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[LakeEarth]

So I've been having lots of fun with GTA:SA, and it is the first GTA I've played since GTA2 (I know, I just didn't get an xbox till this christmas). So I'm loving it, but... then the gangwars begin. The game says you have to do it on foot...the problem? TARGETTING!!!

Yes, I've heard all the complaints about targetting but didn't quite understand the hate while playing the game at friends houses because usually I would just mess around. With these gangwars it's the firsttime I've had to face 4-5 people at the same time on foot, and it seems like everytime I get into these waves, instead of shooting at them I start shooting into the sky, instead of strafing I turn my back at the half dozen guys shooting at me. Even using the white/black buttons to switch targets doesn't always work.

Any tips on how to pass these sections, or how to handle the very stupid targetting of this game?


One more thing, my copy of GTA:SA keeps stopping, saying that the controller is not hooked up to the system...but it is, and it's the only game to ever say this. I just hit start without doing anything and the game starts up, with the same message popping up randomly throughout play. Is there any word on a problem like this?

 

[Redbeard]

Hold R and manually aim. Make sure you crouch, too.

 

[Amir0x]

So I've been having lots of fun with GTA:SA, and it is the first GTA I've played since GTA2 (I know, I just didn't get an xbox till this christmas). So I'm loving it, but... then the gangwars begin. The game says you have to do it on foot...the problem? TARGETTING!!!

Yes, I've heard all the complaints about targetting but didn't quite understand the hate while playing the game at friends houses because usually I would just mess around. With these gangwars it's the firsttime I've had to face 4-5 people at the same time on foot, and it seems like everytime I get into these waves, instead of shooting at them I start shooting into the sky, instead of strafing I turn my back at the half dozen guys shooting at me. Even using the white/black buttons to switch targets doesn't always work.

Any tips on how to pass these sections, or how to handle the very stupid targetting of this game?

I had no problems targeting in the PS2 version, but I haven't played the XBX version (or PC version) yet. Dunno what to tell you, except practice makes perfect.

 

[Wario64]

what redbeard said. also, use the black and white buttons to switch targets

of course, you could try manual aiming if you think you're skilled enough...but i find GTA:SA'a manual aiming very difficult. and i don't suck at console FPS so it can't just be me

i finally got 100% gang territories the other day, woo. it's so easy when you stock up on weapons. specifically the AK47 or M4

 

[LakeEarth]

Thanks for the tips guys. Just pisses me off when I die just because the game decided to turn me around while the action gets hot.

 

[Vlad]

I had no problems targeting in the PS2 version, but I haven't played the XBX version (or PC version) yet. Dunno what to tell you, except practice makes perfect.

Yeah, if anything, the targetting in GTA:SA (ditto on only playing the PS2 version here, too) made the game way too easy, as all you had to do was hold down the targetting button, kill a target, hit the "next target" button, kill the next guy, and so on. The fact that none of the enemies in the game make any attempt at tactics or anything makes it even worse.

For the gangwars, the big thing to keep in mind is that you shouldn't just run into the crowd and start shooting, you need to look at the map and find a spot where they can come to you. Even if you've got a full gang with you, you're still going to be vastly outnumbered and outgunned, so hang back, and let them come to you down an alley or narrow street, or around a corner or something.

Also, armor and health spawns around the area during a turf war, so make sure to grab it if you're running low.

 

[LakeEarth]

I'll look for those. And yeah I was kinda just going all out killing without strategy. Maybe I should put my RE4 mind to work and find chokepoints when the wars begin. And for SURE look for body armor since that really makes a big difference I've noticed.

 

[Redbeard]

I'll look for those. And yeah I was kinda just going all out killing without strategy. Maybe I should put my RE4 mind to work and find chokepoints when the wars begin. And for SURE look for body armor since that really makes a big difference I've noticed.

Try and find spots where they can't come up from behind you. And aim for the head; one shot will kill.

 

[Solid]

i finally got 100% gang territories the other day, woo. it's so easy when you stock up on weapons. specifically the AK47 or M4

i'm there right now... so fucking annoying. talk about drain the game down the tunnel. it's like those damn triforce pieces in wind waker, just there to make the game longer.

it's not getting any easier either when everyone is shooting at you, cars blow up and kill your gang etc. too many frustrating things happening at once.

 

[SolidSnakex]

it's not getting any easier either when everyone is shooting at you, cars blow up and kill your gang etc. too many frustrating things happening at once.

Spoiler

Try not to drive in a car too much, except when you're driving to the location. I did alot of it on foot simply because it was so common for my car to get blown up.

 

[Wario64]

eh, the gang wars didn't take that long

Spoiler

to trigger the last mission. all you needed was like 35% anyway, which took maybe 4-5 gang battles?

i had fun with the gang wars though. M4 (at hitman level) + 2000 bullets = piece of cake
i could clear out a wave with just 1 clip at times

 

[john2kx]

I'll look for those. And yeah I was kinda just going all out killing without strategy. Maybe I should put my RE4 mind to work and find chokepoints when the wars begin. And for SURE look for body armor since that really makes a big difference I've noticed.

and make sure you work out a lot because that seriously matters.

 

[INTERNET]

even better, finish the firetruck missions and load up on Molotovs, then hide behind a fence or on a rooftop and wait for them to come get fire rained down on them.

 

[evil ways]

I had a blast with the gang wars but it was mostly because I messed around on them. At one time I strategically placed a few remote explosive charges on the street, hid and waited for my enemies to walk over them then I started triggering them. It gives you a lot of wanted stars but it's funny as hell.

 

[raYne]

and make sure you work out a lot because that seriously matters.

Eh? Why would that matter?

Anyhow, you should've been upgrading your weapon skills as much as possible. Then you could've just crouched and took them out way before they would even be in range to fire at you. Or as suggested, use manual aim and headshots to take them down from even further. Hell, I never even bothered to recruit anyone 'till after I beat the game... and even then it was simply to screw around.

With the above method often times I wouldn't even get touched.

-Don't use vehicles to fight them.
-Don't hide behind one for cover.
-Your gang just gets in the way since their firing range also sucks so they need to run up too close.
-Take them out from as far as possible.
-Try to have something nearby to use as cover/strategy. ie wall, building, etc.

If you wanted to you could've done the ambulance and vigilante missions to up your max health and armor, but it certainly isn't required.

I really don't get the control complaints about the Xbox version. The only thing that might be of any trouble is the drive-bys simply because you aren't used to hitting white+A or black+B at the same time. But once you get used to it it's really not that big a deal. Regular aiming R to lock, black/white to cycle, L to fire is extremely simple.

 

[Zaptruder]

The gang wars part is the easiest... just spot the blips... they normally come in waves; and close by to you when they start spawning. They spawn in two groups per wave, so just back off a bit, and use range to aid in the killing. Use the map to make sure you're facing the right direction.

If you hit a cop, it's not worth retaliating for the second star, the first star goes away soon enough; just run away from him a bit.

 

[Vlad]

If you hit a cop, it's not worth retaliating for the second star, the first star goes away soon enough; just run away from him a bit.

Also, if you've only got one star, cops will only shoot at you if you've got a gun equipped. If you select a melee attack instead, they'll only try and club you, which makes running away a whole lot easier.

 

[LakeEarth]

Oh okay. Well the game JUST showed me where the group lines were drawn (just started playing two days ago) so currently everything of my stats is minimum except for strength and stamina which I built up early.
Any way to build up shooting skill early or is it just build up during the game? Is there a shooting range somewhere or something?

Now that I think about it, maybe I'll hold off on building up territory. How often does your territory get "under attack"? I don't want it to get annoying, having to run and save my space all the time.

 

[belgurdo]

Eh? Why would that matter?

Because a max muscle CJ can kill someone in three punches. Great when you don't feel like wasting ammo.

ANd for gang wars, just get an AK or M4. You can hit them all the way from the countryside with those weapons

 

[LakeEarth]

Because a max muscle CJ can kill someone in three punches. Great when you don't feel like wasting ammo.

You mean with brass knucks right? Cause my guy's maxed and he's never taken out anyone in 3 punches without the knucks except for weak pedestrians.

 

[Wario64]

Oh okay. Well the game JUST showed me where the group lines were drawn (just started playing two days ago) so currently everything of my stats is minimum except for strength and stamina which I built up early.
Any way to build up shooting skill early or is it just build up during the game? Is there a shooting range somewhere or something?

fastest way to level up your weapon skills:

1. park a car in the garage
2. shoot the car until it goes on fire
3. run away from the garage so that the door closes
4. repeat steps 2 and 3


and don't worry about territory right now. it's a waste of time...you'll see what i mean soon

 

[belgurdo]

You mean with brass knucks right? Cause my guy's maxed and he's never taken out anyone in 3 punches without the knucks except for weak pedestrians.

Just use dirty fighting style

 

[LakeEarth]

Just use dirty fighting style

(goes to Gamefaqs to find out what that means)

 

[Swordian]

fastest way to level up your weapon skills:

1. park a car in the garage
2. shoot the car until it goes on fire
3. run away from the garage so that the door closes
4. repeat steps 2 and 3


and don't worry about territory right now. it's a waste of time...you'll see what i mean soon

1. park a car
2. shoot a wheel
3. repeat step 2 until you run out of ammo or achieve hitman level

 

[LakeEarth]

Game keeps pissing me off. Seems like one of my territories are under attack every half hour.

 

[snaildog]

There's always body armour and health lying around in the territory you're trying to take over. Just stand beside them and grab them as soon as you've nearly run out; I usually finish with full health + BA.

And a cheap trick for definding territory:

Spoiler

get in a taxi or other mission vehicle and push the button to start the mission

 

[iceDragon7]

(goes to Gamefaqs to find out what that means)

You can look but you will only find tons of topics with "I found bigfoot".

 

[LakeEarth]

You can look but you will only find tons of topics with "I found bigfoot".

Then telling me what he meant by dirty fighting style would be appriciated.

So starting a mission stops attacks on territories? I don't lose it?

Another thing that bugged me during the fighting, during one battle of territory I was on the second wave when the rival gang started running away (??) and wouldn't come back. I had to run out of the territory to get them, but I was so far out the game accused me of "fleeing the territory" and the territory became blank. God...

 

[Ramirez]

What's that,the gunplay in GTA games suck?Do tell...

 

[Borys]

Get it on the PC.

Targetting problem solved.

 

[BuddyC]

Get it on the PC.

Targetting problem solved.

But then you have to tweak settings to get it running nicely whilst pushing your hardware to the max, that is, unless you have one of those fancy higher-end PCs. Not to mention the right stick issue where the game refuses to recognize the right stick of controller in some instances, mine being one of them. So I can't use the right stick on my Dual Shock at all, which that means targeting with the controller isn't all that great. But the same can be said for driving with a keyboard, so I'm left constantly swapping between the two (after spending the requisite time configuring the controller in the options menu) and that just gets annoying after a while.

Still, the decreased load times and having the game randomly choose music from the whole of my MP3 partition are kinda nice, but don't go in thinking that the PC version will magically solve any controller-related woes.

 

[Borys]

But then you have to tweak settings to get it running nicely whilst pushing your hardware to the max, that is, unless you have one of those fancy higher-end PCs. Not to mention the right stick issue where the game refuses to recognize the right stick of controller in some instances, mine being one of them. So I can't use the right stick on my Dual Shock at all, which that means targeting with the controller isn't all that great. But the same can be said for driving with a keyboard, so I'm left constantly swapping between the two (after spending the requisite time configuring the controller in the options menu) and that just gets annoying after a while.

Still, the decreased load times and having the game randomly choose music from the whole of my MP3 partition are kinda nice, but don't go in thinking that the PC version will magically solve any controller-related woes.

I said targetting problems not controlling problems

You are playing it on the PC and still targetting with a controller?

That beats the whole point of playing it on a PC...

I've finished GTA3 and Vice City using only mouse and keyboard, no problems at all, even "the hardest" race ever - The Driver was a breeze. It took me more times to pass it on PS2 than on PC!
I just know how to race using WSAD... but then I was raised on Carmageddon games :lol

 

[BuddyC]

I said targetting problems not controlling problems

You are playing it on the PC and still targetting with a controller?

Targetting with mouse/kb, driving with controller.

 

[Myoclonic Jerk]

targeting wasn't an issue for me (PS2 version)...

 

[Zaptruder]

Targetting with mouse/kb, driving with controller.

Initially my right stick on my Dual Shock wasn't been recongized either... but I went in and played around with the gamepad settings in control panel, added some random manufacturer's gamepad, tried to add my own 4 axes, 4 button pad, cleared them all, then went back into the game and for some reason even though the game didn't recognize the z axis and z rotation axis (which is what games normally see the second stick as), it was able to detect it as X2 axis and Y2 axis, and the game started running fine with gamepad.

I only reverted to Mouse and keyboard when I wanted to 'cheat', by using mouse aim. Some of the missions like using the minigun to destroy the planes, or hit the people on the boat for example.

 

[Ghost]

I breezed through GTA:SA with mouse and keyboard, flying takes quite a bit of getting used to but otherwise it plays just as well as GTA 1&2 all those years ago.

 

[Solid]

i finally finished the gang war today.. and just a moment ago i beat the game. i was so near to give up but wario's "you only need like 30%" made me continue

 

[raYne]

Because a max muscle CJ can kill someone in three punches. Great when you don't feel like wasting ammo.

People actually try to use melee attacks in gang wars? No wonder people are having trouble :lol

Ammo is never a concern either since the waves will pretty much always drop 9mm/SMG/Assault ammunition.

 

[Minotauro]

I've been playing SA on Xbox for the past few days and I've noticed some things I thought I'd inquire about...

Has anyone else been bothered by how the camera doesn't follow your car on turns? It makes judging said turns pretty difficult. I even went back and played some of Vice City because I don't remember the camera doing that but I guess it does. I think the difference is that in VC, the camera was slightly elevated which made judging corners easier. Regardless, I find myself crashing into other cars and roadside items far too often. I guess I could switch to the bumper view but I've never been a big fan of that viewpoint.

Is there a widescreen mode setting I'm missing? I've heard people bitching about the jagginess of the widescreen mode in the Xbox version but I've been unable to locate any setting in the pause menu like there was in the PS2 version. Are people just playing it stretched and not noticing? If not, where can I turn widescreen on?

 

[Ranger X]

I've been playing SA on Xbox for the past few days and I've noticed some things I thought I'd inquire about...

Has anyone else been bothered by how the camera doesn't follow your car on turns? It makes judging said turns pretty difficult. I even went back and played some of Vice City because I don't remember the camera doing that but I guess it does. I think the difference is that in VC, the camera was slightly elevated which made judging corners easier. Regardless, I find myself crashing into other cars and roadside items far too often. I guess I could switch to the bumper view but I've never been a big fan of that viewpoint.

Is there a widescreen mode setting I'm missing? I've heard people bitching about the jagginess of the widescreen mode in the Xbox version but I've been unable to locate any setting in the pause menu like there was in the PS2 version. Are people just playing it stretched and not noticing? If not, where can I turn widescreen on?

Actually i was having some problems with chase view at first on the PS2 version. But since you can move the camera at anytime with both joystick it isn't a problem anymore.

 

[raYne]

I never looked for the widescreen option and my Xbox is in use at the moment so I can't help you with that.

However, since you know that you can change viewpoint already there is a father view than the default. That, or you could simply manually turn the camera with the right analog stick before you go barelling around corners... which is what I do.

 

[Minotauro]

Yeah, I've begun manually shifting the camera with the right stick. Still, that isn't perfect because I like to use the handbrake for turns and it sucks to have to quickly hit it and then adjust the camera. I wish it would just do a better job of tracking your car.

 

[LakeEarth]

I never looked for the widescreen option and my Xbox is in use at the moment so I can't help you with that.

However, since you know that you can change viewpoint already there is a father view than the default. That, or you could simply manually turn the camera with the right analog stick before you go barelling around corners... which is what I do.

Me too, which makes riding a lowrider suck cause you can't do that with those cars.

 

[Tain]

Any tips on how to pass these sections, or how to handle the very stupid targetting of this game?

As said, play the PC version. I can't get over how much better it is, even using the keyboard for vehicles.

Manual aiming seems to be better on the Xbox version than PS2, though, mostly because the sensitivity seems higher.

But then you have to tweak settings to get it running nicely whilst pushing your hardware to the max, that is, unless you have one of those fancy higher-end PCs

My PC isn't all that great (Athlon XP 3200+, Radeon 9800 Pro), and it runs fine on maximum detail. Playing with the FPS cap off, I'm almost always over 30. I can't imagine it'd be hard to maintain 30.

 

[Vlad]

I've been playing SA on Xbox for the past few days and I've noticed some things I thought I'd inquire about...

Has anyone else been bothered by how the camera doesn't follow your car on turns? It makes judging said turns pretty difficult. I even went back and played some of Vice City because I don't remember the camera doing that but I guess it does. I think the difference is that in VC, the camera was slightly elevated which made judging corners easier. Regardless, I find myself crashing into other cars and roadside items far too often. I guess I could switch to the bumper view but I've never been a big fan of that viewpoint.

I actually mentioned in the "worst camera ever" thread that I thought that GTA:SA had a pretty bad camera setup, and it was for this exact reason. It's extremely irritating that they have it set so that the camera doesn't even try to stay behind the car until after you've gone forward for a while. As you said, it makes doing any sharp turns a royal pain, as you have to constantly babysit the camera, which simply shouldn't be necessary in any driving game.