Welcome to a simplified MTA beginner's guide where you can find information on how to install the mod and start playing!
Multi Theft Auto: San Andreas (MTA:SA) is a multiplayer mod ("modification") for the Microsoft Windows version of Rockstar North's Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas that adds an otherwise absent online multiplayer component.
Although often referred to as a modification, Multi Theft Auto is based on code injection and hooking techniques whereby the game is manipulated without altering any original files supplied with the game. The software functions as a game engine that installs itself as an extension of the original game, adding core functionality such as networking and GUI rendering while exposing the original game's engine functionality through a scripting language. Multi Theft Auto's latest release is for the game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and is built upon a now open source game engine that has been in development for several years and is the only project that is still actively maintained. The engine provides users with all the necessary tools they need to create their own game modes and maps by exposing a large part of the original game functionality through a Lua scripting API.
To install MTA you will need the following:
- Internet connection
- Up to date system (supported operating system, preferably Windows 11 or 10, up-to-date graphics drivers and others)
- Meet the System Requirements
First, make sure you have GTA:SA installed on your machine. Information on how to buy the game is available here.
Generally, the game is installed under C:\Program Files (x86)\Rockstar Games\GTA San Andreas where you can find the main singleplayer executable gta_sa.exe.
Follow these steps to successfully install MTA:
- Download the MTA installer from multitheftauto.com/download.
- Execute the installer program.
- Tick the box to accept the license that comes with MTA.
- Then, you will be able to select which components to install with MTA: click next, accepting the default option (client & server).
- Afterwards, you are asked for a folder in which to install MTA. This can by anywhere and should not be in you GTA:SA directory. Avoid special folders like OneDrive or other cloud-synced directories.
- Select your GTA:SA installation folder. This is where the game is located on your PC (see the section about GTA:SA), which MTA will access when launching.
- Click install and finish!
Launch MTA from the Desktop or Start Menu shortcut. You will be able to connect to public servers or even host your own!
Enjoy!
If you encounter errors or problems during installation or execution of MTA, you should:
- Download and run MTADiag (link here): a diagnostic tool for MTA:SA
- After it finishes analysing your set up, it will provide an MTA Pastebin link that you can share with the community to get help (see the Help section below).
- This tool also fixes some common issues automatically, so you should Restart your PC after running it, then try launching MTA again.
Visit the Known Issues page if you have issues, or join the MTA Discord and do so in the #help-support channel.
Visit the MTA Wiki to find more about MTA (history, client, server, etc).
This guide was inspired by the MTA Client Manual.