[Answered] I'm back after a long time, I'm confused about all those expansion packs

[Overwhelming 10]

I've bought Arma 2 on release date. Unfortunately it had many bugs, some of them so serious that I just could play it anymore. So I cooled off, much to my disapointment.

Recently I've heard about Arma 2: Reinforcements and it sparkled my drive to play Arma 2 again. Certainly the most serious bugs were already fixed, right?

BUt now I don't know what to buy. There's:

- Arma 2

- Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead

- Arma 2: Combined Operations

- Arma 2: British something

- Arma 2: Private Military something

- Arma 2: Reinforcements

So, considering I already have the original Arma 2, what do I need to have the complete collection? How does everything integrates? Do they all merge together or will I have several different games, having to launch each one separately?

Thanks for any clarifications you might give me. :)

Edited May 1, 2011 by Dwarden

[max power 21]

ArmA 2 is what you know.

ArmA 2: Operation Arrowhead is a stand alone expansion with a new campaign, factions, islands, and gameplay enhancements.

ArmA 2: Combined Operations is ArmA 2 and ArmA 2: Operation Arrowhead combined together.

ArmA 2: British Armed Forces is a DLC pack for Operation Arrowhead, and includes new units and a new campaign.

ArmA 2: Private Military Company is a DLC pack for Operation Arrowhead, and includes new units, a new island, and a new campaign.

ArmA 2: Reinforcements is a stand alone expansion for ArmA 2 that includes the content from British Armed Forces and PMC. It can be played as its own thing or with Combined Operations (probably with ArmA 2 or Arrowhead separately as well).

[Overwhelming 10]

Thanks, that was helpful. But I still have another doubt:

Having Arma 2 and buying Arma 2: OA and Arma 2: R, I'll have the complete set. But how do they integrate? For example, having Arma 2 and Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead is the same thing as having Arma 2: Combined Operations? Can I use the mission and map editor from Arma 2: OA and edit Arma 2's maps? Or are those two games completely separate?

[maturin 12]

Arma 2 and OA can be played separately as different games (even at the same time).

But BIS provides an alternate .exe (or Steam launch option for OA) that launches Combine Ops.

This means that you are running OA with Chernarus and Utes available in the editor, plus Harvest Red, Eagle Wing and all the other scenarios and units. You will also get low-res versions of BAF and PMC units free, plus their maps, when you install patches.

[Overwhelming 10]

Thanks, maturin. That alternate .exe is included in Arma 2: OA? Or is it in a patch?

I'm thinking about buying Arma 2: OA and Reinforcements.

[lsp 10]

Not sure how the retail one is setup but, heres the mod line from my steam version it runs combined ops. I was in the same situation as you i already owned arma2 and bought oa when it came out so you dont have to go out and buy combined ops just oa. As for the dlc me personally didnt buy them cause they give em to you for free. Erm far as bugs go the big ones that used to bug me are gone like getting stuck in rocks or tanks flying away off of rocks,going downhill too fast resulting in death was fixed granted these are oa issues its been so long since ive played reg arma2 i cant really remember the bugs with it,actually i dont remember really having any issues in arma2.

"C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2 operation arrowhead\ArmA2OA.exe" "-mod=C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2;Expansion;ca"-mod=@CBA;@ACE;@ACEX;@ACEX_RU;@ACEX_USNavy;@SOA;@GL4;@SLX;@map -nosplash minus the user created mods

Edited April 24, 2011 by lsp

[.kju 3245]

If you have a2, you only need A2R.

You only need OA, if you want to play its SP missions and campaign.

[Laqueesha 474]

Is Reinforcements basically Operation Arrowhead with both DLCs? Or is it just the BAF and PMC DLC content only?

[.kju 3245]

Well, if BI were to have put up a good description from the start .. or people using forum

search rather to make new threads all the time..

http://forums.bistudio.com/showpost.php?p=1893412&postcount=6

[max power 21]

I don't have reinforcements, but I have ArmA 2, OA, BAF, and PMC on steam. I just click 'run Combined Operations' and it loads everything. It runs OA with ArmA 2, BAF and PMC as addons with all of the missions and other stuff integrated. It's the same if I run PMC or BAF, it loads everything up. I assume it's the same with Reinforcements. There should be an option for you to run everything you've got, I'm quite sure.

[avengerzx 10]

Thanks, maturin. That alternate .exe is included in Arma 2: OA? Or is it in a patch?

I'm thinking about buying Arma 2: OA and Reinforcements.

You just need to make sure all the games are installed in one folder

C:\Program Files (x86)\Bohemia Interactive\ArmA 2

So all the game content and data files plus the executables (.exe) are in the same location.

Just need to run arma2oa.exe and it will load all game files and contents from ARMA 2, ARMA 2: BAF and ARMA 2: PMC

For instance, I purchased ARMA 2, ARMA 2:OA, ARMA 2:BAF and ARMA2: PMC

Which bundle up makes it into ARMA 2: Combine Operations + ARMA 2: Reinforcements

Edited April 24, 2011 by avengerzx

[Overwhelming 10]

Thanks, guys. I'm gonna order A2:OA and A2:R. :)

[Hedo 10]

If you buy only A2:R, the only thing you will miss are the OA camapign and scenarios. You will have all the content for unofficial addons and missions. I don't think that OA is worth the extra ~20€.

[lugiahua 26]

If you buy only A2:R, the only thing you will miss are the OA camapign and scenarios. You will have all the content for unofficial addons and missions. I don't think that OA is worth the extra ~20€.

But I think a lot of addons/mods today are running on OA...like ACE...

[ProfTournesol 956]

But I think a lot of addons/mods today are running on OA...like ACE...

OA is included in RFT, apart from the missions/campaign.

[Bouben 3]

OA is included in RFT, apart from the missions/campaign.

That's right.

[max power 21]

Is the US Army stuff included, or in lite format?

[Lonestar 11]

http://forums.bistudio.com/showpost.php?p=1893412&postcount=6

[Overwhelming 10]

Just arrived:

With my original Arma 2, I guess now I have the complete colection:

I've already installed OA and it created a shortcut to "combined operations". Great!

I'm now installing Reinforcements. :)

[Overwhelming 10]

Damn it! For some reason, the game can't activate the game with my discs. I've tried the Reinfeorcements and Operation Arrowhead's discs and it's failing!

It installed fine, acepted the serial code that was in the back of the manual... But now securom doesn't let me play! :(:(:(

Edit: for some reason, the game lauched, although with an error message. It seems it's installed nicely, with the three logos (Arma 2, OA and Reinforcements). But there's no campaign or missions from BAF or PMC.

In the instalation options, I've chosen "install BAF and PMC only" instead of "install reiforcements", because I thought that having Arma 2 and OA installed, that's all I needed.

I've uninstalled Reiforcements and I'm installing it again, with the "install REINFORCEMENTS" option. It didn't detect the game folder this time, so I redirected to it. Now I'm afraid it's replacing my CO instalation with a OA Lite version... :(

So confusing... The manual just says to follow the autorun's instructions. It couldn't be more obscure!

Edited April 28, 2011 by Overwhelming

[Dwarden 1125]

to avoid more confusion i wrote this BIKI page

http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/ARMA2_PackageCombination

to describe various packaging distributions and content , theirs possible combinations and ofcourse Multi-Player compatibility ...

---------- Post added at 07:04 ---------- Previous post was at 06:43 ----------

Damn it! For some reason, the game can't activate the game with my discs. I've tried the Reinfeorcements and Operation Arrowhead's discs and it's failing!

It installed fine, acepted the serial code that was in the back of the manual... But now securom doesn't let me play! :(:(:(

Edit: for some reason, the game lauched, although with an error message. It seems it's installed nicely, with the three logos (Arma 2, OA and Reinforcements). But there's no campaign or missions from BAF or PMC.

In the instalation options, I've chosen "install BAF and PMC only" instead of "install reiforcements", because I thought that having Arma 2 and OA installed, that's all I needed.

I've uninstalled Reiforcements and I'm installing it again, with the "install REINFORCEMENTS" option. It didn't detect the game folder this time, so I redirected to it. Now I'm afraid it's replacing my CO instalation with a OA Lite version... :(

So confusing... The manual just says to follow the autorun's instructions. It couldn't be more obscure!

can You provide more details about the securom problem ? is your game patched correctly to 1.59 ?

[Spuddy 10]

Sorry I'm new, but this thread seems to be the closest I can find that provides the information I need and apologies for the minor hijacking of it.

Currently own ARMA II, have Reinforcements and Operation Arrowhead en-route. (All Retail DVD's I should add)

If I install in the following order:

ARMAII (Run after completed for registry settings etc)

ARMAII Reinforcements (Run after completed for registry settings etc)

ARMAII Operation Arrowhead (Run after completed for registry settings etc)

Patch 1.59

I will end up with ARMA II, BAF (Via Reinforcements), PMC (Via Reinforcements) and OA all full SP+MP fully patched and up to date, correct?

All help much appreciated. :)

[Tonci87 163]

I´m not sure, but maybe you want to install OA first, then Reinforcements