When using the steam server list the game behaves correctly. So when creating a server (Steam) should I change the default port (2302) to 27016? And if I keep receiving the "no challenge value..." I can disregard it as it is only telling me it has issues connecting to GS? Can I stop my game from trying to connect to GS?

Excuse my ignorance.

Thank you for your time.

At the moment A3 DEV is behaving exactly the same, only maybe a bit less freezing, and the freezing times are a bit shorter.

Thank you very much.

Also, I used to be the host of private servers I did with my friends because I have very fast internet, I had to port forward in order to my friends to join. It worked smoothly 4 months ago. Since then I havn't been playing ARMA, today I tried to play it again as I saw the game was updated. Now it is a horrible pain in the ass trying to connect to a server or host a game as you can see, but also, when I manage to create a server, my friends can't join me, they can't even see my server on the list. 20 minutes ago I tried creating a server again, and while on the HOST NEW SESSION menu this warning appeared: "no challenge value was received from the master server".

Hope that helps in some way. Again, thank you!

UPDATE:

I just deleted A3, restarted my pc, re-dowbloaded the game, launched it, clicked on MP, and this time it took the game to get me from the main menu, to the MP menu a whopping 36 seconds.

Same I started the process of creating a server, and when selecting a game mode the same message appeared: "no challenge value was received from the master server".

At this point I give up, ive searched everywhere for answers, I re-installed the game twice today, checked al my firewall settings are well set-up, same for the forwarded ports.

It just doesn't make any sense... Why would the game be behaving like this?

I hope you find an answer, im off to bed. Thank you for your time.

I wish to add:

I checked the game cache.

I re-downloaded the game.

Removed all my workshop subscriptions.

No mods.

Still not working.

Ran the game as admin, nothing changed.

I have the download region on steam set to a different region from where I am from because it gives me more download speed (avg 15 - 20mb/s). Why would this have an impact over the game freezing on the multiplayer menu?

The file requested has been uploaded.

Thank you for your time.

p.d. Tap where? :/