How to Add Mods to Your GTA San Andreas Server

A SA-MP or open.mp server has no classic mod system. It is extended in four ways:

Way	What it is	Target folder
Gamemode	The main script that defines what happens on the server (roleplay, racing, freeroam …)	/gamemodes/
Filterscript	A small additional script that runs alongside the gamemode	/filterscripts/
Plugin	A native extension of the server, e.g. for MySQL or the streamer	/plugins/
Custom models / artwork	Your own 3D models and textures as .dff and .txd files	/models/

Note

There are two server variants with different configuration files: SA-MP uses server.cfg, open.mp uses config.json. open.mp still reads server.cfg, but recommends config.json because it offers more settings. You can see which file you have via SFTP in the main directory of your server.

Caution

Stop your server via the dashboard before uploading files or changing the configuration.

Install a gamemode

1. Stop the server
   Stop your server via the dashboard.

2. Connect via SFTP
   Connect to your server via SFTP.

3. Upload the gamemode
   Upload the .amx file of your gamemode to the following directory:

   /gamemodes/

   Note

   Only the compiled .amx file belongs on the server. The matching .pwn file is just the source code and is not executed by the server.

4. Register the gamemode
   Enter the file name without the .amx extension in your configuration.

   open.mp — config.json:

   {
       "pawn": {
           "main_scripts": ["my-gamemode 1"]
       }
   }

   SA-MP — server.cfg:

   gamemode0 my-gamemode 1

   The number behind it defines how many rounds the gamemode runs before the server switches to the next entry.

5. Start the server
   Save the change and start your server.

Tip

If you want to rotate through several gamemodes, add them as further entries in main_scripts, or use consecutive gamemode0, gamemode1, gamemode2 and so on in server.cfg.

Install a filterscript

Filterscripts run in addition to the gamemode and can be combined freely.

1. Upload the filterscript
   Upload the .amx file via SFTP to the following directory:

   /filterscripts/

2. Register the filterscript
   

   open.mp — config.json:

   {
       "pawn": {
           "side_scripts": ["filterscripts/Race_System"]
       }
   }

   SA-MP — server.cfg:

   filterscripts Race_System Anticheat Adminspec

   In server.cfg you separate several filterscripts with spaces.

3. Start the server
   Save the change and start your server.

Install a plugin

Important

Your server runs on Linux and therefore requires plugins as .so files. Windows plugins in .dll format do not work. Many plugins are offered for both systems — make sure you download the Linux version.

1. Upload the plugin
   Upload the .so file via SFTP to the following directory:

   /plugins/

2. Place the include
   If the plugin ships an include file (e.g. streamer.inc or sscanf2.inc), it belongs in the following directory so you can compile your gamemode against it:

   /qawno/include/

3. Register the plugin
   

   open.mp — config.json:

   {
       "pawn": {
           "legacy_plugins": ["mysql", "streamer"]
       }
   }

   SA-MP — server.cfg:

   plugins mysql.so streamer.so

4. Start the server
   Save the change and start your server.

Note

open.mp additionally ships its own components, which live in the /components/ folder. These are not the same as classic SA-MP plugins and are not listed in legacy_plugins.

Add custom models

Custom models let you bring your own vehicles, objects or skins onto the server. Players download these files automatically when they connect — they do not have to install anything.

1. Upload the models
   Upload your .dff and .txd files via SFTP to the following directory:

   /models/

2. Enable artwork
   

   open.mp — config.json:

   {
       "artwork": {
           "enable": true,
           "models_path": "models"
       }
   }

   SA-MP — server.cfg:

   useartwork 1
   artpath models

3. Register the models in the script
   The files alone are not enough. Your gamemode has to register the models in OnGameModeInit using AddSimpleModel or AddCharModel. Only then are they delivered to the players.

4. Start the server
   Save the changes and start your server.

Caution

Custom models were introduced with SA-MP 0.3.DL R1 and do not work in earlier versions. In addition, useartwork or artwork.enable has to be turned on, otherwise the models are ignored.

Note

On the players' side the downloaded models end up in the cache under Documents\GTA San Andreas User Files\SAMP\cache, in a subfolder per server IP and port. If models are displayed incorrectly after an update, clearing that folder usually helps.

Tip

If the models do not reach your players, open.mp can serve them from an external web server instead. Enter its HTTP address in artwork.cdn — the files are then downloaded from there instead of from the server itself.

Where do scripts store their data?

Everything a gamemode stores permanently — accounts, houses, vehicles, statistics — is created by the script itself. The only folder Pawn scripts are allowed to write to is:

/scriptfiles/

Note

Scripts cannot access files outside of scriptfiles. Many larger gamemodes store their data in a MySQL or SQLite database instead. How to back that data up is described under Create Backup.

Important

Single-player mods for GTA San Andreas (.asi plugins, CLEO scripts, replaced models) are not server mods. They do not belong on the server and even prevent the multiplayer client from starting on your players' PCs.