evelopment of
Grand Theft Auto IV began soon after the release of
San Andreas
and was shared between many of Rockstar's studios worldwide. The game
introduced a shift to a more realistic and detailed style and tone for
the series. Unlike previous entries,
Grand Theft Auto IV lacked a
strong cinematic influence, as the team attempted an original approach
to the story. As part of their research for the open world, the
development team conducted extensive field research in New York,
capturing over 100,000 photographs and several hours of video. The
developers considered the world to be the most important element of the
game; though not the largest map in the series, they considered it
comparable in scope due to its verticality and level of detail. The
budget climbed to over US$100 million, making it one of the
most expensive video games to develop. evelopment of
Grand Theft Auto IV began soon after the release of
San Andreas
and was shared between many of Rockstar's studios worldwide. The game
introduced a shift to a more realistic and detailed style and tone for
the series. Unlike previous entries,
Grand Theft Auto IV lacked a
strong cinematic influence, as the team attempted an original approach
to the story. As part of their research for the open world, the
development team conducted extensive field research in New York,
capturing over 100,000 photographs and several hours of video. The
developers considered the world to be the most important element of the
game; though not the largest map in the series, they considered it
comparable in scope due to its verticality and level of detail. The
budget climbed to over US$100 million, making it one of the
most expensive video games to develop.