Well after a nine month wait and much speculation the Mafia patch has finally arrived, it was rumoured that it would include Multiplayer support but this was later quashed. We also heard that the patch would include a special surprise or bonus, well this has also been quashed, so what exactly does the patch do, well here is the short list:

• >Speaker selection fix in the Mafia Setup
  >Matrox Parhelia surround gaming support
  >FSAA autodetection fix for new ATI cards
  >ATI Radeon compatibility fix
  >On Board Sound Card compatibility fix
  >Fixed Force Feedback compatibility fix with FF peripherals
  >Racing mission difficulty decreased
  >Overall performance fixes
  >Problems playing the intro movies

You can get the patch from Take 2 in either English, German and French it weighs in at 17mb

Thanks to Dave Feltham for the heads up.

Mack
Site Executive

At last a MOD has been released that actually looks and sounds good, as you know we don't usualy post MOD news as I have not yet found one worthy of a mention, all that is about to change. Zdenek Polach from Bonusweb mailed me regarding the new Bluedream MOD, it's features include:

• More than 700 different textures
• 90 new sounds (new music included too)
• Many completely new models.

After installing BlueDream, the Lost Heaven city will look like a modern city in 90 fashion style: glassed-in buildings, todays cars, shops, and - of course - music. Thats mean modernized roar of cars, guns and police sirens too.

You can grab Bluedream MOD from Bonusweb

Mack
Webmaster

After much consideration we put it to the vote and have decided to appoint Jeevan as the new Mafia World webmaster. I am arranging for the transfer to take place next week, I wish him well with his new role and I am sure he will do a good job.

Commiseration to the other applicants, most of them had impressive CV's, thanks again for applying.

Mack
Webmaster

I am leaving the site next week as I am not really interested in Mafia anymore since the exclusion of Multiplayer and therefore I am not really dedicated to the game. So if you want to become the new webmaster of this site please send your applications to me stating your experience and reasons why you would like the job. Applicants must be able to edit HTML and also have a passion for the game. No time wasters please! Needless to say this job does not pay a wage, you do it for the pleasure.

I can't see their being much work to do over the coming years except answering endless emails about why this game does not work and when is the patch coming out. ;)

Mack
Webmaster

Here are the final results of our Patch poll:

Does your Mafia Game need a patch to fix bugs?
Yes it has problems 64.7%
No it runs fine 35.3%

So there you have it, the vast majority of the people that paid for this game require a patch in order for it to work properly.

Have Take2 officially announced that a patch will be released? Answer is NO.
Is a patch being released? Well from what we hear from unofficial sources YES.
Is this acceptable communication to the thousands of people who paid good money for this game and are now begging for technical support? NO

A simple press release saying a patch is coming is all that's needed, 99% of other software houses can make this statement, why not Take2?

I am answering mails every day from people asking about a patch and why this game does not work, we are just a fan site and although we have a fantastic community that are helping each other solve problems, some of them are simply unworkable. Take2 are not legally obliged to release a patch, but if they start supporting the people that buy their products, then just maybe they will stop people avoiding the Take2 label on the shelf in future.

Comment on this in our News Forum

Mack
Webmaster

First the bad news, no casino, no multiplayer. How to get the door in the tunnel to open, in FRE start next to the tunnel beneath the cave (end of tracks South of Salieri's warehouse) facing back into town. Get onto the road and turn South (left), take the second right, just before the parking sign on the map.

A little way down on the right hand side is an ironmongers shop set back off the road, get out and click on the door when you see the action button icon appear, nothing will happen. Go back and walk into the tunnel (park a car next to the bank, jump onto the bonnet then up the bank, lower yourself carefully down the wall inside the barriers and walk along the right hand wall until another action icon appears, click it and a hidden door will open leading into a tunnel which goes to the cave.

Fugue
News Editor

We eventually have our downloads active again, we have added 2 savegame files, one that gets you just past the race and one that has every mission complete, you can grab them here.

We have also added the +19 trainer, it gives you all the weapons and unlimited Health, Fuel, Time, Ammo and a host of other goodies, you can grab that here.

Mack
Webmaster