What is SAMP? And do you need SAMP hosting?
You've probably heard the acronym SAMP thrown around on gaming forums, but what is SAMP? And do you really need a hosting provider? We explain.
If you're reading this, there's a good chance you've seen the term "SAMP" bandied around on gaming forums and news sites. The problem with acronyms, however, is that they're completely incomprehensible if you don't already know their meaning.
If you asked Google, it would tell you that samp is a coarsely ground corn of African origin. While not technically wrong, we're going to guess that's not exactly what you're looking for. So, though many of our customers will already know what SAMP is, we're going to take the time to explain it for those who don't.
What is SAMP?
SAMP, also characterized SA-MP, is a mod for Grand Theft Auto San Andreas that enables full multiplayer functionality. Standing simply for "San Andreas Multi-player", it allows owners of the game to play with up to 999 other people at a time over the internet or LAN.
As well as enabling player counts rarely seen on a single server, SAMP is incredibly customizable and scriptable. As well as everything you can do in single-player San Andreas, you can create custom, scripted game modes, and plugins.
Want to create a zombie game, a full police officer simulator, a first-person shooter, a stunt racing server, or a Lord of the Rings roleplay? San Andreas Multiplayer lets you do that. No two SAMP servers need to be the same, and they rarely are.
Why SAMP hosting is important
San Andreas is coming up to 17 years old now, so the game isn't particularly performance intensive. However, hosting a server with up to 1,000 players, each with their own stats, movements, actions, and interactions, can be. As a result, with insufficient stats, a SAMP server is liable to crash, lag, or otherwise provide a poor experience for players.
Renting a SAMP server from a provider helps to combat this, particularly if you have a server with dedicated resources. You gain access to a powerful remote computer that is more likely to house the number of players you dream of and won't be affected by factors like what else you're doing on your PC. As well as the hardware itself, there's internet speed to think of, with SAMP hosts holding gigabit internet connections able to house as many players as you wish with no slowdown on the server or your home network.
Even better, you can have your server running 24/7, 365 days a week. There's no need to turn it off at night to save your electricity bill or be inundated with messages because your internet connection has cut out. Players no longer have to worry about whether their timezone lines up with the server creator, or worry about the server going down in the middle of a mission.
When you don't need SAMP hosting
That said, we don't think that SAMP hosting is for everyone. If you're budget-conscious and just want to play GTA: San Andreas with a couple of friends, you don't need to pay for hosting. Certainly, it provides better performance and a lot of convenience, but it isn't strictly necessary.
On a small scale, then, you'll get on okay running a SAMP server on a regular gaming PC with a good internet connection or a home server. We only ask that should you want to expand your server or increase its convenience, you give us a thought.
Have more questions about whether a hosted SAMP server is right for your needs? Get in touch with our support for an honest, non-financially motivated opinion.
Happy roleplaying,
The SAMPHosting team