Rockstar Games just posted a behind-the-scenes look at their research into the world of Sao Paulo for the upcoming shooter Max Payne 3. It’s a study of both the sunny side and seedy underbelly of Brazil’s largest city. If you’re counting down the days until Max’s release in March, there’s no better way to pass the time.
It’s not a bad life, working for Rockstar. According to the post, their developers took numerous trips to Brazil for the purposes of researching the game, visiting areas both gritty and glamorous. You can see how their tour of densely packed hillside favelas (read: shanty towns) influenced a moment of the game.
Rockstar also plugs the Unidade de Forcas Espciais, a fictional special forces unit set to appear in Max Payne 3. They name check the movies Elite Squad and Favela Rising as inspiration, as well as the real-life Brazilian special forces GARRA, which stands for Robbery and Assault Repression when translated.
Above: A developer diary on the technology and design of Max Payne 3
While Rockstar has given several looks at Max Payne 3, including videos, and an interview with GamesRadar, this is the first mention of real-world research. There’s more to come, as Rockstar mentions in the post, “Over the coming weeks and months, we'll be offering a glimpse into just some of the behind-the-scenes research and production design done over the course of Max Payne 3's development, from information and asset-gathering trips down to São Paulo, to local casting for pedestrian types in all the game's levels, to extensive study of municipal law-enforcement wings, weaponry and much more.”
