Client on Linux Manual

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Reason(s): MTA:SA support on Linux is on a best-effort basis, and you can run into a long list of issues. Also see "Known issues" paragraph
Dialog-warning.png Warning: This page is for Linux players ONLY, for Windows go here.

Lutris

Lutris can be used instead for easier Prefix management, see Client on Linux using Lutris Manual

Before you start

First of all, please ensure your computer fits the requirements needed. Read the Client Manual page for further informations, or join us on Discord.

During this tutorial, make sure to only use 32-bit Wine prefix for MTA:SA, or else you'll run into a plethora of hard-to-fix issues.

Requirements

The hardware requirements for Multi Theft Auto: San Andreas are the same as on Windows. For software requirements, you need:

  • Wine (get it on your package manager (synaptic, apt, pacman, yum, etc.); follow instructions here if you're using Ubuntu

(as of MTA 1.4.1 Ubuntu's default Wine package seems to be incompatible with Visual C++, which is required to install MTA)

  • Windows fonts installed:
    • tahoma.ttf
    • tahomabd.ttf
    • verdana.ttf

Get them on the Internet, e.g. fontonic.com

Or get the zip archive with the 3 fonts here.

Install them in: 

~/.wine/dosdevices/c:/windows/Fonts/

(~/ points to your user home folder on Linux, .wine is the default wineprefix)

Installing the game

Download the MTA installer from mtasa.com, ensure you can launch it (chmod +x) then install it when you want.
Make sure to only use 32-bit Wine prefix for MTA:SA, or else you'll run into a plethora of hard-to-fix issues.

Running the game

Once installed, double-clicking on the Multi Theft Auto.exe should work. If not, try in a terminal the following command: "wine Multi Theft Auto.exe" in the directory you installed Multi Theft Auto to. If it doesn't work, check the contents of the file c:/Program_Files/Multi Theft Auto/MTA/CEGUI.log, which may contain useful information.

Known issues

  • MTA isn't starting (even with fonts installed)
  1. Try to start MTA:SA in a virtual desktop
    Go to WineConfig, choose the tab "Graphics" and select "Emulate a virtual desktop".
  2. Try to delete your gta_sa.set file
    which is located in the "GTA San Andreas User Files" folder, which can be found in your home directory.
    (Remember to create a copy, if you're playing San Andreas in singleplayer)
  3. Try to delete your MTA config file
    which is: "MTA San Andreas 1.3/MTA/coreconfig.xml"
    (Also remember to create a copy, if you don't want to lose your edited MTA configuration)
  • MTA won't start on Ubuntu 12.04 LTS [Temporary fix is available here. Although, just updating away from such an old version of Ubuntu is the recommended way to go]
  • "SD #16 Error" when connecting to a server
  • "No audio card detected" when launching either GTA:SA or MTA
  • Using standard Full-screen mode on MTA might cause some occasional artifacts
  • Enabling DXVK might not break GTA:SA, but it breaks MTA
  • Using Linux brings a higher-than-usual chance for game crashes due to various reasons (sometimes to do with resources & mods on individual servers)
  • CEF crashes with some wine versions. Use workaround for this issue



* Making the mistake of using a 64-bit prefix may specifically result in:

  • "SD #16 Error" when connecting to a server
  • "libcef.dll" MTA crash upon joining servers, or during gameplay (when server uses CEF and your CEF web browser is enabled)
  • Even higher chance for instability, lag issues and game crashes

.. and much more


Specific issues with workarounds


Crash when connecting
Sometimes the audio-server makes problems (could be related to PulseAudio), in this case, you've to go to WineConfig and choose the tab Audio, then deselect "ALSA" and select "EsoundD". Save the settings and restart MTA.

Crash in basswma.dll module while streaming audio
Workaround: Install Windows Media Player 11
Before carrying this out, install Winetricks 

winetricks -q wmp11

If that doesnt solve the issue, try an older version:
winetricks -q wmp10

Special Detections (SD)
This was already described above in general terms, of possible issues if you're not using 32-bit prefix as is recommended. But for this "Specific issues" section we will go in-depth more regarding SD #21 kick from AC that commonly affects Linux/Wine users:
If you are using a 64-bit wine version/prefix you may have problems with Special Detections. If the server you are trying to connect keeps showing something like this, then you should make a 32 bit wine prefix (or bottle). 

export WINEARCH=win32 WINEPREFIX=~/.winegta
winecfg

Look at your Windows version and press OK to create the prefix. Now you have a 32-bit wine prefix on ~/.winegta. Install GTA:SA and them MTA. After this, MTA and GTA have been installed within ~/.winegta prefix which is a 32-bit wine environment.

Note: In some scenario's, while creating your 32-bit prefix, it may be needed to change Windows version on the bottom to Windows 7. But avoid it whenever possible.

Font Artifacts
If you see weird fonts artifacts like this then you need to add a new DLL override to your prefix/bottle.

  1. Open Wine configuration for your prefix/bottle, go to the Libraries tab
  2. Click on the 'New override for library:' dropdown and select 'd3dx9_42'
  3. Click on 'Edit...' and select 'Builtin (Wine)' then 'OK'

Apply all the changes and you're good to go.
(Make sure you have 'd3dx9_42' installed in your prefix) 

 winetricks d3dx9_42



Closing words
To avoid many of the roadblocks when it comes to Linux/Wine issues in general, just use 32-bit Prefix as suggested. However, if you still run into issues, you can inform yourself better about MTA's Linux/Mac support levels and background by joining the MTA discord and going to #help-support channel, to specifically read information at this pinned message: https://discord.com/channels/278474088903606273/278521065435824128/894932698269900830

We realize that the wiki pages & documentation regarding Linux, macOS support (such as: through Wine, Lutris, PlayOnLinux, Parallels Desktop etc) is far from perfect, and that the list of potential issues you can run into isn't complete. As the MTA discord linked post tries to explain, these platforms are supported on a best-effort basis (in a technical sense, not an user support sense) and even then you'll find others on the MTA discord that are Linux users & play MTA after performing some workarounds, that may be willing to help you. These people are also advised to add any known issue (and workaround for it) to the wiki documentations, so if that sounds like you then feel free to edit this page for instance, and help future users that find themselves in the same situation as you were. Linux/Wine just gives really obscure, hard to fix issues with MTA and other applications/games, including niche ones that individual users happen to resolve somehow.. that's the point.

See Also

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