ADDON INSTALLING AND LAUNCHING
Normal Method (NOT RECOMMENDED AT ALL)
Place the add-on into the %your_game_installation%\AddOns folder. When launching, the game will load all the addons.
NOTE: If the addon contains *.bisign files, they should be in a folder where the *.pbo are. The *.bisign are used for joining addons to a server which requires them.
Mod-Folder Method
ArmA 2
You can use this method that just load at the startup the addons you want to use, saving loading time, avoiding incompatibilities etc.
1. In the root folder of a game, create a mod folder, e.g. %my_game_installation%\ @MyMods.
2. In the @MyMods, create the folder Addons.
3. In the @MyMods\Addons, place the *.pbo file (addon), and also the *.bisign files if they are.
4. Click right mouse button (RMB) on your game shortcut (if any).
5. In context menu, select the Properties item.
6. In the Target dialog box, add the -mod key at the end of the directory: %your_directory% -mod=@MyMods
NOTE: To load more than one mod folder use semicolons, e.g. -mod=@MyMod1;@MyMod2
ArmA 2 OA
For the ArmA 2 OA, you can use the in game Expansions menu to manage the your addons:
1. Place your addon as you might to do for the ArmA 2.
3. Run the game.
4. In the Main menu, click the Expansions
5. In the Expansions, select your mod.
6. Click on the Enable button.
7. Click on the OK button.
8. Restart a game.
Mod-Folder + ArmA-Launcher Method
After creating the mod-folders and placing the add-ons into them, instead of editing the game shortcut or having to have various shortcuts for different mod-folders, you can use one of the arma-launchers created by the BIStudio community.
1. Start the launcher
2. Point the arma.exe.
3. Add the mod-folder(s)
NOTE: The addon directory must be the same as you created.
ArmA 3
Extract into the ArmA 3 Directory, by default this is located in:
32-Bit - C:/Program Files/Steam/Steamapps/Common/ArmA 3/
64-Bit - C:/Program Files (x86)/Steam/Steamapps/Common/ArmA 3/
After extraction it should look like this:
Steam/Steamapps/Common/ArmA 3/@your_mod_folder_name
You can also use the "Arma 3 Alpha" folder in your "My Documents" folder. Your folder setup could than look like
for example this:
mydocuments\Arma3 Alpha\@your_mod_folder_name\
mydocuments\Arma3 Alpha\@your_mod_folder_name\
mydocuments\Arma3 Alpha\@your_mod_folder_name\
Place the "userconfig" folder into your game install folder, usually:
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Arma 3".
You'll also need to add a Launch Parameter to Steam, in order to do so right-click on ArmA 3 Alpha and click Properties and then Set Launch Options. In the window that opens enter in -mod=@your_mod_folder_name
For using multiple mods you would then do so like this:
-mod=@mod_name;@mod_name2;@mod_name3;@mod_name4;@mod_name5
And of course you can also enable and disable community made addons and mods through the in-game Options Expansions menu if you do not want to mess with startup parameters!
