Changes: Photo Shoot

Revision as of 14:14, 2 June 2015

Playboy: "Some motherfucker’s been calling me a phony, calling me a snitch, calling me all kinds of bullshit."

Niko: "Big deal."

Playboy: "Yeah, big deal. Damn right! Until I discovered, that same motherfucker? Well...he’s got some real loose lips."

— Playboy X tells Niko Bellic about Marlon Bridges

"Photo Shoot" is a mission in Grand Theft Auto IV given to protagonist Niko Bellic by North Holland Hustlers's leader Playboy X from his penthouse on Xenotime Street in Northwood, Algonquin, Liberty City.

Mission

Playboy suspects that drug dealer Marlon Bridges has been 'snitching' on him. He wants Niko to go to the Swinger Park basketball courts on Exeter Avenue and kill Bridges and his friends. Niko doesn't know what Bridges looks like and after unsuccessfully trying to describe him, Playboy gives Niko his camera phone, so that Niko can take a picture at the basketball courts to allow Playboy to inform Niko which one is Bridges. Niko heads to the basketball court, takes the picture (if he sends a poor one Playboy will request a better one), and sends it to Playboy. Playboy calls back and identifies Bridges. Once Niko has killed Bridges, the mission is complete.

Enemies

Mission objectives

In order to complete the mission the player must:

Go to the Swinger Park on Exeter Avenue.
Take a picture of the gang members and send it to Playboy.
Take down Marlon.

Walkthrough

Approach the basketball court (but don't enter it) and, using the camera phone, take a photograph of the people inside the park and send it to Playboy X. Repeat this until Playboy tells you which one is Bridges.

Bridges has three armed bodyguards who will start shooting at Niko if he gets too close or fires a shot in Bridges' direction. At the same time, Bridges will escape on foot, leave the courts and drive off.

An easier way is to kill Bridges is to get a Sniper Rifle or any other long-range weapon. Wait outside the courts and once Playboy X identifies Bridges, quickly aim at his head and shoot him.

Alternatively it is possible to complete this mission without any weapon. After identifying Marlon:

Prepare a vehicle for the car chase later (make sure you do not gain a Wanted Level).
Dial 911 and select Police.
Enter the courts and let Marlon escape. Run back to the vehicle and chase Marlon. His bodyguard(s) will start shooting Niko, but the police will handle it.
It is not too difficult to follow Marlon because he usually drives on the wrong side of the road and frequently crashes into other vehicles.
Eventually he will get out of his car and escape on foot. If Niko gets too close to him, he will draw an SMG and shoot at Niko. At this point he can be run down with a vehicle.

If you aim a gun at any of the gang members before the target is identified, the game forces you to kill all of them, and you will fail the mission if one of them escapes because it would be impossible to identify Bridges before Playboy's confirmation text.

Video Walkthrough

GTA_4_-_Mission_43_-_Photo_Shoot_(1080p)

Rewards

The rewards for completing this mission is $6,750 and an upgraded cell phone with camera function. The missions "The Holland Play" (if Dwayne Forge's missions are also completed) and "Wrong is Right" are unlocked.

Casualties

Marlon Bridges (killed) - Killed by Niko on Playboy X's orders.
North Holland Hustlers (wounded/killed) - Wounded or killed by Niko to reach Marlon.

Trivia

Strangely, the phone Niko receives from Playboy is a different, blockier phone (equal to the standard Whiz wireless phone used by the usual pedestrians and by Roman), but Niko's phone doesn't change (he still uses the same Badger phone throughout the game, albeit with the Whiz phone's features).
This mission needs to be completed to unlock "Ransom", since "Ransom" requires the use of the camera.
Despite being ordered to kill just Marlon, if you shoot him, his friends will attack you and you will have to kill them too, so the mission would be simpler if Niko kills them all from the beginning. The mission is probably an excuse for Niko to gain a new phone.
A rather interesting way of doing this mission is to head to the Pay 'N' Spray around the corner of the basketball court, and to climb the ladder behind it. Keep climbing ladders until you reach the firehouse's roof. From here, there is a perfect opportunity to snipe Marlon and his friends without them having a chance to fire back. The player can also climb a housing project and snipe for there, but getting to the top requires climbing several floors and even on the roof it can take a while to place a shot.
The mission is a literal reference to the term "Photo Shoot", as it requires taking a photo of the gang, sending it to Playboy, and shooting Marlon.
When you reach the courts, a black and dark gray Sabre GT and two Patriot will always be parked across the road. These provide an excellent opportunity to block the exits of the basketball courts.

@@ Line 39: / Line 39: @@
 # Prepare a vehicle for the car chase later (make sure you do not gain a [[Wanted Level in GTA IV|Wanted Level]]).
 # Dial 911 and select Police.
-# Enter the courts and let Marlon escape. Run back to the vehicle and chase Marlon. His bodyguard will start shooting Niko, but the police will handle him
+# Enter the courts and let Marlon escape. Run back to the vehicle and chase Marlon. His bodyguard(s) will start shooting Niko, but the police will handle it.
 # It is not too difficult to follow Marlon because he usually drives on the wrong side of the road and frequently crashes into other vehicles.
 # Eventually he will get out of his car and escape on foot. If Niko gets too close to him, he will draw an SMG and shoot at Niko. At this point he can be run down with a vehicle.

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