This topic is locked
New Save
Script Version: v2
Barriers and Objects appear for v2 players but not for v1 players. This means that a v2 player will have to complete the missions "Green Sabre", "Are You going to San Fierro?" and "Yay Ka-Boom-Boom".
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The Chain Game is for anyone who wants to play along, we are going to start a game from the beginning and take it to 100%.
Please read the Rules & Guidelines before you start to play.
The Rules & Guidelines are here so that the game can progress and everyone can have an enjoyable experience while making a contribution to its completion.
Joining the Chain Game is easy and new players are always welcome.
If you're new and want to plunge right in, simply follow the Quick Start Guide for now and read the complete set of rules later. You're excused for now, but eventually you'll have to...
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Contents:
Newbie's Quick Start Guide
- Call a turn by posting in this topic.
- Download the last save.
- Play one mission.
- Upload your save on gtasnp.com or hmvartak's uploader.
- Post the link to your game back here within 3 hours. Edit your original posting to do this. Have a look at other players' postings and you'll get the idea.
- Here's a copy & paste template for the posting format you should use.
- To go directly to the latest posting in this topic, follow the link at the bottom of 'Contents', directly above this section.
Rules & Guidelines
Rules
- Do not use any kind of cheats, trainers, mods or cleo scripts. They can seriously mess up things later in the game, so using them will not only spoil the fun for yourself, but also for the other players.
- Call the mission that you want to do or just call a turn by posting in the topic.
- Download the previously posted save file. We want to use the same save file throughout the game and take it to 100%. After 100%, we can see who has the fastest racing times.
- Complete ONE Named Mission only, save your game, upload your save file (see below) and post a link back in the topic (use the Edit button).
- The definition of a "Named Mission" is "any mission that changes the save file name". Examples are "Big Smoke", "Deconstruction" and "Learning To Fly".
- Several named missions are exempt from the 'one named mission rule', for various reasons. Find all details on these in the Supplement To The Rules.
- Use Samutz's uploader and/or hmvartak's uploader to upload your save file (recommended uploaders). If they are down you can use Rapidshare, FileFront or YouSendit.
- Use the preferred posting format (see below).
- Wait until 3 other turns have been completed before calling another mission.
- If 6 hours pass without another gamer completing a turn, then the '3 mission rule' is reset & anyone may call a turn. This does NOT mean to wait 6 hours between personal mission/turn calls.
- The time limit to complete your turn is 3 hours. We will use the post time in the topic. The timer starts when a mission is called. After 3 hours have passed and the caller has not posted back, it's a forfeit and anyone else may call a turn.
- The caller may call a forfeit. The forfeiter should wait at least one turn before calling another mission/turn. The forfeited turn will not count towards the '3 mission rule' and will not reset the 6 hour timer.
- In the event of two gamers calling a mission, the first one does the called mission.
- Mission strategy is up to the caller - just don't use cheats, trainers, mods or cleo scripts.
- Do not save after getting busted or wasted.
- The caller may purchase items (weapons, etc.), mod vehicles, date, eat, workout, dress, get a tattoo & get a haircut for CJ. Please let us know about any of this stuff in the Notes section of your post.
- The caller may do any non-named missions/collections/deliveries in the 3 hours. Please report any extra stuff in the Notes section.
- The caller doesn't have to call a mission when all they want to do for example is collect Snapshots, Horseshoes or Oysters, spray Tags, or do any of the side missions such as "Vigilante". In that case, just call a turn, but remember that the 3 hour time limit will still apply.
- We expect the players to adhere to the gtaforums.com rules. This includes "No warez/piracy (linking to, requesting or discussion of illegally obtaining copyrighted material) & Never open multiple accounts."
A request to all players:
Please try to post the completion percentage from the stats after you have completed your turn. This will help girishb in putting together the stats at the end of the round. The completion % can be found in STATS/MISC or on the website after uploading (if you use the preferred uploaders).
Suggestions
- Do not fail a storyline mission unless it's to collect a special vehicle (BP/DP/EP/FP). If a special vehicle has been collected, let us know in the Notes section.
- Try to keep the safe house saves minimal. If you have a game crash problem on your system multiple saves are alright - save when you don't want to lose some progress.
- Since 4star features are becoming more and more prominent, we're being rather lenient toward the above two points. Save if you don't want to lose progress on a long or 4star turn. Failed side missions are ok if you're doing 4star stuff, esp. 4star racing. Just try to keep the number of saves and failed side missions/races within reasonable limits.
- Avoid known glitch situations, though you may use the one for "NRG-500" and the Ammu-Nation glitch (but remember the clip count, see next point).
- Collect ammo when possible, but please keep it below 10000 for weapons with clip count. Some players like to see the clip count which disappears when the ammo exceeds 9999 (an empty clip can be fatal during stuff like gang wars - seeing the clip count helps with fast reloading by switching weapons back and forth before the clip is empty).
- Try to save with full armor.
- Save close to available missions when possible.
- Try to eat or have some snacks or drinks every once in a while. If the fat stat reaches zero CJ will lose muscle.
- Let’s try to have the last save for 100% be "End of the Line", so let’s try to get everything else done before that.
- Have FUN!
Supplement To The Rules
- This supplement is designed to discuss some of the technicalities of the Chain Game's rules, and it was thought best to provide these in the original post.
(1) Abuse of the '3 Mission Rule':
Callers are encouraged to understand the basic ethos of the Chain Game. One should only call a mission, once the previous caller has completed his/her called mission and posted the new save. That's the basic idea of the chain: a new link can only be attached as long as the previous one is bound. Hence, to call a mission while a previous one is being completed, defeats the entire logic of the chain. In such a case, one can actually wait around and call every 5th mission beforehand, and negate the possibility of others to call the mission. This seems to be a fine loophole of the 3-mission rule, which callers should not exploit. Let's also consider the fact that when a mission/turn is called that the 3 hour timer has started.
(2) Exceptions to the 'One Named Mission Rule':
Schools
- "Back to School"
- "Learning to Fly"
- "Boat School"
- "Bike School"
The above vehicular schools are comprised of 'named tests' (e.g.: "Burn and Lap", "Circle Airstrip", "Land, Sea and Air", "The Stoppie", etc.). Callers should take note that 'named tests' are not equivalent to 'named missions'. Hence, callers should call schools and not particular tests, even though it may seem, for some, to be against the 'one named mission rule'. To call and do one single test, or only a set of two/three tests, would only add confusion to future callers, and be an impediment to the progress of the Chain Game. Callers also note: in the posting format, you should use "Back to School" and "Learning to Fly" and not "Driving School" and "Flying School".
Note that "Back to School" and "Learning to Fly" are named missions and fall under the 'one named mission rule'. "Boat School" and "Bike School", however, are not named missions and can be done with any other named mission.
Catalina Missions
- "First Date"
- "First Base"
- "Gone Courting"
- "Made in Heaven"
The above missions are all cut scenes in the Catalina strand in the Badlands. The icons for her missions trigger each of these, in sequence, though it is up to the caller to decide which of Catalina's jobs they'd want to pull off. In each such case, the caller should call the cut scene (like "First date") and also the job (e.g.: "Local Liquor Store"). The format should be: "Missions: First Date/Local Liquor Store". The caller can't help but do a 'double', so to say, as one can't save after the cut scenes, and in these cases the 'one named mission rule' is exempted.
Wang Cars Purchase
- The 'CV' icon at Wang Cars after "Back to School" and "Yay Ka-Boom-Boom" are completed
This one's a little different from the last four, as even though an icon appears for Cesar on the map, and you go to the dealership at Doherty, it is not followed by a mission, and instead opens up Cesar's strand at San Fierro. This is different, also, from "Verdant Meadows" because even though the mechanic involved is the same, the latter is a named mission, while this is not. Callers may buy Wang Auto after the completion of "Back to School" or "Yay Ka-Boom-Boom" (whichever is done later), and this will not be considered as a violation of the 'one named mission rule'. Alternatively, callers may buy it before starting "Zeroing In", if it wasn't purchased beforehand.
'Lame Missions'
- "King in Exile"
- "Verdant Meadows"
- "Fish in a Barrel"
Some of these are named missions although all of them are in fact only cut scenes without any action going on. These missions are exempt from the 'one named mission rule'.
Stadium Races
All stadium races are exempt from the 'one named mission rule' and can be combined in any number with any other one named mission.
Tournament Races
With the exception of the 3 races that must be done within the storyline ("Lowrider Race" & "Badlands A/B"), all races are exempt from the 'one named mission rule'. Unlike the other exceptions, you cannot do as many as you like though:
- You can do one race if you also do a named mission.
- You can do up to three races if you do not do a named mission as well.
Challenges
- "The Chiliad Challenge"
- "BMX"
- "NRG-500"
These are exempt from the 'one named mission rule' and can be combined in any number with any other named mission. (Only "BMX" and "NRG-500" are named missions.)
(3) All named missions exempt from the 'One Named Mission Rule':
- "BMX"
- "NRG-500"
- "Verdant Meadows"
- "Fish in a Barrel"
- Stadium Races
- Tournament Races (see above for restrictions)
(4) Non-storyline missions which alter the save names:
- "BMX"
- "NRG-500"
- Zero's Missions
- Cesar's Missions in San Fierro
- Heist Missions in Las Venturas
(5) Other things to keep in mind:
Turf Wars / Gang Wars
These can be separately called for, and also be completed otherwise. The posting format for these would be: "Mission: Gang Wars".
Note that the first round of Gang Wars comes with an exception to the '3 mission rule' if we're playing a save that features 4star Gang Wars. If all you do is 4star Gang Wars, then the '3 mission rule' does not apply. In that case, wait for one other turn to be completed before calling your next turn. This will be for only doing 4star Gang Wars, please don't do any missions too unless you wait the regular 3 turns.
The second round of wars in Los Santos should be completed before "Riot", as this saves a lot of trouble and makes the last few missions speedier.
Barriers / Area Opening Missions
If we're playing a v1/v2 hybrid save (almost always), the missions "Green Sabre", "Are You going to San Fierro?" and "Yay Ka-Boom-Boom" will have to be done by a player with a specific game version only (v1 or v2). The details for this round can be found at the top of this posting.
Race Tournaments
If the Race Tournaments are enabled early, please do not complete "Lowrider Race", "Badlands A", or "Badlands B" before their associated missions ("High Stakes, Low-Rider", "Wu Zi Mu", "Farewell, My Love") have been passed.
Dating
All callers can help CJ progress with any of the 6 girlfriends in the game. It does not have to be called separately, and if it is, then the '3 hour rule' will apply as always. It is best not to alter CJ physically and instead collect all oysters as soon as possible to make him forever desirable.
Import/Export
All callers are allowed to participate in exporting cars, and this does not have to be called separately. Callers, however, must remain true to the spirit of the Chain Game and only export cars when full earnings can be availed. Do not export damaged cars. Callers can also help by storing cars on the lists beforehand as and when they come across these.
Posting Format
- Mission: Use the mission name as it appears on the screen. Don't use mission descriptions like 'that mission where you chase the jet'.
Called by: Use your handle.
Link: The link to your uploaded save file, after you've completed your turn.
Status: 'in progress' or 'completed'.
Completion: Completion percentage from stats section.
Notes: Anything pertinent to the mission/strategy or extra stuff done.
A simple "I'll do a turn now" is enough to call a turn (most players do it this way), but please use this posting format for your completed turns. Below you'll find a template you can copy and paste, it'll look just like the example above. Feel free to change the colours to your liking.
| CODE |
| [color=f97330][b]Mission: [/b][/color] [color=f97330][b]Called by: [/b][/color] [color=f97330][b]Link: [/b][/color] [color=f97330][b]Status: [/b][/color] [color=f97330][b]Completion: [/b][/color] [color=f97330][b]Notes: [/b][/color] |
Helpful Links, Maps & Tools
- Chain Game related:
- The Chain Game FAQ
- The Chain Game Lounge
- The Chain Game Hall of Fame
- The Chain Game Rallies
- The Chain Game IRC Chat
Note: You need an IRC client like mIRC or chatzilla (firefox users only) to access the IRC chatroom.
- Uploading save files:
- hmvartak's uploader
- Samutz's gtasnp uploader
These are Chain Game oriented and the recommended uploaders. If both of them are down, you can also use Rapidshare, FileFront or YouSendit.
- Maps for Collectibles / Mission Analyser:
- For those who would like to spray tags / collect oysters / take snapshots / gather horseshoes, you can use the program SAMA (SA Mission Analyser), it will provide relevant maps showing which ones are left. It also tells you which missions are left to do and you can find the locations of the unique stunt jumps, even the new ones.
- For those who would like to spray tags / collect oysters / take snapshots / gather horseshoes, you can use the program SAMA (SA Mission Analyser), it will provide relevant maps showing which ones are left. It also tells you which missions are left to do and you can find the locations of the unique stunt jumps, even the new ones.
- v2 scripts and pdescobar's ID Patcher:
- v2 scripts
- ID Patcher
Note that ID patching of uploaded saves is not necessary anymore, the recommended uploaders are doing it automatically.
- rubregg's Easy Script Switcher:
- SA Script Switcher
Note that this tool can also switch the CLEO Library off/on and is probably the easiest method for disabling CLEO Mods during Chain Game turns.
- SA Script Switcher
- Saves for independent play:
- Links to this round's starter saves for independent play can be found here.
- Links to this round's starter saves for independent play can be found here.
Release Description
Introduction
Welcome to Chain Game 38. As (almost) always, it is a modified save with many interesting changes/additions. We hope you will enjoy playing it as much as we've enjoyed creating it.
This round has basically the same specials as the last round. Changes from last round are the addition of random stamina to the random starting appearance, the returning Restart Traps (to make sure the game cannot be saved after getting wasted or busted) plus a few bug fixes. Due to popular demand, the Auto-Exports (originally intended as a one-time-only feature) will be back; since there is no need to stash exports in garages, players are encouraged to use the resulting garage space to collect the odd special/proofed mission vehicle (several Towtrucks and Tractors have been strategically placed to help with this).
Also new to this round are tweaked cameras for all save garages that didn't have them before. The camera angles have also been tweaked for the Juniper PnS, Dillimore PnS and the added LV Disco PnS; the camera now follows the player which will make landing aircraft on the roof much easier. There was some glitch mentioned in this context, something about cop behaviour, but unfortunately OrionSR has disappeared before I could ask for details (we miss you, mate!); also, the code for the camera tweaking has been changed since. No problems were reported for the Juniper PnS last round, but please keep an eye open for any oddities at these three Sprayshops.
The script version and the behaviour of the barriers for this round can be found at the top of this posting.
All Chain Game officers are equipped with a Chain Game Checker. This checks the save file for the number of cheats used, times wasted, times busted and some other things.
Map
While our general feature description continues to take the form of hints and allusions, the map now contains almost everything. Well actually, since pdescobar, who did the mapping, is currently unavailable (we miss you, mate!), the map is slowly beginning to get inaccurate for a few things. Basically it contains most of the stuff that was added up to round 23 and additions/changes from the last two generations of saves will be missing, plus the new additions of this generation. Some of the map's known inaccuracies will be mentioned right below.
Known Map Inaccuracies
- The new Unique Jumps no. 13 & 14 have been moved somewhere else a while ago. Jumps 18-20 are not mapped yet.
- The Bayside Armoury is not mapped yet.
- The Hankypanky Submarine is not mapped yet.
- Missing Vehicles: LS Police Garage SWAT Van
General Description of Added Features
This section describes the changes from the unmodified game in a general way and hints at the new additions. If you are new to the Chain Game and enjoy exploring, you may want to read this section but skip the following one where the already known extras (basically the found stuff from previous saves) will be described in detail.
Major changes from previous rounds and items which were not previously listed are colored yellow.
Vehicles
- An entirely new set of special surprise vehicles has been added, all of them hidden in garages. How many can you find?
- A few more new vehicles have been added to the game. Most of them can't be used.
- Exports and most mission-unlocked vehicles are available at the start of the game; export spawns will no longer disappear once the car is exported.
- An entire new set of additional vehicle spawns has been added to the map; some are enabled right away, and others will appear as the game progresses.
- You might find a green-colored vehicle in your garage; such vehicles are specially designed to help with certain tasks...
- A number of vehicles have been nudged to avoid spawning conflicts.
- Some original vehicles have been tweaked to spawn a little more reliably such as the Maverick on the LS Skyscraper or parked cars near safe houses. Caution: Some vehicles may spawn suddenly; it is not a good idea stand in the exact location of a missing vehicle.
- In order to improve stability, some of the less useful original vehicles have been removed. These include some of the Karts as well as some vehicles which have another of the same type very close by. For example, rather than having two Dodos right next to each other, you may only see one of them now.
Pickups
- Three adrenaline pills have been added in Los Santos.
- Jetpacks are available in each of the three major cities but might require some work to get to. Especially so since two of them are hidden at new locations now.
- The Bribe behind the SF Firehouse (in previous rounds) has been moved to what was probably the originally intended location.
- Some additional pickups have been added in some other places. A few additions have been made to these.
- To allow for new pickups, some of the standard pickups have been trimmed (mainly canes and cameras).
Barriers
- The bridge barriers and some objects will only appear for some players. The details for this round can be found at the top of this posting.
Clothes
- All clothing (including the specials) is available at the start. Note that this causes SAMA to wrongly mark the Heist Missions as completed.
- No complaining about looks. The game will start with a completely random appearance for CJ, including clothes, haircut, tatoos, fat, stamina and muscle. Big fun during testing. Whoever does the first turn is encouraged to post a screenshot of the initial CJ. Early callers are encouraged not to change the starting outfit for a couple of turns, so everyone can enjoy. If this feature is becoming popular, a stand-alone script for random outfits might be published.
Missions and Interiors
- The Bike School & Boat School are available at the start; the Driving School icon is visible but it will not unlock until after "Wear Flowers in Your Hair".
- All Race Tournaments are available at the start. Note that "SF to LV" is not completable until the barrier comes down (unless you have the version that doesn't show the barriers, see top of posting); "Military Service" is more difficult because of the barrier, but can be completed. Also, please do not complete "Lowrider Race", "Badlands A", or "Badlands B" until their associated missions have been passed.
- All Vehicle Mod Shops are open at the start and are marked on the radar.
- All Gyms are open at the start. They are marked on the radar from the start, but the SF & LV markers will briefly disappear between the missions "Ryder" and "Drive-Thru".
- Food, Clothing, Barber, Tattoo and Ammunation shops are not altered and follow normal storyline unlocking.
- Some mission-related interiors are open from the start. Most of them will close once their related mission is attempted.
- Finally, a few markers may not lead where you expect them to...
Safehouses and Garages
- The Johnson House is open before Big Smoke.
- The Redsands West property no longer has a usable garage; instead, there is a new "Dock Garage" at Toreno's Ranch which can store boats, amphibious air vehicles, and even small land vehicles. It is usable from the start and marked on radar as a "Boat Yard"; there are also some special objects at each corner of the garage marking its size.
- The car garage and the hangar at the airstrip are usable from the start; this is similar to how the Doherty garage is usable in the standard game.
- Some save garages have increased in size to hold a wider selection of vehicles.
- Some Pay'n'Sprays have increased in size and can support a greater variety of vehicles.
- A few more garages and sprayshops have been tweaked for round 37.
- There is a new Pay'n'Spray enabled behind the LV Dance Club; it is marked on the radar and is very large, so a wide variety of things could be sprayed there...
- Several garages previously used only in missions have been reassigned to more useful tasks at the start of the game. Most of them are marked on the radar.
- The three Police Impounds are marked on the radar.
- The save disk inside Madd Dogg's Mansion has been moved to a new location in the first room on the left; saving there should now avoid the basketball glitch.
Unique Stunt Jumps
- One new unique jump has been added to make a total of 20 new unique jumps, replacing 20 removed original ones. Some of the new jumps are fairly easy and some are extra-challenging.
- Note that 2 of rubregg's "backbreaker" jumps in Foster Valley have been replaced a while ago but are still on the map as jumps 13 & 14. There's 5 unique jumps not yet featured on the map.
- Note that SAMA should show all the jumps and record their status properly.
Zones
- Some zones have been adjusted so gang wars can be triggered in SF and in LV.
- Several of the zones have added features and added pedestrians. A few more of these in Round 37.
Other features
- Seventeen current and former Chain Game contributors have been honoured in this round.
- All boat jumps from previous rounds (and the bribes that came with them) have been removed, except for the Dam Boat Jump and the Amphibious Assault jump pair (which keeps its bribe).
- There are a couple of new ways to make money (or even lose some) if you look around.
- The underwater glitch has been integrated as a feature. Note that CJ swims faster with the Frame Limiter On.
- There are some new ways to travel quickly between cities.
- The 'Pier 69 Lift' teleports cars and bikes.
- Some things can be destroyed sooner rather than later.
- Be sure to look around and check out some of the new additions before doing everything the same old way; you might find something that'll help you do, for example, early vigilante without the Hunter or HPV.
- Some added features are intended to expand on what can be accomplished with 4 wanted stars. For example, a new jump might show you how to enter restricted territory and a special vehicle may help you survive while you're there.
- Some added features are intended to give an introduction to the Chain Game Rallies; that discussion inspired these modifications and will hopefully lead to future fun stuff.
Independent Play
- People who would like to play this round's save independently should download the v1 or v2 saves provided below. The Chain Game is using a save with a hybrid configuration of the IPL flags (for barriers, Truth's crops, etc.) and these objects might not show for everyone.
- The saves for independent play have fixed IPL flags, so the barriers and map objects should work correctly with your given version. That is, people with the v1 exe and scripts playing the v1 save should see all the barriers and objects properly. And so should people with the v2 exe and the v2 scripts. A hybrid installation is not recommended for the Independent Play saves.
- Also, the Chain Game save prevents saving the game after getting busted or wasted while the saves for independent play do not have these restrictions.
- Please note that a few of our additions and changes might confuse third-party tools like trainers and save-editors so be especially careful when using them while playing these saves.
- Chain Game 38 v1 for independent play
- Chain Game 38 v2 for independent play
Design Notes
- There are a few things still unmapped which will initially not appear on a feature list. Whenever new things are added we like to keep a bit of mystery about them to encourage exploration and experimentation. We hope you do some investigating, try out new things, take notice of your surroundings, and share your finds with everyone else.
- We have tried to manage the balancing act of adding fun new features while making minimal changes to items from the original game. We have also worked hard to ensure that all changes function under the original game scripts without requiring any modification from the players. Hopefully you will agree that our choices were sound ones.
- Your input is encouraged; please give us your comments regarding this round's features. If you don't want to post them in the topic or the Lounge so as not to clutter it or spoil anything for anyone else, feel free to PM either OrionSR or rubregg. We are particularly interested in issues where new/changed vehicles or pickups are not spawning properly but any feedback is welcome.
- For those who are curious, a variety of tools were used in the creation and testing of this. Up to round 36, pieces of this were made via a custom Darkpacted mission script made with SannyBuilder, modified IPL files and the GTASA Control Center. It was then unified together by hex-editing parts of a couple of different saves together; hex-editing was also used in a couple of cases to overcome limitations of the tools and finish off the features. Saving in the Jefferson Alley was accomplished with CLEO. And, as always, Samutz' GTASnP uploader was invaluable in helping with the design and testing.
- From round 37 on we have substantially changed the creation process of the saves. The original scripts and IPLs are now left completely unchanged and we are integrating all our features with SannyBuilder and a custom CLEO mission. Thanks to OrionSR and Seemann we can now do lots of things with direct memory writes which enables us to get away without hex-editing or custom IPLs.
Edited by JAJ, 06 December 2008 - 09:57 PM.
