Since the release last Thursday, we have become aware of some issues we need to address. We will NOT be issuing a client side patch for v0.5. We will only be issuing a server side update to address issues within v0.5. This will not fix all of the issues identified and we may not elect to fix some things folks think are issues.
The team will be begin work on v0.6 ASAP. We have scaled back the planned feature set of v0.6 to ensure that we complete the overhaul of the spawning system in a timely manner. There are some "gaps" in the v0.5 design that are addressed with elements in v0.6. More about v0.6 once we get a full head of steam under that.
Here is a brief summary of issues we are addressing in the v0.5x server update:
- Server Crashes
We have identified and fixed issues that are likely 90% of the cause of server side crashes. It might even be all of the server crash causes, we're not sure.. but there are some obvious ones that we have fixed. - Lag Issues
The current lag players are expereinceing is due to excessive strain we put on servers. We're optomising aspects of the server side code to eliminate this lag. The lag is not typical view distance or object count map oriented lag. It's lag caused by python code we run on the server to check certain parameters and states and some of this needs optomisation. - Flag Cap Timers
When we re-designed the v0.4 flag capture logic it was partially to avoid the horrible dynamic of defenders spawning in on the attackers. So we made CPs go grey really quickly in v0.5. With forward spawns removed from CPs, this "spawn in to be camped" dynamic becomes a moot point.
When you combine the "fast grey" with CP Groups in AAS v2, this can make for a lot of chasing down grey flags. We don't want the game to play like this. We will be altering the flag capture timers to better suit our design goals: taking CPs should be about a jolly good fire fight (and not about sneaking in undetected or about camping flags until you capture it). - CP Groups
Our use of the new "CP Groups" capability in AAS v2 CP was a bit excessive. This will be scaled back and CP groups will be used more situationally and deliberately. - Officer Kit Timer Restriction
There will be no timer restriction for the Officer kit. You will be able to obtain one anytime you spawn without any delay as long as you are the Squad Leader of a squad of 4+. - Set Rally Point Delays
We will be reducing the timer to set rally points from 3 minutes to 1 minute. - Minor Map Tweaks
We have some limits on what we can do with a server only update, but some minor tweaking will be done to maps to address some game play and balance issues (over and above the CP groups issues).
. You guys come up with better and faster updates than the origional Battlefield 2 every did.
