Start your Steam client, and select ARK: Survival Evolved from your game library.
Subscribe to the Mods on Steam Workshop
Using the Heros Survive Mod and a huge collection of scripts as its base, this scenario features an unique and quite realistic singleplayer survival experience. Inspired by ArmA 2 DayZ Epoch, DayZero puts you in the perspective of one of the few Eastern European survivors of the so-called Z-Apocalypse: a catastrophic disease outbreak that has. Arma 3 is the next sequel of the original tactical shooter with RPG elements. This time the gameplay is set in the 2030, and a new world conflict needs to be solved by the players. The one thing that didn’t change is modification capability. Arma 3 mods vary in shapes and sizes, offering different settings and even gameplay mechanics.
Click on the 'workshop' button near the top of the game page in the new UI,
or click on the 'browse the workshop' button in the middle of the game page if you are using the classic steam UI.
15 Best Arma 3 Single Player Mods That Make The Game More Fun! Need a break from the multiplayer but have completed the Arma 3 campaign one too many times? Well, hold on to your butt, because I have compiled a slamming list of beautiful additions to your Arma 3 library that is sure to keep you occupied for hours and hours. I've found the Exile mod too complicated, and the fact it's multiplayer makes my progress kinda non-permanent. I'd like a singleplayer mod, where I can build things (similar to Exile), but I can't find any whatsoever. Jan 27, 2017 I'm looking for a mod like the straight up Arma 2 DayZ mod. I used to be a big fan of Exile, but it doesn't feel the same because you can just go to a trader and buy everything you need. I'm wondering if there are any mods that are true to the looting and surviving and base building. Zombies I can go with or without. If any mods are kinda like this I'd like to look into them. Thanks a bunch!
Select the mods you want to use in your game, and subscribe to them.
Once subscribed, steam will begin downloading the mod content.
You will see ARK in your game library listings is now 'validating' for a short while.
The mods are not actually installed correctly yet, Steam has only been downloaded the files it needs to start installing them. To perform the actual installation, you will need to start Ark next.
Start ARK on Steam, and choose 'Host/Local' as if starting a singleplayer game
Once ARK is started you will see messages in the lower right corner listing the progress of mods being installed.
This step of starting ARK is absolutely essential, and cannot be skipped.
Wait for each one of the subscribed mods to be fully fully installed. This may take some time.
When it's finished, the mods will show on the lower right side of this screen, like in the screenshot below.
Why do you need to start ARK?
After subscribing to the mods in the workshop, steam only downloaded a handful of files for each mod.
When ARK is actually started up, more files are downloaded or created and the amount of files in the mod folder grows dramatically.
For example, subscribing to the mod 'Structures plus (open source)' which overhauls and improves the entire building system in ARK, will download 1 file, and 2 folders initially.After ARK has been started, and the mod is actually installed, those will become 5 files and 20 folders full of content. There will be separate folders for each of the building elements added by the mod: all the doors, gate, walls, etc. Every single new item needs a folder with information for the mod to actually use in game.
If you copy only the files initially downloaded by steam, you will not have working mods, because large chunks of files will be missing (they haven't been downloaded or created yet).
This by the way, is the leading cause of why you can see engrams listed in the menus, but you won't be able to learn the engrams. There are separate files that add new engrams to the listings, and separate files which tell the game what the engram actually does, what materials are needed to make it, etc. Without the extra files downloaded after starting the game, you won't be able to learn the engrams.
Activate the Mods
Select each mod you want to use, one at a time, and then click on the button with the two arrows on it, and then click the 'add mod' button when it appears.
This will enable each mod, and they will now appear in the upper right side of the screen, like in the screenshot below.
Start a Single Player Game
Load into the game, and wait about five minutes, and then exit.
Find the Installed Mods
On Steam, go to your game library and right click on ARK: Survival Evolved, and then click on 'properties' at the bottom of the popup menu.
In the window that appears, click on the 'Local Files' tab along the top, and then click on 'Browse Local Files'.
This opens a window showing the files for your ARK: Survival Evolved client in the Steam application.
Click on and open the following folders:
And in that last folder are all your mods! ta-dah!
Inside there are folders for each mod, labeled with the steam workshop ID for each mod.
There will also be matching numbered files that end in '.mod'.
Both the folder for each mod and the matching '.mod' file must be uploaded to the server for the mods to work correctly.
Upload Files to Server
Upload to your server all the mod files copied from the previous step.
Copy them to the folder
/ShooterGame/Content/Mods on the server.
It's highly recommended that you 'zip' all the files up before uploading them to your server. Files contained in a single zip file are also easier to move around on your server, if you need to transfer them from one directory to another.
You can use drag and drop in the file manager view of the control panel, or you can use an FTP program to do the uploading.
Enable Mods in Configuration Files on the Server
The next step is tell the server to actually load and use the mods, by adding the mod ID's to the configuration file that controls this.
That file is called
GameUserSettings.ini , and it's located in /ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer
Once you've gone to the
LinuxServer folder, select the file GameUserSettings.ini by clicking the blue box to the left of the file name in the Nodecraft file manager view. Then click the 'edit' button at the top of the file manager window.
Once the file manager is displaying the contents of
GameUserSettings.ini , find the section labelled [ServerSettings] in purple text.
In that section, add the following line
ActiveMods=
followed by all the steam worskshop IDS of the mods to be enabled, separated by commas.
NOTE: Capitalization is very important in ark settings, the line
ActiveMods= must have an uppercase A in active, and M in mods or it will not be processed correctly by the game.
Below is an example.
Once you are finished, save the changes made to the configuration file, and then restart the ARK server.
If everything has been done correctly, your ARK: Survival Evolved server now has mods!
One of the difficult things about approaching a possibility space as large as the one presented by ArmA 3 is deciding what you actually want to do with it. Beyond the campaign, there’s the game’s powerful editor which allows players to create remarkably complex combined arms combat scenarios across vast land masses. But if you’re like me, sometimes that’s a bit… much. Sometimes I’d rather just fire up a quick game and lead a fire team over a hill to shoot some bad guys.
Thankfully, some truly amazing mods have emerged over the past year, so we’ve put together this guide to cover some of the new content out there - whether it’s total conversions, new models, or AI environments, you should be able to find something for you in this list.
Note: Mods are often custom-built for a single map, but even if you’re not interested in that environment, chances are pretty good that there’s another version of the mod available for your preferred landmass. Just do a little searching in the Steam Workshop, and you’re likely to find what you’re after.
Reader Suggestions
ARMA 3 Overhaul Mods
Right off the bat, Article 2 Studios’ Operation: TREBUCHET (OPTRE) is a standout in the new assets packages you can get for ArmA 3. It’s a full suite of soldiers, equipment, vehicles, and maps pulled from the Halo universe. The mod focuses primarily on UNSC infantry forces rather than the lethally-outfitted Spartans like Master Chief from the Halo series of games, but fear not: several Spartan variants are included as well.
Arma 3 Singleplayer Survival Mod Pack
What’s more interesting, though, are the new weapons and vehicles - take to the skies over the original game’s Blood Gulch in a Hornet or Falcon, or cover ground the more old-fashioned way in a Warthog ATV or Scorpion tank. Sure, some of the models look a little low-poly for modern eyes, but it’s impossible not to be impressed at the sheer amount of Halo bits Article 2 has recreated in ArmA 3. OPTRE focuses on the more grounded aspects of Halo’s sci-fi fantasy, so you’re going to see more helicopters and traditional ballistic weapons than plasma rifles and alien tech.
At the moment, OPTRE is just a massive toybox full of Halo kit, but the growing community around the mod is busily creating missions with the shiny new assets. You shouldn’t have too much trouble finding both single-player and multiplayer modes in the Workshop, and keep an eye out on your server browser for large-scale UNSC battles to join.
Iron Front in ArmA 3 (AIO Lite) is the mod version of what once was a full game - Iron Front: Liberation 1944(It wasn't a very good game-ED). It’s an Eastern Front-focused equipment makeover for ArmA players who aren’t as keen on the game’s baseline present day/near future setting. The full, paid version of Iron Front featured eight-mission single player campaigns for the German and Russian sides, plus all the World War II equipment you could shake an M91/30 at.
Unfortunately, the full version has been discontinued and is no longer supported, and those single player missions aren’t included in the free “Lite” version available on the Steam Workshop, but there’s still plenty to like about the mod - there are five sizeable maps, tons of historic units and equipment, and plenty of clanky tanks to drive around in. The only other mod you’ll need to try out the free “Lite” version is CUP Terrains - Core, which you’ll quickly learn is a pretty commonly-used mod for projects like this one.
Hopefully, the team behind Iron Front in ArmA 3 will be able to continue supporting the mod - there’s still a healthy player base for it and the ArmA system works very well in the World War II setting. There are also mods you can find that allow you to use elements of ALiVE in Iron Front in Arma 3, giving you that whole suite of command and mission tools in that Eastern Front setting.
Arma 3 Quality of Life Mods
The Enhanced Movement mod, created by Steam user badbenson, allows players to hop, climb, and vault over fences and walls. The mod adds animations for each of these movements, and it’s a matter of moments to bind a single key (it’s context sensitive) to the “mantle” command. This corrects a rather strange omission from the base game, but I’m glad to have it either way. Recent updates have broken this mod, so you’ll also need to use the ACEX fix mod, a temporary solution, in order for it to work with up-to-date versions of ArmA 3.
Another good mod for solo players to pick up is the AI Accuracy Fix by Steam user Twisted. Enemy NPCs in ArmA 3 tend to be crack shots, even on lower difficulties. As the description says, this drops them back into the more human range of rifle skill. The other option of course is to just “get good” at in-game marksmanship, but who has time for that nonsense?
There’s a lot of gear to play with in ArmA 3, especially if you’ve added any of the massive list of equipment mods. Personal Arsenal gives you access to the game’s virtual armory at a keystroke, so you can outfit yourself with whatever weapons and armor you like, as well as plunk down to-spec vehicles.
Faces of War is a mod that adds in a bunch of thematic faces for you World War II junkies out there. It not only adds more expressive and historically appropriate faces for ArmA 3’s soldiers, it also includes a growing list of World War II uniforms and equipment. The team responsible for this mod does very high-quality work, so you’ll want to subscribe to this one - plus, it’s required for several of the more ambitious WWII mods.
CBA_A3 is an under-the-hood mod that basically makes modders’ lives easier, and you’ll most likely find it in the dependency list of mods you’re looking to download. Steam makes this pretty convenient by flagging up mods you’ll need to install. CBA_A3 lets modders create events and macros, monkey with the UI, and allow for custom keybinds for new actions they add to the game.
Arma 3 Operations & Missions Mods
Now for the meaty stuff. One of the most important mods I’ve come across over the past year is the ALiVE system, which goes a long way toward bridging whatever gap remains between ArmA 3 and traditional wargames. It’s a full-on strategy simulation environment, allowing you to populate ArmA’s maps with OPFOR and BLUFOR units, each with their own goals and objectives, which they’ll pursue intelligently. Missions can be easily created on the fly, and they can be persistent, with actions in one carrying over to the next operation in a campaign.
While the interface takes a few minutes to learn, once you have the basics down it’s an incredibly simple system to use, and the results are spectacular. Once you have ALiVE installed, head to the mission editor and add some new elements: they’re modules called ALiVE (Required), ALiVE Data, ALiVE Player Options, and ALiVE Virtual AI System. These entities don’t physically occupy any space, but they handle the raft of features and systems that ALiVE adds to ArmA, such as intelligent commanders who spawn in and command appropriate units. Syncing these AI commanders with logistics modules and areas of operation is a bit touchy at first, but after a practice map or two you’ll have the hang of it, and it’s astonishingly powerful.
I feel like I’ve personally only scratched the surface of what ALiVE is capable of doing, but already I can’t imagine playing ArmA without it. There are tons of add-on mods for ALiVE, too, so if you don’t want to bother with the mission design side of things you’re still in good shape as long as you don’t mind browsing the Steam Workshop for a bit. Plus, you can use ALiVE’s elements along with most other ArmA content you have installed, but you may want to check the ALiVE wiki to make sure any particular map is supported.
Modder mbrdmn has created a system called Dynamic Recon Ops, which builds randomized recon missions to spec. These can be simple, involving a single objective, or surprisingly complex. You can specify parameters like time of day, weather conditions, and factions involved, or you can let the mod decide for you. The one-objective ops make for great bite-sized portions of ArmA action, and you can download the mod for countless maps, both official and user-created. While the base Malden map has tons of places to explore and operate in, I’ve enjoyed checking out the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone map. It’s unfinished and rough-looking in places, but the area has always fascinated me and it’s still creepy wandering around the ghost town of Pripyat even when you aren’t playing S.T.A.L.K.E.R..
DRO missions are fun and lightweight. It’s easy to dive straight in and start scouting, but as the “recon” name suggests, there’s usually a lot of walking (which, come to think of it, accounts for most of my time in ArmA). Generally, you and your squad will get dropped off by helicopter around 2 kilometers from your objective, which might be retrieving a prisoner or observing an enemy area. By default you’ll also have a resupply point, and the mod is fairly smart about putting a few patrols of enemy soldiers between you and where you’re trying to go.
For a more robust experience, you can try the Dynamic Universal War System, or DUWS. Like DRO (and its sibling, Dynamic Combat Ops), DUWS creates missions on the fly based on a set of parameters you choose to set or leave random. The big difference here is that instead of one-off missions, you’ll be generating an entire persistent campaign. And unlike the single-player campaign that shipped with the ArmA III base game, this one actually responds and changes based on your actions.
You begin by selecting either a random or hand-placed base of operations on the island. From there, you’ll launch missions to recapture zones held by enemy forces, or pick up side ops that become available from time to time. These tend to be pretty simple affairs, such as rescuing downed pilots, but they’ll earn you command points that you can spend on additional troops, vehicles, and weapons. Over the campaign you’ll also amass Army Points that can be used to unlock higher tiers of equipment.
It's an ambitious mod and it’s a bit tricky to figure out how everything works, but it opens the game up to some serious tactics and strategic planning. Figuring out where you need to build FOBs, and planning your next strikes on enemy territory become nail-biting experiences once you’re on the ground leading a couple fire teams into hostile fire. I have yet to finish a campaign in DUWS, but one lesson I’ve learned the hard way is to save often. Autosave doesn’t quite work as well as you might like, yet.
Official ARMA 3 ModsGood Arma 3 Mods
Modders aren’t the only people who have been adding to ArmA 3. Bohemia has been regularly pushing out new content for the game, including the free Malden 2035 DLC, which includes a remaster of one of the two islands featured in Operation Flashpoint way back in 2001. There are DLCs for jets, helicopters, and even go-karts available as well, plus the large Apex expansion that released in 2016, which offers a slate of new equipment and a new campaign that can be played solo or co-op.
Bohemia Interactive developers have also worked on mods in their “spare time” (or so they claim), and one no-brainer addition to your mods list ought to be the ADR-97 weapon pack. It’s an “official mod” meaning Bohemia has granted its imprimatur to the effort, and it adds several variants of a toploading bullpup submachine gun based on the FN P90 into ArmA 3.
Finally, Bohemia are releasing community content as add-ons under the label 'Creator DLC'. The first one is called Global Mobilization - Cold War Germany, and there's expected to be others as well.
What are your favourite ArmA 3 mods? Let us know in the comments!
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