I mentioned a beta patch before, and now it’s here!

1.11 HIGHLIGHTS – MAIN NEW IMPROVEMENTS AND FIXES

• Fixed compatibility issues with Vista x64 platform

• Voice over net and multiplayer related fixes and improvements

• Fixed Out Of Memory problems caused by exhausting 32b virtual address space

• Significant optimizations with large view distances

• AI bridge pathfinding much improved

• Fixed some bugs in the AI target recognition both visually and aurally

• Improved airplane turn dynamics simulation (including improved rudder simulation)

• Fixed clipping issues with 16:9 or TrippleHead displays

 

Performance was pretty good (as in, I haven’t seen it that good before) when I tried it out on Vista X64 just then – and best of all, no need to dual-boot any more just to play it!

Thanks for the beta, back in a few weeks of playtesting.

(I noticed that trying to adjust the Y axis mouse sensitivity slider didn’t really work properly, but the X was OK… just me?)

Since upgrading to a Vista x64 box with 4GB RAM, I’ve been unable to play Armed Assault. Well, not with, what’s the word? Oh, right, visible graphics.

Sure, you can limit your total memory to <=3GB via BCDEDIT and reboot every single time you want to play the game, but, um, that’s not the best user experience.

A post to the Flashpoint1985 Armed Assault Troubleshooting forum (which seems to get indexed by precisely zero search engines, doesn’t support RSS feeds and is generally a pain in the bum to use) suggests that the upcoming patch (1.12, I think was mentioned somewhere, but whatever; as long as it works (1.09 beta doesn’t)) will fix that.

Now where’s the damn patch!? It’s coming up on a year and a half since release, and still no Vista support. Lift your game, folks!

In a post dated March 18, Peter Moore (formerly of Microsoft Xbox fame, now an EA VP) notes:

Formula One – This seems to be a popular question, and it seems many of our fans in Europe are interested in our thoughts about the game license. This one is simple. I am personally a huge fan, having grown up worshipping such great drivers as Graham Hill, Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart and James Hunt. The excitement that Lewis Hamilton has brought to the sport, and its vast global appeal, make it an appealing game license, but as of right now it is not available. Maybe in a few years the situation will change, but until then we fully respect the rights held by our partners at Sony.

Which is a gigantic pain in the arse, after rumours that EA had bought a Lewis Hamilton endorsement for 5 million quid.

Might have to go get a PS3 if the Formula One license is going to linger with them for much longer.

(Guess there’s always RFactor in the meantime – the best $50 I’ve spent on a racing game in a long time).