Undocumented Startup Parameters – Arma 2
If you are just looking for the normal ArmA2 startup switches, please go here Arma 2: Startup Parameters
Note: This is a work in progress of all the allowed switches, these have not been tested. I will try to document them as I figure out what they do. Many of these are already known and the information will be redundant. The list was generated by hand from info in the binary and I left all switches for completeness.
Configuration & Performance
name=
Profile name to be loaded.
pid=
Process ID
winxp
Switch to alternate memory management.
config=
Specify server.cfg
nosplash
Skip intro screens.
cpucount=
Disable CPU core detection.
world=
Load this world on startup. 'empty' will disable island loading for quicker start up time.
noland
Disable procedural terrain generation.
nopause
Disable alt-tab game pause. Rendering will continue when application lacks window focus.
mod=
Self explanatory.
profiles=
Specify profiles directory.
cfg=
basic.cfg path and filename. (arma.cfg)
Graphics
forceDX9
Self explanatory.
window
Run game in windowed mode.
y=
Specify rendering height.
x=
Specify rendering width.
Sound
xa2sound
Use XAudio2 sound engine. (Default)
Network & Multiplayer
netlog
Log network traffic to filename specified.
bepath=
BattleEye anti-cheat installation path where DLL can be located.
noesrb
Gets rid of ESRB warning when clicking Multiplayer.
noPatchCheck
Disables check for newer patch on MP server select screen, disabling nag.
download
Unknown.
session=
Unknown.
privateSlots=
Unknown, may set aside MP slots for local connections only.
bandwidth=
Self explanatory, but usage unknown.
gamertag=
Microsoft Gamertag. I doubt this does anything, it is a remnant of the Xenon code.
password=
Self explanatory.
port=
Self explanatory.
connect=
Self explanatory.
server
Self explanatory.
host
Self explanatory.
Development
autotest=
Self explanatory but usage unknown. An autotest is used by developers to test the functionality of a build in an automated fashion.
showscripterrors
Self explanatory. Errors appear in black box at top of screen.
sm2
Use shader model 2.
sm3
Use shader model 3.
disableShaderGeneration
Self explanatory.
generateshaders
Self explanatory.
buldozer
Model viewer for use with O2.
buldozer+addons
Guess: Same as above but loads addons?
noFilePatching
Disables PBOPrefix handling, game will only load .pbo files and not the unpacked directories.
Unknown
init=
Unknown.
worldCfg=
Unknown.
noLauncher
This may have something to do with the shell association introduced in 1.05.