Perhaps the Killzone 3 single player demo and multiplayer open beta both were a little more beta than some originally thought. Sure, both came out after the game had gone gold, but in today's gaming world that does not mean the game will never change. Guerilla Games even provided some earlier information about changes they were looking to implement via a patch after the open beta closed. Now, with Killzone 3 fresh on store shelves, many of those and other changes are coming home in the Killzone 3 day-zero patch.

While this patch is merely the first of several planned Killzone 3 patches, it looks to make a lot of minor tweaks to both multiplayer and single player aspects of the game. A full list of the all the changes in the day-zero patch is included below. Some of the more substantial changes to multiplayer include lowering the overall accuracy of the StA-3 LMG and increasing its spread. Additionally, kick-voting has been added to online matches, and clan matches will no longer end in a draw if one clan quits out (therefore forfeiting) before the remaining clan is able to score points in Guerrilla Warfare.

In the single player experience, stutter issues related to cutscenes loaded from the menu have apparently been fixed and the overall streaming performance of the game has been improved, providing a smoother gameplay experience. The patch also integrates Killzone 3 into the PSN store and looks to provide enhanced security in an effort to deter cheating in the game.

It is good to see Guerilla Games plugging away on issues both large and small to see that Killzone 3 is the best it possibly can be. Sure, waiting to download updates and patches can be a pain, but when those updates make the game better for everyone involved, and make the online experience more fun and more fair, it is usually worth it.

Here is the full list of changes implemented in the day-zero patch:

MULTIPLAYER

For those who participated in the Killzone 3 multiplayer open beta, you’ve already had the opportunity to play with several of the Gameplay changes as they were present in the package you downloaded. More updates and enhancements are on the way, based on the great feedback we received during open beta. Gameplay:
  • Increased the number of melee kills needed to unlock Increased Accuracy
  • StA-3 LMG has had its spread increased and overall accuracy lowered
  • Lowered the range and recoil of the LS-57 SMG
  • Silent Footsteps has been removed as a ribbon and is now an unlockable skill
  • Capturing a Capture and Hold area in Operations will award the same amount of points as it does in Warzone — it was previously worth less
  • A specific screen has been added to inform players when a Skill has been unlocked
  • Medic: The LS-57 SMG replaces their previously equipped StA-11 SMG
  • Medic: The M224-1A LMG replaces their previously equipped LS-13 Shotgun
  • Engineer: The StA-11 SMG replaces their previously equipped LS-57 SMG
  • Tactician: The LS-13 Shotgun replaces their previously equipped M224-1A LMG
  • Tactician: Neutralizing and capturing Tactical Spawn Areas now have two different timers, allowing you to neutralize the ownership away from the enemy faction quicker
  • Tactician: Spot & Mark has been rebalanced - it will now ‘pulse’ like a sonar for 30 seconds, rather than stay constantly active during its duration
  • Infiltrator: Disguise ranges for each rank has been adjusted. At rank 1, any player can see through Disguise when targeting the Infiltrator. At rank 2, a player must be within 30m range. At rank 3, a player must be within 15m range. Additionally, Disguise at rank 2 has had its timer set to ‘indefinite’ and is no longer based on a timer.
  • Infiltrator: The sprint speed modifier earned from Survivalist has been decreased
  • New online trophies can be unlocked from the Retro Pack DLC
  • Kick-voting has been added to online matches
  • Experience points earned for completing mission objectives has been increased
Clans and Squads:
  • You can no longer rejoin a clan match that has already finished
  • Current clan ratings are more accurately reflected at the beginning of the match
  • Players will no longer start the game in a squad by themselves
  • Clan matches will no longer end in a draw if one clan quits out (therefore forfeiting) before the remaining clan is able to score points in Guerrilla Warfare
  • You will no longer hang after pressing the Start button right after accepting a clan invite on the region select screen
Network Issues:
  • Network errors experienced during the open beta, such as 20002 and 8001, should no longer occur
  • A 30 second time-out has been added to Multiplayer “joining” screen, should you experience an interruption in your connection
  • Players that don’t have the Retro Pack, who tried joining a friend who was currently playing on a Retro Pack map, will no longer receive a network error code
General Bugs:
  • You will no longer have the “Your Faction Has Won/Lost” image roll over into subsequent matches
  • You will no longer receive multiple unlock points when the server is out of sync
  • You will no longer accumulate additional unlock points after everything has been unlocked
  • Fixed an issue that caused the menu to stop responding after switching rapidly between the career unlocks screen and the multiplayer main menu
  • The Bullet Damage ribbon reward is now applied to all primary and secondary weapons that fire bullets
  • Tactician: Fixed an issue that prevented players from re-activating Spot & Mark for 60 seconds after they were killed with it active

CAMPAIGN

Cutscenes:
  • Stutter issues stemming from cutscenes that were loaded from the menu have been resolved
  • Icy Incursion: Audio is now in sync during the cutscene played while streaming into Providence Station
Gameplay:
  • Improved streaming performance for a smoother gameplay experience

GENERAL

Sharp shooter:
  • Square button is mapped to Jump when using the Sharpshooter
  • Adjusted the deadzone modifier when using the Sharpshooter
PlayStation Move:
  • Fixed a possible crash that could occur after playing the campaign while using the motion controller
Technical:
  • Killzone 3 is now integrated into the PSN store
  • Enhanced security features included to deter cheating

What are your thoughts on the day-zero patch? Is there something you were hoping would get patched that did not this round? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Killzone 3 is out now exclusively for the PlayStation 3

Source: Killzone.com