Startup Parameters – Arma 3
Startup parameters are command line interface(CLI) arguments that go after the executable's name in order to set options; e.g arma3_x64.exe -window to start the game in windowed mode.
Steam
- Choose the game in Steam\Library
- Right click on the game
- Select properties
- Hit "Set launch options"
- Example
- -nosplash "-mod=test;x
\test;c: \arma 3 \test2"
Windows
When working with shortcuts, cmd launch options: there is max characters limit for the executing line, use -par (see: Startup Parameters Config File) to avoid it.
| Startup Command Line | parameters file |
|---|---|
arma3_x64.exe "-par=D:\Arma 3\Startup Parameters.txt" |
-skipIntro -noSplash -enableHT -hugePages -noLogs |
Path Definition
There are a few basics to keep in mind when defining path as part of a parameter.
Spaces
The path and -profiles need to be enclosed with quotes if it contains spaces, e.g "-profiles=E:
Relative vs Absolute
You can define most, if not all path in both ways.
- Relative
- -profiles=Profiles
- Absolute
- "-profiles=E:
\Arma 3 \Profiles"
The relative path is normally based on the game main folder, where the exe resides in. However when you use -profiles, some commands use this path defined there as base.
Display Options
window
Displays Arma 3 windowed instead of full screen. Screen resolution / window size are set in arma3.cfg.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -window
posX
Sets the default X Position of the Window.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -posX=50
posY
Sets the default Y Position of the Window.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -posY=50
adapter
Sets the default Video Adapter.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -adapter=MISSING_AN_EXAMPLE
Game Loading Speedup
noSplash
Tells the engine to bypass the splash screens on startup of Arma 3.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -noSplash
skipIntro
Disables world intros in the main menu permanently.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -skipIntro
world
Select a world loaded by default. For faster game loading (no default world loaded and world intro in the main menu, only at game start, disabled): -world=empty.
- Example
For faster game loading (no default world loaded and world intro in the main menu, only at game start, disabled)
arma3_x64.exe -world=empty
Load Altis
arma3_x64.exe -world=Altis
worldCfg
Inits a landscape by the given world config.
Profile Options
name
Sets the profile name.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -name=PlayerOne
profiles
Location of user-profile folder.
If a custom path is set, default files and folders (logFiles, AnimDataCache, DataCache, SteamPreviewCache....) located by default in %LocalAppData%
However, old files will stay in the old location and will not be copied.
- Example 1
arma3_x64.exe -profiles=C:\arma3\Profiles
- Example 2
arma3_x64.exe -profiles=Profiles
Example 2 create a folder called Profiles in the Arma 3 root directory
unit
Parameter passes a unit's ID number to the binary, translates to https://units.arma3.com/my-units#?unit=<number>
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -unit=1337
Misc.
buldozer
Starts Buldozer mode.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -buldozer
noLand
Starts with no world loaded. (Used for Buldozer)
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -noLand
noSound
Disables sound output.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -noSound
doNothing
Engine closes immediately after detecting this option.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -doNothing
mod
Loads the specified mod folders. Multiple folder need to be separated by a semicolon.
- Example 1
arma3_x64.exe -mod=test;x\test;c:\arma3\test2
- "test" is located in the Arma 3 installation folder ("Arma 3\test") (relative path)
- "x\test" is in the installation folder ("Arma 3\x\test") (relative path; subfolder)
- "c:\arma3\test2" is in "c:\arma3\test2" (absolute path)
- Example 2
On Windows
arma3_x64.exe "-mod=test;x\test;c:\arma3\test2"
- Example 3
On Linux. Note the additional backslash in front of the semicolon
arma3_x64.exe "-mod=test\;x\test\;c:\arma3\test2"
Client Network Options
connect
Server IP to connect to.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -connect=168.152.15.147
port
Server port to connect to.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -port=1337
password
Server password to connect to.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -password=1337abc
host
Start a non-dedicated multiplayer host.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -host
Server Options
setUpHost
Start the game in the setup server display. Works with the client exe. See reference image
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -setUpHost
server
Start a dedicated server. Not needed for the dedicated server exe.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -server
port
Port to have dedicated server listen on.
- Example
arma3server_x64.exe -port=1337
pid
File to write the server's PID (process ID) to.
- The file is removed automatically when the exe is stopped
- Only works for dedicated servers
- Example
arma3server_x64.exe "-pid=C:\My Server\PID.txt"
ranking
Allowing you to output ranking information or otherwise know as player stats to a file.
The windows user account would need permissions to write to the folder of choice.
Output sample:
class Player1
{
name = "PlayerName";
killsInfantry = 71;
killsSoft = 3;
killsArmor = 5;
killsAir = 5;
killsPlayers = 0;
customScore = 0;
killsTotal = 84;
killed = 3;
};
- Example
arma3server_x64.exe "-ranking=C:\arma3\ranking.log"
netlog
Enables multiplayer network traffic logging. For more details see server configuration.
- Example
arma3server_x64.exe -netlog
cfg
Selects the Server Basic Config file. Config file for server specific settings like network performance tuning.
- Example
arma3server_x64.exe "-config=C:\My Server\basic.cfg"
config
Selects the Server Config File. Config file for server specific settings like admin password and mission selection.
- Example
arma3server_x64.exe "-config=C:\My Server\config.cfg"
profiles
Path to the folder containing server profile.
- By default, server logs are written to server profile folder
- If folder doesn't exist, it will be automatically created
- Does not work on Linux, no profile will be created or used - instead, remove this parameter and the profile will be created in ~
/.local /share /Arma 3 - Other Profiles
- Example
arma3server_x64.exe "-profiles=C:\My Server\profiles"
bePath
By default BattlEye will create BattlEye folder inside server profile folder. With -bePath param it is possible to specify a custom folder.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -bePath=C:\MyBattlEyeFolder
ip
Command to enable support for Multihome servers. Allows server process to use defined available IP address. (b1.57.76934)
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -ip=145.412.123.12
par
Command to read startup parameters from a file. For more details see Startup parameters config file.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe "-par=C:\Users\Player\Games\Arma 3\Arma 3 Parameter Files\par_common.txt"
client
Launch as client (console). Useful for headless clients.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -client
loadMissionToMemory
Server will load mission into memory on first client downloading it. Then it keeps it pre-processed pre-cached in memory for next clients, saving some server CPU cycles.
- Example
arma3server_x64.exe -loadMissionToMemory
autoInit
Automatically initialize mission just like the first client does.
The server config file (server.cfg) must contain Persistent = 1; otherwise the autoInit parameter is skipped.
- Example
arma3server_x64.exe -autoInit
serverMod
Loads the specified sub-folders for different server-side (not broadcasted to clients) mods.
- Separated by semi-colons
- Absolute path and multiple stacked folders are possible
- In Linux multiple folders arguments need the following separation syntax: -serverMod=mod1\;mod2\;mod3
- Example
arma3server_x64.exe "-serverMod=myAwesomeMod;anotherAwesomeMod"
disableServerThread
Option to disable the server send messaging thread in case of random crashing (may also decrease performance of server on multicore CPUs)
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -disableServerThread
Performance
maxMem
Overrides memory allocation limit to a certain amount (in megabytes).
2.14 there was a bug on the Linux server binary where it parses the maxMem value as a signed integer, therefore making 4096 interpreted as a negative value;
in order to avoid this issue, use values like 2047, 4095, 8191, 16383, 32767 (2048 -1, 4096 -1 etc).1024 MiB is a hard-coded minimum (anything lower falls back to 1024). The maximum is influenced by your operating system (any value over the maximum will be reverted to this value):
- 32-bit Windows + 32-bit game: 2047
- 64-bit Windows + 32-bit game: 3071
- 64-bit Windows + 64-bit game: (physical memory * 4) / 5
Without the -maxMem parameter the engine attempts to set this parameter internaly to a reasonable value often defaulting to max values as described above. The file cache is always excluded from the virtual address limit, see our developers blog: https://www.bistudio.com/blog/breaking-the-32-bit-barrier.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -maxMem=4096
maxVRAM
Defines video memory allocation limit to number (in megabytes).
- Minimum value is 128 MiB (anything lower falls back to 128)
- The value is ignored (under DX11) if engine properly detected VRAM size, minus 20% reserve with ceiling limit 300MB max
- Use to resolve e.g. Windows problem: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2026022/en-us?p=1
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -maxVRAM=4096
maxFileCacheSize
2.14 Sets the default filecache size (when files are loaded from disk, they are cached in RAM. If the cache is full, the oldest file is thrown out).
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -maxFileCacheSize=2048
noCB
Turns off multicore use. It slows down rendering but may resolve visual glitches.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -noCB
CPUCount
Change to a number less or equal than numbers of available cores. This will override auto detection (which equate to native cores).
The best way to simulate dual core on quad core is to use -cpuCount=2 when you run the game and then change the affinity to 2 cores to make sure additional cores can never be used when some over-scheduling happens. It might also be possible to set the affinity in the OS before the process is launched.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -exThreads=8
exThreads
Change to a number 0,1,3,5,7. This will override auto detection (which use 3 for dualcore and 7 for quadcore).
All file operations go through a dedicated thread. This offloads some processing from the main thread, however it adds some overhead at the same time.
The reason why threaded file ops were implemented was to serve as a basement for other threads ops. When multiple threads are running at the same time, OS is scheduling them on different cores. Geometry and Texture loading (both done by the same thread) are scheduled on different cores outside the main rendering loop at the same time with the main rendering loop.
| Parameter | Description | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Geometry loading | Texture loading | File operations |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -exThreads=7
malloc
Sets the particular memory allocator to be used. Significantly affects both performance and stability of the game. More details.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -malloc=someMalloc
hugePages
Enables hugepages with the default memory allocator (malloc) for both client and server.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -hugePages
enableHT
Enables the use of all logical CPU cores for parallel tasks processing. If your CPU does not support Hyper-Threading or similar technology, this parameter is ignored. When disabled, only physical cores are used.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -enableHT
setThreadCharacteristics
Registers the game's executable as "Game" in Windows for performance improvements.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -setThreadCharacteristics
Developer Options
noPause
Allow the game running even when its window does not have focus (i.e. running in the background)
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -noPause
noPauseAudio
Keeps audio running in background while tabbed out. Should be used together with -noPause to work correctly
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -noPauseAudio
showScriptErrors
Introduced to show errors in scripts on-screen. In Eden Editor, script errors are always shown, even when this parameter is not used.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -showScriptErrors
debug
Enables more verbose error logging. See Arma 3: Debug Mode
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -debug
noFreezeCheck
Disables the freeze check. It creates otherwise max 4 dumps per game run in total - 2 per distinct freeze. Similar to Crash Files.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -noFreezeCheck
noLogs
Be aware this means none errors saved to RPT file (report log). Yet in case of crash the fault address block info is saved.
More details here.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -noLogs
noFilePatching
Ensures that only PBOs are loaded and NO unpacked data.
1.50 this was replaced in favor of the -filePatching parameter.- Example
arma3_x64.exe -noFilePatching
filePatching
Allows the game to load unpacked data. For more info see CMA:DevelopmentSetup
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -filePatching
init
Run scripting command once in the main menu. For example to start a certain SP mission of choice automatically. See also playMission. The Mission has to reside in the "arma3\Missions" folder, NOT the user directory.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -init=playMission["","Test.VR"]
<path>\mission.sqm
Load a mission directly in the editor. Example: "C:
autotest
Loads automatically a series of defined missions and on error writes to a log file.
The parameter can be used to automatically run a series of test missions. For example FPS measurement or scripting validation.
- The game runs in special mode. It runs all missions from the given list.
- If any mission fails (ends with other than END1), it is logged into the rpt file (search: <autotest).
- In case of any fail, the game also returns an errorlevel to DOS. This can be used to issue an notification by a secondary application.
- Launch Arma 3 with
- "-autotest=c:
\Arma 3 \autotest \autotest.cfg"
The autotest.cfg looks like:
class TestMissions
{
class TestCase01
{
campaign = "";
mission = "autotest\TestCase01.VR"; // relative path to the arma directory
};
class TestCase02
{
campaign = "";
mission = "C:\arma3\autotest\TestCase02.VR"; // absolute path
};
};
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -autotest=c:\arma3\autotest\autotest.cfg
- RPT entry
<AutoTest result="FAILED">
EndMode = LOSER
Mission = autotest\TestCase01.VR
</AutoTest>
If possible use simple worlds, like VR, to keep the loading times short. The loading screen command might be useful as well to speed up task that need no rendering.
beta
Loads the specified beta sub-folders. This allows use of beta build w/o disabling in-game mod/extension management (in UI menu).
- Separated by semicolons
- Absolute path and multiple stacked folders are possible
- In Linux multiple folders arguments need the following separation syntax: arma3_x64.exe "-mod=betamod1
\;betamod2 \;betamod3"
checkSignatures
Provide a thorough test of all signatures of all loaded banks (PBOs) at the start of the game. Only the stored sha1 values are verified with signatures/keys. Output is in .rpt file.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -checkSignatures
checkSignaturesFull
Same as above, but checks every byte of the file content, and therefore not only verifies signatures, but also verifies file integrity.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -checkSignaturesFull
d3dNoLock
Doesn't lock the VRAM.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -d3dNoLock
d3dNoMultiCB
D3D uses Single Constant Buffers instead of Multiple Constant Buffers.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -d3dNoMultiCB
debugCallExtension
Logs extension calls in the rpt log like this: 
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -debugCallExtension
command
Creates named pipe "\\.\pipe\name" for receiving predefined set of commands. See Arma 3: Named Pipe.
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -command=MyFancyPipeName
language
Starts client with preferred language. See Stringtable.xml - Supported Languages for a list of supported languages. Case-sensitive! (className column)
2.18 made the parameter work properly.- Example
arma3_x64.exe -language=German
preprocDefine
Defines a macro and optionally its value. Multiple macro can be defined by using this parameter multiple times.
- Example 1
arma3_x64.exe -preprocDefine="CMD__MACRONAME=MACROVALUE" arma3_x64.exe -preprocDefine=CMD__MACRONAME arma3_x64.exe -preprocDefine=CMD__MACRO1 -preprocDefine=CMD__MACRO2
- Example 2
arma3_x64.exe -preprocDefine=MACRO
The macro name will start with CMD__, the engine automatically adds the prefix if it is not present (CMD__MACRO).
dumpAddonDependencyGraph
dumps Graphviz text file into the RPT directory with a graph of all addon dependencies (requiredAddons)
- Example
arma3_x64.exe -dumpAddonDependencyGraph