Troubleshooting tips for Playing Missions

[Talkos]

So, you want to join a server that's playing a mission, but you're getting weird errors, spawning as a bird, or not able to click on the mission in the browser.

Joining a Mission:

Hard way:

Step 1: Open Arma2 and go to multiplayer, locate server you wish to join.

Step 2: Check your expansions in the main menu, they should match those of the server you're trying to join.
These 4 should always be turned on: Arma2, Arma2: Operation Arrowhead, Arma2: British Armed Forces, Arma2: Private Military Company. (lite versions are fine)
Note which ones that the server has turned on and make sure those are turned on as well. (If you don't have them you may have to DL them from Armaholic)
If you have extraneous ones turned on, turn them off. Some may work(Arma2: Army of Czech Republic) with the mission, others will surely cause you to spawn as a bird or crash(@dayz).

Step 3: Check version compatibility. If you get a red number in the bottom right of the mission browser showing version number, you need to update your arma2. Here is the link to the latest Arma2 Beta Patches: Beta patch
If you have a launcher such as Dayzcommander you can also get the beta patch through there.

Step 4: Try and connect, note which errors occur. If there is a missing pbo then likely one or more files are corrupted or you have a mode enabled that you shouldn't. Sometimes you can click away the missing file notice and get away with playing regardless(often happens with tactical glasses, everyone will have creepy eyes but you can still play).

Easy Way:

Step 1: Download playwithsix: Play withSIX
Step 2: Locate server you wish to join through playwithsix's server browser. Select the server
Step 3: Click the download or update button in the bottom left and let it finish updating. Then click join. If a cautionary message pops up taking note of the mod differences, click yes.


Finding a mission you just played

So you just played an awesome mission and want to try it again on your own or host it? All missions that you have played are stored in your MPmissionscache. Follow this path to locate it by default:
Computer/C: (Harddrive)/Users/(Username)/Appdata/Local/Arma2 OA/MP Missions Cache
Note that appdata is by default a hidden folder.
Find the mission you just played by its name, copy or cut it from the MP missions cache.

Place the mission in your MPMissions folder in your Bohemia interactive folder. If you installed under steam then you will need to look under the steamapps folder for it. If you installed out manually it will be wherever you manually installed it.

Open up Arma2 and go to multiplayer, then host game and set the option to internet. Find the correct map and the mission should be listed on the right.


Editing a mission

This is not a guide for getting in depth into the editing process, but if you want to make minor changes to a scenario such as adding an extra humvee or weapons crate at start, this will work.
Find the mission file you wish to edit. If it is in a PBO file then you need to decrypt it. There are many options(extractpbo, depbo, cpbo) to do this. Use one of them on the mission file. It should now be a bunch of files and folders. Move this to your editing folder. By default the path is:
Computer/C: (Harddrive)/Users/Username/My Documents/Arma2 Other Profiles/(Your profile name)/Missions

You may now open it in the single player editor, work with it, and save it(Note: You are working with the mission.sqm, the other folders and files are not being handled right now). Be careful that in your new save you preserve the folders that are associated with it. You may then reencrypt it into a pbo file using the tool you used to decrypt it, and move it back into your MP missions folder.