New player: Suggest Mods?

[Stuh217 10]

If I put this in the wrong section, please move it.

I'm going to start playing ArmA 3 within the next week or two, and I've been checking out mods and I'm pretty excited about what appears to be a very diverse modding community that's supported quite a bit. My question is:

What mods/add-ons do you suggest I get?

I'm looking specifically for popular mods, as well as what you personally would consider "underrated" mods/add-ons. Altis Life is at the top of my list right now from what little I know of it, but aside from it I am aware of very few. I also know from past experience with other games that there can be some really poor quality mods, and I would like to avoid those.

Disclaimer: I have good experience with ArmA 2, if that means anything.

[chortles 263]

Depends on whether you really mean mods or missions/match types, I suppose...

[Stuh217 10]

Two "whatevers" I'm interested in getting when the time comes:

DUWS and Altis Life. Are they not called, generically, "mods?"

[warlord554 2065]

Choose whatever makes you happy. Browse the various addons/mods and see what fits your intetests best. Each gamer has different tastes, and in the end its up to you to govern your A3 experience

[ratszo 17]

Altis Life doesn't need a mod to play --tho it may allow sound mods.

Altis Life isn't a mod..., it's a 'mode', a mission catagory: Sandbox.

So you're good to go with just plain arma to start.

GL

[Stuh217 10]

Altis Life doesn't need a mod to play --tho it may allow sound mods.

Altis Life isn't a mod..., it's a 'mode', a mission catagory: Sandbox.

So you're good to go with just plain arma to start.

GL

Ok, I had no idea "mode" was a thing. Thanks.

[ratszo 17]

Took a look at a top Altis Life servers on this site:

http://arma3.swec.se/server/data/51300

Can see it allows sound mods:

"a3 Asylum cba_a3_beta4 cba_a3_beta5 cba_a3_rc4 dfyre jsrs2 jsrs21 WARFXPE"

--Ok, 'CBA' is a mod that allows other complex mods to work. "dfyre jsrs2 jsrs21" are 3 different sound mods, all need 'cba' to run.

Since you're new, just start with plain arma, mods will come with your needs as you play.

[chortles 263]

Ok, I had no idea "mode" was a thing. Thanks.

To some degree "game mode"/"match type"/"mission"/"scenario" are thrown around terms (although "game mode" and "match type" may imply competitive multiplayer) but I'd summarize them as all meaning what is actually played, while "addons"/"mods" can be everything from added content to certain gameplay changes. Note that some of said game modes/scenarios may actually require a particular mod or set thereof, i.e. being built around the added content or gameplay changes from said mod(s).

Examples:

King of the Hill is a competitive game mode/match type.

Invade and Annex is a cooperative game mode.

Dynamic Universal War System is a single-player or cooperative mission/scenario.

Call of Battle-Strike: Operation Porto John is a competitive game mode that each player have the Community Base Addons (CBA_A3), All in Arma Terrain Pack, and RHS: Escalation mods downloaded/installed/loaded.

Operation Wolverine is a cooperative ("COOP 08") mission that requires Community Base Addons and The Eridanus Insurrection.

Sabre Storm is a single-player scenario that requires that both Imrali Island and MK18 Mod 1.

Deliverance is a two-mission single-player campaign (though in this case the two missions are also available separately) which placed third in the Make Arma Not War competition's single-player category.

[holzflasche 11]

If you like better graphics, try Blastcore and JSRS 3. If you like realistic gameplay, try CSE, Task Force Radio, AGM and Alive. Btw ArmA 3 got massive mods with new armys like RHS, BW Mod and others. Try the editor and create your own missions, it make mor fun to see an own working missiom as Altis Life.

PS Altis Life isn't a mod, is only a mission file with some scripts.

[theevancat 277]

RHS is breddy gud. Rate 8/8.

ACE is coming, probably soon. AGM/CSE is being rolled into that.

But really, there's a lot out there content-wise featuring most of what you'd ever want.

[orcinus 121]

@Stuh217: a few suggestions are:

- Redfield's bullet value modfier, makes the hit values more realistic & you don't have to hit a CSAT unit with 10-12 bullets before he drops;

- an AI mod like ASR_AI3 or bcombat; these also modify the skill settings so the AI are no longer aimbots (one-shot kills at 400 m with ironsights, for example).

Makes the game more realistic, firefights are more fun, AI is significantly improved; throw grenades, use smoke, etc.

@Chortles - good post mate :)

Edited April 6, 2015 by Orcinus

[chortles 263]

@Orcinus: I deliberately leaned my post towards missions due to how the OP conflated them (modes) with addons, suggesting that the OP wasn't aware of the difference at first.

[Janez 508]

The only mod I would really recommend is a sound mod. JSRS or if you prefer something else browse Armaholic.

Other types of mods are a matter of taste and what you want.

[orcinus 121]

@Chortles: that's why it was a good post. I've been on several courses on presentation skills over the years & the best one emphasised the importance of tailoring one's presentation (or written material, come to that) to the audience. Very useful when I moved from academic research to a consultancy company.

[HeadPop 11]

If you like better graphics, try Blastcore and JSRS 3. If you like realistic gameplay, try CSE, Task Force Radio, AGM and Alive. Btw ArmA 3 got massive mods with new armys like RHS, BW Mod and others. Try the editor and create your own missions, it make mor fun to see an own working missiom as Altis Life.

PS Altis Life isn't a mod, is only a mission file with some scripts.

mod= modification

the life gm is edited by mission makers.

Altis Life is a mod.

---------- Post added at 10:41 ---------- Previous post was at 10:39 ----------

RHS, AGM and JSRS2

Play some COOP with your friends with this mods.