Battlefield 3 beta unlocks Caspian Border

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 7 October, 2011

PC gamers have all the fun.

DICE is unlocking the gargantuan Caspian Border map in time for this weekend - for PC players only.

The developer wants to stress test the map one last time - this weekend marks the end of the Battlefield 3 beta.

"After analysing the data from our first round of closed Caspian Border tests, we have great news for participants in the Battlefield 3 PC Open Beta: the DICE team has decided to bring back Caspian Border for the beta's final weekend and conduct an open large scale test of the 64-player Caspian Border map," wrote Battlefield 3 North American community manager Ian Tornay, aka "crash7801", on the Battlelog forum.

He stressed that the beta is designed to test the shooter's servers - and does not reflect the finished game.

"Please keep in mind that as this is beta we will be stress testing our servers. As such, users may experience crashes, network instability and outages as we roll out and configure servers and network utilities.

"Understand that such potential issues and the testing environment are not reflective or indicative of the final product and that, through your participation, you will be helping to ensure future stability and functionality.

"As we are again specifically testing 64-player server configurations, this test will be for PC only. The Caspian Border servers will be available for all PC players to join. Caspian Border will be available starting Friday, October 7th, in the afternoon (CET)."

Why is Caspian Border unlocked only on PC? "Caspian Border isn't in the client file for PS3 and console unfortunately," Tornay explained.

Elsewhere, DICE staffer Bazajaytee confirmed the Swedish developer is putting more than ten servers live for Caspian Border. These will be worldwide, "so you should see ones close to you so you get a good connection to them".

Then: "Servers will be at multiple providers and worldwide with no password and the only limit is securing your place in the server :)"

"We have been discussing opening Caspian Border since before the BETA even started but initially we had to get data from full servers and it also uncovered other issues we hadn't accounted for so it was a successful test all round."

"Servers are starting to come online, please don't spam the connect button on the servers that are up. The RSP's are adding more, LOTS MORE, over the next few hours."

And finally: "We are aware of a number of bugs in Caspian Border including vehicle flipping when it hits things and end of round crashes. Remember, it is still a BETA and the main test we are doing is finding what performance 64 player maps with vehicles in use has on the RSP's machines and our own systems."

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (46) Latest comment 8 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • jetsetwillie #1 8 months ago

    guess thats this weekends entertainment sorted out then.

  • metalangel #2 8 months ago

    Why is Caspian Border unlocked only on PC? "Caspian Border isn't in the client file for PS3 and console unfortunately," crash7801 explained.

    Wesley, that's when you're meant to ask "why wasn't it put into the client file for 'PS3 and console'? And also, Mr crash7801, what the hell does 'PS3 and console' mean?"

  • Fatbobbybob #3 8 months ago

    Yay this is great news. Shame i'm going away for the weekend otherwise I'd be glued to my PC all weekend. Oh well.

  • Bradach #4 8 months ago

    cannot wait for some conquest action!

  • amfamaster #5 8 months ago

    why couldnt he just say pc is better platform for stress test
    so obvious
    Edited by amfamaster at 07/10/11 @ 11:33

  • bobfish09 #6 8 months ago

    So, Xbox 360 is now just referred to as "console"... interesting.

  • arcam #7 8 months ago

    \0/

  • joelstinton #8 8 months ago

    "please don't spam the connect button on the servers that are up" Haha. that ain't gonna happen is it.

    *Furiously spams the connect button.
    *Realises i don't have a PC and now doesn't know what he is spamming.
    *oh

  • Erinan #9 8 months ago

    Best day ever to sprain an ankle and not have to go to work \o/

  • CaptainQuint #10 8 months ago

    After playing the Paris map on Xbox 360 I don't think my eyes could of handled another stigmata outbreak anyway.

  • thesonglessbird #11 8 months ago

    Laggy as heck on the server I just tried but it was awesome having planes flying about. It certainly sounds very nice.

    Unfortunately, RAGE just dropped through my door so I can't play until that's installed. BOO.

  • lockload #12 8 months ago

    10 servers, 640 peoole max it could be a long wait to get in!

  • thenastypasty #13 8 months ago

    While I realise it's takes a while to get anything passed by MS and Sony it still would have been nice to play it on consoles.

    / feels like a second rate citizen.

  • lockload #14 8 months ago

    Seeing as console does not have 64 player servers, what would be the point of doing it on console?

    The whole point is the 64 player stress test

  • Ryze #15 8 months ago

    WooHoo!

    @metalangel

    Why on earth would they make such a huge file available on PSN/XBL 'just in case'? Especially as there's no 64 player support.

    THIS IS NOT A PLAYABLE DEMO. It's a BETA.

  • chrisola #16 8 months ago

    @11 make sure you visit the Rage forums on Steam and get the config files with all the fixes etc -- i did this and it runs and looks superb .. not sure how an non tweaked install will run...

  • ISmoke #17 8 months ago

    Had a game on it just a minute ago - quite easy to get into the servers. Unfortunately the servers are plagued with serious lag at the moment so it's not stable. The map is very nice though

  • obscured021 #18 8 months ago

    The new map rocks, got 2 hrs solid on it, till the server dopped me

  • Fulford #19 8 months ago

    just had a quick blast now on 2 different servers, the first wasnt to laggy the second was like trying to run through a swimming pool filled with custard at times, but its left me feeling pleased that i made my preorder, shame ive got uni work to do this weekend..

  • Tryhard #20 8 months ago

    I went looking for a Caspian stream.I was watching a pc player stream metro.I said Caspian is open to the public.
    He said it was only invite only and closed now.I said no they reopened it.He checked,got in,and was like a kid with a bucket and spade building his first sand castle.My good deed done for the day.

  • hiscore #21 8 months ago

    The beta's on PS3 and 360 made me decide NOT TO BUY it. I'm not alone. This is not my mistake or misunderstanding of the 'beta' concept. This is DICE's fault but they won't/can't admit it. If DICE cannot bring a decent taste of awesomeness to the consoles, they may keep it. Enough good games still to come this year.

  • irrelevanthuman #22 8 months ago

    Pretty much decided to wait until this is ported to the next console gen or I suddenly become rich enough to buy a good rig, not because of the Beta (didn't help mind) but because I want to enjoy the game in a completely uncompromised way. PC guys, have a good weekend.

  • obscured021 #23 8 months ago

    Whats all the bitching about, its a beta.

  • irrelevanthuman #24 8 months ago

    On the other hand there's a good chance I will crumble like the weak, weak man I am.

  • metalangel #25 8 months ago

    @Ryze: You don't beta test stuff less than a month before release. You don't buy banner ads to advertise betas. It's a demo. Nothing you or DICE say will stop the world from treating it as a demo.

    (and, if it really truly was meant to be a test... don't they want to test how the PS3 and 360 servers cope with the big vehicle maps too?)

  • hammerstein07 #26 8 months ago

    Got on a dutch server this morning, was very laggy but I can certainly see the potential! Can't wait to get more time in this weekend. This is what I was looking forward to.

  • DUFFKING #27 8 months ago

    Yes it's a beta but it's still fairly recent code, not far from release. There have been multiplayer demos of other games that were released far further ahead of a game's launch in the past that have suffered far less from bugs. Of course crunch in the last few weeks will iron out a lot of the kinks but it's still disappointing that it's so patchy so close to launch. The beta strikes me as something closer to a stress test to me.

  • joelstinton #28 8 months ago

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geTOvrUVP... new console footage of a different map. This is so much better than the beta we been playing. Infantry esq map. has a tank. Also a 64 player conquest map doing the rounds as well for the pc. despite being dissapointed with the beta, it has moments that are too good to turn down. pre order now in.

  • rtk79 #29 8 months ago

    Disconnection issues aside, I've found Caspian Border a lot less buggy than Operation Métro : no strange flahes of colour, no darkening of the screen upon respawn, no scenery-destroying health packs, but a lot of vehicular thrills and a spectacular environment. Nice job, DICE.
    Edited by rtk79 at 07/10/11 @ 14:07

  • rtk79 #30 8 months ago

    @irrelevanthuman : if the beta's anything to go by (and I can't see how it could not), BF3's a lot less demanding than the recommended specs would have us believe. My fairly modest 5770 card does a lovely job with it.
    Edited by rtk79 at 07/10/11 @ 18:00

  • ronuds #31 8 months ago

    I find the rage over this map not appearing on consoles for the beta to be unpleasant.

    I find the rage over the rage to be equally so.

  • TheEnd #32 8 months ago

    Smart move on their part. Metro is a frigging mess. I'm sure I wasn't the only one considering giving it a miss based on how that map played.

  • ShovelyJoe #33 8 months ago

    @Metalangel

    Dude - I am with you. Not going anywhere near this game until I have heard opinion of actual gamers rather than website reviews.

    Thought the beta (obviously a demo) was broken. I'm not talking bugs and glitches that can be fixed. I am just talking broken gameplay. I was SO looking forward to this. My disappointment is bottomless. I was desperate for a more mature FPS compared to CoD.

    Can't see it happening...

    Edited by ShovelyJoe at 07/10/11 @ 15:09

  • Tyronne #34 8 months ago

    Playing Caspian makes me realise just how crap I am at piloting jets and Helicopters...but how well I can commit suicide.

  • jetsetwillie #35 8 months ago

    @Shovelyjoe

    if it was a demo then why would they only run it until the 10th, why would they not just let it run until the games release to ensure more people get exposure to it hey...

  • DRUNK3N-_-DRAGON #36 8 months ago

    the ps3 beta was boring as feck and didn't feel exciting at all...there was nothing really new to it that i seen!
    It was badcompany with less destruction...ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

  • sourc0r #37 8 months ago

    *reinstalls Beta*

  • irrelevanthuman #38 8 months ago

    @rtk79
    Thank you for heads up, will look into it a bit more, could afford a modest (very!) gaming pc.

  • Timotei #39 8 months ago

    "Battlefield 3 beta unlocks Caspian Border
    PC gamers have all the fun."

    It's more like pain, actually. Debilitating, horrifying pain.

  • arcam #40 8 months ago

    Just got home from work and finally got a go on Caspian Border. Fucking epic. THIS is Battlefield.

  • lockload #41 8 months ago

    Got to play the map on 64 player wowo that map is big, the battlefield i rememebr (not the small mapped console one)

  • cyber_nicco #42 8 months ago

    I've been playing it since the morning and that map is laggy and buggy as hell. It's like running at 5fps most of the time, and weird stuff like losing the ability to aim down sights and tanks firing off double shots.

    I'm a big fan, but it needs to improve a lot if my experience so far can tell us anything...

  • Roarrr #43 8 months ago

    This map is amazing. Teamwork, rolling across hills, gunning through walls with a tank and taking posts.
    It's superb and looks amazing (running with GTX570).

    This is night and day to Metro.

  • You_shlaaaag #44 8 months ago

    Just finished an almighty session on Caspian Border. Good God. Astonshing, jaw-dropping and beautiful, all at the same time. If every map is as muc h fun as this one, DICE have pulled an absolute blinder. Excitement levels are through the roof.

  • Harmonica #45 8 months ago

    Disagree with the general antipathy towards Metro, it does the job, I doubt it'll get much love/play when the full game arrives but I've had some great moments holding down chokepoints in the tunnels, or defending the first objective to the last man, sucessfully, and shutting them out. It's no looker though, that's for sure.

    Liking the fact that later builds of the game seem to have popup death symbols now, something the beta game lacks.

  • fisherpot #46 8 months ago

    The paris map did no justice for the game and I am still loving it but there are no cars, tanks, helis.... well you know what I'm saying and the pc gamers get more fun at the moment but then I'm sure dice would agree that it looks so much better on a good gaming pc then the xbox/ps3 will ever have now! I have an xbox but when I'm seeing my mate play all these games on his pc.....well.... it just looks so good in comparing, I could watch those games all day! Played the CB map last night and it was good enough for some new pants I needed to change last night! Can't wait and note to self get lots more pants!