***Official Xbox GTA Tips/FAQ Thread*** (1 Viewer)

[Matt Butler]

I wanted to also reply to Scott Lb's post about game time vs life responsibilites. I couldnt spend all my time playing. Im single and live alone. But I do work 40 hrs a week 8am to 445pm with Sun and Wed off. I do have friends and an improv theatre group that I play with once a week. Add that with DVDs and TV viewing on a few shows regularly, I can get some decent playing but not a huge amount as someone who didnt have a life. I also dont have a great patience level. Im pretty picky about what games I buy. I rent or trade alot of games; in fact I only own a few.

 

[David Rogers]

First off, I bet most of the problems disappear if you play the PC version. Real controls help tremendously with this type of game; don't believe me, play GTA on a console and look at how awkward it is to aim weapons with a thumbstick. And it'll look better on the PC than a console.

Tips:

* www.gamefaqs.com Search GTA Vice City. Find the FAQ that speaks your language and follow as needed. Sometimes you’re missing something, or there’s a strategy that will lower the difficulty of the mission you’re stuck on.

* Complete the Ambulance missions. Enables perma-sprint. Very useful, the most effective perma-powerup you can earn from the ‘utility’ missions. Requires careful driving since the ambulance cannot be repaired or exited without ending the mission, and the vehicle is very poor in handling. This forces you to drive 'properly' without ramming vehicles or scenery to make it the distance. Practising with it will give you a deft touch with more responsive cars that are significantly harder to roll over than the top heavy ambulance.

* Complete Vigilante missions. Enables 150 max armor; the extra fifty help tremendously. Easiest way to do these is to run your wanted level up to 3 stars, then lift a Vice sports police car. Also, in the second island (airport side of the city), on the police station off the main strip along the coast, there's a parked sports police car in the back. This car is very able for Vigilante for speed and handling (x2 or x3 over regular patrol car), and is repairable at any Paint-n-Spray (unlike the Patrol car). P-n-S also removes your wanted level, which will inevitably rise as you nail perps. Completing the Vigilante missions will also teach you how to properly and effectively fight from a vehicle, which is a key skill in many of the story and asset missions.

* Complete Pizza Delivery missions. Enables 150 max health; the extra fifty help tremendously. Also teaches you the city.

* Learn the city so you can traverse from A to B to C (etc...) quickly and without backtracking, side streeting, or otherwise consuming additional time. A very good way to learn the city is to do the Taxi (100 passengers) and Fire (complete sequence) missions; at the end you'll know the map. Doing 100 Taxi dropoffs first thing before any missions is an excellent idea; you'll learn handling and the map, and have a wad of cash, right off the bat.

* Find at least 10 hidden packages to place an armor powerup at all your garages. If you can get 60 packages, you get a minigun powerup which detonate anything except a tank or helicopter instantly, and helicopters with 5 seconds of fire.

* Following up the package tip, purchase all the private garages so you can have maximum coverage for aid. Place useful vehicles in key locations around the city so you’re usually reasonably near a ride you need (bikes and Vice cars should be prime meat for this need).

* Learn how to make a sports bike *beg* for mercy. Many driver missions are significantly easier if you can whip a bike through the streets at will; it can catch any car and is the most maneuverable thing in the game. It can also outrun any pursuit. I completed the Malibu Club: Driver race on a sports bike and feel pretty durn good about it.

* Grabbing a rampage while in the middle of a mission does two things. Gives you the rampage weapon with unlimited ammo, for one. Second, after you whack all the gangers that appear your wanted level will vaporize with the rampage completion except on a very few missions where your wanted level is hardcoded to remain on.

* Learn how to quickly ditch wanted levels for missions that add cops atop other challenges; chasing after something (or driving a timed circuit) is significantly more difficult with suicide rammers hounding your line. P-n-S and solo bribe stars are key and should be learned and referenced as you play.

* Complete the Kauffman Cabs asset missions to activate a cab ride that waits for you every time you leave the police station or hospital; it'll take you back to your last mission attempt.

* You shouldn’t have significant problems with money, but if you are remember there are tons of ways to earn cash. Asset missions can be completed; picking them up in a circuit should take less than five minutes. Stores can be held up. Gangers can be slaughtered for the cash they often drop. Learn where weapon powerups are to avoid having to purchase them (every weapon in the game can be found as a static powerup somewhere in some way). Taxi missions can earn several thousand dollars in a few minutes if you’re fast. And if nothing else, cops are almost always good for shotguns and pistols.

* Don’t forget, you can run into AmmoNations to buy armor if you’re low on a mission.

* Learn where the Health and Armor powerups are located throughout the city; use these during missions if you’re having trouble.

* Some missions are near the on-foot Bullet Time powerups. These place you in slow-mo bullet time permanently until you next enter a vehicle. Many missions become significantly easier if you slow time down; especially if you’re playing with thumbsticks instead of mouse-and-keyboard.

* Never forget, GTA:VC is the greatest game to date of the 21st century. You’re playing gaming history!

 

[Matt Butler]

Thanks for the tips Dave!

 

[Rusty Ray]

i'm stuck on the death row also. im going to try the copter thing tonight... will i be able to get there in time?

 

[AjayM]

Here are my secrets for death row;

1. Drive a sports car or a PCB (sport bike) from the club to the dump. The bike is better if you are able to handle it, but you don't want to fall off.
2. Go to the back of the dump to get in. Before you start the mission, check out the back way in. You will encounter a lot less enemy resistance and they are easier to zap away.
3. Spend the bucks and pick up the MP5 like machine pistol. The "auto aim" works for it and it has the range and killing power to reach way out.
4. Your first order of business is to get into the hanger so pop any enemies in your way, but get there fast. Once in the hanger pop all the enemies between you and the garbage truck.
5. Drive the garbage truck to take Lance to the hospital, those cheesy cars that the enemy drive can't do anything to it, and they won't be able to ram you off the road.

Andrew

 

[Rusty Ray]

i finally did it... went in the front, picked them off, got the garbage truck to leave and was untouchable...

now i cant do the mansion one... i get destroyed any tips?