Why planes randomly crash in GTA: San Andreas?
Have you ever wondered why planes in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas would just randomly crash near you? Well, a former developer at Rockstar North, the studio behind the immensely popular Grand Theft Auto franchise, has provided some fascinating insights into this phenomenon.
In a recent blog post on Twitter, former Rockstar North developer Obbe Vermeij explained the reasons behind the occasional random plane crashes in San Andreas. According to Vermeij, the developers wanted to create the illusion of small planes periodically flying by the player. To achieve this, he implemented a code that would scan for obstacles in the path of a plane before it spawned. However, due to time constraints, the code only scanned a small section in front of the plane, sometimes missing tall, thin objects such as trees or power poles. As a result, the planes would fly into these obstacles and crash near the player. Vermeij also mentioned that sometimes these planes would lose height upon spawning at the incorrect speed, and there were occasional issues with how the game streamed in buildings and other large models.
Despite being aware of the crashes, Vermeij did not remove the fly-bys altogether, and these plane crashes have become iconic and memorable moments in San Andreas, often causing humorous situations during speedruns and gameplay sessions.
Why the NPC in San Andreas jumps off the cliff?
Another intriguing aspect of GTA: San Andreas is the NPC that occasionally spawns near the ocean on a cliff, takes a photo, and then walks off into the water to their death. This mysterious behavior has sparked curiosity and even inspired creepy videos online.
Vermeij shed some light on this phenomenon by revealing that the developers in San Andreas used in-game items called “attractors,” which were objects that NPCs would head toward after completing a scripted action. In the case of this suicidal NPC, the nearest attractor happened to be across the water, leading to their eerie behavior.
Vermeij’s explanations provide fascinating insights into the development of San Andreas, unraveling some of the game’s long-standing myths.
So there you have it! The former Rockstar North developer’s revelations give us a peek behind the curtain of a beloved video game and offer a deeper understanding of the fascinating mechanics behind some of the most memorable moments in San Andreas.
