Multiplayer - just me and my mate?

[_angus_ 2]

My friend and I both enjoy ARMA 3 single player, and I've created a few basic scenarios in the editor - neither of us have tried multiplayer, and we wondered if it was possible to have a go initially with just the 2 of us finding our feet against some AI enemy, maybe clearing a village or something where we wouldn't be embarassing ourselves in public. :)

Are there servers where you can 'dial that in' or would one of us need to act as the server/host/thingy? :)

Sorry, but we are clueless about this aspect of the game.

[IT07 10]

yes, you can create a scenario in the editor and make it multiplayer compatible (that is 2 words, but they mean shitload of (brain)work).

Then in ArmA 3, go to PLAY > MULTIPLAYER > NEW > enter a name and password > click ok > select the mission you made from the list on right. done!

[k0rd 3]

My friend and I both enjoy ARMA 3 single player, and I've created a few basic scenarios in the editor - neither of us have tried multiplayer, and we wondered if it was possible to have a go initially with just the 2 of us finding our feet against some AI enemy, maybe clearing a village or something where we wouldn't be embarassing ourselves in public. :)

Are there servers where you can 'dial that in' or would one of us need to act as the server/host/thingy? :)

Sorry, but we are clueless about this aspect of the game.

I would suggest just joining an empty server that has the game mode type set to 'co-op' to jump right in without needing to worry about hosting, although you won't be able to set the specifics of the mission. If you don't like the mission you joined, simply join another server. There are plenty of servers with 0 players, and server owners would be happy to get a little traffic.

[_angus_ 2]

Thanks guys -Looking at the options, if I just throw down 2 or 3 squads of bad guys in a village on the editor and then create a good guy squad with playable characters, save it as multiplayer, then follow the steps kindly detailed, will my newly created server appear on my friend's pc when he looks at the list?

Does he need to download anything from me, of if I just tell him the name and password he's good to go? And if I'm hosting the game, I assume I can still play it with him?

We'll need headsets and Teamspeak3(?) in order to communicate verbally I assume?

Sorry for the total ignorance, and thanks again for your help. :)

[Harzach 2511]

No need to save the mission even - use the multiplayer editor and you can create quick scenarios and be playing them within seconds.

To open the multiplayer editor: Play > Multiplayer > New > settings as desired > OK > select map > <<New - Editor>> > Play

Your friend won't need to download anything unless you are using asset mods in your mission (anything that adds weapons, vehicles, editor modules, etc).

You don't need Teamspeak for communication as Arma has built-in VoIP. There are several channels available, and each supports both voice and text chat.

More information here: https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/ArmA:_Manual#Communication

[hades198 10]

Although it may be a little time consuming, using either armaholic or play with six you can and download pre made missions. Assuming youre relatively new to arma I think that may be a wise choice, since when I first started played arma, I always loathed the randomness of the auto mission generator but was for the large too lazy to bother with the full mission editor.

[IT07 10]

Be careful with missions from the Steam Workshop though....

Why? because even the highest ranked missions can suck in terms of bad coding, weird mission bugs and more crap like that.

What most "Mission makers" do not realise is that their mission is not allowed to have bugs in them that ruin the fun. Unfortunately, even the best rated missions have those bugs in them. Me and my friend played a mission a while ago where the task system was bugged; so we could not complete the mission. Later on we found out that when a player rejoined, none of the tasks he/she completed were marked as so.

Those kind of people do not realise the weight that comes with making a good mission. And just to warn you, there are a lot of people like that in the Steam Workshop.

[_angus_ 2]

Thanks for all the tips guys. I have been playing around with the editor for a while, and have put a very basic MP mission (just an encounter, really) together. It will hopefully at least be a proof of concept. :)

And when I go through the steps:

PLAY > MULTIPLAYER > NEW > enter a name and password > click ok > select the mission I made from the list

At that point it will become visible on the ARMA server list to my friend (and anyone else who's looking)?

And there's no particular security issue? When I stop hosting, I'm back to where I was?

Thanks.

[hades198 10]

I haven't been ingame with ARMA for a while, but i suppose you could use hamachi or something similar so your server wouldn't show up in the general server list. Otherwise, yes your server will show up in the general server list, although you can add a password and whatnot which should be fine. As for security issues. Sure you can be DDOSed but that is really really extremely unlikely for a 10 man server. As for after you've finished hosting, you won't see anything different at all, the universe won't have batted an eye.

[Harzach 2511]

Just set a password and only give it to those you want to join.

[_angus_ 2]

. As for after you've finished hosting, you won't see anything different at all, the universe won't have batted an eye.

:) Ha.

Thanks, appreciate the help.

I'm supposedly up now with a host called

XXXX

but my friend can't see it.

Any ideas what I may have done wrong, I was set for LAN but have now changed it so internet is visible...

---------- Post added at 14:52 ---------- Previous post was at 14:49 ----------

:) Ha.

Thanks, appreciate the help.

I'm supposedly up now with a host called

XXXX

but my friend can't see it.

Any ideas what I may have done wrong, I was set for LAN but have now changed it so internet is visible...

Any chance some kind soul could verify if XXXX is actually visible?

[_angus_ 2]

Is there anything I need to do with the ports and my firewall? Again this is not something I've touched before.......

The default port on the setup page of ARMA says 2302 I believe, should I be telling my Firewall about that?

[romeoquiznos 10]

Make sure you are not running the mission as LAN make sure you are using INTERNET option when setting up the "server" from your end. If your server is called xyz then have your friend check their Arma 3 multiplayer server browser "FILTER" and have your friend type in xyz to find your "server" faster. As long as you have a password your friend only knows no one can get on unless they somehow guess your password. Everyone can see your "server" but only those with the password can enter. Anytime I have ever done this I have never had to do anything with my ports or firewalls, so no don't mess with those unless you really know what your doing just make sure you are running Arma 3 and/or Steam as administrator but I don't think this is even necessary. Try the INTERNET option solution first. Cheers!

Edited May 28, 2014 by RomeoQuiznos

[_angus_ 2]

Make sure you are not running the mission as LAN make sure you are using INTERNET option when setting up the "server" from your end.

Yes the LAN/Internet setting was an issue, but I spotted it and changed the setting from LAN to Internet. My computer is still not visible on the server list though. I can only think my router firewall or Windows firewall is responsible, and I need to enter the scary realms of "Port Opening".

Why is everything more complicated than you want? :)

I continue to welcome any advice.

Edited May 29, 2014 by _Angus_

[IT07 10]

One thing you can try is removing every launch parameter you have. I had it before when a certain launch parameter caused my session to not show up.

[_angus_ 2]

One thing you can try is removing every launch parameter you have. I had it before when a certain launch parameter caused my session to not show up.

I've not actually assigned any launch parameters, so I assume its not that - thanks, though.

[_angus_ 2]

Sorted, it was me being stupid. At the top of the server list you have the option of changing between Gamespy and Steam servers. Once my friend changed to Gamespy all was well, he could see my server, and we were able to play the mission.

A couple of small issues though:

At the first attempt, all my friend could see was my point of view. Basically he was seeing what I was seeing on my monitor and had no control. Not sure how that happened, but it only happened once.

We were unable to see each others text, so communication was basically waving gun barrels at each other. :) We have tried somebody else's server and the text worked fine, so is it something I need to enable?

Thanks for your help guys, we actually had great fun, and succeeded in my simple Village Assault mission.