What happens to the server/data files you downloand from online games?

[BF2_Trooper 0]

Do files you download from servers (particularly ones playing custom missions and mods) stay on your hard drive? Or the they get deleted afterwards? Is this autodownload thing only for custom missions or do they work with full fledge mods as well?

[walker 0]

Hi BF2_Trooper

You cannot play a missions with a custom "mod" unless you have already downloaded it ;)

The missions you download are in this folder

C:\Documents and Settings\ your windows user name \Local Settings\Application Data\ArmA 2\MPMissionsCache

Kind Regards walker

[Deadfast 43]

C:\Users\USER\AppData\Local\ArmA 2\MPMissionsCache

for Vista and 7 :)

[BF2_Trooper 0]

Well it seems like i cant access these myself when selecting a mission when I'm setting up my server. Do they get erased after a while? Or will they eventually pile up in my Hard Drive?

---------- Post added at 10:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:19 PM ----------

Hi BF2_Trooper

You cannot play a missions with a custom "mod" unless you have already downloaded it ;)

Unless I have already downloaded it manually from outside the game right?

[Lincoln1stFJ 10]

They are all there. They don't go anywhere.

You might have to unhide files in windows.

In XP it's tools, folder options, view. Select "Show hidden files and folders"

I dunno about Vista

[BF2_Trooper 0]

So it's safe to delete them if they start to take up space?

[hund 0]

Yeah, quite safe, but most missions are quite small so you will have to play a lot to clog up your hard drive.

And an added benefit of already having a mission in the cache is faster loading times, i guess.

[Eclipse4349 0]

Is there a way to make these missions playable if I was to host a server? I have a few missions I had downloaded that are not options to choose from when I host my own. If I was to copy the files from my apllicationdata folder to some location in the root dir for the game, would I be able to host those missions?

[walker 0]

Is there a way to make these missions playable if I was to host a server? I have a few missions I had downloaded that are not options to choose from when I host my own. If I was to copy the files from my apllicationdata folder to some location in the root dir for the game, would I be able to host those missions?

Hi Eclipse4349

Yes copy them to the ArmA 2 MPMissions folder

C:\Program Files\Bohemia Interactive\ArmA 2\MPMissions

Kind Regards walker

Edited July 2, 2009 by walker

[BF2_Trooper 0]

Okay, so this auto download thing only works for MISSIONS but not full fledged MODS?

[Inkompetent 0]

Okay, so this auto download thing only works for MISSIONS but not full fledged MODS?

Yes. There is no actual in-game support for mod downloading out of natural reasons:

1: Mods can be up to several gigabytes in size

2: The game loads the mods when you start it, so you would have to restart the game anyway to load the mods you downloaded in-game

There is however Yoma's syncronization tool that can be used by server admins and clients to make the client automatically download missing addons that are required to play on that server.

[walker 0]

Okay, so this auto download thing only works for MISSIONS but not full fledged MODS?

Hi BF2_Trooper

The other problem with that is it would allow people to cheat!

So the Way MODs work is you download them first then everyone who has that MOD can play on any server that has that mod.

Thus we ensure all clients are equal and see and experience the same world.

You also seem confused about what represents a MOD in ArmA. MODS in ArmA are huge, and would take 30 minutes to an hour or more to down load; I think what you mean is an addon.

Smaller modifications such as a few M16 and M4 variants or 20 or 30 HK variants are not classified as MODs in ArmA those are called addons. Even a whole new island the size of Chernogorsk is just an addon. Once again addons have to be downloaded and installed into a MOD folder first. A MOD folder is any collection of addons. These will grouped by type so you keep all your Sci Fi addons in one MOD folder and all your Vietnam era stuff in say an @Nam folder.

To run ArmA with a MOD folder you make a copy of your ArmA II shortcut, rename it to some thing appropriate like ArmA II with Nam weapons. Then you edit the shortcut properties and add something like this -mod= @nam; @SEAsianIslands etc. where each of the @... is a folder name of mod you wish play with is that session.

MODs in ArmA are very big. They add hundreds of addons including vehicles, new weapons, different uniforms config changes, a new UI and two or three islands perhaps even totally changing the game to different era such as WWI or WWII or Vietnam or a Sci Fi MOD or a Napoleonic MOD.

A game MOD in ArmA is a very serious bit of work usually made by a large team of MOD developers. In most other games it would be considered a whole new game.

Kind regards walker

Edited July 3, 2009 by walker

[VariousArtist 19]

- blast from the past -

[Lincoln1stFJ 10]

Is the path the same for steam users?