Mr. JQ Smooth
In San Andreas, how you look will tell a lot about who you are. Building on the ability to change Tommy’s clothes in Vice City, San Andreas will allow players to customize the look of the main character, CJ, to their liking. Nearly every aspect of CJ can be customized, from his hair to his clothes and even tattoos. The option to change clothes and hair styles isn't added fluff and plays a major part of the game as a whole. CJ's look will influence how well respected he is in the community. The sharper he looks, the more people will take notice and the more authority he'll be able to gain within his gang, the Orange Grove Families.
Several barbershops will be littered throughout San Andreas. Among them is Reece's, which is the local shop in CJ’s neighborhood. Here players will be able to choose from a variety of hairstyles, including cornrows, a jheri curl or even the bald look. Players will also be able to choose from a number of tattoos to apply to their character. The tattoos you get will help identify aspects of your personality like where you're from and who you hang out with. Tattoos can also be used as an identifying tool. Certain tattoos will show you which gangs people are in, a method that will also be used by the police. Since tattoos are more permanent than hair or clothes, the police will be able to identify you no matter how you change your look after an arrest.
After a trip to the barber and tattoo shop, CJ needs to dress for success. When the game opens, CJ will be outfitted with plain pants and a t-shirt. As he goes through the game and acquires money, he can spend it on new outfits. Eventually, he'll have to start wearing the gang colors, which will gain him both respect from his gang and scorn from rivals. Wearing gang colors will allow rival gang members (and the police) to easily pick CJ out from the crowd. If CJ happens to stumble into rival territory, he better be ready for a fight. Colors will also allow the cops to identify his allegiances.
What clothes you wear will prove to be just as important as the colors you wear. Various stores will be scattered throughout San Andreas that will cater to different looks. Some, like Binco, will carry discount merchandise geared towards poorer citizens. Other stores, like SubUrban and ProLaps, will carry more high-end, name brand apparel. The prices of items in these shops will, of course, be steeper, but they will also carry with them more prestige within certain gangs.
The more "successful" CJ looks, the more people will take notice of him. Women will give him a second look and men will fear him. CJ will keep everything you buy and will be able to change between outfits to help better fit the situation. Some missions will even require that CJ wear certain outfits, such as ski masks during robbery missions. What you are wearing will also influence people’s reactions. Walking around in high-priced sneakers may impress members within your gang, but they may also cause people in your neighborhood to shy away from you.
Body type will effect how CJ looks as well as things like stamina, health and strength. Managing CJ's body type will depend greatly on the how the player runs his life and plays the game. Different types of food will be available in the game, from pizza to burgers. Each food type will carry with it a caloric value, which translates into how much energy and fat CJ gets from them. Running around and riding bikes, as well as eating the right types of food, will result in a stronger, trimmer, faster CJ. On the opposite end of the spectrum, over eating and driving everywhere will have negative consequences. CJ will become slower and weaker. He won't be able to perform many in-game actions, like running, lifting, swimming -- any physical activity. His stamina will also take a hit, resulting in slower reaction times. Members of the community, especially the ladies, will also react to how your body looks, influencing their respect for you. Even the best clothes can't make some people look good.
Keeping fit will require CJ to work out. He'll be able to do this by going to the gym or riding a bike. While gaining strength through activities like curls and lifting weights, CJ can also learn new fighting techniques and combos. Depending on which gym CJ decides to train at, he'll be able to learn different types of fighting styles, like martial arts and street fighting.
