FROM: High Command
TO: Arma 3 Users
UNIT: Main Branch
ACTIVITY: Game Update 1.62 (Apex Expansion, Main Menu Overhaul, Vehicle in Vehicle Transport, Revive Overhaul, Environmental Audio Enhancements)
SIZE: ~9.6 GB / ~1.5 GB (depends on Apex ownership)

NOTES

Consider using the Steam client option to verify the integrity of the local game cache to avoid corrupted data after downloading this update.
Consider defragmenting your HDD after downloading large updates.
Updating a deeply moddable game and its platform is not without risks. We use various methods to communicate upcoming changes to our awesome modding community, such as via the Dev Hub. We also co-operate directly on troubleshooting, and we offer an opportunity to test updates via our Release Candidate tests. Modders, server administrators and other members of the community do their best to prepare for updates and to address issues post-release as quickly as possible. Please be mindful of some interruptions (especially in the first hours / days after a release) while we all work to improve the game together.
A Legacy Build Steam branch is available for advanced users. It contains the previous significant main branch version (1.60). It can be used to compare specific changes between major releases. The access code for this branch is: Arma3Legacy160
This update does not apply to the experimental Linux and Mac port betas at time of writing. We'll be updating those as soon as possible.
You can find the servers in the Steam library (switch the filter to "Tools") - "Arma 3 Server" (based on your OS, it will download the Windows or Linux version).
- Administrators can also use the command-line SteamCMD utility. The app ID is to be 233780.
- NVIDIA GameWorks™ Technology provided under license from NVIDIA Corporation. Copyright © 2002-2016 NVIDIA Corporation. All rights reserved. NVIDIA® and PhysX® are trademarks of NVIDIA Corporation and are used under license.
In case of problems, please check the Bohemia Interactive support F.A.Q., Arma 3 F.A.Q. or BattlEye F.A.Q.
You can help us to further improve the game by posting your feedback on the Feedback Tracker.

CHANGELOG

DATA:

Added: Tanoa terrain*
Added: More than 600 terrain structures*
Added: More than 200 signs, 25 rocks and 100 trees, bushes and clutters*
Added: V-44 X Blackfish VTOL*
Added: Y-32 Xi'an VTOL*
Added: Prowler LSV*
Added: Qilin LSV*
Added: MQ-12 Falcon Drone*
Added: KH-3A Fenghuang Drone*
Added: MB 4WD Offroad Car*
Added: Caesar TBB Propeller Plane*
Added: RHIB Boat*
Added: Water Scooter*
Added: AKS-74U 5.45 mm Assault Rifle*
Added: AKM 7.62 mm Assault Rifle*
Added: AK-12 7.62 mm Assault Rifle*
Added: LIM-85 5.56 mm Machine Gun*
Added: RPG-7 Launcher*
Added: PM 9 mm Pistol*
Added: SPAR-16/S 5.56 mm Assault Rifles*
Added: SPAR-17 7.62 mm Marksman Rifle*
Added: CAR-95(-1) 5.8 mm Assault Rifle & Light Support Weapon*
Added: Type 115 6.5 mm / .50 cal Assault Rifle*
Added: CMR-76 6.5 mm Marksman Rifle*
Added: Protector 9 mm Sub-Machine Gun*
Added: ERCO Optics*
Added: Various new gear items (regular and thermal-masking uniforms, clothes, headgear, backpacks, NVGs (Night Vision Goggles), and more*
Added: Apex Protocol 1-4 player co-op campaign*
Added: Showcase End Game*
Added: End Game 24 Balavu*
Added: End Game 16 Moddergat*

* Content requires ownership of the Arma 3 Apex expansion.

Added: Zeus Master Tanoa instances
Added: 13 Apex Steam Achievements
Added: Apex Welcome Screen
Added: New and very green "Arma 3 Apex" Main Menu color preset (it has also been made default)
Added: Arma 3 Apex splash screen for Apex owners
Added: NATO (Pacific) faction
Added: CSAT (Pacific) faction
Added: Syndikat faction
Added: Gendarmerie faction
Added: New character appearances (Tanoan and Chinese)
Added: New radio protocols (Chinese, French and French-English)
Added: 50 miscellaneous props
Added: A new default controls preset (Arma 3 Apex)
Added: A one-time prompt is now displayed in the Main Menu to suggest using the Arma 3 Apex controls preset
Added: Positional ambient sounds for Tanoa
Added: A new tab displaying the official servers in the Server Browser
Added: New Main Menu terrain scenes for Altis, Stratis and VR (consistent with Tanoa’s new approach)
Added: 'Suppression' samples were added to radio protocols
Added: New sound 3D processor types
Added: A new "blockMobileSwitching" parameter to avoid weapon switching on the move for certain animations
Added: A new BIS_fnc_isThrowable function (determining if the magazine of a given class name is throwable)
Added: Headgear randomization allows usage of a fake headgear "H_FakeHeadgear", which passes some faces to the function in order to randomize it
Added: A tooltip to the Field Manual button in the Pause Menu
Added: The platform / premium assets are now properly distinguished in the DLC Content Browser
Added: New sounds for collisions with the vegetation
Added: New footsteps sounds for movement in the sand
Added: Geometric occluders to Altis and Stratis objects
Added: New sounds for falling trees and palm trees
Added: Falling trees soundsets and soundshaders
Added: Prototype configuration of a new 3D sound processing type (surround_panner)
Added: Positional ambient sounds for forests and sea
Added: New sounds for metal constructions, rock debris for ruins and ancient locations
Added: New sound effects related to wind

Tweaked: The Main Menu was overhauled
Tweaked: Environmental Audio was enhanced (ambient configuration, positional ambient sounds)
Tweaked: The Revive feature was overhauled
Tweaked: Radways and Path LODs of various buildings were improved
Tweaked: Rain and thunder sound effects
Tweaked: The DLC icons in the Main Menu now have a full color on-hover effect
Tweaked: The 2D editor is now hidden (it can still be accessed by pressing the CTRL+O keys in the Editor Menu, but is considered deprecated and unsupported)
Tweaked: All game menus were moved from the bottom left to the center
Tweaked: The multiplayer game type names were overhauled:
- “Seize” and “Defend” were removed
- All Zeus game modes (“ZDM”, “ZCTF”, “ZCoop”, “ZSC”, “ZCTI”, “ZTDM”, “ZRPG”, “ZGM”, “ZvZ” and “ZvP”) were replaced by a single mode “Zeus”
- Added: New “EndGame”, “Support”, “KOTH”, “LastMan” and “Survive” game modes
- Using any of the removed modes will list the scenario as “Undefined”
Tweaked: The autocannon fire mode of the AH-99 Blackfoot and the Mi-48 Kajman helicopters was changed to 5-round bursts
Tweaked: Several multiplayer displays
Tweaked: APCs can now use auto-lead / zeroing on target while engaging with their cannons
Tweaked: The AAA radars are now more balanced
Tweaked: Heavy caliber projectile impact was improved
Tweaked: Respawn markers for Civilian and Independent sides can now also be named “respawn_civ” and “respawn_guer” (these are backwards compatible)
Tweaked: The BIS_fnc_getRespawnMarkers function was optimized
Tweaked: All End Game scenarios now use respawn classes instead of the Virtual Arsenal
Tweaked: The tile textures for deep sea in the map preview were improved
Tweaked: The headgear randomization now considers all private headgears (scope < 1) as fake (results in a removed headgear and randomized facewear similar to H_FakeHeadgear)
Tweaked: Most respawn classes in official End Game scenarios are now limited
Tweaked: World scenes are now using the unified BIS_fnc_initWorldScene function to initialize
Tweaked: Weapon tail sounds were improved
Tweaked: Sounds for vehicle collisions were improved
Tweaked: Visibility of various character movement states (in relation to recent AI detection improvements)
Tweaked: Tasks distribution in multiplayer was improved
Tweaked: AI is now less able to detect explosives while driving a vehicle
Tweaked: The BIS_fnc_taskState was optimized to prevent problems with non-existing tasks on Dedicated Servers
Tweaked: AI detection of weapon firing is now better
Tweaked: Sounds of footsteps were improved (volume based on animations, different sounds for forests, tweaks)

Fixed: Bullet collision geometry for reed
Fixed: Transition animations (e.g. prone transitions to crouch and stand, sitting and ladder animations) could be used for weapon switching on the move
Fixed: Weapon switching on the move could cause incorrect behavior for cutscenes and vehicle crew animations
Fixed: Player could bypass the initial countdown in End Game by respawning (in cases when the respawn time was shorter than the countdown)
Fixed: It was possible to respawn in a vehicle with its simulation disabled
Fixed: Characters were forced to go prone when opening an inventory while moving unarmed
Fixed: Animation freezes when limping into swimming state
Fixed: The AI could get stuck in a FFV animation
Fixed: Characters would stop and slide when transitioning from an unarmed jog to an unarmed walk
Fixed: Characters would go prone when switching from an unarmed jog to an unarmed walk while turning
Fixed: AI units were displayed in the Entities list regardless of the settings in the Virtual Spectator
Fixed: The BIS_fnc_kbTell function would produce errors in a non-scheduled environment
Fixed: Detection of the water surface in particle effects was incorrect
Fixed: Deleted tasks would still preserve some data (e.g. in campaign HUBs)
Fixed: Creating a new user profile would not initialize custom colors when a Welcome Screen was shown after returning back to the Main Menu
Fixed: The Retrieve Intel text was not localized for End Game clients which had a different language than the server

Eden Editor

Added: An area widget (allowing to rotate and resize triggers and marker areas by dragging their corners)
Added: A new ‘Loiter Altitude’ waypoint attribute
Added: Preview pictures for flags

ENGINE:

Added: Vehicle-in-Vehicle Transport
Added: Support for the Tobii EyeX Controller
Added: Dissolve LOD blending of models
Added: First game integration of Arma 3 Units in the profile options
Added: Support for multiple vision modes for goggles
Added: A new drawingInMap server.cfg parameter to toggle the Line Drawing on Dedicated Servers
Added: A new nearTerrainObjects script command (it’s an unsorted version of the nearestTerrainObjects command - provides a third bool parameter into the input array)
Added: Large object lists (optimization)
Added: New #maxPing, #maxPacketLoss and #maxDesync commands for server administrators
Added: Ability to enableAI / disableAI "PATH", which stops the AI’s movement but not the target alignment
Added: A new #disconnectTimeout command for server administrators, and maxPing, maxPacketLoss and maxDesync support in server.cfg
Added: A new addPlayerScores script command
Added: New #exec unban and #exec clearbans commands for administrators of Dedicated Servers
Added: Support for explosives being detonated by multiple players
Added: Authors of markers / drawn lines can now be displayed
Added: Extended information when the setStatValue function fails
Added: A new ctrlVideo script command
Added: A new getContainerMaxLoad script command
Added: A new mapDrawingBrightnessModifier config parameter for adjusting the brightness of the 2D map textures
Added: Multiplayer synchronization for assigned team functionality
Added: A new pixelGridNoUIScale script command (returning the grid size based on screen resolution and core configs [uiScaleFactor, uiScaleMaxGrids])
Added: A new pixelGridBase script command (returning the grid size based on screen resolution only)
Added: A new kickClientsOnSlowNetwork parameter for the server.cfg (enabled by default), documentation: https://forums.bistudio.com/topic/160288-arma-3-stable-server-160-performance-binary-feedback/page-77?p=3035423#entry3035423
Added: ‘No spam’ versions of some of the RPT logs
Added: A new forcedMap script command
Added: The server browser now contains a button minimizing the game and switching focus to the Launcher
Added: Scenario tag "Tanoa" for Steam Workshop
Added: DLC tag "Apex" for Steam Workshop
Added: New unitAimPosition and unitAimPositionVisual script commands
Added: A new unload waypoint for the Vehicle in Vehicle Transport
Added: A new Map mission Event Handler (open / close)

Tweaked: The analytics settings were reset to recover from a previous glitch. Use the Launcher Options to review these settings (more in an upcoming SITREP).
Tweaked: Turrets on airplanes are now more properly supported
Tweaked: Default video options
Tweaked: Improved depth priming for distant vegetation
Tweaked: Damage source handling improvements (extended Event Handlers, optimizing damage handling functions)
Tweaked: The tvSetPictureColorRight script command was renamed to tvSetPictureRightColor
Tweaked: The DLC icons in the Showcases menu are now more properly drawn
Tweaked: Various terrain performance optimizations
Tweaked: The Chat and Voice-Over-Net icons now change their colors according to the channel's color
Tweaked: Performance optimizations for terrain drawing at night
Tweaked: Commanding AI to hold fire now stops also suppression
Tweaked: The setUnitLoadout script command is now better supported in multiplayer (containers stored in other containers - e.g. a vest in a backpack)
Tweaked: The co-pilots have been trained to control VTOLs
Tweaked: Airplanes are now less prone to fly backwards
Tweaked: The logging of players kicked or banned from a Dedicated Server was improved
Tweaked: The uiScaleFactor and uiScaleMaxGrids have been respectively changed from 8 and 28 to 4 and 60
Tweaked: The AI suppression was increased during a bailout from damaged or immobilized vehicles
Tweaked: The setUserActionTexts script command functionality was extended (it now allows multiple 3D texts to be displayed at once)
Tweaked: The folder size for screenshots is now limited to 250 MB (can be set in a user’s profile)
Tweaked: The addAction command’s functionality was extended
Tweaked: The CommandModeChanged Event Handler was extended
Tweaked: Server command #mission now supports an optional difficulty parameter. If not set, difficulty remains unchanged.
Tweaked: Mines can now be detonated by players even after they respawn
Tweaked: The AI visibility at nights was optimized
Tweaked: The vectoring and auto-hover actions are now separated for VTOLs
Tweaked: The selectWeaponTurret command now works also with a muzzle name
Tweaked: The flyingHeightASL command now works also for loitering airplanes
Tweaked: The AI visibility in fog was decreased
Tweaked: Several improvements to AI airplane piloting (including the VTOLs)
Tweaked: Interaction pointer for 3D tasks assignment for Tasks Overhaul
Tweaked: The 2D Editor link was removed from the Host Server screen
Tweaked: Commander can now order switching weapons even to FFV passengers
Tweaked: The default sensitivity curves for eye tracking were improved
Tweaked: Turned out tank commanders can now select and cancel targets for their gunners
Fixed: It was not possible to use UGLs when deployed
Fixed: The onVideoStopped Event Handler would fire even after a video had stopped playing
Fixed: The groupIconSelectable script command would not reset between scenarios
Fixed: In-game video is now properly stopped instead of being hidden
Fixed: A glow post-process was present when saving the game in some cases
Fixed: Downloading a scenario on a hosted server would get stuck (https://forums.bistudio.com/topic/143930-general-discussion-dev-branch/?p=3026786)
Fixed: APCs would ignore the ‘Suppression’ command
Fixed: The ‘Suppression’ command was not working correctly for the FFV positions
Fixed: User profiles could not always be deleted (connected to the Unicode standard)
Fixed: The Pause Menu would not display a correct difficulty when playing more scenarios with different difficulties on a Dedicated Server
Fixed: Potential crash in animation playback tech
Fixed: The task tooltip width was based on the longer of two lines
Fixed: The gunner of a vehicle now receives score points instead of the effective commander (provided the gunner is a human player)
Fixed: The HandleDamage Event Handler was not working correctly
Fixed: Crash when deleting entities in Zeus
Fixed: The closeOnMissionEnd parameter would close also a mission’s briefing screen
Fixed: Crash when loading joysticks (https://feedback.bistudio.com/T117139)
Fixed: Some characters from the UTF-16 set were not supported when used as a path to mods
Fixed: Switching from a launcher while being turned out from a vehicle was not working
Fixed: AI would refuse to suppress a target over a small obstacle (https://forums.bistudio.com/topic/189479-ai-suppress-command/page-4#entry3031228)
Fixed: Incorrect action mappings would cause a spam in the RPT file
Fixed: AI divers were told not to throw grenades underwater (https://feedback.bistudio.com/T117176)
Fixed: Tasks were not saved correctly when resuming a scenario after closing the game
Fixed: The TeamSwitch mission Even Handler was not working in singleplayer
Fixed: It was not possible to assign tasks in 3D while controlling a UAV
Fixed: There was no dust particle effect for landed VTOLs
Fixed: The dust simulation for stationary airplanes was incorrect
Fixed: Server command #mission would reset the server difficulty to Regular
Fixed: The forces applied to destroyed planes were incorrect
Fixed: An action placed in 3D would reflect the movement of the crosshair
Fixed: Characters would switch to a primary weapon when their sidearm got replaced
Fixed: The head tracking zoom had incorrect sensitivity (https://feedback.bistudio.com/T117550)
Fixed: The difficulty script command would return an incorrect value when playing more than one scenario consecutively on the same Dedicated Server
Fixed: Opening the score table would open the Pause Menu as well in some cases
Fixed: Saving a game could affect the current difficulty
Fixed: Crash when using the selectWeaponTurret command with an incorrect turret path
Fixed: Crash in Zeus
Fixed: The 'disembark' command was behaving incorrectly for large vehicles
Fixed: A delayed vehicle explosion would add score to the effective commander of the shooting vehicle
Fixed: The built-in DLCs in the Server Browser names weren't localized
Fixed: Explosion damage of vehicles was inconsistent in multiplayer
Fixed: The kill score was handled incorrectly for renegades and heavily damaged vehicles
Fixed: Map markers were disabled on servers by default in some cases (https://feedback.bistudio.com/T117215)
Fixed: Crash when ordering AI to unload cargo vehicles
Fixed: Multiple AI characters were trying to get into the same vehicle turret position in some cases
Fixed: Incorrect weapon handling during weapon switching in some cases
Fixed: Potential crash connected to role assignment in multiplayer
Fixed: Vehicles were not audible after loading a savegame or switching window focus (https://feedback.bistudio.com/T80726, https://feedback.bistudio.com/T118395)
Fixed: Markers were not visible for other players in multiplayer (due to the default channel being unexpected)
Fixed: Characters would switch to their rifles when a sidearm was replaced in their inventories
Fixed: Opening the map would cancel weapon deployment
Fixed: Crash when loading OGG and LIP files at the same time
Fixed: The action “NVGoggles” would turn the night vision instantly off after turning on
Fixed: The 'Next target' action would not work correctly for turned out vehicle commanders
Fixed: The repair and heal icons were displayed also to players without medkits or toolkits
Fixed: VTOLs would always take off facing North regardless of their waypoint direction
Fixed: Incorrect visualization of some combo keys (Right Ctrl) in the control options
Fixed: Crash when importing a scenario containing a non-existent asset class name
Fixed: Some waypoints had an incorrect on-screen name
Fixed: kbTell conversations would not work correctly on Dedicated Servers

Eden Editor

Added: Web links are now supported in buttons
Fixed: Changing an Activation parameter for triggers would have no effect (https://forums.bistudio.com/topic/188714-eden-editor-bugs/page-6#entry3024236)
Fixed: Dragging a scroll bar of an entity would drag also the entity itself
Fixed: The selected scenario would not be refreshed when searching by text
Fixed: Crash when dragging an entity in the Object Type list in the Entity attributes
Fixed: Modules imported from a 2D scenario had 0 azimut set (https://feedback.bistudio.com/T116862)
Fixed: Placing a leader to a vehicle was not handled correctly
Fixed: Changing the loadout of a character previously edited in Arsenal would not work
Fixed: Changing marker position via attributes would not work properly (https://forums.bistudio.com/topic/188714-eden-editor-bugs/page-7#entry3031043)
Fixed: Previewing a scenario in multiplayer would force Regular difficulty
Fixed: Autonomous weapons could be grouped with other entities
Fixed: Vehicles would miss their license plate numbers when spawned via Eden Editor (https://feedback.bistudio.com/T117241)
Fixed: Crash when copying objects in layers between different scenarios
Fixed: Toggling foliage in the Eden Editor could cause incorrect behavior of the foliage outside of the Editor

LAUNCHER:

Added: New Dashboard page
Added: Support for Arma 3 Units on Dashboard and in the server browser
Added: Apex visual theme
Added: New game types to server browser
Added: An option to open mods that are linked to the Steam cache
Added: Virtual mod folders are created in the Steam mods storage folder for each Steam mod
Added: Arma 3 Apex Content Licensing handling
Added: Starting Launcher with a “-connect” parameter will force a pop up of the Join Server dialog
Added: Starting game with steam://connect/ip:port (where port is Steam port, e.g. 2303) will open the Join Server dialog
Added: Starting game from Steam invitation or Steam server browser will open the Join Server dialog
Added: Starting Launcher with a "-skipserverbrowser” parameter will disable the Join Server dialog
Added: Localization changes for the Apex update
Tweaked: The speed of loading a profile was increased
Tweaked: Server mod matching with the mods in the local library was improved
Tweaked: All URL encoded mission names are decoded when displayed
Tweaked: The map name capitalization is unified (map names are converted to a title case when displayed)
Tweaked: Compatibility of game types with older servers was improved
Tweaked: Servers without a game type set now show a dash instead of the “Unidentified” game type
Fixed: Crash on Launcher start-up
Fixed: Sorting order of the official servers was incorrect
Fixed: Server mods were listed in the incorrect order
Fixed: Server mod matching for servers with their signature verification disabled and not requesting identical mods
Fixed: Mods required by a server with signature verification disabled would be duplicated in the Optional section
Fixed: Difficulty or AI level names were not displayed if a server forced a custom difficulty
Fixed: The server refresh progress bar disappeared too early
Fixed: A second instance of Launcher was launched when expanding an existing instance from the system tray
Fixed: A version number was reported incorrectly in the Options Menu when a zero was part of a build number

SERVER:

Updated: Stand-alone Windows Dedicated Server (1.62)
Updated: Stand-alone Linux Dedicated Server (1.62)
- Known issue: Steam client modifies the steam_appid.txt file incorrectly. In case of issues, verify its content is: 107410
- Known issue: Sometimes the add-ons are loaded from the wrong installation (e.g. main game)
- Try adding -mod=curator;kart;heli;mark;expansion;dlcbundle to your arma3server.exe shortcut