I get to play Battlefield 3 tomorrow. What do you want to know?

DeVore

So, tomorrow, lucky auld me gets to fly to London and play BF3!

I will be meeting with the producers and what not, so if you have questions, I'll get you hands-on answers.

Post them here by 11am Wednesday (6th Apr) and I'll find out for you

DeV.

Spear

I can only think of nasty questions that they won't answer. I doubt they'll give anything of real substance away anyway.

Auvers

are you getting to see the multiplayer?

DeVore

I would imagine so yes. Its a "journalist" PR launch and they tend to be very "hands on". If theres anything you want to know about MP post the question and I'll see if I can get an answer.


Spear, so long as they arent "rude" questions, I'll buttonhole anyone about any topic.

DeV.

Auvers

all I want to know is there regenerating health (in multiplayer) on the PC version

Spear

DeVore wrote: »

Spear, so long as they arent "rude" questions, I'll buttonhole anyone about any topic.

DeV.

No, nothing rude, just wondering about things such as why they pander to the selfish and unproductive elements of the player base by continuing to provide a sniper class in a team based multiplayer game. Or why they botched the PC release of BF1943.

DeVore

I can probably knock those into non-emotive, reasonable questions

Auvers, I take it you mean "health comes back if you dont get shot for a few seconds".... ala Halo? I'm sure I'll have an answer tomorrow for you!

DeV.

Auvers

DeVore wrote: »

I take it you mean "health comes back if you dont get shot for a few seconds".... ala Halo? I'm sure I'll have an answer tomorrow for you!

yep thats what I mean

Spear

Actually, I do have a productive question: do they intend to have collectible dogtags as they've done so in 2142 and BC1/2.

/looking forward to stabbing Wonda in new environments.

Ponster

Will there be Multiplayer built-in LAN support? (including dedicated server files)

Will there be a demo and/or a beta release ?

Will BF3 support mods ?

Is the "commander modes" from BF2 which didn't feature in BC2 back in BF3 ?

What is the maximum amount of squads that can be created and how many people per squad?

In BF2 1.0 it was possible to 'see' servers and who was playing on them from third-party sites and applications (such as Yahoo! All Seeing Eye). This was removed after patch 1.3. Will it be possible to join BF3 games from third-party applications/sites rather than using the in-game browser something for which DiCE have never been known to master properly?

Why isn't a Battlefield mod being invited?

Why are Ireland being kicked out of the 2015 Cricket World Cup ?

kirving

As the PC is the more powerful platform, are they really putting more effort into the PC version as opposed to the console version?

omerin

I'll second what spear mentioed, where the f**k is 1943?
Also as I mentioned on another thread, please please make sure they release a product that tested properly, i.e. make sure you can log on to the servers, I remember BFBC2 log in issues, took them a while to get it right. Also I'd prefer not to download 400mb+ patches a few days after its released

When will a demo be available for the PC?
Maybe an option to customise your soldier as part of the main release, not to be charged for it. I make a point when playing to kill those rich ba*tards first when I'm online
Dx11 support from the start.

Spear

Now that I've thought a bit more.

I suspect they can't answer this, but I'm concerned about what comes after the game. In all prior releases there's been 2 or 3 major patches within the main sales window of the few months after release. After that patches become rare and minor, and the flow of new content dries up correspondingly. So are they going to give this real support after release? I'd really like to see them take the same approach as Blizzard do with WoW and regard it as a living and evolving game. EA/Dice need to plan out maybe 2 years plus of regular patches and genuinely new content (not a new mode on a pre-existing map). If they really want to steal CoD's thunder they need to target them where they're weak in the form of paid map packs, and where they're strong in the form of a new release every year by providing free new content, even if it is only 1 map a month or so. Is there any hope of them providing the long term support the franchise needs?

Spiritine

+1 for LAN support question, if we dont get a new game with LAN support soon, LAN's are going to suffer more

BULLER

• Will it be possible to host a dedicated server as with BF1942 and BF2?
  
• Will you be reintoducing AI bots for single player / dedicated server maps?
  
• If so, will they be remotely intellegent this time?
  
• How does the game run on consoles if the engine is based on DX11 and is unable to run in DX9 mode on PC? (Im not complaining, its very encouraging that its DX11, just curious)
  
• Will there be commander mode?
  
• Will they be retaining "Rush mode"?

seyeM

I wouldn't be suprised to see a WW2 based expansion to BF3 at some stage, which is probably why BF1943 is on ice.

A bit late but i'd like to know if:

- The chopper maneuverability and control system from Battlefield 2 is coming back (BC2's sucked ass).
- Proper joystick support.
- The game has lan support/mod tools/public server files
- Is Battlerecorder back? Do they plan to implement a first person spectator mode (i.e. seeing exactly what the player being spectated sees..usable in demos too ala counterstrike). Previously it has been restricted to free look and third person.
- How does the squad system work (hopefully 6 man squads with members only able to spawn on the squad leader..)

Blazer

I'd like to know what Jets are in this game and how big some of the maps are.
Another thing is lan support.
I think a lot of my other concerns have been called out above.

DeVore

Ok, so they didnt let us near the machines to play it as its pre-alpha code (and even in the demo it crashed occasionally).

Also, they wouldnt talk about certain aspects. (boooo)


And they have embargoed the whole world from talking about until the 8th (Friday). So, until then, all I can really say is "wow... it looks awesome and I seriously think I might play this".

I have answers to some of your questions but they were quite tight lipped but I'll tell you what I know come Friday.

DeV.

Spear

DeVore wrote: »

Ok, so they didnt let us near the machines to play it as its pre-alpha code (and even in the demo it crashed occasionally).

Also, they wouldnt talk about certain aspects. (boooo)


And they have embargoed the whole world from talking about until the 8th (Friday). So, until then, all I can really say is "wow... it looks awesome and I seriously think I might play this".

I have answers to some of your questions but they were quite tight lipped but I'll tell you what I know come Friday.

DeV.

Regrettable but predictable behaviour by them. I had hoped it was in a better, more playable state by now though.

Kiith

They've 7 months till it's released, so there's plenty of time.

DeVore

I really dont want to break any embargoes but I will say that as someone with 20 years of coding/project management, I wouldnt be concerned about the state of the code.

I'll say more on Friday... or more likely midnight today


DeV.

BULLER

DeVore wrote: »

I really dont want to break any embargoes but I will say that as someone with 20 years of coding/project management, I wouldnt be concerned about the state of the code.

I'll say more on Friday... or more likely midnight today


DeV.

Ah gowan!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDVCWKx0hIM&feature=related

karma_

Right, it's Friday, spit it out.

DeVore

It looks awesome. if you could make a game out of Black Hawk Down, it would look like this.

So, specific answers.

Yes there is an extensive singleplayer campaign.

Its developed with the Frostbite2 engine and it was developed for the PC. The xbox version has been scrunched down. In fact one of the techs was telling me that when they first tried it on 360, it would barely render a single player object before optimisation.

Snipers are in it but i didnt get to see any play as them.

There is regenerating health like Halo.

Here's the shocker.... no dedicated LAN support. The lan has to have connection out to the interweb. He said would you be able to rent dedicated servers, "like before" ... which i hope makes sense to you.

I asked about commander mode and they all clammed up and wouldnt say anything. I doubt you will see it as one head guy did say "it was only 2 out of 128 people, its a lot of work for that"... but i expect some new tactical and strategic elements to MP because there was something they werent telling us.

They wouldnt say a lot about MP and certainly wouldnt answer questions about mods squads, mostly they wanted to show off the pretty pictures which were... in fairness... pretty.

There was one thing I loved, their destruction physics are amazing, you can tear down a 5 storey hotel to the ground, to rubble, or you can blow about a 1/6th of a breezeblock away from a wall to get a shot or to reveal an enemy in cover.

If we get another invite in the fall (as we sometimes do) I'll try to get a BF mod over to it, we've done it before for driving games mods. This was much more than BF though, i got to see and play Portal 2(awesome, gonna be huge!) and tons of other stuff.

DeV

Spear

DeVore wrote: »

as one head guy did say "it was only 2 out of 128 people, its a lot of work for that"

Are you very sure about the numbers in that quote? It has interesting implications if so.

If we get another invite in the fall (as we sometimes do) I'll try to get a BF mod over to it, we've done it before for driving games mods.

EA is a client of my employer, if that helps smooth things.

kklkit

DeVore wrote: »

I doubt you will see it as one head guy did say "it was only 2 out of 128 people, its a lot of work for that"... but i expect some new tactical and strategic elements to MP because there was something they werent telling us.

Wait.. isnt MP 32vs32 on PC?

Shiminay

It's worth noting that if it's Frostbite, there won't be any Mods as the engine doesn't really support them (so the Senior Producer of MoH told me). Bit disappointing that, there were some really fun mods for BF2.

If they're talking about 64 vs 64, then that surely makes the need for a central team commander all the more important?

No LAN/Dedicated Server support (renting servers does not count unless you can rent someone to come along to your LAN and run it for you) is typical of pretty much every game now and it's a disgrace tbh. F**k you consoles

Auvers

DeVore wrote: »

There is regenerating health like Halo.DeV

nnnnnnnoooooooooo

looks like Battlefield has been consolized, its going to be more BC2\COD than BF2

Korvanica

Auvers wrote: »

nnnnnnnoooooooooo

looks like Battlefield has been consolized, its going to be more BC2\COD than BF2

Hardcore mode doesn't have regenerating health in BC2..

Just play hardcore mode... :pac:

DeVore

It sure looked like BF2 ... lots of tanks, APC's, jets...They acknowledged jets would be in there but didnt say what kind... they did talk about how tricky it had been to balance jets against infantry and the answer was illuminating. They said if they had made it realistic, the ground forces havent a chance, as in real life, so they explicitly recognised that they were making a game, not a simulator which meant to be precise and representative... while games should be fun and enjoyable so they were clear that realism in the numbers was sacraficed for enjoyability and entertainment. Which in my mind is a GOOD thing.

DeV.

DeVore

Kharn wrote: »

It's worth noting that if it's Frostbite, there won't be any Mods as the engine doesn't really support them (so the Senior Producer of MoH told me). Bit disappointing that, there were some really fun mods for BF2.

If they're talking about 64 vs 64, then that surely makes the need for a central team commander all the more important?

No LAN/Dedicated Server support (renting servers does not count unless you can rent someone to come along to your LAN and run it for you) is typical of pretty much every game now and it's a disgrace tbh. F**k you consoles

Its definitely the Frostbite 2 engine. I cant be entirely certain (as I only caught the end of the conversation) but I am reasonably sure he said it would be 64v64. I'll try to find out for certain.

I would find the lack of commander mode sad as I think its a fantastic addition to the genre, in fact I would love to see another team member or several, playing an RTS which acts as in-world supply of munitions etc!

They gave me a cd of press stuff which I will be going through over the weekend so hopefully it has some screenies for you guys.

DeV.


DeV.