How to get started
AmericanWaffle
Introduction to Altis Life
Altis Life is an ArmA 3 Gamemode that utilizes custom content and roleplay elements to create a unique sandbox experience. Players can choose from a variety of factions in the game and within the Olympus Entertainment community. Olympus content is administered and developed by volunteers who do so for their love of the community. In this article, you will find one of the many paths that you can take to begin your journey into ArmA 3 Olympus Altis Life. Before logging in for the first time, be sure to read the server rules until you feel like you have a rudimentary understanding of them and can play on the server without accidentally breaking rules or hurting somebody else’s playing experience.
Here are some useful videos created especially for beginners.
How to get started playing Olympus Altis Life by AmericanWaffle.
How to join the Olympus TeamSpeak 3 server by AmericanWaffle.
How to appeal Arma 3 bans by AmericanWaffle.
How to join factions by AmericanWaffle.
How to report players for breaking the rules by AmericanWaffle.
Logging in for the First Time!
When you first join the server you will first connect to the lobby. Here you will be able to view the number of players that are playing on the three main factions that exist in Altis Life. The Altis Police Department determined to enforce the rule of law on the island. Rescue & Recovery, tasked with going above and beyond to protect and save the lives of the citizens of Altis. Finally, there is also the civilian faction that is broken up into four different roles which are vigilante, workers protection license holders, and rebels. Since it’s your first time, you will most likely not be whitelisted for the APD or the R&R and will be joining a role on the civilian faction. Once you have loaded into the server you will be prompted to choose a spawning location. Kavala can be a great place to start, however, it is a highly populated city and many established gangs may take you prisoner for their own amusement. Therefore, it is worth considering beginning your Altis life in another city as all the major cities have the resources necessary to get on your feet and get started.
The Olympus Server on the ArmA 3 Server Browser.
The Olympus Altis Life Server #2 Lobby.
First Steps
The first thing you will want to do is open your “Y” menu (Named after its default hotkey) and you will see that you start with 100k. Next, you will want to open your map (Default key: M) and survey the layout of Altis. You will notice there are a couple of different locations that are marked with different icons or colored circles. Most of these icons are to mark areas where players can purchase or sell items and locations that are important for Legal Runs. The colored circles are primarily used to indicate “Red Zones” on Altis which are commonly used for performing, collecting, or selling illegal activities and items. Red Zones are locations you will want to stay away from during your early game as players may openly kill other players on sight within them and it is a harsh environment to begin making money for newer players. Outside of these zones, players will need to “engage” to initiate combat via text or VON (Voice-Over-Net) typically with a message to the effect of “Hands up or Die”. As long as you are giving a reasonable command to somebody followed by a threat it will typically be recognized as initiation. For more info on this important game mechanic please see the Server Rules.
The Olympus Server on the ArmA 3 Loading Screen. Loading Music on Spotify by 2023!.
The "Y" Menu, named after it's hotkey.
The Olympus Altis Life Server Map.
An example of initiation resulting in a disciplinary
First Moves: Runs
Once you are acclimated to the server rules and the general layout of the map it will be a good time to begin thinking about your financial future. The first thing you will want to do is travel to the closest Apple/Peach field using the Offroad that you start within your garage. To pull out the vehicle, you will need to find the marker on the map labeled “Garage” or “Car Shop” and, using your scroll wheel to unhide the menu, select the “Ground Garage” option to view your vehicles. Click on the Offroad and retrieve it from your garage and make your way to the nearest produce field. Once you arrive, you will get close to the marker on your map and hit your windows key near it to begin collecting items to sell. This is the same for almost every run on Altis with some requiring additional tools like pickaxes to collect the resources. After you have filled your backpack or “virtual inventory” you will want to unlock your vehicle using the “U” key and then hit the “T” key while looking directly at the vehicle to gain access to the trunk and store virtual items. Once both your backpack and car are full, you will go back to the marker labeled “Market” where you will be able to sell your collected goods to the NPC at the location. This can be a good example of how all of the runs work on the server and will give you an idea of how best to maximize your profits by pursuing greater and greater goods to collect and sell.
The Olympus Peach Field. Wow, Fertile!.
The Apple field, Where dreams DO come true!.
The famous Kavala garage, known for its work for the last 828 player reports!.
Looking Forward - What's Next?
From here, your destiny will be your own! You’ve successfully determined what you start with on the server, what you can do with it, how to make money whenever you want, and some of the different paths you can take in the Olympus Altis Life servers. You can be a career cop that progresses through the ranks through leadership, teamwork, and persistence. A professional member of the R&R, taking the time to socialize and assist all players. You can also pursue any of the many civilian roles and groups that populate the server. There is no limit to the possibilities that you have when you begin your Olympus Altis Life experience but you will most definitely meet some wonderful people and make some great memories and friendships.
Join a gang! Make friends
Roleplay until you forget what's reality
Join a faction and meet new people
One day you probably still won't be able to fly one of these
Common Beginner Questions
Q: How do I open my phone/virtual inventory?
A: Press the "y" button to open your phone and navigate the different menus.
Q: Where do I go with a question that I can't find the answer to?
A: If you're unable to find an answer to one of your questions, you can join the Olympus TeamSpeak server and talk to a support team member. The IP address for the TeamSpeak is: ts.olympus-entertainment.com
Q: Where do I buy stuff?
A: Open your map and find which city you're in. If you just spawned, you're most likely in a spawn city such as Kavala, Pyrgos, or Athira. Look for places labeled "General Store", "Market", "Clothing Store", etc... Many weapons, vehicles, and items are unavailable for purchase in spawn cities because they are considered illegal. You will need to travel to locations such as "Rebel Outpost" or "Black Market" to buy illegal items.
Q: How do I unlock my vehicle?
A: To unlock your vehicle, look at the vehicle and press "U". Visit the custom controls page to view a list of the server controls you'll need to know.
Q: How do I pick items or collect resources?
A: To collect an item at a field or resource area, look at the ground press "Windows Key". You must be within the gathering area to begin the gathering cycle.
Q: How do I properly engage in roleplay?
A: You can engage in roleplay by talking in the direct communication voice channel in-game. You may not type in any of the Arma 3 channels to initiate combat with someone. Texting someone with your phone is another way to engage with someone.
Q: How do I put my hands up?
A: To put your hands up, press "Tab".
Q: How do I repair my vehicle?
A: If you need to repair your vehicle, you have a few options. The easiest is way to repair a vehicle is by looking at it and pressing the windows key. A menu should appear including an option to repair your vehicle. Once selected, the repair process will begin. If you move away from the vehicle, the repair process will cancel but the progress will remain until your next attempt unless the vehicle is further damaged. Although rare, in some cases, a vehicle may be too damaged to repair without a toolkit. The process for using a toolkit to repair is the same. If you are close to a service station, this may be the best option for you. If you drive your vehicle into the bay of any gas station, you will be able to repair your vehicle. Driving into an air service station will also give you the option to repair your ground vehicle. If you're not currently involved in an engagement, another way to repair your vehicle is by storing it in a garage and then retrieving it.
Q:What are Decon kits (FAK+)?
A: Decon Kits are First Aid Kits that you can choose to disable the scroll wheel and bind to a hotkey to use. The Virtual first aid kit also works the same way. They can be used to heal other players via the interaction menu accessed by the "Windows Key". The option will either say Treat Person" or "Give" depending on if the player is below 75 hp and if you do not have any normal FAK kits.
Q: How do I join the APD or R&R?
A: To become an APD officer or medic, you have to apply on the forums. Go to the Olympus website, click the "Support" tab at the top of the website and then press "New Request". Once the empty request form is open, choose the "APD Application" or "R&R Application" choice under the "Department" field. Now, fill out the questions asked. Remember to read the entire application in detail before you fill it out.
Q: How do I report someone for breaking the rules?
A: If you want to report someone for breaking server rules, you'll have to submit a player report on the Olympus website. Before submitting a player report, make sure to read this important ticket report information.
Q: Why am I randomly in jail after logging back in?
A: If you log out of the server while you're in restraints, your skeleton will be left on the ground. When the person who put you in restraints looks at those bones, they will receive an option to send your bones to jail. Once you log back into the server, you'll spawn inside of the jail.
Q: How do I get out of jail faster?
A: If you are in jail, you will see trash piles around the edge of the dome. At these trash piles, you will have the scroll wheel option to collect contraband. You will get 2-4 pieces of contraband every time you collect. Contraband can be turned in to the bondsman located inside the deer stand. Each contraband turned in reduces your sentence by 1 minute.
Q: What's the weather like on Olympus?
A: If you are curious about the weather on the island, it is either sunny, cloudy, or foggy. It never rains!
1. American Waffle: New to Olympus Altis Life? Here's How to Start...