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Roleplay Framework: Altis Life

Altis Life is the definitive roleplay framework for Arma 3, transforming the military simulator into a persistent civilian life simulator featuring police forces, medical responders, and complex illegal economies. Unlike standard missions, Altis Life requires a specialized backend infrastructure including a MySQL database and server-side extensions to handle player persistence.

Difficulty

Advanced

Time

20 Minutes

Phase 1: Database Infrastructure

Persistence in Altis Life is handled via MySQL. You must set up the database before the server can store player positions, bank balances, or vehicle ownership.
1

Create the Database

Navigate to the Databases tab in your Game Panel and create a new MySQL instance.
2

Import the Schema

Open phpMyAdmin via the panel link. Select your new database and use the Import tab to upload the altis_life.sql file provided with your mission framework.
3

Configure the Bridge

Open @extDB3/extdb3-conf.ini in the File Manager. Locate the [AltisLife] block and enter your database credentials (IP, Username, Password).

Phase 2: Server-Side Logic

Altis Life divides its execution between the client-side mission and the server-side backend.
Upload your Altis_Life.Altis.pbo file to the /mpmissions/ directory. This contains the UI, map markers, and player-facing scripts.

Phase 3: Secure Startup

To ensure your server runs correctly and securely, you must use the correct startup parameters.
1

Define Server Mods

In the Startup tab, add @life_server and @extDB3 to the Server Mods field.
  • Example: -servermod=@life_server;@extDB3
2

Verify Client Mods

Ensure that these backend folders are NOT in the standard -mod= line.
3

Restart and Log

Restart the server and check the extDB3 logs to confirm a successful database handshake.

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Last Updated: January 2026 | Arma 3: Citizen accepted.