Battlefield 3 mod platform allows use of proprietary servers and mods

The Battlefield 3 mod Venice Unleashed was released this month. This allows the self-running of custom servers with advanced settings and the mod supports the installation of further mods, which allow completely new game modes.

Without this mod, gamers looking to host a Battlefield 3 server themselves are at the mercy of EA or an EA-approved partner. With Venice Unleashed, users can not only host their own server, but also adjust the tick rate to at least 120Hz. Users can also remove visual elements, such as the blue haze that covers the game. Effects such as glare from the sun and a blurred image due to suppressing fire can also be reduced. Furthermore, the mod introduces a spectator mode with free camera.

Simultaneously with the work on its own dedicated server, support for mods was started. In a trailer, the Venice Unleashed developers have put together an overview of mods. It shows things like a bicycle to use, a buggy with rocket boosters, a game of prop hunt, the Project Reality mod aimed at realism and teamwork, VU’s own mod tools and more.

The mod’s creators assure those interested that players need not fear a ban from EA, as the game runs as a standalone process and does not modify an existing Battlefield 3 installation. However, a copy of BF3 in an Origin account is required to run the mod. VU consists of reverse engineered code from the official Battlefield 3 servers. The mod is legal under EU interoperability laws, the developers say. In the future, the makers want to add position-dependent voice chat and automatic distribution of mods that run on servers, among other things.