Grand Theft Auto 4 is an important game for Rockstar, not least because it was the first title in the franchise to use the newly created RAGE engine.
Liberty City is one of the most iconic settings in Grand Theft Auto, as it is the sandbox in which Grand Theft Auto 3 catapulted the franchise into global popularity. Rockstar Games returned to the scummy city in Grand Theft Auto 4, a title that garnered a mixed reaction from fans at launch. Though its themes and gameplay may not have resonated with the entire fan base then, Grand Theft Auto 4 would go on to become a landmark title, thanks in part to its use of the RAGE engine.
As one of the first titles to use RAGE, the now 15-year-old GTA 4 showcased just what can be done with the powerful engine. Ragdoll physics made causing mayhem even more fun while adding much-needed realism to the gameplay. It isn’t the last gamers have seen of RAGE, though GTA 4 will always be the title that first revealed its potential.
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Grand Theft Auto 3 was developed using Renderware, which is an engine first released in 1993. It was developed by Criterion Software, and it was used to develop games for PC as well as consoles such as the PlayStation, Dreamcast, and GameCube. The engine was powerful and easy to use, which made it ideal for GTA: Vice City and GTA: San Andreas as well. Rockstar wasn’t satisfied with using a third-party engine, and the anxiety got worse when Electronic Arts purchased Criterion Games. Efforts to create an in-house game engine began through the newly formed RAGE Technology Group division of Rockstar San Diego. The work culminated in the creation of RAGE – Rockstar Advanced Game Engine.
The first game to use RAGE was Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis. The game came out of the blue, as it was nothing like prior titles from the studio. It wouldn’t be wrong to describe it as a tech demo, and it did help developers get familiar with the new engine.
