Questions about gameplay in Grand Theft Auto (GTA) San Andreas

October 31, 2004 8:51 AM

In GTA San Andreas, every time I attempt a home invasion there's someone sitting in the living room. Is there a way to ensure that people will be upstairs more often?

And if I'm quicker with a baseball bat, can I prevent the majority of the population that sleeps sitting upright in the living room from calling the cops?
posted by Mayor Curley to sports, hobbies, & recreation (18 comments total)

You might try asking on the GameFAQS forum where there will be an enormous concentration of GTA:SA players. They've probably already unlocked every secret and figured out every algorithm in the game even though it's only been out for a little while.
posted by bcwinters at 9:05 AM on October 31, 2004

Additionally, Mayor, not that it helps: I put together a wiki I've been meaning to point you at. There's nothing there yet, but it beats the zillion posts back and forth we made last time.

How far along are you that you're doing home invasions? I did the one for a mission but haven't been back since. Everything in this game seems like too much effort.
posted by yerfatma at 9:20 AM on October 31, 2004

Wiki's a good idea for those who like playing video games but aren't uh, as hardcore as some of the GameFAQ people...

My friend and I did the home invasion and it's almost random but there are houses in which you can steal. The cash is minimal (around $100 each night). I found it easier and more productive to kill people, steal their money, and hide until the heat came off.

It seems like in the game they don't want you to exploit anything. We're not that far along but it seems everything has a "do it twice" rate at which it becomes insanely difficult to do the same thing again and again. This is aggravating for those of us who are the pick up players.
posted by geoff. at 9:36 AM on October 31, 2004

Ask MetaFilter: I found it easier and more productive to kill people, steal their money, and hide until the heat came off.
posted by Vidiot at 12:13 PM on October 31, 2004

O my. I didn't realize he was talking about a game.
posted by konolia at 12:16 PM on October 31, 2004

"You might try asking on the GameFAQS forum where there will be an enormous concentration of GTA:SA players who are 14 and will call you a 'f4g' for being 48 hours behind them in play time."

Seriously, though, I asked here because I know that a bunch of us are playing it and we're mostly adults.
posted by Mayor Curley at 12:59 PM on October 31, 2004

AggroSk8er's gamefaq has info on home invasions, including a claim that he makes thousands a day doing it.
posted by Nelson at 1:32 PM on October 31, 2004

Stupid-ass GameFAQ referrer policy. Paste the link in: http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/file/grand_theft_auto_sa_missions.txt
posted by Nelson at 1:32 PM on October 31, 2004

Anyone know why he says to not save with cheats enabled? Does that affect the outcome of the game in any way?

By the way, this game may be the only thing saving me from the depths of deep despair in light of the NHL strike.
posted by adampsyche at 2:46 PM on October 31, 2004

adampsyche: once you have the cheats enabled you *cannot* disable them.

My flatmate screwed up a GTA 3 game 3/4 of the way through by turning on the cheat that caused all the peeps on the street to go into rampge mode. It became unplayable and there was no way of recovering. Nice one.
posted by arha at 3:12 PM on October 31, 2004

also, enabling the cheats prevents you from achieving 100% complete status.
posted by arha at 5:07 PM on October 31, 2004

also, you know, its cheating.
posted by ChasFile at 6:05 PM on October 31, 2004

Yeah, but some of the GTA cheats have always been fun-based. Unlike God Mode in Doom, they're more about making the game even more violent or hard to play. Others are just about cheating.
posted by yerfatma at 6:07 PM on October 31, 2004

In Vice City, at least, using a cheat would make it impossible to get 100%.
posted by neckro23 at 6:37 PM on October 31, 2004

Yeah, I usually do a cheat just for a rampage kinda thing, and never save a game afterwards. You know, get a tank and a bunch of guns, and see how long it takes them to capture me. The riot one is a lot of fun, too, but I wouldn't want to play a whole game like that.
posted by adampsyche at 7:15 PM on October 31, 2004

there is alot of fun to be had by trying to uncover the entire map before you are allowed off the island. As soon as you set foot on the opposite shore you are awarded five wanted stars. I got a tattoo in Las Venturas to prove my manly braveness and huge cajones.
posted by Espoo2 at 8:19 PM on October 31, 2004

You can also get planes and copters without a liscence - just drive to the airport in a delivery van or a truck and hop the fence.

I've only been able to go on 3 or so dates with Denise because it always says she isn't home right now. Is there a way to make her be at home more, or is it random? By the time I get a date with her, my progress has gone so far down that its like one step forward, two steps back.
posted by ChasFile at 12:39 AM on November 1, 2004

I haven't done a non-mission home invasion yet (too busy taking over gang territories) but I've found the pimping mission is a good way to make a couple thousand pretty quick and boost your driving skill at the same time.
posted by Cyrano at 11:20 AM on November 1, 2004