SyncCrate
Arma 3 guide · Updated
Share Arma 3 missions with the whole unit.
Mission makers rebuild the same op on three PCs before game night. SyncCrate copies your Eden editor missions and multiplayer missions from one PC to the others, and after the first time only what changed.
FreeOpen sourceNo cloudWin · macOS · Linux
// 01 Why
Why sharing Arma 3 missions is harder than it should be
An Arma 3 mission in the Eden editor is a folder in your profile, named after the mission and the map, with mission.sqm, scripts, briefing files and sounds inside. When two people work on the same op, or the host needs the latest version before the session, someone zips the folder, posts it on Discord and hopes nobody edits the old copy.
Mods are a separate job. Most groups run their modset from the Steam Workshop through the Arma 3 Launcher, and Steam keeps those files in its own folder.
SyncCrate syncs the editor's missions and mpmissions folders directly between PCs. Files are compared by content, only the differences are copied, and you see the list before anything changes.
// 02 What syncs
What SyncCrate syncs for Arma 3
| Folder | Path in the game folder | Files |
|---|---|---|
| Missions | missions/Single-player and scenario missions saved from the Eden editor, one folder per mission. | All files |
| MP Missions | mpmissions/Multiplayer missions saved from the editor, with their scripts and briefing files. | All files |
// Where it looks
- Documents folder
Arma 3inside your Documents folder- Anywhere else
- Point SyncCrate at the folder yourself, once
Built in for Arma 3
- Script warnings.
.sqffiles run code on your PC, so they're flagged for you to review before they sync. - Turn mods on and off. Disabled mods move to a
_Disabledfolder the game doesn't load. - Game-running warning. SyncCrate warns you before syncing while Arma 3 is still open.
- Undo and history. Undo the last sync in one click, and put back any single file a sync replaced or deleted.
// 03 How it works
Sync Arma 3 in three steps
Install and add the game
Install SyncCrate on every PC and add Arma 3 in the Game Browser. Its folder is found automatically.
One PC hosts
The PC with the setup everyone should have clicks Start Hosting. The others pick it under Scan for Hosts on the same network, or paste its join code from anywhere.
Compare and sync
Check the list of new, changed and conflicting files, then Sync Now. Only the files that differ are copied, PC to PC.
TipSave and close the mission in Eden on the receiving PC before syncing, so the editor doesn't overwrite what just arrived.
// 04 Common problems
When Arma 3 mods don't match
Two mission makers, two versions
When two people edit the same op, one of them eventually overwrites the other's work.
SyncCrate shows every file that changed on both PCs and asks which version to keep, or keeps both.
The host has an old copy
Last-minute fixes to a mission often don't reach the PC that hosts the session.
The mission maker hosts, the session host syncs, and only the changed files are copied.
Missing modset
A mission built with mods only loads for players who run the same mods, and joining a modded server with a different set fails the server's checks.
Export the modset as a preset from the Arma 3 Launcher and share it, so everyone subscribes to the same Workshop items. SyncCrate handles the missions.
Mission scripts run code
Missions contain
.sqfscripts that run while you play them..sqffiles are flagged before they sync, and nothing changes until you approve the list. Only sync with people you trust.
// 05 Arma 3
Good to know
- Steam Workshop mods aren't synced. Steam keeps them outside the game and Documents folders, so everyone subscribes to the same items. SyncCrate syncs your missions.
- Other profiles. Missions for a profile other than the default are saved under
Arma 3 - Other Profilesin Documents. Point SyncCrate at that profile's folder if that's the one you use. - Anti-cheat. Arma 3 multiplayer uses BattlEye, and servers check players' mods. Play with mods on servers that run the same modset.
- **Exported
.pbomissions** for a dedicated server go into the server's own folder, not the editor folders SyncCrate syncs.
// FAQ
Arma 3 questions
Where are Arma 3 editor missions saved?
In Documents\Arma 3\missions and Documents\Arma 3\mpmissions for the default profile, in a folder named after the mission and map. SyncCrate finds it automatically.
Does it sync Workshop mods?
No. Steam keeps Workshop mods in its own folder. Share a Launcher preset so everyone subscribes to the same ones.
Can our whole unit get the latest mission before an op?
Yes. The mission maker hosts, everyone else joins and syncs, and each friend syncs on their own whenever they're ready, so late arrivals just sync when they get on.
Does it work with a dedicated server?
Dedicated servers load exported .pbo missions from their own folder, which SyncCrate doesn't sync. It's for sharing the editor versions of missions between players.
// Related game guides
All games · SyncCrate supports 100 games.
// Free · Open source · Windows, macOS, Linux
Same Arma 3 setup on every PC.
Install SyncCrate on each PC, one of you hosts, everyone else joins. No accounts, no cloud, nothing uploaded anywhere.