Gta 5 Beginner Tips For Starting Fast

GTA 5 Beginner Tips: Your Guide to Los Santos

Alright, so you’ve just landed in the wild world of Grand Theft Auto V (GTA 5), huh? It can feel like a lot to take in, with the huge city of Los Santos, tons of cars, and a million things to do. Don’t worry, we’ve all been there! This guide is your starting point, packed with tips that will help you get your bearings and start having some serious fun without getting completely lost or bankrupt. We’re going to talk about everything from making some easy cash to staying alive in those crazy shootouts. So, buckle up and let’s get started!

Understanding the Basics: Moving and Interacting

Before you start causing chaos (or accidentally running over pedestrians), you need to get comfortable with the controls. GTA 5 has a lot going on, so understanding the basic movements is super important.

Moving Around

• Walking and Running: Use the left joystick to move around. Press it down to start sprinting. But be careful! You can’t run forever, your character will get tired. Keep an eye on your stamina bar in the bottom left.
• Jumping: Tap the jump button to hop over low walls or ledges. It’s also handy for getting over fences.
• Climbing: Certain walls and objects can be climbed. Just walk up to them and your character will usually grab on automatically.

Interacting with the World

• Entering Vehicles: Walk up to a car and press the button to get inside. You might have to break a window if it’s locked (oops!).
• Using Weapons: Use the weapon wheel to select your gun, and press the fire button to shoot.
• Talking to People: Walk near a person and press the interact button to engage them. Sometimes they give you missions, and sometimes they yell at you.

Getting Your Wheels: Transportation Tips

Los Santos is HUGE, so you won’t get far without a good set of wheels. Here are some car-related tips:

Finding Cars

You can, of course, find cars just parked on the street. Some are faster than others. You can also “borrow” cars that are being driven, which might earn you a Wanted level.

Carjacking (the GTA Way)

If you don’t feel like hunting around for a parked vehicle, you can try carjacking. Walk up to the driver’s side door and press the appropriate button to pull them out of the car. Just be aware, this can lead to trouble.

Driving Smart

• Don’t crash too much: Crashing damages your car and can also send your character flying out the windshield (ouch!).
• Follow the traffic rules… sometimes: While it might be tempting to drive on the sidewalk, that’ll attract police attention. Following the basic rules of the road will help you avoid unwanted heat, at least sometimes.
• Use the brakes: They’re there for a reason! Practice stopping smoothly.

Earning Money: Essential for Survival and Fun

Everything in Los Santos, from guns to car upgrades, costs money. So, how do you get some dough?

Early Money-Making Methods

• Completing Missions: The main story missions are a great way to get your bank account growing. You’ll learn the game as you go, and earn a nice chunk of change at the end of each one.
• Robbing Stores: Head into a convenience store, aim your weapon at the cashier, and they’ll give you their money. This isn’t a lot but is a good way to make some fast cash in the beginning. Remember, you’ll get a Wanted level for this.
• Selling Cars: Find some fancy cars and drive them to Los Santos Customs. They’ll give you a decent payout, but the better the car, the more you’ll get.

Things to Avoid When Earning

• Spending all your money right away: It is very tempting to buy the fancy car or upgrade, don’t do it too early. Save up some money for important things like weapons and properties.
• Racking up huge fines: If the police catch you doing something bad, you will get fines. It is better to avoid those fines.

Staying Alive: Combat and Health Tips

Los Santos can be a dangerous place. Learning how to stay alive is essential for success.

Combat Basics

• Using Cover: Don’t just run out in the open. Look for walls and other objects to use as cover. This will make it harder for enemies to hit you.
• Aiming: Practice aiming. Headshots do more damage!
• Switching Weapons: Learn to switch weapons quickly using the weapon wheel.

Health and Armor

• Health: If you are injured, use snacks or first aid kits to get your health back up. You can get this from convenience stores or your inventory.
• Armor: Armor provides an extra layer of protection. Buy it from Ammu-Nation before you get into any tough fights.

Dealing with the Police: Wanted Levels

The police in Los Santos are not very forgiving. Here’s how to handle them.

Understanding the Wanted Level

When you commit a crime, a star rating will appear in the top-right corner of your screen, indicating how wanted you are. The more stars, the more aggressive the cops will be.

Escaping the Cops

• Stay out of sight: If you have a wanted level, try to get out of the police’s line of sight. Hide behind buildings or in alleys.
• Get a new car: Sometimes ditching your current car and grabbing a new one will confuse the police, as they are usually looking for the vehicle used in the crime.
• Use tunnels: Tunnels are a great way to lose the police as they don’t tend to venture too far in them.
• Hide in plain sight: Sometimes, just going into a shop or doing some activity will take you off the police radar.

Navigating the Map: A Beginner’s Friend

The map of Los Santos is massive, but thankfully, it is very user-friendly. Here’s how to use it to your advantage.

Understanding the Icons

• Missions: Mission icons are marked with a letter. The letter corresponds to the character you are supposed to be playing as.
• Shops: Shops are marked with specific icons, like gun shops (Ammu-Nation), clothing stores, and car modification shops (Los Santos Customs).
• Safe Houses: Your safe houses have a house icon.

Using the Waypoint

If you need to get to a specific point, you can set a waypoint on the map by selecting a point and pressing the waypoint button. A purple line will appear on the mini-map guiding you to the location.

Character Switching: Exploring Multiple Perspectives

GTA V is unique in that you can switch between three different characters – Michael, Franklin, and Trevor. Each has a different life and different set of skills.

When to Switch

The game will often prompt you to switch to another character when needed. But outside of that, you are free to switch at any time. Sometimes switching can break the monotony and provide different gameplay perspective.

Exploring Each Character’s Abilities

• Michael: Michael has a special ability that is called “Bullet Time”. He is usually better in gun fights.
• Franklin: Franklin’s special ability is called “Driving Focus”. He is great when it comes to getting into and out of difficult driving situations.
• Trevor: Trevor’s special is “Rage”, which makes him incredibly powerful. He is a lot of fun when you want to cause chaos.

Customizing Your Character: A Touch of Personalization

You are free to change and customize your look with clothes and accessories.

Visiting Clothing Stores

Visit stores in the city to find a variety of clothing items. You can try on outfits and buy your favorite items.

Accessories

Go to accessory stores to find things like watches, hats, and sunglasses. All these will provide different looks.

Exploring the World: Beyond Missions

Los Santos has a lot more to offer than just missions. There are plenty of hidden things to find.

Side Activities

• Strangers and Freaks: Look for the question mark icon on the map. These are strangers or unusual characters who have side missions for you to perform. These are usually fun and can reward you with cash or other benefits.
• Sports: Try your hand at tennis, golf, or even a triathlon. These provide a change of pace and can improve your character’s skills.
• Shooting Range: Hone your shooting skills at Ammu-Nation’s firing range. Practice with different weapons to get the hang of it.

Hidden Locations

• Underwater Areas: Explore the ocean using submarines or diving equipment.
• Secret Spots: Look for hidden areas that might contain valuable items or hidden references.