ARMA 2: Operation Arrowhead Patch 1.63+ BETA (Build 97982)

Here's a beta* version of the patch that will follow patch 1.62 for ARMA 2: Operation Arrowhead.

REQUIRES ANY ORIGINAL VERSION OF ARMA2 Operation Arrowhead from 1.54 (including Steam version). Find non-Steam patches here.

*Use at your own risk.

[Download the live 1.62 patch here]


Important information on the beta patch can be found on the official forum.


IMPORTANT !
It's always better to uninstall previous beta!
(if You fail to uninstall it erase beta subdirectory inside ARMA 2 directory)

WARNING!
It's recommended to restart You mission instead of using save from older version or previous betas!

NOTE!
Beta installer create shortcut inside ARMA 2 directory to launch beta properly.
The tricky part is that the game is started with commandline:
Drive:Path\ARMA 2\beta\arma2.exe -mod=beta
but in start in path
Drive:Path\ARMA 2\

INFO:
Installer claims it updating on version 1.04, ignore it updating the \beta\ directory content
Uninstaller claims it removed version 1.03 ignore it as it should remove \beta\ directory content

PROBLEM:
Uninstalling beta may result into removal of ARMA 2 symlink / junction directory link (hopefully not whole directory)
IF anyone experience whole ARMA 2 directory erase on uninstall please report ASAP thx

FIX / WORKAROUND for the beta failing to install on STEAM build:

use registry editor add registry key into
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2

create new String value
name it "MAIN" (w/o "")

then place into it same content like is already in key "path"
(e.g. "C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\Common\ARMA 2" w/o "" again)

that's all and now the installer sees Your STEAM game ...


README.TXT:

ARMA2 OA PUBLIC BETA BUILD
-----------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2010 Bohemia Interactive. All rights reserved.

Please note: Arma2 OA Beta is a public preview release intended for developer testing and community feedback. It may be updated often and we use them to verify that a bug we are tracking has been fixed. We make the beta builds for testing only and also to allow developers in the community to test their content with the upcoming versions before they are released as the official release. We write code and post the results frequently so people like you can join our testing process and report bugs but Arma2 OA Beta might crash on startup or cause any other kind of unpredicted problems so please do not bother downloading Arma2 OA beta builds if you're unwilling to put up with problems or help with the testing of the game and stick with the latest official release instead.

MULTIPLAYER COMPATIBILITY -----------------------------------------------
Usually, beta versions will be compatible in multiplayer with either previous or the upcoming public final release (unlike in Arma 1 where beta versions were causing large incompatibility in the multiplayer community).

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: -----------------------------------------

- ANY ORIGINAL VERSION OF ARMA2 Operation Arrowhead from 1.54 (including Steam version)
- DirectX 9 March 2009 is required

HOW TO INSTALL AND RUN THE BETA PATCH ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Run the patch exe to apply the patch setup automatically (you may be prompted to choose your exact version in some occasions).

* It will install all beta content to a mod folder "Expansion\Beta", including the beta exe (that has to be run properly with working directory set to the main game installation, see below for more information)

* To launch Arma2 Operation Arrowhead beta patch you need to go to the main game directory and click on shortcut "Launch Arma2 OA Beta Patch"

* You can configure your Arma2 OA with Beta Patch including other mods etc., just make make sure that: in your ArmA Shortcut start-up Target line;

- You are running the Arma2OA.exe from your "Expansion\beta" folder.

- You have "Expansion\beta;Expansion\beta\Expansion" in your modfolder as in

- You have "Expansion\beta;Expansion\beta\Expansion" in your modfolder as in
-mod=Expansion\beta;Expansion\beta\Expansion
example: "C:\Program Files\Bohemia Interactive\ARMA 2 Operation Arrowhead\Expansion\beta\armaOA2.exe"
-mod=Expansion\beta;Expansion\beta\Expansion

- Make sure the shortcut's "Start In" section refers to main "ARMA 2 Operation Arrowhead" main working folder
and NOT "ARMA 2 Operation Arrowhead/beta"
example: "C:\Program Files\Bohemia Interactive\ARMA 2 Operation Arrowhead"

You can always run your Arma2 OA final version in the main Arma2 OA folder if you use default application shortcuts, start menu or run the regular arma2OA.exe without the beta mod folder.