Well, i guess These are a list of things that we know so far, and im looking forward to this game just as much as everyone else ^_^
Main Details
"It's the third part in a loosely held together trilogy that started in 2001, that went to the mid '80s and has now come to the early '90s," said Dan Houser.
Three cities to roam beginning with "Los Santos" (Los Angeles), then going to "San Fierro" (San Francisco) and ending up at "Las Venturra" (Las Vegas). Countryside is inbetween each city. Los Santos will appear on the bottom-right side of the map.
The game's story has tripled in length as well as the number of music tracks when compared to Vice City.
Setting is the Early 1990s.
There will be no multiplayer.
Your character's name is "Carl Johnson."
"The entire game area is approximately four to six times as large as the entirety of either of the previous entries in the series," said Dan Houser.
You will be able to swim, but it won't be a major part of the game. You can climb out of your car window if you drive into water.
Abilities to control hairstyle, physique, weight, driving skills, clothes, possessions, weapon skills, character (how you act) and relationships.
About 16,000 unique objects and buildings will be included.
Four-person drive-by shootings are possible.
A new "stamina meter" gives you an indication of how much Carl needs to eat and exercise. You can get fat.
BMX Bicycles will be present. To pedal a bike, repeatedly tap (X). To bounce your car, use the right analog stick. You can also perform wheelies.
The auto-target system has been improved in that targets are green (healthy), yellow (below average health) and red (near death).
If you get stuck in the game, the game will adjust itself to make it easier. It will not be noticably easier, though.
More diverse missions will be present.
You can now get a haircut. It won't be something just to do for fun. Some missions require it. People will treat you by the way you dress and look.
Some cops now ride on motorcycles are very reminiscent of the California Highway Patrol (CHiPs). They can hold on to the back of your car to try to catch you.
You have the ability to run a casino "which you will have bought and built," said Dan Houser.
You can rob houses, but they must be well-planned or you will not succeed.
Mountains and rivers are present in the countryside, including one huge mountain. Desert is also in the game.
Tech Stuff
Expect "real-time reflections on cars, windows, floors, and mirrors, as well as new techniques like radial lighting, which allows for more realistic shadowing, and soft-shadow lighting for interior levels," said Game Informer.
35%-50% Increased Polygon Count over Vice City.
"Impact animation," also known as ragdoll physics, will be included.
Compared to Vice City, draw distance has doubled in urban areas and is four times as far as in rural areas.
The game is so big that it needs a dual-layer DVD.
Everything in the game now has independent models for day and night to give better lighting and shadowing.
The only loading times in GTA:SA are slight pauses when entering buildings.
Due to the improved engine, more pedestrians and vehicles can be on the screen at the same time.
Enhanced A.I. where every character has a "brain."
There will be less pop-up of distant objects. Houses can be seen from far away.
Groups of trees will be rendered as a group from distance. If you get closer, they'll be rendered seperately. Because of this, a bigger draw distance is possible.
For the PlayStation 2 version, the goal of the programmers is to achieve a constant frame rate of 30 frames per second. But, in extreme situations when there are lots of cars and pedestrians on the screen, the Official PlayStation 2 Magazine (Germany) says that the game still has some slowdown issues.
Confirmed Gangs
The Ballas
The Flats
Confirmed Vehicles
BMX Bicycle
Linerunner
Quad bike (cannot be used in the city)
Tractor
Manana
Greenwood
Police Maverick
Esperanto
Police Motorcycle
Sentinel
Confirmed Weapons
Fists
Colt 45
Ingram Mac 10
Chrome Shotgun
AK-47
Known San Andreas Establishments
The Well-Stacked Pizza Place
St. Brutus Motel (Los Santos)
Tuff Nut Donuts
MAMA'S
"Reece's Hair Facial Studio" is one of the barbershops. The barber's name is "Old Reece."
Characters Returning from Previous GTA games
Don Salvatore Leone (GTA III mob boss)
Tommy Vercetti (GTA 3 & Vice City Star Character) - Unconfirmed
Voice Actors Not Returning from Previous GTA games
Dennis Hopper (Steve Scott in Vice City)
Danny Trejo (Umberto Robina in Vice City)
Miscellaneous Details
Tumbleweed is present in the desert.
For the game's opening, you arrive from Liberty City at the airport where Frank Tenpenny and Eddie Polaski (two corrupt cops) pick you up. Instead of taking you home, they drop you off in a rival gang territory where you must get the BMX bike and get away.
The average pedestrian will have six times the amount of dialog as compared to Vice City.
"Car-jacking has an even more sinister and threatening vibe than before," said Game Informer.
LSPD (Los Santos Police Department) helicopters are present and look like the Maverick helicopter from Vice City.
Cars can accumulate dirt.
Police helicopters can aim their blades near the ground to stop your car or cut you up.
"Menace" is a mission name (from "Menace II Society). Other mission names include "Drive-By" and "Reuniting the Families."
The textures will be photographed ones as well as self-drawn ones.
"Vinewood" is the GTA name for "Hollywood" on the Hollywood sign.
Smog is present in Los Santos.
The camera will automatically zoom behind CJ at the press of a button. Then you can aim freely with the analog stick. But as an alternative to that, there will also be the aiming-aid.
Some parts of missions will take place in the countryside outside of the three cities.
If you get too fat, those that give you missions have the ability to tell you to get in better shape before starting a certain mission.