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[Meifu]

So I understand the scale issue at hand replicating 1 to 1 and not being able to use certain landmarks due to copyright, but does anyone else who has lived in NYC for any period of time find an appalling lack of landmarks any local would be familiar with?

Brooklyn area is wayyyy too clean cut, missing most of the culture there with small shops/bakeries/ Chinese hole in the walls, shitty bars. It's like Williamsburg is all of Brooklyn.

Manhatten UWS Lincoln center area, the Lincoln square amc. hells kitchen is nothing like the area or even close. A form of the Chelsea high line is at least.rhere which I found cool.

Central Park a third of it's actual size, not even a stand in for tavern on the green? Or the zoo??


Billionaire row is non-existent and this was the easiest miss. I like that oscorp tower is here but where are the other absurdly tall pencil buildings? Don't tell me you couldn't get around copyright with just some crazy original designs.

Columbus Circle, the trademark building with the whole foods.under or which houses a mall and luxury apartments completely absent.

I don't want to hate too hard, I found this game to be excellently made, but there are countless examples where a bit more care could have been put into current day spots that aren't necessarily the craziest tourist attractions that would have really taken the open world to that extra level.

It's not like they even have to match locales completely but it feels like the team didn't have anyone work on the city who actually knows NYC, and just looked at a map and plopped in the Empire State building and a stand in for the Freedom tower and called it a day.

 

[Raonak]

It's a game, not google maps

 

[vaibhavpisal]

You can always spend more time and budget on a game to make it better.

But ultimately you have deadlines and sales constraints.

This is probably as good as they can make it. But if this was made by Druckmann who basically gets all time and money he asks for, they could've implemented what you are asking for.

 

[baphomet]

No one cares how close it is to actual New York.

It's a video game about a kid flying and swinging through the city while fighting giant monsters.

 

[SlimySnake]

Being from queens, it was bizarre to see flushing in there but without any of the flushing area landmarks.

 

[Meifu]

Being from queens, it was bizarre to see flushing in there but without any of the flushing area landmarks.

See that's all I'm asking here haha. Not saying this ruins the game.

It's just jarring of you've actually lived there

 

[MrTroubleMaker]

lazy devs

 

[Loomy]

most of the culture there with small shops/bakeries/ Chinese hole in the walls, shitty bars

Central Park a third of it's actual size, not even a stand in for tavern on the green? Or the zoo??

You spend most of this game swinging high and fast, and when you're on the ground you're fighting fast and zipping the camera all over the place. Adding these things that the vast majority of players would not take the time to stop and notice, much less appreciate, would be a very huge waste of development time/money.

Also, most people playing this game don't know anything about New York beyond the surface level stuff, so this works for them.

 

[Meicyn]

ACKSHUALLY

 

[Gambit2483]

I felt like despite the overall map being 2x as big, the Manhattan Island actually felt a bit smaller than before...or maybe I'm just tripping.

The best videogame version of NYC will always be GTAIV anyways.

 

[nikos]

Haven't played this game yet but I also tend to take a critical look at games that take place in NYC since I live here. It's interesting to see what's added and what isn't.

 

[Daxter32jak]

Hey at least Queens and Bk was in there. The Bronx was non existent as always

 

[dreamcastluvr]

I was actually impressed with how well they expanded the city and boroughs from the first game, personally. I've only been to New York a couple of times and haven't been back since 2008... and it felt like a video game replica of pretty much what I remember...

The same way for example, the Watch Doggies cities felt like shrunk-down video game replicas of Chicago, San Fran, and London... and other open world games based in real-life cities feel. Artificially cleaner than their real-life counterparts, over-simplified, etc.

I dunno, Spiderman 2 is at least at par for current gen as far as city replicating is concerned, if not a bit above average?

 

[sigmaZ]

So I understand the scale issue at hand replicating 1 to 1 and not being able to use certain landmarks due to copyright, but does anyone else who has lived in NYC for any period of time find an appalling lack of landmarks any local would be familiar with?

Brooklyn area is wayyyy too clean cut, missing most of the culture there with small shops/bakeries/ Chinese hole in the walls, shitty bars. It's like Williamsburg is all of Brooklyn.

Manhatten UWS Lincoln center area, the Lincoln square amc. hells kitchen is nothing like the area or even close. A form of the Chelsea high line is at least.rhere which I found cool.

Central Park a third of it's actual size, not even a stand in for tavern on the green? Or the zoo??


Billionaire row is non-existent and this was the easiest miss. I like that oscorp tower is here but where are the other absurdly tall pencil buildings? Don't tell me you couldn't get around copyright with just some crazy original designs.

Columbus Circle, the trademark building with the whole foods.under or which houses a mall and luxury apartments completely absent.

I don't want to hate too hard, I found this game to be excellently made, but there are countless examples where a bit more care could have been put into current day spots that aren't necessarily the craziest tourist attractions that would have really taken the open world to that extra level.

It's not like they even have to match locales completely but it feels like the team didn't have anyone work on the city who actually knows NYC, and just looked at a map and plopped in the Empire State building and a stand in for the Freedom tower and called it a day.

 

[ZoukGalaxy]

Can't wait for your analyse of DC in Fallout 3

 

[Meifu]

Can't wait for your analyse of DC in Fallout 3

Hahaha don't get me started I'm also intensely familiar with the area

 

[Yoboman]

Personally I'm glad they focused on making a game that had incredible traversal and level design that accommodates that over modelling your local Chinese food place. Oh sorry "landmark"

 

[Neilg]

It's weird that they left so much out, but got 432 park in - with the exact unique glazing/window condition, except it's really fat. I think it really highlights how much they scaled the city down and where things were cheated.

I know a lot of building designs are copyrighted and need to be licensed for reproduction in movies/games so it's a fucking nightmare, but the ones they chose to zero in on an accurate version are some odd choices.


Gta4's NYC feels like someone designed it from memory. It's got the vibe right and feels like NYC, but it's complete nonsense.

 

[geary]

The best videogame version of NYC will always be GTAIV anyways.

Have you played The Division 1?

 

[TerribleAtThisGame]

Being from queens, it was bizarre to see flushing in there but without any of the flushing area landmarks.

From Queens as well but...have never played the game.

They better have at least one shitty block party playing a latin dance mix of Don't Stop Believing in that game or I'm calling devs out.

 

[Jigsaah]

People who don't live there won't understand. I was absolutely offended when Watch Dogs Chicago was nothing like the city I grew up in.

 

[sendit]

Only New Yorkers would care about accuracy in a sci fi game where you wrap enemies in white fluid. Now if we can only get the Japanese people to complain about Ghost of Tsushima.

 

[BennyBlanco]

Where’s the bronx?

 

[Gojiira]

Multiverse…Not our Earth….Obviously will have differences etc etc…

 

[ZoukGalaxy]

Hahaha don't get me started I'm also intensely familiar with the area

Ok, I won't let you start then

Personally I never expect a 1:1 copy from reality in videogames, in Assassin's Creed Unity I was so happy to recognize, for real, places from Paris I'm extremely very familiar with, I was really so amazed and so immersed, and still immersed since the game is still gorgeous, when I revisit this game and it's probably my favorite AC because of that.

I think the most important thing is to catch the "spirit" of a city by the architecture, famous places, main layouts (etc...) and it's most of the time enough since they have to conciliate it with the gameplay.
And, well, to be fair AC Unity is a little bit different case since it was the city from an older period, but still, they did an incredible job.

 

[TheDarkPhantom]

I agree, they totally fucked up not including crack dealers on the block, crazy homeless people ranting and raving every 10 steps you take, Donald Trump snorting cocaine off of dead hookers etc

 

[SJRB]

Dude are you fucking serious right now

 

[The Cockatrice]

Yeah I mean the Avengers tower and Oscorp buildings are totally inaccurate. How dare they? Are you a fucking moron OP?

 

[MaxwellParrish]

Only New Yorkers would care about accuracy in a sci fi game where you wrap enemies in white fluid. Now if we can only get the Japanese people to complain about Ghost of Tsushima.

Do you think many japanes know what were the landmarksof Tsushima before 1300 DC ?

 

[MidGenRefresh]

I was actually impressed with how well they expanded the city and boroughs from the first game, personally. I've only been to New York a couple of times and haven't been back since 2008... and it felt like a video game replica of pretty much what I remember...

The same way for example, the Watch Doggies cities felt like shrunk-down video game replicas of Chicago, San Fran, and London... and other open world games based in real-life cities feel. Artificially cleaner than their real-life counterparts, over-simplified, etc.

I dunno, Spiderman 2 is at least at par for current gen as far as city replicating is concerned, if not a bit above average?

Watch Dogs version of London (city) is amazing with all the key landmarks and geography kept.

 

[SKYF@ll]

The DLC, which recreates the perfect NYC map, costs $499 and has a 500GB install size.

 

[Ozzie666]

Colt Eastwood, is that you?

 

[Varteras]

So did we run out of woke things to be mad about? Now we have to resort to complaining that this version of NYC is not 1-to-1? Now I haven't played it yet and I hate SJW bullshit as much as anyone here, but the game must be pretty damn good if the most egregious things to complain about are pride flags and missing a hot dog vendor on Park Avenue.

 

[DenchDeckard]

I know its not perfect but for someone from the UK who loves new York City, I love being in the city in spider man.

I get it, it must be a little frustrating for the people who know the city inside out but I can spot enough bits to get the vibe.

I know I'm coming across as pure tourist, but I don't care lol.

NY

 

[Varteras]

I know its not perfect but for someone from the UK who loves new York City, I love being in the city in spider man.

I get it, it must be a little frustrating for the people who know the city inside out but I can spot enough bits to get the vibe.

I know I'm coming across as pure tourist, but I don't care lol.

NY

You in NYC

 

[hyperbertha]

You spend most of this game swinging high and fast, and when you're on the ground you're fighting fast and zipping the camera all over the place. Adding these things that the vast majority of players would not take the time to stop and notice, much less appreciate, would be a very huge waste of development time/money.

Also, most people playing this game don't know anything about New York beyond the surface level stuff, so this works for them.

The Opposite imo. Actually adding these areas would have made the areas less homogenous and more varied, MAKING the player appreciate the city.

 

[Warablo]

The zoo, that would have been fun

 

[MidGenRefresh]

The Opposite imo. Actually adding these areas would have made the areas less homogenous and more varied, MAKING the player appreciate the city.

Exactly. But they didn't even bother with obtaining license for many of the iconic skyscrapers (or at least doing some kind of video-game version of them) so no wonder they didn't put any effort into the 'ground level' stuff. People call Ubisoft lazy but just look at their version of London City. It's so good.

 

[YCoCg]

Hey at least Queens and Bk was in there. The Bronx was non existent as always

*Staten Island bros are typing...*

 

[Mr.Phoenix]

yes I totally agree OP. Web swinging guy in tights is swinging around in a fake New York.

 

[Kerotan]

Being from queens, it was bizarre to see flushing in there but without any of the flushing area landmarks.

I'm just a boy from queen's...ok Spiderman.

 

[The Cockatrice]

Watch Dogs version of London (city) is amazing with all the key landmarks and geography kept.

One is a garbage game and the other is an amazing game. No one gives a shit about full 100% accuracy when driving around cities and killing/beating bad guys.

 

[DenchDeckard]

You in NYC

100%!

 

[MidGenRefresh]

One is a garbage game and the other is an amazing game. No one gives a shit about full 100% accuracy when driving around cities and killing/beating bad guys.

Is the topic of this thread the game quality? No. I didn't brought up Watch Dogs Legion because of amazing gameplay but because their version of London City is faithful and accurate. This is how you should do a virtual city.

 

[Three]

Is the topic of this thread the game quality? No. I didn't brought up Watch Dogs Legion because of amazing gameplay but because their version of London City is faithful and accurate. This is how you should do a virtual city.

London isn't accurate in Watchdogs either. It has areas near landmarks done well but that's as far as it goes. The same is true of SM.

 

[Panajev2001a]

London isn't accurate in Watchdogs either. It has areas near landmarks done well but that's as far as it goes. The same is true of SM.

I think that between the bugs thread and this, there is some interest in puddlegate 2.0 or storm in a teacup kind of things…

 

[MidGenRefresh]

London isn't accurate in Watchdogs either. It has areas near landmarks done well but that's as far as it goes. The same is true of SM.

Yeah sure, I wonder who to believe: you (a random nobody) or a London Taxi cab driver and myself, who lived there. Yeah, I'll go with the latter.

Name a game that does a better job at representing a real life location and we can start a discussion.

 

[The Cockatrice]

Is the topic of this thread the game quality? No. I didn't brought up Watch Dogs Legion because of amazing gameplay but because their version of London City is faithful and accurate. This is how you should do a virtual city.

No it shouldnt. People play games to escape reality, not be reminded by it. There is no need for accuracy in cities.

 

[Three]

Yeah sure, I wonder who to believe: you (a random nobody) or a London Taxi cab driver and myself, who lived there. Yeah, I'll go with the latter.

Name a game that does a better job at representing a real life location and we can start a discussion.

I live in London. Believe whoever you want but even your own posted video makes it clear it isn't accurate.

 

[Skifi28]

That's an interesting problem to have. What I don't know can't hurt me, thank god no games takes place in my city.