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Grand Theft Auto Released For Free

Snover writes "It's already incredibly difficult to actually get to the site due to its extreme popularity, and can only get worse after the inevitable slashdotting, but Rockstar Games has updated their original hit, Grand Theft Auto, to run on 'modern' computers and released it for free to the public. It'd be nice if more gaming companies did this! Unfortunately, it (of course) is Windows-only and utilises the propietary DirectX API, but hey, free game for anyone that's paid the Microsoft tax! (The download speed, once you actually manage to connect to the site, is quite excellent -- it's maxing out my 2Mbps connection.)" Ah, what a classic game.

423 comments

  1. BRAVO! BRAVO! by Omikr0n · · Score: 5, Insightful
    It's really great to see software companies finally respecting their loyal customers enough to "reward" them with a free game.

    I've seen the opposite happen, where games are first freeware, then changed to a shareware or other license because they realized all the oodles of cash they could make off of it. I don't think that is a good practice and if more companies follow Rockstar's exmaple, they will have many more happy gamers that will gladly support their other products by purchasing them legitimately.

    Ahh...the memories.

    1. Re:BRAVO! BRAVO! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      If Rockstar weren't so successful, do you think they would be so generous?

      Not everybody has the ability to dedicate time to projects that aren't profitable. It's great that Rockstar does, but don't spite small-time developers for having to eat, sleep indoors, etc.

    2. Re:BRAVO! BRAVO! by deadcatphan · · Score: 1

      No joke. I've always been a huge supporter of just about any company who will release a game for free and/or release it's source. I can't say that those games actually still make them money or not, because I haven't ever looked into that, but it's a huge boost towards community support for the company whenever this happens.

    3. Re:BRAVO! BRAVO! by Pike65 · · Score: 1

      I'm not sure I count as a "loyal customer" as I've never bought a GTA game in my life, but it's still cool.

      I suppose the only reason more companies don't do this is simply the effort involved in updating them for modern systems - especially bearing in mind that they see no return. But I don't see any reason for companies not to release the source of their older games (a la Quake), and let the communities around the games update them.

      --
      "If being a geek means being passionate about something, then I pity those who aren't geeks." - Pike65
    4. Re:BRAVO! BRAVO! by edgezone · · Score: 5, Interesting

      If Rockstar weren't so successful, do you think they would be so generous?

      Not everybody has the ability to dedicate time to projects that aren't profitable. It's great that Rockstar does, but don't spite small-time developers for having to eat, sleep indoors, etc.

      I don't believe this is the case. Personally, I think updating the game is merely icing on the cake. I think the good part about this is re-releasing FOR FREE an old game that for all intents and purposes has passed the end of its marketable life. I mean, I would be ecstatic if some of the games I played ages ago were released for free. Too often, games end up permanently shelved or only sold through the most obscure locations and stores. If there were suddenly a whole slew of releases for dos/win3.1, I'd probably dust off some of the old computer parts I still have (including my good old gravis ultasound and gamepad) and build a nice little system for these games.

      No one says the small-time developers have to update old games to release them for free, just toss it out in its original form when it's passed the end of its shelf life (or if sequels have already been released). However, whether or not it is profitable is debatable. After all, playing the original version for free can stimulate people to purchase the latest release. (raise your hand if you ever bought the sequel to a game just because of how much you loved the original). So you end up dealing with 2 different categories of people. Those who have supported your company already and are looking for nostalgia (good to keep happy), and those who have never played the games in the series and if impressed, could shell out 50$ for the newest version (but of course if the game is shite, then it should promptly be buried beside all those Atari 2600 ET cartriges).

      --
      -- If you can't laugh at yourself, someone else will do it for you.
    5. Re:BRAVO! BRAVO! by c_jonescc · · Score: 2, Interesting

      --- they will have many more happy gamers that will gladly support their other products by purchasing them legitimately"---

      You're suggesting that gamers have brand loyalty.

      I don't. A good game is a good game regardless of brand, and a bad one can't change because of who made it. Remember State of Emergency?

      The only way for game companies to keep making money is to keep making quality games.

      Of course, sometimes brand can work against you, a la "Nintendo is for kiddies", but I digress.

      --
      Getting diabetes AND salmonella would be a bad weekend.
    6. Re:BRAVO! BRAVO! by owenb · · Score: 1

      I think Nintendo is a good example of where a brand can work for you, too. I know I'll buy the upcoming GC Zelda game, just because I've enjoyed the others, for example. In fact the Miyamoto 'brand' is enough to recommend a game to many.

    7. Re:BRAVO! BRAVO! by iamthetrollofdeath · · Score: 1

      Bravo indeed, this is a great step forward. Alas, I still await the day that companies release the source after a program has reached the end of its marketability

      --
      I am the troll. So go ahead and hate me.
    8. Re:BRAVO! BRAVO! by sfe_software · · Score: 4, Insightful

      You're suggesting that gamers have brand loyalty.

      I do. I respect the hell out of ID software, releasing source to their older versions of Doom and Quake. Not to mention supporting Linux far more than many others. As a result, I have some bit of loyalty toward them. I'll be purchasing Doom III the minute it is released. Partly because it looks to be a really cool game, and partly because I trust ID software to where I don't even feel the need to snag the demo first. I know it will be first rate.

      If I can get to the server, I'll snag GTA. Perhaps it will prompt me to finally pick up a copy of GTA III, which I've been tempted to do... perhaps it wouldn't be "brand loyalty" per se, but I do have a bit of respect for them for having done this, and that will influence future purchasing decisions. If that's what they were going for, then great -- mission accomplished.

      --
      NGWave - Fast Sound Editor for Windows
    9. Re:BRAVO! BRAVO! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I disagree with you! Because source code is so insecure. A newbie mishandling GTA source could result in bad guys escaping from his computer. Can you imagine a cop car chasing you around in your own house?

    10. Re:BRAVO! BRAVO! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      >> FOR FREE an old game that for all intents and purposes has passed the end of its marketable life.

      They could port it to PDAs, GBA, GP32 etc (I believe it already exists for GBC). Or package it and its sequel into a 'greatest hits' disc for PS2 - it'd sell like hotcakes.

      Those 'arcades greatest hits' and atari collections sell well enough that they keep making them. It's not just nostalgia, my 10 year old likes playing some of the old stuff every bit as much as I do. Good games are relatively timeless.

      Just because something is a few years old doesnt mean its unmarketable.

    11. Re:BRAVO! BRAVO! by anon*127.0.0.1 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Hell yes gamers have brand loyalty. How many ATI/nVidia/AMD/Intel/Linux/Mac/Id/Blizzard/whateve r fanboys are out there? Hell, I think it's a pretty rare gamer who can just evaluate a game or product based solely on its merits, without letting preconcieved notions get in the way.

      --
      I am NOT a man!
      I am a free number!
    12. Re:BRAVO! BRAVO! by quecojones · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You're suggesting that gamers have brand loyalty.

      May I bring to your attention the fans of a game series that have switched consoles/platforms in order to continue enjoying their games? The game company is Squaresoft and the game is Final Fantasy

      --
      "PROFANITY is the inevitable literary crutch of the inarticulate MOTHER FUCKER." -- some PC user
    13. Re:BRAVO! BRAVO! by alofron · · Score: 1

      Most 'serious' gamers have brand loyalty. Back in 80's I would play any Sierra adventure game I could lay my hands on. In the late 80's it was Lucasfilm (now Lucasarts). Right now I have respect for Bethesda. I trusted/trust these companies as they have proven themselves to me, over and over. When I bought/buy one of their games I know that there is a pretty good chance that I will like it.

      Sure, 12 year olds dont care about brands. But 12 year olds tend to grow into adults and if they take their gaming 'seriously' they might feel loyal towards specific brands (until they fail her/him).

      That said, I have to note that I am not as 'brand loyal' as I was a decade or so ago. Must be the money in the game industry. Turns everything to crap.

      -- "An evil exists that threatens every man, woman, and child of this great nation. We must take steps to ensure our domestic security and protect our homeland." Adolf Hitler 1933 ... o O (why does that sound familiar ... why does that sound familiar ...)

    14. Re:BRAVO! BRAVO! by TaranRampersad · · Score: 1

      Now if they opened the source....

    15. Re:BRAVO! BRAVO! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Quoting a word, when you aren't quoting what somebody has said, implies that you actually believe the opposite. For example: slashdot is "carefully" edited.

    16. Re:BRAVO! BRAVO! by beef3k · · Score: 1

      "Project's that aren't profitable"?

      It has a quite obvious public relations effect, doesn't it? Just look at all the goodwill Rockstar suddenly gained from the Slashdot community...

    17. Re:BRAVO! BRAVO! by mink · · Score: 1

      Just as a warning GTA3 is nothing like GTA1 and 2.

      --
      Well I've wrestled with reality for thirty five years doctor, and I'm happy to say I finally won out over it.
    18. Re:BRAVO! BRAVO! by iainl · · Score: 1

      "You're suggesting that gamers have brand loyalty."

      Oh boy yes. Hell hath no fury like a Nintendo fan towards an XBox, or vice versa, for a start.

      "Remember State of Emergency?"

      I do, and I also remember that it was merely released by Rockstar, not written by the legendary DMA Design, or Rockstar North as they are now known, since they got themselves trapped into just doing GTA sequels rather than the likes of Lemmings or Blood Money.

      Besides, until the bad word got out State Of Emergency drummed up one hell of a lot of preorders from gullible people who saw the Rockstar logo and assumed it would be as good as GTA3.

      --
      "I Know You Are But What Am I?"
  2. winex by nunofgs · · Score: 2, Interesting

    anyone tested it with winex yet? I really love that game!

    1. Re:WineX by Fizzol · · Score: 1

      How did you get it to run? It requires that you run "GTA Settings" first and unfortunately "GTA Settings" fails to run.

    2. Re:WineX by BHearsum · · Score: 1

      GTA Settings runs fine here. Winex 2.2.1.

    3. Re:WineX by forehead · · Score: 1

      In order to run "GTA Settings.exe" you need a legit Windows install (so you have MFC42.DLL to be specific). The DLL needs to be in your WineX "windows\system32" directory.

      --
      --
    4. Re:WineX by Rojo^ · · Score: 1

      And how difficult is this file, or other commonly needed Windows libraries such as msvcrt, the VB6 runtime library, comdlg32.ocx, etc. to obtain without a Windows installation?

      --
      <:
    5. Re:WineX by Faust · · Score: 1

      no need to use the setup tool, drop this into your system.reg:

      [Software\\DMA Design\\Grand Theft Auto]
      "Language"=dword:00000000

      [Software\\DMA Design\\Grand Theft Auto\\Controls]
      "Control 0"=dword:000000cb
      "Control 1"=dword:000000cd
      "Control 2"=dword:000000c8
      "Control 3"=dword:000000d0
      "Control 4"=dword:00000039
      "Control 5"=dword:0000001c
      "Control 6"=dword:0000001d
      "Control 7"=dword:0000002d
      "Control 8"=dword:0000002c
      "Control 9"=dword:0000000f

  3. Sucker by javacowboy · · Score: 3, Funny

    Damn, I already paid for it :(

    --
    This space left intentionally blank.
    1. Re:Sucker by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Unless you didn't like the game, I don't see why you feel bad about having payed for the game. I remember buying the original Quake a long time ago. Now, it's basically free. That's fine by me. It was fun while it lasted back in the day.

    2. Re:Sucker by Rip!ey · · Score: 1

      I remember buying the original Quake a long time ago. Now, it's basically free.

      Care to explain what you mean by "basically free"?

      The source might be available as a free download, but the art, and everything else that is not code, is not free.

      So would that be free as in available on p2p, or free as in available for $10 in the bargain bin at your local games store?

    3. Re:Sucker by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hell, $10 from the bargain bin is overcharging.

      My company (Micro Center) was selling over stock Quake3 for $0.10 at the last employee sale. (That's a sale just for employees, not a sale of employees:)

    4. Re:Sucker by arcadum · · Score: 0
      So would that be free as in available on p2p, or free as in available for $10 in the bargain bin at your local games store?

      I think he means yes

  4. This game rox by Azureflare · · Score: 1
    It's great to see such an awesome game being released for free. This was the second GTA I played (I played gta2 first) and I must say that this one was a much different experience. Besides that, I feel that other gaming companies should follow this initiative and release free, "modern" updated versions, like this one, of classic games (Wolf3D, monster bash, commander keen, etc. come to mind...Man, those were the days!) There are a lot of good classic games that are in need of an update. Besides, isn't part of programming updating the software you write?

    Oh well, since most of them won't make money by doing it, probably they won't...but here's some wishful thinking ;)

    1. Re:This game rox by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bravo!

      I think that you should work for free too.

    2. Re:This game rox by Brad1138 · · Score: 1

      I have a copy of Doom2-95. It was released well after the original and designed to run on Win 95 etc. It was updated and ran at 640X480! It wasn't free but it was fun to play again. Kept forgetting you couldn't jump though :).

      --
      If you could reason with religious people, there would be no religious people
    3. Re:This game rox by pyrote · · Score: 1

      ya, and with source code releases they also have a GL version that can abuse even the best of hardware. even allows Z axis.

      it's here for your retro gaming goodness

      --
      THE WORLD IS GOING TO END!!!! eventually.
  5. GTA free - thats great but... by AtomicX · · Score: 4, Funny

    Can anyone afford the OS to run it on?

    1. Re:GTA free - thats great but... by op51n · · Score: 0, Troll

      you mean people pay for windows!?
      Hell I thought that's why the only anti-piracy method was the "please do not make copies of this disc" warning and microsoft's outstanding fascism.

    2. Re:GTA free - thats great but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I didn't pay much for Windows2000. I got it through school for $10. Sure, they have an exclusive technology deal with them and I'm sure part of my technology fee goes to them, but who cares? I have to pay it anyway and I get reimbursed by my company. ;-) Best thing of all is the CD doesn't have/need a serial number so I've installed it on at least a dozen computers of mine and my families! hehe. Fuck microsoft.

    3. Re:GTA free - thats great but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

      Last time I checked, my copy of Windows was free too.

    4. Re:GTA free - thats great but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      at UC, windows xp costs 6 dollars and ninety five cents at the bookstore, and it's the full pro edition too. For students of course. I'm sure other colleges are doing this, it's like a package deal with microsoft. They also do the same for office xp and for some MS software for the mac. You can even check out some older software from the library, install it and return it. 6.95 is almost worth it

    5. Re:GTA free - thats great but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Quit whining, you penniless hippie. Just because Microsoft bashing is fashionable doesn't make it logically sound.

      Most Linux users are ashamed to admit it, but they typically have a dual boot set up that gives them the choice to either 1) enter the garish lair of Gnome hell and screw with their settings for hours on end until some obscure CPU feature starts working or 2) go into Windows and get work done. They only boot into Linux when their leetness levels start drying up and they feel the need to be haughty and condescending, just like you, my good man.

    6. Re:GTA free - thats great but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ditto University of Akron. 20 bucks for XP pro. Office XP pro, and somthing else i forget. Mcafee is free and anyother software can be "borrowed" for 5 bucks, with the understanding that ill uninstall when i graduate.

    7. Re:GTA free - thats great but... by t0ny · · Score: 1
      Can anyone afford the OS to run it on?

      Windows 95- $17. Can you afford that? http://www.pricewatch.com/1/182/1317-1.htm

      --

      Manipulate the moderator system! Mod someone as "overrated" today.

    8. Re:GTA free - thats great but... by User+956 · · Score: 1

      And also at UC, you can get all kinds of useful commercial software for free. Your $20k/year tuition is going to good use -- blanket software licenses.

      --
      The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
    9. Re:GTA free - thats great but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Most Linux users are ashamed to admit it, but they typically have a dual boot set up that gives them the choice to either 1) enter the garish lair of Gnome hell and screw with their settings for hours on end until some obscure CPU feature starts working or 2) go into Windows and get work done. They only boot into Linux when their leetness levels start drying up and they feel the need to be haughty and condescending, just like you, my good man.

      Ha!!
      That's a word for word description of me!
      Well, almost, you forgot to mention Perl.
      Other than Perl (and the occasional game.... (yes there are linux-only games)) I mainly boot linux for the "1337"ness.

    10. Re:GTA free - thats great but... by Lord_Sy · · Score: 1

      Actually... the OS is free (as in beer). You can download it from many warez sites! ;)

      --
      --- "pero toda poesía es hostil al capitalismo"
    11. Re:GTA free - thats great but... by erc · · Score: 1

      Haha, you're kidding, right? I don't screw with nothing on my Linux desktop - I just installed it and away we go! Windows crashes on me about every other day. Windows Explorer crashes on me if I try and open folders too fast. Linux does none of these things, it just runs, day in, day out.

      The *only* reason I have a Windows box is that I have clients that I support that I've done VB work for, and VB 6.0 won't run under wine, and I haven't bought a VMWare clone to run on the box yet.

      --
      -- Ed Carp, N7EKG erc@pobox.com PGP KeyID: 0x0BD32C9B What I'm up to: http://intuitives.mine.nu
  6. Grand Theft Slashdotting by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Three comments and their out.

    1. Re:Grand Theft Slashdotting by RadioTV · · Score: 1

      Actually, their servers seem to be standing up pretty well. There were ~200 posts when I tried to download it. It took me a couple of tries on each page but I got through. I would estimate 10 minutes of filling out forms and clicking reload and about 30 minutes to download at > 200KB/s.

      --
      I have great faith in fools - self confidence my friends call it. - Edgar Allan Poe
  7. Its already freely available by chrisseaton · · Score: 4, Informative

    Here, along with GTA London and GTA 2.

    1. Re:Its already freely available by rich_r · · Score: 2, Informative

      However the site does require a subscription to download. Any other mirrors kicking about? (I'm on google now, but I'm sure some have beaten me to it!)

    2. Re:Its already freely available by chrisseaton · · Score: 1

      I think it's subscription as in the NYT sense (or it was .5 years ago when I downloaded GTA)

    3. Re:Its already freely available by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This is probably the DOS version though, and not the 'updated'(directx) version.. I doubt the old one runs well on nt based os'es(especially with 3d support, glide was all it had).. Hopefully this new one has '3d' support

    4. Re:Its already freely available by rich_r · · Score: 1
      A moot point now, seeing as they've suspended new subcriptions due to sheer numbers!

      c'est la vie!

    5. Re:Its already freely available by Kashif+Shaikh · · Score: 1

      Well, you can't create a subscription since they're overhauling the system. Won't be availabe 'til spring they say.

    6. Re:Its already freely available by Idolminds · · Score: 2, Informative

      Outside of needing a subscription, which you can't sign up for at the moment (and has been like that for several months), theres a few problems with the Freeloader GTA games.

      I was able to get all the GTA games from there last year. All the games are missing the music, and multiplayer support has also been removed from what I can tell.

      If that doesnt bother you, go nuts (if you can).

    7. Re:Its already freely available by badasscat · · Score: 1

      This version does not work on Windows XP (only the Rockstar Classics release does) and it requires a subscription to download.

    8. Re:Its already freely available by Snover · · Score: 1

      I was going to include this in the story, except that the Freeloader stuff is riddled with ads and is rather stripped down.

      --

      [insert witty comment here]
  8. uh oh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    looks like we hijacked their server.

  9. well, not free... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    of course, you have to pay for your bandwidth. Not only that, but if you don't subscribe to Slashdot, you don't get to download the game 'in the future' and have to compete with all the bourgoise.

  10. Old News by DarkKnightRadick · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I submitted a story yesterday about this.

    --
    "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." Proverbs 16:25 (NKJV)
    1. Re:Old News by DarkKnightRadick · · Score: 0, Redundant

      Offtopic?

      --
      "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." Proverbs 16:25 (NKJV)
    2. Re:Old News by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      LUNA Rulez!!!!! ;-)

    3. Re:Old News by DarkKnightRadick · · Score: 1

      wtf?

      --
      "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." Proverbs 16:25 (NKJV)
    4. Re:Old News by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm beggining to think they only mod up the elite geeks here on slashdot.

    5. Re:Old News by DarkKnightRadick · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I agree completely, although I've been modded up to 5 once or twice, it's extremely rare, even though the majority of my comments are on topic (I usually get modded down as a troll if I say something the mod's disagree with).

      --
      "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." Proverbs 16:25 (NKJV)
  11. already been done... by dj_paulgibbs · · Score: 5, Informative
    See Freeloader.

    When I last looked at the site (a year ago, admittidly), it had GTA1 up for download then.

    Quick look shows it has GTA2, Hidden & Dangerous, and many others available for free download. All you have to do is watch some ads on your screen whilst the files download.

    1. Re:already been done... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That is if you subscribe to the service, and they are not accepting anyone at this point, our luck, when they do, the IDSA "Comprised of Microsh** & Vivendi-Universal" will sue them out of existance.

    2. Re:already been done... by Anonvmous+Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Why do they call it 'freeloader' when it requires a subscription?

    3. Re:already been done... by paulcammish · · Score: 1
      They want your email address - just so they can sell it to spammers.

      Amazingly about half of may spam comes from the address I subscribed to Freeloader with, years ago.

      It just gets forwarded back to them, now - dunno how that happened. ;)

    4. Re:already been done... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      so share your login and password as they have do not allow subs. any more.

    5. Re:already been done... by slide-rule · · Score: 1
      Why do they call it 'freeloader' when it requires a subscription?

      Maybe *they* are the freeloader?
    6. Re:already been done... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Fuck! You, terrorist, have discovered our secret!

  12. Put it on Kazaa! by revscat · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Since nobody around here really gives a crap about what the various companies think anywho, would someone please put this up on Kazaa or one of the other P2P networks? If we can make a habit of doing this when binaries are available then future /.ings might be somewhat abated.

    1. Re:Put it on Kazaa! by fredrikj · · Score: 4, Funny

      No. It's not fun anymore when it's legal.

    2. Re:Put it on Kazaa! by iosmart · · Score: 1

      lol, or just contact iosmart and have him mirror it. the whole animatrix adventure only cost me a mere 16GB (out of 500GB) and that was a pretty big file...

    3. Re:Put it on Kazaa! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Good thinking. You're a master abater.

    4. Re:Put it on Kazaa! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Spreading it on Kazaa is of course a jolly good idea, but I could imagine that a lot of companies would still like to have the exclusive right to distribute the game themselves, even if it is for free. Imagine all the traffic this game must generate to their site which basically is a big advertising board exclusively for their own products. This is a kind of PR stunt that actually works!

      Another company that has done this is cinemaware (www.cinemaware.com). I came to their site to download the freely available Amiga version of Defenders of the Crown, and ended up buying the remake. I still swing by their site every once in a while to check for news on their promised remake of Wings, which I'll also buy when it is released. Pretty good move by them, wouldn't you say?

      BTW, GTA has always been available on Kazaa/Direct Connect etc, even before it was legal to distributable it. /lars

    5. Re:Put it on Kazaa! by lpontiac · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Hmm, but you'd run a higher risk of downloading a trojaned/virus ridden binary. Some checksums of the authentic article would be nice..

    6. Re:Put it on Kazaa! by 0biJon · · Score: 1
      man.. I mirrored the 1st Animatrix short and it cost me 27GB in 24 hours.

      Good thing it was the schools bandwidth.

      --
      ?Who controls the past now, controls the future.
      Who controls the present now controls the past.?
    7. Re:Put it on Kazaa! by wo1verin3 · · Score: 1

      Great, Rockstar sends everyone to Kazza to download GTA and oddly enough they all start downloading GTA3.

    8. Re:Put it on Kazaa! by t0ny · · Score: 1

      Wings kicked butt. Didnt they make some gangster game about Chicago? That one kicked butt too, but I didnt finish it. Got whacked trying to rub out one of the other bosses near the end...

      --

      Manipulate the moderator system! Mod someone as "overrated" today.

    9. Re:Put it on Kazaa! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "even before it was legal to distributable it." Are you George Bush's speechwriter?

  13. wow by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    this site has already been shacknewsed, bluesnewsed, posted on several big news forums, and likely more high traffic locations. now slashdotted!

    oh the pain.

  14. Nice editorializing by Soporific · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Free game for anyone who paid the Microsoft tax?"

    A little bitter about this are we?

    ~S

    1. Re:Nice editorializing by Rick+the+Red · · Score: 1

      Not bitter, just pragmatic. If you're running Linux or *BSD you probably have a legal right to run Windows too, even if you never did, unless you threw away the license and CD or bought a 'white box.'

      --
      If all this should have a reason, we would be the last to know.
  15. Does everything have to be about MS? by theNote · · Score: 5, Insightful

    How does a summary of a story about a free game become a microsoft bashing opportunity?

    This is just about the most childish story post I have ever seen Hemos.

    1. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I agree with you. All slashdot has become is a forum for linux geeks to bash Microsoft.

    2. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      How does a summary of a story about a free game become a microsoft bashing opportunity?

      Huh? The ms-specific things stated mean that a lot of us can't play the game. It's not ms bashing - it's avoiding wasting our time.

    3. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by $rtbl_this · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Can you please give me the URL for your slashdot? I think I may like it. The one I visit seems to have become overrun with astroturfers. :)

      --
      "Are you being weird, or sarcastic?" said Emma. I said I didn't know because I get the two feelings mixed up.
    4. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, saying it's for windows only would be avoiding wasting your time.

      Saying you have to pay a "MS tax" to play it is bashing.

    5. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Funnily enough, they wouldn't be running the story if it hadn't been made to use DirectX, because otherwise it wouldn't run on modern Windows boxes and the story would amount to a copany giving away an old DOS game... whoopee...

      In any case, when I hit the GTA executable, I really don't give a toss what OS it's running on.

    6. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by privacyt · · Score: 1
      So how then does one (legally) play the game without paying Micro$oft? If a mandatory payment isn't a tax, then how do you define the word "tax"?

      There's really no such thing as Micro$oft bashing, since Bill Gates & Company view the term "profits before people" as a compliment.

    7. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by _xeno_ · · Score: 2, Insightful
      From an earlier story:
      World of Ends Public Draft
      Posted by Hemos on 08:39 AM -- Saturday March 08 2003>
      from the and-i-feel-fine dept.

      Doc Searls sent me the link over to the newest work that he and fellow Cluetrain person David Weinberger haveput together. It's called "World of Ends"[,] although I like the subtitle "What the Internet Is and How to Stop Mistaking It for Something Else" better - but that's just me. In any case, some interesting reading, particular if you like/d The Cluetrain Manifesto.

      First off, "person"? I suppose that works, but it reads strangely. We'd hardly expect a "David Weinberger" to be something else. Maybe "worker" or "contributor" or "author" or something, but "person" doesn't read well.

      Next we have "haveput" - oops. Then we need a comma to keep the next sentance from being a runon or something. Particular should be particularly, and "like/d" is obviously a typo.

      I don't think he's had his coffee yet... despite his belonging to the "and-i-feel-fine" department.

      Update: 03/08 14:42 GMT by CN: Yeah, this is a dupe of yesterday's story. Everyone point at Hemos and laugh.

      So as you can see, Hemos is evidently having a bad day. After being laughed at, he must have felt the need to take it out on Microsoft.

      Actually, if you look closer at the italics, all he posted on this story was "Ah, what a classic game." -- presumably, that means that Snover is being childish, and not Hemos. And I should know - this entire post is, well, childish.

      --
      You are in a maze of twisty little relative jumps, all alike.
    8. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Huh? The ms-specific things stated mean that a lot of us can't play the game. It's not ms bashing - it's avoiding wasting our time.

      I'd say a new story for a free Windows game appearing on a Linux news site is pretty much wasting time anyhows. Why not include stories about Sega games and Nintendo games not working either?

      Bloody Sega/Nintendo tax... locking you into their hardware/software... antitrust... closed systems... yadda, yadda, yadda... Hell, iTunes is available free on OSX, but they don't do a free version for Linux - *moan* *bitch* - I'd have to buy a Mac to run it... you don't say!?

    9. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by Lodragandraoidh · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Why so touchy on the subject of 'Microsoft Bashing'? The ability to thumb our noses at monopolies and bad government is an american pass-time (there is plenty of prior art if you look in the history books).

      Could it be you own large amounts of Microsoft stock? Do you work at the company? Or, are you just ignorant of the findings in the antitrust case?

      Feel free to bash the open source community, Apple Computing, Sun, HP, IBM, or anyone else you find loathsome. Don't tell me how to regulate my expression (only CowboyNeal and the gang can do that here).

      (this almost begs a new discussion on how the supreme court views freedom of expression online - you probably wouldn't like what they have to say about it)

      --

      Lodragan Draoidh
      The more you explain it, the more I don't understand it. - Mark Twain
    10. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by Kadagan+AU · · Score: 1

      I could be wrong, but it looks to me like all that Hemos wrote there was

      Ah, what a classic game.

      The rest was all written by the submitter of the story. Does everything have to be about the Slashdot editors?

      --
      This space for rent, inquire within.
    11. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by nrjyzerbuny · · Score: 2, Interesting

      So how then does one play a game without paying for a processor? If a mandatory payment isn't a tax, then how do you define the word "tax"?

      Simple. It's part of the REQUIREMENTS for the game. I'm sorry if you believe that Rockstar should rewrite old games for free, for your OS of choice, but really, get off the /. love train of bashing MS.

      Oh yeah, the Micro$oft thing is played out. Your prejudices are clear enough without the $ sign.

    12. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Tax: A legally mandated payment collected by
      the state and backed by the threat of armed
      force.
      Not a Tax: Releasing a free game for the platform
      that 99% (or more) of the target audience use.

    13. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by Cyno01 · · Score: 2, Insightful
      How does a summary of a story about a free game become a microsoft bashing opportunity?
      You're new here, aren't you?
      --
      "Sic Semper Tyrannosaurus Rex."
    14. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by unix_hacker · · Score: 1

      The first thing I noticed about this post was the reference to the "Microsoft tax." Since the "Microsoft tax" refers to being forced to buy Windows when you purchase a computer AND YOU DO NOT INTEND TO RUN WINDOWS, how can it be considered appropriate when you're talking about a game which can only be played BY PEOPLE WHO RUN WINDOWS BY CHOICE?

    15. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by fishdan · · Score: 1
      Hmmm, I don't think it's fair to say it has become a forum for linux geeks to bash Microsoft.

      /. was always thus...otherwise it woulda been called BACKslashdot. Also, people need to distinguish between the poster's text and the submitter's. I'll give oyu a hint..., one is in italics. So now, look again. Do you think the phrases you found objectional were the poster's, or the submitter's?

      --
      Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm
    16. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by Anonvmous+Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      "uh? The ms-specific things stated mean that a lot of us can't play the game. It's not ms bashing - it's avoiding wasting our time. "

      Hardly. If you're interested in GTA, then you're probably a gamer. As such, Linux isn't going to be your only OS, unless of course you're extremely masochistic.

      Seriously, if you play games you should be keeping Windows around. It'll be a while before Linux gets a library.

    17. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by Anonvmous+Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      "Could it be you own large amounts of Microsoft stock? Do you work at the company? Or, are you just ignorant of the findings in the antitrust case?"

      So why is it that when people are sick of the MS bashing, it has to be that they have some vested interest in MS? Why can't it be that they're just sick of it because it's repetitive, FUD filled, and a lot of it uncalled for? There hasn't even been any significant developments in that case for what a year now, maybe two?

      "Boo hoo, they use Direct X so we can't play it on Linux."

      That's like being upset that your PS2 can't play XBOX games. Who wants to listen to bitching about not having the right gaming setup? If you're not running Windows, but you want to play Windows games, that is your fault not Microsoft's.

      So no, we don't want to listen to that childish bullshit. You made your bed, now lay in it.

    18. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're so right. You hardly ever see pro-Linux posts here anymore. All the pro MS trolls go straight to 5 though.

    19. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by Anonvmous+Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      "How does a summary of a story about a free game become a microsoft bashing opportunity?"

      Probably because the Linux Zealots out there who use Linux solely for the purpose of flipping off Microsoft are realizing that Microsoft got the last laugh. Windows can do something that Linux can't do: attract game developers.

      Doh!

    20. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by Paradise+Pete · · Score: 2, Insightful
      Then we need a comma to keep the next sentance from being a runon

      Gotta be a troll.

    21. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by Osiris+Ani · · Score: 1
      So how then does one (legally) play the game without paying Micro$oft? If a mandatory payment isn't a tax, then how do you define the word "tax"?
      osiris@elysium:~$ dict tax

      From WordNet (r) 1.7 [wn]:

      tax

      n : charge against a citizen's person or property or activity for the support of government [syn: {taxation}, {revenue enhancement}]

      Besides, this isn't at all manadatory; this is merely a box spec prerequisite of a game that you don't ever have to play. Hey, I hate Microsoft as much as the next Slashdotter, but I hate them for [at least what I think are] all the right reasons. This story didn't have anything to do specifically with Microsoft or their misdeeds; it was just a seemingly now-obligatory dig.

    22. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by Osiris+Ani · · Score: 1
      I could be wrong, but it looks to me like all that Hemos wrote there was
      Ah, what a classic game.
      The rest was all written by the submitter of the story. Does everything have to be about the Slashdot editors?
      There are two answers to that question, actually.

      osiris@elysium:~$ dict editor

      From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:

      Editor \Ed"i*tor\, n. [L., that which produces, from edere to publish: cf. F. ['e]diteur.] One who edits; esp., a person who prepares, superintends, revises, and corrects a book, magazine, or newspaper, etc., for publication. [1913 Webster]
      From WordNet (r) 1.7 [wn]:
      editor n 1: a person responsible for the editorial aspects of publication
      The traditional definition says that the editors are responsible for editorial content and making revisions to the verbiage of posted stories. However, the reality conflicts with the theory. Slashdot editors are, by their very definition, a bit of a misnomer. They don't actually edit per se, and it is thus up to us to make snarky comments like this in response to the content of the stories.

    23. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by _xeno_ · · Score: 1
      Actually, it was an attempt at a joke. I dunno who the hell modded it up as "Interesting" in that the only real point I made was that Hemos didn't actually post the "childish" comment - the story submitter did.

      Also, you left out the "or something" after "runon" - as a graduate of the American educational system, my grasp of the English language isn't supposed to be complete.

      Besides, I would hope that the sentence (happy?): And I should know - this entire post is, well, childish. would help you figure out something about the post... and "trolling" suggests I was trying to get responses, which I wasn't. I was hoping that some people might find it amusing, which is why I didn't use my bonus point. Well, OK, I did use the bonus point when I hit "Submit" instead of "No Karma Bonus", but the intention...

      --
      You are in a maze of twisty little relative jumps, all alike.
    24. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I bought a computer without buying Windows... I bought it from a little company in Calif. I've since bought Windows XP to put on it, but I wasn't forced to do so...
      I suppose if you're buying a Dell or Gateway machine, they don't let you take Windows off, but if you want to run a non-Windows box, buy a non-Dell/Gateway machine. Simple.

      --
      M

    25. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Our stance is perfect and justified.
      We will never give an inch nor blink an eye in the face of the great Satan.

      Allah is great.

    26. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      How does a summary of a story about a free game become a microsoft bashing opportunity?

      Because people want to play the game. Microsoft is why they can't.

    27. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by layingMantis · · Score: 1

      "lay" is something that you DO to someone/something else.

      correct would've been "you made your bed now lie in it"

      i'm an expert, as you can see from my nick.

      ~mantis

    28. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by Anonvmous+Coward · · Score: 3, Funny
      "lay" is something that you DO to someone/something else.
      correct would've been "you made your bed now lie in it"
      i'm an expert, as you can see from my nick."


      Man, it's a memorable day when somebody on Slashdot gives advice on how to get laid.

    29. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by t0ny · · Score: 1
      if you're buying a Dell or Gateway machine, they don't let you take Windows off, but if you want to run a non-Windows box, buy a non-Dell/Gateway machine. Simple.

      Once you buy it, they could care less what you do with it. However, they get bulk rates from MS based on the assumption that they will be selling WinXP on every new machine. Thus, its cheaper for them to sell a copy of WinXP with every machine than do it on a per-computer basis.

      So its not really a tax, its just added value.

      --

      Manipulate the moderator system! Mod someone as "overrated" today.

    30. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      All slashdot has become is a forum for linux geeks to bash Microsoft.

      Don't forget us *BSD geeks bashing you Linux Lusers.

      Penguin Fucker.

      heh.

    31. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by _Sprocket_ · · Score: 1

      "Boo hoo, they use Direct X so we can't play it on Linux."


      That's like being upset that your PS2 can't play XBOX games. Who wants to listen to bitching about not having the right gaming setup? If you're not running Windows, but you want to play Windows games, that is your fault not Microsoft's.


      Interesting. It looks like you're responding to a quote from the parent post... yet the parent post doesn't even MENTION DirectX. In fact, the parent post didn't mention anything about Microsoft's technology. The point raised was the poster's desire to make jabs at a company who has behaved badly.

      Nice of you to try and divert the point with an issue that had nothing to do with the poster's argument.
    32. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      >windows can do something that Linux can't do: attract game developpers

      and it is modded 4 ? I don't even want to respond directly to the post.
      Maybe there are hords of ms-turfer here ready to mod up anything like that, or maybe now slashdot is full of stupid people.
      both are sad for slashdot (not for me, as I have a real life outside here).

      Cheers

    33. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If I wasn't an anonymous coward, I'll be brave and mod you up to 5.

    34. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by RevAaron · · Score: 1

      ...unless you're primarily a console gamer, willing to try out GTA because you saw it on slashdot. (I for one don't get the fun in PC games, outside of the occasional FPS at a LAN party, or EV Nova, console games are much more fun to me!) GTA did the console thing too, so perhaps some gamecube nerd wants to try GTA out.

      --

      Working toward a usable PDA environment in the spirit of Newton OS: Dynapad
    35. Re:Does everything have to be about MS? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Because people want to play the game. Microsoft is why they can't.

      No... Rockstar coding it for Windows is why they can't, Microsoft has nothing to do with it.

      --
      M

  16. Don't you know you'll rot in hell? by numbski · · Score: 5, Funny

    Free software is evil.

    Cop killing video games are evil! You have to repent to the lord Gates and be forgiven of your sins, washed away by the blood of the lame (Jobs). :P

    Actually, never played the game myself. I remember ALL of the churches and law enforcement agencies in my area pitched a raving hissy fit though.

    --

    Karma: Chameleon (mostly due to the fact that you come and go).

  17. GTA Music by Corbin+Dallas · · Score: 1

    Are they releasing the entire game, or just an updated executable? What made the original so good was the soundtrack ( IMHO ), and I'd love to hear all my old favorites again.

    --
    Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.
    1. Re:GTA Music by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      and I'd love to hear all my old favorites again.

      well since you apparently already have the game, why don't you just pop the cd in and do so?

    2. Re:GTA Music by user+no.+590291 · · Score: 2, Informative

      The download is 328MB, so I imagine it includes the sound.

    3. Re:GTA Music by Corbin+Dallas · · Score: 1

      CDs don't last forever you know....

      --
      Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.
    4. Re:GTA Music by SomeGuyFromCA · · Score: 1

      I thought I was the only one who still remembered "The Ballad of Chapped-Lips Calhoun".

      What I want to know is will this version still let me put in my own music CD and play music from that? ::digs out 'Music to Carjack By Volume VI', track listing on request::

      --
      if the answer isn't violence, neither is your silence / freedom of expression doesn't make it alright
    5. Re:GTA Music by Kompressor · · Score: 1

      Consider this a request. And what's on the first 3 volumes?

      --
      kmem russian roulette: Aquillar> dd if=/dev/urandom of=/dev/kmem bs=1 count=1 seek=$RANDOM
    6. Re:GTA Music by SomeGuyFromCA · · Score: 1

      First five, actually, I don't recall. *grin*

      See my journal for track listing.

      --
      if the answer isn't violence, neither is your silence / freedom of expression doesn't make it alright
    7. Re:GTA Music by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > And what's on the first 3 volumes?

      He said volume *6*, actually...

    8. Re:GTA Music by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So it's a Douglas Adams trilogy then...

    9. Re:GTA Music by meringuoid · · Score: 1

      More importantly... is this just the original GTA, or is London included? GTA was good, but London was awesome. Mod scooters and Mini Coopers and James Bond missions - about as cheesy as it gets but tremendous fun.

      Site's slashdotted so hard it's showing up on seismographs, so I can't go check :-(

      --
      Real Daleks don't climb stairs - they level the building.
  18. Re:Society loves violence by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Go back to Massachusetts you tool...

  19. Re:Society loves violence by Planesdragon · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Anyone else think these kinds of games are partly the reason why we're going to invade Iraq, North Korea, and various African countries once we're done there?

    Nope. We were fighting wars long before video game came about; they just make us good at using the drones.

    Violence breed violence and encourages hate. Why do we love to hate?

    Because hate encourages violence, they hate us, and thus they visit violence upon us and we visit violence upon them.

    This is why "love thy enemy" is such an important part of our culture. We bomb Afghanistan out of the stone age, and then hold their hand as they struggle to sort out all the damage their ex-ruler did. We did the same thing with Japan and Germany, and we'll do the same thing with Iraq.

  20. In the News Today! by nounderscores · · Score: 5, Funny

    An unknown suspect, or suspects, rammed the Rockstar Games server, waited for the admin to get out and then reversed over them several times.

    police suspect slashdotting...

  21. Re:Society loves violence by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    honestly, how many of these games do you think G Dubbuah has played? Comeon now, Americans have been subjected to violent movies for years, but you think that video games are the reason behind our problems with Iraq?

  22. Perhaps you haven't noticed... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    but people are playing the exact same games everywhere else in the world (the guys who did GTA are Scottish, BTW). Yet for some reason you don't see Scotland bombing every little country they can get away with, do you? Violent video games are not the reason.
    Or do you think Saddam Hussein started making WMD's after too many rounds of Command & Conquer..?

    1. Re:Perhaps you haven't noticed... by Doomrat · · Score: 1

      Everybody knows that Saddam was playing too much Desert Strike.

  23. Look out for spam: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    * NOTE: The information you provide on this form may be collected even if you are not eligible to download the game.
  24. Finally, someone gets it... by TopShelf · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What these guys have finally realized is that a game's value to its creator is first (obviously) as a revenue generator, but after newer versions have obsoleted the old product, it's more useful in terms of marketing as a giveaway. I for one, haven't ever purchased any of these games, but I'll give this a try, and who knows, they might just pick up a new customer. Enlightened self-interest works again!

    --
    Stop by my site where I write about ERP systems & more
    1. Re:Finally, someone gets it... by kfg · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Exactly. I've never understood why more game companies don't do this. Giving away an old game is certainly cheaper than conventional advertising. Hell, it's cheaper than a bloody Print Shopped flyer, even taking into account server and bandwidth expenses.

      Yet the rewards for promoting your current product are potentially staggering.

      Don't these guys ever go to the supermarket and eat the free cheese? They aren't giving that stuff away to feed the homeless or something.

      I think every game marketer should be required to spend a few years at Proctor & Gamble first. Now those guys really know how to, ummmmm, play the game.

      KFG

    2. Re:Finally, someone gets it... by Erasmus+Darwin · · Score: 2, Interesting
      There's one difficulty in using this as a marketing tool. The original GTA game is nowhere close to being representative of the latest generation of GTA games. In fact, my experience with GTA1 was actually a reason against purchasing GTA3 for me -- while GTA1 was fun, the gameplay was a little too arcadish (in the sense of having the game reset to a starting state too often) for me to enjoy. It was only after hearing about GTA3 from a bunch of other people that I decided to give it a go.

      So while there's certainly positive marketing to be gained from giving away a game, there's still the risk in that the game being given away is not nearly as cool as the games it's being used to sell.

  25. Demo vs. full version by Furry+Ice · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Did anyone else find the full version somewhat lacking after playing the demo for weeks? It was just that after you had unlimited time, you actually needed to calm down and play nicely so that you'd stay alive.

    With the demo, you had only a short amount of time, and you could _almost_ finish all four missions successfully in the time given, if you were really fast. Attempting to get all four in one insane speed-mayhem rush was the most fun I've had playing a video game, _ever_. The full version just didn't provide the same level of excitement.

    1. Re:Demo vs. full version by awx · · Score: 1

      Yeah, that sounds about right. To get it back, you have to set yourself little challenges - "i'm going to finish this mission in the next 2 mins or i'll quit out and start again" etc

      --
      Feel that power? That's mah MOUSING FINGER
    2. Re:Demo vs. full version by lost_it · · Score: 3, Interesting

      The real fun with the full version was to play networked. In my high school programming class, we'd spend the first 45 minutes programming, and the last 45 minutes gaming (the teacher had too much other stuff to do, and we all did our work well, so he kinda ignored it). We played Duke3d a little, but GTA was definitely the all-time favorite.

      There was nothing better than running down one of your classmates while he was standing in the middle of the road trying to steal a car. Ah, good times...

    3. Re:Demo vs. full version by timmyf2371 · · Score: 1
      For me, the full version did/does provide a great deal of excitement.

      You have a few options

      Play nice, complete missions, hide from the cops etc
      Go on a spree for a couple of minutes before being "Busted"
      Use the cheat codes and have fun

      It all depends on what you're looking for from a game.

      Tim

      --

      Backup not found: (A)bort (R)etry (P)anic
    4. Re:Demo vs. full version by Sarcazmo · · Score: 1

      We always had trouble with the network mode being extremely slow. It was IPX IIRC, and on our 10mbit hubbed LAN in college it was pretty bad.

    5. Re:Demo vs. full version by ConceptJunkie · · Score: 1

      When I was in high school, I had to write my own games... in BASIC... on Apple II's.

      And I did, too: "Su/bterranean Odyssey", wherein you managed to steer your single pixel craft through caves of increasing numbers of stactites and stalagmites. plus you could laser away at them after getting a certain number of points.

      Scary thing is, I may still actually have a printout of the code somewhere...

      --
      You are in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.
    6. Re:Demo vs. full version by WeedMonkey · · Score: 1

      If you're like me, it'll be in the "box of old computer stuff" in the attic along with printouts like your EBDIC/ASCII tables and line printer pictures of Einstein.

    7. Re:Demo vs. full version by ConceptJunkie · · Score: 1

      Not to mention xeroxed copies of docs for old Infocom games, a dot-matrix listing of a D&D gem generator program, stray Virginia Tech punchcards, printouts of maps from Ultima 2, and other stuff I should be embarrassed to admit owning... :-)

      --
      You are in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.
  26. Re:But what about the others... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I want Commander Keen !!!

  27. MODERATE PARENT +1 INSIGHTFUL by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It's well-said and true.

  28. Re:Society loves violence by Psx29 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Then how come the most popular games in the world are "The Sims" and "Myst"?

  29. ...One great cowboy... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Ah, this is great! I'll have to see if it differs from the original release.

    But, if you don't have the original disk and you want a good CD to match the game, I suggest: Sugar Ray: Lemonade and Brownies. No other CD I've found fits the game so perfectly. The faster the car, the faster and harder driving the music.

    Even the music when you are on foot is hilarious!

    1. Re:...One great cowboy... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bone-Thugs-n-Harmony - E. 1999.

      Nuff said.

  30. Re:Society loves violence by rmohr02 · · Score: 0, Redundant

    No

  31. Thanks Slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Now I'm never going to be able to through to that server.

  32. Free? Already been there! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Not warezing either!

    GTA 1 & 2 have been available for free download from a few sites for a while now. Forgotten the exact site, but GTA2 is sitting on my HD as we speak.

  33. Re:What tax? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    #define is_lame_troll(x) (x > 610000)

  34. Re:Society loves violence by AntiNorm · · Score: 2, Funny

    Anyone else think these kinds of games are partly the reason why we're going to invade Iraq, North Korea, and various African countries once we're done there?

    Let us all join hands and sing "Kumbaya" then...

    (hint: that won't help)

    --

    I pledge allegiance to the flag...
    of the Corporate States of America...
  35. More places to download from by Necroman · · Score: 5, Informative

    http://www.fileshack.com/file.x?fid=2398
    I'm guessing there are many other places also to download it from. But if you are willing to wait in line for it at fileshack, its another option.

    --
    Its not what it is, its something else.
    1. Re:More places to download from by Oopsz · · Score: 5, Informative

      http://www.fileplanet.com/download.aspx?f=120963

      Might as well spread the waiting around a little.

    2. Re:More places to download from by volve · · Score: 2, Insightful
    3. Re:More places to download from by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Gamer's Hell of course also has their mirrors up: Download GTA!

    4. Re:More places to download from by Tadghe · · Score: 1

      well if that link didn't redirect to a page that said "Get out, Get out Now" maybe I'd use your link.....

      --
      Bugs Bunny was right.
    5. Re:More places to download from by volve · · Score: 1

      Well, I had to pull that, after running through 35GB in 1.5 hours the datacenter people got a little concerned...

      -VolVE

    6. Re:More places to download from by Tadghe · · Score: 1

      heh, that would make raise a few eyebrows.

      thanks for the attempt though.

      Back to waiting in line at fileplanet.

      --
      Bugs Bunny was right.
    7. Re:More places to download from by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ftp://ftp.sunet.se/pub/pc/games/gamershell//demo/G TAINSTALLER.ZIP

      seems to be a fast mirror

    8. Re:More places to download from by volve · · Score: 1
  36. The email rockstar sent me about this yesterday by rmohr02 · · Score: 4, Informative
    (Emphasis mine)
    It's like Masterpiece Theater, Rockstar style. Curl up in your library, warm a nice snifter of brandy, and prepare your palette for a decadent trip back in time. That's right - we've gone ahead and decided to take the original PC version of Grand Theft Auto (1997) and give it away to the world, free of charge.

    In keeping with the moral of the game itself, we encourage you all to visit www.rockstargames.com/classics post-haste, fill out the form and follow instructions to download this progenitor of the Rockstar lineage at a five finger discount.

    The catch? Well, you have to sign up on our mailing list first. But if you're reading this, then that's hardly an issue, eh? And at a hefty 336 MB downloadable zip, of course faster connections and processors will prevail. Visit the Rockstar Classics page for much more detailed information.

    Stay tuned for future volumes of Rockstar Classics as we continue to pillage the archives in the months to come...

    www.rockstargames.com/classics

    The rumblings were true. After all, you didn't really think we'd leave our PC loyalists empty handed, did you?

    The street date is May 13, 2002 (May 16th for Europe) - and you should know what to expect. The universally acclaimed, lush, epic splendor of Vice City, enhanced for play on the latest and greatest Personal Computers. Further information, screenshots, and more to come in a short spell...

    www.rockstargames.com/vicecity

    Sorry, mates - this window of opportunity is now firmly sealed shut. Give us some time to pore through the record-breaking number of entries, and we'll be back to report the lucky winners in time for the next Rockstar Broadcast.

    Fingers crossed.

    www.rockstargames.com/vicecity/contest
    1. Re:The email rockstar sent me about this yesterday by Dunkalis · · Score: 1

      This is a perfect opportunity to get a throwaway email account. Get your file, never worry about the email flooding your inbox.

      --
      Slashdot is a waste of time. I enjoy wasting time.
    2. Re:The email rockstar sent me about this yesterday by Politburo · · Score: 1

      That's why you get a free email address at Yahoo or one of the other places (Hotmail is run by some nice folks I hear), and then never check it again.

    3. Re:The email rockstar sent me about this yesterday by rmohr02 · · Score: 1

      I get at most one email every three months from them, and it's generally something I'm interested in.

    4. Re:The email rockstar sent me about this yesterday by Junta · · Score: 1

      Run your own postfix server. Then you get account-@server by default forwarded to account@server until you use a forward rule to change that. So
      account-gta@server is email
      once you get the game:
      echo "/dev/null" > ~/.forward-gta

      You will never get another email there. If this became widespread, it would be defeated, but for now...

      --
      XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
    5. Re:The email rockstar sent me about this yesterday by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If you use a service like that provided by COTSE for e-mail, or have your own mail server, this is no longer a problem.

    6. Re:The email rockstar sent me about this yesterday by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I moderate anything with "M$" or "Windoze" as troll.

      Ahh, it's good to see the moderators admitting that they don't understand moderation. I can only hope more moderators will be as forthcoming with their own little petty grievances and agendas.

    7. Re:The email rockstar sent me about this yesterday by rmohr02 · · Score: 1

      Most of the time I just fail to moderate something that has "M$" or "Windoze" as informative. Microsoft makes good software. I believe Linux is better, but that's no reason to deliberately mangle the name of a corporation or product.

    8. Re:The email rockstar sent me about this yesterday by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Microsoft makes good software. I believe Linux is better, but that's no reason to deliberately mangle the name of a corporation or product.

      Then you miss many of the reasons for using these spellings... People don't write 'M$' because they think linux is better, or MS's software is somehow inferior - they write it because MS has always acted in the interest of hoarding as much cash as possible (talking about moves like updating the Office file formats to lock out older versions - trying to force everyone to keep upgrading for no real benefit). Sometimes it's good to remind people that MS doesn't have anyone's best interests at heart.

      Windoze has much less room to move - this is generally just someone expressing their dislike for Windows (although in rare slashdot cases, it may actually be an inability to spell it)

    9. Re:The email rockstar sent me about this yesterday by rmohr02 · · Score: 1

      Wow--I didn't expect a response to my reply to an AC post. I believe there are better ways to express dislike of Windows and Microsoft than by deliberately mangling their names. And if you really stand behind your opinions, don't post anonymously.

    10. Re:The email rockstar sent me about this yesterday by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I do stand behind my opinions, but since you don't know who I am (even if I used a username), I don't see what you gain from it. I like to post anonymously, due to the pretentious people who point out that they don't read AC posts.

  37. Re:Society loves violence by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    God made us violent because that's what he wants. It's in our very DNA. Without violence, we could not gather food and we would die; For all our food is obtained through the destruction of life. Even though most Americans do not kill your own food anymore, things still must die for you to survive; The job of killing them has just been passed on to others. Do not hate violence. Without it you would not exsist.

  38. "Microsoft Tax." by dasmegabyte · · Score: 0, Insightful

    I hate this term. Goddamn do I hate this term. I paid $200 retail for my copy of windows 2000 and I have not had it crash on me or throttle my data with a stick. All I've done to it is install patches. In the same time, my friend's dumped about 500 hours into his linux box, with an additional 1-10 hours every time he wants to install something new, checking contingencies, updating each library one at a time, and all from a prompt.

    Look, I'm a developer. I've written software for everything from a pocket pc to an as/400 adn that's included some work in linux. It's a nice unix. But it doesn't bridge the essential gap into the home market: it doesn't let me do what I want to do (like, say, play GTA) without forcing me to learn a whole bunch of things I shouldn't need to learn. A home user shouldn't have to learn how to "compile" everything. My toaster doesn't expect me to heat the coils myself!

    So I paid $200 for remarkably less hassle. I wish all taxes were so painless.

    I do think it sucks that you have to pay for windows even if you're not going to use it. But look at it this way: you probably spent less than I did at CompUSA. And everybody loves a bargain.

    --
    Hey freaks: now you're ju
    1. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by Corbin+Dallas · · Score: 0, Troll

      Your anecdotal evidence that "Windows is better for home users" is just as useless as the term "Microsoft-tax".

      --
      Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.
    2. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by brunes69 · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      Look, I'm a developer. I've written software for everything from a pocket pc to an as/400 adn that's included some work in linux. It's a nice unix. But it doesn't bridge the essential gap into the home market: it doesn't let me do what I want to do (like, say, play GTA) without forcing me to learn a whole bunch of things I shouldn't need to learn. A home user shouldn't have to learn how to "compile" everything. My toaster doesn't expect me to heat the coils myself!

      Any "developer" who is scared to learn a few new things about a computer / OS is in the wrong line of work.

    3. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      I probably shouldn't do this, but...

      In the same time, my friend's dumped about 500 hours into his linux box, with an additional 1-10 hours every time he wants to install something new, checking contingencies, updating each library one at a time, and all from a prompt.

      Your friend is:
      (A) A moron.
      (B) Someone who likes to do everything by hand in the most tedious way.
      (C) Someone who picked a poor distro or one that that is how you're meant to do things (LFS?).
      (D) A combination of the above.

      I'm a Linux desktop user. I don't spend hours to install a single peice of software. I used Debian Unstable and update to the latest packages everyday (which is nice and automated, I don't have to think about it).

      A nice unixy environment has tremendously increased my productivity (I'm a software developer) after a week or two was spent learning it properly (you've spent far more than a week or two getting used to Windows, don't whine ;)).

      Please refrain from trolling.
    4. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      A home user shouldn't have to learn how to "compile" everything.

      A home user shouldn't have to dick around in the registry.

      A home user shouldn't have to worry about security holes in their OS that a truck could drive through.

      A home user shouldn't have to reinstall their OS and apps once or twice a year because the system gets crufty and slows down.

      A home user shouldn't have to worry about their OS vendor tracking what they do with their machine, or what software is loaded on it.

      A home user shouldn't have to agree to dodgy EULAs granting disturbing rights to their OS vendor in order to download and install "critical" updates and necessary service packs.

      I'd rather have my $200 and be the one who's in control of my computer.

    5. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by TheShadow · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Judging by the fact that he has written software for "everything from a pocket pc to an as/400"... I'd say he's not afraid to learn. In fact, he says he's used Linux... so I'm sure he has learned it. But what he is saying is... he's not interested in jumping through hoops to run a single piece of software that someone already wrote.

      And I tend to agree with him. I'm a developer and I like to spend my time doing things that no one else has done before.

      --

      --
      "What do you want me to do? Whack a guy? Off a guy? Whack off a guy? Cause I'm married."
    6. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by IamTheRealMike · · Score: 4, Insightful
      I hate this term. Goddamn do I hate this term. I paid $200 retail for my copy of windows 2000 and..... [snip]

      The relative quality of your experiences does not change the fact that for the vast majority of the population, it is perceived that one has no option but to pay for Windows. Therefore, it's a tax. The term describes the current status quo quite well really.

    7. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by dabadab · · Score: 2, Informative

      It seems like that you do not understand the "Microsoft Tax" term.

      It is called so because you pay it EVEN if you do NOT want Windows (or DOS in the old days).

      Your Linux/Windows comparsion clearly falls into the "Troll" category.

      --
      Real life is overrated.
    8. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      .. and you obviously can't take any opinions that differ from the general "Linux rules and Windows sucks"-theme that's so dominant over here. Snicker away at those Windows-losers and be proud to use Linux, but there's no need to start labeling people as trolls because they use Win..

    9. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by The+Mgt · · Score: 2, Insightful
      If you paid retail for your copy then you haven't paid the tax, you coughed up of your own choice.

      'Microsoft Tax' refers to the fact that it can be difficult to avoid paying for a copy of Windows with a new PC even if you don't actually intend to use it. It's a complaint about Microsoft's business practices, not the fact that Windows isn't free.

    10. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He's not "scared". He doesn't want to waste his time doing trivial things he shouldn't have to.

      Some of use have jobs, lives, and much much better things to do with our time than sit around tweaking bits and pieces to get some game working.

      I'll tweak away when I'm working. When I get a few minutes extra to play and relax, I want to play and relax, not look up useless minutia.

    11. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The reason it is called the "Microsoft Tax" is that whenever you buy a new computer, you have to buy Windows as well, whether you like it or not.

      People that use non-Windows see this as a tax. Even some people who use older versions of Windows see this as a tax, as they would rather use DOS-compatible Windows 98SE than the spyware infested ugly bloatware that is XP.

      The qualities (or otherwise) of Linux have nothing to do with whether having to pay for something you will never use is a tax or not.

    12. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by Politburo · · Score: 2, Insightful

      for the vast majority of the population, it is perceived that one has no option but to pay for Windows

      except with a big BUT.

      BUT, the general public does not see Windows as the scourge that most Linux users do. In fact, if you plopped down Linux in front of most users, in five minutes you would hear "I want Windows back".

    13. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by privacyt · · Score: 1
      I hate this term. Goddamn do I hate this term.

      Thanks for your wonderfully inciteful input, but the fact remains that one cannot legally play the new public domain GTA 1 without paying Micro$oft. Would you prefer the term "Microsoft Toll"?

      Finally, if a mandatory payment isn't a tax, then how do you define the word "tax"? And would "toll" suffice instead?

    14. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by bmckeever · · Score: 1

      It seems like that you do not understand the "Microsoft Tax" term. It is called so because you pay it EVEN if you do NOT want Windows

      Does that mean that Hemos doesn't understand the term [free game for anyone that's paid the Microsoft tax!] either?

      --
      Your favorite .sig sucks
    15. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Did you pay your CPU tax? How about your RAM tax? Vidio card Tax? Gee, there seem to be a lot of taxes involved here. You can't play the game without paying any of them!

      You like to call lots of things taxes, dont' you? I and the rest of the universe call them 'requirements'.

      And I can here you now "But I already have a computer". Yes. And 98% of computer users already have a copy of windows. Deal.

    16. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by JabXVI · · Score: 1

      That's nice.

      Now what does that have to do with people having to pay for Windows even if they're not going to use it?

    17. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by Dynedain · · Score: 1

      Nice trolling yourself....he clearly does "understand the 'Microsoft Tax' term"

      In fact he said: "I do think it sucks that you have to pay for windows even if you're not going to use it."

      And he reads /., so he's obviously heard about the Microsoft Tax many, many times. Get off your high horse buddy. Linux is not better than Windows at everything. Just like Windows is not better than Linux. (Perhaps I should throw in Mac OS for more confusion.) He pointed out legitimate shortcomings in Linux. That most people, except the worst Linux fanatics, accept as a fact, and something that should be improved on. Of course, no-one listens to the extreme Mac zealots either.

      --
      I'm out of my mind right now, but feel free to leave a message.....
    18. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by dmaxwell · · Score: 1

      Milage varies. I have little trouble getting things working in Linux. Now that I've learned it well, it is Windows that is a hassle for me. It is difficult to buy even bare machines so I build my own. Otherwise I have to pay significant money for something I'm not going to use. Therefore it is a tax to me. Yes it is, I have to expend labor not to pay it....which is preferable since I won't pay for something that I'm going to use for a drink coaster as soon as I get it out of the box.

      Since you're going to use Windows, it is a purchase price. It is a big difference and the term tax is merited no matter how much you personally like and want Windows.

    19. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by bogie · · Score: 1

      So because your friend doesn't know what he's doing and your too lazy to learn linux and would rather spend $200, that somehow proves something?

      " I hate this term. Goddamn do I hate this term."

      Deal with it. How would you feel if every single PC sold came with Linux and you had to pay for it if you wanted it or not? Oh and contrary to popular belief, not every linux user knows how or wants to build their own PC's. MS earned that term with their strong armed OEM bundling tactics. So if you don't like it, tough fscking cookies.

      Sorry I don't buy your "pay $200 and everything is rosy" routine and your post reeks of being a Microsoftie.

      --
      If you wanna get rich, you know that payback is a bitch
    20. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by Kshu · · Score: 1

      What tax? I've never heard of any tax... You mean you actually have to pay to use Windows? Ups...:)

    21. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by dmaxwell · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The general publics attitude is irrelavant in the case of person who just wants a bare box minus the cost of Windows. Anything unwanted you have to pay for is a scourge. The fact that you or the general public like it doesn't matter. The general public isn't using a Linux or BSD user's personal machine.

      For the medium term, bare boxes are a perfectly acceptable vendor alternative. They're still obligated to exchange defective hardware but most Linux users can support themselves. The "we can't support it." argument doesn't matter either. The vendor doesn't need to know what I'm running. Just fork over the box and I'll worry about the OS.

    22. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by DarkVein · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I think you misunderstand the term.

      I agree with your sentiment. Windows 2000 is the best OS Microsoft has ever put out. Absolute cream of the crop. Wonderful system. And, I would/have paid for it.

      I've also paid for nine other copies of Windows for my three working computers. I was taxed. I keep my manuals, and moved not too long ago. On a whim, I located all my former Windows licenses. Nine. I've never had more than three Windows computers at one time, and I have NINE Windows licenses. Seven of them are OEM, five of those are a variant of Windows 95, two Windows 98. The other two are from Windows 95 and 98 that I bought on release day.

      I was a loyal customer. Yet, without my cognizance, Microsoft managed to weasel seven useless, duplicate, licenses out of me. Pardon me if I want a refund.

      --

      I'm as mimsy as the next borogove but your mome raths are completely outgrabe.

    23. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wait a minute... there are people who pay for windows?

    24. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by badasscat · · Score: 1

      The relative quality of your experiences does not change the fact that for the vast majority of the population, it is perceived that one has no option but to pay for Windows. Therefore, it's a tax. (Emphasis added.)

      No, therefore it is perceived as a tax by some people around here. It's like saying I pay the "McDonalds tax" because I perceive that I'm forced to eat at McDonalds rather than growing my own food for "free". Well, the simple fact is it's my choice to take the easy way out and eat at McDonalds vs. planting seeds and raising animals and growing everything I need to sustain myself. In our modern world it may seem impossible to us to do anything else, but plenty of people do.

      Similarly, it's a choice if you choose to purchase a computer with Windows pre-installed. Neither of my PC's came with it installed - I built my desktop PC and I bought my laptop second-hand (w/ no OS installed due to licensing issues). In both cases I did not pay MS until I *chose* to purchase their OS. I do not consider this a tax; I could just as easily have chosen to install Linux and paid nothing (in fact, I do run Linux on a dual boot).

      I think some Slashdotters just expect everything to be free, and consider it "a tax" when it's not, even when they themselves choose to pay that "tax". Well, certain things are free and certain things aren't, and you can choose to use only free things or you can choose to only pay for things or you can mix it up. But if you do choose to pay for something, it's obviously because of some sort of added value you perceived in the product, whether it's allowing you to use certain software you need or the fonts look better or whatever. That's pretty much the way capitalist society works; people pay for things if they're worth paying for (or if they're perceived to be worth paying for). So don't go around whining about a "tax" that you yourself chose to pay because the commercial product does things for you that Linux won't.

    25. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by User+956 · · Score: 1

      Thanks for your wonderfully inciteful input, but the fact remains that one cannot legally play the new public domain GTA 1 without paying Micro$oft. Would you prefer the term "Microsoft Toll"?

      Yes you can. It's called WineX. I was just doing it 5 minutes ago.

      (P.S. The proper spelling is "insightful".)

      --
      The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
    26. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by Mr.+Droopy+Drawers · · Score: 1

      Actually, "inciteful" would, indeed, be considered witty. Inciting others to more Microsoft bashing.

      incite - "To provoke and urge on: troublemakers who incite riots; inciting workers to strike"

      --

      To Copy from One is Plagiarism; To Copy from Many is Research.

    27. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by t0ny · · Score: 1
      I think he was saying that after working at the pizza place all day, the last thing he wants to do is come home and eat pizza.

      Im in the same boat, and I for one am glad that I can just use my computer at home w/o it being a Sisyphean task.

      When you are at High School all day, and spend the rest of your day fixing your computer, that is leisure time. But when you fix computers all day, coming home and fixing your computer is just seems like work.

      --

      Manipulate the moderator system! Mod someone as "overrated" today.

    28. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by t0ny · · Score: 1
      A home user shouldn't have to dick around in the registry.

      And I dont even know one casual Windows user who even knows what the registry is.

      A home user shouldn't have to worry about security holes in their OS that a truck could drive through.

      FUD. MS has just as many holes as linux, and that is just improving as time goes by. We'll revisit this discussion once Win2003 comes out, no doubt.

      A home user shouldn't have to reinstall their OS and apps once or twice a year because the system gets crufty and slows down.

      That is why home users should start using WinXP. Once I started using Win2000 at home I stopped swearing at my computer. But ya, Win9x sucks compared to contemporary OS's. Comparing Win95 to the current distro of Linux hardly seems fair, however.

      A home user shouldn't have to worry about their OS vendor tracking what they do with their machine, or what software is loaded on it.

      I dont think they do. Most people dont even know what spyware is. Friday I had to write a huge email and will probably be in meetings Monday because of all the users blissfully installing Hotbar's web tracking shit. So no, they really dont worry about this stuff.

      A home user shouldn't have to agree to dodgy EULAs granting disturbing rights to their OS vendor in order to download and install "critical" updates and necessary service packs.

      More FUD. I havent ever had trouble with an EULA, and they dont put the 'first born child' clause in there.

      I'd rather have my $200 and be the one who's in control of my computer.

      Thats why Im glad MS is still around. It gives us non-linux users a choice.

      --

      Manipulate the moderator system! Mod someone as "overrated" today.

    29. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by dasmegabyte · · Score: 1

      Listen. I paid $19,000 for a car. When I bought it, it came with four tires. Now, if i wanted, I could take off those tires and drive on the rims. You don't NEED tires to use a car. I could put on my own tires.

      They aren't allowed to sell me a car with no tires. It would invalidate my warranty...you know, the thing where an insurance company vouches that this car isn't going to break within 32000 miles, or they'll cover the cost of repairs.

      And you know what? The tires they put on were really shitty, cheap Eagle MVP4s that, to be honest, I didn't keep for more than a few months before swapping them out for some really sticky Dunlop V rated all-weathers.

      But I still don't refer to this shit as the "Tire Tax."

      --
      Hey freaks: now you're ju
    30. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      but the fact remains that one cannot legally play the new public domain GTA 1 without paying Micro$oft. Would you prefer the term "Microsoft Toll"?

      That's fine, though, right? That's Rockstar's perogative to release a game for whatever platform they want. If they'd released it for Linux only, then all of the Windows users would be left out in the cold. Since the game was for Windows (or DOS) originally, and since most of the world runs Windows, it makes sense to release it for Windows.
      It's like complaining that you need to buy a PS2 to play PS2 games. If you don't own the platform, then you can't play the game, but neither can you bitch about it. The game wasn't released for your platform, so you're SOL. Period.

      --
      M

    31. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by cortices · · Score: 1

      God, that is such a piss poor analogy. The blindingly obvious difference here is that a car cannot operate properly without tires, WHEREAS a computer can operate perfectly fine WITHOUT Windows. Please, take Logic 101 and come back to us.

      --
      You can't kill the boogey man.
    32. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by AnimeFreak · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      Shut the fuck up.

      First of all, you have various brands of tyres, along with various different types. With a computer, you have various different operating systems. You're the one lacking logic here you stupid Linux zealot.

    33. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Fuck, I'd prefer you didn't use the apostrophe at all, if you're just going to abuse it.

    34. Re:"Microsoft Tax." by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, the blindingly obvious difference here is that tires on a car are a necessary expense, if you want to operate the vehicle without damaging it. Selling a car without tires is much like selling a VCR with no connection cables - sure the thing functions, but you're not going to get anything useful from it without added expense.

      You can run a computer without Windows just fine without damaging it. Almost the opposite, in fact.

      Also, if you wanted to buy a car with no tires, you could. This was not always the case with computers and windows licenses.

  39. Re:Society loves violence by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    WOW, 4th grade, simpleton view of life. bravo ! way to stay young

  40. it's all over by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    the wires are bursting into flames.

  41. Like Sierra by WickedClean · · Score: 1

    That is extremely cool of them!

    Remember when Sierra Online did this a few years back. They put out one of the Krondor games, plus a few others. It was cool to download a full game but it sort of became obvious why it ended up being free.

    --
    ...All I can say is that my life is pretty strange...
  42. One of the best networked games ever by drinkypoo · · Score: 5, Interesting
    My friends and I played the hell out of this game when I lived in Austin. It's one of my favorite network game experiences, especially for slow (Pentium MMX and competitors) computers. It will run great on a low-end laptop. Unfortunately in its prior form it only supported IPX, I don't know if they've changed that particular aspect of its behavior (I haven't managed to download it yet.)

    Actually, if someone reverse engineered the network protocol and made a server for it that allowed persistent multiplayer GTA I that would be bloody fantastic. It seems that everyone is making MMORPGs now, but they're all spending too much effort on the graphics, and not enough on gameplay. (Except for a couple of notable entrenched examples which have crappy graphics, but have become extremely popular. You know what they are.)

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    1. Re:One of the best networked games ever by KozmoStevnNaut · · Score: 1

      I believe that TCP/IP works for local area networks in this version, although I haven't tried it (yet!)

      --
      Eat the rich.
    2. Re:One of the best networked games ever by Gudlyf · · Score: 1
      I remember playing this game multiplayer with friends, and it soon grew to be unfun when people figured out that you could easily "hide" under the cover of a tree (since it's a top-down game), and nail other players who barely had a chance to figure out where the gunfire was coming from.

      It was fun for a while, then of course grew boring once you saw how feeble their attempts were at finding you.

      --
      Trolls lurk everywhere. Mod them down.
    3. Re:One of the best networked games ever by ahaning · · Score: 1

      ...a couple of notable entrenched examples which have crappy graphics, but have become extremely popular. You know what they are.)

      If they're so notable, why don't you tell us what they are?

      No, really, I don't know what you're talking about. Please enlighten me.

      --
      Withdrawal before climax is very ineffective and those who try this are usually called "parents."
    4. Re:One of the best networked games ever by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Evercrack and Ultima Online. See Also: Shattered Galaxy.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  43. Re:What tax? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You miss the point. They call it a "tax" because its hard to find a good selection of desktops/laptops that come with linux preinstalled. Sure, its easy to delete windows, but what's the sense in paying for it if you're not even going to boot it up once?

  44. Re:Society loves violence by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Well, did bush play GTA?

  45. "Concidering" by Trurl's+Machine · · Score: 5, Funny

    But then concidering wine(x) is crap, most probably not.

    I'm not a native speaker, so I am always happy to learn new idioms. Does "concidering" mean "drink some cider together"? Please concider this with me!

    1. Re:"Concidering" by The+Mgt · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      I think it means that mixing cider in wine makes you soil yourself. I can well believe this.

    2. Re:"Concidering" by karandago · · Score: 1

      No no, I think that 'drive some cider together' would be cocidering. Concidering on the other hand means to make fake cider.

  46. Not to rain on everybody's parade... by diakka · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This sounds like a nice thing... altho I think what Carmack did was much cooler.. GPL the engine and still charge for the data file. If Rockstar games did this, they might even find plenty of volunteers ready to port this thing to OpenGL.

    --
    -- Knowledge shared is power lost. -- Aleister Crowley
    1. Re:Not to rain on everybody's parade... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It would be cooler for you. For 99% of the world tho, the way he did it is cooler. Those folks run windows and getting the game for free is much cooler to them than havaing to pay for it so it can be ported to some OS only 1% of people use.

      He made FAR more people happy doing it his way than yours. His way was cooler.

    2. Re:Not to rain on everybody's parade... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      It would be cooler for you. For 99% of the world tho, the way he did it is cooler. Those folks run windows and getting the game for free is much cooler to them than havaing to pay for it so it can be ported to some OS only 1% of people use.

      He made FAR more people happy doing it his way than yours. His way was cooler.
      You're retarded.

      If they just released Windows binaries, the Windows camp would be happy, but it would leave users of other platforms in the dark.

      If they made it GPL and put out Windows/DirectX binaries too, the same Windows users would be happy, and it would open up the potential for the other camps to be happy too.

      So... Binary-only: win-loss
      Source code: win-win.

      Seriously. Your post is one of the stupidest things I've ever heard. And I once knew a 15-year-old who believed in Santa Claus.
    3. Re:Not to rain on everybody's parade... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And I know a bunch of 40 year olds that believe in God. Your point?

    4. Re:Not to rain on everybody's parade... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ah, slashdot. thy name is intolerance.

  47. Microsoft tax by Bas_Wijnen · · Score: 1

    free game for anyone that's paid the Microsoft tax!

    Not quite. The problem of the microsoft tax is that you pay it, even if you do not buy their software.

    1. Re:Microsoft tax by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I never payed for it. There are hundreds (thousands?) of online retailers who will sell you PC's without winblows. Or you can always build your own. I think that many slashdot readers are just bitchy little snitches who just love to complain.

  48. Re:Society loves violence by peeping_Thomist · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Violence breed violence and encourages hate. Why do we love to hate?


    I'm all in favor of trying to root out the causes of hate, but it's annoying when you ask a question like "why do we love to hate?" as though you yourself were a pixie floating free above the human condition who had never actually hated anyone or anything. The roots of hatred go a lot deeper than video games.

    --
    Anything worth doing is worth doing badly -- G.K. Chesterton
  49. Been there - done that? by S.+Bolle · · Score: 1

    If I'm not mistaken, there was a site in the past (a year ago or so) which offered the game legally for free already. The only problem was you had to get the different pieces by clicking various banners and answering questions.

    It sounds like a warez site, but it wasn't - they went bankrupt though and I can't really recall its name.

    Anyway, it's always nice to get it without too much hassle.

    1. Re:Been there - done that? by mattrix2k · · Score: 1
  50. yay. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This is great news.

    Now my pirated version is legal. :)

  51. Actually, Europeans have had violence by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Actually, Europeans have had violence selectively bred out of them for centuries, through emigration, genocide and mass starvation. Violence, self defense and gun ownership are all negative traits according to the Hague based New World Order, and Europe is the beta test in reducing humans to sheeple.

    The initial secular humanist cabal was satisfied using the colonies as a safety valve to eliminate violence prone individuals, figuring that the natives in the colonies (Zulus, Iroquios, Bantu, Thugges, Pollywogs and Slantees) would kill most of them, and leave the more harmless ones in Europe. Not believing in God, they didn't take God into account, who so generously provided a fecund new Jerusalem in America, where right thinking God Fearing men could subdue and populate a whole continent, Kentucky long rifle in one hand, Bible in the other.

    Once the colonies were full or free, the ruling cabal had to find another way to get rid of the free thinking men who worshipped God and not man. It's not a coincidence that the most fervent Christians in the British Empire suffered a British genrerated Potato Famine in the 1870's.

    Finally, the humanists attempted genocide to purge Europe of men who would defend their rights with their lives. The Jews were the first to be targetted, one only needs a cursory glance at the history of Isreal to realize what a fierce opponent to soul degrading secular humanism the Jewish race would be.

    Which pretty much brings us to today. The New World Order, based in the HAgue, is slowly grinding down Europenis into sub-humans, preventing them from fully achieving their full human potential, including the ability to fight for what you believe in. Teletubbies and happy, passive, non-violent vide games are part of the insidious conspiracy. Fortunately, there are enough God Fearing, right thinking men who will fight for the right for men to worship God instead of nebulous concepts like Gaia, ecology, feminism, astronomy and humanism in America, Israel and Saudi Arabia. For those of us blessed enough to live in one of God's chosen places, all we can do is pray for the poor souls being tortured in the soul crashing socialist hellhole that is Europe, and perhaps ship them a few handguns enclosed in the cases of Budweiser that we ship overseas to sate the European hunger for fine, beechwood aged corn beer.

  52. Should Microsoft.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    ..continue updating Windows 3.11 for all eternity? RedHat, their 1.0 release?

    Hell, should Ford continue to produce parts for the Model T?

    There ain't no such thing as a free lunch, and as such, programmers working for you need to be paid.

    Any company that pays their programmers to work on free software, when the company's only source of revenue is selling software, will be visited by the Stockholder Inquisition. And rightfully so.

    Once in awhile, you could probably get away with diverting a few programmers to work on something like this. It could be a useful PR ploy. (In this case, I can't see that happening. The latest GTAs have been selling like hotcakes, and if they make another, that will sell just as well from the looks of it.)

    Now, what companies should consider doing is releasing the source itself, and washing their hands of the entire thing (save, perhaps, for a 'no profit for you!' license.)..

    This gives them a PR boost (yay), saves money by not wasting the time of their programmers (yay!), and ultimately, stocks the industry with new talent. There's plenty of people out there who'd like to get into working on games. Buying a license to an engine usually isn't a good idea for them - they're usually too expensive and will be overwhelming.

    If they had something to tinker on, for free, that'd be great. After all, in gaming, like any other programming discipline, the basics are the basics.

  53. Re: unfortunately... by op51n · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I get the feeling this may be just something that comes from Rockstar being a relatively cool company. Their UK offices are just round from my brother's in Leith, and from their thankyou note to the pond in VC (the pub down the road from the office, and best pub I've ever been to) they do seem fairly cool guys.
    Now, if more companies were like this, and less corporately minded then maybe we'd see more of this kind of thing.

  54. Uhh, so give them bogus info by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    and use a throwaway address. The address I gave them *is* "throwaway@[domain]"-- I never check it unless I've signed up for something and have to be sent a password or link.

    It should give spammers pause, because it's rather clear by the address that that's its sole purpose.

    1. Re:Uhh, so give them bogus info by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It should give spammers pause, because it's rather clear by the address that that's its sole purpose.

      You really overestimate the IQ of the average spammer.

      Last week I got spam from a company selling trips to Canada to buy prescription drugs (they're much cheaper here.) They sent it to my postmaster@{domain}.ca address.

      You'd think if they had half a brain, they'd realize that people who already live in Canada probably don't need to travel here to buy drugs.

  55. Re:Society loves violence by josh+crawley · · Score: 0, Troll

    ---Anyone else think these kinds of games are partly the reason why we're going to invade Iraq, North Korea, and various African countries once we're done there?

    We shoulda nuked all those sorry-asses when we had the chance. ALl THEY DO IS bring a pock on this Earth!!

    ---Violence breed violence and encourages hate. Why do we love to hate?

    Fuck you too, Appeaser!! NUKE EM ALL!! And let God sort 'em out!!!!!!

    (tounge applied to cheek)

  56. Source code available? by caluml · · Score: 2, Funny

    I can't get to the site, so apologies if it's answered there.

    Are they releasing the source too, as I think ID did with Doom?

    That way we can kill processes by crashing into them. But seriously, if there is source released, we can get it ported to Linux.

    1. Re:Source code available? by flashms010 · · Score: 3, Funny

      I can't get to the site,

      That's okay. You can try again tomorrow, when /. reposts the story.

  57. WineX by BHearsum · · Score: 5, Informative

    GTA1 runs great with WineX.

  58. Re:Society loves violence by kaworu-sama · · Score: 2, Funny

    Yes. We're going to steal Iraqi cars and run over police officers with them.

  59. Eh... by Mekanix · · Score: 2, Interesting

    *What* loyal customers would be rewarded with this? If they're loyal, they already bought the game!

  60. Re:Society loves violence by Francis · · Score: 4, Funny

    Then how come the most popular games in the world are "The Sims" and "Myst"?

    *cough* *cough* counter-strike *cough* *cough*

    --

    --
    #include <malloc.h>
    free(your.mind);
  61. Re:Woohoo! by grumpygrodyguy · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Nah, this is where Kazaa shines.

    --
    The government has a defect: it's potentially democratic. Corporations have no defect: they're pure tyrannies. -Chomsky
  62. Funny thing is, hardly anyone ever paid for GTA... by default+luser · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I seem to recall my freshman year of college, those with faster Pentium-based computers played Quake with cracked copies.

    Those with slower machines opted for multiplayer GTA, which was also not paid for. Unlike Quake, I was led to believe that this was the norm for GTA, and that compared to the sales, the number of GTA "users" was staggering. But this might have something to do with the fact that stores refused to carry the product.

    Anyway, this is hardly amazing news, as there were already patches for GTA back in the day that allowed for Glide accelerated graphics ( for all that fixed overhead angle texture-scaling ). Moving it to Direct3D is simply a small step in the same direction.

    But, then again, there are dozens of classic software titles that could receive a similar treatment. But the companies don't want to let go of anything remotely valuable, and even make up excuses about having to support a free product. I would not be surprised if the GTA community takes up most of the support slack on this one, so maybe that will blow one of the most common developer's excuses right out of the water.

    --

    Man is the animal that laughs.
    And occasionally whores for Karma.

  63. Re:Society loves violence by hackwrench · · Score: 1

    Yeah right. Violence only breeds violence to a point. Eventually one of the two sides gives up. That is the goal of most violent struggles. It's like breaking in a horse.

  64. Freeloader by Polo+monkey · · Score: 0

    I'm sure GTA was available from Freeloader some time ago. GTA London as well.

    When I got the email from Rockstar last week about downloading GTA for free I deleted it thinking it was bogus spam.
  65. Re:Society loves violence by kfg · · Score: 1

    I just love the sound of screaming ground drop apples in the morning.

    KFG

  66. I want payback by Schugy · · Score: 2, Funny

    A modern game that will run on Linux :-) http://apex-designs.net Have fun.

  67. Re:Society loves violence by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Did Afghanistan visit violence upon you? No, it was the Saudis. OK then, has Iraq visted violence upon you? No?

    Hmm.

  68. Re:What tax? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It's not crap at all. The vast majority of models are still not for sale without paying the Microsoft tax.

    PCs are not strictly commodities - if I specifically want a certain graphics chip in my laptop, only Dell can provide it, and they don't offer any laptops without Windows. If I want a really small model Sony Vaio, same problem. The fact that there are now some generic average models available without it doesn't mean shit.

  69. Re:wine(x) might work by bumby · · Score: 3, Insightful

    _considering_ NWN runs better in wine then it does in windows (at least for me), I wouldn't say wine is crap.

    --
    Hey! That's my sig you're smoking there!
  70. Free GTA and Violence by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Wonderful.

    I've just weaned my 11 year-old off the mindless violence that is (PS2) GTA Vice City, and now he gets to go back in time on his computer and kill people without even having to buy the game.

    Of course, this comes at a time when I'm trying to get him interested in Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance so he can become a more productive sneaky assassin type.

    Way to go, Konami!

    1. Re:Free GTA and Violence by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Are you one of these dorks that decides to blame video game companies, twisted sister, or whatever scapegoat is available because your kid is off his rocker and decided to go shoot someone?

      Do the world a favor. If you can't control your kid, kill him yourself and then cut off your balls.

    2. Re:Free GTA and Violence by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He was being funny.

      He was expressing that GTA Vice City is "mindless violence," whereas Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance is productive violence. The latter is education because it can train his son, should he ever want to become an assassin.

      You realize it's funny when he says "Way to go, Kanomi!" And if you don't know, Kanomi is a video game company.

  71. More like.... by aliens · · Score: 1

    Society loves video games, and a host of other fun activities that don't actually involve killing living people. Except maybe certain people in Iraq, Soviet Russia, Bosnia, Chechnya, Rwanda, the Old West, Nazi Germany, the White House, Cambodia....

    Damn, well I guess I don't like killing other people, I can't say much for the rest of you whackos, just keep back.

    *runs into his house locks the door and draws the blinds*

    --
    -- taking over the world, we are.
  72. Re:What tax? by Guppy06 · · Score: 0, Redundant

    "When I bought my computer I fairly compensated programmers for their hours of work."

    Did you have a choice about having Windows installed? If you couldn't say "no," it's essentially a tax.

  73. Re:What tax? by Gordonjcp · · Score: 1

    I've never payed a tax for my operating system either. I've never owned a copy of Windows.

    Guess what? GPLed software pays my bills very nicely indeed. I do very well out of converting businesses from paying through the nose for proprietary operating systems and software, to using Free (as in [beer|speech]) software. I get the work, because companies don't want to pay thousands of pounds every year to be forced to upgrade.

    I get paid because I know how to make it work, just like you'd have to pay someone who knows how to make Windows work. The big difference is, I don't have to renew my MCSE every year, and I don't look for as much money as MCSEs. I like solutions, and happy customers, not big invoices.

  74. Re:Woohoo! by R-66Y · · Score: 0

    Would you please mirror it, then?

    Later,
    Patrick

  75. Re:Eh...duh by kingkade · · Score: 1

    yes, it's an slightly updated version from the one's they originally bought. aren't you paying attention?

  76. Confusion by orpheus2000 · · Score: 1

    I know there are two GTA's before GTA3, but I've never seen them (PS2 is my first game console after my 8bit NES) until recently. I saw the headline and the story and I automatically assumed they meant GTA3! Damn, what a disappointment, I would have liked to see the hi-res GTA3 without buying what I've already bought for the PS2. Oh well, guess it's a good time to check out where it all came from :-).

    1. Re:Confusion by cide1 · · Score: 1

      GTA3 or Vice City with the birds eye view is kindof close to gta1 and gta2. Of course the games were designed to have a bird's eye view, so they are a little clearer. Its kindof wierd switching between the first person and third person views, however.

      --
      -- the computer doesn't want any beer, no matter how much you think it does. NEVER, EVER feed your computer beer.
    2. Re:Confusion by theperplepigg · · Score: 1
      For the record, there is a GTA Classic pack for the PS1(/2). I've seen it at wal-mart for $20, and IIRC, includes GTA1, GTA2, and a gta expansion (3 top-down GTA games in all). Dunno how it would compare, as I've never played any of them for the PS1 (though I remember a phase where I downloaded many new usermade cars and maps for GTA1 on the PC)

      --paul

      --
      -- Every time you kill a kitten, God masturbates.
    3. Re:Confusion by kisrael · · Score: 1

      As far as I could tell they took out the bird's eye view from GTA:VC.

      I hadn't played with the original or 2 too much before, just a little, but I was struck by how similar the 3D overhead looked to the originals (or should I have been impressed the other way around??)

      GTA3 was very difficult to play like that however.

      --
      SO YOU'RE GOING TO DIE: The Comic for Dealing with Death
  77. WHY don't other companies do this? by huhmz · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Im sitting here desperatly trying to get settlers (the first in the series) to run under dosemu (great project btw) and it occurred to me. Why doesn't Bluebyte release this under the GPL or something like that? It's not like they are selling huge quantities of this game.

    It's almosed impossible to properly run this game with sound and everything on a modern PC unless your modern PC happends to have a legacy sb16 awe ISA card.

    If they released old titles perhaps small communities would pop up not to mention the good will the company would get.
    just my $.02

    1. Re:WHY don't other companies do this? by Junta · · Score: 1

      I concur, so many companies are unwilling to set their old titles free, yet at the same time don't want to exert the effort to keep them available for purchase. I *can* understand their not wanting people to know all they have to do is wait a long time and currently new titles will become free.

      A few companies keep old titles on hand for download-at-purchase time, which requires very little effort. That is a decent model... Of course, you feel kind of cheated when after downloading it is a royal pain in the ass to get working.

      For old dos games, I suggest trying dosemu *and* dosbox (http://dosbox.zophar.net/). They each do better than the other depending on the game. But neither is perfect.

      In this case, the free original makes for a great promotion for the series. Series games I can see benefiting greatly from the early titles being free.

      Of course, this release and The Ur Quan Masters (re-release of starcon2, sc2.sourceforge.net). Are the ideal way of doing a re-release, free and refreshed for modern platforms. UQM is a tad better as it is open sourced and therefore will evolve to new systems so long as there is any demand.

      --
      XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
    2. Re:WHY don't other companies do this? by FuzzyBad-Mofo · · Score: 1

      I'm sitting here desperatly trying to get settlers to run under dosemu..

      Have you tried DOSBox yet? For me, it works approx. 1000 times better than Dosemu. Great for those old DOS games. Only thing lacking is real mode support.

    3. Re:WHY don't other companies do this? by FuzzyBad-Mofo · · Score: 1

      Slight correction: protected mode is not yet supported by DOSBox. The real mode support is just dandy.

    4. Re:WHY don't other companies do this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > Im sitting here desperatly trying to get
      > settlers (the first in the series) to run under
      > dosemu

      Not sure if this helps, but the Amiga version works fine under Win32 and Linux using UAE - and AFAIK it's almost identical to the PC version (looks a bit worse, sounds quite a bit better, plays exactly the same).

      Cool game.

  78. Re:Society loves violence by Rick+the+Red · · Score: 1
    Did Afghanistan visit violence upon you? No, it was the Saudis.
    Oh, so if I move to Mexico and set up a goonsquad training camp, train some ex-pat Canadians how to fight, then send those Canadians over to your house to kick your sorry butt, you'll blame Canada?
    --
    If all this should have a reason, we would be the last to know.
  79. Damnit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I paid for that, and have it on CD. Still runs just fine on win2k even though it's so old.

    1. Re:Damnit by slugo3 · · Score: 1

      well you did get to enjoy it all this time, thats what you paid for

  80. don't bother trying for a while by webperf · · Score: 5, Informative

    this is what you get after you put your details in

    We have received your information; unfortunately, we cannot provide you with this download at this time.

    they should put this BEFORE you register.

    1. Re:don't bother trying for a while by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm guessing it has something to do with the information you provided, I just filled out the form successfully.

      For example, you may have to be 18 years old +, or some states (or countries) may be banned. Or they may not allow hotmail addresses.

      These are all pretty common, but usually they specify why you can't proceed.

  81. well, gee... by kingkade · · Score: 1

    Why do we love to hate?

    Well, I've already learned to love to hate you, so it must not have anything to do with games and more to do with what a vicious asshole i am.

  82. Not eligible to download the game. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    * NOTE: The information you provide on this form may be collected even if you are not eligible to download the game.

    Anyone not eligible?

    1. Re:Not eligible to download the game. by jcbnetwork · · Score: 1

      What exactly would make someone uneligible? It's probably a typo and they meant ABLE to download the game.

    2. Re:Not eligible to download the game. by Michael+Wardle · · Score: 1

      In the UK, I believe GTA is rated 18, so minors may not be allowed to download the game. This would also explain why one of the first fields is your age.

  83. Re:What tax? by stevejsmith · · Score: 1

    Dell and Gateway and all of the other big computer makers chose to include Microsoft products with their computers because they found that based on Microsoft's licensing practices (and don't give that bullshit of it being un-ethical, they can chose to sell their products for as much or as little as they damn well please) it's more economical to buy the liceses en masse. Are we going to start calling it the Logitech tax because we can't buy a computer without a mouse or keyboard--most likely made buy Logitech? Get off your fucking perch and stop preaching.

  84. Re:Society loves violence by IIRCAFAIKIANAL · · Score: 4, Insightful

    He's talking sales. He's wrong though. The most popular computer game in the world is Solitaire, or maybe Minesweeper. I can't prove it, but it makes sense.

    All you proved is that the most popular online game is Counter-Strike, but I bet there are more than 120k players in Everquest... something like 400k players last time I checked, though I doubt they are all playing at once.

    --
    Robots are everywhere, and they eat old people's medicine for fuel.
  85. The future..... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Significant Interactivity Boost in Linux Kernel
    LinuxPosted by CowboyNeal in The Mysterious Future!
    from the speed-bump-removal dept.
    An anonymous reader writes "The Linux kernel team is at it again. Linux creator Linus Torvalds recently proposed a patch to offer interactive processes a boost, greatly benefiting the X desktop, as well as music and movie players. O(1) scheduler author Ingo Molnar merged Linus' patch into his own interactivity efforts, the end result nothing short of amazing... The upcoming 2.6 kernel is looking to be a desktop user's dream come true."

  86. Re:Society loves violence by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    We hate because people want to. People need someone to hate. Currently its saddam, it used to be bin larden. Half the slashdot readers hate microsoft. I hate Disney. People need someone to be the Bad Guy, someone who they know is pure evil and provides a suitable outlet for their hatred. Who it is doesn't matter. What they have done doesn't matter much. Sometimes people hate something because they think they should, the way many people hate communism without knowing what it is. Sometimes people hate something because everyone else does. Every school has its anti-school subculture who compete for least work done and fewest days in school, and every office has someone who really does it just for the money. Its obvious: we love to hate.

  87. Good PR Move on their part by nurb432 · · Score: 1

    Once they make the bulk of the $$, create sequels and release the orginal.. Create honest intrest in the new stuff.

    Great for them, perhaps others can take the hint..

    --
    ---- Booth was a patriot ----
  88. GTA MMORPG! by buddha42 · · Score: 1
    If they GPL'd the engine could you imagine a GTA MMORPG? Each and every one of those hookers and bums you ran over would be a real person! The Yardie Lobos would be like a clan, the cops would be a little smarter and really work to hunt you down, the mafia vs. cartel vs. yakuza could be a giant game plot with thousands of bit-roles.

    buddha

  89. Re:Society loves violence by nomadic · · Score: 1

    If many prominent Canadians had been funding and encouraging them for years, maybe.

  90. Re:What tax? by Rick+the+Red · · Score: 1

    That's Keister , you insensitive clod.

    --
    If all this should have a reason, we would be the last to know.
  91. Why not the source? by back@slash · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Don't get me wrong, I commend Rockstar for distributing a great game like GTA free of charge, but why not give the source also while they are at it? Since the game engine is completely different than the one used in GTA3 and Vice City they really don't have to worry about competition arising from modifications to the source code of the original GTA.

    One great example of how releasing the source brings benefits to fans of a game is Descent Freespace 2. Early last year Volition released the source code to the game. I know personally I enjoyed hacking around with it a bit for fun (and playing make believe that I coded games for a living instead of backend java apps :P ). The FreeSpace Source Code Project was formed and has made many enhancements to the game. They recently released FS2 Open version 3.5 which adds OpenGL support, the ability to add custom movies to mission briefings, many new weapons, damage decals, and ship trails just to name a few things.

    Releasing the source to GTA would undoubtedly spawn similar projects to enhance what is still a great game, and who knows some of the ideas the community may come up with could help Rockstar out with new innovations for latest games in the series.

    --
    This comment was generated by a Squadron of Ultra Ninjas
    1. Re:Why not the source? by Idolminds · · Score: 1

      Now they just need to rerelease Freespace 2. Good luck finding a copy.

  92. Way to go Rockstar!!! I will go buy a game now! by Mustang+Matt · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I am truly impressed. There are so many old games that I would LOVE to see released like this just because they're classics. (Maxis kind of did the same by creating a java applet of the Original Sim City that will run off their site.)

    Half of them are games once bought that no longer run on modern PCs. So I've already spent the money. Populous, Warcraft I, all the old sierra games, etc.

    It's really nice of them to release an updated copy but I'd appreciate just releasing the source even more.

    I don't mind supporting a company that does this one bit!

    Way to go guys!

    --
    The man who trades freedom for security does not deserve nor will he ever receive either. - Benjamin Franklin
  93. Re:Funny thing is, hardly anyone ever paid for GTA by ProfanityHead · · Score: 0

    Cracked quake copies?

    There was no protection at all for Quake.

  94. Re:Society loves violence by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Let us all join hands and sing "Kumbaya" then...

    I don't really understand your comment? Are you making a witty comparison between an anti-war comment and people holding hands and singing, because the latter is so ridiculous that it suggests that war is the correct answer?

    No, it can't be that, because that would be petty, logically flawed, and not witty at all.

    As you posted it at +2, though, I can only think there must have been some other reason for your post?

  95. Re:Society loves violence by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    We bomb Afghanistan out of the stone age, and then hold their hand as they struggle to sort out all the damage their ex-ruler did

    Bush isn't the ex ruler of Afghanistan. Or are you trying to say that the Taliban backed government dropped all those bombs itself??

  96. ...celda by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
  97. Re:Society loves violence by jon787 · · Score: 1

    You can be kind of violent in Sims, don't let your Sim eat or make him swim to much :) The Sims is popular because it lets you play god. Myst was popular cause...I don't know why, but it was fun the first time I played it.

    --
    X(7): A program for managing terminal windows. See also screen(1).
  98. Re:Society loves violence by Tolleman · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    no, a crazy-cowboy president is.

  99. Real P2P link by sgtsanity · · Score: 1

    I've posted up a Gnutella 2 link on Sharelive. Download using Shareaza.

  100. Re:Society loves violence by jon787 · · Score: 1

    No you see this is really a secret recuiting game like in the TV show Clerks....

    --
    X(7): A program for managing terminal windows. See also screen(1).
  101. Original Wolf 3D by geeber · · Score: 4, Informative

    Well, it is not completely free, but if you by Return to Wolfenstein, it does come with a copy of the original Wolf 3D. At no extra charge even!

  102. Re:wine(x) might work by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Actually, I've gotten GTA 1 to work in winex already (a few months ago, before they released it for free).

    Winex is really pretty good. You should check it out. It doesn't suck as badly as you think.

  103. Re:Society loves violence by capt.mellow · · Score: 1

    coughtrollcoughcough

  104. Re:Society loves violence by Dynedain · · Score: 1

    Actually, all he proved was that the most popular online game at GameSpy is Counter-Strike. But everyone knows GameSpy is mostly filled w/ FPS players anyways.

    --
    I'm out of my mind right now, but feel free to leave a message.....
  105. Re:Society loves violence by RobinH · · Score: 1

    Because hate encourages violence, they hate us, and thus they visit violence upon us and we visit violence upon them.

    Sure, it's become a cycle, but the U.S. and Britain helped to start it by forcibly removing the Palestinians from Palestine and helping to create Israel on land that had been farmed by the Palestinians' ancestors for 75 generations (before which it was Jewish land and the Jews were forcibly removed by the Roman Empire).

    I'm not saying anyone can fix the problem, but I am saying that people don't just start hating for no apparent reason; they have valid reasons for hating the U.S.

    However, I do agree with your point that video games and the war on Iraq are not at all related.

    --
    "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." - Mark Twain
  106. Make a Torrent for it!!! by Jagasian · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I suggest creating a BitTorrent for it. BitTorrent is open source software written in an open language for both Linux and Windows. Here is a link to a great BitTorrent site. BitTorrent makes better use of your bandwidth than Kazaa or GNUtella. It is important to note that BitTorrent is just a swarming and segmented downloading technology that allows someone with limited bandwidth to provide a large file to 1000s of downloaders.

    1. Re:Make a Torrent for it!!! by kEnder242 · · Score: 1

      My thoughts exactly, BitTorrent would be awsome for something like this. I'm a bit lazy but how would one create a .torrent? I just donwload them.

      I'd post it on usenet as well, for those who have it access to it.

      --
      my associative arrays can kick your hash - TCL
    2. Re:Make a Torrent for it!!! by gid · · Score: 1

      It's a good idea, but I can't even connect to the site, and freeloader.com has disabled subscriptions until SPRING!?

    3. Re:Make a Torrent for it!!! by gid · · Score: 1

      Looks like someone put up a bittorrent on that site here

      download bittorent here

  107. Say no to Kazaa File Corruption! by greydmiyu · · Score: 2, Informative

    Already done:
    http://www.intimidated.f2s.com/sharelive/vi ew.php? pid=3517

    --
    -- Grey d'Miyu, not just another pretty color.
  108. Re:Society loves violence by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0



    ALl THEY DO IS bring a pock on this Earth!!

    WTF?!

  109. Re:What tax? by Guppy06 · · Score: 1

    "(and don't give that bullshit of it being un-ethical, they can chose to sell their products for as much or as little as they damn well please)"

    Then I'll give you that "bullshit" about it being illegal instead. Dell and Gateway essentially had no choice but to sell Microsoft and only Microsoft on every machine, whether the customer asked for it or not. This is an illegal abuse of Microsoft's monopoly, and even the appeals court sees this as the case.

    "Are we going to start calling it the Logitech tax because we can't buy a computer without a mouse or keyboard--most likely made buy Logitech?"

    Even if Logitech had a monopoly, they don't say that manufacturers must sell every computer with Logitech mice and only Logitech mice, whether the customer wants them or not.

  110. Bastards!! by Gorimek · · Score: 4, Funny

    I will boycott his until they release a Mac version!

    That'll show'em...

  111. Re:Society loves violence by Jagasian · · Score: 1, Informative
    Because hate encourages violence, they hate us, and thus they visit violence upon us and we visit violence upon them.
    Iraq has never attacked the USA!
    Iraq has never attacked the USA!
    Iraq has never attacked the USA!
    Are you really so brainwashed that you cannot see that simple fact? Oh wait, only people in other countries get brainwashed, not people in the USA. We have an objective view of the world, while everyone else does not. Ha!
    This is why "love thy enemy" is such an important part of our culture. We bomb Afghanistan out of the stone age, and then hold their hand as they struggle to sort out all the damage their ex-ruler did. We did the same thing with Japan and Germany, and we'll do the same thing with Iraq.
    Ok, so this answers my question. You are brainwashed. Yes, the USA bombed the hell out of the already war torn Afganistan. Nothing they hadn't seen already... just more death and destruction, and yet again the ruling government changes hands. Yes, the USA rebuilt Japan and Germany, but the same isn't being done for Afganistan. The new Afgani leader is not being given enough economic aid to properly rebuild a society's infustructure, as was done in Japan, for example. Instead, the USA concerned itself with liberal issues such as a women's right to wear whatever clothes she wishes.

    While such freedom is important, it is hardly core to building a solid productive society. For that you need plumbing, electricity, transportation, telecommunications, health care, education, and industry. Meat and potatoes, not the cherry on top.

    Drug production is more popular than ever, in parts of Afganistan. In fact, the drug trade was kept under control during Taliban rule. Now Afganistan and surrounding countries have increased problems with opiate traffiking and addiction. I don't believe in a war on drugs, especially when drugs like pot are included... but opiates are far more serious. So yeah, the USA really helped out with that country.

    USA the republic is long since dead. Long live USA the empire! Just in case you don't know your history, after empire comes the fall.
  112. Re:Woohoo! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Would you please mirror it, then?

    Later,
    Patrick


    Get your own mirror you disgusting abnoxious starfish.

    -Squidward

  113. Yes, Transgaming's WineX runs it nicely! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Transgaming's WineX shows how well it *shines* on compex Direct3D games like Grand Theft Auto.

    I have not tried running Grand Theft Auto using WineX, Codeweavers Wine, or ReWind; Transgaming has verry much distinguished its version of Wine far from these others in respects of using specifically games that require strict compatibility with DirectX.

  114. I want everything free (except what's mine) by john_smith_45678 · · Score: 0

    "... released it for free to the public. It'd be nice if more gaming companies did this! Unfortunately, it (of course) is Windows-only and utilises the propietary DirectX API, but hey, free game for anyone that's paid the Microsoft tax! ..."

    You really are an open-source socialist zealot aren't you? Anything that's not free and/or open is bad, right?

  115. Re:Society loves violence by labratuk · · Score: 0, Offtopic
    No, no, no, no, NO!

    What gives you the right to go and attack these countries just because they are your flavour of the month?!

    What would you people be saying if these contries had an attitude like yours? You'd be condemning them for being evil, greedy and self serving!

    Well guess who are the real religious fanatics who are trying to rule the planet with an iron fist!

    ...and then hold their hand as they struggle to sort out all the damage their ex-ruler did.

    Are you kidding? Have you not heard anything about Afghanistan since they stopped being the 'evil enemy' who you morally 'saved'?

    Since the war, there have been power struggles (inevitable), public bombings between factions, much of the country is controlled by random warlords, and some of the country is even back under control of the Taliban again!

    But no, nobody seems to give a f*ck about Afghanistan anymore. Are CNN not covering it? Strange, that.

    Just when will it stop? Who's next on your hitlist? Will you just go around killing everyone until everyone in the world bends over for the U.S.?

    --
    Malike Bamiyi wanted my assistance.
  116. Sim Slim Salabim Salim! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...ALL of the churches and law enforcement agencies in my area pitched a raving hissy fit...

    I am the great Sim Slim Salabim Salim!
    Watch me charm the hissy fit snakes!

    *plays flute* ...

    *penis rises* ...

    I am the great Sim Slim Salabim Salim!
    I hath raised the hissy fit snake out of thy loins! Ar Ar Ar Ar!

  117. The Microsoft Tax. Obviously you don't comprehend. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    When I bought my DEC Alpha, I was forced to pay an extra $300 USD for Microsoft Windows NT 4.0. The computer costed me a total of $1,400.00 and I bought it at the minimum features yet couldn't go lower because of this forced Microsoft Tax. At the time, I was using RedHat Linux 5.2 on my Alpha; I could not return Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 for a refund, neither Microsoft honored their license terms to return it for a complete refund. $300.00 out of my pocket was a significan ammount of money towards the cost of this hardware of which the software I needed to use and develop with was Linux-based. RedHat 5.2 for the Alpha costed me $70.00 and I was able to download updates and patches and believe-it-or-not my Alpha system to this day is just a RedHat 5.2 that had been updated-through-the-eyes to be the near-equivalent of the latest RedHat 8.0.

    I do not like Microsoft's use of coersion of their software. Microsoft is dishonerable, they do not honor their laws, they force themselves on everyone that is sentient, and they are predatory to companies that honor business laws and contracts.

    Microsoft should've been revoked for the business world, but now they most-likely never will or at the least be controlled by a subjugative and even-more disgusting government.

  118. The Microsoft Tax. Obviously you don't comprehend. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    When I bought my DEC Alpha, I was forced to pay an extra $300 USD for Microsoft Windows NT 4.0. The computer costed me a total of $1,400.00 and I bought it at the minimum features yet couldn't go lower because of this forced Microsoft Tax. At the time, I was using RedHat Linux 5.2 on my Alpha; I could not return Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 for a refund, neither Microsoft honored their license terms to return it for a complete refund. $300.00 out of my pocket was a significan ammount of money towards the cost of this hardware of which the software I needed to use and develop with was Linux-based. RedHat 5.2 for the Alpha costed me $70.00 and I was able to download updates and patches and believe-it-or-not my Alpha system to this day is just a RedHat 5.2 that had been updated-through-the-eyes to be the near-equivalent of the latest RedHat 8.0.

    I do not like Microsoft's use of coersion of their software. Microsoft is dishonerable, they do not honor their laws, they force themselves on everyone that is sentient, and they are predatory to companies that honor business laws and contracts.

    Microsoft should've been revoked for the business world, but now they most-likely never will or at the least be controlled by a subjugative and even-more disgusting government.

  119. nice idea by comi · · Score: 2, Interesting

    if the official server wouldn't be down all the thime. are there already mirrors available?

  120. Why such the big file? by Jedbro · · Score: 1

    On the net and kAzAa, Gnutella, etc, there are MUCH smaller versions of GTA1, 28meg, full game.

    What's with the 300+ megs??

    1. Re:Why such the big file? by theperplepigg · · Score: 2, Informative
      I haven't gotten it yet, but as previous posts speculated, the extra data is probably sound and movie files, which i believe are stripped from the freeloader version (that, and pirate groups often cut extraneous stuff for a smaller release).

      --paul

      --
      -- Every time you kill a kitten, God masturbates.
  121. Outta Luck by SomeOtherGuy · · Score: 1

    Crap...I would love to give this a try but I have not had a windows machine for years -- and I am giving up trying to find my misplaced "disk 5" floppy of Win 95. 1-4 + 6-* does not work! I wonder what would happen if I called Redmond and told them I need them to ship me a replacement :)

    --
    (+1 Funny) only if I laugh out loud.
    1. Re:Outta Luck by odin53 · · Score: 1

      wonder what would happen if I called Redmond and told them I need them to ship me a replacement :)

      Why don't you try? I don't know of anyone has ever done this, but doesn'titsound reasonable? Tell them you'll send them the disks you want to replace.

  122. Filepalnet - beware media player push by metheus · · Score: 1

    Waited an hour in line to download. Finally my hour wait ends, a download window pops up, so I click ok. What would you expect the download to be? None other than the latest MS bloated media player. By the time I noticed it was half installed, probably screwed up a bunch of stuf canceling it -_-

    Any rate tactics like this are cr*p. I'd expect this from Banzi Buddy and the P2P types but this is a new low for file planet. BTW, the dl option is a link, kill whatever pops up then click the link to dl.

  123. Cool by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Unlike GTA 3, GTA 1 was actually fun! I loved this game!

  124. Port it to OpenGL? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    GTA is an entirely 2D, top-down arcade style game. OpenGL is a great 3D API.

    Gee, reminds me of what it might feel like if I put one of Shaq's shoes on my feet. Great shoe, wrong application.

    1. Re:Port it to OpenGL? by fatgraham · · Score: 1

      You do realise the game is 3D right?

      The buildings *are* texture mapped cubes

    2. Re:Port it to OpenGL? by Andreas+Remar · · Score: 1

      You do realise the game is 3D right?

      The buildings *are* texture mapped cubes

      Yes, but it is (was) software rendered. I think the parent poster knew it was in 3D.

      --
      We are everywhere.
    3. Re:Port it to OpenGL? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Only software mode if you were silly enough to not a a 3DFX card. The ONLY card worth having (when the game came out anyway).

  125. Not to look a gift horse in the mouth... by SomeGuyFromCA · · Score: 1

    But.

    Downloaded fine, installed a little choppy (had to manually kill the decompression process before I could run the setup.exe), went into the game.

    The game runs extremely choppy on my machine* and sound is muffled. Just to add insult to injury, it no longer looks for a music CD in the drive. So much for Music to Carjack To. :(

    (*: P4 2.4, Win2K, DX9, 512 megs, GF3, TBSC)

    --
    if the answer isn't violence, neither is your silence / freedom of expression doesn't make it alright
    1. Re:Not to look a gift horse in the mouth... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Your machine's probably too fast for it to gracefully slow down. Try hitting F8 to turn off the frame limiter.

    2. Re:Not to look a gift horse in the mouth... by SomeGuyFromCA · · Score: 1

      That just makes things uncontrollable.

      *waits out filter*

      --
      if the answer isn't violence, neither is your silence / freedom of expression doesn't make it alright
    3. Re:Not to look a gift horse in the mouth... by CrezzyMan · · Score: 1

      Ditto on my machine (Duron 1.3, Win2k, 512MB, Rage128Pro), until I disabled the Frame Rate Limiter (F8) - then it was WAY fast - change the resolution with F11 to something nice and high to slow it down... kinda...

      --
      ->www.chuma.org, ranting and Newtons, what more could you want?
    4. Re:Not to look a gift horse in the mouth... by pogle · · Score: 1

      I cranked it to 1600x1200 at 32bit color...and it was unplayable with the frame limiter off (waaaaay too fast). With the limiter on, it was unplayable at any res (way too choppy). Which really bites, that I have this great new kickarse system and cant even play GTA on it :(

      Anyone had any luck changing the frame limits of the limiter? Anyone even tried?

      --
      http://thechubbyferret.net - Ferret pictures and informative links.
    5. Re:Not to look a gift horse in the mouth... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > P4 2.4, Win2K

      There's your answer. P4 cpu, and Win2K/XP/NT platform. :-)

  126. Gamer's Hell has got mirrors up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    Gamer's Hell has got mirrors up. Feel free to slashdot FileHell!

  127. Rockstar = bunch of idiots. Why use WAVs? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Those idiots used WAVs instead of mp3s or oggs. As a result, the game itself takes 57 megs, and the music - whooping 320 megs. Just think about all the wasted bandwidth...

    1. Re:Rockstar = bunch of idiots. Why use WAVs? by Dthoma · · Score: 1

      You're talking about a game released five years ago. OGG didn't exist and MP3 was practically unheard of.

      --

      Note to M1-ers: a curt but otherwise insightful message is not "Flamebait" or "Troll".

  128. One of the best hardcore games of recent times? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    One of the reasons why the original GTA is near the top of my "Fave games" list, is that it was increadibly hard. With the modern concept, of being able to "save" wherever you want, or maybe just alot, hardcore gaming has virtually dissapeared. GTA Managed to get around this, by having huge levels, that took ages to complete.

    The last of the 6 levels, required you to get $5,000,000 iirc, a task that took all afternoon. I've never met anyone in RL who actually managed to complete the whole game without cheating. Everyone who i knew who played it, just used to use the large amounts of cheats to mess around and have fun. In any of the online conversations i've had about it, i've also never come accross anyone who finished it without cheating. Is there anyone else out there who was hardcore enough to complete this game?

    I had it on the PSX when it first came out, and i managed to finish it about 6months later. The greatest gaming achievement of my life? Well, if i go another 5 years without finding anyone else who managed to complete it, then i'd have to say yes :)

    Long live hardcore gaming! \o/

  129. Download using Shareaza by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    http://www.intimidated.f2s.com/sharelive/view.php? pid=3517

    Notice all the sites are getting swamped? :-)

  130. Macs can run this... I think.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Since Macintosh OS X is actually Unix, theoretically you could use the console to talk to a Linux machine so that it would send information to you so that you could run WineX on Macintosh, which would therefore run Grand Theft Auto. Ta-da.

  131. p2p links by _Shorty-dammit · · Score: 0

    magnet:?xt=urn:bitprint:XGQZFUZTR2Y52Y3LGJV6S4R3KG WLHS4S.EIBKFTN4D52JWD2BLA5QP2KH5XJ7S74H3A26VRA&dn= gtainstaller.zip gnutella://urn:bitprint:XGQZFUZTR2Y52Y3LGJV6S4R3KG WLHS4S.EIBKFTN4D52JWD2BLA5QP2KH5XJ7S74H3A26VRA/gta installer.zip/ ed2k://|file|gtainstaller.zip|344378270|cb0feda0e2 39041889b462cf3a566d0e|/

  132. And the children! by Rudolf · · Score: 1

    Won't somebody please think of the children?!?!?!

  133. Re:Society loves violence by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    Are you kidding? Have you not heard anything about Afghanistan since they stopped being the 'evil enemy' who you morally 'saved'?


    You obviously haven't paying close attention to the good that the United States has done in Afghanistan. Refer to the February 19, 2003, article from abcnews.com entitled

    A Sense of Fun: Music Returns to Afghanistan


    Let me give you a taste:

    Chest thrust out, a 6-foot tall Hazara on tiptoe struts across the floor, his arms stretched out like wings and forefingers pointed skyward. His expression is pure bliss.
    That such an act can be committed -- dancing on the three-day Islamic festival of Eid-ul Adha -- speaks volumes about how much Afghanistan has changed over the past 14 months since the hard-line Islamist Taliban government fell from power. Strict rules, which the Taliban claimed were rooted in the Koran, forbade all music that wasn't strictly religious because it tended to distract one's thoughts from God.

    Nothing in the Koran specifically encourages lavish feasts or dancing during Eid, a festival that marks the height of the hajj pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. And in his personal life, the prophet Muhammad seemed to frown on music and dance.

    Yet across the country, all the old banned traditions are returning. In Mazar-e Sharif this week, thousands of Afghans filled the streets for celebrations of Nauroz, which marks the first day of spring and the Afghan new year.



    Go the link I provided above, and read the whole article. Meditate on it for one hour. Then come back and post your thoughts.

  134. Lots of companies have released old games by guardian-ct · · Score: 1

    Maxis has published some of the old SimWhatever games, in boxes containing 3 games. I got the one containing SimTower, City, and Isle. Interesting to see how dated SimCity 95 (real version 2.0 I think) looks compared to SimIsle and SimTower.

    I've often wondered how much code Maxis can reuse in all these different "Sim" games, since the basic ideas in all of them are pretty similar.

    Electronic Arts, which has done things I don't like, did at least release a whole bunch of their earlier games in simplified "manual-less" packages for about $5 (once they hit the street). BioForge

  135. Some old games won't run on new machines by guardian-ct · · Score: 2, Informative

    Many of the older games have timing loops, which expect to take a certain time, but newer CPUs basically optimize those loops out, so they seem to take 0 time. I know that the old Origin game Strike Commander wouldn't run on a Pentium 100 without rebooting into the BIOS, and turning off the CPU cache.

    So, to go along with the "never assume the input length is less than a constant", we have "never assume that there's a minimum time to complete an operation."

  136. You are a default luser... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Not only did you get it wrong about copy protection on Quake. But your completly wrong about 3D GTA.
    It was never running on "Glide" (that was for windows and 3DFX only worked in DOS for GTA). Also it was never "ported" there was only 1 version of GTA to come out, no paches, no fixes, no PORTING.
    GTA1 did have a 3DFX mode but it used direct hardware access in DOS, (no API). Just like all DOS 3DFX games.
    There was a tiny patch/hack that was created by the community but that simply enabled the Banshee series 3DFX cards to work with the game, since that was a bit funky.

  137. Great news by Krellan · · Score: 1

    Wow, great news! I guess when you sell over 8 million copies of your new game, you can afford to let an older one go!

    I've never played any game in the GTA series, but have been intrigued by it and have wanted to try it out. When the site recovers from being slashdotted, I will download GTA1 and give it a try. I love games where you get to play the role of a bad guy! Rockstar might just have gained another customer here.

    I wish more companies would release their older games for free. There are only two others I know of: Id Software (Wolfenstein 3D, Doom) open-sourced their older game engines (but without levels/content), and Bill Budge completely released his Apple ][ games (Pinball Construction Set, etc.) to the public domain!

    Will Rockstar Games allow peer-to-peer networks to legally carry their GTA1 download, now that they have released it for free? If so, it would ease a huge burden on their site.

    Also, will abandonware sites be allowed to carry the game without fear of legal hassle? That would be great if abandonware sites could set up a special collection of "freed" games that would be legally free to download and share.

  138. Re:Society loves violence by labratuk · · Score: 1

    Right. ABC news. A company supported by SUV ads and owned by large companies which have dubious relationships with the government.

    They seem to be focusing on certain parts of Afghanistan only. Mazar-e Sharif and Kabul.

    Much of it is irrelevant too.

    --
    Malike Bamiyi wanted my assistance.
  139. Re:Society loves violence by MisterFancypants · · Score: 1

    Counterstrike is the most popular ONLINE FPS. Anyone with any knowledge of the game industry realizes that, despite what the hardcore gamers think, the VAST majority of people don't play online games. So you're incorrect. And so are the people who modded you up.

  140. corrected link *mirror* by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
  141. what about TCO? :) by Xtifr · · Score: 0

    my copy of Windows was free too.

    Windows is only free if your time is free. :)

    As MS likes to remind us (foolishly, since they lose by this measure), maintenance and admin costs have to be considered too. I used to have a dual-boot system, and after a year, I'd had constant problems with Windows, and had been forced to reinstall 5 times, while Linux had worked flawlessly the entire time. So I dumped the Windows partition and bought myself a Playstation (and a copy of GTA, to keep this oh-so-vaguely on topic:).

  142. Developers! by Dr.+Cody · · Score: 1

    So Balmer was just speaking in tongues?

  143. Re:Society loves violence by scotch · · Score: 1
    As you posted it at +2, though, I can only think there must have been some other reason for your post?

    As you posted it at -1 (not logged in), I can only think there must be no good readon for your post.

    --
    XML causes global warming.
  144. Anyone remember...? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative
  145. Re:Society loves violence by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    We bomb Afghanistan out of the stone age, and then hold their hand as they struggle to sort out all the damage their ex-ruler did. We did the same thing with Japan and Germany, and we'll do the same thing with Iraq.

    The worst thing a country can do is to win a war against the US. Look at Japan and Germany, then look at Vietnam.

    If I was the dictator of a poor country I would declare war on the US, and then immediately surrender. Untold billions would then flow into my treasury.

  146. Re:Society loves violence by Jagasian · · Score: 1

    Who cares about caotic anarchy, death, destruction, starvation, drug abuse, etc... when you can sing and dance!

  147. Re:Society loves violence by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    YOU are irrevlevant.

    YOU are doing NOTHING to help Afghanistan.

    YOU are doing NOTHING to rid the world of anthrax and bioterrorism.

    GET LOST.

  148. Re:Society loves violence by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You sound spoiled by the freedoms of non-totalitarian regimes that you would post such a flippant comment. Either that, or you yearn for the nostalgic days when the Taliban were in power in Afghanistan and would patrol the streets to beat women if they weren't veiled, or men if they didn't have beards of the correct length.

    Just try living in a dictatorship for a while, and see how you like it. Or join the Taliban. I'm sure they would like idealistic morons such as yourself.

  149. That was shit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It was a poorly documented piece of shit that didn't even work right. Was it written by a retarded 14 year old?

  150. ED2k Link by KAMiKAZOW · · Score: 1

    ed2k://|file|GTAINSTALLER.zip|344378270|cb0feda0e2 39041889b462cf3a566d0e|/

    Enjoy :)

    1. Re:ED2k Link by Robo210 · · Score: 1
      Doesn't work.
      "Invalid link: This ed2k link is invalid (Ill-formed hash)" ~emule
  151. IP, Copyright, and the Public Domain by Hentai · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It's too bad companies don't have an incentive to release their copyrighted works into the public domain.

    Hrm. Here's a thought on copyright reform:

    Make all copyrights viable for 100 years from the date of the creation, period. The first year, the author is capable of receiving full royalties on their works. The next year, a 1% "copyright tax" is levied, to help administrate the copyright system, and as a sort of "copyright social security". Each year thereafter, that tax is increased by 1% - so you receive 100% of your revenue the first year, 99% the second, 98% the third, and so on. Make it a special 'income tax' for copyright holders.

    Now, here's the cinch: As copyright holder, you can choose to release your work into the public domain at any time. By doing so, you get back a percentage of the money you paid into the system in taxes, based on the number of years left (i.e., if you had 19 years left until the copyright expired, releasing it into the public domain 19 years early would give you 19% of the total taxes you paid in over the last 81 years).

    Any remaining money can be thrown at whatever bullshit "arts endowment" projects Congress seems to hold so dear, so long as the law stipulates that ONLY that money can go into the NEA. I.e., let the system feed back into itself.

    What do you think, Sirs?

    --
    -Hentai [in vita non pacem est]
    1. Re:IP, Copyright, and the Public Domain by C0LDFusion · · Score: 1

      Honestly, I like the idea, to a point. I'm opposed to giving the NEA a dime. It's the one organization that single-handedly lowered educational standards nationwide. I'd like to see us institute Canadian education standards, with less anti-Americanism.

      --
      Only in slashdot are posts of solidarity modded at -1 Redundant, while posts of antagonism are modded as -1 Flamebait.
    2. Re:IP, Copyright, and the Public Domain by Hentai · · Score: 1

      I'm against the NEA myself, as it stands, but honestly - good luck shutting it down. At least THIS way, the NEA ould only be funded by the very artistic endeavors it's supposed to be fostering - which usually works rather nicely for setting up reinforcing feedback loops.

      --
      -Hentai [in vita non pacem est]
    3. Re:IP, Copyright, and the Public Domain by Babbster · · Score: 3, Insightful
      I guess that would be a good idea if everyone who held a copyright was a big company that manages to skate on the rest of their taxes and could thus be assumed to have the ability to afford yet another tax on their income. Of course, they aren't.

      I, for one, would be quite resentful of a system that reduced the value of my creation(s) based on that kind of system and I think most individual copyright holders would feel the same. So, since corporations have legal rights very similar to private individuals, the law would have to apply equally and it would be just another penalty for individual creativity.

      Solving the "copyright problem" is very, very simple and we all know it: Limit copyright duration to a very reasonable 20 years and have done with it. Profiting from a creation for 20 years is more than adequate, and such a term would encourage creative output on the part of individuals AND corporations. That number may look short, but really any longer term primarily benefits behemoth corporations (see Disney) and encourages them to stagnate and get testy with consumers who don't want to pay for the same piece of work over and over again until they're dead.

      Of course, it certainly won't change like that in my lifetime given the power that "big business" (ouch) exerts over our national legislature but I can dare to dream (and support the right lobbying/public interest groups - i.e., these peoples).

    4. Re:IP, Copyright, and the Public Domain by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      NO MORE LEGISLATION PLEASE! We have enough as it is. Instead of making new laws lets tear down old ones!

  152. where to go? by cornjones · · Score: 0, Redundant

    everywhere I am seeing wants me to reg or is slashdotted. any links that are working?

    thx
    ej

  153. Re:Society loves violence by Planesdragon · · Score: 1

    I'm not saying anyone can fix the problem

    Actually, that's just it. ANYONE can stop a vicious cycle--from the inside.

    From outside the vicious cycle of hate, all we can do is bomb them randomly and offer our symathies (and tax breaks ;) ) to the survivors of our new 51st-60th states.

  154. Grammer -- "For free" by use_compress · · Score: 1

    The phrase "For free" is not good English. One can receive something for _nothing_ or just _free_.

  155. Re:Society loves violence by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Iraq has never attacked the USA!
    Iraq has never attacked the USA!
    Iraq has never attacked the USA!



    That's not true. Iraq attacked an ally of the United States.

    Iraq attacked an ally of the United States!
    Iraq attacked an ally of the United States!
    Iraq attacked an ally of the United States!

    It was called Kuwait. Kuwait asked the United States for help.

    Kuwait asked the United States for help!
    Kuwait asked the United States for help!
    Kuwait asked the United States for help!

    So the United States defended Kuwait. As part of the terms of the settlements, Saddam agreed to disarm and have UN Weapons inspectors. Saddam kicked out the inspectors in 1998.

    Saddam Hussein kicked out the weapons inspectors!
    Saddam Hussein kicked out the weapons inspectors!
    Saddam Hussein kicked out the weapons inspectors!

    In addition, Iraq has attacked many of the monitoring US airjets with their anti-aircraft artillery.

    Iraq fired on US airjets!
    Iraq fired on US airjets!
    Iraq fired on US airjets!

    In November 2002, UN resolution 1441 was signed by all 15 members of the Security Countil, including France, Germany, China, and Russia. Resolution 1441 states (italics are mine, not the UN's):

    The Security Council...Decides that, in order to begin to comply with its disarmament obligations... the Government of Iraq shall provide to UNMOVIC, the IAEA, and the Council, not later than 30 days from the date of this resolution, a currently accurate, full, and complete declaration of all aspects of its programmes to develop [weapons of mass destruction]...[and] immediate, unimpeded, unrestricted, and private access to all officials and other persons whom UNMOVIC or the IAEA wish to interview in the mode or location of UNMOVIC's or the IAEA's choice pursuant to any aspect of their mandates; further decides that UNMOVIC and the IAEA may at their discretion conduct interviews inside or outside of Iraq, may facilitate the travel of those interviewed and family members outside of Iraq, and that, at the sole discretion of UNMOVIC and the IAEA, such interviews may occur without the presence of observers from the Iraqi government ;


    and furthermore

    ...[the] Council has repeatedly warned Iraq that it will face serious consequences as a result of its continued violations of its obligations...


    Remember, this was UNANIMOUSLY signed by all 15 members of the United Nations Security, INCLUDING France, Germany, Russia, and China.

    Resolution 1441 was signed by France!
    Resolution 1441 was signed by France!
    Resolution 1441 was signed by France!

    Resolution 1441 was signed by Germany!
    Resolution 1441 was signed by Germany!
    Resolution 1441 was signed by Germany!

    And what did Hans Blix report to the United Nations (italics are my emphasis, not Blix's):

    Three persons that had previously refused interviews on UNMOVIC's terms, subsequently accepted such interviews just prior to our talks in Baghdad on 8 and 9 February. These interviews proved informative. No further interviews have since been accepted on our terms. I hope this will change. We feel that interviews conducted without any third party present and without tape recording would provide the greatest credibility.

    In my last updating, I also said that a decision to cooperate on substance was indispensable in order to bring, through inspection, the disarmament task to completion and to set the monitoring system on a firm course. Such cooperation, as I have noted, requires more than the opening of doors. In the words of resolution 1441 (2002) - it requires immediate, unconditional and active efforts by Iraq to resolve existing questions of disarmament - either by presenting remaining proscribed items and programmes for elimination or by presenting convincing evidence that they have been eliminated. In the current situation, one would expect Iraq to be eager to comply.

    In my earlier briefings, I have noted that significant outstanding issues of substance were listed in two Security Council documents from early 1999 (S/1999/94 and S/1999/356) and should be well known to Iraq. I referred, as examples, to the issues of anthrax, the nerve agent VX and long-range missiles, and said that such issues "deserve to be taken seriously by Iraq rather than being brushed aside". The declaration submitted by Iraq on 7 December, despite its large volume, missed the opportunity to provide the fresh material and evidence needed to respond to the open questions. This is perhaps the most important problem we are facing. Although I can understand that it may not be easy for Iraq in all cases to provide the evidence needed, it is not the task of the inspectors to find it. Iraq itself must squarely tackle this task and avoid belittling the questions.


    Hans Blix says Resolution 1441 requires immediate, unconditional and active efforts by Iraq to resolve existing questions of disarmament!

    Hans Blix says Resolution 1441 requires immediate, unconditional and active efforts by Iraq to resolve existing questions of disarmament!

    Hans Blix says Resolution 1441 requires immediate, unconditional and active efforts by Iraq to resolve existing questions of disarmament!

    Has Iraq done so? Iraq has NOT done so. Iraq has NOT provided immediate, unconditional and active efforts by Iraq to resolve existing questions of disarmament

    Just in case you don't know your history, after empire comes the fall.

    Yes, autumn is a nice time of the year. Then winter will follow. Spring will spring up again, and then it will be summer. Summer! Hooray!

    Yes, I agree with you, the French are as spinless as when Hitler invaded Paris and incorporated France into the Third Reich. Don't forget that France ruled over Viet Nam (also known as Indochina, a colony of France)and was kicked out by Communist Ho Chi Minh. Little France -- so petty in their attempts to maintain life in their ever irrelevant language, a country of no innovation, short work weeks, and impudent attitudes. Socialism has eroded what was once a glorious nation of the best scientists and explorers in the world. The society that once produced Fourier, Lavoisier, Pasteur, and Descartes is long gone, and has been replaced by laziness, arrogance, and ennui.

    And Germany has such a long laundry list of initiating atrocities (WWI and WWII and tossing 6 million Jews in cyanide chambers disguised as showers) that we didn't really expect them to be much help.

  156. Re:Society loves violence by Planesdragon · · Score: 1

    What gives you the right to go and attack these countries just because they are your flavour of the month?!

    You're an idiot--and quite possibly an athiest troll-zealot. I never said (in that post) that we should go to war. And we certainly shouldn't go to war willy-nilly.

    What we SHOULD do is love our enemies and show the same compassion towards them that we do to our own citizens. Jesus Christ never said "don't go to war." He told us to realize that God judges us not just on our actions, but on our thoughts--and that we should never give up doing the right thing, always give more than is asked, and (by way of Paul) that if we do fight, to do so honorably and ethically.

    Oh, and I have heard bits and pieces about Afghanistan. I suspect that, after we bomb the snot out of Iraq and they're no longer a concern, Afghanistan will be back to being a semi-regular staple of foreign policy.

    Oh, and where exactly did you hear that the Taliban had control of some of Afghanistan again? I haven't heard that one, and I didn't expect it.

    Just when will it stop?

    When the first-world stops being so damn greedy and lazy and gives the second- and third- worlds the level playing field that we all deserve.

    Our chance to "leave it alone" was lost to our civiliation when the first colonies were founded. We have to see this through to an end before we have the right to stop working to make every former colonial state into a real country with a stable government--and even then, we'll still have a reason to keep on helping out however we can.

  157. In similar news... by Jace+of+Fuse! · · Score: 1, Interesting

    ...old though it may be, Nintendo has done something similar with The Ocarina of Time and a previously unreleased Remix for experts called OOT: Master Quest.

    If you reserve Zelda: Wind Waker you get a free OOT/MQ disc at any store that is participating.

    I picked mine up, and it's pretty much exactly what it sounds like. OOT remixed for the gamecube and pretty much given away free to Zelda fans. I love seeing things like this.

    Square has been remixing their early Final fantasy classics and selling them for about $30. This is fine, I suppose, if you are truly a fan of the old games. But I'm thinking the games are so old they really aren't even worth $30 unless you are just a Final Fantasy Fan that absolutely WANTS to replay the original in a remixed form. And while the games are great, I think the number of people who will pay $30 is much smaller than the number who would play the game if it were included free with something like Final Fantasy X-2.

    I love retrogaming, and I embrace every attempt the developers make at giving me the option to play my classic favorites. But oviously I would like to see more companies go the "Free Classics" route.

    --

    "Everything you know is wrong. (And stupid.)"

    Moderation Totals: Wrong=2, Stupid=3, Total=5.
  158. Re:Society loves violence by Planesdragon · · Score: 1

    Iraq has never attacked the USA!

    Who said I was talking about Iraq or the USA?

    "Us" is my civilization--which would be roughly 100 nation-states with a linage, through direct population or through civilizing colonialism--and "them" is "random petty nutballs who want to get away with what they can."

    Ok, so this answers my question. You are brainwashed. Yes, the USA bombed the hell out of the already war torn Afganistan. Nothing they hadn't seen already... just more death and destruction, and yet again the ruling government changes hands. Yes, the USA rebuilt Japan and Germany, but the same isn't being done for Afganistan. The new Afgani leader is not being given enough economic aid to properly rebuild a society's infustructure, as was done in Japan, for example. Instead, the USA concerned itself with liberal issues such as a women's right to wear whatever clothes she wishes.

    You're right. We should be doing more--and rebuilding the enemy will be an important phase in the War on Terrorism--but first there's a little matter of actually beating the enemy first.

    I tell you what. I'm a US citizen. I'll write a letter, tomorrow, to my President, my Representative, and my two Senators, urging them to make Afghanistan their #1 foreign-aid priority--before any other country, period--and to see that we give them as big a share of the US aid-dollar pie as they ask for.

    USA the republic is long since dead. Long live USA the empire! Just in case you don't know your history, after empire comes the fall.

    Yeah, I mean, just look at China and Japan, and how they got torn apart--or Britain! Or France!

    Modern Empires don't 'fall' in the classic sense. They grant their subject-states autonomy, and they endure for far longer than any historical empire.

    It'll be a grand day when the US has no need of a military, no need to spend foreign-aid, and no reason to worry about attacks of any kind--from terrorists or other nations. I hope to see this day within my lifetime.

    But before that day comes, it would be a sin to not do everything we can to make the whole world a better place. At the risk of having racist undertones, the Rich Country has a burden to raising up all the rest of the world to share and enjoy the fruit of the Rich Country's luck and labor.

  159. FAST MIRROR HERE! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
  160. OFFTOPIC by karnal · · Score: 1

    Print Shop -- there's a name I haven't heard in years.

    Are they still making updates to that program?

    --
    Karnal
  161. Install Problems On XP by Cam+Wheeler · · Score: 2, Informative

    If you are having problems launching setup.exe in WindowsXP, rename the install folder from GTAINSTALLER to something like GTA and it'll run succesfully.

  162. Re:Funny thing is, hardly anyone ever paid for GTA by AnimeFreak · · Score: 1

    The demo CD was a locked full copy. Once you paid for it, you could play the full version.

  163. ed2k link is correct by Inda · · Score: 1

    The Slashcode puts a space in the middle; hence the invalid link.

    The hash is correct. I've checked it against my download and on Jigle.

    :: Jigle validation ::

    :: emule client ::

    --
    This post contains benzene, nitrosamines, formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide.
  164. GTA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    GTA for free, lets steal Bill's car too.

  165. Re:Society loves violence by labratuk · · Score: 1

    Either that, or you yearn for the nostalgic days when the Taliban were in power in Afghanistan and would patrol the streets to beat women if they weren't veiled, or men if they didn't have beards of the correct length.

    So all of a sudden the U.S. is the world's moral guardian.

    --
    Malike Bamiyi wanted my assistance.
  166. Re:Society loves violence by labratuk · · Score: 1

    You're an idiot

    Yeah, I just realised I completely misinterpreted your post.

    Jesus Christ never said...

    Look, maybe you believe in J.C., but not everyone does, and he shouldn't be used as an excuse to go to or not go to war. People are criticizing the 'evildoers' for using their religion to justify killing people, but you've got to take a step back and try to see that using your religion to justify war (sorry, I'm not saying that you are....) is doing exactly the same thing. If you look at the whole thing in perspective, both sides seem to be acting just as stupidly as each other.

    Our chance to "leave it alone" was lost to our civiliation when the first colonies were founded. We have to see this through to an end before we have the right to stop working to make every former colonial state into a real country with a stable government--and even then, we'll still have a reason to keep on helping out however we can.

    Look, I'm in the UK, and I will be the first to admit that the cause of many (most?) of the imbalances and problems in the world are the fault of the British empire.
    However, I do not believe that the only way to correct these problems is to continue acting imperially.

    --
    Malike Bamiyi wanted my assistance.
  167. Re:Society loves violence by labratuk · · Score: 1

    Oh, and where exactly did you hear that the Taliban had control of some of Afghanistan again? I haven't heard that one, and I didn't expect it.

    Oh, yeah. I think it was on Newsnight a while ago. You might be able to find something about it on the news.bbc.co.uk

    --
    Malike Bamiyi wanted my assistance.
  168. Why that sounds familiar... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Oh I don't know...

    "... we must respond to this threat in ways that preserve both our security and our freedoms. Appeasement of organized evil is not an option for the next century any more than it was in this century. Like the vigilant generations that brought us victory in World War II and the Cold War, we must stand our ground. In this high-tech world, we must make sure that we have the high-tech tools to confront the high-tech forces of destruction and evil."

  169. Re:Society loves violence by Planesdragon · · Score: 1

    Yeah, I just realised I completely misinterpreted your post.

    S'all right.

    he shouldn't be used as an excuse to go to or not go to war.

    You're right. He (and all other religions) should be used only to require a moral and ethical behavior in War.

    However, I do not believe that the only way to correct these problems is to continue acting imperially.

    Neither do I. But it would be irresponsible to not do anything.

  170. This runs just as poorly as the original version! by ssstraub · · Score: 1

    I just installed it on my (hey, I'm being truthful) XP box. Ran the GTA settings file for setup. Ran the game. Not only does the game run very sluggish, but when I change video modes to ANYTHING 16-bit and even some of the 32-bit modes, my computer restarts. I've never seen this behavior before with any piece of software...game or otherwise. The ORIGINAL version ran better than that on this machine!

    I wouldn't waste your time trying to download it.

  171. Re:This runs just as poorly as the original versio by Inda · · Score: 1

    It runs great on the highest resolution with 32bit colour on my old PIII 450 with a 64MB GFX card running W98 using DX8.1

    You tried new gfx card drivers?

    --
    This post contains benzene, nitrosamines, formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide.
  172. MD5 Hash and eDonkey (emule, overnet) link by Tommy+Boomfiger · · Score: 1

    I had to download the file 4 times from rockstars server to get it right. the first 3 times it was corrupted and i dont even rmember the number of times that it wouldnt even go through.

    MD5 Hash: 4f9a85123002a5f34833b6ff2ff0de90
    eMule Link: ed2k://|file|GTAINSTALLER.ZIP|344378270|cb0feda0e2 39041889b462cf3a566d0e|/
    for some reason there is a space in the ed2k link when i preview between a 2 and 3. if you see that just remove it and it should work. have fun blowin stuff up old skool style

    --
    ~Tommy Boomfiger http://www.gotapex.com/forums
  173. Re:Society loves violence by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    but it's annoying when you ask a question like "why do we love to hate?" as though you yourself were a pixie floating free above the human condition who had never actually hated anyone or anything.

    Actually, I thought the 'we' was fairly inclusive... 'we' humans, including the author.

    I think you have a comprehension problem, if you read that as "Why do you mortals love to hate?"... you're certainly not being insightful.

  174. Re:Society loves violence by Jagasian · · Score: 1

    In my opinion: Paul is the antichrist. He hijacked Jesus's message, and turned it into the fundie crap most Christians follow today. Jesus taught real world lessons that can improve society as of now! So many things Paul says contradict the teachings of Jesus. Jesus taught tolerance, Paul spoke of intolerance. Jesus preached peace, Paul preached the sword.

    Most of Jesus's teachings make sense, though they may be difficult or impractical (e.g. turn the cheak). Paul's teachings are nothing more than brain rot, circular reasoning, and intolerance.

    The Gospel of Mark is probably the only reliable part of the New Testament, being written soon after the death of Jesus. Everything else was added by frauds, or copied from Mark.

  175. Re:This runs just as poorly as the original versio by ssstraub · · Score: 1

    I have a P3 1 GHz, 640 Mb RAM, 32 MB GeForece2 GTS, XP, DX9. nvidia 29.42 drivers. The ones higher than that (that I've tried) caused graphical glitches just sitting at the desktop. I think I tried 32.xx and 40.xx or something around there. I doubt these drivers are causing a problem as all of my many other games run great. I swear it feels exactly the same as the original. My character moves so slowly it's like he's walking through water. And of course the rebooting I mentioned.

  176. Re:Society loves violence by Bloodmoon1 · · Score: 1

    You're an idiot, I hope you realize this. You won't, in fact, you'll probably accuse me and many others of beings idiots ourselves, but who gives a shit? I mean, really, who? Once, just once before I die, I would just like to see one US hating idiot stand up and say, "Yes, I'm an idiot. The only reason I'm not speaking German, Russian, Japanese, or some other language of a one time world threat is because of the USA. I owe them my very ability to be an ingrate for all they have provided for me, both in saving my sorry (insert weak nationality here) ass/providing me the freedoms I take for granted every day as one of their own citizens and for being brave enough to risk their own men and women in a cause that is just and right, to forever ensure we will have the freedoms we take for granted, which we seek to use to spite those who tirelessly seek to provide them to us. Yes, I am an Oxygen Thief." Just once, just one fucking time, that's all I ask. I don't even care if they say the whole thing, a simple recognition that America is all that has stood between them and oppression is all I ask. Well, we can dream.

    --

    Request: ECM unit, 1000 km fullerene cable, 1 tactical nuclear weapon. Reason: Birthday party for foreign dignitary.
  177. Freespace 2 by sidvishus9 · · Score: 1

    Check out Freespace 2, which is probably the the best mission based space sim of the last 5 years. Volition released its source and there's a linux port on the way.

  178. Running it smoothly (suggestion) by BigNastyOgre · · Score: 1

    It ran extremely choppy on my machine as well. I tried doing everyhing possible to get it to run, and finally got it fixed.

    What worked for me was turning off hardware accelleration on my sound card. Hope this helps.

  179. Not anymore by kcb93x · · Score: 1

    Taken down "due to Rockstar Games request"

    --
    There are 4 boxes to use in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, ammo. Use in that order. Starting now.
  180. Last Post! by alpg · · Score: 0

    A novice asked the master: "In the east there is a great tree-structure
    that men call 'Corporate Headquarters'. It is bloated out of shape with
    vice-presidents and accountants. It issues a multitude of memos, each saying
    'Go, Hence!' or 'Go, Hither!' and nobody knows what is meant. Every year new
    names are put onto the branches, but all to no avail. How can such an
    unnatural entity exist?"
    The master replies: "You perceive this immense structure and are
    disturbed that it has no rational purpose. Can you not take amusement from
    its endless gyrations? Do you not enjoy the untroubled ease of programming
    beneath its sheltering branches? Why are you bothered by its uselessness?"
    -- Geoffrey James, "The Tao of Programming"

    - this post brought to you by the Automated Last Post Generator...