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Change an Arma 3 server’s mission loading screen by editing the mission’s description.ext, setting its loadScreen path, and placing the image at that mission-relative path. Use a 2:1 image—1024×512 is the documented ideal—and preferably convert it to PAA. Repack and redeploy the mission if it is stored as a PBO, then select or restart that mission so clients download the updated files.
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The change affects the mission portion of the loading display. The map portion comes from the world currently loaded by Arma 3 and cannot be replaced through the mission configuration.
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Arma 3’s join/loading display is made of two distinct sections. The world or map section is generated from the currently loaded map and is not controlled by your mission files. The mission section is controlled by description.ext. That is where you define the image, mission title, description, author, and header metadata shown while players load into the mission.
A normal mission loading screen does not provide a general-purpose text editor for arbitrary messages. The documented fields are the supported way to set the prominent mission name, descriptive text, author line, and image. If you need a progress display or other controls while a mission is already running, use the scripted method described later rather than trying to force extra text into the default join screen.
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Before you edit the mission
Identify the mission copy the server actually loads
Work from the mission source directory whenever possible. If the server only has a packed PBO, unpack that PBO, edit the extracted mission, and repack it afterward. Editing a different local copy has no effect on players if the dedicated server continues to load the old package.
The mission root is the top-level directory containing description.ext. Image paths in that file are relative to this directory, not to the server’s general installation folder, a profile directory, or your computer’s absolute path.
Prepare an image that fits the documented format
Design the loading image at a 2:1 aspect ratio. The official reference gives 1024×512 as the ideal size. The loadScreen documentation describes PAA for this parameter, while the Arma 3 Loading Screens reference also documents PAA or JPG. For the most predictable result, use a PAA file and keep the dimensions at or near 1024×512. Avoid putting the image outside the mission directory and avoid relying on an absolute filesystem path.
Keep a deployable backup
Before replacing a mission PBO, keep the previous package or source folder. If a syntax error or incorrect path prevents the mission from loading, restoring the last known-good copy gives you a quick recovery route.
Step-by-step: set a custom mission loading screen
1. Open or unpack the mission
Open the mission source folder used to build the server’s mission. If your server distributes the mission as a PBO, unpack it first. Locate the folder that will become the mission root when it is packed again.
2. Create or edit description.ext
In the mission root, create a plain-text file named exactly description.ext, or open the existing file. The extension is .ext; do not let an editor append .txt. A file displayed as description.ext.txt will not be read as the mission description file.
Use the documented fields shown below. The semicolon after each assignment is required by the configuration syntax.
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| Field | What it controls | Example |
|---|---|---|
loadScreen |
Mission image path, relative to the mission root. | imagesloading.paa |
onLoadName |
Prominent mission name displayed above the image. | Operation Example |
onLoadMission |
Descriptive mission text displayed below the image. | Mission description |
author |
Author or community line shown beneath the mission name. | Your Community |
Header |
Mission metadata, including game type and player limits. | class Header { ... }; |
3. Add the loading-screen declarations
For example, the following configuration sets the image and the accompanying mission text:
author = "Your Community";
onLoadName = "Operation Example";
onLoadMission = "Mission description";
loadScreen = "images\loading.paa";
class Header
{
gameType = "Coop";
minPlayers = 1;
maxPlayers = 10;
};The capitalization of the field names and the spelling of the filename matter. Keep the value of loadScreen synchronized with the actual directory and filename you deploy.
4. Create the image directory and copy in the file
Inside the mission root, create an images directory. Copy the image into it with the exact filename used by loadScreen. With the example above, the resulting layout is:
MissionFolder/
├── description.ext
└── images/
└── loading.paaOn disk, the path is normally written with a folder separator, while the configuration value uses mission-relative backslashes: imagesloading.paa. Do not include the mission folder’s absolute path in the value.
5. Save and validate the file
Check that your editor saved the file as plain text and that it is named exactly description.ext. Confirm that every assignment ends in a semicolon, the Header block has matching braces, and the image filename and extension match character for character.
6. Repack and deploy when using a PBO
If you unpacked a PBO, repack the edited mission into the PBO format used by the server. Upload or replace the server’s mission copy, preserving the mission name and location expected by your configuration. Editing an unpacked working directory without rebuilding the PBO leaves the server with the old image and old description.
7. Make the server and clients use the new mission version
Select the changed mission in the dedicated server’s mission rotation or administrator interface, then restart or otherwise reload the mission as required by your setup. Clients must receive the updated mission files. If the server keeps an already-loaded mission instance or clients retain a previously downloaded copy, the old screen can remain visible until the new version is selected and downloaded.
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How each setting appears to players
Mission image
loadScreen points to the image used by the mission section. It is not a global server wallpaper: each mission can supply its own image, and the path is resolved from that mission’s root.
Mission name and description
onLoadName supplies the prominent name above the image. onLoadMission supplies the descriptive text below it. Keep these values concise enough to remain readable at the game’s loading-screen scale.
Author line
author is shown beneath the mission name. It can identify a community, team, or individual responsible for the mission.
Header metadata
The Header class supplies metadata rather than artwork. In the documented example, gameType is Coop, minPlayers is 1, and maxPlayers is 10. Set those values to match the mission you are distributing; they do not change the map image.
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Changing loadScreen replaces the mission image only. The other portion of the loading display is associated with the currently loaded world. Consequently, a custom mission image can appear alongside the original map artwork. This is expected behavior, not evidence that the image path failed.
If your goal is to brand the entire display, limit the change to the mission-controlled area and explain the distinction to players. There is no mission-level description.ext setting that substitutes a different world/map section.
Eden attributes versus description.ext
Mission values can also be exposed through Eden attributes. When a relevant presentation field is set in both Eden and description.ext, the documented description.ext value has priority for that presentation. Keep the server-facing value in description.ext when you need a deterministic result across the mission package, editor workflow, and dedicated server deployment.
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This also makes the deployed mission auditable: anyone inspecting the mission root can see which image and text the server is intended to use, rather than depending on an editor-only setting that may not be present in the distributed package.
Using a scripted loading display instead
The standard mission loading screen is different from a loading display created during mission execution. The startLoadingScreen command is intended for a scripted display while the mission is running. A custom resource can define controls for text, a picture, and progress, and the command accepts loading text.
Use this approach when you need a staged or progress-oriented interface after mission code begins. It does not replace the ordinary join/loading configuration: keep loadScreen, onLoadName, and onLoadMission for the normal mission presentation. The default loading screen itself has no control for arbitrary text beyond its documented mission fields.
Troubleshooting: the custom image is not showing
The file is named incorrectly
Verify the full filename in the mission root. It must be description.ext, not description.ext.txt. Enable file-extension display in your operating system if necessary. Also check that the image has the exact extension used in the configuration, including letter case where the deployed filesystem distinguishes it.
The path is not mission-relative
For an image stored in MissionFolder/images/loading.paa, the value should be imagesloading.paa. Do not write a drive letter, server installation path, or path beginning outside the mission. If you put the image directly in the root, change the value to match that location instead of leaving an obsolete images prefix.
The image is outside the deployed package
Inspect the actual mission folder or PBO sent to the server. A file that exists in your development directory but was not copied into the package cannot be displayed to clients. When using a PBO, unpack the deployed package or inspect its contents to confirm that both description.ext and the image are present.
The image format or proportions are unsuitable
Use a 2:1 image around 1024×512. For the documented loadScreen behavior, prefer PAA. The Loading Screens reference also documents JPG, but using PAA avoids ambiguity between the two official descriptions. Re-export the file if it is corrupt, has an unexpected extension, or is not actually the format indicated by its name.
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The edited mission was never repacked
If the server runs a PBO, changing files in an unpacked folder does not alter the PBO automatically. Repack the mission, replace the server’s copy, and verify the timestamp or package contents before restarting or selecting it.
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The server is still loading the old mission
Check the dedicated server’s selected mission, rotation, and active session. It is possible to edit one mission while the server is running another with a similar name. Select the changed mission explicitly and restart or reload it so clients receive the updated package.
Clients still have the previous version
The loading screen comes from the mission files delivered to clients. Have a client leave and rejoin after the server selects the updated mission. If only some players see the new image, confirm that the server is distributing one consistent mission version rather than alternating between old and new packages.
The old image is visible but the text changed
This usually indicates that description.ext was read but the image path or image file is wrong. Compare the path character by character, confirm the file is inside the deployed mission, and check that the extension is really .paa or the documented image type you selected.
The custom image appears but the map artwork remains
That is normal. The mission image and world/map section are separate. A successful loadScreen change does not remove or replace the world portion.
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Deployment checklist
- The server’s active mission has been identified, and you edited that mission rather than an unrelated local copy.
description.extis in the mission root and is not secretly saved asdescription.ext.txt.loadScreenuses a path relative to the mission root, with the intended backslash path syntax.- The referenced image is inside the mission directory or packed PBO with the exact filename and extension.
- The image uses a 2:1 layout; 1024×512 is the documented ideal size.
- You used PAA for the most conservative interpretation of the documented
loadScreenrequirement, or deliberately used a JPG covered by the Loading Screens reference. - The PBO was repacked after editing, if the mission is distributed as a PBO.
- The server’s selected mission was replaced or reloaded, and clients downloaded that updated mission.
- You understand that only the mission section changes; the world/map section remains tied to the loaded map.
Recommended minimal configuration
If you only need a custom image and basic identification, this is the smallest practical set of fields:
author = "Your Community";
onLoadName = "Operation Example";
onLoadMission = "Mission description";
loadScreen = "images\loading.paa";Add the Header class when the mission’s game type and player limits need to be declared. Keep the image and description.ext together in the package you actually deploy, then verify the selected mission before asking players to reconnect.
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