Technical details

The GESE is currently using Arma Reforger as a development and testing platform in preparation for Arma 4. Our former Arma 3 server has been retired so that we can focus on experimenting with the systems, tools and workflows we intend to carry forward into the next generation of Arma.

Before joining a test session, we recommend launching Arma Reforger beforehand and checking that your game, mods and audio devices are working correctly.

When a session is announced:

  1. Update the game before the scheduled start.
  2. Download and update the required mods in advance rather than when the session begins.
  3. Connect to the test server beforehand whenever it is available. This is the easiest way to detect missing or outdated dependencies before an operation.
  4. Check your controls and audio devices, particularly push-to-talk and radio-related keybinds.
  5. Launch TeamSpeak and Coalition VON before joining when the session uses our external voice system.

A few minutes of preparation beforehand avoids delaying the entire group once the mission has started.

Our Reforger environment is also used to evaluate the mods and systems that may become part of future GESE sessions on Arma 4.

Use the modset provided for each session and avoid enabling additional mods unless they have explicitly been approved. Even client-side additions can occasionally introduce dependencies, conflicts or unexpected behaviour.

Before an operation, connecting to the server once is the best compatibility test: Reforger can download missing dependencies and immediately expose most version mismatches.

Because this is a development environment, the modset may change between test sessions. Mods that were required for a previous test should therefore not be assumed to be part of the next one.

Our current development server runs Arma Reforger and is used to prototype and validate systems intended for future GESE operations.

Test server: 157.90.221.149:2506

The server is currently offline following the completion of our latest test session. It is brought back online when a new development or multiplayer test is scheduled.

The server is not intended to operate as a permanent public server. Its configuration, missions and modset may change depending on what is being tested.

For voice communications, we are testing Coalition VON together with TeamSpeak.

The system is intended to provide clearer and more consistent communications while moving voice traffic away from the game server. This reduces the amount of voice data that the Reforger server itself has to process and leaves more resources available for gameplay and network synchronisation.

For the best experience during test sessions:

  • prefer a wired Ethernet connection when possible;
  • avoid large downloads, cloud synchronisation or streaming in the background;
  • keep Reforger and all required mods updated before joining;
  • close unnecessary applications if you experience performance issues;
  • check that TeamSpeak is using the correct microphone and playback devices before the session starts.

Performance testing is itself part of the purpose of the Reforger server. Feedback about FPS drops, desynchronisation, audio issues or unusual network behaviour is therefore useful to us.

The closure of our Arma 3 server marked the beginning of a transition towards Arma 4. Rather than maintaining our previous infrastructure, we chose to use Arma Reforger to learn the Enfusion ecosystem and begin developing the systems we want to use in future operations.

Current experiments include:

  • automatic tracking of mission sessions;
  • objective state tracking during a mission;
  • collection of player and session statistics;
  • transmission of gameplay events to external services;
  • storage and presentation of completed session data;
  • tools designed to improve post-operation review and feedback.

Reforger gives us an environment in which these systems can be built and tested now, rather than starting from scratch when Arma 4 becomes available.

Not every prototype will necessarily be carried over unchanged. The goal is to gain practical experience, identify useful features and establish a technical foundation that can be adapted to Arma 4.

Because the server is also a development environment, temporary issues are expected during test sessions. Before reporting a problem, a few simple checks can help determine whether it comes from the client, a mod or the server.

Unable to join the server
Check that the announced test session is currently active and that your game is up to date.

Missing or incompatible mods
Restart Reforger, update the required Workshop items and try connecting again. Avoid loading unrelated mods while testing.

Voice communications not working
Check that TeamSpeak is running, Coalition VON is loaded when required, and the correct input/output devices and push-to-talk keys are selected.

Unusual lag or desynchronisation
Stop background downloads or synchronisation and, if possible, test with a wired connection. If the issue affects several players simultaneously, report it so that we can compare it with server-side information.

When reporting a technical issue, describe what happened, when it happened and what you were doing at the time. Precise reports are particularly useful while we develop automated event and session tracking.