Client on Linux Manual

	This article needs checking.
	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

	Warning: This page is for Linux players ONLY, for Windows go here.

Other Methods

These are related Client on Linux methods for other setups:

Lutris

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

Bottles/Soda

Bottles can also be used in conjunction with the Soda runner, see Client on Linux using Bottles/Soda Manual

Steam Deck

Steam Deck mobile device can also be used to play MTA, see Client on Steam Deck 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.

It is recommended to use 32-bit Wine prefix. But if you do not want to install 32-bit libs, or your distro ships with enforced WoW64 Wine mode, use 64-bit Wine prefix instead, although 64-bit Wine prefix introduces some instability, bugs and potential performance issues, but it's still very playable.

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; (Install Wine Staging if you want better audio quality (experimental))
• Winetricks (same as wine, get it on your package manager, or follow instructions here)
• (for 32-bit wine bottle only) 32-bit GPU mesa drivers for your GPU (for arch, use package lib32-mesa)
• (for 32-bit wine bottle only) 32-bit Audio drivers (for arch, follow instructions here
• TLS libraries (for arch, use packages gnutls and (lib32-gnutls for 32-bit wine bottle only))
• MTA:SA version 1.6 or newer (1.6 contains many improvements for Wine)
• Windows fonts:
  • tahoma.ttf
  • tahomabd.ttf
  • verdana.ttf

You can download them from following places:

• Get them on the Internet, e.g. fontonic.com
• Get the zip archive with the 3 fonts here.
• Get them via your package manager (apt, pacman (ttf-tahoma and ttf-ms-fonts from AUR))

Create new prefix

Firstly, we need to create a new prefix:

1. Start Winetricks
2. Select Create new prefix
3. If you can, select 32-bit prefix. If you did not installed 32-bit libraries, or you have enforced WoW64, create 64-bit prefix.
4. Write name of prefix, we will use mtasa

Installing the game

(You can skip this if you installed the game via Steam or other supported Games Store) Install the game from DVD or ISO into our prefix, by executing following command:

WINEPREFIX=~/.local/share/wineprefixes/mtasa wine /mnt/setup.exe

(Replace /mnt/setup.exe with path to installer's setup.exe)

Complete the installation as usual, you can keep installation path as is.
Afterwards, download the MTA installer from mtasa.com, and execute it inside our prefix with following command:

WINEPREFIX=~/.local/share/wineprefixes/mtasa wine ~/Downloads/mtasa-1.6.exe

(As previously, change path to the installer)
Keep the options as is, only change is required if installation path of GTA is different from default, in that case, browse the path to the game.

Configuring prefix

Firstly, we need to assure that our prefix have required fonts, mentioned in Requirements part. If you installed those fonts via package manager or into your Linux system, Wine should be able to pick them up automatically.

If that doesn't work, manually install them in

~/.local/share/wineprefixes/mtasa/drive_c/windows/Fonts

If you installed Wine Staging, we can enable Environmental Audio Extensions (EAX), which is experimental feature, although I didn't encountered any issues with it. You can enable it as follows:

1. Open Winetricks
2. Select mtasa prefix
3. Select Run winecfg
4. Go to Staging tab
5. Enable Environmental Audio Extensions (EAX)

For 64-bit prefix

Normally for DirectX games, DirectX to OpenGL shim is used. Wine WoW64 have significant performance issues in games using OpenGL. Because of this, it is recommended to install DXVK through WineTricks. In the past, DXVK did not worked with MTA, although, so far it works quite nicely, although it's less stable as on 32-bit bottle with internal DirectX to OpenGL shim.

1. Open Winetricks
2. Select mtasa prefix
3. Select Install a Windows DLL or component
4. Select dxvk

Running the game

Once installed, double-clicking on the Desktop shortcut or menu item should work. If not, try in a terminal the following command:

WINEPREFIX=~/.local/share/wineprefixes/mtasa wine ~/.local/share/wineprefixes/mtasa/drive_c/Program\ Files/MTA\ San\ Andreas\ 1.6\Multi\ Theft\ Auto.exe

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 1.6/MTA/coreconfig.xml"
   (Also remember to create a copy, if you don't want to lose your edited MTA configuration)

• "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 (NOTE: DXVK seems to work on latest versions of Wine, DXVK and 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

(NOTE: This does not work anymore, MTA stops due integrity check failure.)

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

• nightly.mtasa.com - For nightly builds.
• https://bugs.mtasa.com/view.php?id=8895 - a bug report containing useful info for running MTA in Wine