New to ArmA 2, some questions

[SoupOrJuice 1]

I'm not exactly new to this game, but I'm no pro. I've played a few hours of DayZ and a few hours of Wasteland, and honestly I'm left craving more. Wasteland is a lot of fun, but I feel like finding weapons is still a chore and I really just want combat on a slightly "grander" scale. So, I looked up some stuff. Found ACE2 (downloading it right now via SixUpdater) and Domination! (which I'm still not certain how to play - is it just a mission file like Wasteland or is there more to it?). But I wondered, is it worth getting into a gaming group? I've been reading (in pieces, it's huge) the ShackTac guide to ArmA 2 by Dyslexic, but I feel like getting into a group like that might be difficult for a newbie. Is Domination! more my speed? Are there groups of people that are a little more laid-back and just do co-op missions?

Mainly, I want to know this - is it looked upon as bad practice to join a random MP server of ArmA 2 that ISN'T running a much-played mod? Are these servers generally hosting put-together missions? It feels like everything is all over the place, and I don't want to step on any toes by joining a server that's trying to be HC while I stumble about trying to figure out how to choose my weapons (if I can) and where to go (if there's objectives). Any info or direction TO info about getting my foot in the door with this game, would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

- Soupy

P.S. If anyone wants to "take me in" to their group of friends, I'd be happy to join in with some people playing whatever (Wasteland, DayZ, Domination, or just regular co-op/adversarial stuff). Learning by doing seems to be the most fun way in gaming.

[NoRailgunner 0]

Hi and welcome to the Armaverse! You can have a look and try enjoying whatever you like - just do it. If there is a briefing - read it so you get the task/idea of the mission! Don't be a idiot and kill + destroy all the things just because you can. Try to communicate via VON, chat and/or TS or mumble. If you don't like how people play on a certain server leave it and find another. Keep in mind public servers are just public - filled with random strangers who maybe just think that TK'ing and lonewolf tactics are the greatest things one should do and care about in a game....

[Pek 15]

Hey! First off: welcome to ArmA2!

There are some thing you need to know before you start playing Domination and/or other game mods like Patrol Operations or MSO (Multi-session-operations).

DayZ and Wasteland are all about grabbing what you can get, and put it somewhere and kill people. Games like Domination and PatrolOps are based around a team of players carrying out mission together. You got a role (like being a medic on blufor in wasteland) and you got to do what that role says. There is less lone wolfing like DayZ, and you actually got to plan stuff and all. Its real fun. Its the reason why I bought ArmA2 in the first place.

Second: Playing with mods.

When your fairly new to the game, and you do not master all the controls, working with ACE can be a pain in the ****. Beside you have to do other actions to achieve the same, things like wind ect are taking into account as well. ACE also gives you some new things like Putting your weapon on safe, needing batteries for a rangefinder (renamed to Vector 12B nite) and helicopters are more difficult to handle.

ACRE will be something strange to you as well. Its a mod which will give you a working (yeah that's right, working!) radio, and you will only hear your teammates when there near (3d sound - like direct comms channel in ArmA2 VON). All this adds up to the realism.

Just hop in a community's teamspeak server and i'l bet they will be eager to help you out.

Hope you'l have fun in ArmA2!

[jordyboi01 10]

Hi i am also new to the arma games but i am loving it so far.I am also looking for people to do some co-op with so if you like we could team up some time