How do I install ACE and related mods?
Please make sure you have the latest ArmA 2 patch installed!
Stable Release
- CBA and ACE are always Required
- CBA_OA is only required for Operation Arrowhead Standalone users. Combined Ops users should NOT use it.
- ACEX and ACEX_SM are optional, ACEX_SM should not be installed on dedicated servers. ACEX_RU and ACEX_USNavy are also optional, but are intended only for Combined Ops users.
You can download one of the stable releases from the Releases page.
- Unpack the .7z downloads to your ArmA 2; Operation Arrowhead installation folder.
- Unpack @ACE\store\userconfig.tar
(with WinRAR/7zip/WinZip etc) into your ArmA 2; Operation Arrowhead installation folder. (End result: ArmA 2\userconfig\ACE\**.hpp)- Look below for info on how to start the game with ACE.
You can convert this release to Ongoing Development, and update to the latest any time: Six Updater FAQ.Ongoing Development
- Install the Six Updater (if not already done)
- Start the 'Six Updater - GUI'
- Ensure that the 'A2 OA - A.C.E.' preset is selected. (Click inside the preset field, and select it if not)
- Click the green 'Run Updater' button left up (Says "Install or Update, and Startgame" by default).
This will now install the selected mods. This may take some time, especially on the first run due to a large amount of data being downloaded.
Alternatively, there are also 3rd party Yoma AddonSync mirrors available
How do I configure ACE?
You can change these settings in ..\ArmA2\userconfig\ACE\ace_clientside_config.hpp However you can also use ACE Clippi to change these settings more easily....
How do I start the game with ACE?
Generally it is recommended to use a launcher. But read on if you want to do it manually.
Also check the following thread to find information on how to use ArmA 2 and OA together as Combined Ops:
ARMA 2: CO (how to combine ARMA 2 into ARMA 2:OA and use together)
What mod order should I use for ACE?
CBA should come first, then ACE, then ACEX if you are using that. If using a beta version of ArmA2, include the beta module at the front of your module list - before any of the ACE-related modules. The updater has the option of creating shortcuts for you, using those as a template is always a good idea.
For example:
-mod=@CBA;@ACE;@ACEX;@ACEX_USNavy;@ACEX_RU;@ACEX_SM
How do i start the ACE mod manually?
The old fashioned way to run an addon or several addons is to add them to your ARMA2 shortcuts target line with the mod parameter "-mod=" separated by semicolons ";".
So if you want to run several addons at the same time you have to use a semicolon between each addon. To add your addons to the shortcut you right click your ARMA2 shortcut and chose properties. In the shortcut tab you have the target field wich contains the path to your game. After this path you add the mod-line.
The full line (game path + mod-line) should look like below (note the space between game path and mod-line):
"C:\Program Files\Bohemia Interactive\ArmA 2\arma2.exe" -noSplash-mod=@CBA;@ACE;@ACEX;@ACEX_USNavy;@ACEX_RU;@ACEX_SMThe above path is an example. Your game might be installed on another harddrive or partition and therefore show another unit letter (C:). However that is not important. The importance is how the mod-line is added behind it. Dont forget to have a space between the game path and the mod-line.
Also, please make sure if you use the Official ArmA 2 Beta, that your shortcut has the correct "Start in" value set to your ArmA 2 install folder. NOT the beta folder.
I dont have an ARMA2 shortcut!
If you do not have a shortcut you can create one by going to your ARMA2 root directory and find the ARMA2.EXE file. Right click the file and chose "Send to desktop - create shortcut". Now you can add the mod-line to it as explained above.
ARMA Startup Parameters
ARMA2 has a couple of Startup Parameters and two of them are very popular: -nosplash and -world=empty will greatly speed up the start of the game as they stop the splash screens and stops the island from loading at start. The parameters are added to the end (or in front) of the mod-line like this: -nosplash -world=empty.
-showScriptErrors is extremely useful to display script errors, from either; addons or mission.
How to install on Dedicated Servers?
Also see Running an ACE Server
Windows servers
If you have full access to your Windows server via a graphical remote desktop connection, you can install ACE using the Six Updater Suite just like you would do it on your own computer. If you rent a Windows server and don't have remote desktop access, you will have to upload the needed files from your own computer to the server. This requires FTP access to the folder on the server where ArmA II is installed. Just use your favourite FTP client to transfer the following folders to the server: @CBA, @ACE, @ACEX, optionally ACEX_USNavy and ACEX_RU, and the userconfig\ACE folder.
More info on servers Here
Linux servers
To install ACE on a Linux dedi, you'll have to upload the mod folders using eg FTP or SFTP (ssh) to the server. Don't forget to convert all file names in the ArmA II folder to lowercase letters using the tolower utility that comes with the Linux dedi files that BIS provides. (You will need to modify the startup script ("arma2server") to actually load the ACE mod folders. Here's such a file: arma2ace)
You can also use the Legacy Six Updater for linux .
Important Note: The default user-limit for open-files might be too low, please see:
http://ace.armastack.info/index.php/109/why-does-my-linux-server-crash-show-problems-when-ace-loaded
I think I found a bug. What do I do?
Please head over to our Support page.