Foundation

 IGN recently put up an outline of what they...I'm sorry..."we" want from Grand Theft Auto V when it happens. It sounds as if the plans for location are already in place, so I'm sure Rockstar was more than keen to change their approach just on their behalf. The list can definitely be expanded upon, as it's too...expected. Nothing in the IGN list is new. They are listing what amounts to the bare minimum required content of a sequel. Let's ramp up our desires.

Incorporation

 I can't remember what the theory is actually named because somebody gave it an official name after I did, but the Gaming Law of Convergence should go into effect as of the next sequel. Rockstar has themselves a patented sandbox environment that has worked to their needs so far, but the control scheme is getting too familiar and stale. For the most part, a legacy control scheme is best not toyed with, but in this case its time to make the upgrade. The car physics have always been upgraded with each installment, so I don't see them doing anything less but making them at least a little bit better, but it's time to start making the necessary steals from other franchises.

 Steal Resident Evil or Uncharted's combat scheme. The former would tailor well to precision on the run in a much tighter way than we're used to in the GTA series, while Uncharted's controls would make already loose gunfights a little more epic while getting a significant upgrade in overall effectiveness.

 Steal in-house from Midnight Club and allow for a very elaborate garage system without getting too close to Midnight Club's authenticity. Something slightly better than Saint's Row 2, but not nearly as deep as an actual racing campaign.

 On the topic of parkour, just go with what worked in Uncharted one more time. It may be difficult to litter a city with climbing points, but if you're going all-out already, it's hard to see why this wouldn't make sense. That way, they wouldn't clinging to the freerunning fad and they could still add a new dynamic to the player-character. GTA is also about wrecking things up, and while it's badass to guide your character as he storms a gang's stronghold, I've never gone through a GTA game truly feeling I'm in an 80's action movie. As in, the unlikely duo isn't jumping from cover to cover, making buddy remarks at each stop, and at least looking like they are making the effort to lay siege on the big baddie. I know these options are sort of there, but I just don't get the Way of the Gun vibe during the times I should.

 GTA has always been about doing a little bit of everything, but the next game demands that they start taking this concept seriously. Everyone expects GTA to start incorporating other genres. It has to be done, period.

The Playground

 Yes, you're in a sandbox, and by definition your MC can explore anything and everything he sees. Launching yourself from the tallest skyscraper in town is great, but we've played enough games to know that there are significant steps that can be taken to instantly double that freedom. The GTA series thinks big, but the problem is that sometimes their design leapfrogs all of the smaller things. Yes, GTA IV has several arguments, but we are allowed to be greedy in our wishes. They are wishes, after all.

 The processing power of the current systems should be able to handle, with some trickery, the ability to enter buildings without ever "leaving" the city. I know that this has happened a few times already, but I'd like to see this explored more and even to the point where it would be a rule to exploit this freedom. I'll get to that in a moment, but the previous GTA games, despite the immense freedom they offer, sometimes backtracks on that freedom when it comes to being on foot. IGN had one thing right; there should be more foot chases. How badass would it be to have a car chase, only for the driver to wreck his car and go on foot with you doing a tuck and roll and hot footing it after him? Well, that's child's play, but imagine if you took that chase through a coffee shop, out the back door and back onto the streets, then losing your prey in a crowd only to find him heading into a newspaper tower. The MC gives chase, playing a little bit of catch up, and your only clues to catch up with him is being able to read the frantic chaos he leaves in his wake. Eventually, you are nearly there, tracking him all the way to the rooftop. You run out onto the rooftop and he has a chopper waiting for him, ladder included. You stop, realizing that two gunners now have a bead on you. Runing back into the building, glass shattering everywhere, you try to make it to the elevator on the other side. If all this happened without a loading screen, without a hiccup, and all seamlessly without ever changing the "map" you're on at any given moment, it would be absolutely awesome.

 That said, if the architects of the new city took this into consideration, every room of every building would be your personal playground. Imagine being able to set up shop by creating a Sim-Base anywhere you can explore. We've dealt with the pre-scripted ideology the whole time, but being able to pick the island and building a mansion on it would take your criminal empire to a new level. Don't have the money? How about the specific warehouse that meets your needs? Picking any location of your choosing from an entire city and actually modifying that part of the city in real-time without ever separating yourself from the "map" would be priceless. This is also a crime game, so bringing the player into the equation when it comes to the actual planning phase could easily be manipulated with such freedoms.

Graphics

 Look, I'm all for a graphical upgrade if the systems can handle all of the above. If they can't, then screw it. Keep the graphics exactly the way they are and advance the actual game. I would love for the city to take advantage of more vivid environments, such as the mentioned neon lights that would be a great Vice City carryover, but that's about all I'd really demand. I may speak for myself on this one, but I wouldn't want the series to create near photo-real graphics and stick to the same damn formula they've been using the whole time. The game dynamic needs to get a boost, and I think that the graphics should only improve to the point where it can keep up with the power required to make all of the above possible. I know it's a pain in the ass to render every room of a skyscraper as well as the entirety of downtown, but it can be done. I'm pretty sure the gamers would be more impressed with truly massive freedom rendered on par with GTA IV.

Seamless Online Play

 Remember the system Demon's Souls used? It's nice to jump into a multiplayer match with your buddies, but it is indeed a match. There's Free Mode, but there's no mission to go on. Open up that cellphone to include other multiplayer options, too, such as teaming up for a mission, and even dedicating a large number of additional missions towards this mechanic. You're supposed to be living the criminal lifestyle. Invite your buddies to see your tailored stronghold and your island home with several boats parked there. Plan a crime together and carry it out. Do several missions together and part ways. It should no way be a requirement to complete the game, but as dependent as games are on the internet these days, it seems natural that there should be a good hundred missions you can tackle with a friend or three. I can already envision several missions where this would be, how you say, epic.

 Basically, just as Demon's Souls, Rockstar should make the online part seamless. Every once and a while, as long as you're connected online, other players should be wreaking havoc in your city without inviting you to the party. There shouldn't be many players in your game, but while you're floating around the bay, you should see an explosion in the distance or something on the radio that makes you curious. Or, it could go quasi-City of Heroes. Say that you approach an area that another player crafted a stronghold out of. Before you even see the building, it loads up in the background, and when you turn the corner you'll suddenly realize that the boring warehouse on 57th and Kennedy looks like it got a facelift. Storm the place, if you can, and steal a briefcase that can be sold to a well-know info buyer in town, and you just raked in a hundred-grand. If someone does the same to you and fails, then you can claim a bounty on his head for having such an impenetrable crib.

 Once again a reminder of a criminal lifestyle, "gang-wars" could easily start with this kind of system. Say that you got to the source of the explosions downtown, and a member of the BRAH clan is doing the damage. Well, a BRAH killed you a couple days ago when your back was turned, so it's time for vengeance. Get on the phone to your buddy playing across town to get him in on the revenge. Why do AI gangs always have to be the only threats? Start your own grudge match and incorporate that into your story.

 While I understand that a full fledged on/offline campaign would be a legendary undertaking, we're not asking for that much. These extra touches don't demand that kind of attention but would add so much to the experience.

 All I'm saying, IGN, is that you're wishing. When you wish, get greedy and as for some truly impressive things. Digg It Stumble it ! Reddit