Malik (11/8/04)

Exploring The Unknown In GTA:SA

So, as I've played GTA:SA, I've come across some interesting things on the message boards. The most interesting, to me at least, is the urban (and rural) legends that are appearing in SA. For example, there is talk of Bigfoot stalking the wilderness of the South Western mountains of San Andreas, there is talk of hidden caves in the northern desert, ghost cars that drive with no driver, planes that fall from the sky without warning or reason (see the picture below), and even UFOs.  

At first, I took most of this to be pointless trolling of message boards, since there was no proof. I mean the best proof I saw was either stories (which can be bullshitted by anyone) or a fuzzy picture of Bigfoot, taken from a plane, way up high, with BF looking like little more than a brown colored, fuzzy looking dude at dusk. However, that all changed when I looked to the sky, in frustration, during my pilot exam. 

The UFO

I was growing quite annoyed with my pilot exam, and I managed to finally pass the 4th test (so far, it's my least favorite, and one of the few times that a game actually caused Velveeta to lose her patience) and I rushed to save. Shortly after saving, I decided to let off my anger in the redneck way that befits being in a barren desert; I shot my D'eagle at stuff. There were no clear and destructible targets near me, so I pointed my gun in the air and started to shoot telephone polls (like it would do anything...but I was just relieved to pass one of those brutal tests) when I saw something flying near the bridge to the north of the airfield. 

At first I thought it was a bird. I mean it was a far off object with flapping wings...but then I noticed that it was alone. I've only seen birds flying in groups of 2 or more, so far, so I took a few shots (like it would do anything...) and it was slowly getting a little closer. That's when I noticed that it looked like a poorly programmed bird; the wings were more fuzzy in appearance, like smoke, and the bird looked rather un-bird in the shape of it's body...also, it was pretty big for a bird (about twice it's size). So, this is when I put away my gun and pulled out my camera. 

As I zoomed in, I could still see the "wings" that I saw flapping...however, it was actually a smoke-like substance that was flapping in the wind. This was confusing, but not as much as what I saw when I zoomed in on the body. The body was actually shaped like some sort of metallic cone. So, I did what anyone would do when they saw such a freakish phenomenon; I took some pictures. I now present, the UFO. 

So, I'm left wondering what it was that I saw circling the abandoned airstrip. Is it a glitch in the programming? Is it aliens? Is it something you can touch with a helicopter or plane? If I get close enough, could I shoot it? Is it just something to be explained in a future mission? If you have any thoughts, hit the GTA:SA Q&A message board. Also, if you have one of these instances of your own, make a topic and share.

Malik