are you looking forward to the state-sized expansion of the GTA franchise as much as I am.
I hear you can change your body shape through eating or inaction, and get a funky haircut. Given that I mainly use Vice City for a therapeutic violent virtual workout, cheating my way to huge stocks of weapons, coding tanks to fall from the sky and attempting ever-more crazyinsane stunt jumps rather than progressing through the official missions, I don't expect to "do very well" at San Andreas. I do, however, expect to spend more time on it than any other more linear and less liberating game (Liberty City! how aptly named).
I must confess I wonder if it makes any difference to the experience of playing that you're obliged to take the role of an African-American. It may seem trivial but it did make me think about identification and immersion in the screen persona: of course, for decades -- since graphics were good enough to code a sprite as belonging to any ethnic group, instead of just being a blob or symbol -- black players have been obliged to "become" white people in games, and teenage boys have happily identified with Lara Croft (although perhaps it was more about controlling Lara, directing Lara, not being Lara). I haven't thought of it as much of a challenge or novelty to play a female character; maybe in the late 80s it was mildly remarkable, but it doesn't seem any kind of shift now. However, the idea that you "are" a young black man in California seems to present more issues somehow, and perhaps this is because the game, and the character, operates in such a realistic social context. You're not just some chick blasting demons, you're a black man who's hassled by cops and drawn into gang struggles. You are taking on (arguably) the plausible social role of a young black man in that situation.
Have I justified this thread yet? LOL! I'll insert some pics of GTA:SA if you like.
[ 19.10.2004, 20:55: Message edited by: kovacs ]
Posted by jnhoj (Member # 286) on :
I think thats the worst post youve ever made!
Still, san andreas is out soon so I can waste my life all over again.
Posted by MiscellaneousFiles (Member # 60) on :
simKovacs would never post something this lame.
Posted by kovacs (Member # 28) on :
I think we should try an experiment whereby simKovacs and I swap lives. He gets Modge and my London flat -- I get VP and his big (shared) house.
Then we will see what rubbish he posts at 2am. Posted by damo (Member # 722) on :
it has to be better than this
Posted by dervish (Member # 727) on :
quote:Originally posted by damo: it has to be better than this
Too right!
Posted by dervish (Member # 727) on :
quote:Originally posted by jnhoj: ....so I can waste my life all over again.
You mean you haven't actually finished wasting it for the first time YET!!
Posted by kovacs (Member # 28) on :
quote: Whoah, August 26, 2004 Reviewer: Daniel from Durham, England How amazing does this game look the missions the stylin the freedom here are some facts i know 1. you can eat and go to the gym if you get too fat peds will laugh at you 2. More cars, bikes, etc tha ever before 3. you can go on thegolden gate bridge and visit hollywood 4. you can get your hair cut
Now decide which is better PS2/X-Box or "gamecube"
you know the answer
When the game comes out I expect reviews of this standard on my GTA thread.
Posted by New Way Of Decay (Member # 106) on :
I see what you mean about what I said on the Kill Bill thread.
Posted by Raz (Member # 449) on :
what
Posted by Petite (Member # 539) on :
Hi Kovacs
I've been trying to look up one of your (interesting) threads - one where you posted pics up of the Swiss Re Tower, but I can't find it anywhere.
Could you point me in the right direction please. I have done several searches but I couldn't find the right thread.
Thank You Posted by kovacs (Member # 28) on :
It was Ben's "Open House" thread but my "Mos Eisley" thread seemed to be missing too... I wonder if maybe they got lost in some kind of recent move.
Posted by kovacs (Member # 28) on :
Yeah only Ben's opening post remains on that thread, and I can't see my Mos Eisley one either. However, the latter is on Barbelith.com and also posted up on www.theforce.net as well, of course, as on my hard drive (as Raz asked for it) and on the former thread I think all I contributed were some pics, which I still have. It was Black Mask who made the genius comments about London's architecture.
Posted by fish (Member # 22) on :
Is the Swiss Re tower normally open to the public? If so I might nip along tomorrow, or was it just that one "Open London" day? I can't believe I missed that!
Posted by kovacs (Member # 28) on :
It was only open for Open Day, to normal people. You missed waiting in the cold for 6 hours, Fish. It wasn't just a casual drop-in.
Posted by Petite (Member # 539) on :
quote:Originally posted by kovacs: Yeah only Ben's opening post remains on that thread, and I can't see my Mos Eisley one either. However, the latter is on Barbelith.com and also posted up on www.theforce.net as well, of course, as on my hard drive (as Raz asked for it) and on the former thread I think all I contributed were some pics, which I still have. It was Black Mask who made the genius comments about London's architecture.
Thanks for looking Kovacs. Shame the rest of the thread's gone, though... Posted by fish (Member # 22) on :
quote:Originally posted by kovacs: It was only open for Open Day, to normal people. You missed waiting in the cold for 6 hours, Fish. It wasn't just a casual drop-in.
Hmmm, thanks, I thought as much. Still I bet that 6 hours in the cold is but a distant memory to you now as you bask in the glory of being one of the lucky few to have toured the Stirling Prize winning building.
Posted by Bamba (Member # 330) on :
Moving back on-topic for just a second, GTA San Andreas seems to have turned up on Suprnova if anyone's interested.
Posted by dang65 (Member # 102) on :
My son's got this San Andreas game and he arxed me to go on the web and find out of there's any good cheats and so forth. But I don't know squat about such things. Anyone got any good lonks? Many thonks.
Posted by Boy Racer (Member # 498) on :
Personally I'd beat the child and tell him to complete it properly, but here's the gamefaqs San Andreas page if you must encourage cheating.
So far I'm enjoying gangbanging/pimping round San Andreas very much.
[ 01.11.2004, 07:14: Message edited by: Boy Racer ]
Posted by MiscellaneousFiles (Member # 60) on :
Damn PS2s with their classy black design, their DVD playing ability and their GTA games a year before any other platform. Damn them all to hell.
Well I'm happy to wait a while for the crisp, hi-res, mouse-controllable PC version.
Happy-ish...
Posted by Ringo (Member # 47) on :
I got this game the minute it came out. Literally. Both Gamestation and Game had arranged to open at 12am on Thursday/Friday for two hours to be the first shops to (legally) sell the game.
The scene outside the shopping centre at 11:30 was chilling. Romero would smile smugly at the sight of this perfect reproduction of his vision of consumerist zombiism.
Anyway, I'm enjoying it. My character has been down the gym and is now huge and the skills, which are meagrea t first, develop fast when you spend most of your time playing like Kovacs. The scope of things to do is now even greater than with the previous games, with countless little subgames you can happily play for hours. Pool for example, in the bar near the start of the game, or any number of arcade machines littered around. There's even a dancing game in the nighclub. And all this before I've even accessed any of the other areas.
All in all, it's about as good as it promised to be, and I don't think you can ask any more than that.
Posted by kovacs (Member # 28) on :
See, I knew this thread would come in handy.
Posted by MiscellaneousFiles (Member # 60) on :
GTA:BognorRegis
Your name is Leslie. You're seventy years old.
After a squabble over roast potatoes with your family, it has been decided that you'll be moved into a secure housing unit in Bognor Regis. As you're strapped into bed, you hear the sea lapping angrily at the shore. Moments later, an armoured personnel carrier breaks through the wall of your retirement castle. The doors open to reveal a tough looking bunch of pensioners. You recognise them as Ken, Lionel and Bertie - your old crew. You thought these guys were dead - but like you, they'd been sent to Bognor Regis. They rebelled against the oppresive control of their wardens and formed a rebellion. Now they're here to rescue you.
Features:
Take control of a number of vehicles including motability scooters, invalid cars and walking frames (which can also be wielded as a weapon).
Distract opponents with meaningless stories - but don't forget to keep an eye on your senility bar. If it reaches 100%, you're an overcooked vegetable who'll have to rely on your crew to push you around in a wheelchair.
Realistic bladderometer with random fluctuations.
Music from artists of the good old days, including Glenn Miller & his orchestra, Flanagan & Allen and Vera Lynn.
Explore the accurately recreated sea front, including the pier, mini-golf course, arcades, fish & chip shops and much more...
Breach the tight security of The Butlins Camp, and use the Red-Coats to paint Bognor red!
Fantastic mini-games such as the famous Bognor Birdman competition.
[ 01.11.2004, 07:57: Message edited by: MiscellaneousFiles ]
Posted by dang65 (Member # 102) on :
quote:Originally posted by Boy Racer: Personally I'd beat the child and tell him to complete it properly, but here's the gamefaqs San Andreas page if you must encourage cheating.
I gave him those files last night and he said, "Sweet" which I take to be a positive comment of some sort, so thanks a lot for that.
As for cheating... whenever he gets a new PS2 game he disappears for some three or four days before emerging, red eyed and sickly looking, to tell us that the box should say, "Impossible to complete" on it. Perhaps obtaining cheats for him will give him some of his life back. But perhaps not.
Posted by MiscellaneousFiles (Member # 60) on :
quote:Originally posted by dang65: Perhaps obtaining cheats for him will give him some of his life back. But perhaps not.
And are you prepared to find cheats for his GCSEs? A-Levels? Degree?
If at first you don't succeed - cheat!
That isn't a good example to set for a child, Dang. Make him practise until he can complete these games on his own. Then he'll learn to understand the wonderful feeling of achievement you can get from even the most trivial of pursuits.
( )
Posted by Ringo (Member # 47) on :
If it was my son, I'd have beaten the urge to cheat out of him with my belt.
Posted by dang65 (Member # 102) on :
quote:Originally posted by MiscellaneousFiles:
quote:Originally posted by dang65: Perhaps obtaining cheats for him will give him some of his life back. But perhaps not.
And are you prepared to find cheats for his GCSEs? A-Levels? Degree?
Oh no, I'm sure he'll be using some of the spare time he's gained to do a bit of school study.
Er, probably best if you just send me a lonk to the GCSE cheats, come to think of it.
Posted by Bamba (Member # 330) on :
quote:Originally posted by dang65: Er, probably best if you just send me a lonk to the GCSE cheats, come to think of it.
I'll just copy and paste them here instead.
Infinite Marks: U, D, L, L, R, R + X Invisible to Invigilators: U, D, L, L, R, R + Y Multiple Choice Mode: U, D, L, L, R, R + Z Kill All Teachers: U, D, L, L, R, R + D, D Kill All Pupils: R + X + Z +U Kill Everyone: U, U, D, D, L, R, L, R, X, Y, B, A Naked Mode: X, Z, Y, V
Posted by MiscellaneousFiles (Member # 60) on :
Top LOL
Posted by Evil Brain Rejecter (Member # 524) on :
I had a go on it the other day - its just the fucking same as the others.........
Posted by jnhoj (Member # 286) on :
im playing ninja gaiden at the moment and have used gamefaqs five times now, i just dont have the time to run for ten minutes down this shitty respawning hell of a corrider to find out if its the right way. that isnt a game, its mindless. The game is what happens when you allow yourself the freedom of the faq. I used to hate cheating, but im coming round to it now, especially given your supposed to key into the game makers logic, which may well be diversed from reality in some very special ways.
Posted by New Way Of Decay (Member # 106) on :
There is no god. Proof? Posted by Bamba (Member # 330) on :
quote:Originally posted by New Way Of Decay: There is no god. Proof?
*sigh* I suppose I'd better download it and see what the hell they've done to it.
Posted by New Way Of Decay (Member # 106) on :
I haven't heard it yet but all the reports are bad. If it ain't broke....
Posted by Bamba (Member # 330) on :
Arse, it looks like I'll need to download the entire GTA:SA soundtrack to get it. I'll decide later if it's worth it...
Posted by kovacs (Member # 28) on :
I bought San Andreas this afternoon -- amusingly, with the £25 gift vouchers my President at work gave me for "5 Years of Service" -- and have played it for maybe 90 minutes, which by my cackhanded, clumsy standards doesn't mean much advancing through a game. Having chugged two cans of Strongbow, I was drunk-driving through most of it anyway.
San An centres around the satisfying sequel dynamic of reassuring familiarity and a twist of variation: controls are comfortable enough from VC although the vehicles seem to have marginally more "realistic" handling -- sparks flying and weight veering after a few knocks -- and the camera angle shifts drunkenly (tho that could have been the Strongbow) around your character, with the right analog stick circling the external viewpoint rather than giving you his subjective P.O.V. I've found this unexpected and slightly unsettling so far, though it does perhaps add to the sense of cinema.
The environment is an impressively alive city, weirdly true to my own recent memory of LA, with a lurking, paranoid sense of potential threat from local bad-asses ready to hassle if you look at them the wrong way. Relegated to hospital for the third time after some careless driving and a police shootout, I found myself running over the salmon-pink sidewalk-stars of Hollywood and wondered if knowing the real cities (LA, San Francisco, Vegas) could actually help you navigate the game.
What struck me most, making only a scratch into the missions, was the domesticity -- even the femininity -- structuring the game's agenda. Despite all the slurring, sometimes almost-incomprehensible garble of oldskool gangstericity -- "yo, you a disgrace nigga, check it motherfucka" -- the first five tasks are all about going home, chatting, sorting out your clothes, getting a meal, visiting the hairdressers and painting. When you enter the fast food joints like Cluckin' Bell, the captions explain the relationship between eating, exercise, muscle and fat, like a helpful Handbag article on calories and carbs. You expect a message to come up explaining that sugar will only give you a short-term boost and that Carl should opt for a handful of nuts or a tasty carrot stick as a healthy alternative.
Anyway, a shitload of fun, but in surprising ways... I'm playing it by the book, not even exploring, and it's far more about lifestyle than adventure and action.
Posted by Ringo (Member # 47) on :
Just wait till you start customising your own lowrider.
Posted by kovacs (Member # 28) on :
Dude I have finished maybe a dozen VC missions in a year and a half, I'll probably never even get that far.
Posted by jnhoj (Member # 286) on :
brrr worrying trend of collectionathon wank off in my face games. Wasnt it you kovacs moaning about london finding harvest moon / animal crossing appealing?
Can you only play upgrade your life games when its being applied to loaded esque magazines idea of what at a bloke should be doing to earn his "hit points" ?
Posted by jnhoj (Member # 286) on :
although i guess gta has far more of a game attatched than the two mentioned above.
Posted by Roy (Member # 705) on :
quote: bought San Andreas this afternoon -- amusingly, with the £25 gift vouchers my President at work gave me for "5 Years of Service"
That's five pounds a year. Is he tight or is that the value of your service?
Posted by kovacs (Member # 28) on :
quote:Originally posted by jnhoj: brrr worrying trend of collectionathon wank off in my face games. Wasnt it you kovacs moaning about london finding harvest moon / animal crossing appealing?
Can you only play upgrade your life games when its being applied to loaded esque magazines idea of what at a bloke should be doing to earn his "hit points" ?
I think you will note that I was surprised by the focus on domesticity and lifestyle challenges -- it seemed weirdly like one of those notorious Japanese video games about walking the dog or driving a train. The first missions are all about getting a shave or buying clothes.
So I didn't make out that the character-building, everyday simulation aspect of San An was what appealed to me... it was fascinating, but surprising. What I like best about it, as with Vice City, is the freedom, the physics -- jumps, stunts, spectacular deaths -- and the stunning views. I was just now standing at the back of the Vinewood sign, looking down at the sunset through fifty-foot letters.
The lifestyle tasks in this game are already salted with gangsta murders anyway, which is a queasily endearing mixture -- your homies slaughtering a bunch of guys just for wearing the wrong color shirts, then driving off making jokes about their next meal and how they need to get some sleep.
It isn't really remotely like a ladmag list of things to do before you're thirty. Firstly, that kind of list doesn't include "go to a gym" and "eat pizza", and secondly it doesn't include "buy an AK" or "chauffeur a drive-by".
Posted by kovacs (Member # 28) on :
Yeah £5 a year is incredibly tight isn't it. I think the word "token" was pretty accurate. Anyway it makes me laff a little to think that they bought me this game. (Or, sadly, bought me some of it, because I had to chip in £15 of my own.)
NB I got a framed certificate too.
Posted by Tef-land (Member # 561) on :
you thought the view from the vinewood sign was good.
Three things to say to that.
Stolen Lear jet. Parachute. HALO jump.
sheer genius.
*Base jumping is also available from the start of the game - if you want to....
Posted by funkypurplepants (Member # 746) on :
Hey folks its been a while, just thought i would inform you that you can advance to other islands without doing the missions. If you use a car to stand on, jump over the wall into the airport (to the east of the runways there is a wall rather than the wall with fence) you will find a propellor plane there is also (woohoo!) a private jet you can take for a spin. Please note that as soon as you enter airspace over a locked island you get 4 stars and shot down by a millitary jet. Fly low and jump quick try and find a car and get to a paint and spray. Not yet made the pay and spray let me know how you do?
Posted by funkypurplepants (Member # 746) on :
quote:Originally posted by Tef-land: sheer genius.
*Base jumping is also available from the start of the game - if you want to....
to get a free parachute find the round building next to the mad junction in commerce, you go to the top automatically, note you can get a bike up there too, you cant jump off it or use your parachute while on the bike in the air but you will survive the drop
[ 05.11.2004, 04:43: Message edited by: funkypurplepants ]
Posted by Boy Racer (Member # 498) on :
I've eschewed main game missions the past couple of evenings in favour of turning the map green through gang warfare. Oh, and I've been seeing quite alot of Denise.
This has produced my first quibbles with San Andreas, though.
First of all, it's all very well being able to take a crew with you to fight for new turf, but it'd be slightly better if they weren't utterly shit at fighting. Renders their use slightly pointless.
Also has anyone else found that opposing gang members are allowed to run miles away, out of the 'warzone', but if you try to chase them down you're ordered back on pain of failing to capture the new turf. Annoying.
[ 05.11.2004, 09:33: Message edited by: Boy Racer ]
Posted by MiscellaneousFiles (Member # 60) on :
quote:Originally posted by Boy Racer: esqued
eschewed?
Posted by Ringo (Member # 47) on :
quote:Originally posted by funkypurplepants: Not yet made the pay and spray let me know how you do?
You'll find that even a pay'n'spray wont help your cheating ass.
You can also swim over to other levels if you like.
Posted by Raz (Member # 449) on :
quote:Originally posted by kovacs: color
[ 05.11.2004, 07:28: Message edited by: Raz ]
Posted by kovacs (Member # 28) on :
San Andreas is in America.
Posted by Boy Racer (Member # 498) on :
quote:Originally posted by MiscellaneousFiles:
quote:Originally posted by Boy Racer: esqued
eschewed?
Yes, thank you Misc.
Posted by funkypurplepants (Member # 746) on :
quote:Originally posted by Ringo:
quote:Originally posted by funkypurplepants: Not yet made the pay and spray let me know how you do?
You'll find that even a pay'n'spray wont help your cheating ass.
hey man i have no need to cheat i just load game a shit load. also using cheats puts your criminal rating right down, well it did in the last one anyway. I havent done much with the game as my p2 got nicked about a month ago, but have played quite a bit with a friend, i, or in fact we, cant currently recruit gang members, we recruited one when we first realized we could, but have been unable to do so since, i was thinking it may be to do with the customised ride is in the far garage miles from my crew do i need funky car to get the respect to do this?
Posted by funkypurplepants (Member # 746) on :
by the way guys i have noticed that no-one seems to have mentioned the dance your hydroulic car gambling options, or the burglary(the latter being the most efficiant way to make money i have found so far) to find the burglar van, go down the alley next to your first house, do a right you will notice that another road joins the one you are on on the left, go through the last gap in the fences on the left and you will find the van (big and black boxville) you can only activate burglar missions between 20:00 an 06:00 try to find two houses close together as if you keep going to the same one you will find that you strip it when you go from one to another all the goods are respawned.
Posted by kovacs (Member # 28) on :
YOU ARE MAKING ME FEEL BORED OF THIS GAME AND I HAVE ONLY PLAYED IT FOR ONE EVENING Posted by Roy (Member # 705) on :
quote: by the way guys i have noticed that no-one seems to have mentioned the dance your hydroulic car gambling options, or the burglary(the latter being the most efficiant way to make money i have found so far)
Somebody else too, it seems.
quote: I havent done much with the game as my p2 got nicked
Posted by funkypurplepants (Member # 746) on :
quote:Originally posted by kovacs: YOU ARE MAKING ME FEEL BORED OF THIS GAME AND I HAVE ONLY PLAYED IT FOR ONE EVENING
sorry dude, completely unintentional i would never do such a thing, to cheapen any grand theft is worthy of global contempt let alone the biggest and best yet, thought you might like to take advantage of earning some cash to buy new house w/off st parking and having a nice place to keep your newly suped car. btw anyone found any purple pants, found some black ones and ones w/hearts on, any takers?
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