chess

forgive me for the new thread on an old subject, but i'm just so amazed at this game that i have to talk about it. i was up until about 3 a.m. this morning playing it, and it's been a LONG time since a game has kept me up that late...probably zelda 64.

unfortunately, i don't really have anybody at work to discuss these things with and i'm just dying to talk about it for some reason. my girlfriend humors me and acts interested, but it's just not the same.

i mostly just want to talk about the things i love about the game. i'm not even sure where to start...

1. the freedom. you can pick up the controller and run through a few missions, look for hidden items, go find cool new cars, or just wander around causing general mayhem.

2. the fun. no matter which you choose, it's never boring...frustrating maybe, but never boring.

3. immersive. easily the most fully realized "real" world i've seen in a game with tons of people and vehicles and weapons all at your disposal. Rockstar has created a little world that you can actually exist in and not just run through.

4. the depth. early in the game, you can get away with just running over everything in your car, and it's fun. but later, you'll need to learn to use your weapons...particularly grenades and the sniper rifle. you'll also find that there are reasons to go back to areas you've already completed...and not just to collect more stuff. there's a race on the first island that is surely impossible to win until you get some of the cars on the second island and winning it opens up a whole new set of objectives.

5. the scope. this city is BIG. i have a feeling when i "finish" the game that i'll want to spend some time just wandering around.

6. the plot and the humor. some of the cut scenes are friggin hysterical. i played the "Tanner" mission last night and it was so perfect...down to the way Tanner ran down the steps and got in his car. i also loved getting paged in the middle of a mission to tell me it was a trap. very cool.

7. the controls. mostly spot-on...aside from some targeting issues. pulls off what Driver tried to do in terms of playing on foot and in a vehicle with intuitive controls for both...although Driver had a better driving engine.

8. the graphics. they don't have a wow factor and they're not as groundbreaking as some other recent games, but they are rarely distracting and they never pull you out of the totally immersive envirionment.

a few problems i have...pretty minor stuff.

1. i get lost a lot. the city is huge and a lot of it looks similar. i think Driver had a map pop up when you paused it that showed where you were in relation to everything else. that sort of thing would be great here.

2. targeting. it would be really helpful if you could scroll through targets and not just lock on to whoever is closest. it gets especially confusing when you are surrounded.

anyway, it might just be a short term reaction, but i think this might just be my new favorite game EVER, and is reason enough to be pleased with my PS2 purchase.

i have Vice City too, and popped it in just to wander around a bit. it looks AMAZING, but i'm trying to resist playing it until i've given GTA 3 a full run.

dasmooth1

yup, and thats why its become one of the greatest games so far on the PS2.

TaTTooD

1. you can just pause the game and there's a map that shows where you are in relation to everything else

2. while youre holding i think R1 to target, you can hit L1 or L2 (i forget) to cycle through the targets. it initially goes to the closest but you can cycle through them all.

chess

thanks, i'll check it out.

1. is the map in one of the submenus or something, because i haven't seen it yet. there's a radar for the small area you're in, but is there actually something that shows the whole island along with locations of key shops and hospitals?

2. i'll check out the target cycling tonight! that's most helpful.

The Franchise

The map is only in Vice City, not in GTA3 by the way. One of the improvements they made. I would play GTA3 with the fold out map provided with the instructions. Easier that way, until you learn your way.

Kiljin

I believe that on the first game there was no map. When you start playing Vice City you get the map at the pause screen.

chess

good. i thought i had totally missed something. i'm finding my way around, but i still get lost sometimes. says a lot about the sheer size of the city.

glad they added a map in VC though!

am i alone in thinking that these games are reason enough to own a PS2 by themselves? i'm just completely amazed at how ambitious these developers were...at the sheer scale and detail they put into the game...at the complete freedom you're given within the game...at the variety of gameplay...at pretty much everything about the game.

the odd thing is that i don't really remember GTA3 getting the level of hype that many other AAA titles get. i remember a general consensus that it was a great game, but i never got the impression that it was this mindblowingly good like i did for, say, Halo or FFX.

mikehunt

great game
I find targeting hard on the PS2 version too
but I have the PC version which can be played with mouse look which makes aiming super easy

37 In A Row

Not really a "gamer" but I bought Vice City on release day to play on my roommates PS2. I rented GTA3 after hearing about it on GA3 and played it for 5 hours straight that night. LOVE THESE GAMES!

chess

37 In A Row...great username!

That was me last night...I just got on a roll, and couldn't stop with the missions! can't wait to get home this afternoon to fire it up again!

uteotw

Right--and it was definitely one of the best improvements from GTA3 to VC. I use that pause map ALL the time...

Young Vito

heh..this reminds me of when gta3 came out, my brother slept over the day before it came out in anticipation, i even ordered it next day delivery, weve been fans since the first ever gta,....man we were addicted to that one too..anyways as soon as it arrived the ps2 wasnt turned off for about 20 hours...hahaha.

and i remember sayin to my bro when the first gta came out..."man imagine this in 3D"

and now im saying...."imagine this game online"
(with virtual gangs....going against each other to control city sections )

truly a great game

Josh H

My copies been collecting dust. I'm probably about half way through the second city, and the game just has never grabbed my attention.

With all the great games I have waiting to be played, I doubt I'll ever finish it.

My main problem is probably that I just don't like super open ended games. Running around just causing mayhem and doing whatever got old real fast for me.

That left doing the mission, which also got old because for every cool mission there was a few lame ones and a few that were just super frustrating.

The aiming control also bothered me, on some missions I'd end up dying because I'd keep targeting and shooting civilians or my mafia partners instead of the "bad" guys.

The cars should also be a little more durable. I know it's more realistic the way it is, but it's annoying to fail missions because you're car blows up after a few crashes, and it's damn tough not to crash in the second city because there's a lot of traffic.

The story never grabbed me either, pretty generic.

I guess it's just not my cup of tea.

NC-36

Josh, you just need to practice driving more, and faster. By the time Staunton Island opened up, I rarely hit anything (or anyone) I didn't intend to

chess, the Turismo race on Portland can easily be won without a car from Staunton if you know the course. The Banshee (Viper) or the Borgnine Cab are both good choices. To get the Borgnine just steal a cab and play "Crazy Taxi" with it. When you deliver your 100th passenger the Borgnine appears in the lot of the cab company. It's heavy, fast and very tough.

A good way to get acquainted with the streets is to spend time looking for the hidden packages. They contain money (always handy) and every time you find 10 a new weapon appears at your hideouts, which will stay there allowing you to re-load every time you go "home". Nothing like free grenades and rocket launcher ammo

Dont forget to run down the elevated train tracks and jump to the roof of the radio station. A nice hot surprise awaits you there

And flying the Dodo is worth the effort. Wait til you see the city from a bird's eye view, with the radio set to Double Cleff FM (classical music). I almost cried

chess

i find the driving to be pretty spot on...and i love the close calls weaving in and out of oncoming traffic. really makes you feel like a badass.

i never saw a banshee till i got to statton...ahem...staunton island. but that is what i did it with. i haven't really gotten into the whole crazy taxi angle yet...i'll have to check that out sometime. do i get anything besides a car?

i think i'm up to 30 packages...i didn't get the connection between packages and weapons until i got the uzi. the pager is just hard to read on my TV...it's too big.

that's on the list of about 10,000 things i haven't tried yet.

i assume the dodo won't fly in it's current state...no wings. does it get wings later?

final question: anybody know a good location for a printable map...the one that comes with the game isn't very well done.

NC-36

The Banshee is available at odd times inside the showroom of the car dealer, next to the junkyard. Though the Stinger, Infernus and Cheetah may be faster (disputed) the Banshee remains my favorite.

You learn the layout of the streets and find shortcuts, and you get paid pretty good $$$ without making enemies. The car is a nice prize.

There are 100 total, with the hardest ones to find in Portland (I think). Getting them all = good thing

Nope, it never grows wings. Don't let that stop you

Here ya go. Street maps with package locations

Direct links won't work to maps, dang it. Go here -

http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/game/31127.html

Click the links that say "Hidden Package Map" followed by the name of the city section you want.

einTier

The best "optional" missions to do are the Vigilante police missions -- though not in Vice City. For every 10 you do, you get a police bribe at your hideout. You can only get two police bribes per island, but they are available at all hideouts. If it's not clear, by doing 20 missions on each island, for a total of 60 missions, you get 6 police bribes at each of your hideouts.

There's nothing like having the military hot on your ass, then ducking into your hideout and grabbing all six police bribes in a row, and suddenly becoming an unwanted man. It's the most useful power up to be found in GTA3.

To do the missions easier, press 'start' when you approach the criminal's car. He'll get out of the car, and all you have to do is run him down.

If you have questions, feel free to ask. I've got 100% on the game, including doing all the extra stuff that doesn't count toward the 100% mark. I've also got all the bulletproof cars in my garages, along with the destruction proof black limo, and the "dead skunk in the trunk" Manana with the dead body in the trunk.

chess

i agree. i think it handles better...and sounds cool...and looks a bit more like its real-life counterpart (viper) than the other two (i presume a testarosa and a diablo). unfortunately, i never saw one in portland...but i brought one over to my garage for the race and as my primary car.

i'll get to that eventually, but from the post below yours, it looks like the police missions might be more worthwhile.

thanks, that'll be the first thing i try...with no wings, i presume it's tricky.

i didn't want package locations until i've given the place a proper search, but there are "regional maps" on there which are EXACTLY what i was looking for...a good overhead map, seperated by city district/gang turf with indicators for the exact things i wanted to use as points of reference (hideout, hospitals, gun shops, police stations, and pay 'n' sprays). somebody read my mind. thanks a million.

PICKED UP MY FIRST HOOKER LAST NIGHT!!!

what a great game.

chess

That will be the second thing i do tonight...after trying to fly the wingless dodo. I had no idea about the reward factor for doing those missions.

THANKS!

Young Vito

wiz

GTA3 looks tons better on the PC and the controls are easier IMHO (and you can use a wheel to drive the cars).

I can't wait for Vice City on the PC....I have the PS2 version, but it still doesn't compare to GTA3 on the PC as far as graphics and playability...

Trying to aim with the controller just sucks.

chess

i have yet to form an interest in PC gaming...in my limited experience, it's just been too complicated with setting up controllers and loading patches and using the keyboard/mouse along with the controller.

with the PS2 version i turn on the power and go...plus i get to play it on a 61" screen and in matrixed surround with a sub.

i don't mean to offhandedly dismiss your preference, or insult you in any way. i'm sure it has some added value on the PC, it's just not my thing.

Cardiff Giant11

Ah this brings back memories. As much as I like Vice City, I still think GTA3 was overall a better game. Perhaps it's because with Vice City I knew what to expect. Anyhow, some of my favorite things to do were to drive into the subway stations and play chicken with the subway trains as well as attempting to fly the Dodo(though i did fly it for 2 minutes straight once). Gotta love going crazy in the game to the sound of Flashback 95.6. Hmm, perhaps I'll pop in GTA3 now for old times sake

NC-36

I always keep the radio on Chatterbox, except when I'm flying. Double Cleff FM just seems more appropriate in the plane.

Even after hearing the same callers and guests 50 times, Lazlo still cracks me up

chess, you also get bonuses for driving the ambulance and putting out fires. Don't overlook the benefits of selling cars at the garages (2 of them, there's a list outside the door of each for cars they want) and selling emergency vehicles at the Portland docks. There's more than money at stake when you get all the vehicles

chess

Another night of GTA3...more thoughts and questions:

i got into police missions and forgot to fly the dodo. got two bribes, but i felt cheap doing the pause trick...problem is that i'm doing them so late in the game that everybody is shooting at me making it much harder than it would have been had i done them earlier.

i did the taxi missions for a while but lost interest after about 20. at this point it doesn't feel worth the effort for one super-taxi. however, it was really helping me learn my way around. had i done it early in the game when i didn't know the city at all and people weren't shooting at me, it would have been very helpful.

i think i skipped some of the Joey Leone missions early on...is there no way to get back to them other than starting over?

i finally found the banshee at the auto dealer. i didn't even know there WAS an auto dealer! anyway, finding that earlier would have saved me a lot of time and work, i think.

those new maps are exceedingly helpful...thanks again. for some reason, i found the pack in map hard to follow.

the RC car mission was great!

what do the drugs do other than slow things down?