Although the successful Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (released in 2004) was initially sold as a purely solo game, thanks to the ingenuity of independent modders (or game modification experts) you can now play with other players over the internet. SA-MP (short for "San Andreas Multiplayer") is a free multiplayer (aka multiplayer) mod for San Andreas that allows players to interact online in various competitive and free play modes. See Step 1 below to get started.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Getting the SA-MP Mod
Step 1. Make sure you install a valid copy of San Andreas
SA-MP, is a mod (short for "modification") that allows you to play San Andreas with multiple players. This means that for this mod to work, San Andreas must be installed on your computer. As a standalone program, the mod has no gameplay capabilities. Make sure you install a playable copy of the game.
- Obviously, You won't be able to play multiplayer San Andreas if you don't have the game installed on your computer.
- Note that in addition to the basic requirements of the San Andreas system, SA-MP also requires 5.6 MB of hard disk space, and an internet connection. Recommended bandwidth (broadband) for smooth playing.
Step 2. Download the mod from sa-mp.com
When you're ready to get started, head over to the official SA-MP website, namely sa-mp.com, to find the San Andreas Multiplayer mod. From the main page of the site, click Download in the tab on the left side of the screen. On the next screen, click on one of the download links for the main SA-MP client (options at the top of the page) to start downloading your file.
The SA-MP client is free to download, and since the file to install is relatively small (around 11 MB), the process won't take long on most computers
Step 3. Run the installation file
When the download is complete, run the installation file by searching for it in the downloads directory, then double-clicking it or selecting Run or something from the Download menu in your browser. An installation wizard will appear with simple instructions that will guide you throughout the process. Follow the instructions to complete the SA-MP installation.
During the installation process, you will be asked to specify the directory where San Andreas will be installed. The relevant Destination Folder text box is already populated with the game's general installation directory, so if you installed San Andreas in the general directory, you won't have to do anything but click Install. However, if you installed San Andreas in another directory, you will need to locate this directory by clicking the Browse… button next to the text box and selecting the game's installation directory
Step 4. Alternatively, you can download and install the server client
In addition to a legit copy of the game from San Andreas, you'll need the online multiplayer mod discussed above. However, if you want to host an online game server instead of just playing, you will need to download and install an additional server client. This client is available for Windows and Linux operating systems from the same download page as the main mod client above.
Note that the download package that contains the server client also contains the PAWN script tool which is used to create custom scenarios in SA-MP. For more information on scripts, see the SA-MP wiki
Step 5. When you are ready to play, run the SA-MP file
Once you've installed the main mod client and/or optional server client, you're ready to play! The installation process will automatically create a shortcut on the desktop named "San Andreas Multiplayer". Just click on this icon to launch the mod. If you don't see a shortcut, check the San Andreas Multiplayer file in the main San Andreas directory.
When you run this file, a browser window titled "San Andreas Multiplayer" will launch. In the next section, we will use this browser to search and join games
Part 2 of 3: Play Mod
Step 1. Find an interesting server
After launching the SA-MP browser window, click the Internet tab at the bottom of the window to populate the window with the game server. From here, you can browse the list of available servers using the scroll key.
Note that you can also filter by map, game mode, and several other criteria using the tools in Filters at the bottom left of the window
Step 2. Join the server by right-clicking and selecting Connect
Once you are ready to play, select the server you want to log into from the master list by clicking on it, then right click and select Connect. If all goes well, you will be connected to the server and can start playing immediately.
Note that some private servers (usually created to be played between friends or groups of people who know each other) are password protected. You must know the password for the server to be able to join
Step 3. Enjoy
From this point on, you'll be playing any scenario and interacting online with other SA-MP players. You can play any type of game and define the quality of the experience at will. While SA-MP has dozens of specialized game modes, some of the most common are as follows:
- DM (Deathmatch): Players compete (either in teams or individually) to see who kills the most enemies.
- CTF (Capture The Flag): Each team scores points by stealing the flag from the opponent's base base and returning it to their own base.
- Freighter: One team keeps the base secure, while the other team attempts to infiltrate.
- Moneygrub/Land Grab: Players compete for the most treasure and/or real estate.
- Cops and Robbers (aka Cops N Gangs): Players are grouped into teams of criminals and cops, and compete over multiple objectives (e.g. a scenario requires both teams to capture the same van).
- Free roam: No purpose here! Just explore the landscape at your leisure.
- …and much more!
Step 4. Memorize the SA-MP interface as you play
While the actual core tactical gameplay of SA-MP is very similar (even identical) to the tactical aspects of single-player San Andreas, certain aspects of this mod's interface can be confusing for first-timers. Some of the changes you can note include:
- Chatbox: This addition in the upper left corner of the screen allows players to chat in-game. Use the T or F6 keys to chat. Turn the chatbox on and off with F7.
- Kill info window: This new window is located on the right side of the screen and provides death information for every player in the game. This window shows who-kills-who and how the player dies. Toggle windows on and off with F9.
- Class selection screen. The first thing you see when you start your game is the class selection screen. On this screen, you can choose the "skin" or appearance of the character. Depending on the game mode, the skin you choose can have an effect on your team as well as your role in the game.
Step 5. Observe good playing etiquette as you play
SA-MP online game servers aren't always the most serious places, - both conversations and game content can range from impolite to downright vulgar. However, most players want to play in a good, clean and fun way. "bad" players however run the risk of ruining someone else's gaming experience. To avoid being one of them, pay attention to the following etiquette in the game:
- Don't be an annoying loser. Insulting other players or intentionally sabotaging the game after you lose is simply not cool.
- Do not lie. Hacking or intentionally exploiting the mechanics of the game not only hurts other players who want fair competition - it also costs you by not getting a chance to score a real win.
- Don't use harsh language. Racism, pornographic language and other prejudices have no place in the SA-MP community.
- Don't send spam messages. Yelling or texting the same thing over and over is not funny, so don't do it.
Part 3 of 3: Troubleshooting
Step 1. If you can't run SA-MP, try downgrading to version 1.0
One of the most common errors encountered in SA-MP is that the latest versions of core San Andreas games (such as 2.0, 3.0, etc.) are slightly less compatible with many mods, including SA-MP. Fortunately, there are free third-party utilities available to "downgrade" the San Andreas version to 1.0 (one of these utilities is available on the main SA-MP download site). If you are having problems with SA-MP and the version of your copy of San Andreas is not 1.0, download, install, and then run one of these utilities to switch back to version 1.0.
- One of the common errors that occurs because these versions don't match is that after launching the game via the SA-MP client, it loads the single player version instead of the multiplayer mod from San Andreas.
- Another error that can occur is that the mod does not run at all. Instead, the error message "San Andreas cannot be found" will appear.
Step 2. If SA-MP still won't run, remove every other mod
Another common issue that can prevent SA-MP from running is compatibility issues with other mods. Running multiple mods at once can cause conflicts in the game code and make the game unstable and crashing, even preventing it from loading at the start. The easiest way to solve this problem is usually to disable or remove the mod in question before running SA-MP.
Step 3. For connectivity issues, adjust your firewall settings
Firewalls are great at protecting your computer from viruses, malicious programs, and other online hazards, but they can be a source of trouble when you want to play online games. By limiting the type of traffic that can flow in and out of the computer, certain firewall settings can prevent SA-MP from contacting game servers. Unfortunately, since your problem may vary depending on the firewall and settings selected, there is no single solution that will solve all connectivity issues. Check with the firewall manufacturer for more information.
Common connectivity issues that occur include not being able to see the server in the SA-MP browser window and the game stopping at a "Connecting to ip:port…" message when connecting in the game
Step 4. If the name tags of other players are not visible, use a new graphics card
Some low-end PCs, especially those whose graphics cards are integrated with the hard drive, rather than a separate, dedicated graphics card, will have a hard time displaying all the graphics information in the SA-MP. One symptom of this problem is that certain other players' name tags are not visible. Since this problem is caused by a lack of graphics processing power in the computer itself, the only solution is to upgrade the hardware. Compared to the price of a new graphics card, you are better off ignoring this problem.
Note that some game modes may disable name tags as a tactical aspect of the game
Tips
- Don't spam, not only can you get kicked but some admins can also block you while sending messages that provoke you!
- If you play the C version, join the "Andromeda Stunt Server" server. There are many groups of players who will help you, and that's where the author often plays. (His name is [JS]Gaz[OG]) and his IP is: 195.88.202.173:7788 which also allows up to 150 players to play. Or join at 188.138.31.168:7777 which allows 500 players.
