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

[DeadFred]

BF3 Premium $24.99 - http://www.gamestop.com/pc/dlc/battlefield-3-premium-service/102475

 

[GullyFoyle]

Battlefield 3 End Game: DICE talks Bad Company, pleasing fans and dinosaurs

Producer Craig Mcleod on beating competitors

Battlefield 3's End Game DLC hits Xbox Live Marketplace on 12th March... but you can also download it now for "other platforms", if you absolutely must. In weary recognition of this depressing fact, here's the full text of our interview with DICE producer Craig Mcleod, exploring both End Game itself and DICE's DLC strategy in general, with a faint dusting of dinosaurs and Battlefield 2142 ruminations.

Before we begin, a quick recap: End Game adds four new maps, two AA vehicles, motorbikes, pilots-only Air Superiority mode, Capture The Flag and the usual drizzle of assignments and achievements. It'll cost 1200 MP. Now, on with the hard-hitting investigative journalism.

How pre-planned was Endgame? Did you have a fully formed idea in mind when you began developing Battlefield 3 DLC, or has it evolved according to player responses to your other packs?

That's actually a really good question. We only had the idea of Endgame, but we weren't 100% certain at the very beginning that we were going to do it, and then as we were going along we saw the success - and actually we saw a number of features that we want to add to the Battlefield 3 franchise, but weren't able to fit them into the current packs. So we decided to do one more to bring in things that we thought were really important, like Capture The Flag.

Your last pack Aftermath had more of a narrative context than this one. Is that because players weren't as keen on the idea of DLC that's supported by the story?

No, it wasn't really to do with that. We feel that people got Aftermath, but there were a number of people who really didn't enjoy the fact that we'd tied it in to the single player storyline. One of the things that we're able to do with extensions is we can kind of try out some new things. We had some great ideas that we want to get out there and some new features.

With this pack we're trying something different. What we're doing with our final pack, Endgame, is we're looking at speed and agility - that's what we're trying to bring to the battlefield this time. So this can be seen with a big focus on airplay, regarding our jets and air superiority, as well our AA vehicles and in particular the dirt bikes. We wanted to bring that aspect to the battlefield - that was really really important to us, rather than trying to shoehorn something else in that didn't quite fit right.

DLC does seem like a good opportunity to rediscover older aspects of the franchise, like Capture The Flag. How do you handle reviving these ideas?

I think it's a really important thing to do. We talk a lot to our community, whether it's at events or whether it's through forums and other media, and one of the things that we get from them is this kind of information, and the great thing with Endgame is that we were able to incorporate earlier feedback.

So, Capture The Flag is actually the first time we've brought it back in ten years since Battlefield 1942. It's something that we've wanted to bring back for a while, we know it's a core first person shooter game mode, and it's something that our community told us that they would love to see in Battlefield. This kind of extension pack allows us to do that.

I suppose with CTF in particular, there was a risk of conflating yourself with certain other shooters. It's quite a common mode.

I suppose that's true in some way, but the great thing about CTF, or the thing that I really like that we did and maybe we needed a bit more time to think about it was how do we make CTF feel Battlefield? So, how do we that instead of just making it a normal infantry "run with the flag" mode. And so we've added vehicles into the mix because this is one of our core pillars - it's what everyone knows Battlefield is for. So the authority to actually use the vehicles in this mode, we really felt that we've made it unique, and we really think that the fans will appreciate that.

Air Superiority terrifies me - I'm hopeless at flying things. How does that work exactly? Do you start on the ground?

No, you absolutely don't. Air superiority is pure jets. So it's 12 vs 12 jets and you spawn directly into the actual airplane. There's no on-land, there's no on-foot, you're not even taking off a runway. It's about speed and agility, about getting players into the fight as quickly as possible. This caters really well to our people who love jets and who love the dogfights.

There are a number of players who've said that they want more than a couple of jets available on each level. What we did to solve that was we took the idea of Tank Superiority and we flipped it on its head, with air combat. It can be a really good training ground for learning how the jet works, actually - it allows you to practice in an environment where you don't have to worry about upsetting your team. If you don't feel confident enough in a jet this is a perfect mode for you to get into.

Has the practice of DLC changed since you began developing Battlefield 3 add-ons?

I do feel that the DLC packs we release have expanded hugely. I look back to Bad Company 2, and we released a number of map packs, and then right at the end of the Bad Company cycle we released Vietnam. This was a much bigger pack incorporating new weapons and environments - we actually built a whole new front-end right into it.

And we found people really enjoyed this. As much as people enjoyed having new maps to play on, they really enjoyed having a new experience. So the ability to not only deliver new maps but new vehicles, weapons and completely new features. To reference End Game, we have the vehicle air drop - this is a fantastic feature that we haven't had before, that we've brought into the gameplay. It's a way of not only catering to our fans but also trying out new things from future development.

Would you say your competitors are playing catch-up in this regard?

Yeah, I think we're driving the industry in this respect. When I look at things like Battlelog, and when I look at the whole experience that we deliver in a DLC - people didn't do this before, they literally did map packs, and now we can see some of our competitors introducing not just new maps but also new weapons, and new features on the side. And I feel we're forcing the industry to step up and follow the example that we're setting.

Were there any particular ideas for Battlefield 3 DLC packs that you decided not to move ahead with?

When we go through and start collecting what DLC we want to do, we go through a lot of different ideas, we brainstorm an awful lot. We pick which ones we feel cater well to the experience we want to deliver, what our audience would enjoy. Sometimes we have feelings and beliefs that we've held for possibly a year, or a few years, and we put them into the game and try it out. So there were definitely some other ideas that we had bouncing around, but I really think we've hit a really good balance, and delivered something really fantastic. So I'm incredibly proud of it.

What about dinosaur maps? That's one of the big Battlefield fan requests.

It's not something that we looked at for Battlefield 3 to be perfectly honest - we did see it, obviously we heard about it. We played a little with it, played with the public a little bit. There are some Easter eggs within the packs as we've gone along, sort of referencing the dinosaur themes that people have mentioned. But it's not something that we looked at for Battlefield 3, no.

Is it possible you'll continue to support Battlefield 3 with new content alongside Battlefield 4?

I definitely think that's a possibility. I look back to Battlefield 2, which still has a good player base. I now look at Battlefield 3, and I do believe that as we move forward as a studio, BF3 will continue to be played for many years to come. I think that also the ability to deliver this digital content in the way that we've done it, and in the way that we've done it allows this to actually go forward and ride alongside other titles.

A final pie-in-the-sky question. I'd love to see a sequel to Battlefield 2142. Are there any plans in that direction or has the futuristic take on Battlefield been dropped for good?

We really can't sort of say what's in line for the future. Obviously we've announced that Battlefield 4 is being worked on in the studio but regarding any other sort of projects that we have, unfortunately we can't say anything.

 

[realjetavenger]

So how about another BF3 map pack that is along the lines of the BC2 Vietnam dlc? Do either a BF3 Vietnam or better yet, a BF3 1942 map pack? Use for or five maps from BF1942 updated with frostbite 2 and using WWII weaponry.

"Has the practice of DLC changed since you began developing Battlefield 3 add-ons?

I do feel that the DLC packs we release have expanded hugely. I look back to Bad Company 2, and we released a number of map packs, and then right at the end of the Bad Company cycle we released Vietnam. This was a much bigger pack incorporating new weapons and environments - we actually built a whole new front-end right into it.

And we found people really enjoyed this. As much as people enjoyed having new maps to play on, they really enjoyed having a new experience. So the ability to not only deliver new maps but new vehicles, weapons and completely new features."

 

[GullyFoyle]

I'm guessing the DLC for BF3 is really over. I just hope they have a patch that enables new game modes to some of the maps released earlier.

(Capture the Flag on more than the last 4 maps)

 

[DeadFred]

So how about another BF3 map pack that is along the lines of the BC2 Vietnam dlc? Do either a BF3 Vietnam or better yet, a BF3 1942 map pack? Use for or five maps from BF1942 updated with frostbite 2 and using WWII weaponry.

Id love that! WW2 weaponry without all the snazzy attachments would be awesome.

 

[Worthington]

agreed, thats something I've been wishing they'd do for a long time. no unlocks, no ranks, no progression. Pick your class and go. Just like 1942.

 

[amddude]

Do you guys get stuck in this hell where you update, then try to join a server and it keeps prompting you to install the DLC? lol

 

[jackstar7]

Man... if they could re-create the MOHAA beach map (since we're dreaming), that'd bring me a lot of joy.

 

[Deaks2]

I was a fan of the BF42 Coral Sea map. I miss it

 

[jessieqwert]

Do you guys get stuck in this hell where you update, then try to join a server and it keeps prompting you to install the DLC? lol

Yeah but I'm not sure it's even live yet for PC?

 

[GullyFoyle]

well i basically right besides not noticing gully wasnt using tuesday as his starting day

Oh well, I was hoping for a surprise early release. No luck.

So Zargon, is this going to be released tonight in the wee hours of the night?

Let's see your prediction.

 

[Zargon]

Probably

 

[Anubis]

(PS3) so CTF is really fun, REALLY REALLY fun hopefully it is for the PC guys with larger player counts

Conquest on the new maps sucks badly. with limited players (console) its far too easy for them to become unbalanced spawn rape fests and there is no way out of it as on pretty much every map you have clear shots into the spawn from really close, and the spawns have close to no cover

hopefully with larger player counts that isnt an issue for the PC

its armored kill all over again.

but at least CTF is fun

 

[Durvelle27]

can't wait to play this on my FX 8320

 

[mple]

Excited for the new expansion! Anyone interested in playing Co-op? I Still haven't unlocked any of the Co-op weapons lol

 

[destrekor]

Downloading a 6gb update right now.

Haven't played in forever, been loving Planetside 2 too much.

But I figured I should get the downloads done so if I feel like playing with some of my buddies I can do that without waiting a few hours for downloads.

This isn't just a 6GB patch, with a 4-6GB DLC download to follow, is it? Like last time?
edit: certainly looks to be that way. I thought it went live today, but End Game goes live tomorrow. And there was talk of a March patch/update, so this is it. It's always a large patch before the new DLC.

Yeesh. I fully expect the DLC download to be between 3 to 6GB, and this patch is 6GB.

 

[GullyFoyle]

Battlelog - End Game release times for PC and X360 Premium members

By: trydling Posted: 6 hours ago

March 12 is the release date for Battlefield 3: End Game for PC and X360 Premium members! See detailed release times below.

X360 Premium members: The latest game update and End Game for Premium members will go live during a maintenance window between 9-13 UTC on MArch 12.

PC Premium members: Around 9 AM UTC March 12.

09:00:00 Tuesday March 12, 2013 in UTC converts to
05:00:00 Tuesday March 12, 2013 in America/New_York
02:00:00 Tuesday March 12, 2013 in America/Los_Angeles

Daylight Saving Time is not in effect on this date/time in UTC
Daylight Saving Time is in effect on this date/time in America/New_York

 

[Zargon]

Lame!! Why the 2 week delay. Freakin lame

 

[destrekor]

Lame!! Why the 2 week delay. Freakin lame

I think it's always been that way.

Launch Week: PS3 Premium gets DLC a week early.
LW+1: PC/360 Premium gets DLC
LW+2: PS3 gets DLC a week early.
LW+3: PC/360 gets DLC.


I think it turns out that way because for us PC/360 Premium players, it would be bad form to get it at the same time non-Premium PS3 players get it.
So they get it a week later. But to ensure that they meet the "PS3 users get it a week early" aspect, that means 1 week after PC Premium players it get, it is launched for non-premium players but effectively only for PS3 and then a week later for everyone else.

So effectively, Premium has typically given a two week early access window.

And don't you have Premium? So who cares?

 

[Zargon]

It was usually a week between ps3vprem and PC Prem....

 

[destrekor]

It was usually a week between ps3vprem and PC Prem....

??

Tomorrow is one week after the PS3 Premium release.

 

[GullyFoyle]

End Game is live. End Game patch = 4205.30 MB.

Downloading a 6gb update right now.

Haven't played in forever, been loving Planetside 2 too much.

But I figured I should get the downloads done so if I feel like playing with some of my buddies I can do that without waiting a few hours for downloads.

This isn't just a 6GB patch, with a 4-6GB DLC download to follow, is it? Like last time?
edit: certainly looks to be that way. I thought it went live today, but End Game goes live tomorrow. And there was talk of a March patch/update, so this is it. It's always a large patch before the new DLC.

Yeesh. I fully expect the DLC download to be between 3 to 6GB, and this patch is 6GB.

 

[jackstar7]

Awake in L.A. and getting my max DL (around 2m/sec). Really going to enjoy working from home today...

 

[Zargon]

??

Tomorrow is one week after the PS3 Premium release.

yeah my head calendar was off a week sorry

worked a 12 on 5 hours of sleep.....

 

[DeadFred]

yeah my head calendar was off a week sorry

worked a 12 on 5 hours of sleep.....

Perhaps in your tired and confused work induced delirium you moved your calender ahead one week instead of moving your clock ahead by one hour on Saturday.

My game update reached 90% in no time but now it has slowed to a crawl. Its now DL'ing at a whopping 60KBs. grrrrr