checkpoint they create last night ie. at the start of the ending part.
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[25]. Allow option to retry mission on "Easy Mode"
Look to DDDa for example, they have the Hard Mode and Normal Mode. Even gamer failed mission on Normal Mode there is always an option to retry mission on Easy Mode.
Becos some misison is so hard to complete like "Nervous Ron" had me trying for so many hours, trying to land the plane without crashing. Then game should allow gamer to temporary pass the mission on Easy Mode, to move on the game until next time gamer can come back to replay the mission on Normal Mode.
Another question is, why the heck dev design such narrow landing strip for the first flying mission ??
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[26]. Fistfight and gunfight with gangster.
(a) Fistfight with gangsters in confined area will not alert cops
Becos cops keep on messing up the fistfight when I fight with gangs. If I do fistfight with gangs in a confined area eg. with high walls surrounding all of us then civilians should not be aware of the fighting so no one will report to the cops.
Only if we start using loud weapon then this should alert the cops. BUT gunfight is in secluded or remote area then cops should be mess up the gunfight.
(a1) Improve the dodge button X during fistfight
Becos it only works sometimes and most of the time pressing button X don't get him to do anything at all.
(a2) More complex fistfight
Something like Sleeping Dog game's fist fight, at least have 25% of the SD's fistfight combo would be nice.
Example, can press button X+Y then protagonist will do feint punch then kick groin instead. Then when NPC bend down in pain, gamer have 2 options - button X will do elbow down on head or button Y will do knee up on face (when NPC is crouching down in pain).
(b) Ought to raise up the gangster gunfight's challenge
Restricted area have gangsters (orange color in mini-map) but they are way too easy to beat without any real challenge. For the gangsters gunfight's challenge, I would say the challenge is only at 50%. But the 5 stars gunfight with cops is at 100 to 130%.
At 100%, it is already very tough to beat. Ought to balance things up a bit. Like increase gangsters gunfight's challenge to about 75% and cops to reduce to 85% or 90% would be right.
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[27]. NPC around the world map to play a role during free-roam
Example for ...
(a) Beggers (homeless people who lives under the bridge)
If you constantly give monies to beggers around certain area then next time you are chased by cops and beggers will help you escape, by pushing their trollies into cop's path (car or on foot) to give you time to flee. NPC will have a "Grateful" bar over their head to tell gamer if enough monies are given to them to make them help gamer. But after some time passed without giving monies to them then their "Grateful" level will reduce again.
(b) Criminals
Or giving momies to gangsters area constantly then they will help you in the gunfight. They will help only a bit otherwise free-roam gunfight with cops will be too easy PLUS you need to give big stash of cash to gangsters, to get their help, as compare to beggers becos gangsters will help reduce nos of cops during gunfight.
(c) Kids using skateboard
Or give kids monies constantly then they will slide their skateboard to you for you to flee cops (on foot gunfight) on a downhill road.
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[28]. Dev need to setup a team to think of hidden tactics for the game
Example when you rob a 2nd. store with 3 registery cashier box. If you shoot all 3 cashier box before the cops arrives then you won't get shot by cops.
But some tactics found on the internet are actaully not Dev intended design but game was glitched. What I mean is real intended hidden tactics so gamer can explore the game closely and look for it.
Look to MGS5 game, Kojima is good at designing minor tactics that is advantages to gamer.
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[29]. NPC around the world map to have an impact on your free roam gameplay
Look to MGS 5 game where gamer can scour map for specialist people who can affect your gameplay.
For GTA game then gamer can free roam and look for NPC with high recon skill to help locate AV (Armored Van). NPC that has high recon skill ranging from 50-100 RS (Recon Skill). Those with 90-100 RS are quite rare and hard to find around the city. But they will provide the most precise location of AV by indicating a smaller green blob on map saying roughly AV is inside this green blob. Then it is up to gamer to look for the AV. Those with lower RS will give a much bigger green blob. If you cannot locate the Av after some time then AV will disappear from the map.
Different NPC will have different skills and demand eg. they will request more fees for providing AV location and some will offer extra info like roughly how long the AV will be inside that green blob before vanishing.
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[30]. Improve reaction for NPC
There should be no complaint about reaction of NPC as Rockstar has done a great job in this department. But there are only few which I don't agree.
(a) when few NPCs are standing in front of the store. And when you are holding shotgun and running towards the store, surely these people ought to be startled by a person holding a weapon. They ought to be walking away quietly and quickly without making a sound unless I fire a shot that will make them scream. But GTA 5 has these people still standing put.
(b) When you rob a store and in one scene, he will refuse to hand over the cash then you are forced to shoot a warning shot near him. But he didn't react to the shot with a starlted reaction, instead he will quickly open the cashier to empty it like you did not fire any gun shot near him.
(c) Why is it that I have been using Grenade Launcher for some long and none of the victims are alive and wounded. All the time they are dead. Can't they be wounded cops who will crawl or limp away ??
(d) When he is shot at the leg OR got hit by grenade blast nearby and wounded then he will crawl or limp away to lie down behind cover (like Red Dead Redemption or MGS-TPP game)
Dev. please take note
Shooting enemy in the leg 3 times will NOT kill enemy instantly. At least 6-7 shots then even maybe, will take several seconds for enemy to bleed to death.
(e) Take cover and peek out to shoot a NPC with a suppressor (silent) weapon and others NPCs that are far away, has the same reaction as you are shooting with a loud weapon. They ought to walk over to the dead NPC and check what is wrong then only starts to freak out and run, then this looks more realistic.
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