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GTA III and Vice City get reverse engineered with a new game engine

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Want to revisit the classic GTA III and Vice City? You should take a look at re3 and reVC which not only provide the source code, they also upgrade the experience for both. Available on GitHub in a combine repository split across different branches for GTA III and Vice City, it has been tested by the team working across different systems including Linux.

Just like other game engine reimplementations, they do require the original data files so it needs a small amount of work to get each going. Considering the age of both though, the re3 and reVC projects are now probably the best way to play each of them on a PC.

Originally started in 2018, it seems the COVID-19 pandemic gave them a bunch of time to get it finished and out the door. They also mentioned their intention to work on the Liberty City Stories game which they've started in a reLCS project.

Amazing work from a dedicating community, which should enable these games to continue living on. They sit in a legal grey area though depending on what country you're in, as this type of reverse engineering is usually frowned upon, especially by the rights holders like Rockstar. The actual project has no license attached to it.

Check it out on GitHub.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. Find me on Mastodon.
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Linas Feb 17, 2021
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This one seems like a legal minefield.
vipor29 Feb 17, 2021
i think this might be ok because its not including any of the original data files plus its been around for a little bit.rockstar would of pulled the plug already on this.at least there not nintendo who has a fit on anything.
mrdeathjr Feb 17, 2021
recommended topic for improve graphics

https://github.com/GTAmodding/re3/issues/1086

with revc now stay testing revc with around 28 models replaced (dwheels used - imgtool)

more xbox maps + ps2 water



back to re3 now testing around 13 models in re3 and skin model work





wvstolzing Feb 17, 2021
It requires libglfw3 3.3 min.; while Debian (which I'm currently using, after random nvidia-related f*ckups with Arch that I got fed up with) still has 3.2.1 as of now. I'm too lazy to build glfw3 from source, but I'm really curious as to how this works -- especially the VC port.

Another challenge, of course, is to muster enough energy to get up & pick the GTA CDs from the shelf, copy the contents, etc.
wvstolzing Feb 17, 2021
Quoting: HoriIt'd be nice if we could use it straight from Steam as a compatibility layer (like Proton).
I think OpenMW can be used this way for Morrowind, IF i'm not mistaken (which I might be)

Not to say it'd be great to have one for San Andreas. The Steam version is pretty buggy unfortunately, so a new engine would be most welcome and probably even better than the retail version.

Brings back memories of trying to play San Andreas at roughly 15fps on my sub-par PC back in 2006.
mrdeathjr Feb 17, 2021
and now skin works in reVC (no cleo support for now)



WorMzy Feb 17, 2021
I'm kinda curious what the 'RE' stands for. It's probably something obvious, but all I can think of is 'Resident Evil'...
recioalex Feb 17, 2021
Quoting: WorMzyI'm kinda curious what the 'RE' stands for. It's probably something obvious, but all I can think of is 'Resident Evil'...

Rockstar Engine?
Faalagorn Feb 17, 2021
I haven't tested them yet, but they are both available as Luxtorpeda packages: https://luxtorpeda-dev.github.io/packages.html
hardpenguin Feb 17, 2021
Quoting: FaalagornI haven't tested them yet, but they are both available as Luxtorpeda packages: https://luxtorpeda-dev.github.io/packages.html
Yup, that way I played through GTA3 on Steam just a week or two ago!
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