ESSENTIAL ArmA 2 Mods, Servers and General Tips (Please Sticky)

[Callaghan]

You will probaby find a bunch of kids plagueing these forums over the near future telling you to download all sorts of unneccessary crap. After ten years of solid testing in various realism groups, I can highly recommend the following modifications and general tips. I appreciate what it is like entering something like the arma community at this late stage, so hopefully this post should make your lives easier.

1. Essential community websites, visit these often, the rate at which things are released induces vertigo.

Armaholic.com - International fansite covering: Armed Assault - Arma: Combat Operations - ArmA 2 - ArmA2 Operation Arrowhead - Armaholic.com General community website for arma/arma2, has an archive of addons as well as regularly updated news. This is where I download all my addons.

Armed Assault Info Same deal as above only I think European based server.

OFPEC The Editing Center Operation Flashpoint Editors Centre - Used to be my 2nd home, dont use it so much now but still full of great resources.

DH: (ArmA) Development Unraveled Another dev forum/resource centre.

2. Essential Utilities ABSOLUTELY MUST HAVE EITHER YOMA ADDON SYNCH OR SIX ACE UPDATER.

Will add to this list as I think of more but as of now, for those who want ACE etc, the most important one is 'Yoma's Addon Synch'. This is a small app that allows you to type in 'auto-config URLs' to keep your game folder up to date with certain mods of your choice by adding their servers. This is essential for ACE as it is updated every other day, I use it over SIX updater as it can be used with any mod, not just ACE.

LINK - Addon Sync 2009 - Files - DH: (ArmA) Development Unraveled

Autoconfig URL for ACE mod (to be entered in the Yoma app.) - http :// www .kellys-heroes.eu/updater/ArmA2Community-Repository/ArmA2Community-Repo.7z REMOVE SPACES I ADDED TO STOP THE FORUM FROM MAKING IT A LINK

3. Essential Mods (My mods hehe, also used by most realism clans)

This is a matter of personal preference, but as a good starting point, to give you an idea of where we are at, start with ACE 2, and a good sound and effects pack. Heres a tested, compatible and solid selection that anyone should appreciate.

ACE 2 - Several Components with the following mod folder names
-@ACE - Core system and addons
-@ACEX - Many excellent addons essential for the ACE experience
-@ACEX_PLA - Peoples Liberation Army pack, i.e. China
-@ACE_SM - Ace sound pack, compatible with CSM2 and othe sound mods.
CSM 2 - Chammys sound mod, one of the best for small arms, you might want to combine with a vehicle sound pack such as RH Helicopters or HiFi FX.
GL4 SFX Edition - Combines AI improvements with improved visual effects and other cool features such as radio chatter, a must have for COOP mission makers until DACS is released for ArmA2.

General Mods worth looking at, check reviews see if you may enjoy them, by no means a complete list of those.

ACE 2
Group Link 4 (GL4) Special FX Edition
CSM2 Chammys sound mod 2
SOW Sounds of War
WarFX Particles (Slowly being incorporated into GL4)
31st Normandy Mod (arma 2 version) Mostly ports from arma 1, but great for any WW2 fan.
RH Heli Sounds
RKSL
HiFi FX Sounds

There are many more worth checking so sorry for omissions, this is just a good start point.

Here is a list of servers for use with Yoma Addon Sync -
Yoma Tools For Armed Assault - Servers using Addon Sync

Also have a look at the 'Default servers' tab in Yoma, it will have many already.

As for fast roping, it is included in ACE, also available seperately, just visit Armaholic and browse.

4. Servers and missions.

Most important. Could be the best game in the world but if you are stuck playing with a bunch of 15yr old 'snipers' then you will always have a bad impression of it. Missions are also key, some of my fellow arma fans cant stand certain missions and love others, doesnt matter if the name of the game is the same.

search for any of these using the server filter.
1st Infantry or 1ID or 1stID - Generally playing combined arms coops, part of JSOC. (TS= cordesh.zebgames.com 9999)
10th and 20th SFG - Combined arms coops as well as PvP nights, part of JSOC.
13th MEU - No idea, just know they are a self proclaimed realism group.
10th Mountain - New realism group, about to join JSOC
ShackTac - Big realism community
TacticalGamer - as above
Join any of these and press ? to chat, < or > to switch to Global Channel, and request Teamspeak Details, many will not let you fly unless you are on TS for targetting and tasking reasons.
There are others worth visiting but hey, i'm only one man, cant play em all.

(In case you are curious JSOC is a community i'm part of that gets realism groups together so we can have specialist infantry working alongside dedicated SF, Pilots, Rangers etc. Each with realistic tasking in missions.
http://www.jsoc-gamer.org/news.php )

Missions -
Just a very brief outline of some of the more popular MP missions out there -

Warfare - Available for most maps and mods, basically Armed assualt meets command and conquer, a democratically elected commander must build a base and defences whilst the team goes and captures AI defended towns, those towns then give the commander supplies to build structures. Team earns money from objectives and kills, which can be used to recruit AI units and vehicles (or empty vehicles) and also to send back to commander to upgrade factories.

Domination - The most popular CoOp Mode out there as it is pretty easy to get into and very flexible. Start off in a main base and help your team capture towns one by one. Must play as part of a team or you will feel lonley confused and scared lol. No money involved so lets you try most equipment.

Devastation - PvP sector control. Being adopted by the PR team as has same 'sector control' system as BF2, only more advanced. Like warfare, you need to buy equipment with money earned.

AAS - A very wide range of maps based on TvT Sector Control, A lot of fun to play solo or as part of a team, generally the fastest action you will find in the game and not for the realism nuts.

Others - the community has literally thousands of fan-made missions that put any professional developers missions to shame, dont be afraid to jump in and try one.

Sorry for the wordiness, just wanted to cover as much as possible to help you guys out.

[[R-CON]Burton]

I'll just wait until the PR team get 0.1 out rather than download countless different things. Nice little guide and tips though, I'll be sure to visit the recommended servers though

[cm.]

I would remove ACEX_SM and ACEX_PLA from that list as "essential". Not many servers play with the PLA mod that i know of (at least in australia) and ACEX_SM is just another sound mod.

Also, you forgot about LandTex

[MadTommy]

Callaghan

This forum is meant to be about PR:arma2.

Not other mods, addons, mission or servers. Very little of your post has any relevance to what PR are doing with Arma2.

As some insight into what other modders are doing, its fine, but has little or no relevance to PR.

[[R-DEV]Gaz]

Callaghan,

Firstly, welcome to the forums. As MadTommy has already mentioned, one of PR:ArmA2's main design plans is to have it standalone - without the need for a million and one mods or addons. As a new player to ArmA2 myself, the information and requirements to download x, y and z just to join a server is daunting at the least, rediculous at worst. As such, your thread won't be stickied.

No need to close it either, as PR:ArmA2 is not out yet. It may serve as useful information for those with ArmA2 who wish to make use of this information However, please note for the future that this is the PR:ArmA2 forum only, and there are plenty of other, notibly better suited sites that have this general information like Armaholic and BIS.

[STALKERGB]

Originally Posted by cm.

I would remove ACEX_SM and ACEX_PLA from that list as "essential". Not many servers play with the PLA mod that i know of (at least in australia) and ACEX_SM is just another sound mod.

Also, you forgot about LandTex

No need to remove mods though, ARMA will just not use them if the server doesn't it doesnt create incompatabilities like in most games.

[cm.]

Yes i know that, I'm just saying that this is an "essential" mod list. I would hardly classify ACEX_PLA and ACEX_SM "essential". I'm not talking about the game here, i'm talking about the list.