In-Game Addresses and Why They Are Not Just For Decoration

[GeneticallySuperior 43]

This is going to be a strange post for some...amongst the many forums that are discussing more interesting topics like car customization, story mission possibilities, and what players will be able to spend their millions on, here I am bringing up a bland topic like addresses.

When I watch the GTA V trailers I watch them several times. I watch them over and over again in real time, finally slowing it down frame by frame, examining them like a series of still screenshots. Recently, I was going through the latest series of trailers and while watching Trevor's, there was a few details that jumped out at me:

Notice the very large, visible address to the left there. Here's another one, again taken from Trevor's trailer:

Even from a distance, the numbers of the address are very visible, noticeable from a few dozen (in-game) yards away. Remember the very first GTA V trailer and all of the different conspiracies that stemmed from it? I'm sure everybody remembers this scene:

Remember how we all thought that the '2405' was going to be the release date? That it matched the exact release date for the album 'Ogden's Nut Gone Flake' by the Small Faces? How it's also (supposedly) Sam Houser's birthday?

Including myself, I didn't think twice about the addresses having any kind of in-game significance. They were just cool details Rockstar included to make the game more realistic and believable. Well, one of the screenshots that Rockstar released May 2nd included this picture here:

Again, this is the same picture, but zoomed in on a very interesting area:

Notice where I made the marks. If you look to the right of Michael's head, you'll notice that it is a bird's eye perspective of a street, most likely the street where the jewelery store is located.

To the top left is the name of the website that provided the bird's eye map. The screenshot only shows half of it, but the first part of the name is "Eye...".

A little below that is what can only be the search engine.

Now, the words within the search engine are very grainy and can only be guessed upon. The top part looks like "Los..." something, could be Los Santos. The second part, well I can only make out the first letter being a 'v' or a 'w'. Not too sure, but I have a theory of what it says...

This screen is from Michael's Trailer:

Notice the name? Here it is again, zoomed in:

That says "Vang Elico" which is, of course, a jewelery store.

Onto my point. GTA V will be such a sophisticated, in-depth game, that every building, every house, every convenient store, restaurant, bar, theater...etc. will have their own unique and individual address.

I know what you're thinking. Big deal, so what, they have addresses...and?

Well, not only addresses be unique and individual, but players will be able to use their iFruit phones, or in-game laptops, to search for individual addresses. Consider this quote, taken from the article by computerandvideogames.com:

"Although Rockstar didn't want to go into too much detail, there were a total of nine apps on your cellphone display: camera, internet, contacts, social media, a calendar, and an option to go back and replay individual missions. That leaves three others it wasn't prepared to talk about. Well, actually, in truth it wasn't prepared to talk much about the other six either, but while camera, internet, contacts and social media all seem relatively self-explanatory, as does the replay mission option, why would you need a calendar? Our take: if you're planning super-dangerous, super-detailed heists, you're going to need to do prep work. We reckon the calendar will be used as part of the planning process, for reminders about meetings, addresses and times."

If the internet is at the player's fingertips, why wouldn't we have the option of using GTA V's version of 'google maps'?

Last, but not least, let's put this into perspective using an in-game example. I'm going to share my opinion of how this system of addresses will work.

Relying on this theory, if each building has an individual address, player's will be able to do a search over the in-game internet and obtain more information about the address in question. For instance, if players search for the Vang Elico Jewelery store, players can get photos of the place, maybe the name of the store manager, what type of security system it uses, etc. I can imagine players getting a contract to kill a target, but players are just given a name, so players will have to do an in-game internet search, etc. etc.

Maybe the locations of some story missions aren't as straight-forward? Perhaps an address, every now and again, will be up to the player to acquire.

Then again, maybe it's just for decoration...

[TuomaZ 41]

I love your big posts.

[Rayge 689]

I can imagine players getting a contract to kill a target, but players are just given a name, so players will have to do an in-game internet search, etc. etc.

That would be really cool, and would add a new challenge.

[GeneticallySuperior 43]

I love your big posts.

Thanks. I'm long winded. I also speculate on various features of this game and most of it would sound completely illogical unless I supported my theories with evidence. That's why these posts are so long, most of the time. Thanks for reading and considering them by the way.

[Ku Zi Mu 1194]

*facepalm*

Somebody give this guy the FML award already!

[DozyGamer 445]

I think you're on to something here.. The "eye" to the left of Michael's head is from the eyefind.info search engine from GTA IV. It was sort of like the GTA equivalent of Google.

I think the "Los Santos" or whatever part below might be an address and under the address is the name of the jewelry store. The name of the jewelry store is also in blue font so it could link you the store's website.

I looking up an address to a place in the game can provide you with tons of information and maybe even blueprints for planning the heists.

Good find GS you've got some pretty good insights.

[TreeFitty 2631]

The street addresses are obviously release dates for future GTA titles.

I don't think we'll get floorplans from the in-game internet but a website, info, directions, etc I see likely.

[GunSmith 2452]

Exterior security cameras, potential entrances/exits, proximity to police stations, etc. may be useful information obtainable from EyeFind.

ALSO: This means that each street will be named, as in GTA IV.

[KingOfLosSantos 52]

If you want to search for a man/women you ise the police computer (its in a police car).

[calimann83 125]

I was prepared to blow you off at first, but you make a compelling argument. I suppose something like this is possible. Maybe one of the planning stages is gaining intel. You can choose how you are going to do it, take photos, stake out places and look up areal photos on the internet. perhaps what we choose to do or not do will effect the actual outcome.

[Brian 972]

Finally, one new member who actually contributes usefully. Welcome to the forums, pal.

[BeetnikBriyan 29]

I'm looking forward to this side of GTA V. Street addresses, Zip Codes, Area Codes (the apartment that says "Se Renta" has the real LA 323 area code).This really beats the GPS system on IV by a long shot.

It would be cool if they had a parody of the Google car that takes pics and you can stick the middle finger at it and see yourself on the in-game version of Google Maps. Or just steal the car and take the pics yourself

[TwoFacedTanner 278]

I was prepared to blow you off at first, but you make a compelling argument. I suppose something like this is possible. Maybe one of the planning stages is gaining intel. You can choose how you are going to do it, take photos, stake out places and look up areal photos on the internet. perhaps what we choose to do or not do will effect the actual outcome.

[Googlefluff 34]

I like this concept. Makes things more realistic and detailed.

[GeneticallySuperior 43]

I think you're on to something here.. The "eye" to the left of Michael's head is from the eyefind.info search engine from GTA IV. It was sort of like the GTA equivalent of Google.

I think the "Los Santos" or whatever part below might be an address and under the address is the name of the jewelry store. The name of the jewelry store is also in blue font so it could link you the store's website.

I looking up an address to a place in the game can provide you with tons of information and maybe even blueprints for planning the heists.

Good find GS you've got some pretty good insights.

YESSSSS! Eyefind...that's excellent. Great, great, great find! Gunsmith mentioned that each street will be given a name, similar to GTA IV, which will HAVE to be included for GTA V. Dozygamer also noted the blueprints, which slipped my mind altogether. I'm not sure how players will be able to acquire blueprints. Will they be available within the in-game internet? Or will it be a physical location? If I had a beard, I would be stroking it inquisitively...

However, Gunsmith makes a very good point. Knowing how far away police stations are...or finding a good alley way to stash a getaway vehicle...etc. The more and more I think of the planning periods before these heists, the more I'm starting to think players will have a lot of flexibility with performing these jobs. I mean, Rockstar gives us the ultimate sandbox, they give us the freedom to do whatever we want to do, but the only aspect of GTA games that lacks freedom is the story related missions. I mean, sure, you can choose which blip you want to visit first, but when we are assigned to missions, they become as linear as a first person shooter. Maybe, just maybe, GTA V will be different in that respect.

Thanks everybody for seriously considering my rants...makes my soul smile...

I was prepared to blow you off at first, but you make a compelling argument. I suppose something like this is possible. Maybe one of the planning stages is gaining intel. You can choose how you are going to do it, take photos, stake out places and look up areal photos on the internet. perhaps what we choose to do or not do will effect the actual outcome.

DUUUUUUUUUUDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's so freakin' awesome...SO, SO AWESOME!!!

[beatnicpie 825]

Welcome to the forums, boss.

[Usha 21]

Well, as soon as I get into a police car I'm going to check if Carl Johnson ever existed. Including Trevor, Michael and Franklin's offences. Man, Trevor's criminal history would be long.

[eZnov 13]

WOW. Goddam you got me thinking. Addresses would be such a usefull addition, and not to mention interesting. You are on to it son. I thouroughly enjoy reading your posts, keep it up man. Awesome