Today BIS has publicly released a game update, version 1.62 for Arma 2. It comes with an impressive changelog which can be viewed at the wiki page linked below.
Also, with this update hopefully many of the rampant issues caused by recent confusion in beta patches (they call it beta for a reason!) and increased BattlEye kicking/initialization errors will be rectified with this more or less official patch!
NOTE: Like all updates/patches understand that we will NOT be updating our servers until 1.) Steam pushes the update out and 2.) The update is indeed compatible / worth updating our servers to...which is looking like it will be fine once BIS makes it available for Linux.
When our servers are each updated, they will show "1.62" at the end of their name.
Wiki Page (more info + changelog):
http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/A2OA:_Patch_v1.62
Forum Thread (discussion):
http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?137694-ARMA-2-Operation-Arrowhead-Combined-Operations-Reinforcements-update-1-62
Press Release (tl;dr highlights):
http://www.bistudio.com/english/home/news/projects/319-arma-2-combined-operations-operation-arrowhead-reinforcements-update-162#.UA7EnXl0U-M.twitter
UPDATE: It seems we're going to have to exercise some patience until a linux version is available for us to update our servers, this could mean waiting a few days (see below).
We understand that the Steam update has been pushed out already and recommend everyone go ahead and update their games now IF you'd like to join other servers on 1.62. There are several other Arma communities who manage linux servers for its various advantages and unfortunately we're all in the same boat.
BIS is working hard, but the latest response I can find today is here: http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?137632-ARMA-2-OA-beta-build-95248-%281-62-MP-build%29/page4
Is there an ETA on when the servers will be updated and when we should update out games???
For people with the Steam version of Arma2, if you cannot launch the game after it updates to 1.62. You will have to delete dsound.dll and jayarma2lib from your Arma folder.
[Exentenzed, Arma2 2nd Battalion TI]
Also if you happen to be updated to 1.62, you can still play on the servers. You just need a beta patch that is still for 1.60 which is 94700.
I'm afraid there has been no news yet today guys.
Server player count over 1 month:
Inform BIS of the importance of releasing updates for Linux servers at the same time as the Windows ones!! This prevents the entire MP community from being split...
do you know how long the linux servers for arma 2 get update Colonel FelixLegion? can you give us a rough ETA it might be release to yall?
we, reg and your members can popular the server once the server get update :) i can give my words to you :)
A rough ETA of "a few days" was provided in the 2nd post. That is only estimate I've been able to find so far, we'll keep our eyes out!!
It's in BIS' hands so their ETA is our ETA and I don't blame them for being a bit vague...however, they're probably not appreciating having to catch a lot of flak about the way the update has been handled. This is mostly because of the fact that there appears to be more Windows servers, it's Linux servers which seem to support the majority of the long-standing MP community, to include many gaming organizations like ourselves. Though Linux patches have always lagged behind Windows compatible ones, I'm unsure if the community has been split so suddenly with an official update like this.
On top of this, the latest thing to grind the gears of players with the update is the apparent changes to several weapon damage values which has turned out to be undocumented for the most part. It's been getting a bit ugly on their forums right now.
Why would they be changing the damage values now, three years into the game's life? They're expecting us to believe that it's been unbalanced all this time and they've finally fixed it? There's only one reason I can think of for nerfing damage, and it starts with "Day" and ends with "Z."
FreightTrainJim, Day Z player really like to whin and compain about weapon being OP. all of arma 2 weapons are based on real life's stats, They want to cry they should go tell Terrorist and NATO to nerf their bullet shell
I know its only been a few days, but damn I miss these servers.
FelixLegion is top of that he will update the server soon it become available to him
I found a chart that seems to confirm that certain weapon damages were nerfed with 1.62:
http://dayzdb.com/news/weapon-changes-in-arma2-162
If that's true then all sidearms are now practically useless, and the nerfed AK-74 and Lee Enfield values mean that OPFOR are now less deadly unless they're using an FN FAL. Completely ridiculous for BIS to change the architecture of its core game to pander to the whims of a mod. I'm severely disappointed and suddenly concerned about the future of this franchise.
tell you the truth Day Z should make their own stand alone mod away from arma 2 that chart is unforgivenable. maybe Day Z Dev should go ask military and their contacter to nerf their bullets too
You havent heard of this "WarZ" or whatever it's called then? Apparently some mmo DayZ thing.
To be honest, i hope they do that game properly, so they can get that zombie crap out of our Arma franchise. :P