'Battlefield 4' Winter Patch Adds New Game Mode, Improves Netcode

It may have been well over a year since Electronic Arts' flagship shooter "Battlefield 4" hit the market, but the developer still seems committed to supporting the game. It might as well, because this game pulls in the audience on the might of its elaborate multiplayer component, much unlike a regular single player centric FPS title. Considered "broken" at launch, the game had many issues which were subsequently ironed out through multiple patches since its release.

The latest Winter patch is yet another revision to the bestselling game that brings range of improvements, such as new game modes and improvements to the netcode. The patch was highly anticipated by "Battlefield 4" fans and is aimed at making the gameplay and multiplayer aspects run even smoother. Weighing in at a solid 1.34GB, the Winter patch is significantly larger for the Xbox and PlayStation consoles. The PC version, on the other hand, is quite lightweight at just 400MB.

VG247 reports that the new game mode Squad Obliteration is has been introduced to focus on the highly competitive eSports aspect. The mode is a squad-based twist on the existing Obliteration mode, albeit with a team size of 5 vs 5 this time around. The mode has been balanced specifically to play well in an eSport setting. Also included are three new playlists dubbed "Large Scale Battles," "The Battlefield" and "Close Quarters" to spice things up for veteran players. These playlists combine maps across the base game, as well as those featured in the many DLCs released since the game's launch.

Gamespot points out that the patch will make helicopters even more agile with an updated physics model. Players will now be able to do complicated manoeuvres such as barrel rolls with the fixed-rotor aircraft. DICE has incorporated better methods to weed out cheaters with an improved anti-cheat mechanism that is designed to maintain fair play and a healthy gameplay balance. Further cosmetic improvements to UI give the game a polished look, whereas segregated online matchmaking makes it easy for newcomers as well as veterans to choose servers to their liking.

The update incorporates a raft of improvement to the netcode. Most notably, the game is now better at collision detection and tracking trajectories across long distances. Snipers should now experience a significantly improved long-distance target acquisition. Moreover, network bandwidth optimisation has resulted in improved efficiency, so even players with slower internet connectivity will have a quality online multiplayer experience.

The patch also brings in additional cosmetic enhancements and more, which have been listed in the full release notes on the official website. EA has also provided detailed visual breakdown of the improvements in the form of downloadable PDF document. Click here to access the brief.

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