20 Years of the Multi Theft Auto Project

[jhxp]

Dear Multi Theft Auto players and supporters!

Today is the 20 Year Anniversary of Multi Theft Auto! On the February 9^th 2003, a rudimentary GTA3 multiplayer prototype was released by our founder, IJsVogel. It did not take long for contributors to join the effort and turn it into a real multiplayer mod.

The mod IJsVogel created was originally named “GTA3: Alternative Multiplayer”, but soon after it became “GTA3: Multi Theft Auto”. The Multi Theft Auto (MTA) name became the identity of all following projects. As new GTA games were released, new projects were created for GTA3, GTAVC, GTASA and GTAIV. Respectively, the main project names are: GTA3:MTA, MTA:VC, MTA:SA, MTA:IV.

The development during GTA3 showed what the team was capable of with enough learning and reverse engineering. At this time, game modes were made for deathmatch and vehicle stunts. These game modes were hard-coded into the mod and could not be altered. It was not perfect, but it was an amazing accomplish for the time. Not only was it the first multiplayer for GTA, but it was an unprecedented undertaking.

An early version of GTA3:MTA 0.2 (client and server). Some time in the first half of 2003.

 

The working experience on GTA3 laid the framework for the second project, MTA:VC. It did not take long after GTA: Vice City for the 1st version of MTA:VC to release. The MTA Team succeeded in creating the basic multiplayer functionality much quicker through past-experience. At this point, MTA was well-known and there were mentions on gaming websites, magazines and even a TV interview on the gaming channel G4TV. Even Rockstar Games developers, the creators of GTA, contacted the MTA Team from time to time. The MTA:VC mod still offered a hard-coded deathmatch and vehicle stunting game mode that could not be altered. However, it had better synchronization and supported many new features.

When GTA:SA came out, the contributors to the project were much more seasoned and mature. The 3rd project, MTA:SA, was much more ambitious. Although the first release was restricted to racing in vehicles, it was a proof of concept for a vastly superior framework that empowered users to make their own content. An editor was produced to allow in-game editing for the first time. When the full-featured product began development, a constantly evolving Lua-based scripting system accompanied it. This allowed the user to manipulate game code and modify various settings, elements and added features to create unique servers and game modes. Some added features include: voice chat, custom GUIs, web browser components. The MTA Team had the foresight to release this modification to the public as Open-Source code to attract future developers and embraced many new tools of game development that have become commonplace today such as installers, bug reporting, nightly builds, wiki documentation, anti-cheat, and Steam version support to name a few.

MTA:SA 1.1 public tests. August, 2011.

 

The release of GTA:IV did result in the beginning stages of MTA:IV, but once Rockstar released their official multiplayer, many of MTA’s most seasoned developers and contributors were ready to move on with their professional lives. Providing the same level of quality to GTA:IV would have been an extreme undertaking. It was decided that the best course of action would be to discontinue further projects and continue making MTA:SA better. The MTA:SA project still receives Open-Source contributions and still retains a consistent player base that is large enough to make developers of new games jealous!

 

Thank You

We would like to thank everyone who helped and participated over the years: developers, community/clan leaders, moderators, patch contributors, helpers, donators, testers, translators, scripters, mappers, server hosts/owners, streamers, players and fans. There were hundreds of thousands of such people over the years and they all had their place here. Many people have come and gone. Some are still very young and some are quite old now!

Some of us have even developed life careers from our experiences working on this modification. We had the honor of befriending a lot of wonderful people in various stages of the project and many were just as enthusiastic about MTA as we were. Multi Theft Auto would not be here right now, had it not been for their hard work, interest and dedication.

No seats? No problem. Screenshot from MTA:SA 1.0.5, taken by Zango. August, 2011.

 

The social aspect has always been strong in MTA. No one knows what the future will bring, but there are things that will remain regardless of anything - and that is the time you all have spent here and your memories. Feel free to share your MTA stories in the comments! Feel free to say hi to us in Discord as well!

 

Thank you all past and present MTA staff members, players and fans for sticking with us!

Happy Birthday, Multi Theft Auto! Onwards to the next 20 years or more!

-MTA Team

[jhxp]

I remember my own first encounter with the mod. It was also back in 2003, although few months later in the summer. MTA:VC 0.2 was a hot thing back then and I had just learned about it from a gaming magazine. Sure enough, it picked up my interest, but I was only able to play it myself later, at an internet café.

While being limited, it was also impressive - I have found the freedom of the gameplay fascinating. You could do whatever you wanted ingame, and so could other players. You could play along with others, or try mowing them all down with your guns. You could get in a car, drive around and watch the mayhem from afar, or challenge other players to see, who is the best driver. Got ran over by another player? Just respawn and hunt them down, or ask your friends to get ingame and get your revenge together. And it all had that cool GTA wackiness and style that I loved.

My VCP recruitment fight with Ransom! January, 2004.

 

I sticked around and kept playing. Few months later, I was spotted by Ransom, who recruited me to my first MTA clan - VCP (Vice City Police). It did not end there - I have had a chance to participate in the MTA 0.5 beta tests, then got invited to the newly-formed dedicated QA Team for MTA:SA, led by l2ebel.

From there, I worked my way and got to co-lead the QA Team. I also became the MTA Moderator later on and held various roles in the project over the years. This experience has actually landed me a career in Software Testing, which is still my occupation. Yet, nearly 20 years later from back when I started, I am still here, preparing this article for you.

I could go on and on, but this was just my story - each of you have an MTA story of your own. Multi Theft Auto is made of such stories, and of course made by the people who starred in them.

[FernandoMTA]

I'm happy that Multi Theft Auto is part of my life. Thank you for making this incredible project possible. To many years to come!  

[Patrick]

Happy Birthday!

[emploi]

Happy Birthday! 

[Paweł]

Happy birthday  

[xLive]

Happy Birthday!

Edited February 9, 2023 by xLive

[myonlake]

Happy birthday!

[Trust aka Tiffergan]

I hope we will get another 20 years with that amazing mod  

[Sorata]

Happy birthday

[Shady1]

happy birthday Multi Theft Auto

[matei_]

Happy Birthday MTA!

[ULK!Nick]

congrats guys, happy birthday, this stuff was crazy fun back in the day

[ByElias]

Happy Birthday! 

[HoboPie]

1v1 stubbies at phil's

winner gets the cake

[Haxardous]

[Stoku]

Just came here to say - thank you!!!

I'm missing shotgun fights at Yakuzas territory on GTA3:MTA at Shore Side Vale with VCK, KFC and LCG clans. Wharfshrimp, Inuyasha, Philip, Kanada, Slothman, Chris, Zentrix, Snoob, Lancelot and every other guys. Cheers! [LCK] 4 ever

[-ffs-Micra]

"We know this sucks. But hey, it's not fun to play alone."

[ScaredChaos]

Happy Birthday! 

 

Without you, our and many more Server wouldn't exist.  

MTA is a big part of many Childhoods.

[BlackSko]

Congratulations, hope to stay as long as possible

[Lpsd]

let's go for another 20 years, hooorah!

[Shady1]

1 minute ago, Lpsd said:

let's go for another 20 years, hooorah!

uhhh

[Giga]

While I have moved on from Multi Theft Auto roughly 12 years ago, I remain grateful that MTA:SA become one of my hobbies and introduced me to GTA Multiplayer in general.

I can never forget the communities I joined, the clan wars I participated in, and the players I befriended, some of which turned into colleagues when I became part of the staff team in a handful of servers.

It is definitely great to see how far the platform and the community has come.

Edited February 9, 2023 by Giga

[Takerd]

This is just amazing, congratulations

[Allerek]

My story with MTA:SA started back in 2012 i think. My PC was weak so i did not have much of fun - but i've seen a future in this project. I've started as just a player, then i've wrote my first scripts - this led to me learning how to use Photoshop to make GUI, then i've learned how to make 3D Models in 3DS Max and Blender. Met a lot of awesome people here and want to thank them all - just for being here and keeping all of this alive.