GTA 3’s Dodo Plane A Clever Workaround for PS2 Hardware Limitations

Obbe Vermeij, a game developer involved in the creation of Grand Theft Auto 3 (GTA 3), Grand Theft Auto IV (GTA IV), Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas has shared insights into the technical hurdles faced during the development of GTA 3, shedding light on why the entire game map couldn’t fit into the PlayStation 2’s memory.

According to Vermeij, one of the major technical challenges encountered was related to streaming, a process that involves loading models from the game’s DVD as the player navigates the virtual world. This task was particularly arduous and was tackled by Adam Fowler, who coded the streaming system for GTA 3.

Vermeij explained that the physical proximity of models on the DVD impacted the loading speed, as the DVD drive needed to adjust its speed based on the movement of the reading head. To optimize loading times, Fowler attempted to place closely related models near each other on the DVD and experimented with repeating commonly used files. However, despite these efforts, loading speeds remained inadequate, leading to instances where players encountered low-detail buildings and missing roads.

There was no way we could fit the whole map of gta3 in PS2 memory. Streaming involves loading models from the DVD as the player moves around. This was the hardest technical challenge during the development of gta3 and was coded by Adam Fowler.

The closer models physically are on… pic.twitter.com/EWBb5tyygn

— Obbe Vermeij (@ObbeVermeij) April 25, 2024

To address these challenges, the development team implemented various strategies. For instance, in problem areas like Portland Island, where fast driving worsened streaming issues, the road layout was modified to slow down players. The drag on vehicles was slightly increased in certain areas to mitigate streaming issues without significantly impacting gameplay. The drag, in this case, refers to the vehicle’s air resistance.

The streaming system posed a significant hurdle, especially due to the vast amount of data comprising the game map. Models loaded and unloaded from memory caused fragmentation, which was managed through constant adjustments by Fowler’s code.

For subsequent titles like Vice City, the team made advancements in code optimization, including better compression techniques for models and textures. Smarter loading mechanisms were also introduced to prioritize detailed building models only when necessary.

Vermeij also noted that streaming issues tended to worsen with older DVDs and PS2 hardware, highlighting the technical limitations of the era. One often overlooked aspect of older video games is the limitation imposed on sprinting speed, which can sometimes feel restrictive to players.

Unlike modern games that may pre-render areas upon game launch to mitigate loading delays, most older games did not adopt this approach due to its taxing demands on gaming hardware. It is still considered very taxing even with today’s latest tech. This was also the reason why flying wasn’t implemented in GTA 3 beyond the Dodo plane. The Dodo was slow enough to ensure players didn’t reach the specific areas before the map was rendered.

That’s why newer games like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 stand out as some of the most impressive titles today. They excel in seamlessly allowing players to traverse New York City at remarkable speeds without encountering any streaming issues. And, of course, not to forget the newer hardware, such as the PS5, that allows us to experience that.

It’s evident that the technical constraints of the PS2 hardware posed significant challenges for game developers, shaping the design and mechanics of iconic titles like GTA 3. Despite these limitations, the development team’s innovative solutions paved the way for groundbreaking open-world gameplay experiences, setting the stage for the evolution of the franchise.

Witnessing Rockstar Games’ technical achievements with Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto 5, one can’t help but wonder what Grand Theft Auto 6 will bring to the table, especially with the new PS5 Pro just around the corner.