Proto:Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

This page details one or more prototype versions of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.

A PAL prototype build of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City for the PlayStation 2 was shared anonymously on GTA Forums on February 1, 2025, with a compilation date of October 1, 2002 (albeit with some files dated as early as September 26, 2002). Despite the fact that this build is only five days before the earliest final build, there are a surprising number of changes, most likely due to the extremely short development of Vice City.

  This prototype is documented on Hidden Palace.

To do: Some stuff left (see talk page); Different cutscene angles. Early timecycle. Minor gameplay changes and bugs: no "Cinematic Camera" textbox, when turning on one, using L2+R2 on helicopters result in weird "top-down" camera. Localization, Spanish translation has at least a few different vehicle/mission names.

Sub-Pages

Debug Menu Stuff that makes Vice City more trippy...

Vehicles With earlier Top Fun livery.

Characters Sam...or Dan?!

Textures Surprisingly high-res.

General

• A watermark is on screen at all times in the top left corner, reading "Wed-02X10X2002".
• Pause menu always displays a build date:

Compile Date: Oct  1 2002
Compile Time: 22:34:23
Wed-02X10X2002

.

• Unlike the final game, pressing L1+L2+R1+R2 on the Rockstar logo doesn't skip you straight to the load screen.
• Tommy's idle animations don't work properly when holding two handed weapons, much like in the PC version.
• Bouncers inside the Malibu club do no damage.
• Ammu-nation clerks are unarmed.
• A single change was made to PARTICLE.CFG, the initial intensity value for for ENGINE_STEAM was changed from 16 to 12.
• The "Play as Ricardo Diaz" cheat (L1, L2, R1, R2, Down, L1, R2, L2) doesn't seem to work.

Intro

• The C64 inspired Rockstar North logo sequence included a system date on it, June 22nd, 1986. Otherwise, it is identical to the final version.

Proto	Final

• The intro FMV had a slightly different mix of the main theme, in uncompressed PCM audio. For the video itself, the "Vehicle Designers" slide uses a different shot of Tommy in front of the El Swanko Casa safehouse instead of him and Mercedes driving by on a bike. The game logo at the end also has a white drop shadow instead of blue.

Proto	Final

HUD

The Boatyard, Malibu Club and Cubans HUD icons had their background color changed from white to blue, and the Printworks icon originally had no background or outline at all, making it quite difficult to see on the map.

Proto	Final

Proto	Final

Proto	Final

Proto	Final

Audio

• An early version of Lex Horton's Vice City theme is used during the intro cutscene, featuring some missing instruments as well as a synth swell during the opening buildup that didn't make it to retail.

Radio

• The files for Flash FM and Fever 105 are different in some way, but no audible differences can be observed.
• K-Chat is otherwise identical, but this short ~20 second segment is missing from this build.

Cutscenes

• "Broken Wings" was louder in the mix for the intro cutscene.

Proto	Final

• The very beginning of Phnom Penh '86 had some extra ambience that was edited out, suggesting the cutscene might have at one point started with a brief outdoor shot. If you listen closely, you can actually hear the cut in the final audio, while the prototype audio has a smoother transition into Diaz's rant. Otherwise, the rest of the audio is identical

Proto	Final

• The mixing in the opening cutscene for Alloy Wheels of Steel was slightly different, most noticeable being the bike at the very beginning being louder in the final game.

Proto	Final

• The end credits theme is slightly shorter, fading out exactly 6 seconds earlier than in the final game.

SFX

• SFX0.RAW is missing three sounds; the Degenatron arcade machine and two Dodo sfx.
• SFX1.RAW has 311 changed files, all of them being the various lines Tommy says during gameplay. The main difference seems to be that the final lines are slightly louder, and some files contain minor edits to the start/end of the sound. Below is an example of one of these lines, prototype on top.

Text

• One line from Phil's phone call after Boomshine Saigon used an earlier subtitle.

ID	Proto	Final
MOB_36C	Anyway the wound is healing well, and it means I'll no longer be defrauding the government on my disability check. Thanks, pal.	Anyway the wound is healing well, and it means I'll no longer be defrauding the government on my disability check.

• The post-game phone call with Colonel Cortez has several early subtitles, highlighted below.

ID	Proto	Final
MOB_21A	Tommy, it is Cortez. Que pasa?	Tommy, Thomas, it's Cortez. Que pasa?
MOB_21B	Things are interesting. How are you?	Things are interesting. How are you, my friend?
MOB_21C	Tommy, it is always a struggle here. Excuse the poor line, we have just had another failed coup.	Tommy, it is always a struggle here. Excuse the poor line, we have just had another failed coup.
MOB_21D	The people are the most demanding mistress of all.	The people are the most demanding mistress of all.
MOB_21E	So far, we have had three revolutions and four coups since I return from Vice City.	So far, we have had three revolutions and four coups since I return from Vice City.
MOB_21F	Luckily, I have been promoted each time.	Luckily, I have been promoted each time.
MOB_21G	Now, I am a general. Anyway, Tommy, I wanted to ask you about Mercedes.	I wanted to ask you about Mercedes.
MOB_21H	Yeah? What about her?	Ok, what about her?
MOB_21I	Oh Tommy, I hear all these stories and I don't know what to think.	Oh Tommy, Tommy. I, I hear these stories, all these stories - I don't know what to think.
MOB_21J	Maybe everyone is humiliating me.	Maybe everyone is humiliating me.
MOB_21K	Maybe she thinks she can do what she likes now I am over here and scared of extradition to France,	Maybe she thinks she can do what she likes, but Tommy, tell me, it it true?
MOB_21L	but tell me Tommy, is it true?	but tell me Tommy, is it true?
MOB_21M	Is what true?	Is what true?
MOB_21N	These stories I hear. Is she really going to be a lawyer?	These stories I hear. Is she really going to be a lawyer?
MOB_21O	Oh Tommy, the shame. We Cortez's are a proud family and we would never allow a daughter of ours to become a lawyer.	Oh Tommy, the shame, the shame! You know, we Cortez's are a proud family.
MOB_21P	Please tell me it isn't so. I don't think I could take it.	We would never allow a daughter of ours to become a lawyer. Please tell me it isn't so. I don't think I could take it.
MOB_21Q	Colonel, I can assure you Mercedes is never going to become a lawyer. Fear not.	Oh Colonel, I can assure you Mercedes is never going to become a lawyer. Don't worry about it.
MOB_21R	Thank you, Tommy - the shame would be unbearable. She is a lady, not a parasite, you know.	Oh thank you, Tommy. Tommy, thank you. The shame would be unbearable. She is a lady, not a parasite, you know.
MOB_21S	I know, colonel.	I know, colonel.
MOB_21T	Anyway, Tommy, you must excuse me, the new minister of the interior has arrived.	Anyway, Tommy, you must excuse me, the new minister of the interior has arrived.
MOB_21U	Many years ago, I killed his father in a failed coup so I must be polite. Good day, amigo.	Many years ago, I killed his father in a failed coup so I must be polite. Good day, amigo.