What if fuel stops are how Rockstar makes the map feel massive?

Saw a post on the sub that got me thinking. In RDR2, the map wasn't just big on paper, it felt huge because you were on a horse. Travel took time. You'd notice the landscape, random encounters, the weather. It forced a slower pace that made the world breathe.

So what if GTA 6 does the same thing but with gas? Not a full-on survival sim where you're pushing the car to the next station every five minutes, but a system where fuel actually matters. You can't just hold the accelerator from Vice City to Port Gellhorn without glancing at the gauge. You'd have to pull into a gas station, maybe get out, maybe get jumped by some Leonida locals while you're filling up. It turns a mindless drive into a little event.

Rockstar already showed us a working fuel gauge in the trailer, and there were gas stations all over the place in the leaks. Could just be set dressing, but it's the kind of detail they love. If they tie it to the wanted system or car condition, it gets even more interesting. Imagine running low on fuel during a chase and having to decide whether to ditch the car or risk a stop.

I'm not saying I want to micromanage a gas tank every ten minutes, but a light touch could make the map feel way larger than it is. RDR2's horse bonding and stamina did that perfectly. A fuel system might be the modern equivalent.

Would you actually want to have to stop for gas, or would that just get annoying after a while?

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Source: r/GTA6 · Curated content.

I like the idea, but only if they don't make it too heavy. Stopping for gas one time during long trip is okay, but if I have to do it every five minutes, I'll just steal another car.

Here in Brazil we have some long coastal roads, so I understand the feeling. But I want to drive fast through Leonida, not spend half hour at the pump.

spend half hour at the pump

That's the fear. The stop itself needs to be a scene. You step out, the camera holds on the neon, maybe you overhear a deal going wrong two pumps over. Cinematic breathing room. If it's just a progress bar, that's dead air.

This idea only works if they keep it rare. Back in 2004 San Andreas felt huge because that drive from Los Santos to San Fierro took actual commitment. You learned the roads because the journey was dangerous, not because some gauge forced you to stop. If fuel adds to that tension, great. If it's just a chore between shootouts, no thanks.

The stop itself needs to be a scene

That's the make-or-break part right there. Pulling into some dirt-road station outside Ambrosia while the needle's blinking and the radio's playing some weird local ad... that's the Vice City energy I want. But if it's just a menu? Hard pass. We don't need another meter to babysit.

I'm mostly curious about the edge cases. If you run out of fuel during a chase, does the car sputter or just die?

The stop itself needs to be a scene

That seems true. But I wonder if empty tanks might glitch mission triggers or interact weirdly with car damage. I don't envy the QA team if every vehicle needs a persistent tank state. Could be wrong though.