Arma 2 Free - server side mods

[GossamerSolid]

@<hidden>, I forgot to ask. Is it intended that servers for A2F players are not supposed to be able to run server side mods? I know you guys don't want A2F players running mods on client side, but please allow us to run server side mods (Such as ZeusAI, CBA, etc).

[Suma]

I admit I do not understand everything about A2Free (I was not involved personally in its design), but as I understand it, A2Free player can join ordinary A2 server. I do not see what would be preventing the server in question to run server side mods. If you have some particular example, provide it - perhaps there is something wrong in the design of the mod (server side mod, if designed carefully, should be invisible to the client).

[GossamerSolid]

I admit I do not understand everything about A2Free (I was not involved personally in its design), but as I understand it, A2Free player can join ordinary A2 server. I do not see what would be preventing the server in question to run server side mods. If you have some particular example, provide it - perhaps there is something wrong in the design of the mod (server side mod, if designed carefully, should be invisible to the client).

I think Kju has more insight into what is causing it (as I do not make addons myself, I couldn't tell you).

All I know is that it'd be great if we could all come towards a solution because you are thinking the same way that I was thinking, as long as the mod is server side, it shouldn't affect A2F players.

[Sickboy]

To be able to enjoy server-side mods with A2F, you need to run a normal A2 server (not A2F server).
This seems to answer the original question, there doesn't seem to be more to it :)

[GossamerSolid]

To be able to enjoy server-side mods with A2F, you need to run a normal A2 server (not A2F server).
This seems to answer the original question, there doesn't seem to be more to it :)

Really, ok either I've been reading the discussions wrong or I've been told wrong information.

What I interpreted the problem that was occuring was that A2 servers couldn't have server side mods because when an A2F client tried to join, it told them they couldn't use mods.

EDIT: I'm gonna test it for sure when I get home so we can debunk this myth :)

[Dwarden]

the ARMA 2 Free client don't see modified ARMA 2 server because of difference in ID hashes used for the server listing ...

hence until 'server side only modifications' not visible to clients (or similar) feature is implemented it's not possible to support this ...

[.kju [PvPscene]]

There are no A2F servers. Just A2F clients. Server-wise there are only A2 servers.

The issue is that A2F clients hide servers with any addons loaded (based on the mod hash).
This might seemed like a fair approach, yet it is too simplistic for the actual reality.
The real system would be to compare the current mission.sqm addons(Auto) array vs
the clients cfgPatches array. See:

> A different approach to show addon requirements in MP to the player
http://dev-heaven.net/issues/17497


Anyhow here is the A2F client ticket:

Make A2F clients able to see servers with (server side) addons.
http://dev-heaven.net/issues/22351

[Sickboy]

Now it starts to become clear :)
Is this just a server list problem? Ergo, could one use the -connect= startup parameter to join the server anyway? Or is it a hard-limitation; simply cannot join the server at all?

[GossamerSolid]

still a problem in my honest opinion. Kju's solution is sound.