The map thing was killing me - but I thought it was just the TV i’m playing on (we’re in the process of moving, so I’ve been playing it on an old 19" rather than our 32" WEGA flat-screen), but I’ve driven straight to cluckin’ bell like five times when I thought i was heading toward the mission marker.
One good thing is the “user dot” on the map - allowing you to “mark the spot” with a bright red target. This is great for navigation.
I watch my son play this game while I’m on the computer, and I’m laughing everytime CJ’s homies bag on him constantly. From the moment they’re trying to outrun a rival’s drive-by shooting on bikes, I’m bursting into tears. I love driving the cars at a high rate of speed and out in the boonies.
Also, we noticed that you can lose your wanted status by swimming in the ocean for a few seconds. Great for raising cash by capping people at the beach and then go for a quick swim to get away from the heat.
While playing Vice City last year I commented to my wife that it was starnge that no one in the GTA games ever seemed to notice what a shitty driver I was. My character kept getting driving jobs and street cred no matter how many cars he totalled.
That’s why it makes me laugh my ass off that CJ’s homies are constantly telling him he can’t drive for shit and could he please not roll the car and blow their asses up this time. 
I’ve got to agree about the map thing. How hard would it have been to include a function that would let you turn on and off individual locations?? I had a really hard time with the ambulance missions, even out in the boonies, because I couldn’t see were I was supposed to be going.
Oh, and there’s free body armor right near your starting safe house. Go out behind your house and down the ramp into the big aqueduct thingy back there. Keep going straight. Just past the first buttress of the first overpass, look to your left. Tucked up just below the road surface is the armor.
And there’s a gun - I don’t know the name, but it’s the kind you use during drivebys - at Unity Station. You know the place where you first meet Ceasar and his homies, and compete at bouncing your car? When you finish that mission, looking ahead, you’ll see a wall. Behind it is the gun.
OK, now I have a girlfriend. If I take her to eat, and let her shoot people from my car, she’s happy. Why am I wasting time on this? I assume CJ gets laid at some point (out of gameplay sight, I also assume), but is there any other reason to waste time on this?
Dating unlocks things like new costumes or cars
Grumble. Dating is a pain in the kiester.
Any tips on how to, ahem, satisfy her quickest? Gamefaqs says to show up in a nice car, does this really help?
OK, we got on the lovebunny train. Long shot of a house, camara shakes up and down. “oooh, I love you CJ!” Protaganist leaves. Date index is now at about 20%.
mmmkay… what does it take to hit 100%?
squeegee, no one ever said pimpin’ was easy.
Gah. Now she wants me to take her dancing. I think I’m done with dating.
It sounds like a NC-17 Sims game 
Grumble grumble. Only 6 more months until the PC release.
Out of curiousity, has anyone found a way to lose Respect? I’ve killed dozens of innocent bystanders, prostitutes, Grove Street gangsters, and cops, but nothing has lowered my Respect level so far.
Actually, the one time I went on a real cop killing rampage, I think my Respect went up.
If you kill members of your own gang, you lose respect.
WTF!! It’s bad enough I have to put up with my real girlfriends nagging while I play Vice City. Now I have to listen to the virtual GF as well?
A universal truth, if ever there was one.
What’s he soundtrack like, how many of the radio stations are rap?
personally, i’m not a fan of rap (okay, i admit it, i loathe rap), i’m an 80’s/90’s Metalhead, so for me VC was the epitome of soundtracks, the rock/metal/new wave stations were fine, i thought the talk stations were a riot, but the rap station, meh, i skipped it every time, just not my thing
The complete track listing for the double CD is as follows:
CD 1
CD 2
Bonus Track:
11. AFI - Head Li
Station Details:
Master Sounds (Soul, groove and funk)
DJ: Johnny ‘The Love Giant’ Parkinson
Currently bangin’ out: The Payback by James Brown
Station description: The world’s smallest giant, Johnny Parkinson, takes you on a musical, spiritual and sexual journey with a soundtrack of non-stop classics. The giants of soul, rare groove and just a little classic funk, hosted by the giant himself. Remember, height is not a number.
Playback (Hip-hop)
DJ: Forth Right MC
Currently bangin’ out: Children’s Story by Slick Rick
Station description: The mouthiest man in hip-hop, Forth Right MC, brings real hip-hop to the left coast. East Coast sensibilities and Forth Right’s unique brand of conspiracy theory lead you in a history lesson.
Bounce FM (Funk)
DJ: The Funktipus
Currently bangin’ out: Funky Worm by Ohio Players
Station description: The indescribable Funktipus plays the indefinable funk. The sound that has had Los Santos partying for 20 years is now on ‘the party’, on Bounce FM. The Funktipus will open your eyes to what is really happening out there.
K-DST (Classic rock ‘n’ roll)
DJ: Tommy ‘The Nightmare’ Smith
Currently bangin’ out: Two Tickets to Paradise by Eddie Money
Station description: Tommy Smith, formerly of 1970s progressive rock act Crystal Ship, has now taken up residence on the home of driving rock radio. K-DST ‘the dust’ plays non-stop classic rock ‘n’ roll.
K-Jah West (Dancehall, ragga, reggae and dub)
DJs: Marshall Peters and Johnny Lawton
Currently bangin’ out: Chase The Devil by Max Romeo and The Upsetters
Station description: The legendary Marshall Law sound system has moved from Kingston to San Andreas, bringing with them the best in dancehall, ragga, reggae and dub. It’s one love as Peters and Lawton argue about everything.
CSR (Jack Swing and Modern Soul)
DJ: Philip ‘PM’ Michaels
Currently bangin’ out: Poison by Bell Biv Devoe
Station description: Chart-topping and club friendly hits, brought to you by Philip ‘PM’ Michaels. New Jack Swing and modern soul from today’s hottest acts. Where soul meets preppy. Philip is also available for weddings, funerals and Bar Mitzvahs.
Radio X: The Alternative (Uhm, alternative rock)
DJ: Sage
Currently bangin’ out: Killing in the Name by Rage Against The Machine
Station description: Finally, there is an alternative. The home of modern rock. This is a revolution. Guitars, nihilistic hedonism and telling the elder generation to go screw themselves. Nobody has done this before. We are original thinkers. We are free. Sage leads the navel gazing; she is a remarkable talent.
K-Rose (Country and Western)
DJ: Mary-Beth Maybell
Currently bangin’ out: Crazy by Willie Nelson
Station description: A broken heart never sounded so good. Country and Western music broadcast from Bone County across the whole state of San Andreas. All of the biggest artists, all of the best music, with the Widow Queen of the Prairie, Mary-Beth Maybell.
Radio Los Santos (West Coast hip-hop)
DJ: Julio G
Currently bangin’ out: I Don’t Give A ‘Flying Fortress’ by 2 Pac
Station description: Julio G breaks the sound of the streets. This is the West Coast taking over.
SF-UR (House)
DJ: Hans Oberlander
Currently bangin’ out: Break 4 Love by Raze
Station description: Quality house music, from deep in the underground, brought to you by an excitable German. This is music for people in the know.
WCTR Talk Radio (Chat)
DJ: It’s a secret
Station description: Ooh, it’s all very secretive at this moment in time.
From MSN UK: Latest news, weather, Hotmail sign in, Outlook email, Bing
and
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - Rockstar Games
hmm, interesting
Meh, i’ll pass
hmm…
okay, not bad…
hmmmm
Meh…
not bad…
Meh…
Meh, i’ll pass
hmmm, not sure
sounds fun
radio station-wise, looks like a rental for me, the Meh’s outnumber the good…
I was actually surprised at the inclusion of a rare groove station - considering it’s a more esoteric genre, ruled by collectors like me rather than the nation’s youth. But I guess choosing many songs that have prominent breaks and loops later used in hip hop songs was a good idea.
Point notied, Freejooky, I’ll make sure to spray as few Grove St gangstas as possible.
Last night I stayed up 'till 3am playing San Andreas, er, I mean watching election results. I’ve taken over 80% of the Ballas territory in gang wars, and as a result I’ve got over 3000 rounds for both the AK-47 and SMG. Man, let me tell you, those are two sweet guns.
This game rocks.