How to open and edit save files?

[Themaster9565]

I started playing GTA III again after 6 years when I found all of my save files deep in my external HDD. I never know my cousin backed my save files up before formatting my PC. Till last week I thought they vanished forever from my PC, but I was wrong. When I found it, I right away completed all story line missions, collected all hidden packages, and completed 6 rampages. Today, I randomly checked out my stats and found that I was yet to complete 2 missions. After uploading it on gtasnp, I learnt that the missions given by Marty Chonks, ‘The Wife’ & ‘Her Lover’ were left uncompleted by me 6 years ago, and unlocked the Staunton Island and started doing missions there. 

 

I felt like describing the whole thing before asking the real question:
How do I edit a save file and make the game tick the 2 remaining payphone missions?
I tried looking out on the web and I could find @thehambone's save file editor, but as for now it cannot make changes to the missions’ checklist. Which text editor would let me open the save file and look into it?

[Stahli]

Why don't you finish the missions now?

[Helegad]

Any reason why you can't spend 10 minutes doing those two missions? Besides, it's a bit disingenuous to tick them off if you haven't actually done them. If I could find my very first GTA III save file from back in 2004 I would keep it as is just as a historical record for myself.

Edited December 12, 2021 by Helegad

[Themaster9565]

17 hours ago, Stahli said:

Why don't you finish the missions now?

It was left uncompleted; I didn’t feel like starting over from the start and play the game, which is considered to have one of the hardest set of missions from the entire Grand Theft Auto series. If I am left to no choice other than starting over, because of 2 payphone missions, I guess then I got to play it again, as you’re suggesting, Stahli.

 

13 hours ago, Helegad said:

Any reason why you can't spend 10 minutes doing those two missions? Besides, it's a bit disingenuous to tick them off if you haven't actually done them. If I could find my very first GTA III save file from back in 2004 I would keep it as is just as a historical record for myself.

Mate, if I was to spend just 10 minutes of my daily life to complete 2 payphone missions, I definitely would have completed it already and I wouldn’t even have created this thread, but that’s not the scene over here. The game is not allowing me to complete the 2 remaining payphone missions by not spawning the mission trigger near the payphone. I know I am being disingenuous as I am someone who watches every cutscene and lets the characters complete their talks in-game before proceeding to continue the mission in every GTA game. But, as now I have spent over 10 hours to complete all the storyline missions to kill Catalina in the ‘The Exchange’ and to collect all hidden packages, I can’t spend over 10 hours to do them all again. 

 

I still have my old save files at their original slots as my old memories. I continued the missions and saved them in different slots, definitely not going to over-write it. If I can’t find anything to solve this problem of mine, I’ll load up a new game and play it all over again, but after a few months or years. Thanks for looking into my problem guys.

 

 

Edited December 12, 2021 by Themaster9565

[Stahli]

I'm also honestly not sure if the mission will remain permanently available once you've played through the rest of the game. But I think so. 

 

For Information: There is no mission marker either. 

 

Do you know where the phone is? 

 

Maybe the phone only rings between 9:00 and 19:00.

[_BlackShadow]

As Stahli said try checking phone around 9.00 - 19.00

Edited December 13, 2021 by BlackShadowX

[Themaster9565]

12 hours ago, Stahli said:

I'm also honestly not sure if the mission will remain permanently available once you've played through the rest of the game. But I think so. 

 

For Information: There is no mission marker either. 

 

Do you know where the phone is? 

I assumed that. 
Yes, there isn’t any mission marker near the payphone like other payphones does.
The phone is located right outside the B*tch’n’ Dog Food’s factory. It can be found beside the entrance gate.

 

12 hours ago, Stahli said:

Maybe the phone only rings between 9:00 and 19:00.

 

6 hours ago, BlackShadowX said:

As Stahli said try checking phone around 9.00 - 19.00

I tried it, and it worked out. I've now completed the missions given by Marty Chonks. This game will never cease to annoy and amaze me at the same time, but I still love playing this game.
Thank you very much for suggesting that, @Stahli. I am very grateful that you mentioned it, or else I would have started all over again. This was never mentioned by GTA Series Videos walkthrough or on the GTA Fandom wiki page for this set of payphone missions.