A game map (albeit a fake one) for San Andreas was leaked to the internet today, the source a German gaming publication. While the map is small and lacks detail, it is an above average representation of what we can expect from the real map.

An additional screenshot has also leaked from the same source. The screen is of a few members in the Orange Grove Families in a car apparently about to have a confrontation with a rival gang.

Their enemies, as you can see through the windshield, are all decked out in green from head to toe. This is the first appearance of a rival gang since the Ballas. Possibly the other confirmed gang, the Flats? Anything is possible.

You can visit this German web forum for that and any other OPS2M details.

Source: August Issue of the Offizielle Playstation 2 Magazine Deutschland (German OPS2M)

• The necessity of a PS2 dual-layer DVD is confirmed
• Los Santos is on the lower east side of the map and is only a small part of the state’s geography
• There are 16000 unique objects in the game as opposed to Vice City’s circa-5000
• Despite the map’s size it’s all quality, no True Crime level detail here
• No breaks during driving over bridges or into different cities, only a short second pause during the entrance of buildings
• Weilding two weapons at once is now confirmed
• Vinewood is San Andreas’ version of Hollywood
• Lots of new outfits are confirmed
• You can improve your character’s skills, such as shooting and driving
• New graphics engine confirmed (35-50% more polygons on screen at a time) including real-time reflections, a better draw distance, an enhanced shadows system and lighting effects, more detailed textures and realistic animations
• Manhunt-style gun targeting system
• Vehicles now rust and show age
• The difficulty setting automatically adjusts according to how well you do
• Not only can you improve social skills and relationships, but you can acquire a small crew of thugs that you recruit by yourself
• You acquire actual possessions
• The Flats and the Ballas are two confirmed rival gangs
• Latin flavor is added to the mix with the revealing of Cesar as a new Hispanic character
• There is an unidentified fat thug (as indicated in a screenshot) that might be a part of “the help”
• The first three missions are named “Menace”, “Driveby”, and “Reuniting the Families”
• Our first glimpses of in-game dialogue show no sign of some essential street slang, but doesn’t forget to use the word ‘homie’ nine times

Here are the different combinations I've noticed thus far:

• Black jacket, jeans, and what look like Converse Chuck Taylor imitations.
• Black jacket, jeans, Timberland boots imitations.
• Black jacket, jeans, white sneakers.
• Wifebeater(tank top), jeans, Chuck Taylors.
• Shirtless, jeans, Chuck Taylors.

We've also already heard from R* that the clothes will be alot more detailed so expect alot more variatons. And with all the different hairstyles and the weight-gaining aspects, it seems everyone's Carl Johnson will be unique.

• Screens and Speculations courtesy of Gamespot.

• A testament to the size of the game, "The quickest someone got through Vice City with a guide was 36 hours that we know of. We can't do a complete play through San Andreas yet - but I can't see it being any less than three times the length."
• Extremely detailed every-day objects. This includes fully functional reflections from mirrors and puddles.
• 35%-50% Increased Polygon Count over Vice City
• Dan Houser maintains that the series is infact a trilogy, beginning in 2001, then back to the 80's, now into the early 90's.
• Bikes, motorcycles, off-road vehicles, tractors, and new dirt-accumulating cars have all been confirmed on the vehicle list.
• More aggressive / effective police force.

Basically, a lot of the same things being reitterated throughout the press releases and interviews, but with each magazine on each continent, it is evident that Rockstar is definitely compiling one HELL of a game.

Related Links: Planet GrandTheftAuto, GTAForums Topic, and thanks to Xplo

This is a contribution news post brought to you by tehhunter.

In this month's dutch Power Unlimited magazine, many new features and items have been outlined for GTA: San Andreas. Dan Houser has brought much to our attention, and more details will be coming over the following months. That is certain.

Make sure to press READ MORE, there's news about multiplayer of all things!

We'll get summaries up for you as soon as possible, meanwhile you might want to check relevant links at our GTAForums.com.

• Official PS2 Magazine AU July 2004 San Andreas Preview
  - Props to Dead at 4PM for bringing this to our attention.
• Power Unlimited NL July 2004 San Andreas Preview
  - Props to Denniz for the scans and once again Dead at 4PM for bringing this to our attention.
  - High resolution scans courtesy of -InFeRnUs-.

These magazines are reporting from the same press conference as the Official PS2 Magazine UK, but some of the screenshots are less cropped and there is some new information.

As I said, we'll try to get summaries to you asap.

Ever since 50 Cent, the popular rapper told MTV News that he is working on a Grand Theft Auto game, the rumours have had it that he will be voicing the main character CJ. This seemed pretty probable taking into account some factors such as Carl Johnson (main character of San Andreas) shares his initials with Curtis Jackson (real name of 50 Cent).

However all this has been overturned by the August issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly. ISd3d from our GTAForums.com has apparently received the magazine which is hitting shelves on the 29th of June, and here is a little excerpt.

To be honest I didn't fancy the idea of 50 Cent in San Andreas anyway..

G'day, folks! I assume the majority of you caught the recent San Andreas article over at PS2.Gamespy.com (Dom posted a little news briefing on it yesterday), which summarized the majority of what is known about GTA:SA at the moment. However, if you're anything like myself, you probably dropped out when you saw exactly how many pages (6, to be exact) there were. But don't fret... that's where we come in!

The online journal of John Davidson, who just so happens to be the Editor In Chief of the Official Playstation2 Magazine is exploring Rockstar's claim of SanAn being multiple times larger than any/all previous GTA title(s). He explains that the cities won't just be connected with roads, but with massive suburbs each potentially the size of GTA3. The quote is pretty much self-explanatory, yet should give you an idea of how ambitious our beloved game developer is.

Sources: Gouranga!, 1Up Blog of John Davidson

The guys over at ps2.gamespy.com have recently posted an excellent article of the upcoming SanAn. It is pretty much a compilation of just about all the info about the games storyline that we know to date.

I suggest you get over to the article and check it out for yourself. Some good reading in it and some vital information, a must if you want to know what it’s all about.

Rockstar have brought Frank Vincent back in for another round of voice acting for San Andreas. If you’re not too familiar with the name, perhaps you know Don Salvatore Leone better. Frank was the voice actor for Salvatore in GTA3 and his return could mean mafia for SanAn as well.

There’s not too big of a quote on the source, but it certainly is enough to start some big discussions and predictions of the mafia making a big hit in SanAn. Quote taken from Frank's official site.

Everyone knows the classical mafia look is polished shoes, grey or black suit and some strange hat. That’s pretty much the Leone Family Mafia in a nutshell. So what shall Don Salvatore’s threads be this time, the 50’s style or is it angry thugs in football jerseys?

The new issue of Offical PlayStation2 Magazine in the UK which goes on sale June 17th will have a 13 page preview of SanAn. From the various scans of it circulating the intraweb, there seems to be no shortage of new info and pics in it either. Here's a brief run-down on some of the new stuff mentioned and pictured:

• Cops on bikes, finally. From the pics, they remind me of the old TV show CHiPs.


• Police (and presumably other peds) can grab onto cars and hang on while they drive away.


• Load screens will only be present when entering buildings. Not really new info, as I knew this for months; but that was off-the-record...


• To further allow players to customize their on-screen avatar, we'll be able to get different haircuts from a barber shop. Anyone want to place bets on there being *lots* of user screens featuring a fat Carl with a 'fro and a wifebeater?


• The game engine will use a few procedural tricks for rendering plants and such to make the countryside feel more organic. Or, in plain English, just think of how the grass and other foliage in games like UT2k4 are dynamically rendered on-the-fly.


• There will be chances for players to use shadows to approach missions more stealthily, a la Manhunt. The same shadows will also come in handy for ditching cops.


• In the article, Dan Houser emphasizes that while the map is enormous, it will still be filled with unique and detailed buildings all about. In other words, there's no need to worry about the game being a mess of blurry repeating buildings as was the case in that other game.


• Each of the cities appear as if they'll have their own police force. All the pictures of cops in the article feature LSPD decals, so one can only assume they will change to match each city.


• Peds will react differently to you depending on how you look. Get a bad haircut, and they might make fun of you for it.


• At the game's beginning, CJ is picked up from the airport by the two shady cops (Eddie Polaski & Frank Tenpenny), who then drop him off in an opposing gang's turf. To get away, players will have to grab one of the new BMX bikes, and pedal their way to safety. Pedalling is re-confirmed as being a matter of rapidly mashing the X button.

There's quite a bit of other new info to be seen- as well as the new screenshots- so if you're able to find this magazine in your area, pick it up.

Disappointing recent numbers put forth by Take-Two's financial center leave market analysts looking toward the future for prosperity - namely, San Andreas.

Two days ago, the New York Post published an article in the Business Section discussing Take2's apparent financial decline after the success of its smash hit titles Grand Theft Auto 3 and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City the past 3 years.

The Post reports that Take-Two "missed earnings expectations in its first quarter and will do so again when it announces second-quarter results Tuesday [today]. The company has said it will lose 15 cents per share - down from a previously predicted 33-cent profit."

The Post speculates that if San Andreas doesn't follow suit in the line of number one games, Take-Two could be up for takeover by another media company.

Most gamers/market speculators/gaming industry buffs/people with any form of common sense could tell you that San Andreas will almost definitely become another step in the huge money-making franchise that is GTA.

In closing, I'd say T2 has nothing to worry about as of now. With even half the success that GTA3 and Vice put into the company, they'd be able to prosper quite well, let alone survive. Just a bit of hype.

Long live T2!

The New York Post

Take2's Investment Press Release