A new portion of details about the behavior of NPCs in GTA 6 appeared after a closed preview show, where journalists and content creators were allowed to play a build of the game.
The information was shared by blogger MikeShowSha after a conversation with Rob Nelson, Vice President of Development at Rockstar Games.
The Grand Theft Auto series has long built the feeling of a living open world precisely on the reactions of passers-by, and in the new part this layer has been noticeably expanded. It has been confirmed that the behavior of NPCs is responsible for a significantly larger set of animations, thanks to which the characters look and act differently.
One of the main details concerns the reaction to the weapon. Passers-by behave differently depending on how visibly armed the player is – some run away in panic, while others try to get close and disarm. A similar moment was already seen in the extended gameplay video, where an NPC rushed at Lucia during a robbery.
Items from defeated enemies can now be picked up. During the session, there was a fight with two NPCs, and one of them dropped his hat and glasses, after which Jason picked up the items from the ground and put them on. This mechanic is useful for quickly changing your appearance when trying to break away from the police.
The police are also no longer the same type. One of the cops, noticeably heavier, tried to catch up with Jason on foot, but quickly fell behind. The officer was “doubled over, exhausted and out of breath.”
The spectacular police car crashes from the extended gameplay reveal were not staged. At the preview, Rob Nelson shot at patrol cars, and each time the vehicle reacted differently. The developer reproduced an accident similar to the one in the video right during the demonstration.
Robberies have branched out. In an ordinary store, the cashier, at gunpoint, admitted that there was a safe in the back room, after which the player had a choice – to take a risk for a big jackpot or leave with the cash he had already obtained.
In the open world, Mike stumbles upon a random crime event. Two masked women got stuck trying to rob a jewelry store and asked Jason and Lucia for help. The player can help them and then take the jewelry for themselves.
We haven’t encountered this situation ourselves in months during our own testing.
The clothing of passers-by depends on the area. Near the gyms, Mike noticed NPCs in sportswear, while in Jason’s area, the characters wore regular casual clothes.
