Great news, Multi Theft Auto 0.5 has finally been released, it features massive improvements from previous versions.

• Huge increase in stability. Using the errors reported to us using the Error Report Tool, we've managed to fix a large number of the common crashes.
  
• New Staunton Island map available for GTA3, which includes a race mode and deathmatch.
  
• New Shoreside Vale map available for GTA3, which includes several gamemodes.
  
• Lots of changes to the existing maps (click here for full details).
  
• A server browser has been added to the client along with an area to store your favourites and a list of servers you've played on recently (History).
  
• New Client design - The client has been redesigned to make it easier to use. Error messages are now more self explanatory and checks are added to help users ensure their game is set up correctly.
  
• Added an in-client server that allows you to quickly configure and host a server straight from the MTA Client.
  
• Integrated the MTA Protocol handler - now mta:// links will work for all MTA 0.5 users.
  
• Redesigned MTA Admin Tool to make it easier and more logical to use.
  
• In client global MOTD so that you can hear about news from MTA immediately.
  
• A rich text welcome message that the server can show to players when they join. This can contain much more information than the normal Message of the Day and is visible in the client the entire time the user is on the server.
  
• New installation and configuration scripts for easy setup for Linux dedicated servers.
  
• More platforms supported for the dedicated server, including FreeBSD and OpenBSD.
  
• Improved error report tool is now installed by default (though optionally).
  
• Chat box in the client now scrolls properly, as most chat programs do (scroll up to stop auto-scroll).
  And much more!...
  

Check out the Multi Theft Auto 0.5 site and head over to the Downloads page to get it.

I've fixed a couple of errors on the 100% Checklist. There was a lot of confusion as to whether the burglar missions (stealing over 000) actually got you anything towards 100%. Well it doesn't and I've had that confirmed by a few people who tested that, so it's been moved to the 'things you dont need to do' box.

There were also a few typos that have been fixed now.

You can download the updated version here.

Thanks to gtagaming for the heads up on this one.

It seems the PC version of San Andreas will be shipped out on a DVD-ROM disc as opposed to a normal CDROM, this is somewhat expected though due to the immense size of the game. Take 2 haven't officially announced this but we can see from box shots uploaded on the US and UK Take 2 websites that it clearly shows it as being "PC DVD-ROM" format.

We'll have to wait for an official announcement before we know any more information.

At the moment I am very busy with schoolwork and so have very little time to actually do much for the site. One thing I have been doing on and off over the last few days or so is making a 100% completion checklist for San Andreas.

I have made it a printable .PDF file so you'll need Adobe Acrobat Viewer to read it, if you don't already have that you can download it for free over at Adobe's website.

If you spot any errors in the list then be sure to notify me of them either by email or replying to this news post.

You can download the checklist by clicking here!

Here are a few more cheats for you to try.

Super Punch

Up, Left, X, Triangle, R1, O, O, O, L2

Gangs Members Everywhere

Similar to the 'Gangs Rule the Streets' cheat, except all pedestrians are replaced by gang members. Policemen, firemen, paramedics and shop owners stay the same.

Left, Right, Right, Right, Left, X, Down, Up, Square, Right

Funhouse Theme

strange cars have hydraulics. Pedestrians become fast food workers and clowns. CJ wears strange outfit.

Triangle, Triangle, L1, Square, Square, O, Square, Down, O

Sandstorm

Up, Down, L1, L1, L2, L2, L1, L2, R1, R2

Countryside Vehicles

L1, L1, R1, R1, L2, L1, R2, Down, Left, Up

a thanks goes out to edisoncarter at GTAForums for finding them.

Today Rockstar Games have announced that a GTA game will indeed be coming to the PSP, previous stories were just rumours and unconfirmed by Rockstar, but this press release confirms it.

Rockstar Games, the world-renowned publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), is proud to announce Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition and a brand new iteration of Grand Theft Auto for the highly anticipated PSP™ handheld system. Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition and the new Grand Theft Auto title, which will be set in Liberty City, are being developed by Rockstar Leeds in conjunction with Rockstar San Diego and Rockstar North, respectively. Both titles are expected to be available near the launch of the PSP handheld system in North America and Europe.

The game will be developed by Rockstar Leeds as "Sony's extremely impressive technology has allowed Rockstar Leeds to do more on a handheld machine than we could have ever imagined."

GTA Advance wasn't exactly a big success after it was released on the same day as San Andreas, so we have decided to rename that particular forum to GTA Handheld to accomodate posts about GTA on the PSP as well in the hop it will bring more activity to it,

Link: http://ir.take2games.com/ReleaseDetail.cfm?ReleaseID=152207, Forum

edisoncarter at GTASanAndreas.net has recently been finding new cheat codes by "wiring up a game pad to a PC's parallel port using optocouplers". Yes it's highly complex.

Cars Fly

But the controls are like flying a normal plane.

Square, Down, L2, Up, L1, Circle, Up, X, Left

Fast/Rare cars appear regularly

Up, L1, R1, Up, Right, Up, X, L2, X, L1

Full Weapon Aiming Whilst Driving

Aim and shoot at passing pedestrians/vehicles, as your gang would do whilst in a car

Up, Up, Square, L2, Right, X, R1, Down, R2, Circle

All taxis have nitrous and bunny hops

Horn to bunny hop

Up, X, Triangle, X, Triangle, X, Square, R2, Right

Spawn a Bulldozer

R2, L1, L1, Right, Right, Up, Up, L1, Left

Reduced Traffic

Very few cars on the streets and no pedestrians

X, Down, Up, R2, Down, Triangle, L1, Triangle, Left

Orange Sky

This cheat freezes the clock at 21:00 after a rapid whether change the skies will be orange.

Left, Left, L2, R1, Right, Square, Square, L1, L2, X

Gangs Control the City

This cheat will empty the streets leaving just gang members and vehicles within the gang territories

L2, Up, R1, R1, Left, R1, R1, R2, Right, Down

Infinite Lung Capacity

Now you will never drown

Down, Left, L1, Down, Down, R2, Down, L2, Down

The cheats page will be updated shortly with these new codes.

Gaming Horizon have today unofficially confirmed that a GTA game will be coming to the PSP.

Sam Houser, Vice President of Rockstar Games has confirmed that they are developing a new Grand Theft Auto title for the handheld, which is being created by the same studio who made Max Payne for the Game Boy Advance.

Unfortunately no details have been released on the game, and Gaming Horizon isn't the most popular of the big gaming sites so I am not sure how reliable they are, I'm not even sure where they even got that info from as I don't see any big gaming sites with this news. Anyway it will certainly going to be great playing GTA whilst on a long journey!

Link: Gaming Horizon Article