Contents: 
  Welcome  
  GTA Info   
  Reviews   
  Files   
  Tips & Tricks   
  Q & A   
  Message Board 
  Chat 
  Multiplayer List  
  Links 
  GTA Webring 

Contact: 
  Comments

M1 
Sam Jessup's GTA map editor, M1, has been updated.  He sent me the following info on its current state: 

I've finally got M1 viewing maps correctly.  It's still  a little rough (it's slow, and has a few glitches).   But it's interesting.

GTA Handbook Updated 
The unofficial GTA Reference Handbook now has a page on the CMP file format and a howto for kill frenzies. 
Thanks Michael 

GTA Demo Player/Recorder? 
Michael Mendelsohn wrote DMA about the replays that start up if you wait at the main menu long enough.  Here's what he found out: 

MM: 
You may have noticed that the game shows a few replays when you wait a while at the character name screen. I asked DMA where they hid the Demo record/replay function 
and received a reply 

DMA: 
Sorry no, that was something we had a special version written for to do.

Playstation Cheats 
Apparently there is still some confusion on how to use the last 2 playstation cheats on the list.  I'll check into it and see what I can find out. 

Site Updates 
The Multiplayer List has been updated 
Tips & Tricks has been updated with tips on using walls to your advantage, jumping rooftops, and   walking on water. 
Added a link to Sam Jessup's site in the Links section. 
The GTA Webring section has been updated. 
 

Monday - January 5, 1998

Playstation Cheats 
OLI sent this in about using the last 2 cheats on the Playstation Cheat list: 

Key Code: 

S = Square 
T = Triangle 
O = Circle 
X = X 

You must enter the codes in the main menu.

Chat Room Changed 
I got rid of the old chat room and replaced it with Parachat.  You will need a Java enabled browser in order to use it.  Netscape 4.0 and Internet Explorer 4.0 both support Java and it should be much faster. 

Site Updates 
Multiplayer List Updated 
Tips and Tricks has a new tip on using the 4x4 
A question regarding the chopper has been added to Q&A. 
The Chat section has a new chat client. 
  

Sunday - January 4, 1998

GTA Web Chat 
I've finally finished setting up the chat room.  If you know of a better free chat client, please let me know.  I've tried parachat and I didn't like it that much but maybe I'll take another look at it.  The main advantage to this client is that it is highly configurable, however its rather primitive.  I would also suggest hitting the HELP button when you try it out.  The help button will list the commands you can use to set things like how fast the board refreshes and things like that.  The only required filed to log on is your nickname, all the others are optional. 

Web Chat Update 
Well I think that the chat client's days are numbered because it is more frustrating than helpful.  I'll take some time out later today and see what I can find and at the very least I'll replace it with a parachat room. 

Multiplayer Help  
Klamy from the Spray Shop sent this in about possible ways to speed up GTA over the internet: 

Myself (Klamy from `Spray Shop`) and Speedie tried out the Wireplay multiplayer software from BT yesterday. 

GTA supports Wireplay, through the Windows version as long as DX5 is installed, it gives games with pings as low as 105 (but more often around the high 100s).  It manages this by having it's own dedicated servers that aren't part of the net. 

The only problem is that the Wireplay software doesn't recognize GTA, but it's easy to resolve:  
Just pick a similar game, then change it's link to the GTA win file. 

Wireplay is available in the UK, US and Australia.

GOURANGA! 
Tom Green sent this explanation for the word Gouranga: 

Gouranga! You wanted to know what it means? Well as far as I can discern, it's some sort of Hare Krishna chant or shout that makes you feel happy as shit. All over my home town (Sheffield, UK) there are flyers with the words "Shout out Gouranga! and be happy". They are seen all over Britain, and are something of a joke, hence DMA's decision to inclusion the concept in the game (them being Scottish - I think[?]).

Site Updates 
The Multiplayer List has been updated. 
Q&A has been updated with a new Bug. 
Tips & Tricks has been updated with a tip on train collisions. 
The Chat section is now up. 
  

Saturday - January 3, 1998

Error: Cannot find a suitable display mode  
Does this look familiar?  Absolute0 and Simon Reilly sent in possible solutions to this problem.  Absolute0 sent this in:  

If GTA is giving you an "Error: Cannot find a suitable display mode", do this following: Make sure you have the latest version of DirectX installed, and go into the directx folder (usually C:\Program Files\Directx). From there, go into the setup directory. In that directory you should find a file called "Dxtool.exe". Double-click on it. At the very bottom there is a box that says next to it "Use DirectDraw Hardware Acceleration". Make sure this is checked. If that doesn't work, try messing around with the other settings in the directx tools. NOTE: If you enable DirectDraw Hardware Acceleration and have a video card with the NVidia chipset (RIVA), make sure to disable it when you are done with the game, or it may cause problems with other applications.

Windows will not run at anything lower than the resolution of 600 X 400.  Therefore If you want to see GTA on the screen you have to go through the DOS High GTA version and change it and then you can go back and play it through Windows.  

Warning: This then becomes very slow and has little of the playability that the 300 X 200 Version had. BUY MORE RAM!

Webring  
New sites have been added to the GTA Webring.  I've gone through all of the sites waiting to be added.  If you have not been added and have not received an email saying that you have been removed, it simply means that your site is in a holding pattern.  Some reasons you may have not been added are as follows:  

1. Your site consists of a page that is nothing more than the title of your site with no other content.
2. The majority of your site consists of page(s) that contain nothing more that the phrase "Under     Construction" or "Coming Soon."
3. Your site has only one GTA related section, and that section is "Under Construction."
4. 90-100% of your site has been copied WORD FOR WORD from someone else's site with no credit to them at all.

1. Your site was not GTA related (if this changes please feel free to re-submit your site.) 
2. Your link was broken for more than 5 days.

ICQ 
I've been getting some questions about ICQ so here's a little explanation about this handy program.  ICQ is a FREE program that sits in your system tray, next to your clock.  You add friends to your ICQ list and when you go online it automatically starts up and connects to the ICQ server.  You can then see who on your list is online and they can see when you are online, but it does much more than that.  You can use it to send small messages, chat, send files, send URLs, check your e-mail, etc.  Check out ICQ's home page for more information.  If you already have ICQ I would recommend downloading the newest version (98a) if you haven't already. 

Multiplayer List and ICQ 
If you are on the Multiplayer List and have your ICQ listing on there as well you might want to make sure that others can view your online presence on the web.  To do this you just need to go to your Security and Privacy menu and make sure the Web Aware check box (on the Security tab) is checked. 

Video Problems? 
I've been getting a lot of questions regarding Windows video problems in GTA so I thought I might post some things you might want to try.  If you are still having the problem then send in an e-mail and I'll post it in the Q&A section under Technical Questions.  You might also want to visit DMA's site and try sending them an e-mail about your problem. If you get a reply and their solution works please let me know and I'll post it as an answer to your question cause there is a fairly good chance that someone else might be having the same problem. 

1) make sure you have the latest drivers/bios for your video card 
2) you might want to install Directx 5, I'm not sure if GTA uses Directx for video in Windows but it might. 
3) change your desktop resolution to the same resolution you want to play in the game itself, or perhaps try different desktop resolutions and see if it works with one. 

Message Board 
MeTHaneBLu sent me a link to a free message board that also seems to work quite well and looks fairly nice too.  I've been trying to set one up for the past couple of days but the account setup form keeps on screwing up.  As soon as I can set it up I will add it to the site.  It may just be a temporary solution until I can get my CGI stuff working correctly. 

Site Updates 
The Multiplayer List has been updated. 
Q&A has been updated with some new Technical Questions. 
Tips & Tricks have been updated with a General tip on taking out the cops.  
There is also a Full Version Mission tip on kill frenzies in San Andreas. 
  

Thursday - January 1, 1998 - Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year!!! 
Happy 98' Everyone!!! 

Grand Theft Auto Editor 
Sam Jessup has posted a beta of his GTA editor on his site.  It is currently in its beta stage and does not yet decode the map tiles yet but instead shows them as a "jumble of blocks."  If you're into hacking GTA its worth a look but other less adventurous GTA fans might want to wait for his final version.  One note is that it requires you to have the full version of GTA installed. 

Site Updates 
Links has been updated with a link to GTA Web. 
The Multiplayer List has been updated. 
  

Wednesday - December 31, 1997

WooHoo 
The GOURANGA! link is officially back on BMG's site :) 

Hmmm... 
Well its been pretty slow lately, not much to speak of in the world of GTA, however I did notice that DMA has updated some items in their FAQ section, at least since last time I was there. 

Site Updates 
Q&A has been updated. 
The Multiplayer List has been updated. 
Tips & Tricks has been updated with a tip on train usage. 
  

Tuesday - December 30, 1997

Webring 
The webring sign-up page is finally up.  If you have a GTA site and would like to join, or if you are already on the webring and want to edit your site configuration within the ring, then this is the place to go. 

Chat 
I added a link to the future site of the chat area on the sidebar, however the chat area is not active yet. 

Playstation Cheats 
I've been getting some mail on the 2 playstation cheats at the bottom of the list and how to enter them.  I am currently checking into this and I will add some instructions on how to use them as soon as I find out how.  If you have any info on those cheats please let me know. 

Another Big Fan... 
While searching the web I happened to stumble upon another GOURANGA! fan site or actually it was more like a mirror site.  I'm starting to think that I should put together a list of GOURANGA!'s biggest fans, listing all the locations on the web that you can see material copied from my site.  :) 

Site Updates 
The sidebar has been updated with a link to the Webring sign-up page. 
A link to GTA Drive By has been added to the Links section. 
Q&A has been updated with a new Mission Question, some Technical Questions, and a Possible Bug. 
Tips & Tricks has been updated with some tips on finding hidden areas. 
The Multiplayer List has been updated 
  

Monday - December 29, 1997

GTA Webring 
I just got finished going through all the sites on the GTA Webring and added most of them.  I still have a few more to check out but the majority have been added.  The Webring page is almost done and will be posted sometime this week. 

GTA Review 
Mark's Game Site has a new GTA review. 

Site Updates 
The Multiplayer List has been updated. 
New review in the Reviews section. 
Tips & Tricks has been updated with 2 new tips
  

Sunday - December 28, 1997

More Playstation Cheats 
Andrew Bloomfield sent me some more Playstation cheat codes.  I have not tested these codes simply because I lack the 2 things needed to test them, a Playstation, and GTA, hehe... Here they are along with the other cheats sent in earlier by Oliver Frate. 

This refers to the last 2 cheats 
Key Code: 

S = Square 
T = Triangle 
O = Circle 
X = X 

You must enter the codes in the main menu. 
 

Cheat Code	Effect
GROOVY	All Weapons
WEYHEY	9999990 Points
BLOWME	Coordinates
EATTHIS	Wanted Level Max
FECK	Liberty City Parts 1 and 2
TVTAN	San Andreas and Lib City Parts 1 and 2
URGE	All Cities Parts 1 and 2 except Vice City only part 1
CAPRICE	All Cities Parts 1 and 2
CHUFF	No Police
TURF	All Cities
MADEMAN	All Cities and Weapons
THESHIT	All Cities All Weapons Infinite and 99 Lives
BSTARD	Access to all maps, lots of money,  and all weapons
S, T, O, X, X, O, T, S	Invincibility
X, T, S, O, T, O, X, S	Enable Pad 2

Thanks Andrew and Oliver! 

Unofficial GTA Reference Handbook Update 
Michael Mendelsohn sent this in about a major update on his site: 

As part of a new, major update at Grand Theft Auto Ideas Pages, the Unofficial GTA Reference Handbook now contains lists and statistics on all keywords in MISSION.INI.  Also new: a section on the overall structure of MISSION.INI and a page on (x,y,z) coordinates.

Site Updates 
The Multiplayer List has been updated and has over 50 players on it now. 
Q&A has been updated with tons of new Technical Questions. 
The Playstation cheat codes have been added to the Tips & Tricks section. 
A new tip on entering cheat codes has also been posted to Tips & Tricks 
 

Saturday - December 27, 1997

Upgrade 
The news update and my email response time might be a little slow this weekend because of a computer upgrade.  I'm not sure how long it will take to upgrade my computer and reinstall Win 95 but it always seems to take much longer than it should so its very likely that tomorrow's site update will be delayed unless for some strange reason this upgrade goes more smoothly than the ones in the past. 

Webring Update 
If all goes well with my computer upgrade then the webring page will be added by Monday.  There are currently 8 sites waiting to be added and only 3 of those were actual GTA sites. 

Still On The Way 
I've narrowed it down to 2 different web based chat clients one of which I'll add when I get some time.  Until then #GTA on efnet is a good place to hang out.  The message board is in a holding pattern until I get back to school and can talk to the server admin about some cgi problems.  The screenshot/GTA art page is almost done and should be making an appearance next week if all goes well.  If you have something you would like to see added to GOURANGA! please let me know. 

Site Updates 
Q&A has been updated 
The Multiplayer List has been updated. 
  

Friday - December 26, 1997

Webring!  
The GTA Webring is moving from GTA Frenzy to GOURANGA!.  The Webring sign-up page is still under construction and I'm still getting used to how it works, so if you have submitted a site there will be a delay until I can get used to it.  

Site Updates  
The Multiplayer List has been updated  
All news prior to December 21 has been moved to the Old News section  
All the cheat codes I have so far are in the Tips & Tricks section. 
  

Thursday - December 25, 1997 - Merry Christmas!!!

 

Season Greetings!  Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from GOURANGA!

GTA Publicity In The UK  
In the US you are lucky if you even hear anything about GTA but in the UK its a different story apparently.  Ian sent this in...  

Dunno if you know this but GTA hit the UK news big time last week.  Every news show I listened to / watched talked about the possible banning of a game which encouraged 'killing policemen, running over innocent pedestrians, and drug running'. 

Site Updates  
Multiplayer List updated  
Q&A has some new Technical Questions and a new General Question about multiplayer GTA 
Tips & Tricks has been updated 
  

Wednesday - December 24, 1997

Gouranga Reinstated  
I received a reply from BMG today and my link will be reposted on their links page.  I have agreed not to post the timer hack again and to check my future posts more closely.  

Taste of my own medicine?  
While checking out some of the other GTA sites I noticed that I must have a pretty big fan, because one site in particular has copied some of my material word for word to their site with no indication of where it came from.  I thought it was pretty ironic because just yesterday I was apologizing for posting copyrighted material in the form of hacks.  At least I wasn't aware of what I had done.  Anyway, just to inform any regular readers, everything on GOURANGA! that is not credited is 100% original work.  

GTA Playstation Cheats  
Oliver Frate sent this in about the PSX version cheats:  

You must enter "BSTARD" as your name for access to all the maps, lots of  
money, all weapons....  

Other Cheats:  

Invincibility:  S, T, O, X, X, O, T, S  
Enable Pad 2 :  X, T, S, O, T, O, X, S

New GTA Review  
Chris informed that MeccaWorld has put up their GTA review.  
Thanks Chris!  

Sloooowww...  
That's all I can say about the how the search for GTA news has been going.  There are mission editors, map editors and other projects in development by various people, but publicity wise GTA is all but invisible here in the US.  Not much is going on but I did see one mention of GTA at Online Gaming Review.  They mention GTA in their preview of a new game called Messiah from Shiny Entertainment (the makers of MDK).  Apparently they are expecting some controversy about the violence in the game and they compare it to the problems that GTA, Postal, Carmageddon, Quake 2, and other games are facing with the recent outbreak of bannings by different countries.  

Suggestions?  
If anyone has any suggestions for site additions, format, or anything you would like to see here, please email me with your suggestions.  

Site Updates  
Q&A updated some new answers  
Multiplayer List Updated  
Tips & Tricks Updated with the PSX cheats  
Reviews Updated with MeccaWorld's Review  
  

Tuesday - December 23, 1997

Timer Hacks Removed 
If you have visited the Files section lately you might have noticed that the timer hacks have been removed.  Coincidentally, soon after I posted those files the link to my site was removed from BMG's links page with no explanation of why.  I emailed BMG about the link removal and I think the following emails will tell the story. 

Thank You, 

schu 

GOURANGA! A Grand Theft Auto News & Resource Site 
news.htm 

We've always been supportive of all links pages  and fan sites until they start taking the piss out of us. You had a file on your site with the whole game on it(it was found by the game's programmer, so he knows what to look for. This is not hacking. It is piracy. It is illegal, and you must think we are fucking morons if we are going to help you. 

Dan 

I created this site help promote a game that I consider to be one of the best games that I have ever played, and all this loyalty is from only playing the demo version of the game.  I need for it to be clear that I would never knowingly do anything to harm all the hard work and effort that DMA and BMG have put into this title, nor would I knowingly put a file that counteracts the weeks of time and effort I have put into my site. 

I apologize to programmers, designers, artists, public relations people, and anyone else at DMA and BMG for my error in judgment.  I especially apologize to the people at DMA and BMG that supported and encouraged my site, who I unknowingly stabbed in back.  I am not a complete bastard,  I'm just an unlucky GTA fan who did his best to create a GTA site that the fans and creators of GTA would like. 

Your unlucky, unpaid, and now despised GOURANGA! creator, 

schu :|:|:| 

GTAed 
GTAed version 0.1 has been released.  Details can be found on Ringo's site. 

Site Updates 
Multiplayer List updated 
Q&A has been updated 
  

Monday - December 22, 1997

GTAed 
Ringo has been working on a GTA editor called GTAed that will allow you to change your starting position, try out different car types, and more.  A free early version should be available this evening on his site. 

Site Updates 
The Multiplayer List has been updated. 
There is a new tip on how to use cheat codes in the Tips section 
  

Sunday  - December 21, 1997

24 Bit And 3Dfx Demo Timer Hacks Now Available!   
Mad Dog 20/20 has finished the 24bit and 3dfx timer hacks for the Liberty City demo.  You can download them from the Files section here at GOURANGA! now.   
Special Thanks to Mad Dog 20/20 and The Scrap Yard for these hacks!   
    
A Request   
I've added a small help page on setting up a multiplayer game of GTA.  It provides very simple   
instructions on the process you need to go through to set a game up.  I would really appreciate it if anyone experienced in playing multiplayer games of GTA could take a look at it and let me know of any corrections or additions that need to be made to it.  

10,000 Hits 
Over 10,000 GTA fans have come to GOURANGA! since November 28th, and thats not even including those of you who visited with browsers that don't support java.  I guess its time for a more accurate counter.  I'll just add that to the ever growing list of things to do, hehe.  Anyway, thanks to all of you who have supported GOURANGA! and helped make it what it is today. 

Site Updates   
Files was updated with the new timer hacks.   
Technical and General Q&A have been updated.   
The Multiplayer List has been updated.
  

Saturday - December 20, 1997

Hmmm... 
Not much going on today in the world of GTA, I just moved back from school for the holiday break and I'll be working 40 hours a week in addition to updating the site over the holiday season, so updates might be a little later in the day for the next 3 weeks.  Also, for some reason, the GOURANGA! link on BMG's GTA links page has been removed.  I've written them a letter to try and find out exactly why the link has been removed and I'm awaiting their reply.  I'm looking in to free web based chat clients for the site, however I still haven't picked one yet, although I do sometimes go to #gta on efnet to see what's up, and occasionally there is a actually someone there when I drop by. 

PowerVR & GTA? 
GrumpySod asked DMA about PowerVR support in the future, and here was their reply: 
"The bottom line is that we were only commissioned to do a 3Dfx version - if BMG ask us to do a PowerVR version,  I'm sure something could be arranged." 
Thanks GrumpySod! 

Site Updates 
Multiplayer List Updated 
Q&A Updated 
 

Friday - December 19, 1997

GTA On February 1st 
Online Gaming Review now says that GTA will be released on February 1st, however I have gotten reports that Electronic Boutique does have imported copies of GTA in very limited quantity. 
Thanks to Daryl and Tarpus for that update 

GTA Controversy 
There is a new article up at GameSpot that discusses the controversy of GTA in relation to the recent bannings of Postal and Quake 2, and how it may face similar problems.  I personally don't understand what the big deal is.  If the box says 18 or older, then it is your own fault if you buy it for your kid and it is the stores fault if it sells it to an underage customer, at no time is it the fault of publisher, as long as adequate warning is provided. 
Thanks Stacey and Shlonglor! 

2 New Files - Crash Fix And Name Change 
There are 2 new files in the Files section.  There is a new file that will change all the names of the cars in the game to their real names and another that fixes the problem with the 8 bit timer hack. 
Thanks to Nathan Weiler and Grant Klepzig for these files. 

Site Updates 
The Possible Bugs area has been updated. 
The File Cheats area has been updated. 
The Multiplayer List has been updated. 
 

Thursday - December 18, 1997

GTA Released Today? 
I don't know if you are as confused as I am, but I thought I would be waiting until February for GTA to come to the US, however Online Gaming Review and Electronic Boutique are both reporting that GTA is hitting stores today.  ASC Games' site isn't much help, however they do have a list of retailers that carry their games.  Here is the list, maybe it will help narrow your search down a little bit: 

• Best Buy 
• Kaybee Toys 
• Nobody Beats The Wiz 
• Toys R Us 
• Electronics Boutique 
• Wal-Mart Online 
• Bytestream 

Vote For GTA 
GTA moved up 17 spots on the top 100 from 67 to 53.  Make sure you take a few minutes to vote for GTA. 

GTA Playstation Preview 
GameFan Online has a new GTA preview and some more pictures. 

Game Informer also has a fairly new GTA preview up. 

The unofficial Grand Theft Auto Handbook 
The unofficial Grand Theft Auto Handbook is now online at Michael Mendelsohn's Grand Theft Auto Ideas Pages. 

Site Updates 
Q&A has been updated with some Technical Questions and a new BUG. 
Tips & Tricks has been updated with new General and Full Version Mission Tips. 
Multiplayer List updated 
Reviews updated with GameFan's and Game Informer's GTA previews. 
Links updated with a link to the Grand Theft Auto Ideas Pages. 
 

Wednesday - December 17, 1997

Demo Timer Hack Now In The Files Section  
I talked to Mad Dog 20/20 and got permission to post the timer hack here on GOURANGA!.  There are a few download sites in the GTA Cheat Files area where you can download this hack.  
Special thanks to Mad Dog 20/20 and The Scrap Yard  

Demo Timer Hack BUG ALERT 
Mad Dog 20/20 sent this to me about a bug with the time hack: 

Last night I got a message, and I confirmed it this morning that the Crack has a bug in it. It removes the timer fine, but it also includes the secret missions, as in the full game, but when you go into these cars, it crashes.

FXT To TXT File Converter  
Michael Mendelsohn sent me a pair of programs that convert "Grand Theft Auto" *.FXT - files into *.TXT Files and back.  The set of programs can be downloaded from the Project mision.ini area.  
Thanks Michael!  

Technical Problems and Bug Reports  
If you report a bug or want a technical question posted, please include as many details as possible and how your problem can be reproduced.  System specs, exact descriptions of what happens, and any diagnostic messages will all help to get a quicker response. 

Cheat Codes Update  

Cheat Code	Effect
itsgallus	All Levels All Cities
nineinarow	All Levels All Cities
super well	All Levels All Cities
iamthelaw	No Police
stevesmates	No Police
itcouldbeyou	Gives You 999999999 Points
suckmyrocket	All Weapons, Armor, & A Get Out Of Jail Free Card
itstantrum	Unlimited Lives
6031769	Unlimited Lives
hate machine	Raises Point Values
buckfast	Press the * on the NUMPAD and get all the weapons
porkcharsui	Diagnostic Mode
callmenigel	?
iamgarypenn	?
iamnotgarypenn	?

Thanks to Lars, Arthur, and welp! 

Site Updates  
Multiplayer List updated  
Tips & Tricks updated  
Q&A Updated 
Files section updated 
Changed the overall font size for the site. 
 

Tuesday - December 16, 1997

Demo Timer Hack 
Lars found a GTA site I had not heard of yet and they have a demo timer hack.  I'm not going to post it here until I have permission but here is a link to their site and the message about it from their news section:  

GTA - The Scrap Yard  

Exclusive to The Scrap Yard  
The Timer Hack is here, Only for the demo 8bit version at present,   
but it sure works, just download the file from the files section.  
Created by our very own MadDog 20/20.

ASC To Publish GTA In The USA   
Jayson alerted me to this article on Next Generation   

ASC Finds Grand Theft Arresting   

The US rights to the highly controversial Grand Theft Auto has been purchased by ASC Games.    
    
Grand Theft Auto has gained notoriety for itself with gameplay that requires players to carjack vehicles, run over innocent pedestrians, ram police stations with gasoline tankers, and other act of villainy. In addition to this, the game contains enough politically incorrect dialog to make a New York cabbie blush.    

ASC has purchased the full rights to the game and plans to publish both a PC and PlayStation version of Grand Theft Auto. The company also plans to market the title to an older audience and should have the PC version in stores by February and the PlayStation version in stores by April.

Lars Interprets The Cheat Codes   
Lars found a set of jumbled cheat codes on Gomi's site that had been found hidden in the GTA exe file.  He then tried some out and here is what he found out.   

Here are the jumbled codes with some separators to help interpret them.  I haven't tried any out yet but I'll see what else I can find out.   

Additionally these codes are entered as your characters name in the player select screen.  If a code is entered correctly it will make a different noise than if you had just entered a name.   

herenarowsuperwell/itsgallus/60317if/itstantrum/iamthelaw/stevesmates   
callmenigelbuckfastporkcharsuiHeartthemold/iamgarypenn/iamnotgarypenn   
hategachine/itcouldbeyou/suckmyrocket   
     
Codes:   
itsgallus: All levels   
itstantrum: Unlimited lives   
iamthelaw: No police   
stevesmates: No police   
itcouldbeyou: Gives you 999999999 points   
suckmyrocket: All weapons, Armor and Get Out of Jail Free Card  

Special Thanks To Lars and Arthur!   

Cheat Code Update - Technical  
I talked to a friend of mine with the full version and had him try some of the other codes in the lines from the exe file.  Here is what we came up with.   

herenarowsuperwell/itsgallus/60317if/itstantrum/iamthelaw/stevesmates/   
/callmenigel/buckfast/porkcharsui/Heartthemold/iamgarypenn/iamnotgarypenn/   
hategachine/itcouldbeyou/suckmyrocket   

More Cheat Codes:   

buckfast: Not totally sure but if you hit the * on the numpad you will get all of the weapons, and if you hit it again after using some ammo it will set all of your weapons back to 99. (so basically unlimited ammo on all weapons)   

callmenigel: same as above   

porkcharsui: This is an odd one.  Its not really a cheat code but more of a diagnostic mode.   
the following keys can be used to do a variety of things.   

D: dumps the contents of your video buffer into a targa file.  e.g. It takes a screenshot in tga format.  Each one you take is incremented so if you take 3 shots you will find the files dump0.tga, dump1.tga, and dump2.tga in your gtados sub directory.  This did not work in the 3Dfx mode but in the Hi Res Mode it worked fine.  Here are some screenshots of the zoom out effect in jpg format.  

dump0.jpg  (180k)  
dump1.jpg  (207k)  
dump2.jpg  (207k)  

The next keys on the list are zoom in and out keys however each set zooms differently.  The K and L keys will zoom above the buildings however the buildings are shorter in this zoom, whereas the ] and [ keys zoom and stretch the buildings making them taller, although if you zoom too far out with the ] and [ keys your screen will begin to clip on the sides sometimes.  A trick we found is that if you zoom out first with the K and L keys and then with the ] and [ keys you can keep the buildings short and still zoom out even further.  But be careful because if you go out too far your machine will crash.  It might be possible to zoom out even further with more memory but the machine these were taken on only had 32 MB or RAM with a 4 MB video card.  I'm guessing that these are used for different camera shots in the game, sometimes you might want tall buildings and sometimes you might want short buildings.   

K: Zoom Out   
L: Zoom In   

]: Zoom Out   
[: Zoom In   

NUMPAD 8: Pan Up   
NUMPAD 2: Pan Down   
NUMPAD 6: Pan Right   
NUMPAD 4: Pan Left   

+:  Stop game and advance frame by frame   

NUMPAD *: All weapons with 99 ammo   

C: Current Status - If you are walking it will give you a message like   
PED ID AT (X, Y, ?)   
where X and Y are your current coordinates and ? is some unknown variable.  If you are driving it will give you a message like   
SPEED 0   
DAMAGE 0   
CAR ID 0   
AT (X, Y, ?)   

R: the screen flashes as if changing the res but the res doesn't seem to change.   

Special Thanks To welp For Helping Me Out On This One.  

Site Updates   
Added Lars' cheat codes to the Tips & Tricks section.   
Added the webring graphic and links to the Links section.   
New questions and answers in the Q&A section.   
Updated Multiplayer List   
Tweaked various aspects of the site 
 

Monday - December 15, 1997

Multiplayer List Added  
Want to play multiplayer GTA but can't find anyone?  Well, I've added the multiplayer list to try and solve that problem.  Currently it is empty, however that shouldn't come as much of a surprise considering its brand new.  Hopefully in a few days time it will have enough names to actually be considered a list.  If you have the full version and are interested, then go check it out for further details.  

Coming Soon To GOURANGA!  
I have a ton of gta art and screenshots so I'm currently working on a gta screenshots/game-art page.  I'm still looking into the message board.  It is definitely on the way but I have to do some testing and the guy who is helping me with it has finals until wednesday.  The GOURANGA! car guide is still under construction but should be up soon. Other than that I've already finished the maps section complete with large and small versions of the maps as well as the cars in each city, the multiplayer list just went up and I still have a few more ideas for the site floating around in my head but have yet to begin construction on.  

Site Updates   
Moved some older news to the Old News section   
Added Multiplayer List   
Made some minor tweaks in site appearance   
New questions and answers added to the Q&A section   
Updated Multiplayer List  
 

Sunday - December 14, 1997

DMA Has A New GTA Site  
DMA has put up their "Sort of official" GTA home page, go and check it out.  

GTA Release Dates  

The release dates for Grand Theft Auto are :   

UK, Europe and Australia :- PC - Out Now  
Playstation - Out Now  

America :-  
PC - February  
Playstation - April  

Japan :- A publishing deal is still being negotiated, but we are  
expecting a launch early in 1998 on both formats (i.e. PSX & PC).

Cheats eh!, are those the things that we tell you about and they make the game easier for you to play.   

Well you'll have to wait until after the New Year (that's January 1998 before you ask) before we release any and all of the top helpful cheats, etc. to make the game easier for you saps out there to play.

Project mission.ini, in the Files section, has been updated with a separate file on changing your starting vehicle for each of the demos.  They each have a full listing of all the vehicle codes for their respective demo.  
 

Saturday - December 13, 1997

GTA On TV 
Mark saw GTA featured on a news report regarding video-game classification:  

GTA was featured in a news report regarding video-game classification. This was shown on the BBC's "Newsnight" programme on 11/12/97. BMG's General Manager was on the   
programme as was the editor of PC Format and some bloke from the Christian Democracy movement.  

The general consensus of opinion at the end of the feature was that the BBFC classification of computer games needs some clarification. James Binns (Editor of PC Format) suggested that all games should have a rating so as there could be no ambiguity about a games suitability. The general manager of BMG Interactive felt that the game was an 18 and that the   
responsibility lay with parents and retailers. He also stated that the game was designed for those over the age of 18 and cleared-up the mis-conception that most gamers are kids. We all know the average age of ganers these days is 26! The game was also quoted as being "a well thought out and well designed title." Nice one!  

It's also interesting to note that all those spouting on about the "vile nature" of the game probably have'nt played it and still regard computer games as the hobby of kids. Maybe they should do their research first....

GOURANGA! - An Interpretation 
Brine from DMA Design sent this in about the meaning of GOURANGA!:  

I noticed this morning that you were a pondering and having a bit of a strokey beard think about the origins of the word 'Gouranga'.  

If you ever bump into a Krishna in the street (and here in temperate Scotland they tend to wear anoraks over their robes) they tend to hand out badges or stickers saying "Call out Gouranga - Be Happy"  

What could possibly make you happier than calling out 'Gouranga!' as you plough through 7 or 8 of the buggers eh?

GOURANGA! Update 
I've added a Technical Questions area and a Possible Bugs area to the Q&A section.  I've also added a contents line to some of the harder to navigate pages so you can jump to certain areas within a section more easily.  I've also added the Headlines listing at the top of this page.  The headlines are past news stories that I either get a lot of mail on or are still relevant.  

Site Updates 
A few new tips added to the Tips & Tricks section.  
Some more questions have been added to Q&A.  
 

Friday - December 12, 1997

Vote For GTA 
The Internet Top 100's PC Games section collects votes all week which affect how games do in the charts.  GTA has dropped a few spaces but that can all be changed next week if we all take a few minutes to vote for GTA.  

GTA is currently at position 67 in the charts.  

What's Going On At GOURANGA!? 
Well I'm going to bed, that's what, hehe.  I haven't slept since 11 am Wednesday morning because of 2 tests that were lined up back to back.  But now since finals are over for this semester I should have a little more time for updates and hopefully site enhancements.  I would go into more detail but I'm about to pass out.  

Site Updates 
Tips & Tricks updated with new Full Version Mission Tip from The Shadow Knight. 
 

Thursday - December 11, 1997

Newest Release Info 
I sent an e-mail asking for information on the US release date and if any patches, updates, or editors were in development.  Colin MacDonald from DMA sent this reply:   

The release dates for Grand Theft Auto are :   

UK, Europe and Australia :-   
PC - Out Now   
Playstation - Friday 12th December   

US and Japan :-   
Publishing deals are still being negotiated, but we are expecting a   
launch early in '98 on both formats.   

There are no updates/editors/patches planned. We will take on board any   
suggestions for future DMA titles though.   

Thanks for your support.   

Colin Macdonald   
Producer   
DMA Design Ltd.

GTA Newsgroup Proposed 
A GTA newsgroup has been proposed, but it needs your support.  To support the newsgroup simply go to the newsgroup alt.config and follow up the article "Proposal alt.games.gta."   
Additionally, please only do this if you plan on writing out a message in support of a GTA newsgroup.  "Me too" or "Yes I want that" would not be appropriate responses and would only hinder its creation.   

GTA Webring 
Magnus has started a GTA Webring.  If you have a GTA page or you are just interested you can check it out on his site.    

Site Updates 
A link to Magnus' site has been added to the Links section.  
 

Wednesday - December 10, 1997

BMG Announces GTA Web Site Competition 
BMG has posted the following announcement on the official GTA site:  

You just can't get enough, can you? Well, if you're the type who wants to take it to the limits then we've got a competition for you. Build the best "unofficial" GTA site on the web and we'll give you an exclusive DMA goodie that even your friends can't get their sleazy hands on. 

New Cheat 
Its not exactly new, but anyway its been added to the Tips & Tricks section at the very bottom under the Secrets & Cheat Codes area.   

Site Updates 
New GTA link added in the Links section.  
Q&A has been updated.  
New maps added.  
 

Tuesday - December 9, 1997

BMG Comments On GTA's Method Of Saving Games & The US Release 
Ted sent in a question about GTA's method of saving games and about the US release date and got a reply from BMG.  

Here is Ted's e-mail:  

I've read in the newsgroups that there is no savegame feature during missions.  Is this something that might be added, even in a later patch?  I'm not a programmer, so I don't really know how difficult it would be to implement it, but not having a savegame is definitely a big detractor for what looks like an incredibly fun game!  

Also, any more word on a U.S. release date?  

Thanx in advance,  

-Ted

Dear Ted,  

No news on US release date.  

No patch intended for save game. It was designed this way to make the  
game feel more realistic. It was a design decision that we are very  
happy with. Why should you be able to save games whenever you choose? It  
makes the whole experience seem totally irrelevant, and merely a way of  
killing time, rather than a desperate struggle to the cyber-death, if  
you get my drift.  

Dan

Site Updates  

New questions and new answers in the Q&A section.  
Tips & Tricks has been updated with a few new tips and Hamish's get rich quick scheme.  
 

Monday - December 8, 1997

GTA On TV  
Dwayne sent this in about GTA on tv in the UK:  
"UK breakfast TV programme GMTV ran a debate on GTA, with parents ringing in saying it encourages children to steal and kill. BMG  Interactive spokesperson, said, in not so many words, it's an 18 and that's that"  
Thanks Dwayne  

GTA Web Game Challenge 
The web game competition starts today on BMG's GTA site.  Here is the notice on their page:   

Enter the Challenge. For ten weeks, you've got the chance to be the best. All you have to do is play the game and get the high score. For the next 10 weeks, if you're the numero uno 
player at the end of the day (5:00 PM GMT) on any Friday then you could win one of three customised GTA Playstation being given away by BMG Interactive.  

Think you're good enough. We'll see . . .  

To play, enter your name and email address above and click on a mission of your choice. Successfully complete a mission and your score will be entered onto the high score table. Rack 
up points by playing all the missions and by crashing into cars and pedestrians. You can re-play any mission to better your final score. Or you can be a spineless worm and quit now.

Site Updates 
New tips in the the Tips & Tricks section.   
Special thanks to Ringo for answering almost all the questions in the Q&A section. 
 

Sunday - December 7, 1997

Repeat Announcement - GOURANGA! Downtime    
GOURANGA! will be inaccessible at certain times between the hours of 5 PM Saturday to 8 AM Monday CST.  As you may have noticed this site resides on one of my student accounts.  I've received word that parts of the university system will be inaccessible this weekend, during the time periods stated above.  I think it will affect all the systems, including email.  If you have anything you want to report during this time you can send it to my temporary email address at schuu@juno.com.  The page should not be down all the time during the maintenance because they are working different systems at different times, so the web page might become unreachable, but email might still be up.  Regardless I will still try and update as long at I can reach my account.   

Fun With Heavy Artillery   
Sick of cops cutting you off and ending your killing rampage?  Tired of the prick behind you who keeps honking?  Why not run them over?  Forget all those conventional vehicles and try a piece of mobile armor.     

After another night of screwing around with the mission.ini, I was able to change the starting vehicle to the tank!  In fact you can change the starting vehicle to just about any vehicle in the demo you are playing.  There are 4 new cheat mission.ini zips that have been added to the Files section.  2 are for the San Andreas demo and 2 are for  the Liberty City demo.  

One more note about the tank.  I don't know how to fire it, so if you do please send me an e-mail.  It does run over cars, and you can rotate the turret by holding down the TAB key and using the arrows.  

GTA Maps   
I've been getting some requests for GTA maps so I've added them to the GTA Info section.  They are the same maps that are on BMG's official GTA site, without the city history.   

GOURANGA!  
GOURANGA! is the PSYCHOnews Link Of The Day  

Site Updates   
Ringo's GTA review added to the Reviews section.    
New Questions added to the Q&A section.   
Tank tip added the Tips section (under the full version tips).  
  

Saturday - December 6, 1997

GTA On The Internet Top 100's Hottest Hits List   
The Internet Top 100 has placed GTA on their Hottest Hits list.  GTA has moved from 89 to 55 on the top 100 list in one week.  You can vote for it on their site.  

Pre Order GTA  
Earlier it was reported the that the CD-ROM Shop's pre order page was not working correctly.  I notified them and the problem has been corrected.  I have never ordered anything from them so I don't know much about their reliability.  

GTA Rap  
While visiting BMG's official GTA page I noticed something new under the bands area.  Apparently the director of GTA, Mr. Keith Hamilton likes to rap.  Or at least have his voice remixed.  Its pretty entertaining and worth a listen.  

WooHoo  
Finally got a link to GOURANGA! put up on BMG's site.  

Site Updates  
Added VideoGameSpots Preview of GTA to the Reviews section.  
New questions and answers added to the Q&A section.  
  

Friday - December 5, 1997

Q & A Section Added  
The GOURANGA! Q & A section is now up.  So if you have a question about GTA or a GTA mission, or an answer to a question that has been posted, you can submit it.  I've added this mainly because I've begun to get questions about things pertaining to the full version of GTA which still hasn't been released here in the US.  So the Q & A section has been added, at least until I get the Message Board up and running.  

GTA Appears In Gamespot Readers Poll  
Gamespot's reader poll was on whether or not Carmageddon went too far and GTA was mentioned in the results:  

One software designer who is currently working  
on the mega-controversial title Grand Theft Auto  
- the game includes, among other things,  
car-jacking, and has seen attempts from the  
British police and House of Commons to get it  
banned - claimed that Carmageddon didn't go  
far enough.

Enter the Challenge. For ten weeks, you've got the chance to be the best. All you have to do is play the game and get the high score. If you're the numero uno player on any Friday then you could win one of three customised GTA Playstations being given away by BMG Interactive.    

Think you're good enough. We'll see . . .    

Competition starts Monday 8th December. 

Thought you might be interested to know here in England I've had no    
problems getting hold of a copy of GTA. If you live near a PC World they    
have loads of copies in. I ordered mine by phone on Friday, 28th November    
and picked it up the following Saturday morning. (PC World, Birmingham,)   

On the subject of censorship, in England the game carries an 18    
certificate issued by the BBFC. The violence in it is undeniably    
"comic-book" and certainly no worse than certain films which carry an 18    
certificate. The issue here is not to ban the game but to ensure that the    
game is not sold to minors. Surely, parents will not buy their off-spring    
a game rated 18.

Site Updates  
November's news has been moved to the Old News section.  
Some new GOURANGA! info added to the Welcome section.  
Rocket launcher and flame thower tip added to the Tips section.  
The Links section has been updated.  
  

Thursday - December 4, 1997

GTA To Be Banned In The UK?    
After searching the web for hours on end I found this at PSYCHOnews:    

A young thug works his way to the top of the criminal hierarchy by stealing cars and shooting cops. This is the sick plot of a new computer game which will be on sale by Christmas. Now top policemen and a government watchdog committee want it banned. Leading government and police figures fear parents might not realise how violent the game is and put it on their children xmas list. Conservative peer Lord Cambell of Croy, said "We simply can't allow children and young people to be given the idea that car crime or joy riding is in any way an acceptable or an enjoyable thing to do".  "It's entirely the wrong message to give". Fred Broughton, chairman of the police federation, said "So-called games like these which glorify crime and sneer at police officers upholding the law are beneath contempt".

NEW Demo Cheats - Fun With the mission.ini    
After working on it all night I discovered how to add and change power ups and weapons to the demo maps, as well as turn regular weapons into Kill Frenzy power ups.  I've posted 2 new cheats to the Files section.  I would imagine that the same techniques would work for the full version as well but I won't be able to test that theory until I get the game.     

The first (mission1.zip) is the Liberty City demo cheat.  I haven't have too much time to work on this yet but for now it will change all the handgun power ups into rocket launchers and flame throwers.  As soon as I have more time I'll try and adjust the placement better so there is an overall even mix of weaponry throughout the demo.    

The second (mission2.zip) is the San Andreas 3Dfx ONLY demo cheat.  It adds all the weapons and power ups available in the game.  They are all conveniently placed right next to your starting position.  On the side of the street that you start on I added all the weapons and the armor power up.  Just across the street I added all the other power ups (they are all listed in the GTA Info section).  They don't really pertain to the mission directly, I just added them so people who don't have the game can see what they do and what they look like.  Although it is kind of fun to create your own mission where you see how long you can stay alive while mowing down everyone and everything that crosses your path.  Its harder to stay alive than you might think cause most of the time your end up killing yourself.    

Along with the second cheat I've included a how-to guide on editing the mission.ini and ZyNTaX's Unofficial GTA FAQ which got me started on this whole thing.  I haven't made a how-to guide for the Liberty City mission yet but ZyNTaX's Unofficial GTA FAQ is included with it and it explains what to do fairly well.  Also The reason I didn't add any power ups to the Liberty City mission is mainly because the San Andreas mission has only 2 power ups and it was very easy to find the coordinates just adjacent to those power ups so I could add more.  Also the San Andreas has considerably less crap in the mission.ini so it was easier to go through and interpret it without being distracted by other stuff.    

Although as I was writing this I came up with an easy way to add power ups to the Liberty City mission, at least I think I have, so another cheat might be coming this weekend after I have more time.    

Site Updates    
Made some corrections and adjustments under the GTA Info section.  Thanks to John for the info on the Get Out of Jail Free Card.  

New GTA site added to the Links section!   
  

Wednesday - December 3, 1997

Real Life Crime Affecting GTA's Distribution   
Lucien King at BMG Interactive sent me following about some interesting occurrences:   

Dear GTA Fansite dudes,   

Here's some inside info you may want to laugh about and post - the game   
is taking some HEAT!   

Just in case you hear any distorted rumours I'll give you the facts    
about an unfortunate occurrance last night.   

Sonapress UK, based in Wednesbury West Mids, who are currently   
putting the certification stickers to the PSX packaging, were last night    
ram-raided by it is believed, two vehicles. Approximately 1800   
units of GTA were taken, it is unknown if anything else was taken. One   
of the culprits has been apprehended by the Police along with 700 units.    
The culprit is currently being questioned by Police as to the    
whereabouts of his accomplice and the missing stock.   

This will obviously mean that retailers may complain about 'black    
market' stock being available prior to release.   
        
This is the second unfortunate event this week following Kirstie    
Milnes car being broken into while she was busy working on the   
release of GTA!!!!!!   
        
Be careful out there.   
   

Nice site and glad you like the game,   

Lucien.

GTA In Video Gamespot's Top 5 Most Anticipated Playstation Titles   
In Video Gamespot's Holiday Buying Guide GTA is listed in the top 5 most anticipated playstation titles of the holiday season.   

More On UK Availability   
Jon sent this in about finding GTA in the UK:   
"I can't say I've faced any of the buying problems some people seem to   
have done - I live in Southampton in the UK, and went into town on   
Saturday to buy it. I looked in WH Smiths, Virgin Megastore, and HMV,   
and all of them had copies of GTA at £34.99. I bought a copy (of   
course), and it's a damn good game."   
Thanks Jon!   

More On US Availability   
MyStiC reports that Software Etc. might be a place to watch for GTA:   
"I checked around my town yesterday, and looked around Circuit   
City, CompUSA, and Software ETC, and none of them had GTA yet,   
Software ETC said they might get some in, but that I shouldn't get my   
hopes up high.  So you might want to watch them for it."   
Thanks MyStiC!   

I just recently called Walden Software and they too have no info on GTA.   

Tips Added   
I've added some demo tips to the Tips & Tricks section and some more info the GTA Info section.   
  

Tuesday - December 2, 1997

The Line On The US Release Straight From BMG   
Scott sent an e-mail to BMG in regards to GTA US release and got this reply from BMG:   

I'll have a definite date in a week or so. We don't publish in the US   
ourselves and are in the process of finding a partner to publish it   
stateside.   

I imagine that most of the stores (apart from those run / frequented by   
religious weirdos) will carry it, it's just they don't know who is   
going to be publishing it yet.   

Bear with us,   

Dan

I wrote the CD-ROM Shop about GTA a few days ago and still have not received a reply.   

Play the New 3Dfx Only Demo Without a 3Dfx Card.   
John sent me the following on how to play the new 3dfx only demo without a 3Dfx card:   
"I have figured out a way for those without 3dfx cards to play the new "3dfx only" demo.  You need to download both the regular demo, and the new 3dfx demo.  All you need to do is to copy the demo24.exe or demo8.exe from the gtados directory of the regular demo into the gtados directory of the new demo and rename it compfx.exe.  The only error I encountered was it seemed to be looking for a cut scene after I completed the mission and it shot me out to DOS with an error."   
Thanks John!   

More UK Release Info.   
Nick sent me this about GTA availability in the UK:   
"GTA has been released in the UK, but there are tragic stock shortages. I ordered two weeks ago, and I'm still waiting for my copy to arrive! First UK stocks came in on Saturday morning, and my sources say that by lunchtime, EVERY copy had been sold - so much for first come, first served eh! The UK price is 24.99 (CD) Next shipments are due on the 5th, but they are already sold!"   
Thanks Nick!  
  

Monday - December 1, 1997

GTA Demo Screenshots   
I was able to take 4 screenshots from the new 3Dfx GTA demo.  They are not really anything special, but if you have been playing the non-3Dfx version or have not downloaded the demo yet then they are worth a look.  The first is just after I ran over a cop, the second and third are a before and after of a squad car blowing up, and the fourth was taken while I was lining myself up for a run at the GOURANGA! gang.  They can be found in the Files section.  If your wondering how to go about taking a 3Dfx screenshot from GTA then read on.  Also if you know an easier way, please e-mail me.    

About a week ago, after trying various programs and failing, I gave up on trying to take screenshots from the 3Dfx GTA demo.  Anyway I took my computer home for Thanksgiving and remembered reading about a program that works best using 2 monitors (1 for your regular video card and 1 for your 3Dfx card).  I decided to give it a try and plugged my old monitor into the 3Dfx card and plugged my new monitor into my regular video card.  The program, suprgrab, said to ALT+TAB out of the 3Dfx program you are running, but that did not work, so I hit CTRL+ALT+DEL and then hit CANCEL which  then froze GTA on one monitor and brought Win 95 up on the other monitor.  I ran the program with the parameters of my choice as the readme instructed and it took a screenshot.  I was then able to simply click on GTA, which was still running, and continue playing.  I tried it later with 1 monitor but I could not get back to Win 95 desktop from GTA and therefore could not take a screenshot.  I know very little about this program or what it can do to your system.  I don't see how it could be harmful but consider this a warning.  If you need any more info on this please feel free to e-mail me. 
  

Sunday - November 30, 1997

More GTA Release Info   
I called Babbages, Best Buy, Computer City, and CompUSA here in the mid-western US and they all had no info on GTA and could find no record of it in their computer systems.  I also checked Chips & Bits, Egghead, and Electronic Boutique and they also had no Grand Theft Auto references on their sites.  If anyone has any information the US release date, or knows what retailers will be carrying it, please take a few minutes to e-mail me.      

I did however find 2 pre-order pages up for GTA.  The PC version was at The CD-ROM Shop and the Playstation version was at Atomic Games.  I don't know anything about either of these companies, nor do I know how reliable they are.      

As for UK release news, NeCrO sent me the following:      
"well I called back some mail order places today (Sat 29th 9:00am) and my first guess was right, on the 28th, it wasn't the actual release date but the shipping date, most places here got there stocks in between 9:00 and 12:00am so it is definitely out.  One problem that some people might get is the arrival time in your local shops (it's fast here coz i live like 20 miles from the DMA branch in Scotland) if you've got the number of a DMA/BMG branch near you I suggest you give them a quick call to find out the closest place to you it will be available."      
Thanks NeCrO!   

And in Denmark, Lars sent me the info on where he got his copy of GTA from:      
"I ordered it from "autosonic" a local computer firm here in Denmark.  I ordered it about a month ago and got it yesterday (28/11-97) and I paid 399.- DKK for it (80 $).  , but I don't think they will send it to the US."   
Thanks Lars!  
  

Saturday - November 29, 1997

I added a few links to some old GTA previews I stumbled across.  They can be found in the Reviews section.  I also got a chance to listen to the Real Audio files that are available on BMG's GTA site.  They are pretty good, especially the last file on the list that contains the 60 minute soundtrack.  If you want to listen to them you'll need the RealPlayer.   

Reports of GTA availability are trickling in:     

Lars from Denmark reports that he has the game.   
Thanks Lars!   

NeCrO sent the following in about UK availability:   
"Hi... well I to thought GTA would be released today but it seems that the game is only sent out today.  I've tried 7 different mail order companies in the UK and 5 out of 6 said they will be getting it in stock tomorrow, the other two said sometime next week, I also tried HMV, PC World and Virgin megastores, all stated tomorrow at the earliest.  So I guess we   
all have to wait a few hours till we can get it."   
Thanks NeCrO!   

John also sent the following in about GTA availability:   
"I went looking for it today and could not find it.  The people at Babbages said it wasn't even in the computer.  I've been trying to find a place online where I could get it but haven't found one yet."   
Thanks John!   

I've had not luck finding GTA here in the mid-western US, but I plan to call some more places to see what I can find out a little later today. 
  

Every portion of the site should be up and running with the exception of the message board, which should hopefully be up sometime next week.  Currently GOURANGA! looks best in a resolution of 800 x 600 or above.   

GamePen reports that Comp USA is going to remove Postal from store shelves!  I realize that POSTAL is not directly related to GTA, but it is a similar game and as such GTA might face similar controversy.   

Added a link to Nick's GTA review in the Reviews section.