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Freedom251 › Blog › Arma 3

How to Upload Missions to an Arma 3 Server

By Freedom251 Team · · 11 min read

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Upload the multiplayer mission as a .pbo file to the server’s active MPMissions directory, then make the filename (without .pbo) the template in class Missions. Restart or reload the configuration, select the mission, and verify that the server is using the same -config and -mpmissions paths. The exact sequence is the same on a rented host and a self-managed dedicated server, although panel labels differ.

The complete upload sequence

An Arma 3 server does not normally use the mission folder that is still on your editing computer. The server needs a multiplayer mission packed as a PBO archive in its configured mission directory. The server configuration then refers to that archive by its name, and the server can send the mission to connecting players.

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  1. Export the multiplayer scenario from Eden, or pack the mission folder with a PBO tool.
  2. Confirm the archive follows <mission name>.<world name>.pbo, such as MyMission.Altis.pbo.
  3. Identify the server’s active MPMissions directory. Check the startup command for -mpmissions=...; that parameter overrides the default location.
  4. Transfer the PBO into that directory with the host’s file manager, SFTP, FTP, or another administrator-approved method.
  5. In the active server configuration, add a mission entry whose template exactly matches the filename without .pbo.
  6. Restart the server or reload its configuration, then select the mission from the mission cycle or administration interface.

If clients still cannot join, check that the server is reading the intended configuration and mission paths before changing the mission itself. A NAT device or firewall may also require forwarding both the game and Steam ports.

Prepare the correct mission file

Export from Eden

In the Arma 3 Eden editor, use the multiplayer scenario export function. Exporting creates the distributable mission package with the world name in the filename. The result should be a single PBO, not merely the editable folder on your computer. Keep the exported filename visible while you work; every later configuration step depends on it.

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The official Mission Export guidance specifies the pattern <mission name>.<world name>.pbo. For an Altis mission called “MyMission,” the archive is therefore MyMission.Altis.pbo. A different terrain uses that terrain’s world name, so do not copy Altis into a filename for another map.

Pack an existing mission folder

If you already have an editable mission folder, use a PBO packing utility to create the archive. Pack the mission folder itself rather than placing an extra parent folder around it. After packing, check that the resulting file has one .pbo extension and that the name still follows the mission-and-world convention.

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Do not upload an uncompressed editor folder unless your host’s documentation explicitly says that unpacked missions are supported. The standard dedicated-server workflow expects the PBO in MPMissions.

Check the archive before transfer

  • Open the file properties and confirm it is a PBO archive, not a ZIP that was merely renamed.
  • Check the spelling, capitalization, punctuation, mission name, and world name.
  • Make sure you are uploading the multiplayer export, not a single-player or editor-only copy.
  • Look through the mission’s pictures and sounds. Very large assets increase the amount of data the server may have to send to clients.
  • Keep a copy of the exact filename. You will paste the same text into server.cfg without the extension.

Find the server’s active MPMissions directory

Default dedicated-server location

Custom mission PBO files belong in the dedicated server installation’s MPMissions directory. The directory is relative to the Arma 3 server installation, not necessarily the home directory displayed first by a hosting panel. On a server you administer directly, locate the installation directory and open its MPMissions folder.

When -mpmissions changes the location

A server started with -mpmissions=... uses that alternative directory instead of the default. The path can be easy to miss when several server instances share one machine. Inspect the actual startup script, service definition, or command line for the running instance. Uploading to the default folder while the process points elsewhere produces the common symptom of a successful transfer followed by a mission that never appears.

For multiple instances, treating each configured mission directory as separate storage prevents one server from reading another server’s files. Always pair the PBO location with the startup parameters for the instance you intend to restart.

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Upload the PBO

Hosting control panel

Open the provider’s file manager, browse to the active MPMissions directory, and use its upload control. Hosting interfaces use different labels—“File Manager,” “FTP Files,” and “Server Files” are common examples—so follow the provider’s current documentation when the directory tree is not obvious.

  1. Stop the server if the panel recommends stopping it before file changes.
  2. Open the Arma 3 installation and then the configured MPMissions folder.
  3. Upload the complete PBO without changing its name.
  4. Wait for the panel to finish transferring the file; do not close the browser during a large upload.
  5. Confirm the file is listed in that folder and that its size is non-zero.

SFTP or FTP

Use the credentials and hostname supplied by the administrator or hosting provider. SFTP is preferable when available because it transfers through an encrypted SSH connection; use FTP only when that is the approved method for the server. In either case, the destination is the same configured MPMissions directory.

After the transfer, refresh the remote directory and verify the complete filename. Some clients hide extensions or silently upload into the account’s home directory, so check the remote path rather than assuming the current window is correct.

Permission and ownership checks

The account running the Arma 3 server must be able to read the PBO. If you administer the operating system, check the file’s ownership and read permissions after uploading with a different account. On managed hosting, ask the provider to correct permissions instead of changing system ownership blindly.

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Add the mission to the server configuration

Match the template exactly

Uploading a PBO makes it available to the server, but it does not necessarily add it to the configured mission cycle. In the active configuration file, add a class Missions entry. Its template is the PBO filename with .pbo removed.

class Missions
{
    class Mission1
    {
        template = "MyMission.Altis";
    };
};

For MyMission.Altis.pbo, the value must be exactly MyMission.Altis. Do not include the extension, add a path, or substitute the editor’s display name. If your configuration already contains mission classes, add another uniquely named class inside the existing class Missions block rather than creating conflicting top-level sections.

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Set difficulty only if you need to

The mission entry can include a difficulty value. Use the difficulty syntax supported by your server version and existing configuration; leaving the value out avoids overriding the server’s normal difficulty behavior. A malformed value can prevent the configuration from loading, so change one setting at a time.

Keep the configuration file you actually run

Dedicated servers can have several configuration files. The file you edit must be the one selected by the running instance’s -config parameter. If the server is launched by a panel, the panel may generate or copy a configuration during startup. Check the launch settings and any generated-file notice before editing a similarly named file elsewhere.

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Restart, reload, and select the mission

Apply the file changes

Restart the server after uploading the PBO and changing the mission list, unless your administration method provides a documented configuration reload. A restart ensures that the process rereads both the mission directory and the configuration. Wait until the server reports that it is ready before testing from a client.

Choose the mission cycle entry

Use the server’s administration interface or in-game mission selection to choose the new entry. If several missions are configured, select the class that contains your template. Uploading a file alone does not force the server to switch away from its current mission; the mission must be selected or reached in the configured cycle.

Verify from a client

Connect with a client that has the required Arma 3 content and any mission dependencies. The server sends multiplayer mission data to connected users, so the client may download the PBO and its assets when joining. A successful connection followed by a download indicates that the server found the mission; a missing entry or immediate configuration error points back to the filename, path, or active configuration.

Direct transfer versus a hosting panel

Method Best when Advantages Limitations
Hosting file manager You rent a server and have browser-based administration No separate FTP client; the provider can expose the correct installation path Labels and directory permissions vary by provider; large uploads may be constrained by the browser
SFTP You administer the machine or the host supplies SSH access Encrypted transfer and precise control over the remote path Requires credentials, a client, and permission to reach the server installation
FTP The administrator has approved traditional FTP access Widely supported by hosting tools Security and path behavior depend on the host’s FTP setup

The file itself and the destination do not change between methods. Only the way you authenticate and browse to the configured directory is different.

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Default and custom mission paths

Path arrangement What to do Typical reason to use it
Default MPMissions Place the PBO in the installation’s standard MPMissions folder and reference its filename in class Missions. One straightforward server installation with no custom startup path.
-mpmissions=... configured Place the PBO in the directory specified by the running instance and confirm that the edited configuration belongs to that same instance. Multiple servers, separated storage, or an administrator’s preferred directory layout.

The parameter controls where the server looks; it does not rename the mission or change the required template syntax.

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Why players cannot see or join the mission

The mission is absent from the selection list

  • Confirm the PBO is in the active directory, not a similarly named folder.
  • Check for -mpmissions in the startup command.
  • Compare the PBO filename with the template value character by character, excluding only .pbo.
  • Confirm the server was restarted or its configuration was reloaded after the upload.
  • Verify that you edited the file selected by -config.

The server reports a mission or configuration error

Temporarily reduce the change to one known-good mission entry. Remove accidental path text, duplicate extensions, unmatched braces, and unsupported difficulty syntax. Once the server loads that entry, add other missions one at a time so the failing template is identifiable.

The PBO appears on disk but clients fail while joining

Check the mission’s required content and its large assets first. The server transfers multiplayer mission data to clients; oversized pictures or sounds can make the download slow or unreliable. Keep those files reasonably small and test with a client after every substantial asset change.

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The server is running but nobody can connect

Uploading a mission does not open network access. If the server is behind a NAT router or firewall, forward the game and Steam ports required by the installation and allow the server process through the firewall. Confirm that the forwarding points to the machine running this particular instance.

A panel shows the upload, but the game still uses the old mission

The panel may be displaying a different server instance, or it may copy files into a staging directory. Match the panel’s instance name with the startup parameters, inspect the configured -config and -mpmissions values, and perform a full restart rather than only reconnecting to the existing process.

Keep client downloads manageable

Arma 3 multiplayer missions are delivered by the server to connected users. Every picture, sound, and other packaged asset can add to that transfer. The practical choice is to retain only assets needed in play, resize unnecessarily large images, and avoid embedding media at a size far beyond what the mission displays.

Test the first join with a clean client after uploading a new version. This confirms both that the server is offering the intended PBO and that the package contains the files clients need. If you replace a PBO while the server is running, apply the documented restart or reload procedure before testing so an old mission remains in memory.

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Optional HTTP mission delivery

Arma 3 also documents an HTTP download arrangement for mission files. The download declaration uses the form download=missionname.Altis.pbo. The corresponding Expected-Size must be based on the file located in mpmissions. This is an additional delivery method, not a replacement for placing the mission where the server reads it.

When HTTP delivery is worth considering

  • Use it when your hosting design provides a reliable web endpoint for mission downloads.
  • Keep the HTTP copy synchronized with the PBO in the server’s mpmissions directory.
  • Recalculate Expected-Size whenever the PBO changes.
  • Retain the normal server-side copy because the mission configuration still identifies the PBO by template.

If the advertised size does not match the file, clients can receive an incomplete or rejected download. For a small private server, direct server transfer is usually simpler; HTTP is an optimization for an environment that is already set up to serve mission files.

In-game export or external packing?

Approach Convenience Control Use it when
Eden multiplayer export Highest: the editor creates the multiplayer package in the expected naming style Less control over a custom packing workflow You are publishing a scenario directly from Eden and want the shortest path to a server-ready PBO.
External PBO packing Requires a separate packing step and careful folder selection Useful for an existing mission folder and repeatable build process You maintain files outside Eden or need to rebuild a mission package deliberately.

Both approaches produce the same type of server input: a correctly named PBO. The server does not care which tool created it as long as the archive and its internal mission content are valid.

Pre-flight checklist

  • Package: The multiplayer scenario is a PBO, not an uncompressed folder.
  • Name: The filename uses <mission name>.<world name>.pbo.
  • Path: The upload destination is the active MPMissions directory.
  • Startup: You checked whether -mpmissions selects a different directory.
  • Configuration: The active file from -config contains a class Missions entry.
  • Template: The value matches the PBO name exactly, with the extension removed.
  • Apply: The server was restarted or its configuration was reloaded.
  • Network: Game and Steam ports are forwarded when NAT or a firewall is present.
  • Content: Mission media is not unnecessarily large for clients to download.

What success looks like

The final arrangement is simple: the server’s active MPMissions directory contains MyMission.Altis.pbo; the active configuration contains template = "MyMission.Altis";; and the running process was restarted or reloaded after both changes. The mission then appears in the server’s available cycle, and connecting players can receive its multiplayer data. If any one of those three pieces points somewhere else, fix the path or name before repacking the mission.

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Arma 3Dedicated Servergame server administrationmission PBOserver.cfg

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