ARMA 2: CO (how to combine ARMA 2 into ARMA 2:OA and use together)

[fatty86 10]

I'm finding that any server running combined content appears with a red question mark in the server browser. When I connect to them, I can load up OA missions/content fine, but whenever I load up an A2 mission, the mission starts downloading but freezes under 10kb. If it's a mission I already have (like a stock mission), it just freezes on "wait for host."

Is this a problem on my end or with the way the servers are set up?

EDIT: FWIW both of my games are through Steam, although other people I've spoken to with retail/Sprocket copies seem to experience the same thing. I can confirm that A2 content is working on my end - I can load up Utes and Chernarus just fine in the editor.

Edited July 1, 2010 by fatty86

[spectrersg 9]

Dwarden, will there be a STEAM update to fix this issue so we dont have to run your script?

[lizardmech 10]

Winters;1665869']Hi Lizard' date='

Which versions of A2 and A2OA are you using?

Is your ARMA 2 at version 1.07?[/quote']

The latest ones on steam 1.07 and 1.52 OA.

[Winteresque 10]

Someone in my clan is having the same problem, and so far the only difference we've been able to find is that he has the retail 1.07 patch applied to his ARMA 2, and Steam hasn't forced the update again for him.

I'll let you know when we find a solution! :)

[maruk 80]

In session browser, the game now checks expected compatibility based on the names of active mods.

If the client has not some mods that are currently enabled on the server, that server is marked with Red Questionmark. It does not disable joining the session but indicates there is high probability it may not work properly.

Combined Operations should have the following mods run:

* ca

* expansion

We hope more direct solution will be available directly from Steam but for now this is probably the easiest way we can provide.

[FlatSpin 10]

OK have spent hours reading and trying to do this as directed by various forum post. I must admit that i am not very computer smart and have been lost following the people trying to help. However I have got it working and thought that I would help out the rest in the same boat as me.

Follow these simple steps and it should work, If your dvd version of ARMA 2 and Steam version of OA are installed into their default directories.

1: Download the file runA2CO.zip in Dwardens sticky ARMA 2: CO (how combine ARMA 2 into ARMA 2:OA and use together) in the BI arma-oa general forum.

2: Unzip it and place the unzipped file into your Steam OA directory (the steam/steamapps/common/arma 2 operation arrowhead) one

3: Edit it by right clicking on _runA2CO and selecting edit.

4: Delete the line under run ie "%ARMA2OAPATH%\ARMA2OA.exe" "-mod=%ARMA2PATH%;%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION"

5: Copy the following "C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2 operation arrowhead\ArmA2OA.exe" "-mod=C:\Program Files\Bohemia Interactive\ArmA 2;C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2 operation arrowhead\EXPANSION" and paste it under run where the other one was.

6: Save the changes

7: Run the file ie _runA2CO (create a shortcut to it on desktop for your ease).

8: ENJOY! But feel a little embarrassed that you are maybe as thick as me:wink_o:

Thank you so much Tempai!

You just made my day :D

[vengeance1 50]

In session browser, the game now checks expected compatibility based on the names of active mods.

If the client has not some mods that are currently enabled on the server, that server is marked with Red Questionmark. It does not disable joining the session but indicates there is high probability it may not work properly.

Combined Operations should have the following mods run:

* ca

* expansion

We hope more direct solution will be available directly from Steam but for now this is probably the easiest way we can provide.

Ok so where do we put this? * ca and * expansion in Steam?

[sgt gul 0]

i dont get this :S

i have retail(boxed)version of Arma II.

i bought OA from Sprocket (download almost completed)

what do i need to do ?

nevermind, i thikn i got it.

Edited July 1, 2010 by Sgt Gul

[evilfury 0]

What did you do? Did u put bat file in arma 2 directory and start arrowhead via bat file?

[Simon C 0]

Not sure if it's already been asked as I'm on my phone, but is it possible to have ArmA 2 on one Hard Drive and OA on another, yet still combine them? Thanks.

I quote myself.

[sgt gul 0]

no i just installed OA in armaII directory, and i launched the OA exe and it works, i even get better fps and performance when playing. I didnt have good performance with ArmaII

[Showerhead 10]

Is it possible to merge a retail Arma 2 with a steam OA was looking at OA and it's cheaper on steam than in stores.

[MavericK96 0]

Is it possible to merge a retail Arma 2 with a steam OA was looking at OA and it's cheaper on steam than in stores.

Read the thread and you will have your answer.

[Alliexx 10]

Hi all,

Well the title says it all :)

How to get them work together ?

Any idea ?

Thanks,

Alphons

[jones9470 10]

this is so frustrating I have run this BAT file and nothing, I have tried extracting oa folders to arma 2 folders to just use the addons in the game, nothing is working and between sprocket and steam fucking me this is rediculous, I know its been said a milion times before but can someone here clearly and slowly explain how to make it so that i can play arrowhead but use things like ACE. and all my other addons I want to play with, I have read through these forums several thousand times and these explanations only make sense to people who know what theyre talking about. Im only asking this because the arma community has always had an answer when technical bullshit comes up like this..... this is what i have us box version of arma 2 and i just downloaded arrowhead from steam and just dont understand. please someone help lol

[Firehead 0]

We hope more direct solution will be available directly from Steam but for now this is probably the easiest way we can provide.

I'll be quite honest here:

This is unacceptable. I don't want to hear HOPE, I want to know for sure you are going to correct this issue. I am giving you some leeway, but your first priority once seeing this was an issue should be to fix it. This temporary fix is the only thing keeping the customers that purchased this from posting something like I am right now.

I can deal with some bugs, or imperfect performance. What I cannot deal with is purchasing this game to enhance a game I already owned, that adds content official content not work with what I currently have. Had this been advertised as a standalone game, not a standalone expansion, I wouldn't be bitching.

You're failure to test compatibility through Steam digital distribution, is causing much disdain for your customer base that uses said Steam software. Had I known I was going to have this issue, I wouldn't have purchased it through Steam. Not having problems with any games in the past gave me confidence to purchase through Valves digital distribution software.

With all that being said, I hope that you will correct it so I can continue with the wonderful gaming experience I've had up to this point with your products, past and present. Thanks.

[Zipper5 74]

Yeesh...

I don't know how that temporary fix works as I don't have that problem, thankfully, but does it really stop you from using OA as you would normally use it? Does it limit mod functionality in any way, or definable launch perimeters, etc.?

If not then I don't see why the fix isn't acceptable, unless you really have to run it as you would other games through Steam...

[MavericK96 0]

<rant>

I think you're being a little hard on BIS. Trying to get things pushed through Steam is not always easy, since you're dealing with a third party distribution system, and all changes have to go through Valve. The temporary fix that BIS has provided works just fine for me; all I have to do is put a shortcut on my desktop to the batch file, and run it like I would anything else. Works every time.

I, too, would like to see a more permanent solution implemented, but for now this is perfectly acceptable. I also have confidence that BIS will get it sorted out relatively soon.

[Firehead 0]

You're not reading what I said. If you didn't notice, I used bold, and italicized the word "hope" in his post. As a customer, I don't want to hear this. This goes for any company, game related or not. Too harsh? I hardly think so, I didn't even use bad langauge for cryin' out loud. I'm trying to be respectful as I can, while expressing my unhappiness with the way I am forced to launch my game and make them work together. Besides, man up if you can't take criticism, the real world hurts. I think their products are great, and so far this is the only issue I've ever had with them. Yes, I do have a problem with continually running this game through their batch file. Temporary? Cool, as long as you are trying to correct it. Permanent? Unacceptable.

[Zipper5 74]

Permanent? Unacceptable.

But why? If it works exactly how it would normally bar the Steam UI, what's wrong with it remaining that way? Do you really need the ability to launch it through Steam for unmentioned some reason, or is it simply "because I say it's unacceptable"?

[Firehead 0]

But why? If it works exactly how it would normally bar the Steam UI, what's wrong with it remaining that way? Do you really need the ability to launch it through Steam for unmentioned some reason, or is it simply "because I say it's unacceptable"?

Okay, I see what you're getting at. I'm not saying it for just myself, I'm thinking about others as well. Let me explain: using mod launchers, installing mods, getting everything to work together is a PITA, using this fix. I would have to modify this batch file every time I wanna run something different. Not everyone launches it using the Steam UI. I can't even really set up multiple shortcuts like I would for different things if I wanted to. Also, not everyone is necessarily "savvy" like some of us(not saying I am), and might want to do various things that they can't really do with this fix. I mean, cmon, some people couldn't figure out how to use the SixUpdater to get ACE working.

Its kinda like having a car that squeaks every time you put on your brakes. Yea, it works, but its still really annoying.

[Zipper5 74]

Ah ok, I see the problem then. If it's even more of a hassle to do things with that fix than it is to do them conventionally, then I agree that it should be rectified ASAP.

[Jest 10]

I'm not sure if this is useful information, but copying all of the files from an ArmA2 install, into an OA install, then doing a verify via steam on the OA install, also seems to work.

At least for dedicated servers.

We've switched to the method on page 1, but just to let you know of a 2nd way that seemed to work :)

[Winchester Delta_1 0]

OK maybe this helps... Than you can run the FIX trough Alphine Star Arma Launcher. And even select your Mods like you would do for Original ARMA. It is made from snippets out of this Big Post. So thanks everybody who made this possible in Advance.

I hope it will help you. English is not my Native language. I can now run Original ARMA and Arrowhead at the same time. Even ACE works and other Mods. And i didn't even encounter some huge error yet. Only ACE Rucksack seemed to give some incompatibility's with the Native Rucksack system.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Only Verify'd with Windows 7!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!To run ARMA2 original and Arrowhead under winxp and Vista scroll down. There is a easy and hard way to do it.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok guy's here is a fix to get your Operation Arrowhead to work with ARMA2 and his Mods.

-1- First Download Alphine Stars ARMA 2 launcher from here if you don't have it:

http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=6649

-2- Extract it to your desktop run it and Point it to your ARMA2OA.exe executable.

-3- Open up a Command promt (CMD):

-Press start bottem left corner of your screen and go to the search box.

-Type in that search box CMD. Don't press ENTER.

-Go up the Start menu and right click CMD and run it as ADMIN.

-3- When in the Black Command Promt window you have to do the following:

-First type the drive letter where your Operation Arrowhead is located. On my drive its on G. So i type: G: "than press ENTER".

-4- Than type the full path to your ARMA2 Operation Arrowhead folder. You do that like this:

- Type: CD steam (if you steam folder is directly located in the root of your drive, otherwise type CD "your own folder" and than CD STEAM.

-Type: CD steamapps

(You can do it faster by pressing/clicking TAB so it just guesses what you want to type)

-Type: CD Common

-Type: CD arma 2 operation arrowhead

Ok now your inside your Operation arrowhead folder within the Command Prompt.

It should look something like this (Offcourse your own drive letter and folders): G:\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2 operation arrowhead>

-5- Ok now pay attenetion.

-If your ARMA2 Folder is in the same folder as in the Operation Arrowhead folder under steam/steamapps/common you can do it the quick way.

Type (exactly like that yes): mklink /d "@arma2" "..\arma 2"

-If your ARMA2 is located somewhere els type the whole foler path to that ARMA2 folder like this:

Type: mklink /d "@arma2" "Your ARMA2 FOLDER PATH"

If it worked you will get this message:

symbolic link created for @arma2 <<===>> ..\arma 2

And a ARMA2 shortcut will be created inside your operation arrowhead folder.

-6- Ok now start up your ARMA launcher.

-If you did it right you will see that it loads up all the Mods.

-The most importend Mod folders to run are the ARMA2 folder and the EXPANSION folder. Check them On.

-If you want to run it with your mods check all the mods you like. I can't promise they work as good as in ARMA2 or work at all. The F-16 worked fine for me. ANd Cobra could run ACE.

You can easely check if it works by going to single player an than editor.

*************************************************** ****

FOR XP AND VISTA USERS:

*********************************************************

If you don't want to launch ARMA2 Original and Operation Arrowhead with Mods togther or you have Vista or XP you can download a file from the link below. Extract that batch file into your Operation Arrowhead Folder where the ARMA2OA.EXE is located and run the batch ""EVERYTIME" from there to only start up Original ARMA and Arrrowhead with no Mods works for WinCP and Vista if i have been reading that right.

http://forums.bistudio.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22&d=1277979603

********************************************* *************

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dwarden

there are better ways like using NTFS links for Windows VISTA / SEVEN

note: only for skilled PC users

on commandprompt from directory where STEAM arma2oa.exe is located

Code:

mklink /j LinkDirectory TargetDirectorythis would make it look like when you own already CO or install OA into ARMA 2 with retail setup

on NTFS in windowsXP your would need use e.g. tool from sysinternals

unfortunately that's not easy and 'safe' on FAT32 in WindowsXP (hardlinking directory is possible)

Does it work like this:

Code:

while in arma2oa dir

mklink /j (full arma2oa dir) (full arma2 dir)I just get syntax error trying to link them using this (minus the brackets full directory used etc.)

********************************************************

If you want more info and Graphical examples from the original posters go to this link:

http://www.kellys-heroes.eu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=3780#p33159

!!!!If you get a error starting up remember to Enable EXPANSION and the ARMA2 folder in your ARMA Launcher!!!!!

If you don't want to launch ARMA2 Original and Operation Arrowhead with Mods togther or you have Vista or XP you can download a file from the link below. Extract that batch file into your Operation Arrowhead Folder where the ARMA2OA.EXE is located and run the batch ""EVERYTIME" from there to only start up Original ARMA and Arrrowhead with no Mods works for WinCP and Vista if i have been reading that right.

http://forums.bistudio.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22&d=1277979603

For questions post them here and i will get to you soon. Or just jump on Team Speak.

TS3 info:

IP = ts52.gameservers.com

Port = 9103

Pass = 9thrules

HANDY TIPS AND FIXES FOR ERRORS:

-If you want to run ACE with Arrowhead don't forget to copy the Userconfig folder from your original ARMA2 folder into the Arrowhead folder.

-Also copy your Keys folder from ARMA2 Original to Arrowhead folder. Dont overwrite the bi key.

-Disable POST Process and decrease had bobbing in your Settings.

-For some reason i can't run more than 14 mods at a time trough ARMA launcher. ARMA2 and EXPANSION included. Steam isn't able to start up ARMA OA. But it try's. More testing is needed.

-All Islands seem to work fine. No problems found yet.

Edited July 2, 2010 by Winchester Delta_1

[Callaghan 1]

Can we get some kind of ETA on the fix that BI will be providing for use on the Steam platform? As far as I know it is not in any way the responsibility of Steam, as much as it would have been decent and reasonable for them to do so, it is Steam we are talking about. They have no interest in supporting the customer after they make a sale.

---------- Post added at 03:08 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:05 AM ----------

For windows 7 users remember that Arma 2 (DVD) normally installs to your regular program files, where Steam OA installs to 'Program Files (x86)'. Make sure you note this difference when editing the batch .cmd file.