Help test Battlefield 2 1.4 patch

EA and DICE are inviting Battlefield 2 fans to help beta-test the game's 1.4 patch.

Available from official sources, the patch (138MB for the incremental update, 522MB for the big one) will allow you to try out the new "No Vehicles" server setting on maps from Battlefield 2 and its Special Forces add-on.

You'll also be able to get your first taste of the new "Road to Jalalabad" urban warfare map.

The goal of this initial beta test phase is to ensure stability in a live environment - and to this end only a small number of servers will be used.

But, says EA, once this is out of the way the team will ratchet up the number of servers so that everybody can have a go and let the teams involved know what they make of it.

So, if you're interested in doing that, go ahead and download it, but make sure to heed the Battlefield team's word of caution:

"I would like to stress that everyone who downloads the beta files should take the time to read the included text file so that you can properly safeguard your current BF2 install."

So watch it. And if you have any issues to report, there's a forum thread for it along with one for general feedback.

According to the BF team's last update, the new patch will also allow unlocks on unranked servers, lower the number of players needed to start a ranked game, and fix a few bugs - as well as tuning the vehicle-drop feature from patch 1.3.