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

[yllus]

I've also taken out tanks solo. It helps if you can kill any Engineers working on the tank (sometimes a lucky RPG hit on a tank also takes out the guy who stepped out to repair it ).
But find a good hiding spot, take on the tank while it's focusing elsewhere... it's not entirely difficult to take out a tank. I've done it with other people engaging the tank (or the tank engaging them) and I've done it while a tank was unoccupied.
It will be very difficult with a good tanker/tank crew, but possible if you can move about the area effectively and use appropriate cover.

Oh, I agree that it's absolutely possible - but in my opinion, a fight between a competent tanker and a competent engineer should rarely if ever end in a victory for the engineer. At worst, the tanker should have oriented himself to drive the hell out of there if things are looking bad.

As an engineer, I had a full three minute duel with a tank at Hilltop a few weeks ago. I'd pop up, get a shot in, then run for cover as the tank would blow to pieces the area I was just standing in. I ended up disabling the tank, but then he got in a lucky shot that killed me. Intense stuff.

 

[raasco]

^ This

On a side note Im getting a SSD next week, hope to see some improvement in load times.

The lowest I've seen is probably 30 seconds with my ssd. Last night I tried about 9 different servers before I loaded into one prior to my patience running out. I'm usually one of the first people in the server after map changes. IDK, even tried a different browser(IE9) to keep me from pulling my hair out. It keeps hanging on "logging in......." when I go to join.

 

[TheNiceGuy]

OK, thanks Termie.

 

[Arkaign]

Been beasting it up a bit, took me a while to get used to the movement and strategies. How do I find the servers where the ATOT people are?

As a tanker, I have to say, if there's just one guy, even if he's really good, it's hard to take a tank out single-handledly on foot. However, a team working from cover can make easy pickens out of a tank, particularly if it's in a tight spot and not on the move. And choppers, well holy crap, a great chopper pilot can pop a tank in a flash, even faster if he has a good gunner running extra damage down. I've been destroyed in one pass before many a time, it takes about 2 seconds in total, and that's not enough time to really do much of anything, even when I have the reactive armor on.

 

[jackstar7]

Haven't figured out if this is an isolated to me problem or not, but Op Firestorm causes a crash after the round ends regardless of the type of game (even tried TDM just to see).

Making me a little crazy.

Other crashes have been happening a lot more recently (after basically no issues for a couple weeks). The attempts at diagnostic insight continue...

 

[Arkaign]

Haven't figured out if this is an isolated to me problem or not, but Op Firestorm causes a crash after the round ends regardless of the type of game (even tried TDM just to see).

Making me a little crazy.

Other crashes have been happening a lot more recently (after basically no issues for a couple weeks). The attempts at diagnostic insight continue...

Ouch. I have basically the identical system you have, with an Asus P67 Pro and a single XFX 6950 2GB, and have no in-game crashes, though sometimes the first time I try to connect to a game I get the disconnected from EA message in the browser. I hit connect again and all is gravy from there.

I wonder if it's related to the CF?

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Start with engineer and use the first gun you get only, build up unlocks. The three you want are foregrip, heavy barrel and a scope. I prefer the holo scope and red dot.

Stick to playing one map and one game type for a while until you know the map. It will help you get better at just playing if you are on a map where you know the lay of the land and how to move around it.

Try to play with a squad, barring that, take your time when moving around. Don't just run from here to there, but look where you are going before hand from a fairly well hidden position and see if there are enemies. When you do move, be stingy with your use of running, don't run the whole time because if you hit an enemy who is stationary or walking he will kill you because it takes longer to draw your weapon from running speed.

Spot (q button) and spot some more. If the server has 3D spotting on and you spot the enemy you are shooting, it is basically a mini aimbot as you aim just below the small triangle and that is his head.

With the engy get good at using the RPG/SMAW, once you get the hang of knowing how high above your target you have to shoot depending on its distance from you, you can own with it.

So many times in a gun fight if I feel like I am going to die, a quick switch to the RPG and a launch gets him, or at times, he kills me but my RPG gets him

Thx. Some really good tips.

 

[skipsneeky2]

Ouch. I have basically the identical system you have, with an Asus P67 Pro and a single XFX 6950 2GB, and have no in-game crashes, though sometimes the first time I try to connect to a game I get the disconnected from EA message in the browser. I hit connect again and all is gravy from there.

I wonder if it's related to the CF?

Single 6750 here and i get that ea error also,sometimes as much as 3 times per server attempt since the patch.

Might be driver related perhaps?

No more in game crash's for me luckily

 

[destrekor]

Oh, I agree that it's absolutely possible - but in my opinion, a fight between a competent tanker and a competent engineer should rarely if ever end in a victory for the engineer. At worst, the tanker should have oriented himself to drive the hell out of there if things are looking bad.

As an engineer, I had a full three minute duel with a tank at Hilltop a few weeks ago. I'd pop up, get a shot in, then run for cover as the tank would blow to pieces the area I was just standing in. I ended up disabling the tank, but then he got in a lucky shot that killed me. Intense stuff.

And that's really the way it should be.

It's essentially persistence, skill, and a lot of luck, when an engineer can actually take out a competent tanker.
Luck because it means you likely battled the tank for a decent amount of time and had to run around like crazy... so, the luck is that no other enemy was able to take advantage of you being preoccupied, in addition to other luck-type factors.

A competent tanker should be able to clean up house if nobody is coordinating to take it out... especially if that tanker has a competent engineer gunner (or another engineer nearby) who is repairing and assisting.

It's not OP. Just because a tank is super lethal in the right hands does not make it OP.
What makes it super lethal is an uncoordinated enemy who is not making use of squad and team-based tactics and working together to take it out.

There ARE power balances that must remain that way imho. Not everyone on the battlefield is equipped with equally-capable armament... some weapons and tools are far more effective and lethal than others. The whole idea is supposed to be coordinated assaults and defenses that constantly provide a series of staggered "david and goliath" cases.

There are many occasions, and not just with tanks, where a 1v1 situation should rightfully sway one-sided 90% of the time.
Running from certain enemies only to return with a coordinated attack, or with the right equipment (or leave that enemy to be handled by someone else) is a proper approach for BF games... to expect to be able to take out everybody, regardless of what equipment they have chosen to utilize, is a foolish approach.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

And that's really the way it should be.

It's essentially persistence, skill, and a lot of luck, when an engineer can actually take out a competent tanker.
Luck because it means you likely battled the tank for a decent amount of time and had to run around like crazy... so, the luck is that no other enemy was able to take advantage of you being preoccupied, in addition to other luck-type factors.

A competent tanker should be able to clean up house if nobody is coordinating to take it out... especially if that tanker has a competent engineer gunner (or another engineer nearby) who is repairing and assisting.

It's not OP. Just because a tank is super lethal in the right hands does not make it OP.
What makes it super lethal is an uncoordinated enemy who is not making use of squad and team-based tactics and working together to take it out.

There ARE power balances that must remain that way imho. Not everyone on the battlefield is equipped with equally-capable armament... some weapons and tools are far more effective and lethal than others. The whole idea is supposed to be coordinated assaults and defenses that constantly provide a series of staggered "david and goliath" cases.

There are many occasions, and not just with tanks, where a 1v1 situation should rightfully sway one-sided 90% of the time.
Running from certain enemies only to return with a coordinated attack, or with the right equipment (or leave that enemy to be handled by someone else) is a proper approach for BF games... to expect to be able to take out everybody, regardless of what equipment they have chosen to utilize, is a foolish approach.

Yup cause then I jump in my Frogfoot and rain fire down on all armor on the field.

 

[Childs]

Man...coop really sucks. Spent like 10 games trying to finish the second map, cause no one can fly. Half the time people just cancel the game. Final got to fly and finished it, so I could unlock the 3rd map. Ran with someone decent, and finished all the maps. Now trying to play again today, and only 1 in 10 times I try to play I can actually get in a game. Dropped from EA Online msgs, to generic something went wrong or just coop game cancelled. The one time I got to play I guess the other player didnt know about the QT events on the last map, failed it, and then bailed. I'm one good session away from unlocking the last few weapons, but I cant get a game going. Finally was able to host a game, but no one showed up and it timed out. Its ridiculous.

EDIT: Oh, and no frickin text chat!

 

[jackstar7]

Ouch. I have basically the identical system you have, with an Asus P67 Pro and a single XFX 6950 2GB, and have no in-game crashes, though sometimes the first time I try to connect to a game I get the disconnected from EA message in the browser. I hit connect again and all is gravy from there.

I wonder if it's related to the CF?

It certainly could be. Weird thing, if I just play on a Metro server, never crash. Play as much as I want.

Several other maps, regardless of play type, BSODs with it pointing to dxgmms1.sys and some googling shows people have this come up from time to time, but no one that I could find had an actual answer. I'm starting to think that for me, it could be X-fire related, so I might disable it and see what happens.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

Man...coop really sucks. Spent like 10 games trying to finish the second map, cause no one can fly. Half the time people just cancel the game. Final got to fly and finished it, so I could unlock the 3rd map. Ran with someone decent, and finished all the maps. Now trying to play again today, and only 1 in 10 times I try to play I can actually get in a game. Dropped from EA Online msgs, to generic something went wrong or just coop game cancelled. The one time I got to play I guess the other player didnt know about the QT events on the last map, failed it, and then bailed. I'm one good session away from unlocking the last few weapons, but I cant get a game going. Finally was able to host a game, but no one showed up and it timed out. Its ridiculous.

EDIT: Oh, and no frickin text chat!

Never had any problems with coop but the no text chat is the most annoying. I got all the co-op guns and never did it again LoL.

 

[96Firebird]

The no text in co-op thing is really annoying, I'm usually alt-tabbing when playing with paqster to type while he is in voice chat. Dunno what they were thinking with that... If you ever want to get some good co-op sessions going, send me a message.

 

[NoSoup4You]

Smoke grenades, these things are a little OP on Rush maps like Metro and Bazaar, use them when on the attacking side to arm the m-com stations with ease. And don't forget, a direct hit on an enemy does kill, there's few things more humiliating than being killed by "M320 SMOKE".

 

[Anubis]

i have to admit after playing with it for a bit the USAS-12 is somewhat OP no matter what type of rounds you use it in

 

[llee]

It's getting pretty hard to enjoy this game when every other game disconnects and when that giant text box gets obese -_-

 

[RavenSEAL]

Gulf of Oman Trailer!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emGXp-qRrVg&feature=feedu

 

[Zargon]

nice

is that a forklift??

 

[Zargon]

The no text in co-op thing is really annoying, I'm usually alt-tabbing when playing with paqster to type while he is in voice chat. Dunno what they were thinking with that... If you ever want to get some good co-op sessions going, send me a message.

im so close to mailing you and expandas headsets.......for serious

 

[RavenSEAL]

nice

is that a forklift??

Why...yes it is

 

[GullyFoyle]

New Battlefield Blog Post: Going Back to Karkand #6: Gulf of Oman gameplay, combat vehicles revealed

BY: HBrun POSTED : Nov 28, 2011, 12:00AM

The countdown to our first Battlefield 3 expansion pack Back to Karkand continues. This week, we have new gameplay footage from our reimagining of all-time classic map Gulf of Oman. Plus, more info on the new vehicles you will be able to take control of come December.

Battlefield 3: Gulf of Oman Gameplay Trailer

Check out this gameplay trailer from our reimagined version of Gulf of Oman. Like in previous Back to Karkand trailers, you can see some of the new vehicles in action here. The three combat vehicles that we are bringing back from Battlefield 2 in Back to Karkand are the STOVL fighter jet, desert buggy, and one of the APC’s.

"I wanted to complement what we already have in the base game, plus I wanted to bring back some of the classic vehicles from Battlefield 2 that we know players loved, such as the Short Take-Off/Vertical Landing fighter jet and the desert buggy. In today’s trailer, you can also get a first glimpse of a hitherto unannounced fourth vehicle bound to strike fear into the very hearts of the enemy. See if you can spot it!", said Back to Karkand Lead Designer Niklas Fegraeus.

Come back later for more details on Back to Karkand. We have more videos coming your way, and more details on the new Back to Karkand weapons that you can bring back to the base game.

As always, if you pre-ordered your copy of Battlefield 3: Limited Edition, you are entitled to Back to Karkand at no extra charge and will be notified in-game once it is available for download and play in December. Anyone can buy it on the launch day for $14.99/1200 Microsoft Points, or the equivalent in their local currency. PlayStation 3 players will have exclusive 1 week early access to Back to Karkand.

Did you miss the earlier stories in this blog series?
#5: Gameplay from Strike at Karkand, Assignments explained
#4: The design idea behind the themed expansion pack
#3: Introducing Gulf of Oman and Sharqi Peninsula
#2: “Wake Island has a special place in my heart”
#1: Your chance to relive the greatest Battlefield maps ever

New Battlefield Blog Post: How to enable Stereoscopic 3D in Battlefield 3

BY: HBrun POSTED : Nov 26, 2011, 04:14AM

With the latest PC update for Battlefield 3 we now support Stereoscopic 3D on supported hardware. Stereoscopic 3D adds another dimension to your gameplay and lets you experience the battlefield with added depth perception. See below for how to enable this new feature.



We have added support for Stereoscopic 3D in the Frostbite 2 engine by rendering each frame twice (once for each eye). This gives us full control of how our game looks in 3D, and lets us create an even more visceral experience for the player. Rendering each frame twice is quite performance heavy, though, so take that into consideration if you want to play with Stereoscopic 3D enabled. To improve performance, you may want to reduce graphics quality or resolution compared to what you normally would use when playing without Stereoscopic 3D. Using a multi GPU setup will also improve performance, as each GPU can share the work load.

NVIDIA 3D Vision technology
NVIDIA 3D Vision is a combination of 3D Vision wireless glasses and 3D Vision Ready monitors. You can look for the 3D Vision Ready icon on your monitor, or check this page to find out if your monitor and GeForce GPU support Stereoscopic 3D.

Enable 3D Vision by going to the NVIDIA control panel, and in the Stereoscopic 3D tab, make sure "Enable stereoscopic 3D" is set. Battlefield 3 will use the standard 3D Vision settings and hotkeys. Adjust the amount of depth effect using the scroll wheel on the 3D Vision IR emitter or by using the keyboard shortcuts. The default shortcuts are CTRL-F4 to increase the depth, and CTRL-F3 to decrease the depth. You can customize these shortcuts in the Stereoscopic 3D control panel.



AMD HD3D
See this page to find out if your monitor and Radeon GPU support Stereoscopic 3D.

Enable HD3D by starting Battlefield 3 and go into the options menu. In the video options tab, change STEREOSCOPIC 3D to ON. Adjust the depth using the slider in the menu.

 

[Termie]

The no text in co-op thing is really annoying, I'm usually alt-tabbing when playing with paqster to type while he is in voice chat. Dunno what they were thinking with that... If you ever want to get some good co-op sessions going, send me a message.

im so close to mailing you and expandas headsets.......for serious

The party-based VOIP works reasonably well, and while I haven't tried it on co-op, I assume it will work even better for that.

I've never been a big fan of headsets, since I game with a 5.1 speaker setup. Perhaps some of you are the same way, so here's what I recommend - the Logitech desktop USB mic ($20):

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-981-0...2496755&sr=8-1

I bought one in anticipation of BF3, and it hasn't let me down (although I guess Zargon would be a better judge of that, because he's the one listening to me on the other end!).

Unlike a headset, though, you do have to consider background noise from your speakers, so I guess if you like to have the speakers turned up really loud, it won't work that well.

 

[Zargon]

The party-based VOIP works reasonably well, and while I haven't tried it on co-op, I assume it will work even better for that.

I've never been a big fan of headsets, since I game with a 5.1 speaker setup. Perhaps some of you are the same way, so here's what I recommend - the Logitech desktop USB mic ($20):

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-981-0...2496755&sr=8-1

I bought one in anticipation of BF3, and it hasn't let me down (although I guess Zargon would be a better judge of that, because he's the one listening to me on the other end!).

Unlike a headset, though, you do have to consider background noise from your speakers, so I guess if you like to have the speakers turned up really loud, it won't work that well.

I have 5.1 but no great way to get it set up right but my headphones are '5.1' ish. but yeah those 2 guys need mic's baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad.

the voip in battlelog works great in coop

I wish it was easier to change where sound goes in both battlelog and bf3. I hate having game sound and voip taffic in the headset, cant hear anyone when the action is high.,

I like to have the game in speakers and just wear one side of the headset for VOIP

 

[96Firebird]

im so close to mailing you and expandas headsets.......for serious

Haha, Christmas is coming up... ()

But really, I am going back to work soon so once I pay down my student loans a little bit more I will invest in a nice headset. But the downside is, when I go back to work I won't be able to play as often...