Multi Theft Auto

A screenshot of one of the earlier closed MTA:SA Deathmatch (alpha version).

Multi Theft Auto (MTA) is a mod ("modification") for the PC version of Rockstar North games Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas that allows them to be played online against other players around the world, in a similar way to other popular online games, such as Counter-Strike.

Although often referred to as a mod, MTA is more or less based on the trainer and code injection methods of manipulating the game through its own memory, and does not alter any original files supplied with the game itself.

MTA was ranked as one of the top online games according to CSports.net. Current rough player numbers can be seen at Game-Monitor.COM, which records a reasonable percentage of all public servers (with reporting enabled).

Previous statistics (measured with The All-Seeing Eye) of GTA3:MTA and MTA:VC have shown steady amounts of players up to roughly one thousand people playing simultanously online. MTA's first San Andreas version, MTA:SA R1.0, even showed peaks of up to roughly 1500 players up until weeks after release.

The upcoming version of Multi Theft Auto, aimed specifically for the GTA: San Andreas game, will include a deathmatch mode, and the long awaited (multiplayer) modability along with the necessary tools, unlike anything seen before in the Multi Theft Auto series.

History

MTA was first released under the name GTA3AM (GTA III Alternative Multiplayer) on February 8, 2003. This allowed two people to play GTA III against each other. Only in-vehicle play was allowed; when outside the vehicle the user was invisible to the other player. As time has progressed, MTA has improved considerably and now allows users to play GTA Vice City as well as GTA III on the 0.x core, supporting many players and includes many of the features of the original games. MTA for GTA Vice City and GTA III is currently at version 0.5, while the new core supporting GTA San Andreas is currently at version 1.1.1.

0.5 offers two game modes for GTA Vice City: Deathmatch and Stunt. Deathmatch offers several character classes that players can spawn as, each with advantages and disadvantages. Stunt offers players the opportunity to race and perform stunts over ramps that are added to the map.

GTA III players are offered a "drop-in" style of deathmatch gameplay on Portland and Staunton Island, where the player spawns with limited weapons and has to purchase more at Ammunations with money earned from kills. There are no classes; each player has exactly the same advantages as the next. Shoreside Vale builds on this by offering the player a choice of skin and primary weapon to spawn with.

The team had originally planned an extra 0.5.5 release with bug fixes, a new style of deathmatch for GTA Vice City and several enhancements to GTA3:MTA. They decided, however, to focus on their next-generation technology, codenamed "Blue".

Multi Theft Auto San Andreas features the new game mode "race" where you race against other MTA players in GTA San Andreas. You have to go through all of the checkpoints/coronas to finish the race. It also offers a map editor that allows you to create your own maps for different styles of gameplay. A very popular map is Destruction Derby, in which you have to destroy the opposition.

MTA: San Andreas

The newest release of MTA is for Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and is built upon a new core codenamed "Blue" which has been in development for two and a half years. Blue represents a major shift in the team's focus because they will be providing users with all the tools they need to create their own game modes and leaving much of the game mode creation to third parties. There will be a few "default" game modes included with the installation package, however. The first release of MTA:SA features a vehicle racing mode and an accompanying map editing mode that allows you to create custom environments and races. "Deathmatch" is expected at a later date, once the team has finished it's alpha stage.

Feature summary

• Optimised netcode which results in less lag.
• Blue loads a DLL with the game instead of injecting code into its memory process. This improves stability and means that custom SCM files do not have to be moved to the game's directory when it is started.
• Full integration means that Blue's server list is directly integrated into GTA's GUI.
• Fewer glitches. This is achieved by synchronizing every animation, implementing a custom pause menu so that people can't pause to escape death, and forcing the frame limiter on so that everyone's game runs at the same maximum speed.
• Greater synchronization means that all animations, skins, weapons and vehicles are now available. This means that MTA players can now use boats.
• Modification support through, but not limited to, C++ means that complex game modes can be created, unlike the rudimentary ones possible with MTA:MA at the moment.

The advanced nature of the Blue core has allowed them to place a sophisticated WYSIWYG editor into MTA:SA for adding checkpoints, spawn points and power-ups. It also allows users to place extra models into the game such as ramps, roads, trees and exploding barrels.

Upon the next release of MTA:SA, the map editor will be completely renewed to cope with all the extra features MTA:SA "Deathmatch" will include.

The Gangs of Multi Theft Auto

Since the release of 0.1, gangs (commonly referred to as clans) have emerged to become the best in MTA. They operate very similarly to clans in other games, usually having their own servers and websites, advanced leadership and recruitment systems, and gang wars, or clan matches, with other gangs regularly.

For more information, please visit the Gangs forum (you must be logged in to view this board) on the official website.

MTA:mA

Multi Theft Auto mIRC Admin (MTA:mA) is an admin client for MTA made in mIRC (developed by Aeron). It has the possibility to create and run custom-made mIRC scripts on MTA servers, useful in creating gamemodes, cheating protection, and links to other programs. One popular script is MTA:mA:GRS (General Release Script, developed by Oliver Brown - [FMJ]Oli, who has since become a Multi Theft Auto developer), which is widely used in both GTA3:MTA and MTA:VC servers.

External links

• Official Multi Theft Auto Site
• Multi Theft Auto wiki a documentation Wiki set up for Multi Theft Auto
• Multi Theft Auto forums
• Multi Theft Auto developers' blog revealing the latest features and developments
• MTA Center site for downloading user-created maps
• Official MTA:mA Site