The first time I ever came across Dayzmod was browsing Youtube and happened to land on the wonderful FrankieonPCin1080p. I’m not gonna go into what has happened but will just tell you find his channel and watch the fantastic vids he has put up and then go look for others.

The bulk of this guide came from RobbieW69, I’ve edited and changed a few parts but the bulk of it came from his repo and video on youtube Star, Subscribe and follow him.

Assumptions

You have ESXi installed on a host.
You have already installed Windows (any version) into a Virtual Machine.
You have administraitive rights.
The virtual machine is reachable by remote desktop and has file sharing enabled and working.
You have Arma2, Arma2 Operation Arrowhead and have all the DLC.
You know how to add a mod to Arma2

Preparing Arma & Epoch

  • Verify Integrity of the Game Files (Right Click on the Game(s) in your Library -> Properties -> Local Files -> Verify integrity of game files). Run Arma 2 until the main menu, then close it, and run OA till main menu then close it. Locate your steam library, Find the common folder within steamapps Right click and Share this folder. Now log on to the VM and ensure you can browse to this share.

From here onwards everything will be done in the virtual machine.

  • Download and install DayZ Launcher, After DayZ Launcher has installed, Launch it and Open the Settings Panel (Top Right). Set the Mods/Downloads Path to your Arma 2 OA Install Directory (Example. C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Arma 2 Operation Arrowhead). And Set the Arma 2 Path to your Arma 2 (Base Game, NOT OA!) Install Directory (Example. C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Arma 2).Scroll down and hit Save then close the Settings Panel, and Navigate to the Mods Tab in DayZ Launcher. Find DayZ Epoch 1.0.7 In the Mods List, and Click Download. Once the Mod has finished downloading, be sure to Verify the Install by Clicking the Verify Button

  • Download Epoch 1.0.7 Server Files

Installing MySQL Server & Workbench (Database)

  • Download MySQL Server. Download the one that has the smallest size, once it has downloaded, run the Installer. Select the Server only Setup Type, Click Next and then Execute, you might have to install some Redistributables during this process. Follow the Installer Process until you reach the Product Configuration Section, Press Next Once, and you should come to the Type and Networking Page.

  • Installing MySQL Server & Workbench can be confusing to those with little to no experience, particularly this next Section, so please read carefully.
    The Config Type Option: If you are planning to Host this Server on a Home Machine, you can leave the Settings on this Page as they are and click Next. If you are Hosting from a (relatively decent) Dedicated Server Machine, select Server Computer, and leave the rest of the options as they are and click Next. Authentication Method: Set this to Use Legacy Authentication Method
    Accounts and Roles: MySQL has a “root” User Account, which is a user that has full priviledges on the Server, so be sure to set the Root Password to be strong and secure, keep a note of it if you need to. You May Add & Configure MySQL Users on this Page if you wish to do so, for the sake of simplicity for this Guide, we will not run over this. Click Next. The Windows Service Page: Leave this Page as it is, and click Next, and Click Execute on the Next Page, the Finish the Installation.

  • Download MySQL Workbench here and run the Installer. Follow the Installer, select the Complete Setup Type, press Next, then Install, once the Install has Completed, Launch MySQL Workbench. Click on the Local instance MySQL80 Box, enter your Root Account password you set earlier. You should now be presented with a fairly confusing looking screen, if that is the case, then you can Minimize MySQL Workbench for now, we will continue here in a little while.

  • Download and Install PBO Manager, to make sure your PBO Manager was installed correctly go to Windows Settings -> type “defaults” -> Default Apps -> Choose default apps by file type -> Scroll down to ‘.pbo’ on the left and make sure PBO Manager is the application assigned to it. You should see the icon next to PBO files now.

  • Download and install WinRAR or 7 Zip

  • Download and install Visual Studio Code and Notepad++ we will be using both!

  • Download the Setup Guide Files folder from the google drive to follow along with.

Server Install and Setup

I’m having you name files and folders certain things only so you can follow along easier, you can name them whatever you want please just remember when editing Directory names to change them to what you make them.

Steps

  • 1: Open File Explorer -> Make a folder anywhere call it DayZ_Server.

  • 2: Open Arma2:OA directory via the file share you made earlier -> Copy everything in there into DayZ_Server.

  • 3: Open Arma2 Directory via the file share you made earlier -> Copy AddOns folder only to DayZ_Server.

  • 4: Open File Explorer -> Make another folder not in the same Drive called DayZ_Server_Config.

  • 5: Open Epoch Server Files -> Move the DZE_Server_Config into the DayZ_Server_Config folder you made.

  • 6: Move all other Epoch Server Files into the DayZ_Server folder we made. arma2oaserver.exe should be in this folder.

  • 7: Open HeidiSQL -> Make a new Session, call it DayZServer.
    • Sign into the ‘root’ with the password you made on MySQL 5.7 -> right click on DayZServer at the top -> Create new -> database ->name it like dayz_db -> for Collation find the one called utf8_general_ci -> Create.
    • Now a database named dayz_db should have popped up inside the drop down next to like mysql and information_schema. Click on it -> Over on the right side toward the top you’ll see a blue button that says Query, click it -> a new empty window popped up -> Open DayZ_Server folder -> find SQL folder -> open it, now drag epoch.sql into that area where the Query opened. Next to the Query tab it will say ‘Database:dayz_db’, ABOVE that there is a blue Play button, click it after putting the ‘epoch.sql’ file into the Query.
    • Now a dialog should have popped up saying produced 1 warning, ignore it.Now that next to where that Query tab was -> Click on that little gray window with the little green plus sign -> This opens a new Query tab -> Drop the ‘add_recommended_mysql_events.sql’ in that one and run it as well.Now a dialog should have popped up saying produced 7 warnings, ignore it.
    • Click on ‘dayz_db’ while in Heidi, click on the people icon, now under User Management click the green Add button, it will prompt you to make a new user I would name it something like “newServer” or whatever you want, make a good password, then toward the bottom of that same dialog it says “Allow access to”, click the green ‘Add object’ button, click on ‘dayz_db’, then when it goes into the list below, click on the checkbox next to it, do not click on checkbox next to ‘global privileges’ only the one next to ‘dayz_db’.
    • Now navigate to the HiveExt.ini located in your DZE_Server_Config folder, go down to line 36, change the database = to database = dayz_db then below that change Username equal to newServer, then below that change the password to the password you set.
  • 8: Open Visual Studio Code -> Navigate to the top left -> blocks icon called ‘Extensions’ -> type SQF -> Install SQF Language by Vladislav and SQFLint by Skace.
    • Open File Explorer -> Open DayZ_Server\@DayZ_Epoch_Server\addons -> Right click on dayz_server.pbo -> PBO Manager -> Extract to dayz_server\.
    • Now drag the dayz_server folder into the Workspace as well -> Trust -> Add to workspace.
    • Now go back to DayZ_Server\MPMissions -> right click on DayZ_Epoch_11.Chernarus -> PBO Manager -> Pack into DayZ_Epoch_11.Chernarus.pbo.
    • Now drag the DayZ_Epoch_11.Chernarus folder into VS Code on left side under Workspace -> Trust -> Add folder to workspace.
    • Now find the DayZ_Server_Config you made -> open it -> drag the DZE_Server_Config folder into the workspace as well.
    • Now at the top click File -> Save Workspace As -> Name it something like DayZ Code -> Save it to your desktop. Now click File again and click on Auto Save. You are now done setting up the text editor. (remember to drag the folders not the .pbo files into VS code)
  • 9: In VS Code -> In the worksapce -> click on DZE_Server_Config -> Click the arrow to open it -> go to 11_chernarus.bat.
    • Change the Directories to yours. (ie: ‘-config=C:\DZE_Server_Config\11_chernarus.cfg’ will change to ‘-config=YourDrive\DayZ_Server_Config\DZE_Server_Config\11_chernarus.cfg’).
    • Now open the 11_chernarus.cfg -> change ‘hostname = ;’ to whatever you want to name it, this will be what pops up on the server list, below that you can also have a server password.
  • 10: Open -> DZE_Server_Config -> put the ‘start.bat’ inside.Change the directories in the Start.bat before you start it.
    • In VS Code -> Top left click ‘Terminal’ -> New Terminal -> a drop down menu will pop up -> click on DZE_Server_Config -> the new terminal window will have opened up at the bottom -> type start start.
    • Your server should start up. If you make changes in VS Code while the server is up, once you are ready to restart -> close the server -> then click on the Terminal window toward the bottom -> You should be able to just hit the Up arrow key or type ‘start start’ again.

Debugging: If you have any problems with the server -> go to DZE_Server_Config -> arma2oaserver.RPT is where your logs and errors will be 90% of the time. If you have problems on the Client side -> Open File Explorer -> At the top in the address bar type %appdata% -> Go back one folder and click ‘Local’ -> Arma 2 OA -> ‘ArmA2OA.RPT’.
If it has an error that says Include file z\addons\dayz_code\gui\description.hpp not found -> go to the 11_chernarus.cfg and change the name to something like TEST -> then go to 11_chernarus.bat then check all your spelling and directory changes, this error is typically due to the server not actually being directed to the Mission folder, the other possible problem is that you do no have a $PREFIX$ file in your @DayZ_Epoch_Server\addons\dayz_server folder. After putting TEST in the name, restart the server and see if the server name changes, if not, go to 11_chernarus.cfg and check the line that says template = “DayZ_Epoch_11.Chernarus”; and make sure it is directed to the correct folder.

Your server should run and not have any problems now, if it does not start please refer to ++Debugging++, if you are ready we will move on to editing your server, click below to return to the ReadMe.

Editing your new Epoch Server

If you’ve made it this far and succesfully loaded into your own server, congrats! Now it’s time to start modding it to fit what you want.But before you do that I HIGHLY recommend making backups of your “@DayZ_Epoch_Server” and your “MPMissions” folder regularly. I’m going to add some simple mods to get you started.

Making Edits

  • Before adding mods, you should go navigate to DZE_Server_Config\BattleEye\scripts.txtand change all the 5s to 1, this where Notepad++ comes in handy.
  • Open the scripts.txt in VS Code, Ctrl + A, then Ctrl + C, now open up Notepad++ and hit Ctrl + V, everything in scripts.txt should be pasted into Notepad++.
  • Now, In Notepad++ at the top there will be a bunch of icons, all the way to the right there is a Circle icon, it says start recording when you hover over it, go ahead and click it, once you do it will become unclickable.
  • Now go to line 2 -> begins with 5 addAction, click anywhere on that line, now hit the Home key on your keyboard, now hit the Right arrow key, Backspace, type 1, then Down arrow key. Once you’ve done this go back to the top and hit the Square button right next to the Circle button we pressed earlier to Stop Recording.
  • Now to the right of them there is a Triangle Play button, you can click this 83 times, or you can click the double triangle play button, a dialog will come up asking how many time you want to run the macro you just created, I believe its 83, type 83 into the box, click run.
  • Scroll down and make sure all of them were set to 1, if any were missed go ahead and change them.
  • Now go ahead and Ctrl + A, Ctrl + C, then navigate back to VS Code, and Ctrl + V (unless you closed it then you will need to highlight everything in the scripts.txt file that you have open in VS Code again before pasting into it.
  • After making edits or addings mods to the server, remember in order to start server you type the ‘start start’ command in the terminal in VS Code, as the ‘Start.bat’ will repack your PBO’s for you.
  • If this is going to be a private server and you don’t need the security -> go to ‘11_chernarus.cfg’ -> find line ‘BattlEye = 1;’ then set to 0, also find the line password = “”; and make a good one!, if so you don’t need to follow the Battle Eye Filters, after installing the Admin Tools you are good to go!

Value Edits

  • Open File Explorer -> DayZ_Server\@DayZ_Epoch\addons -> right click dayz_code.pbo -> PBO Manager -> Extract to dayz_code\ -> drag the dayz_code folder into the VS Workspace -> Add to Workspace.
  • Open it in the workspace -> find configVariables.sqf -> right click -> Copy.
  • Navigate to your DayZ_Epoch_11.Chernarus folder in the workspace -> if you don’t already have a folder there called dayz_code, make it then ->right click -> Paste (or Ctrl + V).
  • Now, while in that folder still -> right click on it -> New Folder -> name it init. Now go back to the dayz_code folder -> init -> find variables.sqf -> right click -> Copy.
  • Navigate back to the DayZ_Epoch_11.Chernarus folder and go to the empty init folder you made -> Right click -> Paste. Right click on the dayz_code folder in the workspace -> Remove folder from workspace.
  • Now go back to DayZ_Epoch_11.Chernarus folder and click on init.SQF. Find this: 
    call compile preprocessFileLineNumbers "\z\addons\dayz_code\init\variables.sqf";

    and right BELOW it put:

    call compile preprocessFileLineNumbers "dayz_code\init\variables.sqf";
call compile preprocessFileLineNumbers "dayz_code\configVariables.sqf";
  • Now to make the value edits you would like, you’ll be editing init.sqf, configVariables.sqf, and variables.sqf.
  • If you want ZSC single currency for example, enable it in the configVariables.sqf by changing: 
    Z_SingleCurrency = false;

    to

    Z_SingleCurrency = true;
  • Go to Description.ext in your mission folder -> at the bottom find: 
    #include "\z\addons\dayz_code\Configs\CfgServerTrader\CfgServerTrader.hpp" // Normal traders
//#include "\z\addons\dayz_code\Configs\CfgServerTraderZSC\CfgServerTrader.hpp" // Single currency traders

    and change to:

    //#include "\z\addons\dayz_code\Configs\CfgServerTrader\CfgServerTrader.hpp" // Normal traders
#include "\z\addons\dayz_code\Configs\CfgServerTraderZSC\CfgServerTrader.hpp" // Single currency traders

    Map Addons

  • We’re going to add custom map addons server side, watch my video on how to make your map edits.
  • Navigate to dayz_server in your workspace -> Right click -> Add new File -> name it build.sqf -> Add New Folder -> Name it custom_buildings -> grab your mission.sqf file from the map edit you did -> rename it to like BalotaAddons.sqf for example if you made changes to Balota -> now place that file in the custom_buildings folder.
  • Navigate to dayz_server\init\server_functions.sqf -> find: 
    call compile preprocessFileLineNumbers "\z\addons\dayz_code\loot\init.sqf";

    then right BELOW it add:

    #include "\z\addons\dayz_server\build.sqf";//build custom map addons before player setup
  • Now go to the build.sqf script and type: 
    execVM "\z\addons\dayz_server\custom_buildings\BalotaAddons.sqf";

    Restart your server and the map edits you made will work.

Third Party Mods

I use the following mods
Wicked AI The Install guide is on the main repo page, just scroll down.
DZAI Use this guide to get things going.
DZMS The install guide is on the main repo page.

To begin with I’d advise you just go with WAI, For the most part this will be all you need. I use the others to just compliment things in that the missons from DZMS are slightly basic but enables you to have more activity on the server. If you do end up making a public server ensure that you check over things regularly and if having multiple AI causes your bill to increase then drop DZAI and just have WAI and DZMS.

  • Most 3rd party mods from github have a readme.md that you can follow, the good ones give you the battleye exceptions you need as well, but if you add a mod that doesn’t give you the battleye exceptions you will want to run ‘BE_AEG.exe’ if the kicks are due to ‘script restriction’ and any other filter .txt file restrictions you will have to add manually, this gets covered later in the Battle Eye Filters section.

Installing the Admin Tools

BigEgg made some great Anti Hack Admin Tools for the community to use and they work on Epoch 1.0.7! They let admins fly, teleport, and overall do what they need to do.

  • You will want to follow the readme.md on the github for the installation of the admin tools until you get to Step 11: Drag all the BattlEye filters from the BattlEye folder into your server's BattlEye folder., do not do that, instead come back and continue.

You are now done learning how to edit your server.

Making Battle Eye Exceptions

BattleEye reads filters from the .txt files inside the folder, it then reads everything after the function name, for example in DZE_Server_Config\BattleEye\scripts.txt line 40 says 1 execVM , 1 being the filter style and execVM being the function, everything after are the Exceptions. Exceptions allow someone to execute that function in a certain way without being kicked by BattleEye. Please read the Battle Eye Filters Guide to get a better understanding then come back.

Generating Restrictions

If you followed the ‘Making Edits’ in this then you should have all of your filters inside the DZE_Server_Config\BattleEye\scripts.txtset to 1’s.

  • Go ahead and launch theserver and the game and join the server and when you get in, press F2 and do everything the admin menu allows you to. This will generate the restrictions(kicks) that would normally happen.
  • Once you are done testing every admin tool available, close the server. (which means spawn everything, teleport, ect. everything)
  • If you navigate to DZE_Server_Config\Battle you will notice a new file called scripts.log , this is filled with all the restrictions we’ve just generated. When a mod tries to call one of the Functions but does not have an Exception for it, BattleEye will kick the user. It will then note this in scripts.log with the exact code that tried to call the function in quotes, along with the filter number.

Generating Exceptions for Restrictions

  • First let’s open the Setup Guide Files folder we downloaded -> copy the BE_AEG.exe and the with console debug.bat into your BattleEye folder.
  • Now, we need to generate Exceptions for the restrictions that were created by the Admin Tools (because flying and teleporting ect, do not have exceptions by default). But when we look at scripts.log we only need to look at the Restrictions that contain a random line(variable) of letters and numbers, for example 
    #79 "] call BQ1vBKUInpSNuc;
          };
      };

      if (-1 > -1) then {setViewDistance -1};
      if (25 > -1) then {setTerrainGrid 25};
      if (true"

    with BQ1vBKUInpSNuc being the random variable and setViewDistance being the function.

  • The reason we are only looking at and making exceptions for them is because the Admin Tools generates new variables every time the server starts again, so we have to add manual exceptions that will cover the code around them. All of the other restrictions should be fixed when we run the BE_AEG.exe by double clicking the with console debug.bat file.
  • In order to fix this we need to make an exception that gets as much of the code as possible but also removing the variable. If you followed the Battle Eye Filters Guide you know we need to break this down so let’s do it. 
     "] call BQ1vBKUInpSNuc;
  • Contains the problem variable. So let’s start making the exception after it. Like this: 
      !"};\n };\n\n if (-1 > -1) then {setViewDistance -1};\n if (25 > -1) then {setTerrainGrid 25};\n if (true"
  • So we head to scripts.txt and find line 79, we then go up two to line 81 because the filters don’t start on line 1, it says //new2 and the first filter 1 addAction is 0, in programming numbers don’t start at 1, they start at 0.
  • So now line 81 says 1 setViewDistance and since that is the Function being called in the code, we know we are right, click on the line, hit the End key on your keyboard, and copy the exception to the end of the line.
  • Now we know how to make exceptions for the Admin Tools random variable restrictions. Please continue to find as many as you can with the random variables and fix them. Once you are done fixing them, navigate to your Battle Eye folder and double click on with console debug.bat and it will then auto generate the exceptions needed for all of the other scripts.txt restrictions. Then you should be good to go!

Restart your game and Server and rejoin, then leave, and check scripts.log, if it is not there, you are done.

If you want more how about you consider upgrading to Epoch 1.7.0.1, it really is a simple import of SQL but I’ll let you figure it out.

If you need help, please join the Epoch discord server: https://discord.gg/0k4ynDDCsnMzkxk7

Share this guide with whoever you like.

PLEASE NOTE I CANNOT GUARANTEE THE ABOVE GUIDE WORKS IN FULL AS THINGS CHANGE, AT THE TIME I WROTE THIS IT WORKED FOR ME