Difficulty installing mod (CO Retail)

[Nausicaa 3]

Hello. I am having a really hard time getting this mod to work - mostly because the instructions I see everywhere mostly relate to the Steam version and what little information exists about the retail version of the game does NOT mirror what I see on my computer.

Like many people, when attempting to join a server, I see the 'Joining Server' black splash screen, and then get booted and in the chat area it says, "You cannot play/edit this mission; it is dependent on downloadable content that has been deleted dayz_code, etc."

I have downloaded and installed the latest 1.60 patch. Arma II and OA are at versions 1.11 and 1.60, respectively, so that isn't (i don't think) the issue.

My problem is mostly related to the directory and where I put the files. Most instructions are referencing an install to the 'Arma II Operation Arrowhead' folder, but I have no such folder in Bohemia Interactive Software directory where Arma II is installed. All there is is an 'Expansion' folder within the Arma II directory.

Further, there is no 'ArmaIICO.exe' to shortcut to. All I have is ArmaII.exe, ArmaIIserver.exe, ArmaIIOA.exe, and ArmaIIOAserver.exe.

I have been adding the ' -nosplash -mod=@dayz' to the ArmaIIOA.exe, but that isn't working.

I currently have all the game files extracted to the following directory:

Program Files > Bohemia Interactive Software > Expansion > @DayZ > Addons

I have tried installing all different ways. Extracting to the addons folder, extracting to a seperate addons folder and then dragging it in, etc. No dice.

Every time I launch the game it just boots the normal menu screen. If I click on the Expansions menu, I see DayZ along with the other 4 items, but oddly I cannot select or move any of the mods in this menu.

I have not yet tried using 6updater, but plan on it today after work. However the instructions for 6updater also reference an Operation Arrowhead folder.

So basically I am just really confused why my game copy seems to diverge so much from the install instructions I've seen everywhere.

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

[griffinz 2817]

Is there not a retail version installation guide?

[dunnobe 3]

It's actually very simple:

1) install ArmA 2 and then OA in the EXACT SAME directory.

2) update to patch 1.60

3) in the main folder, make a map called @DayZ, in that new map make a map called 'addons' and put all of your downloaded (mod) files in that latter map. Don't put it in the Expansion folder.

4) go read a tutorial on how to start up a mod. (aka make a shortcut of your arma2oa.exe to your desktop, go to properties and add -mod=@DayZ to the path.)

So your path should be something like c:\Program Files\ArmA2\arma2oa.exe -mod=@DayZ) or similar to wherever you installed your mod.

[fox808 40]

Your folder structure should look like this: C:\Program Files (x86)\arma 2 operation arrowhead\@DayZ\Addons

You put all DayZ files inside Addons folder, add "-mod=@DayZ" to the target line and you are good to go.

[Nausicaa 3]

Is there not a retail version installation guide?

There are' date=' but as I said the ones I used referenced non-existent folders and executables.

It's actually very simple:

1) install ArmA 2 and then OA in the EXACT SAME directory.

2) update to patch 1.60

3) in the main folder, make a map called @DayZ, in that new map make a map called 'addons' and put all of your downloaded (mod) files in that latter map. Don't put it in the Expansion folder.

4) go read a tutorial on how to start up a mod. (aka make a shortcut of your arma2oa.exe to your desktop, go to properties and add -mod=@DayZ to the path.)

So your path should be something like c:\Program Files\ArmA2\arma2oa.exe -mod=@DayZ) or similar to wherever you installed your mod.

Thanks so much. I think this may have resolved the issue. Now on the main menu screen I see '@DayZ' in the upper right hand corner, and I can at least connect to servers. So that's a start!

Now I'm "waiting for server response". Which is good I guess cause it's normal?

Your folder structure should look like this: C:\Program Files (x86)\arma 2 operation arrowhead\@DayZ\Addons

You put all DayZ files inside Addons folder' date=' add "-mod=@DayZ" to the target line and you are good to go.

[/quote']

Thanks, I think the folder name was hanging me up since I installed the game on a separate drive to a Bohemia Interactive Software folder.

[dunnobe 3]

Try joining a server with few people to test if it works. You get in faster IMO.

[Angryofficer 89]

It's actually very simple:

1) install ArmA 2 and then OA in the EXACT SAME directory.

2) update to patch 1.60

3) in the main folder' date=' make a map called @DayZ, in that new map make a map called 'addons' and put all of your downloaded (mod) files in that latter map. Don't put it in the Expansion folder.

4) go read a tutorial on how to start up a mod. (aka make a shortcut of your arma2oa.exe to your desktop, go to properties and add -mod=@DayZ to the path.)

So your path should be something like c:\Program Files\ArmA2\arma2oa.exe -mod=@DayZ) or similar to wherever you installed your mod.

[/quote']

I decided to post in this thread instead of make another which would be the exact same thing.

I followed what you said to do, but when I start up my OA shortcut with the " -mod=@DayZ", it says "no entry profile path default" which it normally does when I start up arma, then it says "Shaders not valid (mismatch of exe and data?)" and then closes. What did I do wrong? Also, it seems to have messed up my game. My single-player isn't working, 1 of the campaign things is missing, and when I try to play any of them, all my missions are gone and if I try to start again, it gets to the difficulty selector, and then after I do that, it sends me back to the mission selector screen.

[thomas.bowyer@hotmail.co.uk 25]

This might be worth pasting into the other guides.

I too like this fella, had ALOT of issues installing due to the absolute lack of support for non steam users!

hopefully bitter's bits worked! thats what fixed it for me, took me hours of figuring it out!

[Nausicaa 3]

Thought I would update for those of you who had similar issues.

The advice to drop the @DayZ folder into the main ARMA II folder worked like a charm. I was connected within minutes.

I think what confuses people with the retail install is that there won't be any 'Operation Arrowhead' folder to install into. OA needs to go to the same directory as Arma II when you install it, as Bitter said, and the @Dayz and Addons folder go in this main directory. You shouldn't encounter any issues provided everything is patched up to date, and your OA.exe has the proper target.

Angry, I don't know if this helps, but when I messed with the folder names in my Arma II directory I got similar error messages. For example I changed to 'Expansion' folder to Operation Arrowhead (I know, stupid in hindsight).

[Angryofficer 89]

Thought I would update for those of you who had similar issues.

The advice to drop the @DayZ folder into the main ARMA II folder worked like a charm. I was connected within minutes.

I think what confuses people with the retail install is that there won't be any 'Operation Arrowhead' folder to install into. OA needs to go to the same directory as Arma II when you install it' date=' as Bitter said, and the @Dayz and Addons folder go in this main directory. You shouldn't encounter any issues provided everything is patched up to date, and your OA.exe has the proper target.

Angry, I don't know if this helps, but when I messed with the folder names in my Arma II directory I got similar error messages. For example I changed to 'Expansion' folder to Operation Arrowhead (I know, stupid in hindsight).

[/quote']

So would I install arrowhead into "Bohemia interactive" instead of "Arma II"? (Sorry if that isn't what you mean, I don't really understand this) and is "Program files - Bohemia interactive - Arma 2 - @DayZ - addons" correct?

[dunnobe 3]

I know it's difficult for starters. I too had problems launching mods back in the days, but this method goes back to Operation Flashpoint: Resistance. The regulars are veterans are used to this.

So this is what I mean:

*both ArmA2 and OA in the same exact map.

**look at where the @DayZ map is. All other maps starting with @ are mods as well.

Create a shortcut of arma2oa.exe to your desktop and change the target line/path by adding -mod=@DayZ; (if you add ;@xxx;@xxz; you can run more mods simultanously).

You could also use SixUpdater, but I prefer managing my own shortcuts and mods by hand. Other mods or communities require daily updates or multiple mods and for them I use SixUpdater. Project Reality is a bit different; they only use an .exe installer that sets up a shortcut and installs everything in the right place for you.

There's 3rd party software aswell that allows you to run mods easily. IDK the names of any by heart as I never used them, but you can probably find them easily at www.armaholic.com

[Angryofficer 89]

I put the "-nosplash" in, and I can't remember what happened afterward, but it didn't work, or at least didn't start up the game, I can't remember, and about 5 minutes later I took out the disk of OA and put it back in, and "@DayZ" appeared in the expansions list. I applied it, restarted my game *because it said I had to*, tried to join a server but it said "You cannot play/edit this mission, it is dependant on downloadable content that has been deleted.dayz_code, dayz_weapons, dayz_equip, dayz_vehicles". What do I need to do now? I'm pretty hyper after getting this far.

[dunnobe 3]

What are you talking about? You don't need to apply or restart anything.

My instructions are clear man. Others have got it to work without the screenshots they said earlier in this topic. You don't need to put the -nosplash in and pay attention to the [sPACES].

This is my targetline, just copy everything after the last "

"D:\Games\ArmA 2\ARMA2OA.EXE" -nosplash -mod=@DayZ;

Start up your shortcut ofcourse to launch the mod.

If just launching the vanilla game gives you problems/errors (as you said earlier), you might want to reinstall your game. With a fresh start, you might get it to work a lot easier!

[Angryofficer 89]

What are you talking about? You don't need to apply or restart anything.

My instructions are clear man. Others have got it to work without the screenshots they said earlier in this topic. You don't need to put the -nosplash in and pay attention to the [sPACES].

This is my targetline' date=' just copy everything after the last "

"D:\Games\ArmA 2\ARMA2OA.EXE" -nosplash -mod=@DayZ;

Start up your shortcut ofcourse to launch the mod.

If just launching the vanilla game gives you problems/errors (as you said earlier), you might want to reinstall your game. With a fresh start, you might get it to work a lot easier!

[/quote']

The targetline didn't work, I still get that message saying the dayz codes are missing or something like that. When I put in the targetline, I also got a message saying "The name specified in the target box is not valid. Make sure the path and file name are correct."

I did have to restart arma to enable the @DayZ expansion.

The errors seemed to stop appearing, the ones that said "no profilepath" or something like that.