Overview
After the release of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on iOS/Android/XBox 360/Windows Store I started to investigate which version was the best. Check it out how to get the best of every version.
Introduction
Actually there are 3 version of San Andreas:
1st – PlayStation 2: Original release of the game
2nd – PC/XBox: Port of the PS2 version that improves graphics, but looses some features from PS2
3rd – mobile port: Modified version based on PC port and released on iOS, Android, XBox 360 and Windows Store. Like the PC port, this port improves some textures fro PC version, but most of the stuff has worse quality.
Here I´m going to explain how to get the bes from every version of this game.
Comparison
Diferences between Steam and Retail version
Diferences between PS2 and PC versions
Graphics comparison
Comparison between PC and mobile versions
Programs
If you want to turn San Andreas into Enhanced Edition we are going to need the following programs:
GTASA Steam to V1 DG: Converts Steam version 3.0 into retail 1.0. Also adds the removed radio songs and the removed map elements.
Silent’s ASI Loader: This is a DLL file which adds ASI plugin loading functionality to San Andreas.
San Andreas Mod Loader: San Andreas Mod Loader is an ASI Plugin for Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto San Andreas that adds an extremely user-friendly and easy way to install and uninstall your modifications, without even messing around anything in your game installation.
Scripts
The scripts are .asi files that allow you to add or modify the way the game works without touching any game files. The ones we are going to use are:
SilentPatch: Restores most of the missing PS2 features like lensflare, moon phases, lost parcked vehicles or removed double rear wheels. Download: [link]
Widescreen HOR+ Support: This GTA San Andreas modification implements the “Hor+ widescreen” support adopted by most of the games released after 2005. Originally, the game uses a variant of the “Anamorphic widescreen”. Download: [link]
Widescreen Fix: Makes the HUD more HD/4K screens more friendly. Download: [link]
Vehicle Lights Fix: Fixes the lights of some vehicles not turning on. Download: [link]
SkyGfx: Recovers orange and blue atmosphere and vehicle reflections from the PS2 realese. Download: [link]
SAMPGraphicRestore: Fixed some graphic bugs ingame. Download: [link]
SkyGrad: Get rid of the awful sky bandings which make the gradient looking blocky thanks to dithering. Download: [link]
GInput: This modification completely rewrites GTA controls handling and ditches DirectInput in favour of XInput. This way, your PlayStation 3 and XBOX 360 pads will be handled by the game just perfectly, taking advantage of all their features, including analog triggers. Download: [link]
Open Limit Adjuster: Turns whatever previously was limited into unlimited, being only limited by the machine/application capacity. Download: [link]
Language Loader: This ASI plugin adjusts number of possible languages to configure. By default GTA San Andreas is able to load 5 of languages, while US menu is configured to display 2 of them. After downgrading game game exe turns into US version so only english and spanish are show, this script allows you to restore EURO languages of steam 3.0 version. Download: [link]
Mods
Here you have all enhanced stuff from the mobile version already ported to PC.
Android Gym Equipment: Fixes weights wrong texture and adds enhanced ones.
Original Vegetation Quality: Restores original 4k textures for all vegetion of San Andreas.
GTA SA Mobile to PC – Android Fences: Replaces PC fences with the enhanced mobile version.
Remastered GUI for SA: This pack has been put together to bring the updated textures from newer version of San Andreas back to the PC version, some of these textures have been edited to fit in line with how the PC version originally displayed them and others have just been repacked with higher quality compression compared to what was available at the time, giving an overall quality boost to the GUI if you play above 1024×768 resolution.
Fixed Vertrex: Fixes vertex colouring bugs.
Remastered Weapon Icons: Replaces PC weapons icons with the enhanced mobile version.
Mobile RADAR Map Textures: Replaces PC radar with the enhanced mobile version.
Fixes
Parachute Animation Fix: This mod fixes the animation of the dome of a parachute. Now Cj normally sits in a parachute as opposed to the old model. Download: [link]
GTA San Andreas Fixed Vehicles: This modification fixes the bugs that Rockstar left in GTA San Andreas vehicles.
GTA San Andreas Map Fixes: This modification aims to correct bugs that Rockstar left in the GTA: San Andreas map.
Fixed Textures: This modification aims to correct bugs that Rockstar left in the GTA: San Andreas textures.
Downloads
Here you have all the needed files already prepared to be used.
San Andreas Downgrader:
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – Enhanced Edition:
Optional
PS2 buttons:
Original Xbox buttons
PS4 buttons
Xbox One buttons
Setting up San Andreas
First of all use a clean install of San Andreas before starting so, unistall the game and delete the Grand Theft Auto San Andreas folder from steam if you already had it installed with mods.
When you have the clean install done run GTASA_12-9-14_Steam_to_V1_DG and select your steam San Andreas folder located at:
Wait until it finishes. Now Your San Andreas is V1.0 retail. Delete gta-sa.exe and rename gta_sa.exe into gta-sa.exe.
Installing everything
Just unzip “San Andreas – Enhanced Edition.zip” into your San Andreas game folder. It will ask you to overwrite a couple of flies, but its OK. When its done you have the game with all mods, fixes and mobile files on it.
For PS2/PS4 or original Xbox/One buttons just download the .txd with the buttons and overwrite the one in your models folder into San Andreas game folder.
Screenshots
Forntend1.txd comparison
Fonts comparison
Radar comparison
Weapons icons comparison
Minigame textures comparison
Slot Machines comparison
Video Poker comparison
PC radar icons
Mobile radar icons
PC fences
Mobile fences
PC radar
Mobile radar
PC vegetation
Mobile vegetation
Original awful sky bandings which make the gradient looking blocky thanks to dithering
Awful sky bandings which make the gradient looking blocky thanks to dithering removed
Original PC game
PC game afer following this guide
