GroundControl

The day is finally upon us.  Rockstar closed GTA Online for a day or so to fix the economy...and the hacker issues that have plagued it over these last few months.  This was a shock to me as I was away from the game for about a week...didn't even know that it shut down...

Sharks in the water.

I found this out rather quickly once I returned.  You see...whenever you start a mission you are able to purchase ammo and armor from the setup screen.  There is a 'purchase all ammo' option.  I naturally chose that one since I was swimming in loot.  After I was stocked to the gills I noticed that it said that I had 140,000 dollars.  But since I'm slightly dyslexic when it comes to numbers...I thought that it said 140 million dollars.  I was sitting on 200 mil in the bank and another 110 on my person that I didn't bank out of spite at the hacker who gave it to me.  Speaking of which...

...what cha gonna do when they come for you...

When the mission was over I checked my account.  Yup...140K.  Ok.  I'm cool with that.  I'm actually more than cool with that.  I sort of did a double take...looking at my account again and letting it really sink it.  Wow...they fixed it.  And surprisingly they let me keep my apartment and all of my cars.  Ok.  Even better.

Appropriate.

I've read some message boards and there is all sorts of thought/words/opinions on the matter.  Not only did RS fix the economy...they also fixed the RP hack which is really good since it keeps tanks off the streets...for the most part.  Glad I could catch that battle when I did.  As they say in the industry...makes for great copy.

Slow day at the track.

They decided to punish those caught cheating at their own 'discretion'.  For those who were gifted money but innocent of cheating...they reset the money levels to where they were (or where they thought they were) before the modded money was added to individual accounts.  Ok.  I understand that.  But let me throw myself under the bus for a minute...

When I was 'gifted' the initial amount...I had just purchased a 6 car garage for 70K.  I had about 5-6K left on my person.  I was then 'windfalled' to the tune of 100M+.  So realistically I should have only been given somewhere between 5-10K.  But I guess that RS wanted to keep people happy - and more importantly...playing - so they adjusted the numbers.  I'm ok with that too.  I guess removing purchased items (apartments, garages, cars) was too exhaustive or difficult so they are allowing us to keep those for now.

Chocolate brown.  Dope.

You see that car in the background?  That's one of the cars that they let me keep.  I had that car and 3 other 'highend' cars in my garage.  But before I get into that.  This car above...it's an Ubermacht Sentinel Coupe.  My favorite car in the game.  I have three of them.  One in black.  One in chocolate brown.  And one in midnight blue.  Excessive.  But necessary.  So...they let me keep a whole garage full of cars...10 in total.  Three like the one above, 4 highend cars and 3 others which I'll show you later.  Anyway...after the monetary adjustment...and realizing that they were not going to take away my garage/apartment or vehicles...I took each and every one of them to get priced for resale.  From just the 4 highend cars...I had a total resale amount of just over 1,000,000.  Not bad.  Good if I ever get into a pinch...

...or need extra hooker money.

I think the running mascara is a fantastic touch.  Tough day at the office...

Unaffected by the recent economic recovery act.

I actually sold that car in the background bringing my cash total to 420K.  That should do me for a while.  Since they didn't take the apartment, garage or car away...the real need for money is to keep fully stocked with weapons, ammo and armor.  Plus...the only way that you can rank up (RP) is by doing missions and they all come with monetary incentive attached.  Plus bonuses for finishing them with teammates/crew members.

Crew emblem.  Dope.

I made that car china white...like my coke habit.  Ha!  Just kidding.  I'm actually thinking of changing the car back to black but with a 'cocaine white' strip running across the top with our symbol shining bright...

Now the playing field has been leveled.  Although...from the windfalls until now...I've managed to take my stats through the roof.  I've maxed out on stamina, driving and most importantly...shooting...

Case in point.

Actually that's not entirely true.  Driving is so key.  I rocked a mission the other day where I had to hunt this van down because The Ballas (local street gang) decided to kidnap someone and I had to snatch him back.  First I had to take out the hoods in the van, then scoop up this dude...and then drive him back into the city.  Two or three blocks back in that direction...I was swarmed by multiple cars filled with gangstas trying to break a piece off in our collective ass.  Thankfully I was in one of my faster cars (armored w/ bulletproof tires) and I was able to stay ahead of them...and alive.  Delivery accomplished.  I drive like Steve McQueen.

Canadians welcome.

Even before this leveling of the playing field...I was starting my sessions off with a game of survival.  I'm not sure if I explained it but Survival is for 2-4 players and sounds pretty much...well, exactly what it is.  You and your teammates are attacked in escalating waves of enemies...dirty cops, meth heads, mercenaries.  This is a nice way to increase your shooting stats as well as a nice source of RP.  But what it really does for you...especially if you involve yourself in one early in your GTA session...is gift you more advanced weaponry.  In addition to armor and health to keep you alive during wave after escalating wave...weapons become available in the surrounding area that you usually cannot access at Ammunation due to your current RP limitations.  This gives you the advantage once the Survival ends since you can keep this weaponry for your entire session...as long as you have sufficient ammo, of course...

Signature!

This is so hard to do...catch an actual opponent right after death.  Unlike computer generated characters...these corpses disappear very, very quickly.  You have to kill them and then immediately opened up your phone and take your photo.  I can't tell you how many times I've rushed up to an extinguished adversary and then had them disappear right before my eyes.  Frustrating...

That lady from the DMV.

And there are certainly plenty of ways to take out your frustration here.  But now the playing field has been leveled.  The economy has been resuscitated...to a point.  I could still sell off my apartment/garage and all of the cars in it for well over a million dollars.  There's no fun in that though.  One of the very best things about this world is tooling around in supped up cars looking for trouble...and somewhere to store them when you're done.

Indeed.

At Least You Left Your Life In Style

After watching the documentary on The Stone Roses reunion...it only seemed fitting that this should be titled as such.  Plus...if you think about it...it's what we're all tryin' to do here - go out in a blaze of glory...styled out to the max...at the top of our game!  So to those four lads from Manchester...nice line, I'll take it!

I finally found some people willing to go on jobs and run various races.  Boy, that is refreshing.  For a while there it was a strictly kill or be killed type of situation.  Not that that is unpleasant.  It's nice to start a job and not just sit there while no one accepts your offer.  It really is a lot of fun to join up with a bunch of other idiots and see what kind of mayhem you can accomplish...together.  This all started because I was invited out to the country for a game of 'survival'.  Now this is a great game.  You and you teammates fight against multiple waves of enemies.  There are supplies around to keep you alive and armored.  If you can get at least four of you to fight together...it really is one of the best things about GTA Online.

No point in committing suicide when you can abandon it all and move out here.

But seriously...I have daydreams more often than I'd like to admit of packing absolutely nothing up and moving out to the desert to pump gas, drink beer and write of wild days gone by.  Big sky country.  For sure.

One of the great things about teaming up with other players is that you get RP bonuses.  This is a good thing.  Regardless of the obnoxious amounts of money that I've been gifted...I still have tons of stuff to unlock.  And fortunately for me...I hit a level, somewhere in the mid twenties, that unlocked the 'sticky bomb'.  This is like a grenade.  But it sticks to stuff and allows you to detonate from afar.  When I got back to the city I stumbled upon a traffic jam on the freeway.  And right smack dab in the middle of this...a tanker truck.  

Lots of collateral damage.

Instant 3 star wanted level.  Amazing.  Be on the lookout for trucks like this.  They're easy to spot and this is a lot of fun.  I just sort of fell into the bonus of the truck being right in the middle of a giant mess of traffic on the freeway.  Now this is probably a rare occurrence but if you do find one of these trucks...the explosion is so huge...it'll be worth your while regardless of what surrounds it.

Smells like burnt hippy.

After I bolted from the cops...I made my way back to Ammunation.  I needed to stock back up on rounds and armor.  This is a regular occurrence...unlike my 'gift' of said traffic clotting.  And something that occurs regularly as well...people outside of these necessary establishments...talkin' sh*t.

Nope.  Guess again.

This particular trip afforded me many liquor store photo ops so you'll have to bear with me.  These places are great and plentiful.  And they're particularly good for spotting the more colorful inhabitants of Los Santos.

Friends!  Before we go any further...let's be...

See that dude behind me with the gray hair and beard?  I've seen this cat everywhere.  He's old and stumbly and drunk.  And featured in the opening credits of the game when playing 'story mode'.  He mumbles a lot.  When I lived in Ohio there was a guy who used to walk up and down our street asking for change and cigarettes.  His name was Phil.  That was one hilarious dude.  Gentile and pleasant.  But lost in his own crazy world.  We had no idea where he spent his nights or how he functioned day to day...other than trolling 5th Street for beer money.  He had a very unique way of talking and pronouncing (or should I say slurring) his words.  He became a folk hero of sorts and is remembered to this day by more than just your humble narrator.  So...here's to you, Phil...immortalized, over my left shoulder, in Grand Theft Auto!

Popular spot.

This is yet another thing that I enjoy doing here is this sick world.  Whenever I roll past a place with a ton of people hanging outside...the temptation is just too great.  I can't help myself...

Not anymore.

This lead to yet another, eventual spat with the cops.  I know that it's going to go down like this.  But, I tell ya...this city is changing me.  I try to fight it.  I really do.  But unfortunately...I ate the apple.

Bloodied, The Wiser.

That would be a great name.  Like Ivan The Terrible.  Or Frodo The Brave.  Or whatever the hell they called him.  Bloodied The Wiser.  I like that.  Not sure how much wiser I am.  Since I find myself in a blood soaked suit more often than not.  Both my stamina and driving skills are at or near 100%.  But my shooting is still relatively low.  That's why I have to get the jump on people or it's a an unfair fight.  Especially since I'm usually going at them with a lower grade weapon.  Surprise and timing is everything.

Sunrise.  Sunset.  Whatever.

Whichever that may be...the vistas never disappoint.  And neither do the people that walk the streets.  If I could only remember some of the sh*t that comes out of their mouths...  

Lots of these in the ghetto.  Big shocker.

I get a lot of 'get the f*ck out of here' and 'you don't belong here' kind of responses in East Los Santos. 

Big girls blouse

Like these guys below.  They're far less aggressive.  And therefor far more targetable...

Workin' pa nub...

And unfortunately for them...this afternoon...I was a bit on edge...

....in all the wrong places...

Right after I snapped this photo I got bushwacked by an opponent.  Now I don't usually mind this.  I did have a bounty on my head so I can't really blame them for hunting me down.  But what really gets my goat is when they've wacked me and scooped up their (my) money...they top it off by stealing my car. 

Gonna need some booze for this hunt.

This happens rarely.  But when it does...and I finally find them...they pay with their life.  But my car...my poor f*cking car.  Thankfully Los Santos Customs makes a repair quick and easy.  I still can't help but feeling a bit abused.  Like someone touched me in my bathing suit area...

My f*cking whites...

Karma is alive and well and living in Los Santos.  Just ask this lady...

'I done never smoke a crack a day in my life.  I feel malificent'

The homeless / drug & alcohol addicted population in Los Santos is unendingly amusing.  It would be great if these hackers broke into the game and brought all of these people to life ala 'Dawn Of The Dead'...and then had them attack everyone online.  Man, that'd be great.  Instead they give me a bunch of money that I'll never spend.  Wow.  Creative.  And speaking of creative...

Look at them nudie mags!

This final bit that I leave with you was sort of stumbled upon randomly.  When you get into really behaving badly...your wanted level will increase depending upon the severity of your 'expression'.  That's all well and good if you feel like running...or if you feel like standing your ground and duking it out with the fuzz.  The problem is that once you hit three stars...in comes the air support.  And once you hit four stars...you ain't got long to live.  But...if you can find yourself something with cover...preferably with overhead cover...and preferably with only one entry point...you can have yourself quite the lengthy, multi-star firefight.

This is how it began...

When barricading yourself into one of these stores...make sure to pick one with diagonal shelving.  Some of the store have rows of shelving that give no cover at all as they are in line with the entryway.  No cover.  No bueno.  Pick the middle row.  Take cover.  They'll be coming right through the front door...

Deep into it.  SWAT team looming...

It really will go on and on.  And if you time it right...you can make a call to have your wanted level removed...and then walk out to observe the carnage.  And steal one of those cool, black SUVs if ya wanna...

Almost.

Without fail...someone gets caught in the crossfire.  And if you're looking to document the carnage...chose wisely...more often than not...when you pull up your camera...one of these dudes comes through the door.  

The sun sets...on the LSPD.

Calling off your wanted level is a nice feature...albeit one that more often than not feels like a cheat.

Caught in said crossfire...

This was her about 15 minutes ago...just mindin' her own business...lookin' to get lit...

Never to return.

Whew.  That about ends that one.  Took me forever to piece together.  I'm notorious for starting things and never finishing them.  Although I did make some killer mix tapes back in the day.  But they started really strong and finished really strong...in the middle they always seemed a bit slow going.  Hopefully the next one will pick up...if you found this one a bit sluggish...but if you didn't...thanks!!

(Post script:  I decided to create a crew.  Just for the fun of it.  Not really sure what it'll do for me.  Hopefully some people will join.  That'd be cool.  Feel free to come on board if you feel like it.)

TEAM STUKA

Snowmaggedon

Rockstar decided to give us all a Christmas present in the form of snow in Los Santos and Blaine County for the entire day.  I almost missed the boat as I thought the snow was going through January 5th.  But at the last minute, I double checked and was able to get in a timely session to report on the snowy goings-on throughout San Andreas.  I hope that you find this enjoyable.  I sure did...dashing through the snow and whatnot.  In retrospect, I'm glad it was for one day only as driving in this stuff was kind of like real life...dangerous and annoying.  But it sure looked good...

This beenie came in useful.

I decided to immediately head for the country.  Under a sort of time constraint, I wanted to get as far away from other possible opponents so I could take my photographs in peace.  I didn't even bother with 'passive mode'.  I figured that if someone wanted to kill me...I'd just jot their names down and deal with them after I got down with some artful documentation...

Not much action here in wintertime.  But that seems to be the case regardless of season.

There was a tank on the highway heading up to Blaine County.  I evaded him quite nicely with a few shells exploding around me.  He was in full-on tank-nerd-rampage mode.  Plus...look at that car.  Even in the snow...I can break out in a moments notice.  Although I did immediately notice this dude following me...

Sorry bro...I don't do truckstops.  What?  Shh...

He wouldn't leave me alone.  But he didn't attack me either.  Odd.  I decided right then and there to go into 'passive mode'.  Lest he shoot me while I'm getting all Annie Leibovitz on some snowy mountain action.

There is no God in GTA.  Hence only one set of footprints.

The guy in the red car eventually gave up.  He rear ended me when I stopped suddenly.  I lept out of my car, weapon drawn.  Perhaps that was what scared him away.  Nope.  I turned around...

This muthaf*cka.

Luckly I was in 'passive mode'.  I thought he realized that too because he hovered long enough for me to pop off a few snaps.  And then came in for a closer look...

Out for blood.

Then this dumb sh*t decides to test me with a rocket.  Perhaps he was camera shy...

Check the car.  Center frame.  That's an upside down charred corpse.

Silly fool shot his rocket into the car behind me which was way, way too close to his chopper.  I saw him a few minutes later after he respawned.  We stared at each other for a minute and then he ran off into the woods.  After than it got pretty quiet.  Which was nice.  My objective was to not play WWIII in the streets tonight...my objective was to document the snowy landscapes.  Priorities.

Darwin's Waiting Room

You know what there are a lot of in Los Santos?  Liquor stores.  You know what they don't have in Los Santos?  Children.  Is this heaven, you ask?  Why yes, my friends, it is.  It dawned on me after a while...you never see any kids here.  Thankfully.  For multiple reasons.  You do find your fair share of old people.  I like that.  There is also a plentiful supply of hookers here in Los Santos.  Yes, it is heaven.  And in the name of good sport and past indiscretions...I've decided to stop my car and photograph every liquor store that I find.  And there are many.  And maybe a few of the hookers along the way too.

They even work on Christmas.

Found a nice little starter home in the country.  I wonder how much it was actually going for.  Nice location.  Quiet.  Away from the gangs and the rap music that they play out of those boomboxes.

Smelled like cat pee.

But seriously folks...this is the northern most point on the map.  You really can get away from it all here.  It is quiet and peaceful.  I didn't hear one siren the whole time.

Patriotism.  Dope.

There is also a surprisingly large number of pay phones throughout Los Santos.  Man, I kind of miss those things.  Jamming your finger in the coin slot as you walked by in hopes of discovering a forgotten quarter.  Or those beat-up phone books dangling from that (seemingly) unbreakable cord.

I called everyone...collect.

Up this far north you can get stunning views of the highest point in Los Santos - Mount Chiliad.

Do you have any idea what the street value of this mountain is?

I made my way back into the city.  I wanted to get a few skyline views and some perspective from the highest point downtown.  So I opened up my cell phone and called for a helicopter.  Yes, in my spending spree I bought a helicopter.  You call a number on your phone and then they deliver it to the nearest helipad...which is located on the roof of the hospital in East Los Santos.  It's convenient.  And it's just a regular 'ol helicopter.  No rockets or guns or anything like that.  Good for quick, fast and easy transport.  And not much else.  But it's really the only way to get this high...

Other than smoking angel dust.  What?  Shh...

I decided that the best way down would be to jump.  With parachute.  Jumping w/o is fun sometimes too.  It says that you've 'committed suicide'.  So frank.  But this time I took the safe way...

Diversity.  Dope.

I actually landed on another rooftop and then plunged to my death.  Too bad I couldn't photograph that.  In fact, that would be a really great option...if you could somehow get pictures of you dying in various ways.  I guess if you were rolling with someone else...they could photograph you.  But I have no friends.  Kidding.

Allow me to digress and speak for a moment about Grand Theft Auto San Andreas.  This game was revolutionary.  Way, way ahead of it's time.  It was like GTA V...only smaller.  But, at the time, it was the biggest thing ever...in both gameplay and the actual size of the world.  It was great!  You had four distinct locals...equivalents of San Francisco, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.  I can't say enough.  But if you're reading this you more than likely already know about San Andreas...and Vice City (which might be a personal favorite - I grew up on 'Miami Vice').  Moving on...one of my absolute favorite things to do in GTA SA was to run down the street, full gallop...cock my fist back and punch people in the back of the head.  I don't know why...but I could have every weapon at my disposal...rocket launcher, samurai sword, gatling gun...they all paled in comparison to running up behind someone and unexpectedly decking them in the back of the skull.  I wish that I could do this in real life.  I must admit...I would find little equivalent satisfaction.

Old habits die hard.

I think she was spoutin' some bullsh*t on her cell phone.  I might have bumped into her and she made some sort of snide comment.  Or maybe I just snuck up on her and laid her out.  Guilty as charged.

Better get one a dem rubba bags!

I came as a photojournalist.  A war correspondent.  A peaceful man.  I'm going to leave a cold blooded killer.  Just like our American prison system.  Ain't it grand!?!

'Nuff said.

I f*cking love these places.  I wish that I could buy all of them in Los Santos.  Who needs a 10 car garage when you own every freakin' liquor store in the greater metropolitan area?  See 'bout that!!

That dude with the red visor?  Curiosity killed the cat.

This next one is completely self indulgent.  Of all the cars that I own...I still prefer the first one that I appropriated after I landed in Los Santos.  The Übermacht Oracle Coupe.  Solid car.  Heavier ass end...so taking turns during getaways keeps you on the road and not flying into the side of a buidling...and dying.

Don't know what you heard about me...

Night fell and the eventual street battles ensued.  These people never give up.  But...when you've walked about this city enough...and felt the sudden wrath of a complete stranger...it makes you shoot first and ask questions...well...never.  So I take these opponents with a grain of salt...they can't be all bad.  Some of them are just trying to survive.  Tryin' to keep their d*ck hard in a cruel and harsh world.

Speaking of which...

This city really has it all.  Hookers.  Gotta love it.  And sometimes you can find them out in the daytime.  Money never sleeps.  But not only hookers.  Junkies too...

Night Of The Living Dead

This next pic just might be my favorite so far.  It's arty and pretentious.  But also haunting and just plain great...if I do say so myself...

And speaking of San Andreas...I think that I found CJ's house on Grove Street.  He's long gone.  But as you know...just because you are a character doesn't mean that you have character.  And just because you have sex in the missionary position doesn't make you a missionary.  What?  Shh...

Grove Street!

Dangerous here.  I've said it before.  One squeeze of the trigger, one signature! punch to the back of the head...the gangs swarm.  Make this white boy look real sissy.

Don't stop til I get enough!

Speaking of favorite photos...

9:04 AM

This chick smelled bad.  But a brilliant conversationalist.  And now trusted friend.

Cockdieseldrunk

I f*cking love this city.  Did I say that already?  Man, can't say it enough.  Other than the random killings...this would be a great place to disappear into...for say...10 years.  That was about the length of my drinking habit.  Same thing really if you think about it.

Asian motifs.  Dope.

I've been giving serious thought to downsizing my apartment and going back to a garage only type situation.  Since I didn't earn the money.  Since it was given to me.  But every time that I do...I find myself missing this part of the city.  I've grown very fond of it.  And you know...it's all about location location location...

Impressive.  Most impressive.

Well...that's probably more than you can stomach in one sitting.  The snow was awesome.  Glad that they did it.  This game and place is really something to marvel.  I leave you with a few parting shots...tranquil photos in an otherwise violent world...

Quiet streets.

It really put an air of silence over the city.  Like it does when you go out late at night after a snowstorm...

A View To A Kill

I will say this here...the snow was great.  But I love it when it rains too!  The weather is such a great added element.  You can also see lightning out in the country/desert.  Very cool!

Peace sells.  Who's buyin'?

Minutes after this shot I got into it with the police.  You can only go so long before you eventually tussle with Johnny Law...

Handsome.

So...that's it.  I hope that you enjoyed this holiday edition.  Back to the usual blood and carnage next time.  That'll be up soon.  Oh...and before I forget...gotta give a shot out to Patches42.  This is a great photo!