Battlefield Vietnam Tweak Guide

[Page 4] Patches, Maps & Mods



Official Patch


Since Battlefield Vietnam was released early in 2004, it has received several patches which have resolved some of the game issues many players have complained about. Unfortunately the patches have not completely fixed the major source of complaint: BF:V's performance. Despite this, it is still vital to make sure that you are running the latest version of the game. At the moment, the latest version of Battlefield Vietnam is version 1.21, and this patch can be downloaded from here: EA Games or FilePlanet among other places. The full patch weighs in at 295MB, but it also includes all the changes from previous patches, so if you have just installed the game (or are reinstalling), you only need to apply this patch to bring the game right up to date. The incremental patch from 1.2 to 1.21 is only 10MB and the only change from previous versions is a fix for a multiplayer exploit.


The patch contains many changes and is a must-install for BF:V players. The patch is large because aside from a range of bug fixes and gameplay tweaks it contains 3 new maps: Operation Cedar Falls, Saigon 1968 and Fall of Saigon; and also introduces 8 new vehicles. The full list of changes can be previewed here. Note that if you have not installed the WW2 Mod for BF:V (See Mods section below), and you want to do this at some point, install the WW2 Mod before installing the 1.2 Patch. Alternatively, if you run into problems after installing the WW2 Mod simply reinstall the 1.2 Patch immediately afterwards.


Click to enlarge

No-CD Patch


Despite several patches, Battlefield Vietnam still has a requirement to keep a game CD in the drive while playing the game, which is quite annoying. It shouldn't result in any noticeable performance decrease, although it can increase the initial loading time for the game. As with all my tweak guides, I specifically do not include any information on where to find, or how to install No-CD patches for games. This is only due to legal concerns, and not any moral considerations on using such software.


Maps and Mods


Battlefield Vietnam is based on the popularity of its older brother, Battlefield 1942. BF1942 became extremely popular for two reasons: it introduced a new style of online gameplay, and it was the basis for several popular modifications, most notably Desert Combat. BF:V on the other hand doesn't have an entirely new style of gameplay, however it is now also the basis for several popular modifications – ironically one of which is based entirely on BF1942. The two major mods I'm talking about are:


The Battlefield Vietnam WWII Mod (300MB) which is a an official EA Games/DICE free mod for Battlefield Vietnam. It basically takes three pacific-theatre maps for Battlefield 1942 and reproduces them using the more advanced features of the BF:V engine. It is well worth the download, because BF1942 never looked better than when running on a full tank of BF:V juice!


The Point of Existence Mod (366MB) which is a mod similar to Desert Combat, in that it takes BF:V to modern theatres of combat using the latest weaponry and vehicles. It is proving very popular with Battlefield Vietnam players, and I recommend you try it for yourself. Note that a client patch has already been released for PoE, so keep an eye on the official site for regular patches which iron out any bugs in this excellent mod.


If you are in mod-making kind of mood, BF:V comes with an editor called Battlecraft Vietnam. You can find the original Version 1.0 of this editor on your Battlefield Vietnam CD3, or the very latest updated version of it can be downloaded from the: EAGames FTP (123MB). Once you install it, you can get to work developing a mod for BF:V.



The next section of the guide covers all the In-Game Settings for Battlefield Vietnam.