GTA: San Andreas Modding on OpenMods

A 2004 game with a modding scene that refuses to die

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004) is Rockstar's PS2-era open-world. The PC version's modding scene has been continuously active for two decades, and the "Definitive Edition" remaster (2021) created a parallel, and largely incompatible, modding track. Most serious modders still target the original 2004 release.

The toolchain is older than most games on this list and reflects 2000s modding conventions: .asi plugins, IMG archive editing, CLEO scripting. Many tools and mods are still maintained by their original authors.

The toolchain

• CLEO: community scripting framework, the GTA SA equivalent of Script Hook V. Many script mods are .cs (compiled script) files placed in CLEO/.
• IMG Tool / SAMI: archive editors for the IMG archive format SA uses for game assets.
• modloader (by junior_djjr): community alternative to mucking with IMG archives directly. Drop mods into a modloader/ folder; they apply without modifying game files.
• SAMP / MTA: multiplayer mods (San Andreas Multiplayer, Multi Theft Auto). Separate scenes from single-player mods.

What you'll find on OpenMods

SA mods live primarily on GTAGarage (legacy archive), GTAinside, GTA5-Mods.com (despite the name, hosts SA mods too), and GTA-related community forums. GitHub-hosted SA mods are rare. OpenMods catalogues whatever GitHub-published SA content exists.

Practical notes

• Original 2004 vs Definitive Edition. Pick the original, its modding scene is mature, the DE is largely unmod-compatible with original-era content.
• CLEO is the foundation. Most scripted mods need it. The current CLEO version is CLEO 5.
• modloader transforms install ergonomics. Without it, asset modding means rebuilding IMG archives. With it, asset mods are drop-in.
• SAMP and MTA are separate worlds. If you want multiplayer, decide which platform first, they don't share mods or servers.