Battlefield 3 fixes and improvements detailed

By Fred Dutton Published 3 November, 2011

Lag, server problems, squad issues dealt with.

Battlefield 3 developer DICE has detailed various fixes and improvements that its made to its FPS sequel since launch.

A post on the game's official blog from general manager Karl Magnus Troedsson runs through the main areas of concern, including tweaks to Quick Match functionality, server availability, lag issues and general game stability.

Here are the salient points:

  • Quick Match functionality - Thanks to a server patch that went live yesterday, the developer has seen "a big increase in quick match functionality on consoles." DICE reckons you should be able to join a quick match "the majority of times" without hiccups.
  • Joining squads - Some users have complained of difficulties joining and staying in squads on console. DICE has "identified the cause of this problem and will hopefully have a fix ready to roll out very soon."
  • Hardcore server availability - The developer has solved an issue that made hardcore servers disappear after being live for a set period of time.
  • Lag and rubber banding - A bug causing console users to experience lag and rubber banding, particularly in Conquest mode on Tehran Highway and Caspian Border, has been stamped on.
  • Default region setting in server browser - Some players, mainly in the US, have had their default region setting in the server browser set to Europe, resulting in lag and rubber banding. A fix is pending in the "very near future."
  • Game stability - A server patch that went live today made numerous improvements to overall game stability, hopefully meaning fewer game crashes.
  • Origin installation and authentication issues - An Origin update scheduled for later this month should address most of users' problems with EA's platform.
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About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

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Comments (41) Latest comment 7 months ago

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

  • Liam64 #1 7 months ago

    Anyone's guns disappearing upon spawn? Mine are (PC version) and I can't find any official acknowledgement from DICE. I emailed EA but they never got back to me.

  • priesty_lfc #2 7 months ago

    Maybe they should have run a beta to get an idea of potential issues?

    Oh wait.

    EA sucks.

    Roll on MW3.
    Edited by priesty_lfc at 03/11/11 @ 22:05

  • Donaldthescotishtwin #3 7 months ago

    Then why release it if you knew it had problems? Just delay the game for a few days and fix the
    Problems.

  • rtk79 #4 7 months ago

    Authentication issues should be addressed later this month ? Meaning affected players won't be able to access the game until then ? Way to prioritise issues, EA.

  • ballshock #5 7 months ago

    it keeps crashing on PC now

  • Eraysor #6 7 months ago

    Mine works fine on PC. I even like Battlelog!

  • kirankara #7 7 months ago

    @priesty_lfc

    Cause cod games never have online issues. Oh wait, the three months it took black ops to.get fixed, wasn't a dream.
    Mw2 was hardly problem free either.
    Will say the sp.is awful though, which its mainly due to it being inspired by cod.
    At least it looks awesome though I guess.
    Edited by kirankara at 03/11/11 @ 22:35

  • onezeonx #8 7 months ago

    @priesty_lfc

    Way to make yourself look a fanboy prick!

    *claps*

  • obscured021 #9 7 months ago

    takes about 15 seconds to go from web page to the game on pc using quick match, battle log is great no more looking at loading screens, browse the web/check your game stats and BAM your in if you have the start when ready box checked, more games should use this system

  • Iain815 #10 7 months ago

    Well, I played the single player.

    My god, it was without a doubt the most bug ridden game I've ever played. EA/DICE really ought to be ashamed. All just to release it before MW3. It definitely needed a few more months polish.

  • ruisranne #11 7 months ago

    It's still buggy as shit... I got my game just today because of a fuck-up by my online retailer who sent me the PC version instead of 360...
    hoped to have a great experience but there's still problems with the online play. It's annoying and sad that a game that's been hyped so much is so buggy and incomplete in so many ways... Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the beta despite it's obvious flaws, and probably will enjoy this too, but this is the retail version and I expected so much more from this game. If I wasn't drunk right now I'd be more pissed off.

  • Genyus #12 7 months ago

    @Donaldthescotishtwin

    I'd rather play the game a few days earlier with an hiccup now and then which gets fixed after a few days than having to wait those few days not playing it at all.

  • TenderChicken #13 7 months ago

    I've had next-to-no issues bar the first night (I'm playing on 360), some of the most lag-free gaming I've ever had on a console, actually. Fantastic game.

  • Tiberius_Gracchus #14 7 months ago

    I hate that stupid COD like metro map!

  • StooMonster #15 7 months ago

    1. Most of the time is silky smooth and lovely, but occasionally drops to 2fps on my Crossfire gaming rig, but this is only on Campaign single-player game. Because...

    2. Not been able to connect to a multi-player game server yet, they're all full.

    Meh!

  • SaintDaveUK #16 7 months ago

    @StooMonster You have a Crossfire rig and you don't know how to look for a server that isn't full!? I have had zero problems so far.

  • onegoodman #17 7 months ago

    •Lag and rubber banding - A bug causing console users to experience lag and rubber banding, particularly in Conquest mode on Tehran Highway and Caspian Border, has been stamped on

    Still needs work guys! Quick match works a lot better, thankfully. DICE beta testers need to go elsewhere with their special edition unlocks as it is unfair. If you want to Beta test equipment then provide special servers for it!

    P.S. Need to fix lockups, when discon from server on 360, which needs hard reboot as guide button does not work.

    XO XO

  • TheEarlOfZinger #18 7 months ago

    Just to let you all know, this is the least bug-ridden BF launch ever.

    *long time player*

    So quit moaning.

  • StooMonster #19 7 months ago

    @SaintDaveUK

    Mate, I've been gaming on servers since Doom or Quake or whatever it was back in the mists of time (memory doesn't work that far back) and every time I've gone to play BF3 it sits hanging for hours "loading" and doing nothing if I try and auto-connect and if I try and use the browser every server I've seen under a couple of hundred ping is 16/16 or 32/32 or 64/64 or whatever (that's pages and pages of them) or they are locked servers.

    Perhaps I'm just trying at busy times, although I've just thought ... maybe it's my filter? Forgot that I had one on there, until now, I've gone for Punkbuster only servers selected.

  • CaptainKid #20 7 months ago

    It's with every Battlefield game the same.
    Lag, bugs and fixes taking a long time or never coming.

    I don't understand why people put up with these clowns.

  • ROCK-NYC #21 7 months ago

    Im curious to know what game ever had perfect online gaming out the gate?

  • HeNiCiDe1988 #22 7 months ago

    aye man you would of thought they got a lot of the bugs out with the beta obviously not they even said they fixed the issue with me and my friends being put on different teams when we form up after the beta yet it still has a happened multiple times. The Random D/C are rather annoying.

  • ubergine #23 7 months ago

    All I want from this game is to be able to quit to the menu from the post-match screen. I loved that you can drop into a match in progress with Bad Company 2 (my first Battlefield) but how I fucking hate being crudely manipulated to keep playing by antagonistic user interfaces.

  • Apostle #24 7 months ago

    Stop whining! (pew pew)

    ;)

  • aphex187 #25 7 months ago

    @Liam64 Experienced that on other games but never on BF3, from alpha to beta to retail m8 :(

  • TheEarlOfZinger #26 7 months ago

    @CaptainKid
    It's with every Battlefield game the same.
    Lag, bugs and fixes taking a long time or never coming.

    I don't understand why people put up with these clowns.


    Taking a long time to fix issues...huh?! - the games been out for A WEEK, massive patch on launch and now new, already implemented fixes detailed above.

    Have you been drinking bathwater?
    Edited by TheEarlOfZinger at 04/11/11 @ 08:59

  • onegoodman #27 7 months ago

    @ROCK-NYC Doom, Freelancer and thousands of MUDs, to name a few ;)

  • kirankara #28 7 months ago

    @Iain815

    Sp needed removing, its awful.no amount of polish could make it shine

  • spacedmonkeys #29 7 months ago

    I keep losing my gun sights. Especially when using the grenade launcher. Usually results in my death while i aim hopelessly at an attacker. I figured that using mellee brings my gun sights back. But in the time between mellee and aiming, I'm dead.
    Edited by spacedmonkeys at 04/11/11 @ 09:32

  • siegarettes #30 7 months ago

    @obscured021
    It actually worked a lot better than I thought. Still has massive load times on when first starting though.

    Like BF2 massive.

  • mingster #31 7 months ago

    Played all last night on pc version runs great online got straight into the Eurogamer server didn't have a single crash or glitch all nite worked perfectly

  • siegarettes #32 7 months ago

    @Tiberius_Gracchus
    Tellingly, the best experience I've had on that match was during a rare game of Team Deathmatch.

  • mattk84 #33 7 months ago

    It would be good to be able to request a pick-up from vehicles especially from people who fly off in the helo as you are runing up to it but AFAIK pressing back (Xbox 360) does nothing. Used to work with Bad Company.

  • MattRobson #34 7 months ago

    Dont really see the issues people have with the single player, its 'OK' much like Call of Duty's single player is 'OK' they are par for the course worth a run through but not much more. the longevity is in the multi player.

    Not had any issues with Multiplayer so far though i think they need to tone down the flash light blindness, the range on that thing is mad.

  • arcam #35 7 months ago

    @mattk84

    Have you tried holding (instead of just pressing) the spot button and selecting "Need a pick up"? This works on the PC version.

  • Physically_Insane #36 7 months ago

    @onezeonx

    One fanboy prick in this comments section. Go to any CoD article and see 95% of the comments being fanboy prick comments (battlefield fanboy pricks).

    Neg away battlefield fanboy pricks.

    I hate all fanoby pricks, be it CoD fanboy pricks or battlefield fanboy pricks. However it seems battlefield fanboy pricks totally outnumber CoD fanboy pricks.

    I like saying fanboy pricks.

  • Hog-lumps #37 7 months ago

    @arcam

    No, holding select just brings up the scoreboard on the 360 - its a bit annoying!

  • Matfink #38 7 months ago

    Good to hear.
    Now to tone down those stoopid flashlights and add a 'non-password' browser filter option.

  • rudedudejude #39 7 months ago

    Disgrace tbh that squadding up with friends pre-game and joining is mostly pointless it will split you between teams and squads - one of the most important aspects of the game is b0rked.

    Rubber banding on those levels is also a joke, how long has this been out now?

  • Raptaur #40 7 months ago

    @Adam_T

    Dude yeah its annoying but it isn't the end of the world.

    Press START, go to Squads and have all your friend leave the current squad and move to any of the empty squads... easy

    If someone is on the other team then go to same place but select switch teams.

  • DAN.E.B #41 7 months ago

    if your having server problems I feel bad for you son!
    we got nintey nine problems but a patch aint one!..........