ArmA 2 Game Launcher

[SpiritedMachine 10]

This software is no longer under development.

ArmA II Launcher - Current Version: 1.4.1

Webpage

Download

ArmaHolic Page

Fixes:

• Fixed an issue where the launcher always started ArmA 2 when using the launch delay timer, regardless of whether you selected ArmA 2 or Operation Arrowhead.
  

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Original Post:

There are some features that I have found are missing from the current game launchers, so I've decided to create my own.

The main feature that I've implemented is the ability to create your own 'groups' of addons. For example, you want to group together all the map addons, weapons, effects, and so on. Create a group, name it however you want, then drag & drop the appropriate addons into your group. Then, you can activate or deactivate entire groups, as well as individual addons. The screenshot below shows an example:

Download v0.5

Edited October 5, 2013 by SpiritedMachine
New Software Version

[Chrisgs 10]

Like the concept, would be very useful, thanks.

[bushlurker 46]

Looks VERY promising!

The order in which certain modfolders are added to the shortcut before launch can sometimes be critical - it would be nice to be able to specifically order the chosen mods before launch...

Also - support for beta launching would be a welcome option - it seems quite a lot of people have a little trouble with the slightly wierd way BIS work it so core files don't get changed)

See here ...

Looks great so far though - I've been hoping for a proper, no-nonsense launcher that has more options and less logo :) for ages!

Good luck with this

B

[SpiritedMachine 10]

EDIT: To download the latest version, go to the first post.

Edited July 9, 2010 by SpiritedMachine

[thales100 10]

Excellent idea with the "groups", is it possible to also implement a comment function for each mod ?

[Chrisgs 10]

Got it thanks.

[SpiritedMachine 10]

Excellent idea with the "groups", is it possible to also implement a comment function for each mod ?

Like a user-made description of the mod? That's a good idea, I'll look into it.

[-GCA- Salah ad Din 10]

heh, why don't you try and cooperate with the maker of "ArmAII Launcher". Maybe you could combine your proggies so we have the best of two worlds?

http://arma2.ar.funpic.de/

[kheiro 10]

spiritedmachine how to install compaign with ArmA 2 Game Launcher

i have not the file compaign in the program file in arma2

[thales100 10]

Like a user-made description of the mod? That's a good idea, I'll look into it.

Yes, you know, dozens of mods installed, the notes could help you to quickly select the mods you wanna activate / combine.

[Alex72 1]

Looks real nice!

Like bushlurker said: Mod order can be vital so its important.

Also combined with profiles you can save it would be even better (to have some mods in one profile and some others in another - clean startup etc). Maybe a beta function as well (to play the beta or normal game).

Keep it up. Really like the layout of it. :)

[SpiritedMachine 10]

Looks real nice!

Like bushlurker said: Mod order can be vital so its important.

Also combined with profiles you can save it would be even better (to have some mods in one profile and some others in another - clean startup etc). Maybe a beta function as well (to play the beta or normal game).

Keep it up. Really like the layout of it. :)

Yeah, I've already implemented mod order, I knew that would be important. Profiles are a good idea as well, I didn't think about that. I've had a couple requests for beta functionality, so I'll look into that.

Thanks for the comments and ideas, everyone.

[gregb143 10]

I can't seem to get the mod from the left hand column to the right hand column.

[SpiritedMachine 10]

It should be as simple as dragging and dropping. Here's a little video:

Click to Watch Video

Edited November 6, 2009 by SpiritedMachine

[.kju 3244]

Some feedback so far:

• Installer fails to read/understand junctions. http://i37.tinypic.com/2s9223q.jpg
  
• First time launch, I assume it scans for modfolders. There has to be a message telling that the user!
  
• Exception - unable to launch the app after that. http://i33.tinypic.com/65aijp.jpg and http://pastebin.jonasscholz.de/270
  
• App configuration not in the same folder as the app.
  

You need to scan for modfolders this way:

1) Scan for folders named addons inside the arma2 dir. Ie c:\arma2\beta\addons.

2) Drop the path to arma2: beta\addons

3) Drop the addons postfix: beta

4) Modfolder is 'beta'.

Edited November 6, 2009 by kju

[SpiritedMachine 10]

Some feedback so far:

• Installer fails to read/understand junctions. http://i37.tinypic.com/2s9223q.jpg
  
• First time launch, I assume it scans for modfolders. There has to be a message telling that the user!
  
• Exception - unable to launch the app after that. http://i33.tinypic.com/65aijp.jpg and http://pastebin.jonasscholz.de/270
  
• App configuration not in the same folder as the app.
  

You need to scan for modfolders this way:

1) Scan for folders named addons inside the arma2 dir. Ie c:\arma2\beta\addons.

2) Drop the path to arma2: beta\addons

3) Drop the addons postfix: beta

4) Modfolder is 'beta'.

-I'm not sure what's causing those problems, especially the installer, as I didn't create that myself.

-I don't have a message about scanning for modfolders because it scans every time you run the program, so it can catch new ones you may have added. After you select the arma2 executable it determines that folder is the arma2 directory, and scans all subfolders within it. Right now I do not have the ability to define your own mod directory outside of the arma2 directory, which is something I may add later.

-The configuration files are stored in the application data folder, just as many other software does. (Adobe, iTunes, Firefox, etc) I don't see a problem with this. One of the benefits is that the configurations are user-specific.

As far as the modfolders go, that is exactly the way that the application searches for them. It was the only way I could think of to do it, and on my computer it works fine.

Edited November 6, 2009 by SpiritedMachine

[SpiritedMachine 10]

Added the ability to save a description/comments for addons in your list.

Video

[thales100 10]

Added the ability to save a description/comments for addons in your list.

Excellent. ;)

[i0n0s 0]

-The configuration files are stored in the application data folder, just as many other software does. (Adobe, iTunes, Firefox, etc) I don't see a problem with this. One of the benefits is that the configurations are user-specific.

And more on: This is a required behaviour since Windows Vista and 7.

But you can think of a local or "USB stick" mode.

[SpiritedMachine 10]

2 new features added. 1 major, 1 minor.

Major: Profiles feature added. Save different configurations of addons to different profiles, so you can quickly load different a different profile rather than adding/removing/checking/unchecking multiple addons.

Minor: Any addon selected in the 'Addon Groups' treeview is automatically highlighted in the 'Available Addons' list and the comments are displayed below.

Video

[SpiritedMachine 10]

EDIT: To download the latest version, go to the first post.

Edited July 9, 2010 by SpiritedMachine

[thales100 10]

v0.5.5 Available for Download

Thanks SpiritedMachine.

Edit: Im getting an error when launching the game using the latest version, any idea ?

Using other launchers, and the same mods / mod order / settings, Arma 2 lauches just fine.

Edited November 7, 2009 by thales100

[SpiritedMachine 10]

Thanks SpiritedMachine.

Edit: Im getting an error when launching the game using the latest version, any idea ?

Using other launchers, and the same mods / mod order / settings, Arma 2 lauches just fine.

I found this post by searching pstreeAdv:

http://forums.bistudio.com/showpost.php?p=1482564&postcount=366

Someone else got the same error, and the possible problem was that there was a ; at the end of the mods. If you check the parameter line at the bottom of the application, does it look like that might be the problem?

Also, could you give me the list of addons/settings you're using? I'd like to try to recreate the problem if possible.

[thales100 10]

Someone else got the same error, and the possible problem was that there was a ; at the end of the mods. If you check the parameter line at the bottom of the application, does it look like that might be the problem?

Fixed, yes that was the problem, thanks, works perfectly fine now. :D

[SpiritedMachine 10]

EDIT: To download the latest version, go to the first post.

Looks VERY promising!

The order in which certain modfolders are added to the shortcut before launch can sometimes be critical - it would be nice to be able to specifically order the chosen mods before launch...

Also - support for beta launching would be a welcome option - it seems quite a lot of people have a little trouble with the slightly wierd way BIS work it so core files don't get changed)

See here ...

Looks great so far though - I've been hoping for a proper, no-nonsense launcher that has more options and less logo :) for ages!

Good luck with this

B

Added the ability to run the beta, loading it according to the post Bushlurker linked. If it doesn't work as expected, let me know.

Download v0.5.6.0

Note: If you want to keep the options you have saved in previous versions, it will be located in:

C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Roaming\Spirited Machine\ArmA II Launcher\Version Number\Profiles\ProfileName

Move the profile folders to the appropriate directory for the newly installed version. I will come up with a better way to handle this in the future so you don't have to do it on your own.

Edited July 9, 2010 by SpiritedMachine