Skip to content

Performance & FPS

The mission is demanding — even top-end hardware (7800X3D / 4090) can dip when the server FPS drops below ~40 on Chernarus. These settings help every kind of system.

Startup parameters

-noSplash -malloc=system -world=empty
  • -malloc=system — prevents the slow freeze/crash that builds up over a few hours. Non-negotiable.
  • -world=empty — faster main-menu load.
  • -winxp — has helped with crashing on some Windows 11 setups.

Match your monitor's refresh rate in the config: open Documents\Arma 2\ArmA2OA.cfg, find refresh=60; and set it to your monitor (e.g. refresh=144;).

Video settings

  • Set Video Memory to Very High — this prevents the texture/flush problem from appearing in the first place.
  • If you suddenly drop to low framerate, flush the game with CTRL + SHIFT + NUMPAD -. (Setting Video Memory to Very High usually stops you needing this.)
  • Use the in-game automatic view-distance tuner for a hands-free FPS boost: bind Use Action 18 to toggle it, then Use Action 19 / 20 to set your target FPS. See Action shortcuts for the full setup.

General tips

  • Disable fullscreen optimizations for ArmA2OA.exe (Properties → Compatibility).
  • Keep .NET Framework and Visual C++ redistributables up to date.
  • Disable overlays (Steam, Discord, NVIDIA GeForce Experience).
  • On lower-end systems, drop Blastcore and consider that ASR AI also costs frames — see Mods & modpack.

ASR AI tuning (server-side)

ASR AI (bundled in @adwasp) is the one mod that costs server frames. Its AI scripts run where the AI is local — in this CTI mission that's the dedicated server + headless client, not your PC. So this tuning reduces server desync for everyone, but it only takes effect on the server install, not the player modpack.

All settings live in a plain-text file — …\Arma 2 Operation Arrowhead\userconfig\ASR_AI\asr_ai_settings.hpp (no PBO repack). The server ships a conservative tune:

  • sys_airearming.feature = 0 — AI rearming scan loop off.
  • radiorange = 300 (was 500) — shrinks the radio-net that shares enemy positions between AI groups (the cost that scales worst with group count).
  • buildingSearching = 0.5 (was 0.7) — AI clears buildings a little less often (expensive pathfinding).

Server admins: deploy the tuned userconfig\ASR_AI\asr_ai_settings.hpp to the server and headless-client installs and restart. Revert via the .bak beside it.

If the game is crashing or freezing rather than just running slow, use Troubleshooting.