[REL|0.9 BETA] GTA:FPS

[AK-73]

 

I'd like to hereby announce my making my first mod GTA:FPS available online.

 

ATTENTION: Version 0.9.7.3 has just been uploaded and it now includes (untested) support for all VC versions.

 

What is GTA:FPS?

GTA:FPS is a mod for Vice City, that allows people to play Vice City as a First-Person Shooter. While this is already very well possible with mouse and keyboard, GTA VC is in my mind first and foremostly a PS2 game, meant to played with a joypad. Therefore this mod is supposed to enable playing Vice like a console first-person shooter. As such, it may make the game a bit more of a challenge for experienced players, having to aim manually, rather then relying on the auto-aim feature of the engine in fire-fights. To make this more realistic and fun, the mod will enable further configuration of guns - recoil, weapon sights, laser targetting, buckshot clouds, Zoom, ROF, "drama cam" (a "true" first person mode with visible player, weapon, etc) are all already supported, while things such as gun accuracy and weapon weight are all intended to get implemented among other things in order to arrive at having guns that fire as realistically as in any professional first person shooter. *Also*, it is meant to inspire Rockstar Games for the next sequel in their Grand Theft Auto series.

 

How does it work?

First of all, it makes the first person mode a la M4 or M60 the standard for all firearms. Yes, including the flamethrower. FP/Aim mode no longer requires that you hold down the aiming button - by pressing and releasing the aim button on your pad, you enter the aim mode and it remains active until you leave the mode. Controls within the aim mode are changed also. To be in line with traditonal console fp-shooters, you fire guns in aim mode with the aim button, which would be the R1 button on the PS2 under normal config. You no longer aim with the left analog stick but with the right stick instead. The left stick gets used for moving the player actor -forwards, backwards or srafing left/right. You leave the first person mode with the fire button, which is circle on PS2 if I remember it correctly. It takes a short time of getting used to it but people playing regularly console shooters should have little difficulty adapting.

 

How do I install the mod?

The mod comes as an .asi file, actually in the latest distrubution it comes as an .asi file plus a .cfg file. You just drop both (.asi and .cfg) in the same directory in which your gta-vc is located and you are ready to go. Attention! Currently this mod only works for GTA VC 1.0 exe. Support for all kinds of VC Versions has been implemented (even if being untested as of now) - it requires you to put the included vcversion.dlll, written by Hammer83, likewise into your Vice directory.

Well actually there are two .asi files (but only install either of them, never both) in the current beta distribution. The reason for that is...

 

The right analog stick problem

I never got the right analog stick of my Thrustmaster joypad to work under Vice. The game does support a right analog though. The problem is that the Thrustmaster seems to map the right analog stick to z_rotation and slider_0 under DirectInput if I remember it correctly. The game however expects the right analog stick to map to x and y rotation or something like that. As a consequence, it didn't find the axises and disabled the right stick. I have managed to enable the right stick for me though for me through the gta-fps2.asi so if you have a similar problem, you might try to see if that works for you (no guarantees though). For those who have no problem with the right analog stick of their joypad and who have Vice 1.0, the mod should work very well. Now the important part:

 

As I only happen to own one joypad, I have no idea whether there is a standard mapping of joypad's right analog stick x and y axis to DirectInput parameters, therefore I would like to have feedback from you about how it works for you.

 

Maybe this is only a Thrustmaster-specific problem, maybe not. I'd like to find out.

 

Future Developments

 

To do:

- Realistic values for recoil (help anyone?)

- Get some feedback and fix any potential problems

- more precise aiming controls

- Configurable # of shotgun particles plus a realistic buckshot pattern

- Configurable weapon sights for every weapon (sniper hud, psg hud, or, yes, *only* the laser targetter of the psg hud)

- Enable running backwards and strafing via the left analog stick

- Make recoil fully configurable

- Enable full flamer support

- VC 1.1 support (I will probably do so only if there is request for it)

 

Under consideration (I'd like to have your input on those):

- gun accuracy

- buckshot & solid slugs ammo for shotguns

- thrown weapons curve dependent also on camera up/down rotation (probably difficult)

- disabling running in aim mode

- enabling weapon change via R2/L2 equivalents or alternatively putting strafing on R2/L2

 

Also I will release the source code of the mod upon release of version 1.0 for everyone to do with it as they see fit.

 

Where can I download the mod?

 

Here, at GTA Garage. I've just uploaded version 0.9.7.3 which fixes two bugs, one fixing a crash that occured due to firing shotguns, the other bug was a crash occuring when firing smgs from a bike.

 

 

 

Alex

Edited May 10, 2007 by AK-73

[GamerShotgun]

Hey m8! I think this will be cool, can u post some screens? And a question, can u make a tool which enables auto aiming without a joypad? Cus i wanted to be in vc since it released!

[mer cinder]

Boy Howdy, I like your style friend. I gotta re-install VICE and then it's right to playing with this.

 

I'm glad to hear your releasing the source code for use, too... because this would be AMAZING in San Andreas.

 

Think maybe you could apply this to SA? (just in case nobody ports it over)

[mer cinder]

EDIT:

 

ummm.... any other website you could post this on?

[AK-73]

 

Just wanting to announce that v0.95 has been uploaded to GTAGarage and now includes strafing and running backwards via left analog stick.

 

 

About enabling auto-aiming without a joypad: I am not sure I understand correctly what the problem is. If one wanted to reenable auto-aiming if no joypad was around, one would only have to remove the .asi file from the Vice directory?

 

Wrt SA: I don't happen to own SA for PC so I would be the wrong one to ask for this. Chances are that anybody who would want to port the mode to SA

would have to start from scratch so the source code might not be too helpful there. But this mod would at least show that it can be done.

 

About the website: what's wrong with GTAGarage?

 

About screenshots: If there's a request for it, sure I can put on some screenshots.

 

This brings me to another issue: does anybody have some nice different crosshairs textures for the HUD in FPS-Mode? If so, I would like to ask you to share them in here.

 

Alex

Edited August 10, 2006 by AK-73

[rebel_36]

you can make all weapons in sa first person mode by editing weapons.dat

[AK-73]

 

you can make all weapons in sa first person mode by editing weapons.dat

 

Really? Cool.

 

However I don't like the SA setting too much, nor the SA engine (cars drive differently, perhaps more realistically, but less fun). I wonder if you can do that in SA currently too:

 

(version 0.96 has been uploaded)

 

GTA:FPS v0.96 comes with a config file to turn on/off the fps mode per weapon and to configure recoil. I would like to have competent help in getting weapons in VC to fire as their real-world counterparts are at least as in a fairly realistic fps (Raven Shield is said to be realistic?). Not having to focus on these values would allow me to focus on implementing other stuff so if anyone is interested and thinks they have the knowledge and skill... well, you can download the mod and create your own values (even for guns that are not Vice standard and which so far have only existed as models by some other modders). If it strikes me even as only fairly realistic I am prepared to make your values, the standard values of this mod. Otherwise I'll have to come up with some values of my own.

 

Also I would like to announce that I have already found the memory locations for sniper rifle hud, the psg hud and the laser targetter of the psg. Yes, that will mean that you will be able to wield Pythons and M60s with laser targetter on it shortly.

 

[edit- beforeI forget it:]

 

A short explanation of therecoil values is in order - the first two values are a straight offset x- and y-wise of the former crosshairs position. Around these GTA:FPS lays an irregular ellipse within which a random new position of the crosshairs will be generated. Vice City standard recoil works by generating two random numbers within certain bounds so that recoil takes place within a *square pattern* which isn't very realistic, I feel - the gun is as likely to jump down as up. With GTA:FPS you can enable said irregular elliptic area within which a random new crosshairs position will be generated. The 3rd parameter in each line is the x radius of the ellipse, the 4th is the y radius. The 5th value is affect distribution between recoil jumps that are travelling upwards and those that kick downwards. If you want the recoil to never kick the weapon downwrds, simply maximize the value as instructed in the .cfg (0x4000, I believe).

That's it for a brief explanation. If questions, remain feel free to ask. The present default value in the .cfg accurately transfer original vice recoil values into GTA:FPS (-minus the square pattern because the elliptic pattern flag has been set for each weapon).

 

Alex

Edited August 15, 2006 by AK-73

[rebel_36]

cant have actual recoil in sa (by editing data files) afaik, can only change accuracy/spread for each weapon

 

great work so far i must say, too bad i lost my interrest in vc (or general gta sp) 2 years ago :E

 

the sniper scopes/views on any weapon sounds very interresting, wish there was a way to have the game use more than 2 scope textures

 

are scope textures and the actual scoping feature linked to each other or could you have each separate?

[AK-73]

 

cant have actual recoil in sa (by editing data files) afaik, can only change accuracy/spread for each weapon

 

 

That's in the making for GTA:FPS, after I have increased spawning distance for peds and cars and drawing distance for peds. Spawning distance addresses are already known, so all I need to figure out is drawing distance for peds. Only with increasing these ranges increasing weapon ranges makes sense and only with realistic ranges, weapon accuracy makes range (that is especially at high ranges).

 

 

great work so far i must say, too bad i lost my interrest in vc (or general gta sp) 2 years ago :E

 

the sniper scopes/views on any weapon sounds very interresting, wish there was a way to have the game use more than 2 scope textures

 

are scope textures and the actual scoping feature linked to each other or could you have each separate?

 

Thanks, well in theory you can have everything seperate. The problem is that you must make sure the texture is loaded and in the right place. When and if I get to understand the GTA memory management system, that might be possible. For the future, I would like to allow for such things, as well as additional weapons but that would be a very advanced thing to code. Maybe it won't even be necessary if R* does something like that in the next GTA.

 

Anyway, version 0.9.6.1 is out, it allows for laser targetters on all weapons in fps mode. You can configure size of the laser light, range and intensity. In theory you can edit color too but I see no need for that as of now.

 

Here's a screenshot out of GTA:Liberty City with an AK with a laser targetter on it:

 

As you can see I have erased the middle point of the m16 hud texture in hud.txd. That's the only way the laser targetter makes sense (might even make more sense blanking it out altogether). Currently also a skill system, where the size of the ring is dependent on your achivements in the game is under consideration.

 

Alex

 

[AK-73]

 

you can make all weapons in sa first person mode by editing weapons.dat

Do you have to keep the aiming key pressed to stay first person and fire though or do you switch in and out of an aiming mode, where you can run around without keeping the aiming key pressed?

 

 

Anyway, version 0.9.6.2 has been released, this time with configurable buckshot pattern for shotguns. See this screenshot if you want to know what I mean:

 

This shows a spas-12 with 21 pellets per shot (instead of the usual 3) in action for total devastation. Please notice that the pellets aren't restricted by a vertical choke anymore (you can still have that if you want to though, just reduce the max y spread angle in gta-fps.cfg accordingly).

 

Also you can make any gun fire buckshot through the .cfg, as well as make any shotgun fire as a normal firearm.

 

Alex

[AK-73]

Given that a new version of GTA:FPS has just been released, this topic is just asking for a bump.

 

The GTA:FPS page on gtagarage already contains two new screenshots but to highlight what the mod can also do for you, it only seems right to post this here: (might remind one or two of you of Leon)

 

 

 

 

 

 

To do such a thing yourself though, you must install my VC:Traffic mod too to increase spawning and draw distance ranges for peds.

 

VC:Traffic can be found here.

 

Alex

 

 

 

[Silberio]

what config should i put to get more sniper zoom range?

like in the screenshots

[Blackadder.]

Wow, nice mod AK-73 Sniper Zoom looks awesome, but I don't think I can use it, I don't have original EXE

 

Would it work on a cracked exe? (I'm not disucssing WHERE to get it, so I think this is fine with the rules...)

[Gouveia]

is it posible to somehow make the gun appear, so it's a TRUE FPS MOD?(I'm not saying that yours isn't a FPS mod, but that would be killer, literally!)

[AK-73]

@Silberio: to make any weapon use zoom, the ZOOM_ENABLE flag for that weapon must be said. That in itself is enough to allow zoom.

 

For example to have an aim mode for the M60, you might want to use as flags 0x117 (the first 1 sets the ZOOM_ENABE flag). Then if you use zoom values such 70.0 70.0 40.0 1000.0, you should have some kind of aim mode for it.

 

If you just want to increase zoom, decrease the min zoom value in what is presently column K. 0.0 is infinite zoom, I believe.

 

@blackadder18: try and see if it works.

 

@vinnygouveia: what do you mean? The weapon should in fact be visible, if the USE_DRAMA_CAM flag is set, which should be the case by default for about all firearms, and a few close combat weapons. If the flag for a weapon is set and the player or the weapon is not visible, that is a bug. Likewise muzzle flash and gun smoke should be visible (just as in the latest screenshots on gtagarage). Thus my claims in the readme that it is a true fps mod (from v097 upwards, make sure you got the latest version).

 

Alex

Edited February 14, 2007 by AK-73

[Silberio]

ok, thanks, sorry...my only problem is that i had the other version, an older , thanks

By the way, the drama cam, to see the weapon in First-person mode, is enable by default right?

[Gouveia]

I mean, just like Counter Strike, SWAT, Half Life and all those shooters!!! Hi-poly Weapons for first person shooters! And I mean just like a CS screen!

[DexX]

 

@vinnygouveia: what do you mean? The weapon should in fact be visible, if the USE_DRAMA_CAM flag is set, which should be the case by default for about all firearms, and a few close combat weapons. If the flag for a weapon is set and the player or the weapon is not visible, that is a bug. Likewise muzzle flash and gun smoke should be visible (just as in the latest screenshots on gtagarage). Thus my claims in the readme that it is a true fps mod (from v097 upwards, make sure you got the latest version).

 

Alex

i think what he means, and what i noticed after trying it, is to have the gun visible at all times, whether firing or not. With the default settings, on my american 1.0 exe, they were only visible while firing.

 

"visible" might not be the most accurate term. the guns are always there, but they are only at eye level when the player fires, and aren't really seen much at all otherwise. you could try forcing the aiming animation while walking, but i'm not sure how well that would work, especially with the conflicting walking animation, and the fact that collisions seems to be based on, and directly influence future animations. a more complex, but visibly accurate solution would be to rotate the shoulder bone (ingame, not on the actual dff, and just the bone - don't touch the actual animations, so the effect is only visible) of the player, and all its children, including the gun, upwards and out, so the gun is extended. this would work for a majority of, but not all weapons.

 

Repositioning the HUD (optionally, of course) might also help, as the top half of the screen tends to get cluttered during action scenes. The typical layout for most fps games is a bar of data across the bottom of the screen (health, armour, ammo, etc), with whatever map/radar there is, in the upper right, or left. I do think the hud should be changed for this mod at one point.

 

 

In theory you can edit color too but I see no need for that as of now.

just for personalization?

OR

have it change color depending on the entity type your aiming at - say it turns red on peds, yellow on vehicles, another color for aiming at buildings, and a default color if your aiming at the sky/nothing. the color could convey that simple, but useful info.

[boofhead_racer]

Very cool,

 

i tried doing this with cam hack a few years ago, but the results were always sh*tty, where the player ran you could see the player's head come in and go out of the field of view.

 

the katana pic on the gta garage site looks red hot!

 

 

 

 

Adam

 

[AK-73]

 

i think what he means, and what i noticed after trying it, is to have the gun visible at all times, whether firing or not. With the default settings, on my american 1.0 exe, they were only visible while firing.

 

 

Ah, now I got you vinny. Yes, that is something that is under consideration but likely selective fire is going to be implemented first. This only involves triggering the first part of the firing animation when entering fps mode with a gun and holding the animtion short of the firing loop and so on.

 

 

 

"visible" might not be the most accurate term. the guns are always there, but they are only at eye level when the player fires, and aren't really seen much at all otherwise. you could try forcing the aiming animation while walking, but i'm not sure how well that would work, especially with the conflicting walking animation,

 

 

We'll see.

 

 

and the fact that collisions seems to be based on, and directly influence future animations. a more complex, but visibly accurate solution would be to rotate the shoulder bone (ingame, not on the actual dff, and just the bone - don't touch the actual animations, so the effect is only visible) of the player, and all its children, including the gun, upwards and out, so the gun is extended. this would work for a majority of, but not all weapons.

 

 

I can acess the bone data very easily. However, somewhere in the back of my head I have this idea that the vice engine is capable of combining animations. Not sure about that though.

 

 

Repositioning the HUD (optionally, of course) might also help, as the top half of the screen tends to get cluttered during action scenes. The typical layout for most fps games is a bar of data across the bottom of the screen (health, armour, ammo, etc), with whatever map/radar there is, in the upper right, or left. I do think the hud should be changed for this mod at one point.

 

 

In theory you can edit color too but I see no need for that as of now.

just for personalization?

OR

have it change color depending on the entity type your aiming at - say it turns red on peds, yellow on vehicles, another color for aiming at buildings, and a default color if your aiming at the sky/nothing. the color could convey that simple, but useful info.

 

The HUD could be made semi-transparent during FPS mode very easily. As for the rest, when version 1.0 comes out, I will release the source code and anybody who is capable and willing may be able to add at will.

 

Alex

 

@boofhead_racer: yeah, that caused me some headache for some time too. What I have been doing is changing the offset that the engine applies starting from the head node *and then* decreasing the near clip value so that objects close to the eye remained visible but the backfaces of the model remained out of sight. An additional problem was posed by the camera shaking during explosions as that moved the cam position. But as mentioned in the config, that problem was solved by replacing the movements with rotations. Tried quite a few other solutions but this one was by far the best.

 

[mer cinder]

Now I know you said this was specially made for use with a controller, but I LOOOURVE using mouse and keys.

 

Is anyone else having a problem with FPS mode and the camera aiming towards the sky when you press forward and towards the ground when you press backwards?

 

 

I'd really like to get rid of this problem, any way?

[AK-73]

 

Now I know you said this was specially made for use with a controller, but I LOOOURVE using mouse and keys.

 

Is anyone else having a problem with FPS mode and the camera aiming towards the sky when you press forward and towards the ground when you press backwards?

 

 

I'd really like to get rid of this problem, any way?

 

I'm aware of that but didn't bother to fix it because I didn't think anyone would play it with mouse and keyboard.

 

I'll fix it in the next release (which is a few weeks away, I fear; but selective fire is probably not going to be implemented too easily). Also I was considering putting the run key onto R1 - that way one could run and stay in control of direction at the same time.

 

Alex

 

[mer cinder]

Great to hear friend....

 

The mod itself Rawks my everlovin' face off. Thanks for programming this one man... very well done, from the subtle bump of the camera to the smoke, it all makes for a very immersive experience... the way GTA should be played.... but since it would probably cause MORE of an uproar, probably be unlikely R* will implement it.

 

 

Anywho... thanks again... good luck with the programming mang.gg..gg....ggg...gggg....ggggg....gg....

[Çãmþ裣]

i absolutely LUUURRVEEE this mod. i wasnt aware there was an update til just now and im glad to know this mod wasnt dead. Im definitely happy there is going to be an update that fixes the same problem mer cinder has because i also use the keyboard and mouse.

 

Also about the idea where the arm is always aiming ready to shoot, i think its a great idea however i think it should have a toggle key because sometimes i like to be subtle and not have the gun aiming everywhere all the time. So a key that when ur in first person (or even when ur not in first person :hint hint:) should activate the aiming so u can fire instantly then press it again to have the weapon by your side.

if thats not possible maybe two seperate files should have one with the aiming and one without.

 

another thing that would be cool to implement would be so that when something happens (u get knocked down by an explosion, switching weapons..etc) u stay in first person. this would keep the whole first person experience real and would fully rock.

 

these are just my suggestions and i am willing to help out with the mod if i can (i have some experience with modding textures and the weapon.dat) because a couple of weeks isnt soon enough

[AK-73]

 

i absolutely LUUURRVEEE this mod. i wasnt aware there was an update til just now and im glad to know this mod wasnt dead. Im definitely happy there is going to be an update that fixes the same problem mer cinder has because i also use the keyboard and mouse.

 

 

Oh the mod is far from being dead. There are a number of things that are going to be implemented and then I will make the source code available in case anybody has ideas of their own to implement.

 

 

Also about the idea where the arm is always aiming ready to shoot, i think its a great idea however i think it should have a toggle key because sometimes i like to be subtle and not have the gun aiming everywhere all the time. So a key that when ur in first person (or even when ur not in first person :hint hint:) should activate the aiming so u can fire instantly then press it again to have the weapon by your side.

if thats not possible maybe two seperate files should have one with the aiming and one without.

 

 

That is probably impossible, or rather very complicated to achieve, you see r* themselves never got to implement it. In one of the files in the data folder there is a mention of animations for fps mode but they simply don't exist. Adding new animations is very difficult. Maybe it can be done but it won't be easy. About aiming ready to shoot itself... I probably am not going to implement it myself (no final decision on that though). Anybody who can do animations in gmax/3dsm can do that themselves.

 

If anybody can get a model plus the desired animation from any other fps into gmax/3dsm, I think converting the animations to Vice is going to be very easy to achieve.

 

 

another thing that would be cool to implement would be so that when something happens (u get knocked down by an explosion, switching weapons..etc) u stay in first person. this would keep the whole first person experience real and would fully rock.

 

these are just my suggestions and i am willing to help out with the mod if i can (i have some experience with modding textures and the weapon.dat) because a couple of weeks isnt soon enough 

 

Heh, I have been talking about that with GTFalcon from vcmp already, the next release is very likely to see that. I have already found the code that does that for falling down from edges - explosions, shotguns, etc will likely be anywhere near that.

 

Well, what you could do if you want aiming animations is see if you have a fps for which an importer for models and anims into 3dsm exists or where models and anims can be converted so that they can be modified in 3dsm. If we have such a thing, then what one can do in 3dsm is to load a model from Vice into the same scene and rotate the model's bones so that they pretty much the same position as the model from the other game. Converting animations in that matter is just burdensome but not difficult; it's the way I have been converting animations from GTA3 to Vice.

 

[edit:]

After talking to GTFalcon, I think you'll see the getting knocked out of fps due to explosions, shotguns fixed in a minor update on Monday. Keyboard support will be fixed in the next major version of GTA:FPS.

 

Alex

Edited March 9, 2007 by AK-73

[Çãmþ裣]

i cant wait

 

will this small update allow you to switch weapons while remaining in first person? or hop into cars? if not, maybe there could be a feature where if u turn on fps and for wahtver reason that requires you to get out (changing weapons) of it then it goes back into first person after whatever it was is finished.

 

eg. Im in first person and i want to change weapons. i switch to my next weapon and it automaticly gets out and gets back in to allow the switch. same could be done to the car so when u hop in, it switches to third person then when u get out it goes back to first person.

 

this would be really good if u cant switch weapons or drive in first person. i dont know how well it would work though. the only thing i really need is the keyboard fix. one more question, will you be able to jump or run in FP?

Edited March 11, 2007 by Çãmþ裣

[AK-73]

 

i cant wait 

 

 

version 0.9.7.1 is out. It adds the following fixes:

- non-standard exes can now finally enter fps mode (I've been able to do some testing only now)

- running with the keyboard does not rotate the cam up or down anmore

- being knocked to the ground will not cause the player to get knocked out of fps if the fps mode is set to persistent in the .cfg

 

Also I have noticed that there's a bug with recoil (when cops, etc shoot at you, your camera jumps) and a bug with zoom on normal weapons in combination with the new drama cam. Both are bound to be fixed in the next few days.

 

 

will this small update allow you to switch weapons while remaining in first person? or hop into cars? if not, maybe there could be a feature where if u turn on fps and for wahtver reason that requires you to get out (changing weapons) of it then it goes back into first person after whatever it was is finished.

 

eg. Im in first person and i want to change weapons. i switch to my next weapon and it automaticly gets out and gets back in to allow the switch. same could be done to the car so when u hop in, it switches to third person then when u get out it goes back to first person.

 

this would be really good if u cant switch weapons or drive in first person. i dont know how well it would work though. the only thing i really need is the keyboard fix. one more question, will you be able to jump or run in FP?

 

You should be able to run in FP mode. I do it all the time with my joypad. About jumping and switching weapons: I intend to use these key for switching weapon modes for weapons with selective fire and manual reload of weapons. However if someone wants the features you outlined, their free to implement upon release of gta:fps v1.00 which will include the source code - or to try to find someone to implement those features for them. I realize that many things could be spun out of gta:fps and that it would be too much for one person to do all of that; therefore I intend gta:fps to be a springboard ultimately, for anyone who's interested, that is.

 

Alex

[AK-73]

Yet another minor update (should be all for now) is out:

 

v0.9.7.2 fixes two bugs:

- now other actors firing no longer causes recoil for the player

- adding zoom to a regular firearm does not collide with the new drama cam (previously you'd see the back of the players head)

 

More for this mod after I have finished my VC:Traffic update. (unless some has a serious bug to post)

 

Alex

 

[AK-73]

Since I am one of the brothers and sisters that Cho, the Virginia Tech shooter, has been talking about, I have been adding some remarks that are important to me. Now before you go and alert authorities in vain, read what I have written:

 

"In the light of the Virginia Tech shooting and Cho's video, I feel compelled to make a few

remarks here. Shooting real people in the real world isn't right (at least not until they

first shoot at you). However Cho has a point in criticizing the society that society is

unwilling and seemingly incapable to accept. The kids who go amok don't do it because

of lax weapon laws or killer video games; they're doing it because they're suffering daily

from coolism, a vicious form of discrimination, until they crack, seeing no other way to

fight that system but going on a killing spree. That is not right but I can see what drives

some of my brothers there. That's right, I am one of the brothers that Cho was talking about in

his video - yet I am a non-violent person. There's better (peaceful) ways to find the wickedness

of the world. If you too are one of Cho's brothers or sisters, let me tell you: don't go and kill

people in the real world. If you want to be taught how to change the world from bad to good, seek

me out on usenet. My real world name is Alexander Kalinowski and I am helping people out in the

newsgroup alt.suicide.holiday. I can teach you how to defeat coolism without a single shot having

to be fired; you have to have some guts to make it though. :-)

That out of the way, we can return to the lighter side of things, to actual gaming.

(And oh, btw, if you find all of that ridiculous, you are more than likely part of the coolist crowd;

you can go to hell as far as I am concerned. It's an uncool people thing; you wouldn't understand.)

 

(And for those who might be worried about me: I think I have more than explicitly spoken out in this

piece *against violence*. No need to be worried. Societies are changed by words and ideas much more

than guns and bombs. )"

 

Now I don't know if that violates any board policy or not (I don't see why it would as it is strictly anti-violence) but I would not withdraw any of these remarks from my mod under any circumstances. If the people on gtaforums decide that it is against the rules, please lock this thread as well as the the VC.Config thread and remove the corresponding mods from gtagarage. I shall abandon my gtaforums.com account immediately. I promise I will not hold it out against this forum but I wouldn't let it stop me or slow me down either.

 

Cho's video has been the waking call to begin a (again: non-violent) campaign of mine against coolism which I have been preparing for some time. Coolism is a form of discrimination that is based on lack of coolness, status, popularity, real-world achievements, etc

and it is all-pervasive in the western world. It is this thing that has pushed Cho and the others before him over the edge and we're

all guilty of it. It's time for a change, whether the world wants it or not.

 

That had to be said - with that off my chest, let me turn my attention to other things then.

 

Alex

 

[AK-73]

A new minor version is out. v0.9.7.3 fixes two bugs, one related to shotguns, the other related to firing from a bike.

 

A major new version is about to come in the next few weeks, I think. Suggestions anyone?

 

Alex