[Beginners guide]How do i install mods/addons?

[[frl]myke 14]

Since we do have a lot new members in our ArmAverse, i think it isn't wrong to have a guide on how to install usermade mods and addons. For this guide i assume that you know how to use the Windows Explorer.

Well, at first you will have to download them, obviously. Mostly they come in compressed format like .zip, 7zip or .rar format. So the very first step is to unpack it. Personally i prefer the software 7zip for this but you might use other software that can handle the corresponding format. Please note that Windows by default can decompress the .zip format.

Modfolder structure

While technically it is possible to simply put the addons into the already existing addons folder, this should be prevented. If ever a usermade addons screw anything up, you might have a hard time to locate which addon it is. Using Modfolders will put you on the safe side.

Basically the structure looks like this:

SteamLibrary
- SteamApps
   - common
      - Arma 3
         - @[i]Modname[/i]
             - addons

The folders up to Arma 3 already exists. You will have to locate it in your Windows Explorer, most likely you will find it here:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam

guessing you did a default install of Steam.

Installing Mods/Addons

Most Mods/Addons already come with the above structure preset. So after decompressing you might find a folder named @ModName with a addons folder in it and in there you will find at least one file named modName.pbo. Most likely there will be other files like modname.bisign2.pbo, they all belong together. Simply copy the @ModName folder into the Arma 3 directory, like in the example above.

If the Mod/Addon doesn't come with the required file/folder structure, you'll probably have one or more .pbo files. Simply create a folder inside the Arma 3 folder. Here you're basically free how you name it. Common practice is to start with a @ as the Windows Explorer always orders folders and files alphabetically and therefor modfolders will always be listed on top. For the rest of the name, you're free, just give it something that is meaningful. If it's a A-10 addon, something like @A10 would make sense. You get the idea.

Inside this folder now, you create another folder and this one has to be named addons and nothing else. Inside this folder you copy now all those .pbo file you've downloaded and decompressed. Don't move the .zip, 7zip or .rar files in there, this wont work. It has to be decompressed first.

Organizing Mods/addons

Organizing Mods is mostly not necessary as they already come organized. For single addons you may organize them in a way you feel comfortable. Say a addonmaker released several single addons over time, it is up to you if you prefer to have them all in separated Modfolders or you create a single Modfolder for all addons of this addonmaker. You also might create Modfolders for specific servers if you wish. This is completely up to you.

Enabling/Disabling Mods/Addons

This is done ingame. Go to Options -> Expansions. There you will find your Expansions. They are disabled by default unless you enable them in here. Enable those you need and disable those you don't need. Keep in mind that some addons do require other addons to work properly.

Also loading order does matter (which is from top to bottom). Say you have a units addon from addonmaker A which requires a weapon addon from addonmaker B. So the units rely on the weapons so these should be loaded before the units. Else you will get a error about missing addons. So make sure that such Modfolders are loaded in the correct order top down.

Tools

There are tools around, created by very talented community members which might help to get addons easier downloaded and installed. Search the Forums for them, most popular being SixUpdater and PlayWithSix by Sickboy.

I wrote this guide intentionally without including these tools as not everyone is willing to install additional software. If you don't mind to, definately take a look at these tools.

---

Addition by Mr. Centipede (thank you, mate):

There's an easier method that I just found out.

Since steam folder kinda too deep, you can put your mods in your mydocuments\arma3 alpha\<mods>

Then Enable them like Myke mention

You can also organize them like so:

mydocuments\arma3 alpha\AI_mods\<somemods>

mydocuments\arma3 alpha\Units_mods\<somemods>

mydocuments\arma3 alpha\Sound_mods\<somemods>

etc... etc..

and the game can still detect them

Edited March 18, 2013 by [FRL]Myke

[MasterDon 10]

Thank you for taking your time to write this. Although I am well off myself on how modding works, I like to see others learn properly as well :cool:

[mr_centipede 31]

There's an easier method that I just found out.

Since steam folder kinda too deep, you can put your mods in your mydocuments\arma3 alpha\<mods>

Then Enable them like Myke mention

You can also organize them like so:

mydocuments\arma3 alpha\AI_mods\<somemods>

mydocuments\arma3 alpha\Units_mods\<somemods>

mydocuments\arma3 alpha\Sound_mods\<somemods>

etc... etc..

and the game can still detect them

[[frl]myke 14]

There's an easier method that I just found out.

Since steam folder kinda too deep, you can put your mods in your mydocuments\arma3 alpha\<mods>

Then Enable them like Myke mention

You can also organize them like so:

mydocuments\arma3 alpha\AI_mods\<somemods>

mydocuments\arma3 alpha\Units_mods\<somemods>

mydocuments\arma3 alpha\Sound_mods\<somemods>

etc... etc..

and the game can still detect them

Thank you very much. Added this to the first post with credits to you.

[Phantom Mark 0]

Followed the guides on installing mods but I cannot get a single one to work so far.

I added the command line and it makes no difference.

I get the mods to show up in the menu and am able to select to enable or disable them, however when the game says it needs to restart after enabling a mod it doesn't remember the mod has been enabled ?

The only thing the command line does for me is add an entry like the default ARAMA3 in the expansions menu, ie the added folder has no enable / disable option, and no sub drop down comes up with individual mods in that folder in expansions ?

Any help much appreciated.

[[frl]myke 14]

Followed the guides on installing mods but I cannot get a single one to work so far.

I added the command line and it makes no difference.

I get the mods to show up in the menu and am able to select to enable or disable them, however when the game says it needs to restart after enabling a mod it doesn't remember the mod has been enabled ?

The only thing the command line does for me is add an entry like the default ARAMA3 in the expansions menu, ie the added folder has no enable / disable option, and no sub drop down comes up with individual mods in that folder in expansions ?

Any help much appreciated.

Can you make a screenshot of the folder structure?

[Phantom Mark 0]

Sure thing, will collate a few pics showing how I have it setup and how it appears ingame etc.

TY

[EGIPOP 1]

TY a lot

[ssgterry87 10]

Myke;2346341']Can you make a screenshot of the folder structure?

Did anyone find a fix for this, i cant enable or disable any mods....

[[frl]myke 14]

Did anyone find a fix for this, i cant enable or disable any mods....

As my quote says: can you make a screenshot of the folder structure you created?

[Gunter Severloh 4052]

I dont mean to be rude if thats the correct word but whats to figure out here?, Did you guys not read Myke's first post, its clearly stated:

SteamLibrary

- SteamApps

- common

- Arma 3

- @Modname

- addons

The game is setup for mods the same way the whole series has been setup for mods since day one OFP.

If you have a mod, lets say @mod, it will have an addons folder in it, with pbo's , and Bisign files.

You take this @mod folder (it can be any known mod name) and put it into the main directory of the game, the same place that the exe (application) is located.

The game now being for steam shouldn't be any different then anything we worked with before, jsut the folder layout has changed, you go from

program files to steamapps, to common files to the directory, none the less the mod and directory structure is setup the same.

To enable a mod you need to things:

1. the mod to be in the main directory as I pointed out

2. setup the mod to launch via shortcut, so after the exe you have -mod=@mod in the target line of the shortcut.

Sorry I dont mean to come across as frustrated with some new guys, or even people that have an idea on how to setup mods,

but this really isn't that hard. Dont turn something simple into a major project

Just look at the folder structure in the first post and compare it to yours.

One way to locate the main directory which is where all mods go is to right click your shortcut if you have one, and click on find target,

this will take you right to the exe in the main directory where the mods go, from there review the folder address and see how its setup.

hope that helps.

[Whateverworks 1]

Thank you mate. Helped me a lot.

[snobal 10]

My problem with the mods/addons is I can get them to work in-game which is great. But They are constantly enabled in the expansions menu. I cant disable or change the load order as the options to do so are greyed out. Anybody else having this issue?

[mr_centipede 31]

My problem with the mods/addons is I can get them to work in-game which is great. But They are constantly enabled in the expansions menu. I cant disable or change the load order as the options to do so are greyed out. Anybody else having this issue?

Did you run ARMA 3 with the -mod parameter? Or using a mod launcher? Don't use it. Its not compatible with the in game Expansion menu

[Freebie 10]

I put two arma 3 icons on my desktop, one to run vanilla arma for online MP servers and the other with all my mods. So the vanilla one just has the default target line and the other one has the default target line plus all the -@mod= blah blah stuff.

But the vanilla one still loads up with all the mods, I can see them ticked in the options / expansions.

Is ingame enabling / disabling the only way to do what I want to do?

[Gunter Severloh 4052]

Post your target line for vanilla, and for the one with your mods and I can tell you what your issue may be.

[Freebie 10]

Post your target line for vanilla, and for the one with your mods and I can tell you what your issue may be.

Hi mate the one I want to use for joing MP servers is "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Arma 3\arma3.exe" -skipintro -nosplash -nopause

and the one with my mods is "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Arma 3\arma3.exe" -skipintro -nosplash -nopause -mod=@CBA_A3;@sthud;@brf_nvg;@FA_gpstr_watermark;@mrb_a3_voicestop

But the 1st one still loads up all the mods.

[max power 21]

-mod= overrides the expansions menu functionality.

[Freebie 10]

-mod= overrides the expansions menu functionality.

Thanks mate, I didn't know you could just use that on it's own :)

[max power 21]

Thanks mate, I didn't know you could just use that on it's own :)

AFAIK you can't. What I was saying is if you use that switch to load a mod, you disable the expansions browser functionality.

If you don't use it, the game will detect mods in your root folder, and will give you the option to enable or disable them ingame using the browser.

[Freebie 10]

Main thing is is that it's achieved what I wanted and I now have 2 desktop arma icons, one that loads up no mods at all and the other which does. So I'm happy :cool:

Now I just have to find a server that doesn't keep crashing every 15-30 mins >.<

[tortuosit 486]

You can also organize them like so:

mydocuments\arma3 alpha\AI_mods\<somemods>

mydocuments\arma3 alpha\Units_mods\<somemods>

mydocuments\arma3 alpha\Sound_mods\<somemods>

I recommend not to organize them this way, for one reason: Tools like PlayWithSix or Armarize (which I use, which is great, and which also uses the PlayWithSix network) may rely on having the mods in the well known directories.

What I did in order to recognize them (some mod folders have really crappy names) is, I pulled the BI forum thread URL file from the browser adress bar into the mods dir.

Edited August 21, 2013 by tortuosit

[millerhighlife 1]

By no mean im no noob, but I have my arma 3 installed on a SSD and running my mods via the my documents/Arma 3 Alpha folder. But they do not show up in the expansions menu at all. So Any ideas. I have just been using a launcher, playwithsix, and short cuts. But If i start Arma straight with steam. No mods show up in expansions.

[dayglow 2]

There's an easier method that I just found out.

Since steam folder kinda too deep, you can put your mods in your mydocuments\arma3 alpha\<mods>

Then Enable them like Myke mention

You can also organize them like so:

mydocuments\arma3 alpha\AI_mods\<somemods>

mydocuments\arma3 alpha\Units_mods\<somemods>

mydocuments\arma3 alpha\Sound_mods\<somemods>

etc... etc..

and the game can still detect them

when organizing like this, where do I put the keys? In the Arma3 directory, or can I have a Keys folder here as well? Haven't seen a mod with a userconfig folder yet, but if there is one, same question.

---------- Post added at 18:41 ---------- Previous post was at 18:09 ----------

to answer my own question, no you can't have the userconfig or keys folder in the documents path. You need to put those folders in the main folder for Arma3

[MANTIA 55]

I am not able to "disable" my mods when accessing them through the expansion screen. The disable selection is grayed out.