An open.mp server on PlayNHost runs the free open.mp server for GTA: San Andreas. Every player needs their own copy of GTA: San Andreas for PC, version 1.0, and the free open.mp launcher. You get a Console, file access and an RCON admin login. Each answer below links the full guide.
Before you start
What is open.mp? open.mp is a free multiplayer mod for GTA: San Andreas that its team describes as "fully backwards compatible" with San Andreas Multiplayer (SA-MP). It runs SA-MP gamemodes and filterscripts and lets SA-MP 0.3.7 and 0.3.DL clients join. Its source code is under the Mozilla Public License 2.0.
Is open.mp free? Yes. The open.mp server and the open.mp launcher are free downloads. Every player needs their own copy of GTA: San Andreas for PC. Full guide
Which GTA: San Andreas works? The PC version 1.0. The open.mp client guide says v2.0 and the Steam release need a downgrade first. Full guide
Can phone or console players join? No. open.mp's client needs GTA: San Andreas for PC, and the open.mp team said in its January 2021 blog post that it does not support the unofficial SA-MP Android app.
Can players with the old SA-MP client join? Yes. Your server lets in SA-MP 0.3.7 and 0.3.DL clients as well as the open.mp launcher. Full guide
How many players can an open.mp server have? open.mp itself allows up to 1000. On PlayNHost the limit is your plan's player slots; the open.mp plans run from 20 to 50 players. Full guide
How much RAM does an open.mp server need? Very little for open.mp itself: about 46.5 MiB with the stock Gun Game gamemode and nobody online, in PlayNHost's check. Your gamemode, maps and plugins decide the rest. Full guide
How do I keep an open.mp server online 24/7? A PlayNHost server runs on PlayNHost's machines, not on your PC, so it stays reachable when your PC is off. It keeps running until you stop it in the panel. Full guide
Getting started
How long does a new server take? Usually a few minutes for the first setup. Later starts are quicker, and the server is ready at Legacy Network started on port. Full guide
How do my friends join? Send them the Server Address from Overview. They choose Add Server in the open.mp launcher, paste it and click Connect. Full guide
How do I change the server name? Settings, config.json under Config files, Name, then Save & restart. Full guide
How do I set a join password? Fill in Password in the same config.json settings. Empty means no password. Full guide
Is there a whitelist? No, open.mp has none. Use a join password and bans. Full guide
Admin and commands
How do I become admin? Type /rcon login and the RCON Password from Settings, Game Settings in the game's chat. Change that password to your own first. Full guide
Do I need RCON for the Console? No. The Console in the panel runs commands without a login, for example players or kick 3. Full guide
How do I ban someone? Type players in the Console for their ID, then ban and the ID. Bans are saved in bans.json. Full guide
Gamemodes and plugins
Which gamemodes come with the server? Gun Game (gungame), Neverending Derby (derby) and Simple TDM (simpletdm). Gun Game runs on a new server. Full guide
How do I switch gamemode? Type changemode derby in the Console to switch now. Put it in main_scripts in config.json to keep it after a restart. Full guide
Can I use my own SA-MP gamemode? Yes. Upload the compiled .amx to gamemodes and name it in main_scripts. A .pwn must be compiled on your PC first. Full guide
Do SA-MP plugins work? Most do, as Linux .so files in a plugins folder, listed in legacy_plugins. Some, such as Pawn.CMD and sscanf, need their open.mp build in components. Full guide
Can I move my SA-MP server here? Yes. Upload your folders and copy your server.cfg lines into config.json by hand. Do not upload server.cfg itself: open.mp reads it after config.json, so its port line can make the server unreachable. Full guide
Updates, backups and problems
Does open.mp update itself? No. A new server gets the newest release. For a newer one, click Update and reinstall under Settings, Game Settings. The panel takes a backup first and keeps config.json, bans.json and your own files. Full guide
Is my server backed up? When your plan includes backups, an Automatic backup runs every night. You can also take one any time on Backups. Full guide
My server will not start after I edited config.json. The Console shows Error while parsing config file: a comma or quote is missing. Full guide
