(FYI: THIS GUIDE IS LITERALLY LESS THAN 5% COMPLETE)

Menu setup -Clip Capture and Autosave should be turned OFF (found in the "Game" section of the menu) -Start your run with Vehicle Density set to 1

Cutscenes -Every cutscene you will see can be skipped with Enter (see "Rigged to Blow" for a unique cutscene skip)

Game Versions (1.0.4.0 & 1.0.7.0 or 1.0.8.0) -There is no proven "better version" for speedrunning -If you're having trouble running the game, you should try out 1.0.4.0 (Downgrading instructions: http://www.gtagaming.com/forums/showthread.php?t=128300)

Abbreviations and acronyms -EOM (end of mission) -CC (clip capture) -LJ (Little Jacob)

Other important info -EOM calls come in 10 seconds after completing a mission (some missions have no EOM call) -A mission pass is marked by the sounding of the mission pass tune and an increase in money which can be seen in the top right of the HUD

Reoccurring strategies:

Tutorial text canceling with Clip Capture- Turn Clip Capture off in the pause menu (under "Game") Press F2 (clip capture key by deafault) when tutorial text appears

Menuing (changing vehicle density) - Press ESC Press A twice Click on the Vehicle Density bar and drag it to either 1 or 100 Press Space, then Enter Press ESC twice

Menuing (placing a waypoint marker) - Press ESC Perform a combination of click/hold/moving of your mouse AND pressing "Page Up" to quick -zoom into a location Press RMB (right click) to place the waypoint Press ESC twice

Blocking end of mission calls (EOM calls)- ¤Press F near any vehicle as soon as the phone appears ¤¤Perform a push animation as soon as the phone appears ¤¤¤Perform a punch animation as soon as the phone appears ¤¤¤¤Press RMB with a weapon in your hand(s) as soon as the phone appears (there are probably other ways that I'm forgetting, but they're useless to know)

Blocking a cab to get it to stop - Run in front of a cab to make it stop for long enough to get in You don't need to stop in front of it, just run past the front and around to the side Doing these negates the need to actually hail the cab, but you can still do it if you want to

Avoid closing the door after getting into a car (other than the back of a cab) - Spam W (hot wire) or Hold W

Warping out of the driver's seat - With a passenger in the front seat, block the driver's door and press F

Putting away your weapon before getting into a cab - Always do this unless you're not going to hail the cab after getting out

Putting away your weapon before hailing a cab - Always do this, or else you'll waste time as Niko will do an animation where he puts away the weapon and then proceeds to whistle

Reloading with the scroll wheel - If you switch to a different weapon, the weapon you had out will be reloaded when you switch back to it

DISCLAIMER: Most driving/on foot routes will not be explained in great detail with this guide as these are best learned by watching the current WR video. Every single person who has ever gotten good at anything, partially learned by watching someone else. Speedrunning is no exception.

Mission Guide

"The Cousin's Bellic" -Hold reverse after skipping the cutscene and perform a J turn just as Roman says "Mohawk" -Grind against the side of the curved barrier wall for minimal loss of momentum -Push the police car towards the apartment and spin it 180 degrees by performing a pit maneuver on the back right corner -Skip the three tutorial texts in the apartment by pressing F2 (clip capture, make sure it's OFF) -Go through the door, jump over the railing, sprint towards the doorway, press F just before the doorway to trigger an enter car action, cancel this action with your movement keys once Niko is a few feet away from the doorway if you want to break the police car window by pushing, otherwise don't cancel the action and he'll break the window on his own (a few seconds slower) -As soon as Niko begins sitting down, spam W to quickly hotwire the car (this will also prevent him from closing the car door) -Head North, turn left on the road that Roman's mission is off of

"It's Your Call" (Roman) -Head East, towards the park entrance -In the park, drive along the edge of the trees to your left and jump the railing where you see the sign on the fence -Head North, turn right onto the road that the marker is on -Quickly turn yourself around so that you're facing West after the cutscene and make sure you're sitting on the road, next to the curb, in front of the alleyway -As you wait, bring up the phone and answer the call, with the phone already up, and immediately hang up (even before you hear anyone speak) -Continue waiting, prepare to call Roman, you'll see a taxi turn and pass you, about five second later the loan shark's car will appear from the left, call Roman as soon as the front passenger window passes out of the shadow in the intersection (if you have shadows off, this would be about the time that their car reaches the center of the intersection) -If the call was done optimally, you can hang up as soon as you see the text telling you to call Roman at the bottom of the screen (otherwise, hang up as soon as you hear Niko speak) -Make your way back to where you landed the jump from out of the park, off of the circular roadway is a way into the park, turn into there and drive towards where you originally entered the park after leaving the cab depot, drive West towards the marker

(between missions) -After "It's Your Call"'s end cutscene, quickly reverse the cab up the hill and run into the first light poll on your right (this is just for timing) -As soon as you hit it, drive down the hill and you should see the tutorial message, which appeared seconds ago, suddenly disappear -Check if the security guard has spawned behind the brick structure, which is to your right (you should be able to see if he's there when you're at the point on the hill where you hit the poll) -If he has spawned, aim your shotgun at him and he'll pull a pistol, shoot him and take the pistol -If he hasn't spawned, try the exact same tactic with the Russian gangsters that may or may have spawned at or around the bus stop -Make sure you're back on the spot where the starting marker for "It's Your Call" originally was within 33 seconds after skipping the last cutscene -The marker should spawn after 33/34 seconds if you've done this tutorial message strategy correctly (described above) or 37/38 if done incorrectly

"Three's a Crowd" (Roman) -Head East, turn right at the top of the hill, hit the corner of the wooden fence near the hotdog stand, across from the apartment (hopefully you don't lose much of your momentum), continue towards the marker -The cab should be angled to the left when you're in the marker so that you respawn facing North -Honk the horn when you've slowed in the marker to trigger the cutscene -Drive back through where you broke the fence, head north, do a 180 so that you're facing SW/S when you hit the next marker -Drive back the way you came, slam your car into the clothing store entrance area, get out and hold W so you don't close the door -If you don't immediately trigger the marker, run towards the car and jump onto/over the car if you still haven't triggered it -Move to the glasses stand next to the store counter, press E, then press Enter (you should have bought glasses) -Leave the store, get back into your car

(between missions) -call Michelle ASAP as you drive North -turn right at the third intersection and head S/SW (you should be getting a call from Roman) -drive to the basketball court, break through the fence

"Bleed Out" (Roman) (starts as you drive towards the court) -if you have a pistol, get out and kill both guys | else, make a sharp left as soon as you break the fence and trigger the cutscene to keep the fence from respawning -quick kill Dardan -call Michelle just as you pass the Russian club if you're not fast enough/lucky enough to reach the second to last turn before the dialogue begins -hang up on Michelle just before reaching the marker, do a 180 into the marker

(between missions) -Drive to Michelle

"First Date" (Michelle) -Drive to the cafe (near the water, to the East, where you play pool) -press E at the pool table, cancel the game as soon as Niko's hand reaches the top of his pool stick during the opening cutscene -return to Michelle's apartment

(between missions) -drive to Roman -clip capture the tutorial messages that appear soon after resuming gameplay -wait for the text message before starting Roman's mission

"Easy Fare" (Roman) -Do a 180 degree turn into the yellow marker -Take the same route you took to reach the basketball court, but turn into the grass when you're nearing the next marker -Drive towards Roman's apartment, turn left after you pass it, turn left at the second intersection, head towards the park -Lose the cops and the marker will appear on the road parallel to the bottom side of the park, in front of the Pay n Spray

(between missions) -Cancel the EOM call (get out of your car and press F as soon as the call comes in) -Push a police car to the southern end of the apartment car save area (on the road, in front of the apartment) -Wait for a call, answer it, and start Vlad's mission

"Bull in a China Shop" (Vlad) (this mission unlocks taxis travel, usable while on this mission as well) -A taxi will always spawn for you after starting the mission -Place your waypoint on the edge of the road, below the yellow marker, and a bit to the left -Niko walks to the drain in front of the store after breaking the window, so unless you shoot it from the drain, don't skip the cutscene until the first camera change -The final taxiing will be to the clothing store, near the apartment (it's one above the apartment on the taxi menu)

(between missions) -Take your cab to Roman's mission -Set VD to 100

"Jamaican Heat" (Roman) -A car is needed (honk) to trigger Jacob -Blocking one of the taxi's back doors will make Jacob warp -When you get out of the cab at the meeting location, wait for the cab to begin pulling away before hailing it, otherwise it will teleport -The pistol needs to be in your hands when you enter the marker, CC the tutorial message, then crouch -Attempt to headshot the three guys -CC immediately after killing the last of the three guys (this will trigger the next guy if done correctly) -The guy on the roof cannot be killed by a headshot -After killing the enemies, DO NOT switch to your fists as this will make Jacob stop and put away his gun (wait until reaching the cab to put away your weapon) -If you hailed the cab too early, it will teleport and the driver will likely be frightened and flee. Otherwise, the cab will be waiting around the corner, just down the hill

(between missions) -Steal a vehicle, preferably the cab that's waiting for you and wait outside of it to block the EOM call -Get into this vehicle and call Little Jacob (which spawns the mission marker), then call Roman, all while driving to Little Jacob's apartment -Start LJ's mission

"Concrete Jungle" (Little Jacob) -A cab should always spawn either to your left or right or both -You must be in a vehicle to trigger the first yellow marker -Try your hardest to find a cab to get to the second yellow marker -Avoid looking down or anywhere other than the South when arriving at second yellow marker to avoid spawning traffic from the South which would likely cause Jacob to fall over in the street at you attempt to cross -Niko and Jacob must both be in the marker for it to trigger -Get into cover on the wall, to the left of the door (Q by default) -At the apartment, kill the three guys to the left, pickup the health on the table if you've lost health, then kill the last guy (not picking up the health pack will cause a cutscene/tutorial to occur when you reach the front door to leave) -Again, Jacob must be in the final marker with you for it to trigger

(between missions) -Taxi to the clothing store -Hail your cab and run to the front of the bar where Vlad's mission marker will appear (the same spot that it was in before) -Wait for the marker to appear

"Hung Out to Dry" (Vlad) -Taxi, unless your taxi has somehow gotten away, to a waypoint you'll place below the yellow marker and above the highway off-ramp (look at the WR vid) -Run to the sidewalk off the opposite side of the road (to the east) -Fire a shot towards the front door of the laundromat to trigger the owner's escape -Run down the alleyway to your right and hit F near the escaping van to trigger the end cutscene -Wait for a mission to pass, then video editor warp

(between missions) -Run across the street to the next Vlad mission

"Clean Getaway" (Vlad)