Embarrassing Things You've Done In GTA Games That You'd Never Admit To Friends
The Grand Theft Auto franchise is a masterclass on living an alternate life that normally wouldn't be dubbed socially acceptable. The ability players have to do all manner of illegal and immoral things lends itself to some creative lawbreaking. But even within the liberating scenario provided by GTA, there are things you still wouldn't want to admit to friends. Rather than the expected illicit exploits, these things fall firmly into the category of accidental fails too embarrassing to share.
While glitches often lead to moments of failure and hilarity, the moments that turn even the most candid of player's cheeks red are the ones that are easily avoidable, but still happen anyway. Whether you get a bit too confident in your ability to do parkour or your questionable driving skills get everyone killed, it's clear overconfidence is the downfall of many a GTA player. Here are some of the most embarrassing things you've probably done in a GTA game that you'd never want your friends to know about.
Don't get too confident
Arguably one of the best mechanics to be implemented in modern video games is the ragdoll effect. This hilarious collapsing of limbs that pushes physics to its breaking point usually results in the perfect clip to share to YouTube. But when you're attempting to complete a mission, a bad ragdoll moment can be downright embarrassing. One of the biggest sources of ragdolling in Grand Theft Auto comes from a player's ability, or lack thereof, to utilize parkour to get from one place to another.
Gaming encourages imaginative solutions to problems. And in a game like Grand Theft Auto, traveling is an obstacle you're often faced with. Sometimes, fleeing from the cops or a newfound enemy just isn't doable with normal methods of transport. This is where parkour comes in. Jumping over obstacles, scaling walls, and leaping from rooftops can be both fun and cinematic. But failing to push the right buttons or getting your timing out of whack can lead to your avatar plummeting face first into the pavement, often dozens of feet below. The saving grace of these fails is that the big "wasted" text that pops up on your screen will usually be preceded by some entertaining ragdoll moments. That's a decent consolation prize.
Showing off your "expert" driving skills
With a name like Grand Theft Auto, it's obvious that this game is first and foremost a driving simulator. But in a game that focuses so heavily on driving, you'd hope that you have at least some level of skill in that department, especially when you're attempting an escape from the police. It's moments like those that you'll want your fleeing ability to be in peak condition. As forgiving as the controls in GTA may be, the need to weave in and out of heavy traffic while attempting to evade capture usually leads to a fender bender or two. At least.
As with almost any other game, there will always be those players who think they're just better than everyone around them. And in a game like Grand Theft Auto, it's more than likely that you're either the person who thinks you're an expert driver, or you know the person who thinks they're an expert driver. Unfortunately, in most cases, neither of those scenarios actually result in you being all that good at maneuvering through traffic during a high-speed chase. Your overconfidence, while dangerous for you as the player, usually leads to some hilarious fails that of crashing your own vehicle at best, or causing chaos and destruction in your wake at worst. If you're really lucky (or terrible, or both), both of these things happen.
Always be aware of the mic
In the category of sketchy stuff you can do in Grand Theft Auto, everything involving strippers is probably at the top of the list. Of course, what you do in the privacy of your own game isn't necessarily embarrassing, until other people find out about it. While the online world of GTA has seen immense success with gamers everywhere, there are still some disadvantages to be found. Namely, the possibility of embarrassing yourself publicly.
One unfortunate gamer found this to be the case in the worst way possible. It's always a good idea to be aware of your microphone. Because the default for GTA Online is to have your mic connected and ready to go, players have been getting themselves into trouble unwittingly. One player decided it would be a good idea to flirt with a virtual stripper. The problem? He didn't realize his mic was on, which allowed everyone in proximity to hear his awkward groans and pick-up lines. The best part is the laughter from the other players. At least he can stand as a cautionary tale for the rest of the Grand Theft Auto community, right?
When a harmless prank goes horribly wrong
While kicking dogs and harassing cats is something we'd hope you don't do in real life, there's not much of a problem with it in Grand Theft Auto. At least not morally, as the animals are virtual. That being said, it may be best to just treat the virtual animals in this world with a bit of respect. If you don't, a moment involving a harmless prank can have a horrific end. At least we can say no actual animals were harmed in the making of this clip.
One user had a moment of either perfect or horrible timing depending on which side of the fence you sit on. While sneaking up on a resting cat, he decided to give it a good jump scare. That in and of itself isn't the most heinous thing that's been done in a GTA game. But the poor cat, startled by the player, then proceeded to fall off of the wall and run away. Again, this wouldn't be horrible ... if the cat didn't run straight under the tire of a passing car. The reactions of the surrounding NPCs says it all. This is one freak accident you may not want to let your animal-loving friends know about. You monster.
Grenades can be tricky
Every gamer is guilty of a few noob mistakes every now and then. Fumbling with inverted controls or failing to check your corners are things we can all relate to on some level. But there's one mistake even the most seasoned of players seems to make every now and then. Those pesky hand grenades just don't seem to want to cooperate with anyone. Sometimes you just don't line your shot up quite right, and other times it almost seems as if there's an invisible wall in front of you. But no matter what the reason, most of us can say we've accidentally blown ourselves up with a grenade at least once.
In a gunfight, a grenade usually feels like the way to go. They're easy and require limited aiming for the large area of damage they cover. The problem comes when your grenade doesn't behave the way you hoped it would. It's laughably easy to blow yourself up on accident, and the plethora of videos on YouTube depicting just that are evidence. But the worst part is when you blow yourself up in a stupid way in front of your friends. It would be so much easier if your shame could be in private like everyone else's. Maybe next time you'll just stick to guns.
The karma train has left the station
Karma can be a tricky thing. It's rare to see justice served in an immediate and satisfying way in both real life and the virtual world. But every once in a while, the stars align perfectly to give us just that. Of course, the person karma just caught up with probably wouldn't agree. But all we can do is be grateful someone caught this moment of poetic justice on camera.
One player was engaged in a gun fight while playing Grand Theft Auto Online. This isn't exactly rare. But he was so focused on his gunfight that he failed to notice that he was on the train tracks — the perfect recipe for an epic fail. While looking down a scope, he got side-swiped by a train. This effectively killed the gamer, taking him out of commission. You might be laughing, but let's be honest: you've probably done something similar. Karma's rough that way.
So many ways to die while skydiving
Whoever the first person was to throw someone out of a plane and think "This seems natural" probably also enjoys watching the world burn. There are many risks with skydiving in the real world, but in the world of Grand Theft Auto, it's almost mandatory for things to go wrong while falling through the air. In fact, of all the ways to die in GTA, skydiving might just have the monopoly on variety. Of course, this only makes it more appealing, since these often fatal fails can be YouTube gold.
Failing to deploy your chute in time, aiming for nearly impossible markers, and missing the visual cues of a potentially deadly obstacle are only a few of the many ways you can get yourself killed while skydiving in GTA. But what about skydiving brings out the worst in players? Wannabe daredevils like to try speeding through narrow spaces. And the fact that if your avatar dies, you can just respawn, doesn't exactly hurt. But this brings with it plenty of opportunities to die, make a fool out of yourself, or do both at the same time. No matter how embarrassing your wipeout is, the people of YouTube appreciate your contribution to the community of fails caught on camera.
Next time take the stairs
Sometimes there are more effective ways to get from one point to another than by driving a vehicle. Using your extreme parkour skills is one option, though it's already been pointed out why this may not be the best idea. Another option is the tried and true vaulting method; why walk around a fence or wall when you can just jump right over it? Do you find a turnstile blocking your path? Just vault it and ignore the rules. After all, you're playing Grand Theft Auto. It's not like this is a game made for following rules.
The problem is that your avatar may not be as graceful as you think they are. Jumping over a turnstile sounds all well and good, until you face plant on the cement in front of a bunch of other players in GTA Online. It's only made worse if you were attempting to celebrate with a victory leap. Your one saving grace is that the ragdoll effect is hilarious enough to distract from the face full of gravel you now have.
Rule of thumb: don't punch a shark
Never start a fight you can't finish. That seems to be a good rule of thumb for real life and video games alike. If you don't want to die horribly at the hands of an adversary, it might be worth your while to assess the threat before engaging in combat. And if the threat you're assessing is a shark and you are a mere mortal, you may want to just avoid the confrontation altogether. If you do decide to fight a shark, make sure you're playing on your home turf and not his home surf.
One GTA player didn't heed this advice and decided it was a good day to punch a shark. Jumping into the ocean, he found his target and didn't hesitate. He punched that shark square in the nose. Unfortunately for him, his reaction time was a bit off and he ended up punching the water behind the shark instead. This didn't do anything to stop the shark from getting angry. It took only two seconds for the shark to turn around, return to the scene of the crime, and finish off the unlucky player. At least the fact that he shared his humiliation with the world means that others can learn from his failures. Plus, he managed to get the "Out of Your Depth" achievement for this mishap. So all's well that ends well.
Third time's the charm … sometimes
Of the many misdeeds that make up the Grand Theft Auto world, robbery may be the most fun. Sure running over pedestrians has its time and place, but nothing beats a good old-fashioned stick-up. When attempting something as risky as robbery, however, it's best to make a foolproof plan. Otherwise, any number of things can go wrong, resulting in your imprisonment or, more likely, your death.
One pair of gamers decided it would be a good idea to rob a convenience store. While this isn't fundamentally a terrible plan (in a video game), the execution wasn't exactly flawless. The first problem was that one of the accomplices didn't realize they had run out of ammo before pulling their gun on the convenience store clerk. The second big misstep was the surprise that the clerk had his own gun.
After dying, the duo returned to the gas station once more, but the clerk was still on high alert from their first robbery attempt. He quickly killed them again. On the third attempt, the robbers didn't even manage to make it inside the store. Instead, police showed up immediately, began ramming one of their vehicles, and proceeded to gun down one of the suspects. Robbery can be difficult sometimes.
Fewer wheels mean more fails
Most vehicles found in Grand Theft Auto are at least somewhat forgiving in the way they handle. After all, Rockstar is well aware of the fact that driving a car in a video game isn't the same as driving a car in real life. The virtual counterparts need to give players a bit of wiggle room to account for the differences. But of all the vehicles you can obtain in GTA, whether you obtain them legally or illegally, there is one that tests even the most skilled of players.
The motorcycle, dirt bike, and bicycle all seem to be the downfall of the GTA player. No matter what iteration the bike takes on, it always has a way of outsmarting the driver and landing them in some sticky situations. More than likely, the reason so many people wipe out on bikes has to do with the player thinking they have more maneuverability than they really do. The sleek design of a bike does tend to lend itself to an image of dexterity and near misses when driving through small spaces. But in reality, most players overestimate what their bike can do. They either think they can fit into smaller spaces than they can, or they assume it will handle the same way as a car. And this overconfidence always leads to entertaining clips of people crashing, flipping over, and causing chaos wherever they go.
Looking like an idiot when you try to look cool
There's something to be said for adopting an alter ego in a video game. It's freeing to be someone totally different than your real-life everyday self. This is one of Grand Theft Auto's biggest draws. Most people (we'd hope) aren't car thieves in real life, but indulging in some robbery here and there in GTA is a nice way to blow off steam. With this in mind, there are numerous opportunities in the GTA universe to take on a persona that's a bit more hardcore than your real-life self. That is, until you do something stupid and shatter the illusion.
It doesn't matter if you're taking a victory lap in your car, then accidentally crash it, or trying to kick down a door triumphantly only to land on your back. Any time you try to do something that makes you look cool and only succeed in doing the exact opposite, is a moment you probably don't want to tell your friends about. And thanks to the various ways to die and injure yourself in GTA, there won't ever be a shortage of these embarrassing moments. The best you can do is be aware of physics, practice your driving skills, and remember not to celebrate too early or too wildly. If you stick to those guidelines, you should be able to avoid most of the embarrassing moments you're likely to encounter in the game.