[HOWTO] Install Beta For Playing On DayZ servers

[fighter139 191]

I'm making this tutorial because we have many people that are new to ArmA and are unfamiliar with how it works. Also many servers require the client (You) to have installed the beta patch in order to play. This is for those who do not use a 3rd party program such as Six Updater to update their mods. This is for manual installation of the patch. Do note that installing the beta patch should not prevent you from playing on non-beta servers. If it does, there's a solution at the end.

Playing DayZ requires that you have the legitimate versions of both Armed Assault II and Armed Assault II: Operation Arrowhead. Any other combination including ArmA II Free is not supported and, most likely will not work! Please show your support for the wonderful people at BIS by making the necessary purchases!

For Steam Users: You cannot use Steam to launch the beta exe. So, you have to use a launcher, shortcut, etc.

1. Download the beta at ftp://downloads.bistudio.com/arma2.com/update/beta/ARMA2_OA_Build_92612.zip

2. Unzip.

3. Launch the ARMA2_OA_BUILD_92612.exe file.

4. Wait for installation to complete.

Now you have to configure ArmA to launch with the beta.

Spirited Machine's Launcher

1. Open the launcher. (of course :p)

2. Add a new group including @DayZ and @DayZ only.

3. Go to Launch Options and check Run Beta.

3. Make sure the launcher is set for Combined Operations.

4. Launch from there.

Modlines (This section has now been rewritten after a couple of recent discoveries.)

NOTE: Wherever is written, replace it with your ArmA 2 Operation Arrowhead main directory. FOR EXAMPLE: "D:\Program Files (x86)\arma 2 operation arrowhead"

1. Navigate to your \Expansion\beta.

2. Right click the arma2oa.exe file and hit "Send To", select Desktop (Create Shortcut)

3. On your Desktop, find the shortcut, right click it, and hit Properties.

4. In the Target line, have the following: "\Expansion\beta\arma2oa.exe" -beta=Expansion\beta;Expansion\beta\Expansion -nosplash -mod=@DayZ;Expansion;Expansion\beta;Expansion\beta\expansion;

5. In the Start In line, have the following: ""

6. Launch the game!

Note: If you want to add any other startup parameters, make sure you do so!

For Those That Need Non-Beta Playability

Just remove all of the references to expansion from your modlines/launchers and run the game. This includes changing the exe back to "\ArmA2OA.exe" Alternatively you can create a new shortcut/BAT file and have it solely for non-beta use.

If you have any issues with this or wish to add on, you can post here or see me on the Unofficial DayZ Teamspeak 3 Server!

Download at http://teamspeak.com!

IP: 129.21.49.9:9987

Thanks for reading and I hope this helps!

Fighter

[Guest Suffocation]

Stickied for players wanting to play on US3 and US4 but cannot.

[oktyabr 53]

And for Steam? Does this work for us too?

[fighter139 191]

Yes, I have the Steam version and it works fine.

[22nd_Chuck 1]

Great post, thank you

[therussiandong@hotmail.com 5]

I tried to install this, and it said it completed successfully, but I am still unable to join US3 or US4..

And it still says I have the latest public patch.

Wat do?

[fighter139 191]

Most likely, you are not launching the beta. How do you launch ArmA 2?

[therussiandong@hotmail.com 5]

Most likely' date=' you are not launching the beta. How do you launch ArmA 2?

[/quote']

With Spirited Launcher.

[fighter139 191]

GUIDE UPDATED

[funionz 7]

Having some trouble with this as well, step by step this is what I did :

Copied

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

to

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

Edited steam launch options to :

-noSplash -mod=Expansion\beta;Expansion\beta\expansion;@DayZ;

And I get an error about failure to create D3D9 device, any ideas where I went wrong?

[fighter139 191]

Are you launching the beta exe located in Expansion\beta?

[Seio 0]

Hey, thanks for the guide, but this isn't working for me either. Help would be appreciated.

I'm using the steam version of Arma, and got about here:

1. Go to your vanilla ArmA 2 directory (NOT OA).

2. Copy your AddOns folder. (addons on Arma 2, I assume)

3. Go to your OA folder.

4. Paste the AddOns folder. (pasted the folder into OA w/o changing anything)

5. Open up whatever you use to launch it. (steam)

6. In the Target line (assuming this means the Launch Options in Steam), you must have "\Expansion\beta\arma2oa.exe" -mod=@DayZ;pmc;Expansion;Expansion\beta;Expansion\beta\expansion; <- (this doesn't work for me atm)

7. Launch the game. (error: Direct3D 9 engine failed to generate)

What am I doing wrong? A 100 player server sounds great.

EDIT: Fighter helped me out, thanks dude!

[fighter139 191]

Hey' date=' thanks for the guide, but this isn't working for me either. Help would be appreciated.

I'm using the steam version of Arma, and got about here:

1. Go to your vanilla ArmA 2 directory (NOT OA).

2. Copy your AddOns folder. (addons on Arma 2, I assume)

3. Go to your OA folder.

4. Paste the AddOns folder. (pasted the folder into OA w/o changing anything)

5. Open up whatever you use to launch it. (steam)

6. In the Target line (assuming this means the Launch Options in Steam), you must have "\Expansion\beta\arma2oa.exe" -mod=@DayZ;pmc;Expansion;Expansion\beta;Expansion\beta\expansion; <- (this doesn't work for me atm)

7. Launch the game. (error: Direct3D 9 engine failed to generate)

What am I doing wrong? A 100 player server sounds great.

[/quote']

Hop on Teamspeak please. I can help you there.

---

I tried to install this' date=' and it said it completed successfully, but I am still unable to join US3 or US4..

And it still says I have the latest public patch.

Wat do?

[/quote']

Having some trouble with this as well' date=' step by step this is what I did :

Copied

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

to

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

Edited steam launch options to :

-noSplash -mod=Expansion\beta;Expansion\beta\expansion;@DayZ;

And I get an error about failure to create D3D9 device, any ideas where I went wrong?

[/quote']

I have rewritten the guide part about modlines. It's now much simpler. You cannot in any easy manner, use Steam to launch the game. Please review the modlines section of the guide or you can choose to use the launcher. http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=8241

[funionz 7]

Thanks Fighter, got it working finally with the launcher. My mistake was trying to use Steam to launch the whole thing :-)

[fighter139 191]

Yeah, that's what I figured. It's partly my fault for not specifying that in the guide. :)

[LtTireBiter 1]

Your modline does not work on my steam install. I have to use the following shortcut for proper mod loading:

"D:\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2 operation arrowhead\Expansion\beta\Arma2OA.exe" -mod=Arma2;EXPANSION;CA -beta=Expansion\beta;Expansion\beta\Expansion -mod=@DayZ -nosplash

Once you use the -mod command to load dayz, it disables autoloading of arma2 data.

-mod=Arma2 is a folder under my arma2oa folder with all arma2 data in it. You can also use a symbolic link/hard link if you know how.

Also, you can use steam for the shortcut. Do add new non steam game, browse to the exe as previously explained. Open it, should create a game in library list. Edit properties of this shortcut to set a name and set the Target line similar to above (change the drive/path as needed).

Hope this helps those having issues.

[fighter139 191]

The shortcut I have posted is confirmed to work on 2 Steam installs thus far.

[Mugen (DayZ) 72]

Tried doing this and now it says that can't join any server because it is dependent on content that was deleted.chernarus

Any idea how to fix this?

[fighter139 191]

Means your not running Combined Operations. If using Launcher, check to make sure the Launcher is set to ArmA II - CO.

If you're using something else, drop me a line on TS if you see me.

[Mugen (DayZ) 72]

Means your not running Combined Operations. If using Launcher' date=' check to make sure the Launcher is set to ArmA II - CO.

If you're using something else, drop me a line on TS if you see me.

[/quote']

Yeah its running with Arma II - CO got on ts earlier but your afk.

[fighter139 191]

Damnit. Catch me tomorrow after 5 PM EST.

[Mugen (DayZ) 72]

Damnit. Catch me tomorrow after 5 PM EST.

It's ok,i seem to have got it with a bit of tinkering.Now the servers don't have zombies which is bit frustrating.

[fighter139 191]

New beta released.

[sammus 0]

Does this work with ARMA2Free + OA demo on steam?

[fighter139 191]

Does this work with ARMA2Free + OA demo on steam?

No, you need the full, legit versions of both.