Building Grand Theft Auto 5 using ChatGPT?

Building Grand Theft Auto 5 using ChatGPT

Since childhood, I have been interested in playing video games. So I thought of asking ChatGPT to build GTA5 as a joke. Instead, I ended up learning about how companies like Rockstar Games manage to build such massive games.
What follows are answers to a series of ChatGPT prompts which have increased my knowledge and insights into how the process of building such massive games goes by and the intricate steps involved.

Before you proceed, let me be clear that this article covers an overview of steps in building such games, sort of on a project management level, and not coding the actual game itself.

So if you are interested in learning the steps then let’s get started…

The first thing I asked ChatGPT was about the overall process to build Grand Theft Auto 5 game in detail. And the answer with my own few personal footnotes in brackets was:-

Building a game as complex as Grand Theft Auto 5 (GTA 5) involves a large and highly skilled development team working together for several years. Here is a high-level overview of the process involved in building GTA 5:

1. Concept and Pre-Production: The first step in building a game is to come up with a concept and plan out the project. The development team, led by a game director, will brainstorm ideas, create a game design document, and conduct research to identify the target audience and competition. The team will also decide on the game engine to use and start building a prototype.
   (Game design document was something new to me, we will get into more detail in some time)
2. Production: Once the concept is finalized, the team moves into the production phase, where they start building the game in earnest. This involves creating 3D models for the game’s characters, vehicles, and environments, developing the game’s mechanics, and programming the game’s AI and physics systems.
3. Testing: As the game is being built, it undergoes extensive testing to identify and fix bugs, glitches, and other issues. The testing team also provides feedback on gameplay mechanics, difficulty, and balance.
4. Quality Assurance: After the game has been fully built and tested, it undergoes a final round of quality assurance to ensure that it is free from bugs and other issues.
5. Marketing: Once the game is complete, the development team will work with the publisher to create a marketing campaign to promote the game’s release. This includes creating trailers, social media posts, and other promotional materials.
6. Release: The game is released to the public, typically on multiple platforms. The development team continues to monitor the game for issues and releases updates as necessary.

The development of GTA 5 took approximately five years and involved hundreds of developers, artists, designers, and other professionals. It required a budget of over $265 million, making it one of the most expensive video games ever produced.

This was quite unexpectedly a modest answer which helped me in understanding a top-level overview of the game designing process.
Let’s deep dive into each step and understand the process in further detail.

Next, I asked ChatGPT about the concept and pre-production step for building Grand Theft Auto 5 in detail.

Explanation of the concept in more detail:-

1. Idea generation and concept development: The first step in the pre-production process was to come up with the basic idea for the game. The team likely brainstormed a variety of ideas and then evaluated them based on factors such as feasibility, marketability, and alignment with the company’s overall strategy.

2. Game design document: Once the team had settled on the basic idea for the game, they likely created a game design document (GDD). The GDD outlines the overall vision for the game and provides details on the story, characters, environments, gameplay mechanics, and other features. The GDD also serves as a reference document for the development team throughout the project, ensuring that everyone is working towards a common goal.
(So that's what the Game design document means…Here’s the link for GDD of an older Grand Theft Auto game:- Github)

3. Market research: To ensure that the game would appeal to the target audience and stand out in a crowded marketplace, the team likely conducted extensive market research. This may have included analyzing sales data for similar games, surveying potential customers, and conducting focus groups.

4. Technology selection: The team also had to decide on the technology to use for the game. This likely involved evaluating different game engines and development tools, as well as assessing the team’s skills and resources. In the case of GTA 5, the team used the RAGE engine, which was developed in-house at Rockstar Games.

(You can find more info about Rage Engine which was also used in the development of Red Dead Redemption here:- Wikipedia)

5. Prototype development: Once the team had a solid game design document and a plan for the technology to use, they likely began developing a prototype. The prototype would have provided a rough version of the game’s core mechanics and features, allowing the team to test out different ideas and make adjustments before committing to a full-scale development effort.

6. Budget and schedule: During the concept and pre-production phase, the team also had to create a budget and schedule for the game. This would have involved estimating the resources needed to complete the project, including personnel, equipment, and other costs, as well as identifying milestones and deadlines to ensure that the game would be completed on time and within budget.

Overall, the concept and pre-production phase of building GTA 5 likely involved a significant amount of planning, research, and evaluation, as well as collaboration across different departments and teams within Rockstar Games. This phase set the stage for the development of the game and helped ensure that it would be a success when it was eventually released to the public.

Next, we deep dive into the production step for building Grand Theft Auto 5 in detail

1. Pre-production review: Before the production phase officially begins, the development team reviews the game design document and the prototype to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that the game meets the desired specifications.
2. Art and asset creation: The art and asset creation team begins creating the game's assets, including characters, vehicles, buildings, and environments. This involves using software such as 3D modeling and animation tools to create high-quality, realistic assets.
3. Programming and development: The programming and development team begins building the game's core mechanics and features, such as driving and shooting mechanics, character animations, and AI behaviour. This involves using programming languages such as C++ and scripting languages such as Lua.
4. Audio production: The audio production team creates the game's sound effects, voiceovers, and music. This involves recording and editing audio using software such as Pro Tools or Logic Pro.
5. Level design: The level design team creates the game's levels, including the open-world environment and individual missions. This involves placing assets and creating scripted events to create a cohesive and engaging player experience.
6. Quality assurance: As development progresses, the game is tested extensively by the quality assurance team to identify and fix bugs and other issues. The team also provides feedback on gameplay mechanics, difficulty, and balance.
7. Iteration: As issues are identified during testing and feedback is received, the development team makes changes and improvements to the game. This involves iterating on game mechanics, adjusting level design, and improving the visuals and audio.
8. Optimization: As the game nears completion, the development team works on optimizing the game's performance and reducing load times. This involves tweaking graphics settings and implementing techniques such as level of detail (LOD) systems.
9. Final testing and bug fixing: The game undergoes a final round of testing to ensure that it is free from bugs and other issues. The development team fixes any remaining issues and ensures that the game is polished and ready for release.

Overall, the production phase of building GTA 5 involves a large and highly skilled development team working together to create a complex and engaging game experience. The team uses a variety of tools and techniques to create the game's assets, mechanics, and environments, and they work together to ensure that the final product meets the desired specifications and is ready for release.

The software developer in me couldn’t resist about coding involved in the game so I went off script and asked ChatGPT about the fastest and easiest way to build a basic prototype of Grand Theft Auto 5 using the latest freely available technologies and tools.

And here was its response:-

Building a basic prototype of Grand Theft Auto 5 (GTA 5) would require a significant amount of resources and expertise. However, I can suggest some technologies and tools that you can use to create a basic prototype:

1. Game engine: Unreal Engine 4 is a popular game engine that is available for free and offers a wide range of features and tools. It provides a robust framework for creating open-world games and offers support for high-quality graphics, physics, and AI. (Since ChatGPT was trained on data till 2021 and Unreal Engine 5 was released later, version 4 was suggested in the above step. Unreal Engine 5 would be a better choice I guess).
2. 3D modeling: Blender is a powerful 3D modeling tool that is available for free. It offers a range of modeling, sculpting, and animation tools, making it a good choice for creating basic assets for your prototype.
3. Programming language: C++ is a commonly used programming language for game development and is supported by Unreal Engine 4. It offers a wide range of libraries and tools for game development and is a good choice for creating game logic and mechanics.
4. Sound and music: Audacity is a free, open-source audio editing tool that can be used to create and edit sound effects and music for your prototype.
5. Asset store: There are a number of asset stores available online that offer a range of pre-made assets that you can use in your prototype, such as the Unreal Engine Marketplace.

To create a basic prototype of GTA 5 using these technologies and tools, you would need to start by creating a basic open-world environment using Unreal Engine 5. This would involve creating terrain, buildings, and other assets using Blender and importing them into the game engine. You would then need to program basic mechanics such as driving and shooting, as well as create basic AI behaviour using C++. You could use Audacity to create sound effects and music for your prototype, and you could also use pre-made assets from the Unreal Engine Marketplace to speed up development.

Keep in mind that creating a basic prototype of GTA 5 using these technologies and tools would still require a significant amount of time and expertise. However, using these tools can help you create a functional prototype that demonstrates the basic mechanics and features of the game.

Coming back to the original steps next, I asked about the testing phase in building Grand Theft Auto 5 in detail.

This involves:-

1. Alpha testing: The alpha testing phase is the first stage of testing and involves testing the game internally within the development team. This involves testing the game's basic functionality, mechanics, and features to identify and fix any major issues or bugs.
2. Beta testing: The beta testing phase involves releasing a test version of the game to a limited number of external testers. This allows the development team to gather feedback on the game's mechanics, difficulty, and overall player experience. Beta testing can also help to identify and fix any additional bugs or issues that were not identified during the alpha testing phase.
3. Quality assurance (QA) testing: The QA testing phase involves testing the game extensively to ensure that it is free from bugs and other issues. This involves testing the game on a variety of hardware and software configurations and performing a range of tests to identify any issues or bugs that could affect gameplay or performance.
4. User acceptance testing (UAT): The UAT phase involves testing the game with a group of end-users to ensure that it meets their needs and expectations. This involves gathering feedback on the game's user interface, gameplay, and overall experience, and making any necessary changes or improvements based on this feedback.
5. Compliance testing: Compliance testing involves ensuring that the game meets any legal or regulatory requirements, such as those related to content ratings, accessibility, and data protection.
6. Localization testing: Localization testing involves testing the game's content and user interface in different languages and cultures to ensure that it is accessible and understandable for players around the world.

Overall, the testing phase of building GTA 5 involves a significant amount of time and resources to ensure that the game is free from bugs and other issues and that it provides an engaging and satisfying player experience. The development team uses a range of testing methods and techniques to identify and fix issues, and to gather feedback from players to improve the game's overall quality.

Deep diving into the Quality Assurance phase of building Grand Theft Auto 5 in detail

1. Test Planning: In this phase, the QA team creates a detailed plan for testing the game. The plan includes the scope of testing, the testing schedule, the testing methodology, and the resources required for testing.
2. Test Design: The QA team designs test cases that cover all the different aspects of the game, including gameplay, graphics, sound, and user interface. They also create test scripts that automate some of the testing process.
3. Test Execution: The QA team executes the test cases and scripts to identify bugs, glitches, and other issues in the game. They also perform regression testing to ensure that fixes to previously identified issues did not introduce any new problems.
4. Bug Reporting: The QA team reports all the issues they find to the development team, including a detailed description of the problem, steps to reproduce the issue, and the severity of the issue.
5. Bug Tracking: The development team uses a bug-tracking tool to keep track of all the issues reported by the QA team. They assign each issue to a developer who is responsible for fixing the issue.
6. Bug Fixing: The developers fix the issues reported by the QA team and update the bug tracking tool with the status of each issue.
7. Retesting: The QA team retests the game after the developers fix the reported issues to ensure that the issues have been resolved and that the fixes did not introduce any new problems.
8. Release: Once the QA team and the development team are satisfied with the game's quality, it is released to the public.

The QA phase is critical to the success of the game, as it helps ensure that the game is free from bugs and other issues that could negatively impact the player experience. The QA team works closely with the development team to identify and fix issues, and they use a range of testing techniques and tools to ensure that the game meets the highest standards of quality.

Next, we deep dive into Marketing Phase in building Grand Theft Auto 5 in detail

1. Market Research: The marketing team conducts extensive market research to identify the target audience for the game, their preferences, and the trends in the gaming industry.
2. Branding: The marketing team works with the game's developers to create a brand identity for the game, including its name, logo, and overall aesthetic.
3. Trailer and Teaser Campaign: The marketing team creates a trailer and teaser campaign to generate buzz and excitement for the game. This involves creating short videos that showcase the game’s graphics, gameplay mechanics, and storyline, and releasing them on social media and other platforms. (This brought up all those memories of watching teasers and trailers of different games on YouTube. BTW here’s a link to the official GTA 5 trailer released a long time ago:- YouTube)
4. Public Relations: The marketing team coordinates with the game's developers to generate press coverage and media attention for the game. This involves hosting press events, conducting interviews with journalists, and creating press releases and other materials to promote the game.
5. Advertising Campaign: The marketing team creates an advertising campaign for the game, which includes creating ads for online, print, and TV media. The ads highlight the game's features and appeal to the target audience.
6. Social Media Campaign: The marketing team creates a social media campaign to engage with fans and build a community around the game. This involves creating social media accounts for the game and posting regular updates, behind-the-scenes content, and other materials to keep fans interested and excited.
7. Influencer and Partner Campaign: The marketing team works with influencers and partners to promote the game. This involves partnering with popular streamers and gaming influencers to play the game on their channels and create content around the game, as well as partnering with brands and other companies to create co-branded promotions and events.
8. Pre-Order Campaign: The marketing team creates a pre-order campaign to encourage players to pre-order the game. This involves offering exclusive content or discounts to players who pre-order the game, as well as creating a sense of urgency and excitement around the game's release.

The marketing phase is critical to the success of the game, as it helps build anticipation and awareness for the game among its target audience. The marketing team works closely with the game's developers to create a compelling brand identity and messaging strategy that resonates with players, and they use a range of marketing techniques and tools to promote the game across a variety of channels and platforms.

Last but not least let’s deep dive into the Release phase of building Grand Theft Auto 5 in detail

1. Gold Master: The Gold Master is the final version of the game that is sent to the manufacturing plant for mass production. In this phase, the development team ensures that the game is bug-free and ready for release. ( I learnt about Gold Master for the first time today)
2. Manufacturing and Distribution: Once the Gold Master is created, the manufacturing process begins. The game is copied onto discs, packaged, and shipped to retailers around the world.
3. Day One Patch: Before the official release, the development team may release a Day One patch, which is a software update that fixes any last-minute issues or bugs discovered after the Gold Master was created.
4. Launch Event: The game's release is often accompanied by a launch event, where fans can gather to celebrate the game's release and participate in promotional activities. The developers and publishers may also use this event to conduct interviews with the press and meet with fans.
5. Sales and Reviews: After the game’s release, the publishers and developers closely monitor sales and reviews of the game to evaluate its success. The game’s success can be measured in terms of units sold, revenue generated, and critical reception. (As of February 2023, Grand Theft Auto 5 has sold over 175 million units worldwide and according to Take-Two accountants, GTA 5 has generated nearly $7.7 billion since its 2013 release)
6. Post-Launch Support: The development team continues to provide support for the game after its release, including addressing any bugs or issues that may arise, releasing new content, and engaging with the game's community.

The release phase is critical to the success of the game, as it marks the culmination of years of hard work by the development team and represents the moment when the game is finally made available to the public. The release phase involves a range of activities, including manufacturing and distribution, launch events, and post-launch support, all of which are designed to ensure that the game is well-received by its target audience and achieves the sales and critical success it deserves.

Well, I think that’s quite an enormous amount of information derived from just 5 minutes of prompt added to ChatGPT.

Will I actually start coding GTA5 using ChatGPT one day?

Well, I honestly don’t know…Depends on what more I can learn about it from ChatGPT about it and if I would be crazy enough to actually do it. Till then this is Saurabh Native signing off…See you all in the next article…

Have a nice day ahead 😁