---
name: "Arma 3: Mission Overview"
type: topic
aliases: ["Arma 3 Mission Overview", "Mission Overview"]
source: https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/Arma_3:_Mission_Overview
revid: 353569
updated: 2024-03-19T12:01:45Z
---

# Arma 3: Mission Overview

> [!NOTE]
> For overview configuration in Operation Flashpoint, ArmA and Arma 2, see [Overview.html](../topics/Overview.html.md).

Overview is short summary of a mission displayed in mission selection. It's the first thing player sees from a mission and should not be underestimated; well made overview can immediately capture player's attention, while poorly made one can make him ignore your mission forever.

The overview is visible in the following menus:

- **Play > Scenarios / Showcases / Challenges**
- **Play > Campaign**
- **Multiplayer Create Game** (only for hosts / admins)

### Displayed Information

The overview consists of:

- **Name**
  - Mission name. Keep it short, because space in mission selection menu and in loading screens is limited.
- **Author**
  - Your name or nickname, used also in Loading Screens. Displayed as "by <author>".
- **Preview picture**
  - Must be in [PAA](../topics/PAA.md) file format.
  - 2:1 aspect ratio (different aspect are rendered correctly as well, but won't cover the whole area).
  - Ideally 1024x512 pixels.
- **Description**
  - Short and snappy summary formatted as [Structured Text](../topics/Structured_Text.md).
- **Custom Description**
  - Allows addition of custom UI elements to mission description. Serves for example for displaying score reached in challenges.
  - Is displayed only when *overviewScript* parameter is defined in mission's class in CfgMissions. See Sample overviewScript.sqf.
  - Works only for SP missions (namely in Showcases, Challenges and Scenarios dialogue).
  - For custom IDCs only values higher than 10000 should be used.

### Configuration

Two ways how to [export a mission](../topics/Mission_Export.md) exists - either as mission [PBO](../topics/PBO.md), or as addon PBO. Both are using [Description.ext](../topics/Description.ext.md), but addon format also allows configuration in [Config.cpp](../topics/Config.cpp~2Fbin_File_Format.md). Campaign missions are listed in [Campaign Description.ext](../topics/Campaign_Description.ext.md), but missions still support Description.ext.

Entries defined in mission Description.ext have the largest priority and will overwrite those in Config.cpp / Campaign Description.ext

Single missions can be locked using [keys](../topics/Description.ext.md#keys). In such cases, overview image is transparent and *overviewTextLocked* is used instead of *overviewText*. This applies only to single missions, not to mission folders, campaigns or campaign missions.

#### [Description.ext](../topics/Description.ext.md)

```cpp
briefingName = "The Final Countdown";
overviewText = "The nuke is still out there!";
overviewTextLocked = "Finish the Splendid campaign in order to unlock this mission.";
overviewPicture = "overviewPicture_ca.paa";
author = "Stranger";
```

#### [Config.cpp](../topics/Config.cpp~2Fbin_File_Format.md)

```cpp
class CfgMissions
{
    class Missions
    {
        // Mission subfolder (optional, mission can be defined straight away)
        class MySubfolder
        {
            displayName = "Comanche Missions";
            overviewText = "Scenarios involving your favorite helicopter.";
            overviewPicture = "\a3\fw_f\data\overviewPictureFolder_ca.paa";
            author = "Stranger";

            // Mission itself
            class MyMission
            {
                overviewText = "The nuke is still out there!";
                overviewPicture = "\FW\data\overviewPicture_ca.paa";
                overviewTextLocked = "Finish the Splendid campaign in order to unlock this mission.";
                author = "Stranger";
                overviewScript = "\FW\scripts\overviewScript.sqf";

                directory = "\FW\MyMission.Altis";
            };
        };
    };
    class Campaigns
     {
        // Campaign; its missions are defined in campaign description.ext
        class Splendid
        {
            overviewText = "SURVIVE - ADAPT - WIN";
            overviewPicture = "\a3\missions_f\data\splendid_ca.paa";
            author = "Bohemia Interactive";

            directory = "\FW\Splendid";
        };
    };
};
```

#### Sample overviewScript.sqf

```sqf
#include "\A3\ui_f\hpp\defineCommonGrids.inc"

params ["_display", "_missionClassname"];

private _challengesOverviewGroup = _display displayCtrl 2302;  // Custom UI elements should be created inside this group

private _newControl = _display ctrlCreate ["Rsctext", 10001, _challengesOverviewGroup]; // IDCs higher than 10000 should be used
_newControl ctrlSetPosition [0, 0, 21.5 * GUI_GRID_W, 3.5 * GUI_GRID_H + (0.5 * (safeZoneH - GUI_GRID_HAbs))];
_newControl ctrlCommit 0;
_newControl ctrlSetText "TEST";
_newControl ctrlSetBackgroundColor [1,0,0,0.5];
```

#### [Campaign Description.ext](../topics/Campaign_Description.ext.md)

```cpp
class Campaign
{
    firstBattle = Beginning;
    disableMP = 1;

    briefingName = "Splendid";
    author = "Campaign author";
    overviewPicture = "\FW\data\overviewPicture_ca.paa";
    overviewText = "Campaign overview";

    class Beginning
    {
        name = "The Beginning";
        cutscene = ;
        firstMission = mission01;
        end1 = ;
        lost = ;

        class mission01
        {
            briefingName = "Mission name";
            author = "Mission author";
            overviewPicture = "\FW\data\overviewPicture_ca.paa";
            overviewText = "Mission overview";

            template = mission01.Altis;
        };
    };
};
```

<sub>Source: [BI Community Wiki — Arma 3: Mission Overview](https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/Arma_3:_Mission_Overview) (revision 353569).</sub>