SA:COOP mod brings co-op to Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Developer Akbar Karimov has published SA:COOP, a mod for Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas that lets two people play the original campaign in co-op over the internet. Unlike SAMP or MTA, which focus more on free multiplayer, this project syncs the story missions, cutscenes, and open world.

The idea is simple: whoever hosts starts the server with their own save file. Whoever joins comes in with the appearance of their last save (clothes, tattoos, money, stamina, and weapon skill), and their progress is saved on the host's machine under their nick. For a mission to start, both players have to be inside the marker.

The mod also adapts the experience to each player, and that shows in details other co-op projects tend to ignore. Subtitles, dialogue, timers, and radar markers appear in whatever language each player has set. Weapons given by the story are handed to both players, and cutscenes play at the same time on both screens. That said, if someone wants to skip a cutscene, the other player has to confirm it.

A truly shared world

The sync goes beyond missions. Weather, time, pedestrians, police, traffic, destructible objects, collectibles, and gang territory status are shared between both players. Vehicle damage, modifications, hydraulics, and even trailers are also transferred.

Version 0.2.0 adds several features meant for comfortable play with a friend: a friendly fire toggle, proximity voice chat that fades with distance, text chat, teleporting between players, and 12-digit codes for quick connections.

To use it, you need the original executable of the US 1.0 version. If you have the Steam or Rockstar Games Launcher copy, you'll need to downgrade first. The project is published on GitHub under the MIT license and, as long as you don't touch the story scripts, it's compatible with some visual mods.

It's a different approach from the classic San Andreas multiplayer servers: this isn't about setting up a sandbox with dozens of people, but about reliving CJ's story with a partner and having everything fit together.