If you are setting up GTA Vice City on a modern PC, keep these quick tips in mind regarding your control configuration:
It is often confused with the legitimate vanilla configuration files: gta_vc.set
For those interested in diving deeper into the world of keys.dat and GTA VC modding, here are some additional resources:
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is not a standard game file; it is a critical configuration component used by the popular third-party mod "GTA Vice City Ultimate Trainer." Core Functionality Dependency keys.dat gta vc
: Sometimes the trainer cannot "see" the file due to Windows permission issues; right-click the trainer and select "Run as Administrator".
In the PC version of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002), game settings and keybindings are managed through specific configuration files rather than a modern cloud-save system. At the center of the game's control configuration is a file named . This article explores the purpose of this file, how to modify it, and how to resolve common issues associated with it. What is the keys.dat File?
| Offset (hex) | Length | Action | Default Value (Scancode) | Physical Key | |--------------|--------|----------------|--------------------------|---------------| | 0x00 | 1 | PED_FORWARDS | 0x11 | W | | 0x01 | 1 | PED_BACKWARDS | 0x1F | S | | 0x02 | 1 | PED_LEFT | 0x1E | A | | 0x03 | 1 | PED_RIGHT | 0x20 | D | | 0x04 | 1 | PED_FIRE | 0x22 | LMB (mouse) → 0x22 (Ctrl) in classic layout | | 0x05 | 1 | PED_ENTER_EXIT | 0x12 | E | | … | … | … | … | … | | 0x30 | 1 | VEHICLE_HORN | 0x13 | H | If you are setting up GTA Vice City
), this file cannot be easily edited with a standard text editor like Notepad without potentially corrupting the data. Location of keys.dat
: Always scan trainer files with an up-to-date antivirus program before running them. Because trainers modify the memory of another process, they are often falsely flagged as viruses, but it's still best practice to download from trusted, well-known sources.
CONVERSATION_FORWARD 26 # W -> actually fires when LSHIFT+W pressed This article explores the purpose of this file,
# GTA Vice City - Modern WASD + E + R Controls # Movement 1025, 287, 0, 0, "Forward (W)" 1026, 288, 0, 0, "Back (S)" 1027, 289, 0, 0, "Turn Left (A)" 1028, 290, 0, 0, "Turn Right (D)" # Vehicle Exit / Action 1034, 305, 0, 0, "Enter/Exit (E)" 1035, 306, 0, 0, "Horn/Next Weapon (R)" # Look Behind 1043, 314, 0, 0, "Look Back (Mouse 4 / V)"
: You have the trainer's .exe but not the associated keys.dat or other required library files in the same folder.
To edit it outside of the game, you would need a hex editor and a deep understanding of the memory addresses Vice City assigns to specific keys. For 99% of players, it is significantly faster and safer to simply adjust the controls via the in-game menu. Backing Up and Sharing Layouts