Play withSIX - Launcher, Downloader, ServerBrowser - FULL ARMA3 Alpha Support +more!

just installed it to go around the terrible arma 3 ingame serverlist. specialyl terrible because i need something that can at least favourite servers. why the hell in 2013 a game cant do that only spaghetti lord knows.

anyway, play withsix:

recognized arma 2 and dayz apparently, showed me a lot of mods and things i have no need for, and i didnt understand why it chose my documents folder as a mod folder. mod for arma? mod for dayz? mod for play withsix?

didnt understand how to install arma 3 in it

let the upgrade allow betas, then showed me arma 3, not sure if it recognized properly arma 3 on my pc or not, gave a lot of options about upgrading arma 3 to beta or not after it, couldnt understand why since thats steam business and i didnt want 2 things trying to do the same thing, to me thats prone to create issues.

thought that registering would give me more options on how to properly install arma 3 or whatnot, nothing changed, just apparently gave me the option to add friends or something.

then i gave up and uninstalled it because the ui was giving me a headache.

arma 3 is in serious need of a proper server list but this one wasnt the application for me. gonna look for another because gamespy makes me vomit.

please bohemia just use steam server browser or someone make an oficial launcher copying dayzcommander or something. cuz its simple and full of options, and works!

i understand that play withsix tries to take care of more games, but trying to do it automatically by itself and showing a lot more than i want/would need to on its main screen is just bad design imho. im not new to computers and i found it to be damn confusing.

Edited April 1, 2013 by white

Installing and updating Arma 3 etc is Steam's job, PwS shouldn't say or do anything about it, if it is different for you, please provide details, like specific text or screenshot.

My documents path is used because it is recommended by BI, and it is in user space, meaning it doesn't require administrator rights like when installing to the game installation folder in program files.

The UI might seem confusing but it is setup in a logical flow, and constantly improving. From top to bottom:

• Social
  
• Games
  
• Mods
  
• Servers / Missions (depending on Multiplayer switch).
  
• Action
  

Click any of these blocks for entering selection screen. If you start at games, you can double click the game you want, and you end up on Mods. Double click the Mod you want, and you end up on Servers.

The collection views and only showing "Installed" games, or only modsets you create etc, is going to be improved as part of UI overhaul pt2 and available in the next few weeks.

The server browser has compact and grid mode, depending on your window size. You might prefer the grid mode.

For a basic guide on how to use PwS: http://play.withsix.com/thankyou.

Comparing PwS to a specialized tool like DayZC is not all that helpful, we have a lot more to offer and need to make all that work out in the UI. It is also personal taste.

That of course doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement. There always is.

In case of specific feedback, suggestions and bug reports, or questions, we are available most of the day at http://getsatisfaction.withsix.com/

thought that registering would give me more options on how to properly install arma 3 or whatnot, nothing changed, just apparently gave me the option to add friends or something.

All available info is available to everyone. Usually registering an account is for the purpose of social interaction/features, it is no different for us.

gonna look for another because gamespy makes me vomit.

Gamespy is pretty good at what it provides, it is the game developer that makes the server browser, search/query capabilities and chooses what features to support.

Swapping server list and info query middleware doesn't magically make a good server browser.

---------- Post added at 13:58 ---------- Previous post was at 13:48 ----------

Thanks for at least looking at it. I can't argue for or against whether an addon is config'ed properly, but in the past, I have seen some addons that benefit from being loaded after another. I have one in particular that does a minor weapon modification. Any weapon loaded after the mod doesn't inherit the properties of the mod.

No doubt, these are few and far between, but it does happen. Regardless, thanks for the reply and at least thinking about it.

I see, and np, thanks for elaborating. I've put the ordering on our backlog, I expect to reach it in the next few weeks.

---------- Post added at 13:58 ---------- Previous post was at 13:58 ----------

Sounds great! Looking forward to seeng the overhaul. As far as startup params go, I thought that being able to create multiple profiles and assigning them to mod sets like in su was great. As an example, I have a second computer that I play the game on, but I sometimes run it as a dedicated server for testing my creations. It was very convenient to have two independent profiles, a server and client setup. Then I can start the preconfigured profile of my choice without having to set any parameters. I'm going to mess with it some more today so if I've missed the ability to do this, please forgive me. I hope this helps illustrate the type of functionality I'm asking for. Thanks again :)

Cheers :D

Haha damn and here we were thinking people actually hated all that complexity, glad to see there are actually people appreciating it :)

It's on the backlog, hope to reach it in coming weeks.

Edited April 1, 2013 by Sickboy

Installing and updating Arma 3 etc is Steam's job, PwS shouldn't say or do anything about it, if it is different for you, please provide details, like specific text or screenshot.

i meant properly installed to be launchable by playwithsix, since it didnt recognize at first, when it did i was trying to figure out how to see if the paths were already done, and if they were right, and upon checking settings i saw options about leting playwithsix update arma 3 to beta or not, etc. to me made no sense letting playwithsix mess with those settings. but i understand how they are usefull for non-steam games.

My documents path is used because it is recommended by BI, and it is in user space, meaning it doesn't require administrator rights like when installing to the game installation folder in program files.

but for what kinds of mods? it install new mods on my documents folder? never seen any software installed there, thats a new approach to me. (usually theres just settings and cfgs files afaik). and ive installed stuff (dayz for one) through dayzcommander inside the steamapps arma 2 folder, gave me no issues.

The UI might seem confusing but it is setup in a logical flow, and constantly improving. From top to bottom:

• Social
  
• Games
  
• Mods
  
• Servers / Missions (depending on Multiplayer switch).
  
• Action
  

Click any of these blocks for entering selection screen. If you start at games, you can double click the game you want, and you end up on Mods. Double click the Mod you want, and you end up on Servers.

The collection views and only showing "Installed" games, or only modsets you create etc, is going to be improved as part of UI overhaul pt2 and available in the next few weeks.

The server browser has compact and grid mode, depending on your window size. You might prefer the grid mode.

For a basic guide on how to use PwS: http://play.withsix.com/thankyou.

from the get-go i was shown a lot of options for mods next to big icons for arma 2 and dayz, clicked the dayz one and kept showing me mod options to install and that lost me. and didnt find buttons to add new games so i could place arma 3 aswell, then i went to search for updating to beta which showed me arma 3 and gave me those options i mentioned, and since i didnt want it to mess the steam install i didnt touch it. also was showing me games like carrier command which i dont have as options like the mods before it. then i just lost my will to figure this software out, became too much hassle for what i wanted. and i just dont accept that for what should be waaay simpler.

usually i can pickup any software and just intuitively use it, this one confused me and made me not bother with it. and i used to use six launcher for arma 2 a while ago, the old style ui was way less confusing than this one that apparently tries to look like an windows 8 metro app.

Comparing PwS to a specialized tool like DayZC is not all that helpful, we have a lot more to offer and need to make all that work out in the UI. It is also personal taste.

That of course doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement. There always is.

you mean is not that fair. i understand, but thats exactly what i want, an specialized launcher for arma 3 with a decent server browser since arma cant do it by itself. for others games i have steam.

perhaps the ui could start off simpler, ask for what to install when first launched, ask for me to verify the most important options, then show its main ui with what i installed and the serverlist for what i installed, with ping priority as default, and branchout with more features as/if needed. that way could do both styles in 1 application. use steam as an example, its simple as fuck on an old icq friends style, be it friends or small games library, and if you want anything else, you can go after it. reinventing wheels most of the time dont work afaik. well thats just 1 opinion and i understand if everyone else disagrees with me.

to me installing a multipurpose application to be a launcher for 1 game is overkill and unecessary hassle, i like things simple, and i guess play withsix could be both using a modular approach.

Gamespy is pretty good at what it provides, it is the game developer that makes the server browser, search/query capabilities and chooses what features to support.

Swapping server list and info query middleware doesn't magically make a good server browser.

to me gamespy is dying out and for a reason, its terrible.

well the steam server browser on games that use it, is the same for most, and it just works. every basic needed option is there. favorites, ping, auto-retry, connect to friends on steam. that would be a decade ahead of the ingame gamespy for arma3/arma2 is. natural selection 2 is a new game from a VERY small development team and they didnt think twice about using it (altought they use their own ingame gui for it, which i find worse), and its way superior by default. and even valve fucked up by hiding it on left 4 dead, i always open up the serverbrowser on the console.

the game already needs steam with is a third party software, and now we need another third party software because the game fails to have an acceptable browser, and dont use the avaiable steam one.

most launchers for arma wouldnt exist if arma had an acceptable server browser to begin with.

i understand how playwith six can be very usefull for dealing with different mods and such, but it simply isnt for me. not as is.

Edited April 1, 2013 by white

i meant properly installed to be launchable by playwithsix, since it didnt recognize at first, when it did i was trying to figure out how to see if the paths were already done, and if they were right, and upon checking settings i saw options about leting playwithsix update arma 3 to beta or not, etc. to me made no sense letting playwithsix mess with those settings. but i understand how they are usefull for non-steam games.

We are hosting the ARMA 2 and OA official beta patches since the beginning of time. The version available on our network is usually quality tested so that you can blindly use it without running into major issues. It is especially relevant to DayZ.

I see why it may be confusing for ARMA 3, it only has stable and dev branches and no Beta patches like A2/OA to speak of. Such beta patches exists as mods and do not alter the game, so you can safely ignore the option.

but for what kinds of mods? it install new mods on my documents folder? never seen any software installed there, thats a new approach to me. (usually theres just settings and cfgs files afaik). and ive installed stuff (dayz for one) through dayzcommander inside the steamapps arma 2 folder, gave me no issues.

Perhaps I should explain the abbrevation 'bi'. BI = Bohemia Interactive, aka the creators of this game. They support mods from the documents folder, and recommend installing there for explained reasons.

If you don't like it, NP, adjust the path, you even receive a dialog at startup asking you if you would like to change it. I don't understand the fuzz.. What would you like more?

from the get-go i was shown a lot of options for mods next to big icons for arma 2 and dayz, clicked the dayz one and kept showing me mod options to install and that lost me. and didnt find buttons to add new games so i could place arma 3 aswell, then i went to search for updating to beta which showed me arma 3 and gave me those options i mentioned, and since i didnt want it to mess the steam install i didnt touch it. also was showing me games like carrier command which i dont have as options like the mods before it. then i just lost my will to figure this software out, became too much hassle for what i wanted. and i just dont accept that for what should be waaay simpler.

usually i can pickup any software and just intuitively use it, this one confused me and made me not bother with it. and i used to use six launcher for arma 2 a while ago, the old style ui was way less confusing than this one that apparently tries to look like an windows 8 metro app.

Sorry but you're not making a lot of sense; You can't find ARMA 3, but you can find it at the same time, perhaps you mean you were confused?

You weren't able to find other games, in the mods list? That seems to make sense to me.

you mean is not that fair. i understand, but thats exactly what i want, an specialized launcher for arma 3 with a decent server browser since arma cant do it by itself. for others games i have steam.

If ARMA 3 is your interest, why not ignore the other supported games? It doesn't hurt anyone that the games are supported, even if you don't want to play them.

But in any case, as said we are working on improving collection views and libraries, incl only showing the games you choose or are detected as installed.

perhaps the ui could start off simpler, ask for what to install when first launched, ask for me to verify the most important options, then show its main ui with what i installed and the serverlist for what i installed, with ping priority as default, and branchout with more features as/if needed. that way could do both styles in 1 application. use steam as an example, its simple as fuck on an old icq friends style, be it friends or small games library, and if you want anything else, you can go after it. reinventing wheels most of the time dont work afaik. well thats just 1 opinion and i understand if everyone else disagrees with me.

We'll look into it thanks.

to me installing a multipurpose application to be a launcher for 1 game is overkill and unecessary hassle, i like things simple, and i guess play withsix could be both using a modular approach.

It's pretty much a single purpose program, with multi game support. I don't see Steam having a different launcher for every game they support either, so your favorite application is in your words also 'multipurpose', and it is okay?

We've chosen multi-game support explicitly so we don't end up with a maintenance hell of up to 10's or 100's separate apps just because of supporting another game or mod.

However we do agree that the game selection should be simplified, and perhaps hidden more from view, more like the nexus launcher where you pick the game at startup, can remember the choice, and only swap games again by menu.

the game already needs steam with is a third party software, and now we need another third party software because the game fails to have an acceptable browser, and dont use the avaiable steam one.

most launchers for arma wouldnt exist if arma had an acceptable server browser to begin with.

Yes it's sad the quality of ingame server browser is bad, but that's not our fault, and we only try to help the community as best we can.

Besides, Launchers for the ARMA series were never about server browsers to begin with, that is something that really is fairly new - since the DayZ vibe. (Where do you get your information from anyway?)

Launchers have always been about launching with mods and customized startup parameters. SIX Updater added mod downloads, installing etc, directly from the official network or custom repositories, and is dependency and build requirement aware. Play withSIX is an evolution on SIX Updater.

i understand how playwith six can be very usefull for dealing with different mods and such, but it simply isnt for me. not as is.

That's okay, not every tool is for everyone. However we are interested in making it interesting and useful for many people. We can achieve that by specific feedback, ideas and suggestions.

---------- Post added at 11:22 ---------- Previous post was at 11:01 ----------

For next build we've thinned out the Game Settings a little and added more descriptions especially to Beta patch related options.

Edited April 2, 2013 by Sickboy

Excellent work PwS team. :) I use PwS mostly as a launcher, ignoring the social and MP side of it.

An option to create a shortcut would be a neat addition (or at least a field that shows the full line that PwS built and is going to run when you hit "Launch" that we can use for a shortcut as a stopgap measure). I went to dig through some logs to locate the line used by PwS.

Maybe an option to suppress / blend in the red "SECURITY SUITE DETECTED" message. It's kinda distracting once you realize it's not actually a problem for you and everything is working as it should.

Edited April 2, 2013 by Sniperwolf572

Excellent work PwS team. :) I use PwS mostly as a launcher, ignoring the social and MP side of it.

Much appreciated SniperWolf! Clear example of using what you like / need to use, and ignoring the other wonderful features you don't need :)

An option to create a shortcut would be a neat addition (or at least a field that shows the full line that PwS built and is going to run when you hit "Launch" that we can use for a shortcut as a stopgap measure). I went to dig through some logs to locate the line used by PwS.

Funny you mention it, we've just reached the backlog item this week and are working on implementing it :)

That is both - being able to easily see your startup parameters, and to create shortcuts. The shortcuts will support launching the game directly or through PwS so you can also first perform update tasks etc.

Maybe an option to suppress / blend in the red "SECURITY SUITE DETECTED" message. It's kinda distracting once you realize it's not actually a problem for you and everything is working as it should.

Good point. The main reason is to inform the user and make him aware of possible problems.

Most often when users experience issues with PwS, it is the bloody security suite. And often security suites trigger false positives on either the software, included utilities etc, which is extremely frustrating, not just for the users, but also us as developers.

This Security Suite warning is basically also a sort of strike-back at these horrible security companies who make the lives of users and us devs horrible at times :)

Perhaps I should explain the abbrevation 'bi'. BI = Bohemia Interactive, aka the creators of this game. They support mods from the documents folder, and recommend installing there for explained reasons.

If you don't like it, NP, adjust the path, you even receive a dialog at startup asking you if you would like to change it. I don't understand the fuzz.. What would you like more?

the first thing about it is that to me wasnt clear why i had to choose a mo folder, since im used to the defautl directory no matter what launcher ive used before, including six launcher. so i asked myself, mod for what? dif skins for play withsix? that wasnt clear, and also the idea of installing software on an unusuall place bothered me, since ive seen it work in the regular place plenty of time already.

Sorry but you're not making a lot of sense; You can't find ARMA 3, but you can find it at the same time, perhaps you mean you were confused?

You weren't able to find other games, in the mods list? That seems to make sense to me.

i guess i wasnt clear, from the start there were no arma 3 on it, but on the first post on this topic, where i first found out about the existence of this software in particular, i saw some association with the beta version of it and arma 3, so i tried upgrading it to beta on the settings, and that made arma 3 appear. apparently since the settings were already open when i cliked on arma 3 thinking that would launch the game or show me the serverbrowser, it showed me the arma 3 options and some mods/games i didnt have aswell, like carrier command. on the settings that was already open i saw a lot of options that like you said i could ignore, because to me they shouldnt be there in the first place, since to me, they could alter some files in arma i didnt want it to, and because still wasnt seeing the server browser but some mods i didnt want plus some games i didnt have, i just got tired of dealing with the ui. the only applications that ive had to really pay attention and watch tutorials or mess with it before i could understand its ui, that i remember, were 3dsmax/maya/luxology modo. anything else to me usually feels clear and very easy to just jump into and get exatcly what i want from start. and if i want more out of it, and the options are there for me to find out afterwards, even better.

If ARMA 3 is your interest, why not ignore the other supported games? It doesn't hurt anyone that the games are supported, even if you don't want to play them.

But in any case, as said we are working on improving collection views and libraries, incl only showing the games you choose or are detected as installed.

We'll look into it thanks.

thats great!

It's pretty much a single purpose program, with multi game support. I don't see Steam having a different launcher for every game they support either, so your favorite application is in your words also 'multipurpose', and it is okay?

We've chosen multi-game support explicitly so we don't end up with a maintenance hell of up to 10's or 100's separate apps just because of supporting another game or mod.

However we do agree that the game selection should be simplified, and perhaps hidden more from view, more like the nexus launcher where you pick the game at startup, can remember the choice, and only swap games again by menu.

Yes it's sad the quality of ingame server browser is bad, but that's not our fault, and we only try to help the community as best we can.

Besides, Launchers for the ARMA series were never about server browsers to begin with, that is something that really is fairly new - since the DayZ vibe. (Where do you get your information from anyway?)

Launchers have always been about launching with mods and customized startup parameters. SIX Updater added mod downloads, installing etc, directly from the official network or custom repositories, and is dependency and build requirement aware. Play withSIX is an evolution on SIX Updater.

That's okay, not every tool is for everyone. However we are interested in making it interesting and useful for many people. We can achieve that by specific feedback, ideas and suggestions.

i know you guys have nohing to do with how bad BIS ingame server browser is, i just cant ever stress enough how awfull it is, because they shouldve never used that on arma 3 imho.

to me, since it has friendslist, serverbrowser and mod installations, which are 3 different things right there, i call it multipurpose. they kind of go togheter, no problem, somepeople, most people, might like it, ok, but i dont wanna feel forced to use it and have the UI shove it into my face when i dont even want to touch those.

im used to launchers with server browsers since gamespy first started, even then i used to prefer the all seeying eye to it when it became avaiable, and that was a long time ago. what kind of information you mean? i didnt say steam wasnt multipurpose, i mentioned it for being simple. when i start it, it shows me a very simple list, either my friends or my games, whatever i chose it to be, and anything else i want i can easily go after, but it doesnt have to shove everything it has in my face, it can, but only if i want it to. and i love the fact that for the most part its been the same since 2003, they just added stuff that i can completely ignore if i want to, since it doesnt show in my main ui.

i mentioned dayzcommander, do i find its ui beautifull? not by a longshot, but it uses colours to separate important information. but i find it extremely clear and practical and i find those way more important. it does show a lot of options but are all about the same thing, the server browser which works even without touching it. i know, its for 1 game. but i believe a modular design for a software like playwithsix could make a multigame launcher feel like its more specific to that game and the user needs as simple as they could be.

and im also aware that would not be something easily accomplished.

anyway thanks for caring about what i had to say and for answering everything thoroughly. i was getting used to devs barely ever posting with those others arma 3 topics.

Edited April 2, 2013 by white

I actually prefer the old six updater to this! when I join a server that allows CBA does it then automatically download and activate that/those mods that are allowed?

also making mod profiles is extremely unclear!

edit: why is this broken? I join a server with play with six and it says you are missing CBA, ok fine I close the game manually select CBA look for servers and guess what! that server is not listed...

can you understand why people think this program is shit! it needs to be reliable and it needs to be simple! it's clear to me that; way to many features are in here that do not work! strip it and make sure the basics work!

even downloading addons or updating gives and error file not found at times!

with the old six updater you could make different mod profiles and then create a shortcut with parameters! that worked and then you only had to find the server from the game's server list! right now I don't even know how to make that work so I reverted back to downloading the mods by hand and then using the just released launcher! THAT sucks since I was/am one of the biggest fans of this program but at the moment it looks to much like the windows 8 metro interface to be useful...

and if I need a guide/tutorial to figure this out then something went wrong with trying to make it more user friendly since I understood six updater completely and play with six is a complete mystery to me (but that could be just me).

anyway as a fellow countryman my intention was not to insult you! but I really really liked six updater and I think this has been a monumental step in the wrong direction that now I am forced to not use your program until it is improved! and that sucks! since I used the six updater pretty much from day 1.

Edited April 4, 2013 by BelgarionNL

I actually prefer the old six updater to this!

also making mod profiles is extremely unclear!

That's normal when you're used to a program, and start trying something else.

But fear not, we're still in Preview and we have big improvements planned for UI Overhaul pt2; Collections, Libraries etc. ETA 3 weeks.

when I join a server that allows CBA does it then automatically download and activate that/those mods that are allowed?

In this regard it operates the same as SIX Updater currently.

edit: why is this broken? I join a server with play with six and it says you are missing CBA, ok fine I close the game manually select CBA look for servers and guess what! that server is not listed...

Good question.

Apparently the server does not really run CBA, or we are unable to detect it somehow. Could have all kinds of reasons, including configuration or other issues on your system.

We would be happy to help you, if you could post some actual details that will help solve the issue.

Repro steps and log files could be valuable: http://getsatisfaction.withsix.com/withsix/topics/where_can_i_find_the_log_files

In particular; What server are we talking about here?

In PwS the primary selected mod is the mod used to filter the server browser, we're aware this isn't optimal especially because of optional mods

can you understand why people think this program is shit! it needs to be reliable and it needs to be simple! it's clear to me that; way to many features are in here that do not work! strip it and make sure the basics work!

even downloading addons or updating gives and error file not found at times!

No I cannot really understand it, but that is just me. It always makes me so sad to see people bash free work without even providing details that could lead to a hotfix release within minutes.

It always makes me wonder what their intent is. Demotivating the developers? Evidently they're not just looking for solutions...

with the old six updater you could make different mod profiles and then create a shortcut with parameters! that worked and then you only had to find the server from the game's server list!

Play withSIX is only in preview still and as long as it is, it does not yet fully replace SIX Updater. It's almost there though.

You can create a new modset currently by deselecting any modset, and then using the "Add mods to selected set". We are aware this isn't optimal, improvements will be part of the earlier mentioned Overhaul pt2.

Some tips; If your intent is constructive feedback that could lead to fixes and either a new stable or hotfix, cut down on all the opinions, stories and ranting, and focus on reporting (detailed) problems and steps.

PwS is currently fully supported, and fixes are deployed on the spot when we receive reports or crucial feedback. The rest only serves to demotivate, certainly not invite to assist.

---------- Post added at 16:22 ---------- Previous post was at 16:11 ----------

anyway as a fellow countryman my intention was not to insult you! but I really really liked six updater and I think this has been a monumental step in the wrong direction that now I am forced to not use your program until it is improved! and that sucks! since I used the six updater pretty much from day 1.

I see. Well as you can read above I do not really appreciate the method.

If you would've provided some more details like repro steps etc, we might already had a fixed build sorta speak.

You can keep using SIX Updater if you prefer it. Interesting you really like the UI. Most people I came across call it horrible :) Tastes differ, evidently.

Edited April 4, 2013 by Sickboy

yes the six updater is horrible but once you know it gives you more options! which is better! with play with six its al to restricted! (perhaps a easy mode and advanced mode would be nice for play with six)

[DEV] 1PARA Public Server is the one in question! the only way I can properly join it is to select CBA (by deleting the previously used mod profile) then switching to single player, start the game, find the server, join the server and voila it actually does require CBA! (let me know if you don't have enough steps to reproduce it)

THE thing that would instantly fix all these problems if you could somehow make it that once you join server X it automatically downloads and activates all required addons and then optionally let you choose if you want to disable some.

giving the log files would not help in this case! every time a addons is not downloaded I get that pop up window and then sent the error to you! more over I heard that loads of people have this daily so it has probably something to do with the mod availability with the mirrors? this is not a new error and since then I have tried it on multiple machines and even reinstalled windows on this pc!

In all honestly I was hoping that BI would finally implement a proper multiplayer environment where addons would be automatically downloaded once you would join a server since THEY think mods are so great they should also support it to some degree, and then trying to compare that expectation to a 3rd party program is not fair since you cannot compete with BI alone.

yes the six updater is horrible but once you know it gives you more options! which is better! with play with six its al to restricted! (perhaps a easy mode and advanced mode would be nice for play with six)

That might seem that way, but it's not finished: Preview

[DEV] 1PARA Public Server is the one in question! the only way I can properly join it is to select CBA (by deleting the previously used mod profile) then switching to single player, start the game, find the server, join the server and voila it actually does require CBA! (let me know if you don't have enough steps to reproduce it)

Thanks, now we are getting somewhere.

They are running an older CBA A3 version that has a wrong mod cpp entry, which caused PwS not to detect the server as running CBA.

I've added this old version now to the aliases of CBA_A3, and it should work properly in the next 20 minutes or so.

More importantly, we are aware that it is not always useful to filter all the servers that don't run the primary selected mod, and we are working on solutions.

---------- Post added at 17:30 ---------- Previous post was at 17:27 ----------

THE thing that would instantly fix all these problems if you could somehow make it that once you join server X it automatically downloads and activates all required addons

That's in there from the get-go.

and then optionally let you choose if you want to disable some.

This we don't have currently, neither in SIX Updater - server mods are forced, unless you disable their inclusion all together.

The game server out of the box provides too few information to know which are required and which are not, so by default we treat every server mod as required.

To give more flexibility there's the ability to create Custom repositories, here per server you can dictate which are required, and which are optional.

But for the future we can look at ability to force disable anyway, on your own discretion.

---------- Post added at 17:34 ---------- Previous post was at 17:30 ----------

giving the log files would not help in this case! every time a addons is not downloaded I get that pop up window and then sent the error to you!

It would definitely be very useful if you could post the log files of error sessions.

Sending automated reports to us has generally limited use, we don't get any context, repro steps, nor does a stacktrace always include all the info we need.

I would suggest if you don't see a solution in days, you would post to the Support page, instead of remain haunted by issues.

more over I heard that loads of people have this daily so it has probably something to do with the mod availability with the mirrors? this is not a new error and since then I have tried it on multiple machines and even reinstalled windows on this pc!

Great you heard that loads of people have this daily, sadly we didn't hear them. I cannot help anyone if they do not report problems.

Sure sometimes the mirrors can be quite busy, but it should not be general rule.

FYI, for many people with connection trouble to the network, the problems are on their system (security suites, configuration), or other factors that are outside our control.

Often the issues can be resolved by configuration, updates, etc.

We're also looking into alternative methods of distribution to enhance compatibility.

---------- Post added at 18:03 ---------- Previous post was at 17:35 ----------

For the modset creation, it should be much improved with UI overhaul pt2 as mentioned,

but for next build we've added a green + button to the Mods tab, like on the serverbrowser, this will also create a new modset.

Edited April 4, 2013 by Sickboy
Sunshine

Man, seems like alot of people are a bit harsh in their assesment of this software. It's a process that takes time and a learning process for the end user as well. Give it time for gods sake. I, for one, have found su to be particularly useful even though it tooksome time to learn how to use it. With many advanced tools comes a learningcurve. It's a trade that usually must be made for advanced features. Since I've become more familiar with play with six, I can see the potential for advanced functionality along with a streamlined interface, just give it time to develope. Keep up the good work Sick!

Cheers :D

I see, and np, thanks for elaborating. I've put the ordering on our backlog, I expect to reach it in the next few weeks.

Again, thanks for at least not completely dismissing it. I really appreciate you guys trying to improve the product based on how the users interact with it. And to hear you're looking at making shortcuts is also great to hear. Thanks again.

Great work guys!

I'm happy to report Play withSIX now supports AllInArma completely, incl auto adding of A2/OA/TOH when detected.

A2 falls back to A2 Free if A2 is not available but A2 free is.

The only thing not yet supported is switching the game to the Dev Branch, you will have to do that manually in Steam, before you can use AllInArma.

This is NOT yet released, it should be available later today or coming days.

Edited April 10, 2013 by Sickboy

I'm happy to report Play withSIX now supports AllInArma completely, incl auto adding of A2/OA/TOH when detected.

A2 falls back to A2 Free if A2 is not available but A2 free is.

The only thing not yet supported is switching the game to the Dev Branch, you will have to do that manually in Steam, before you can use AllInArma.

This is NOT yet released, it should be available later today or coming days.

Superb! I launched PWS so fast I forgot to read the part about it not being released yet! Can't wait to give it a go!

Superb! I launched PWS so fast I forgot to read the part about it not being released yet! Can't wait to give it a go!

Hey Buddy, hope you are well!

The feature is now available in beta build 435, the following caveats apply:

- Currently you must manually swap to ARMA 3 dev branch in Steam (AllInArma requirement)

- Take on Helicopters should be supported later in AllInArma TOH edition

Edited April 10, 2013 by Sickboy

In the meantime the dev branch is no longer required for AllInArma, and Take on Helicopters is supported.

First time using the program,

Downloaded and installed All in Arma through the program, however when I click launch I get an "KeyNotFoundException" Error.

Any help?

The latest Play withSIX v1.3 build (442) is now available on auto-update!

Original Post

This build brings several new and improved features and fixes.

Highlights

• Added AllInArma support; Load ARMA 2, OA, TKOH into ARMA 3!
  

Many more big and small improvements, Check the full changelog for details.

In case of feedback or issues, please let us know.

Enjoy!

First time using the program,

Downloaded and installed All in Arma through the program, however when I click launch I get an "KeyNotFoundException" Error.

Any help?

Hey thanks for report, the issue is fixed in build 442.

Maybe an option to suppress / blend in the red "SECURITY SUITE DETECTED" message. It's kinda distracting once you realize it's not actually a problem for you and everything is working as it should.

Implemented in 442 :) Edited April 15, 2013 by Sickboy

Original Post

Introduction

For the last 4 years, our products have used the same distribution technology, and while it has been enhanced and improved over time, the core principals have remained the same.

After several weeks of intense development, and years of thought and experience, we’re proud to present our new distribution technology we’re currently finalizing for integration and testing, codenamed: Synq.

It supports multiple versions per mod, features a new Package format and Package Manager software, and supports deduplication of storage and transfers to save you from downloading the same file over and over, and saves disk-space.

The new Package format makes it easier than ever before to release new mods or new versions, and it streamlines the information and technical requirements. It can be easily read and handwritten, or consumed in Programs and Websites.

The technology can still leverage realtime delta patching, so when a file needs to be updated, only changed bits are downloaded, saving you again bandwidth and time.

This is the first of a collection of blog posts covering the new technology, future posts will include examples and perhaps test software. The technology will also be further enhanced over time, with support for more protocols and more.

TL-DR:

• New distribution technology nearly ready for release
  
• Multiple versions for mods now supported; e.g latest ACE stable, or dev, or e.g specific build 591
  
• You choose which version or branch (stable/dev/etc) you wish to use, and how many you wish to keep
  
• Saves diskspace and bandwidth, while still allowing quick switching between versions
  
• Still uses delta patching; only download changed bits when updating, saving time and bandwidth
  

Background

Before now we have always only supported 1 version per mod, basically the latest version of each mod. This wasn’t ideal e.g because of the feel of being forced to update, or to update and find that you cannot join any servers because servers aren’t uptodate.

While we had hoped that the ease of obtaining the mods would fuel the server updates and the report->fix->deploy cycle, a nice thought in theory, in practice the reality is that people want to have freedom of choice.

While it is possible to setup a custom repository with mods or versions unavailable on the official network, it requires a lot of setup and maintenance, and basically, it would just be amazing if the official network would support multiple versions of mods, and users and server admins are free to choose the ones they want or need.

Some of the problems with multi-version support is the additional required disk-space and bandwidth, not just on clients, but also on our Content Distribution Network.

Another issue is maintaining all the information for each version of each mod (like dependencies), and making it available to clients.

Details

Once you have downloaded a version of a mod, you can always easily switch to the version, without redownloading anything.

All content (like mods) are now “Packagesâ€, a package is unique based on it’s name. A package can have multiple versions, and branches. You can store one or multiple packages, or multiple versions of a package into a repository.

If you have a lot of diskspace available and want to switch frequently between versions, you can add the version number automatically to the modfolder, that way you can save as many versions as you like without the need to perform any action to switch between versions.

Technical aspect

• Inspired by RubyGems, Git and SIX Zsync
  
• JSON Package format inspired by RubyGems and NPM (node.js), can be hand written/edited, and easily consumed by tools
  
• Deduplication of Compressed files (Storage and Transfer)
  
• A Remote can represent a network of remotes, if it specifies remotes in it’s config file
  
• Modfolders are now packages, a package is unique based on it’s name, and form a version by unique version and branch pair. Branch is optional, and defaults to stable. Virtually anything can be distributed, not just mods.
  
• A package can have extensive metadata and the format is extensible
  
• A package can have multiple dependencies, each dependency can be specified strict by name, version and branch, or loose by just name
  
• A repository can contain multiple Packages (different versions or branches of the same package, or completely different packages)
  
• A repository can live embedded inside a working directory, as .synq, or in an external location
  
• The standard layout will initialize a repository in .synq subfolder, and place any checked out packages as subfolders next to the .synq folder
  
• New checksum method is SHA-1 (not good for security, but should be sufficient for checksumming. Also, Git uses it)
  
• Supports local and remote repositories over rsync, zsync, http and ftp
  
• Custom networks can build their own repositories
  
• Server and App configuration could either become a package itself, or live one level higher outside the Synq repository.
  
• Distributable collections are planned (incl global, client and server required and optional packages)
  

Edited April 15, 2013 by Sickboy

Added basic Mission Browser and Publishing

Now that's an interesting feature! Where are the missions uploaded to ?

Also, it would be nice to have a bit more sorting options in the mission list, like, being able to filter by mission type, number of players (I see these pieces of information are already in). Additionally, filtering by compatibility to the currently selected mod would be nice.

Added local mods support

Great feature, too. I was actually looking for a good launcher for Arma 3. Seems I found it!

We've found an issue with ARMA3 startup parameters when special characters are involved: http://feedback.arma3.com/view.php?id=7267

---------- Post added at 08:09 ---------- Previous post was at 08:07 ----------

Now that's an interesting feature! Where are the missions uploaded to ?

Also, it would be nice to have a bit more sorting options in the mission list, like, being able to filter by mission type, number of players (I see these pieces of information are already in). Additionally, filtering by compatibility to the currently selected mod would be nice.

Hi and thanks for your interest.

The upload is to our network but is still early days, it's a taste of what's to come with publishing missions and later also mods hopefully :)

Will take your suggestions under consideration, we can do some cool things with analysis and filtering.

Great feature, too. I was actually looking for a good launcher for Arma 3. Seems I found it!

Glad to hear, this will be much improved soon in UI overhaul pt2: libraries / collections.

(below, thanks @ myke)

Edited April 18, 2013 by Sickboy

Unrelated OT spam deleted. If you don't find your post anymore, it means it was considered OT/Spam or a reply to such. Either way, refrain from posting if it isn't related to the Play withSix tool.

Myke;2376014']Unrelated OT spam deleted. If you don't find your post anymore' date=' it means it was considered OT/Spam or a reply to such. Either way, refrain from posting if it isn't related to the Play withSix tool.[/quote']

was related to ingame server browser and the play with six sitrep announcement correlation. so yeah using you know, "logic" it was related. but i understand how it was unwanted nonetheless.