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Dwarden

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

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Just go into your Arma2 directory find the arma2oa.exe right click it "send to desktop" and it will create a shortcut on your desktop of Arma2CO.

It only creates a shortcut to OA, not CO. I need to get it to run CO in order for some of my addons to work, no idea how though.

*I found arma2oa.exe in the Operation Arrowhead directory, the vanilla ArmA2 directory only had arma2.exe.*

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Did you follow this post?

http://forums.bistudio.com/showpost.php?p=2033240&postcount=6

Install OA into Arma2 directory, patch it then run the Arma2OA.exe.

Heres my shortcut as an example.

E:\Games\Arma2\arma2oa.exe -nosplash -skipIntro -mod=@CBA;@COWarMod;@COWarModSM

and Im running Arma2CO with COWarMod which is 200+ addons and mods in one.

arma2oa.exe is what you use to run CO, but if you have not installed OA

into the Arma2 directory then its going to point to OA specifically.

When you get arma2co you should have both utes, and chenarus as well as all the islands from OA together,

you can check that if you go to the SP editor and see the island list.

*I found arma2oa.exe in the Operation Arrowhead directory, the vanilla ArmA2 directory only had arma2.exe.*

Theres your problem, you hadn't installed it correctly, when all said and done the Arma2OA.exe will be in the Arma2 directory.

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Hi Gunter,

I had the Steam version so I'm not certain if I could do that. Anyway ArmA II launcher V1.4 sorted out this issue for me. But if I run into more issues I'll give it a try. Thanks.

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This is not working at all...

this is what I did:

1) Installed Arma II from DVD into the steam version of OA

2) Validated integrity of game files in steam.

3) installed this:

ftp://downloads.bistudio.com/arma2.com/update/beta/ARMA2_OA_Build_86705.zip

4) ran the game from _runA2CO.cmd

I get an error of a couple of missing files and thats it...

The 1st post is vague and doesnt explain much...

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This is not working at all...

this is what I did:

1) Installed Arma II from DVD into the steam version of OA

2) Validated integrity of game files in steam.

3) installed this:

ftp://downloads.bistudio.com/arma2.com/update/beta/ARMA2_OA_Build_86705.zip

4) ran the game from _runA2CO.cmd

I get an error of a couple of missing files and thats it...

The 1st post is vague and doesnt explain much...

Your post is even more vague. You get an error 'of a couple of files missing' ??

How about you list the file names, and even better, include your RPT file :D

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Your post is even more vague. You get an error 'of a couple of files missing' ??

How about you list the file names, and even better, include your RPT file :D

I would if I knew where its located :p (yes I am a total arma noob here...)

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Ok so since I never really played Arma in my life I have no real knowledge of it, is that gonna stop me from getting help here?

Im a noob with arma but not with computers, Il edit registry if needed but I need clear steps...

The steam OA install isnt working right, I dont see a way of getting it to its original state/version and all the servers in multiplayer are marked red so I dont even have OA anymore. Im utterly confused on what to do.

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After fiddling about with the batch file from post no.1, I deleted everything including registry entries and started from scratch. It now works as intented.

Here is my recipe:

2 DVD: Arma2 and OA

Download Patch 1.6 for OA

Method:

Load Arma2 from disc

Load OA from disc to the same directory

OA disc has 1.06 patch for Arma2 so allow it to patch to 1.06 when installer asks you if it can do it.

Then apply patch 1.6

Open OA , arma2 is there in the expansion menu.

During the process, I don't open anything until its all loaded and the two patches 1.06 and 1.6 are applied.

Took me 4 attempts with different variations e.g load arma 2 patch it to 1.10,then load OA etc etc etc. Didn't work. Even made 1 attempt to load OA first.

PS. The batch file also works.

Edited by fireone
Additions/revision

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since 1.60, this batch, this thread and this solution is NOT needed anymore

it still works, but it's not MUST ...

remember for STEAM/Desura the ARMA 2 game must be STARTED once prior starting OA (to get registry keys in place)

also games must be properly installed and 1.60 patched with registry keys in place to not need this batch solution

enjoy

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I have a friend who just bought arma 2 combined ops from steam yesterday and we have been wresting with it for 24 hours straight and cannot play it with mods.

steam did not give him any choice of where to install the game, it just installed into:

Arma2

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2\

arma2OA

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2 operation arrowhead\

he can get the option to run combined ops in steam by right clicking on OA and selecting run OA (it always says "this game is currently unavailable please try at another time" until he ran arma2 properly - which fixed it)

we listed the mods in the arma2OA properties run this program with

-mod=@cba;@duala195;@weapons;@aircraft;@blazes_weapons;@RUG_DSAI;@cmsound

then run CO in steam and in the main game menu / expansions it lists the mods as active (green dot) BUT when he tries to join our server it says "you cannot play or edit blah blah listing all our mods as being not there"

We run for example @duala195, which he has in his arma 2 directory.

simply put...

1. how can he run CO with mods in steam?

2. where should he put the mod?

into

arma 2\

or

arma 2 operation arrowhead\

3. how can he RUN the mods? arma2launcher wont run CO with the separate folder install (he CANNOT overrule steam on the split folders), and when the game menu does list mods, they don't seem to be working?...

Edited by eggbeast

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a) get him post his rpt: http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/arma.RPT

b) 1.60 should do it via the registry now - no more hacks needed

c) mods into oa folder

d) user a launcher tool to start arma

e) "-mod=C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2;expanion;..."

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ok he got all the mods running putting them into the operation arrowhead folder

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2 operation arrowhead\

BUT we cant run the combined ops CBA mod in either folder.... any idea what to do? it's a CBA thing I know but even so...

we put our "how to play with steam" here and below for others struggling with it

http://www.gitsclan.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=82&t=6559

ARMA2 AND STEAM

ok arma 2 is a pain in the butt with steam but here's how to get it working

buy it here

http://www.arma2.com/crossroad-sprocketbanner.html

download and install arma 2 and operation arrowhhead

they are put in these folders

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2\

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2 operation arrowhead\

for play on gits server download our mods here

http://www.gitsarma.gamingdeluxe.net/mods/

unrar them (RIGHT CLICK AND EXTRACT TO FOLDER - this is vital) and put them into the arma2 operation arrowhead folder, so you should have

for example

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2 operation arrowhead\@aircraft\addons\modname1.pbo

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2 operation arrowhead\@aircraft\addons\modname2.pbo

etc

and the same for each mod

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2 operation arrowhead\@weapons\addons\modname3.pbo

etc

NOTE: make sure they are not like this

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2 operation arrowhead\@weapons\@weapons\addons\modname3.pbo

install the 2 patches last (aircraft patch first then gitsmod patch)

NOT SURE ABOUT THIS BIT YET

@CBA - this is alittle different - you need to run both @CBA and @CBA_OA from your arma 2 operation arrowhead folder

http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=12157

more on CBA here https://dev-heaven.net/projects/cca/wiki/Installation

RUNNING THE GAME

then go into steam open arma2, NOT arrowhead, then host an MP game and run a few steps. then exit. this has set up your registry settings for arrowhead and will stop a lot of bugs when trying to run combined operations (arma2 and arrowhead together)

now go into steam library, click the arrowhead game and select properties

in General TAB

set launch options

and paste this line in:

"-mod=@CBA;@CBA_OA;@duala195;@weapons;@aircraft;@blazes_weapons;@RUG_DSAI;@cmsound;@BP_bloodscreen;@CMSound_DualaEnvironment"

(assuming you have all of these mods installed - edit as you see fit)

click ok

then right click on the arrowhead game and select run as combined operations

PLAYING ON GITS SERVER

click multiplayer, click filter, enter GITS, then click our server and join it.

if you have any errors - talk to one of the guys in teamspeak.

TWEAKS

once you have it all working, add these commands to your init line in steam

"-window -nosplash -noPause -cpuCount=4 -maxMem=2047 -mod=@CBA;@CBA_OA;@duala195;@weapons;@aircraft;@blazes_weapons;@RUG_DSAI;@cmsound;@BP_bloodscreen;@CMSound_DualaEnvironment"

in that line the spaces are VITAL

and the commands are:

-window - play in windowedmode - only if you want to

-nosplash - gets rid of long-winded splash screens/ increases load times

-noPause - increases load times

-cpuCount=4 - select 1-8 to match your number of cores

-maxMem=2047 - set this if you have 2gb of RAM, not sure if you should use it if you have higher

such a lot of effort to get it working but hey aren't most games these days

our new players (left BF3) are delighted with the game - playing Evolution Duala with typhoons and RH weapons atm

only problem is they CTD a lot and we think this is beacuse their CBA does not work properly... :(

Edited by eggbeast

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such a lot of effort to get it working but hey aren't most games these days
About time you deploy SU :)
NOT SURE ABOUT THIS BIT YET

@CBA - this is alittle different - you need to run both @CBA and @CBA_OA from your arma 2 operation arrowhead folder

http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=12157

more on CBA here https://dev-heaven.net/projects/cca/wiki/Installation

If you have both A2 and OA, and you run them as Combined Ops, then you only need @CBA modfolder.

If you only have OA, then you need @CBA and @CBA_OA

If you only have A2, then you need @CBA and @CBA_A2

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I was having a slightly different problem which I managed to resolve myself after thinking about it. I knew my knowledge of DOS would one day come in useful :)

I screenshot the command console window that popped up for a split second when running combined operations, the error I was getting was: "'REG' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file."

Screenshot:

mh63xh.png

So I started looking for reg.exe and found it's location and then edited the "_runA2CO.cmd" batch file to include the location of the reg.exe file as there is obviously a registry issue with reg.exe on my computer. And so I replaced everywhere where it says "REG" to: "C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe", and it seems to work! This is the only change I've made but I hope it helps some of you.

Source Code (if you're worried about the download):

SETLOCAL ENABLEEXTENSIONS

:v64_path_a2
For /F "Tokens=2* skip=2" %%A In ('C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2" /v "MAIN"') Do (set _ARMA2PATH=%%B)

IF NOT DEFINED _ARMA2PATH (GOTO v32_path_a2) ELSE (GOTO v64_path_a2oa)

:v32_path_a2
For /F "Tokens=2* skip=2" %%C In ('C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2" /v "MAIN"') Do (set _ARMA2PATH=%%D)

IF NOT DEFINED _ARMA2PATH (GOTO uac_PATH_A2) ELSE (GOTO v64_path_a2oa)

:uac_PATH_A2
FOR /F "tokens=2* delims=	 " %%I IN ('C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2" /v "MAIN"') DO (SET _ARMA2PATH=%%J)

IF NOT DEFINED _ARMA2PATH (GOTO std_PATH_A2) ELSE (GOTO v64_path_a2oa)

:std_PATH_A2
FOR /F "tokens=2* delims=	 " %%K IN ('C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2" /v "MAIN"') DO (SET _ARMA2PATH=%%L)

IF NOT DEFINED _ARMA2PATH (GOTO ENDfailA2) ELSE (GOTO v64_path_a2oa)

:v64_path_a2oa
For /F "Tokens=2* skip=2" %%E In ('C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2 OA" /v "MAIN"') Do (set _ARMA2OAPATH=%%F)

IF NOT DEFINED _ARMA2OAPATH (GOTO v32_path_a2oa) ELSE (GOTO RUN)

:v32_path_a2oa
For /F "Tokens=2* skip=2" %%G In ('C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2 OA" /v "MAIN"') Do set (_ARMA2OAPATH=%%H)

IF NOT DEFINED _ARMA2OAPATH (GOTO uac_PATH_A2OA) ELSE (GOTO RUN)

:uac_PATH_A2OA
FOR /F "tokens=2* delims=	 " %%M IN ('C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2 OA" /v "MAIN"') DO (SET _ARMA2OAPATH=%%N)

IF NOT DEFINED _ARMA2OAPATH (GOTO std_PATH_A2OA) ELSE (GOTO RUN)

:std_PATH_A2OA
FOR /F "tokens=2* delims=	 " %%O IN ('C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2 OA" /v "MAIN"') DO (SET _ARMA2OAPATH=%%P)

IF NOT DEFINED _ARMA2OAPATH (GOTO ENDfailA2OA) ELSE (GOTO RUN)

:run
:v64_path_steam
For /F "Tokens=2* skip=2" %%Q In ('C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Valve\Steam" /v "InstallPath"') Do (set _STEAMPATH=%%R)

IF NOT DEFINED _STEAMPATH (GOTO v32_path_steam) ELSE (GOTO runs)

:v32_path_steam
For /F "Tokens=2* skip=2" %%S In ('C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Valve\Steam" /v "InstallPath"') Do (set _STEAMPATH=%%T)

IF NOT DEFINED _STEAMPATH (GOTO uac_path_steam) ELSE (GOTO runs)

:uac_path_steam
FOR /F "tokens=2* delims=	 " %%U IN ('C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Valve\Steam" /v "InstallPath"') DO (SET _STEAMPATH=%%V)

IF NOT DEFINED _STEAMPATH (GOTO std_path_steam) ELSE (GOTO runs)

:std_path_steam
FOR /F "tokens=2* delims=	 " %%W IN ('C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Valve\Steam" /v "InstallPath"') DO (SET _STEAMPATH=%%X)

IF NOT DEFINED _STEAMPATH (GOTO ENDfailSteam) ELSE (GOTO runs)

:runs
"%_STEAMPATH%\steam.exe" -applaunch 33930 "-mod=%_ARMA2PATH%;EXPANSION;ca"

ENDLOCAL

:end
exit /B 0

:ENDfailA2
exit /B 1

:ENDfailA2OA
exit /B 2

:ENDfailSteam
exit /B 3

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this method is not anymore needed !

on properly installed and updated 1.60 version of OA and accompanied with properly installed and update ARMA 2 version 1.11

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this method is not anymore needed !

on properly installed and updated 1.60 version of OA and accompanied with properly installed and update ARMA 2 version 1.11

That still isn't true if you were having the same problem that I was, and that's why I edited the start up script.

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this method is not needed at all ... with correctly installed ARMA 2 (ran once incase of STEAM/Desura) and and ARMA 2: OA

any batch method with -mod= in commandline for official 'content) (A2,OA,BAF,PMC) is deprecated ...

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this method is not needed at all ... with correctly installed ARMA 2 (ran once incase of STEAM/Desura) and and ARMA 2: OA

any batch method with -mod= in commandline for official 'content) (A2,OA,BAF,PMC) is deprecated ...

Sigh...

Are you not reading anything I'm typing?

I have ARMA 2 and ARMA 2: OA correctly installed on "Steam/Desura", with it being ran once before and I had the problem. It is not a problem with ArmA itself however if you have a problem in your registry like I did for the "REG" command then you will still get the problem that I had. You obviously didn't read my post or you simply didn't understand it; which is fine, but please don't potentially mislead people by saying that what I posted isn't needed, because for some people it may be the quick fix that they've been looking for.

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you don't understand what i wrote ...

if you have problem with registry, nothing will work, not the commandline not the ingame method used since 1.60

and the batch is not needed if the registry entries are in place ...

so question about REG being reachable or not is moot as the whole batch with reg is obsolete

period

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The developers probably expected players to first install Arma 2 and then afterwards to install Operation Arrowhead to make Combined Operations.

In October 2010, I installed OA, then afterwards installed Reinforcements and in December 2011 installed patch 1.60

In March 2012, I bought Arma 2

Can I install Arma 2 to the OA folder to make Combined Operations?

.

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i think the cause of problem might originate from installed Reinforcements if you already own OA

in such case what shall be only needed is the DLC part of RFT not the OA part ...

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Just to be sure,

i had Arma Oa already installed(dvd)

now i bought arma2 (dvd)

and installed this aswell, but didnt work.

now i am planning on clean install,

first arma 2 and then OA,

then the 1.60 patch.

then Batch file.

is this the correct order to install?

with Friendly regards,

Bebop

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you may have to update A2 to 1.05 before the 1.60 patch. rest looks good

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Just had to reinstall because of the various issues I was getting involving "ARMA 2 Reinforcemets has crashed." ( which never happended until 1.60 and things appeared to be installed correctly ) I have ARMA 2 from gamers gate, and ARMA OA from Gamers gate, what patches do I need to install because I want to make sure I do this exactly right this time? I have no idea if I patch both games with all the patches avilable? Or if I patch the latest version 1.60 OA and that brings both games up to where I need them to be. There is Alot of technical esoteric jibberish in this thread for various things but no simple explanation about what to do for this basic fundamental step imperatively important for "playing the game", this baffles me I must admit.

Edited by stevedrumsdw

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As Gamers Gate is an online distribution, similar to STEAM, it should be already patch to latest.

Just install A2, start it and check the bottom right in the main menu to see the version.

Report back what is says.

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