EA have posted new information regarding scheduled maintenance for upgrades and news on an upcoming patch to rectify the current issues with the server browser. This came shortly after news of the release of two new maps in Rush and Conquest gametypes at the end of the month.

Quoted from EA's Blog:

Tomorrow, 12th March, and Saturday, 13th March at 8:00GMT/9:00 CET:12:00 (midnight) PST, EA will take the servers down, this time we will come up with even more hardware with more capacity to handle all the BFBC2 traffic. Once the maintenance is complete you will experience an improvement to your online experience.

Now we are adding more capacity to let you smash those numbers multiple times over in the weeks to come.

So it seems that all the disconnect issues should now be resolved and will be fully rectified with a patch to increase server browser performance among hopefully other tweaks and fixes. No news as yet on the patch.

EA have released a Q&A section on their blog http://blogs.battlefield.ea.com with fixes/suggestions/answers for all those having problems with the game.

It is pretty clear with frequent problems such as crashes to desktop and server browser issues that people are in need of information on A. How to resolve the issues and B. If the problem is their end or the game clients.

It is also written on the DICE/EA forums that there will be a patch for the PC released tomorrow midday (GMT).

Read inside for more information!

Want some details on what the DLC includes? Of course you do!

There are 4 kits, one for each class, specific unique uniforms and camouflaged weapons gives you a visual edge. I mean what good is a camouflaged soldier if the gun sticks out like a sore thumb?

Recruited strictly from other high-level Special Operations units such as Delta Force and Spetsnaz, the Special Activities groups – SPECACT - are the elite of the elite, used mainly for covert operations and other high-risk missions in areas where conventional troops cannot be used.

With the 4 kit specific unique uniforms and the camouflaged SPECACT personal M16A2, UMP-45, MG3 and M95 SNIPER you have a visual edge on the Battlefield, showing that you’re a force to be reckoned with. The pack also includes 12 new awards and 4 Achievements.

EA's current plan is to do final tests on the update and servers tonight and all being well we will look to release R7 client and R10 servers on Wednesday morning European time.

My Thoughts:

Personally I think the new Server Browser looks fantastic and overall the extra options such as Team Balance and the ability to swap players manually will help a lot as a server admin. Lets hope the [UNC] server benefits from this after its quiet spell!

Changelog:

• MP – New Server browser
• MP – Added 15 second spawn timer for Conquest/Rush gamemodes at the start of round to prevent high end machines getting the upper hand before other machines load in.
• MP – Crash fixes relating to ALT+TAB at different times throughout the game
• MP – Hang fix when trying to connect to a full server multiple times
• MP – Deletion of soldiers now possible through the account pages in game
• MP – Removed screen flash during loading
• MP – Added support for colour blind players
• MP – Fixed crashes relating to faulty server banners
• MP – Servers closing during connection no longer cause the client to hang
• MP – Auto team swap reflects correctly in the scoreboard
• MP – Fixed scoreboards when switching teams before spawning
• MP – Rush scoreboards fixed
• MP – Veteran ranks no longer display as “12”
• MP – Isla Innocentes MCOM building fixed where knifing the fence would destroy the building
• MP – Logout/Login button correctly reflects the player status
• MP – Added minimum number of players needed to start a round (you can play and take objectives but you will get no score until 4 or more players join the server)
• MP – Isla Inocentes welcome message on the loading screen now fits the text box area
• MP – Reduced the brightness in Russian vehicles
• MP – Medic gadgets now display correctly if the defib is not unlocked
• MP – Server filter options are remembered
• MP – Punkbuster filter now works as intended
• MP – Scroll bar no longer overlays the Join Server button in the friends list panel
• MP – CANCEL server refresh is implemented
• MP – Zooming in on a friendly using the SAIGA no longer causes the crosshair to disappear
• MP – The chat no longer displays the incorrect player name when appearing
• MP – FoV switches to the default value of 55 when entering vehicles to prevent graphical glitches caused by wider FoV settings. The custom FoV returns when exiting vehicles.
• MP – FoV no longer causes the UAV station to rotate
• MP – Fix to correctly display the unlock progression at the end of round
• MP – Chat functionality will no longer freeze after writing a partial message at the end of round
• MP – One account can no longer connect to the same server multiple times
• MP – Squad Death Match is correctly named during loading
• MP – Server browser no longer gets a bad FPS when filtering Conquest
• MP – Server info banners correctly clear between displays
• MP – Setting display settings which the system hardware can not handle no longer makes the game unusable
• MP – Correct camera collision for vehicles' heavy machine gun
• MP – Game no longer crashes if the player sends a message in the loading screen
• MP – Trying to join a full server no longer causes the game to hang on Please Wait message
• MP – Most server filter options are remembered it doesn't remember the setting in dropdowns
• MP – Kit/gadget loadout saved between sessions
• MP – Window on static guns is now transparent on DirectX 9 systems
• SP – Fixed crashes when patching and trying to resume a campaign (there is now a message that you need to re-play the latest mission from the beginning)
• SP – Fixed a crash after the “Upriver” mission end cinematic
• SP – Supply create at “Resupply at Flynn’s create” objective now supplies weapon ammo
• SP – Hang fix when reaching the objective “Destroy Enemy Zu23”
• SP – Fixed hang after “Storm Cockpit” objective
• SP – Changed melee attack raycast to be detailed
• SP – Game no longer crashes when transitioning between SP_03B to SP_04A when installed in Polish
• SP – Game no longer crashes when killed by the first two enemies in the trenches on SP_01 when installed in Italian
• SP – Updating to R7 will invalidate your single player save game. If you update you will need to play your last mission from the start. If you do not update you will not be able to play multiplayer.

Here is the R10 Server changelist (Server Side ONLY!

• Punkbuster is required ON for ranked servers
• Ranked servers cannot be started with a password
• Autobalance message goes to text-chat instead of in the middle of the screen
• Added weapon balance tweaks to a number of weapons – we are eagerly awaiting feedback!

I would like to give a big grand welcome to three new trials for United Nations Clan. All are good friends with Gagg3naU and have recently found the little gem we enjoy called Bad Company 2.

• Dodie
• Ugla
• FENRIS

Welcome to the clan guys and girl hehe. Your 2 week trial starts from today. Hope you enjoy your time here. If you have any questions/problems don't hesitate to contact me.

The next release of the game client is currently in QA (Quality Assurance tests) by Steam and EA.

They will perform another synchronized client/server update. It is expected to take place early next week. The client update will be roughly 500MB in size.

My Thoughts:

I personally think this patch is fantastic! The fact we can now control even more options such as Tickets and Kick Idle time is brilliant and also we can chat whilst dead! Even better!

Changelog:

• Server - Some potential sources for lag/rubberbanding have been eliminated
• Server - The old reserved slots has been replaced by a kick-on-demand system like in BF2
• Server - Log file for server admins: all remote admin interface commands/events are logged
• Server - Log file for server admins: major server events + all chat messages are logged
• Server - Idle kick is controllable
• Server - Profanity filter can be disabled
• Server - Teamkill-kick system is controllable
• Server - Ticket counts and bleed rate are controllable per-level
• Server - Infantry only mode available per-level
• Server - Initial spawn delay and respawn delay are adjustable
• Server - Server description can be up to 400 characters, and use "|" for line breaks
• Server - Banlist can contain up to 10.000 entries
• Server - reduced latency in packet handling

• Admin Interface - fixed the player.onKill spam that occasionally happened
• Admin Interface - ensured that player.onJoin events always report the player name
• Admin Interface - events triggered when people spawn
• Admin Interface - much more info on kills
• Admin Interface - detailed stats are reported at end-of-round

• Gameplay - Various minor level bugfixes
• Gameplay - Helicopter handling has been tweaked
• Gameplay - Weapon tweaks have been implemented based on PC public feedback
• Gameplay - Fixed technical hang when a crate was armed outside of the combat area
• Gameplay - "Victory is near" message was shown for the wrong team on Valparaíso, this has been fixed
• Gameplay - Countermeasures can be fired when driving a helicopter
• Gameplay - The brightness of the pilot view in the Russian helicopter has been reduced
• Gameplay - Advanced Spotting scope works better
• Gameplay - Knifing people in the back works again (we backed out the change that we had done for Server R11)

• Server Browser - Servers are sorted into 3 categories: Normal, Modified, Hardcore depending on their settings
• Server Browser – Added support for retrieving update progress
• Server Browser - Now refreshes information
• Server Browser - Join queue system when attempting to join a full server
• Server Browser - all settings are automatically saved between sessions
• Server Browser - Pings are sent via an alternate mechanism, which should work for non-Administrator users as well

• Client - Fixed DX9 issue, which likely caused graphics glitches and perhaps crashes
• Client - Fixed some crashes
• Client - Toggle/hold crouch is user controllable
• Client - Toggle/hold zoom is user controllable
• Client - Vsync bugfixed for DX10/DX11
• Client - Rewritten how settings are written to disk; this should reduce/eliminate the spawn lag
• Client - Fixed bug where a player could join a server before the stats has been downloaded causing faulty stats in "EOR- unlock progression"-screen
• Client - New chat system allows chatting when dead (but not during end of round) and keeps a 100 lines log
• Client - Improved Play Now functionality
• Client - Removed K/D ratio and Skill Level filters in the leaderboards
• Client - Any points you get while being dead will be added to your score
• Client - Reduced negative mouse acceleration
• Client - More informative disconnection/kick reasons

I would like to Welcome our new Trialist Chocomoto to United Nations Clan!

Your 2 week trial will start from today. Hope you enjoy your time here. If you have any questions/problems don't hesitate to contact me.

On stage at the EA E3 press conference DICE announced a new expansion of Battlefield: Bad Company 2 with a new take on a Battlefield franchise favourite, Vietnam. In Battlefield Bad Company 2 Vietnam you get to enter the jungle warfare environment as either the U.S. Marines or North Vietnamese Army (NVA). The expansion pack contains 4 brand new maps built in Frostbite including the popular Conquest and Rush game modes as well as Vietnam specific weapons, vehicles, persistence, unlocks as well as new awards, achievements and trophies.

Battlefield Bad Company 2 Vietnam will be available worldwide in Winter 2010 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

Congratulations Chocomoto for completing your 2 week trial. You have proved to be an active and involved member, which has given you full access to all parts of United Nations Clan.

We hope you enjoy your time here and in Bad Company 2!

Our new Bad Company 2 Server is now added to GameTracker to track the number of people who joined and to make the server more well known to the public. GameTracker will also record stats of each player.

Please tell your friends about the [UNC] server for Bad Company 2.