GTA 5 beginner’s guide: Navigating the virtual World with tips and basics

GTA Online has evolved significantly since its initial release in 2013. Though big upgrades have been few and far between, they’ve added together over time to build a large and intimidating multiplayer environment where you may rob casinos, transport drugs, own biker gangs, fly jet-powered motorcycles, and wreak havoc on innocent gamers. You’ll be inundated with texts and emails from in-game NPCs offering you all kinds of jobs from the moment you start a new character, with little instruction as to how you should really spend your time.

This advice will assist you in cutting through the noise. If you’re new to GTA Online, here are some pointers to assist you negotiate the deadly terrain.

GTA Online

GTA Online is GTA 5’s online multiplayer mode. In GTA Online, you can create your own character and participate in an open-world adventure with up to 30 other people. Players can traverse the streets of San Andreas at their leisure while performing missions, unique heists, and other events. The goal is to make money, establish a reputation, and eventually become the boss of your criminal organisation.

Crossplay

GTA 5 currently does not support cross-platform play for the single-player game or GTA 5 Online. Crossplay may be possible with the new version of GTA 5 launching soon on Xbox Series X|S and PS5, although Rockstar has not confirmed this.

Cross Save

At the moment, GTA 5 lacks a cross-save feature. This means that if you play on PS4, you will have to restart the game if you switch to Xbox One. There has been no word on whether cross-save will be accessible when GTA 5 launches on Xbox Series X|S or PS5.

The Universe of GTA 5

GTA V takes place in the fictitious state of San Andreas, in the cities of Los Santos and Blaine County. GTA V, like previous GTA titles, includes a fixed story that must be finished, but everything else is open-world. There are numerous vehicles to steal, weapons to purchase, and havoc to wreak.

Getting started: Prologue

It’s simple to get started in GTA V. The game begins with the Prologue instructional mission, which introduces you to the main characters, Michael De Santa and Trevor Philips. The tutorial demonstrates how to manoeuvre your characters, access and aim your weapons, interact with items and NPCs, and switch between characters.

Switching Between Characters

While the Prologue task will teach you how to swap between characters, it is vital to note that in order to proceed through the main story, you will regularly transfer between Michael, Trevor, and Franklin Clinton.

To switch between characters, do the following:

PS5 / PS4 / PS3: Hold “Down” on the D-Pad and choose the character with the right analog stick, then release the “Down” arrow.

Xbox Series X|S / Xbox One / Xbox 360: Hold “Down” on the D-Pad and pick the character with the right analog stick, then release the “Down” arrow.

PC: Press and hold the Alt key to open the character dial, then use the directional arrows to pick the character.

There will be critical times in the game that will inform you when to swap, but if you don’t feel like you’re going through the tale or if you’re stuck, you should switch characters.

Accepting Missions and Side Quests

The map is an excellent way to determine if any of your three characters have any upcoming quests. Franklin missions are commonly denoted by a green “F” or a green “F” with a question mark. Michael missions will have a light blue “M” or a light blue “M” with a question mark, whereas Trevor missions will have an orange “T” or an orange “T” with a question mark. The map will show all characters’ main story missions as well as secondary Strangers and Freaks assignments.

To accept main plot missions or heists, simply set your destination point on the map to the location where you see the character’s initial. When you get to this location, the task will begin.

You’ll normally see an initial with a question mark attached to Strangers and Freaks side tasks. To begin a Strangers and Freaks mission, navigate to the area on the map, and the side mission will begin automatically. Most of the time, you will only be allowed to access one Strangers and Freaks quest per character at a time. Many of these missions are sequential and can only be accessed if the task before it has been completed. In some cases, you can only access a Stranger and Freaks quest after completing a main mission or heist.

Making Money in Grand Theft Auto V

Money is required to purchase property, weapons, armour, and ammo, clothes, and alter your automobiles, yet making money in GTA V can be difficult at first.