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This is the fourth part of our LSPDFR 0.3 preview series.  For more information about the background behind 0.3, check out the third installment in this series here: http://www.lcpdfr.com/forums/topic/55644-lspdfr-03-downtown-police-station/
So, from the hundreds of thousands of videos on YouTube, the near half-million million downloads of the mod itself and the the fact we keep on smashing records, like when we had 5,000 of you crazy folk online at once, we've got this really small, tiny suspicion - and I'm just going on a hunch here - but we think you guys quite like to arrest people?
If there's actually some truth to this wild guess, I'm very happy to tell you that we've got quite the new feature set for when dispensing your own brand of justice is necessary.  Don't just take my word for it though, this is one of those occasions where a picture tells probably a lot more than a thousand words.

As you can see, we've implemented a beautiful new gameplay mechanic for performing certain tasks which gives you real-time visual feedback in the form of a progress bar.  The cool bit is that it looks like exactly like the user interface found in the original game, too.
Now, instead of simply pointing a gun and pressing a key to arrest a suspect, you have to actually keep aim in their general direction while holding down said control.  As you do this, the progress bar fills (and it does so really quickly).  Now, we know a lot of people wanted to see the ability to arrest suspects on the ground, so the end result of a successful gunpoint takedown is a suspect laying flat on the floor, ready to be cuffed up.  Oh yeah, we're just getting started...

As you might be able to work out, the same new gameplay mechanic is then used for giving the gift of metal bracelets to your suspect, where you actually interactively apply the cuffs; progress meter filling in time with the animation.  Not only is this system really cool, but it is also truly immersive - you have complete control over the process meaning that a sudden change in heart can be realised by simply releasing the control.  This new system is pretty awesome, and we can't wait for everyone to be able to try it for themselves.
Of course, all of this is a little bit mean so far.  We've got people getting guns shoved in their faces as they are forced down to the ground and what not; wouldn't it also be nice to be able to serve up some justice with a friendly smile?  We think it would be, so you can now arrest people without using any weapons at all through the way in which this new gameplay mechanic is now tied in with the Stop & Identify feature.  When stopping pedestrians on the street, everything works as it did before: pressing E will bring up the same menu with the same options.  One key difference, though, is that by merely looking at your target, then pressing and holding the same key, you can begin seamlessly cuffing them on the spot.  The results can be quite spectacular.

You've probably sussed that we really like this new mechanic by now, and we hope that you like the sound of it as much as we do.  To seal the deal though, you can use the same process to release suspects from handcuffs now.  It's as simple as walking behind them and pressing and holding the same key used to set them down on the ground.

After a short break from the non-stop development of the first couple of versions of LSPDFR, we're really excited to officially announce the next installment in the series - LSPDFR 0.3.  As you might have come to expect, LSPDFR 0.3 takes strongly after its predecessors, introducing a big bunch of groundbreaking new features and gameplay.
With actually only a few weeks of development, it is amazing how far this next version of LSPDFR has come, and the extent of fresh, new content and possibilities that it offers.

You asked, we listened.  Arresting suspects has been drastically improved, especially with the brand new addition of interactive cuffing - no guns required! 
With 0.3, we've taken the time to rebuild some of the core mechanics of the modification, particularly as it comes to arresting suspects.  With a brand new interactive system, you can now easily and seamlessly place stopped suspects in handcuffs.  The animations for this are incredibly fluid, as is the way in which the process works, with interactivity being a key component.  In 0.3, when you arrest someone, there's a very tangible feeling of control - a massive improvement from earlier versions where, due to a reliance on normal playback, it could often feel as though you had been taken out of the game as you waited for an animation to finish.

The Vapid Police Interceptor makes its LSPDFR debut in 0.3.  Well, with our entirely new and seriously powerful XML based backup unit customization, so does every other vehicle (and ped) in your game too!
We'll be sharing more about the features and changes in LSPDFR 0.3 over the next week or so, as we take a more in-depth look at what 0.3 brings to the table, including the full Downtown Police Station interior, amazingly improved interaction with suspects, and much more!