'Collecting User Data' issue

[Smith (DayZ) 0]

So, whenever I try and join a server, I get up to the part of 'Collecting User Data' where it will freeze whilst loading, so I wait.

But, I get a brief flash of a different screen where I see a message of 'Connecting to Host' and a list of players before sent back to the Server Browser screen - but in the background I can see the words 'Waiting for Character to Create'.

I have a steam copy of ARMA2:CO.