**OFFICIAL** AT Battlefield 3 FAQ and News Thread

[novasatori]

this is retarded, i can't activate any of my old BF keys on origin and cant get veteran unlocks

you gotta use a different page, i can't remember where off the top of my head, but it some entitlement page.

 

[jackstar7]

this is retarded, i can't activate any of my old BF keys on origin and cant get veteran unlocks

Actually, just email EA customer service and ask. They activated my Vet status for BF2 and 2142 and added a couple others to try and keep me from complaining about it further. (It worked.)

 

[realjetavenger]

Has everyone gotten their joysticks to work properly with the game? Is anyone using the XBOX360 controller to fly? Has anyone used both and can compare?

I cannot fly anything with mouse/keyboard in this game. It's probably setting adjustments but it just isn't working (without a lot of crashing and changing dpi on the fly making the mouse more or less sensitive doesn't help either). I was hoping I could if only for the choppers as I've had pretty good success in other BF games with keyboard/mouse. But not in BF3.

Previously had a hotas but couldn't get it to work properly in windows 7, so that one is out. I'm going to try a 360 controller (only for flying) but wanted to see if anyone has been using one. Depending on the success, or lack thereof, then may look to get another hotas.
thanks guys

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

this is retarded, i can't activate any of my old BF keys on origin and cant get veteran unlocks

Well first you need to go to EA Product Activation
And follow the steps, use the same email adress you have on Origin

After that, EA would ask for a Classic EA Persona... If you played BF2 (or any other old title from EA in the past) you can link your accounts, if you dont, just create a new Persona.

Later it would ask for a Soldier Name, just put what you want, maybe it displays an error, but after all this you would have BF2 on your Origin Client.

 

[imaheadcase]

The last 2 server side patches they did today fixed my constant disconnects every 5-15min. I actually played for a hour today without a problem in game. Also no more lag on servers for me. yah!
Now for the major patch that fixes all the other stuff..

 

[Canbacon]

Thanks! Actually quite intrigued by that movie too.

Best part that peaked my interest was the sniping part with the person in the water to catch the body.

On another note, I guess my workplace doesn't like the redemption page. As I was able to redeem the code from home.

 

[uclaLabrat]

Has everyone gotten their joysticks to work properly with the game? Is anyone using the XBOX360 controller to fly? Has anyone used both and can compare?

I cannot fly anything with mouse/keyboard in this game. It's probably setting adjustments but it just isn't working (without a lot of crashing and changing dpi on the fly making the mouse more or less sensitive doesn't help either). I was hoping I could if only for the choppers as I've had pretty good success in other BF games with keyboard/mouse. But not in BF3.

Previously had a hotas but couldn't get it to work properly in windows 7, so that one is out. I'm going to try a 360 controller (only for flying) but wanted to see if anyone has been using one. Depending on the success, or lack thereof, then may look to get another hotas.
thanks guys

My joystick works fine (logitech wingman). Couldn't set it up right for about 2 days, had some random input that was messing everything up. In fact, when I first loaded into the game, it had the trigger down repeatedly and I couldn't stop firing until all my ammo was gone. Finally figured out I had to unplug my joystick, clear all the joystick binds manually, then set it back up.

It doesn't register the correct buttons most of the time in the bind title (trigger is called button 1, button 3 is called trigger, etc) but it works just fine.

 

[Worthington]

Same here. I messed with mine for an hour or so. I swear that the game messed with all the axis and inversions and no matter what I did I couldn't get it right. Then, I just reset it.. and BAM, worked like it should.

 

[realjetavenger]

My joystick works fine (logitech wingman). Couldn't set it up right for about 2 days, had some random input that was messing everything up. In fact, when I first loaded into the game, it had the trigger down repeatedly and I couldn't stop firing until all my ammo was gone. Finally figured out I had to unplug my joystick, clear all the joystick binds manually, then set it back up.

It doesn't register the correct buttons most of the time in the bind title (trigger is called button 1, button 3 is called trigger, etc) but it works just fine.

Same here. I messed with mine for an hour or so. I swear that the game messed with all the axis and inversions and no matter what I did I couldn't get it right. Then, I just reset it.. and BAM, worked like it should.

thanks guys. I think what I'll do is give the 360 controller a try and if that doesn't work well, start searching for a new joystick. Let's face, that's what I really want to do anyway...

 

[Termie]

Has everyone gotten their joysticks to work properly with the game? Is anyone using the XBOX360 controller to fly? Has anyone used both and can compare?

I cannot fly anything with mouse/keyboard in this game. It's probably setting adjustments but it just isn't working (without a lot of crashing and changing dpi on the fly making the mouse more or less sensitive doesn't help either). I was hoping I could if only for the choppers as I've had pretty good success in other BF games with keyboard/mouse. But not in BF3.

Previously had a hotas but couldn't get it to work properly in windows 7, so that one is out. I'm going to try a 360 controller (only for flying) but wanted to see if anyone has been using one. Depending on the success, or lack thereof, then may look to get another hotas.
thanks guys

My Saitek simply wouldn't register in the game. Perhaps it's too old. So I plugged in my xbox controller and away I went. It works fine for flying helicopters, although throttle for some reason cannot be controlled by the sticks, only by the buttons. Somewhat inconvenient...but it works. Everything else could be remapped as desired. While flying in BF2 and BC2 with a twist joystick was more "fun," I'd have to say the control with the thumbsticks is more precise. BTW, I haven't tried it on jets.

If you're interested in buying an xbox controller for Windows, Newegg is running a great promotion on it for the next few days: http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2203290. $40 for the controller with wireless transmitter is a great deal.

 

[realjetavenger]

My Saitek simply wouldn't register in the game. Perhaps it's too old. So I plugged in my xbox controller and away I went. It works fine for flying helicopters, although throttle for some reason cannot be controlled by the sticks, only by the buttons. Somewhat inconvenient...but it works. Everything else could be remapped as desired. While flying in BF2 and BC2 with a twist joystick was more "fun," I'd have to say the control with the thumbsticks is more precise. BTW, I haven't tried it on jets.

If you're interested in buying an xbox controller for Windows, Newegg is running a great promotion on it for the next few days: http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2203290. $40 for the controller with wireless transmitter is a great deal.

That is good to know, thanks. Actually, I saw that deal in the hot deals forum this morning and jumped on it. It was that post that got me thinking about using the xbox controller for bf3 (even though I wasn't clear about that earlier). (ah geez, just realized I have you to thank for that

Now for the throttle issue, I wonder if I could re-map the throttle control to my saitek combat pedals, hmmmm??

 

[GullyFoyle]

this is retarded, i can't activate any of my old BF keys on origin and cant get veteran unlocks

This link was posted when you asked several days ago. I will redirect to a newer site, but, did you try it?

 

[GullyFoyle]

Did anyone get "look left", "look right", etc, to bind to the "hat" on your joystick, and work without holding another "free look" key at the same time?

 

[Termie]

That is good to know, thanks. Actually, I saw that deal in the hot deals forum this morning and jumped on it. It was that post that got me thinking about using the xbox controller for bf3 (even though I wasn't clear about that earlier). (ah geez, just realized I have you to thank for that

Now for the throttle issue, I wonder if I could re-map the throttle control to my saitek combat pedals, hmmmm??

Yup, glad to help you part with your cash!

I have a sneaking suspicion that the joystick controls were ported from the consoles. That would mean that mapping throttle to a foot pedal or thumb paddle may not work - I think it may require an "on" or "off" setting, which you can only do with buttons. Others using joysticks may be able to comment. I can only speak for the xbox controller.

By the way, this is not the first time I've had a game controller simply not register. I've already retired my original Logitech Wingman Rumblepad, as W7 won't recognize it.

 

[Termie]

Did anyone get "look left", "look right", etc, to bind to the "hat" on your joystick, and work without holding another "free look" key at the same time?

Nope...that doesn't work either on my xbox controller hat, actually. I tend to just use the 3d-person view anyway, which does work.

 

[Maligx]

looks like some nerfs are coming to stingers and all 7.62mm weapons

http://mp1st.com/2011/10/29/new-battlefield-3-patch-details-changes-to-aiming-pp-2000-and-much-more/

http://mp1st.com/2011/10/31/bf3-sca...bber-banding-hardcore-servers-added-and-more/

 

[mc866]

looks like some nerfs are coming to stingers and all 7.62mm weapons

http://mp1st.com/2011/10/29/new-battlefield-3-patch-details-changes-to-aiming-pp-2000-and-much-more/

http://mp1st.com/2011/10/31/bf3-sca...bber-banding-hardcore-servers-added-and-more/

Not the SCAR-H and the stinger, because I suck SCAR is the only gun I can get a kill with. Stinger surprises me too because I think it's pretty tough to drop a chopper or jet with upgrades.

 

[Zargon]

UMP and pistols to get more damage

and as always:

 

[Exterous]

Any opinions on the LMG's guys?

Ive tried the M249/M240B/M60E4 and i dunno, i really liked the M249 and im doing quite well with the M240 its got extra kick but theres quite a few times at range when i shoot someone they get away and i keep thinking "i couldve killed him with the M249" maybe its just me but it seems to be the best one for ranged engagement.

For smaller/urban maps the LMGs are ok but I really don't like them when I have to try and hit anything at range

I did have the M249 with extended mag and someone else in my squad had the squad mag perk which gave me 400 round magazines for it. I could fire forever without reloading!

UMP and pistols to get more damage

Good - the UMP has seemed underpowered to me

 

[Demo24]

For smaller/urban maps the LMGs are ok but I really don't like them when I have to try and hit anything at range

I did have the M249 with extended mag and someone else in my squad had the squad mag perk which gave me 400 round magazines for it. I could fire forever without reloading!

lol, awesome! m249 with thermal and a suppressor is pretty win in most instances

 

[dyndragon]

I don't think this is really that true, with the exception of vehicle unlocks. BC2 had 25% damage increases and 25% more health perks that made a huge difference between a rank 1 player and a rank 25+ player.

BF3 has some better scopes, and more variety of weapons. I feel that there are no real unlocks for infantry that give you that much of an edge. The base weapons I find are pretty decent, and still take roughly the same number of shots to kill, with a few exceptions (like the SCAR-H being amazing, and the m4 being horrible).

Granted, this might just be because I'm at or above the rank curve: http://battlelog.battlefield.com/bf3/soldier/ssun84/stats/236558203/

He speaketh the truth. There is not much difference between the weapons when it comes down to it, and no perks that increase damage across the board like magnum ammo or explosive damage--thankfully! I was just playing again with the starting weapons and now that I'm much more used to BF3, I don't feel really that disadvantaged.

 

[novasatori]

I don't really like the stinger nerf, it is already hard enough to hit anything with flares.

I welcome more ammo in the M39 EMR though, it seems like a pretty terrible gun.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

Not the SCAR-H and the stinger, because I suck SCAR is the only gun I can get a kill with. Stinger surprises me too because I think it's pretty tough to drop a chopper or jet with upgrades.

Its very easy to take out a jet since its only 1 hit. If I have another jet on my tail and one or two additional engineers on the ground aiming at me im pretty much going down.

 

[Canbacon]

UMP and pistols to get more damage

More damage for pistols? Wow, I'm not too sure how I feel about that. They feel plenty powerful to me and it is a bit unfair as you can easily wipe a squad with a tac version of the pistols. Even the 93R is crazy up close. The only ones that need practice to be effective with are the revolvers (REX and 44 mag).

 

[Canbacon]

I don't really like the stinger nerf, it is already hard enough to hit anything with flares.

I welcome more ammo in the M39 EMR though, it seems like a pretty terrible gun.

I wonder if they will increase the in game weapon count to match the website or will they change the website to match the in game count? I just have a feeling that they will do the easy thing and change the website to match.

The EMR in its own right is a good weapon. You shouldn't really need more than 10+1 but more wouldn't really hurt.