The AT Battlefield 4 F.A.Q., News, and Discussion thread

[AznAnarchy99]

Haha, it seems typical of any game's release really. I read the same thing over and over for Battlefield 3 as well.

I don't get the "netcode is terrible" thing but I'm sure they have good developers working for them (DICE). It's not like they said, "let's add some unnecessary loops and checks here so we can introduce some lag for the fun of it." As a developer myself, I'll hold my opinion of their code-base until I see it.

Mostly because they fucked up on BF3 launch pretty bad so I'd expect them to learn from it. I say that about every WoW expansion launch but they've also been pretty bad.

 

[Fire&Blood]

They need to triple the range and add 25% to damage of AA rockets.

Even if you don't scare off the jets by targeting too early and start targeting when they are very close, 1st rocket will go for flares 100%, by the time you get the 2nd up, they are already out of range. Even choppers can escape like this provided they can temp hide behind an obstacle and buy time to recharge counter measures.

This applies to average and below pilots. The good ones know exactly how long it takes them to get out of range so if they want to they can just tease you into spending ammo without taking damage.

Being new to this direction BF series took: (BF2 was the last one I really played)

There is too much fluff in the game and it's way too tactical for a FPS. Stats to look at for hours, dog tags, custom camos, emblems...gimme a break. It's not DICE's fault, it's a trend in gaming, one I hope dies sooner than later.
Also people are sooo afraid of dying, I wonder how they live real lives if they re this scared in a video game. When faced with the decision to try to help team or "save" themselves, 90% choose the latter.

 

[GullyFoyle]

Battlelog - Known Battlefield 4 Issues and Next Steps

[quopte]2013-11-02 16:20 , edited 2013-11-04 10:34 by Vincent0K
Relaying a message from the team here at DICE:

UPDATE #3 (Nov 4):
Fixing server crashes
New server update (R6) was rolled out across all platforms to fix the most common server crash.

UPDATE #2 (Nov 3):
Fixing the server queues on PC
We're rolling out a server update on PC with a fix for the join queue. As this new server version starts to populate servers, you will notice that server queues on PC will be available again in Battlefield 4. Note that it might take some time before the majority of PC servers are equipped with this fix (up to 24h).

UPDATE (Nov 3):
Server crashes
We have identified an issue where the game server will crash and disconnect players, causing them to lose any stats gathered during that specific round. We have a fix in progress to address this issue in a server update and will let you know once it's ready to roll out.

Since the launch of Battlefield 4, some fans playing online have been experiencing various issues with the game. Thanks to your feedback, many of these problems have been resolved, but there are still a number of bugs that we are actively working on. Below you will find a list of some of the resolved issues, as well as some of the issues we are prioritizing at the moment and what we’re doing to address them.

Game crashes and freezes
ELIMINATED AS WE IDENTIFY THEM
Players on all formats have been experiencing game crashes and freezes while playing. We have logs of the most frequently occurring client crashes, and we are actively working to Obliterate the cause of these crashes in upcoming updates.

Note that crashes come in different types, and therefore this is technically not one single issue. There are two kinds of crashes and two types of updates that can address them: server-side updates that we can release on the fly (four of these have already been released since launch), and game client updates that require more in-depth testing and certification before they can go live.

We have found and eliminated some of the server-side crashes on PC in the latest server update (version R4) that went live November 1. There is also a planned client update on PC in the near future where we are aiming to eliminate as many of the client-related crashes as possible.

Progress in Multiplayer Lost
INVESTIGATING
Players have reported losing their progress in multiplayer. This is probably related to crashes stopping the game reports from being sent to Battlelog. We are still investigating this issue in more detail. Note that your progress sometimes can seem to be reset during server maintenance windows. In these cases, your stats will be just fine and reappear later.

Single Player Save File Corrupted
INVESTIGATING
We are still investigating the issue of single player save files being corrupted for some players. If you have experienced this problem, please describe below the steps leading up to the save file being corrupted, your platform (PC, PS3 or X360), and when the issue occurred. If you’re on PC, please also list your OS and system specs.

Miscellaneous Audio Bugs
FIX UPCOMING
We are aware of the issues with missing/corrupted audio in multiplayer and have created a fix for them. This fix is planned for release in the next PC client patch (see “Upcoming Updates” below.)

Magazine Reload Bug on Normal
FIXED
On all platforms, some players were experiencing a bug when playing on Normal servers. The bug caused the reload setting to incorrectly mimic the behavior from Hardcore servers. This was fixed in our fourth and latest server update.

Xbox 360 Missions not Working as Intended
FIXED
There was a bug preventing Xbox 360 players from creating MISSIONS. This should now work properly, as we made some necessary changes to the backend infrastructure.

Battlefield 4 Premium “Reset Stats” Feature Not Working
FIX ROLLING OUT
Battlefield 4 Premium members have the option of resetting their multiplayer stats. This feature has not been working as intended. We have now identified the cause and solution, and Battlelog will perform a zero downtime fix for this that should roll out very soon.

Server Queues not Functioning
PENDING FUTURE PATCH
Players haven’t been able to join queues for servers, and we are actively working on the issue. We believe we have a solution to this, pending a future patch. We disabled server queues as we found a bug in the queue system, and we are working to isolate the real issue and find a solution for it.

Promotional Battlepack Items Not Appearing In-game and/or on Battlelog
INVESTIGATING
We are aware of this issue, and are working on a solution for it. Note that in some cases the Battlepack items will actually show up after a delay. If you’re still not seeing your items after 12 hours or so, please reach out to EA Help at https://help.ea.com/en/battlefield/battlefield-4 [help.ea.com].

What’s Next? Upcoming Updates
We are working on a PC client patch at the moment and hope to release it soon. We will share the patch notes once we have the patch contents finalized. The main focus is to fix as many crashes as possible, starting with the issues affecting a large number of players. We will update you once we are ready to release new server updates. We are currently working on server update #5, with four being released so far.

Keep the Gameplay Feedback Coming!
We are hearing your feedback regarding gameplay balance and other tweaks to classes and weapons, and are actively discussing these with the designers.

One subject that’s been generating a lot of feedback is the controller layout in Battlefield 4. An in-depth look at the controller options in Battlefield 4 will be published later on the Battlefield Blog at http://blogs.battlefield.com/ [blogs.battlefield.com].

Thanks for your Patience
We would like to thank all players who have been reporting their issues to us – your feedback is invaluable when making sure we can deliver the Battlefield 4 experience you all deserve. In true DICE fashion, we will keep supporting Battlefield 4 for a long time, and we appreciate your feedback and patience as we work these issues out.

/The DICE team
[/quote]

 

[GullyFoyle]

Battlefield Blog - The Launch of Battlefield 4: A Personal Message from DICE VP & GM Karl Magnus

[DICE] H Brun | 10.29.13

The massive launch of Battlefield 4 has begun. DICE GM Karl Magnus Troedsson reflects upon the past two years of development and what this launch means for him personally, and for DICE as a studio.

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A Message from DICE VP & GM Karl Magnus Troedsson
“As we reach the end of a two-year long journey the entire team at DICE is filled with emotions. All the hard work by the team, the shared creative tension by everyone in the studio being hell-bent on building something majestic with Battlefield 4… It feels a bit empty now that all those ideas, thoughts, designs, and discussions from the development of the base game suddenly are about to end. I almost wish we never had to ship — but ultimately, we are of course very excited to get the game into your hands.

Suddenly someone walks past my office, proudly showing off what could possibly be the first retail copy of Battlefield 4 in the world. We laugh, take pictures with it and share them on social networks. Internet high-fives all around, and then it’s back to work! We know that we’re never really ‘done’, and that Battlefield is more than just a game; it’s a service and a promise to every fan that we’ll take care of their experience long after the game has launched. Almost immediately we change strides, onwards toward more great content and updates.

I’m immensely proud of what the team has created, and as we end one journey another begins. We have prepared for the millions of gamers who are going to play Battlefield 4. Now, we put our creation out there and wait with bated breath for fans around the world to tell us what they think.

It’s time to lock and load once more. See you on the Battlefield, my friends.”

Karl Magnus Troedsson
DICE VP and GM

Battlefield Blog - Inside Battlefield 4: Touring the Ten Multiplayer Maps

[DICE] SlyOkapi | 10.30.13

With the release of Battlefield 4, millions of players are throwing themselves into the all-out war of multiplayer, exploring the variety of environments on offer. As you may know, Battlefield 4 features 10 distinct maps with support for all 7 game modes, with every map custom-tailored for the gameplay characteristics of each game mode. Below, you can find descriptions of all multiplayer maps and some of their distinguishing features. Enjoy the tour!

Zavod 311
Zavod 311 is the home of an abandoned Russian tank factory, where players are met with a mix of vehicular and infantry combat. With an autumn shroud backdrop, you will be fighting next to rusty train tracks, abandoned buildings, and the aforementioned factory at the center of the map. Zavod 311 features a tall chimney that can be brought down by detonating a warhead, blocking the central path for vehicles and challenging you to re-think your strategy. There is also Levolution of lesser scale; some of the factory’s hazardous machinery can for instance be activated to function as deadly traps for careless infantry soldiers.

Flood Zone
Set in a Chinese town in the direct vicinity of a large levee, Flood Zone is a versatile Battlefield 4 map with suppport for many different multiplayer tactics. If the levee is destroyed, the map will get flooded and the circumstances will change drastically. Suddenly, light naval units have a great advantage, and infantry can swim to reach the rooftops thanks to the raised water level.

Golmud Railway
Those looking for vast fighting grounds and vehicular warfare will probably spend a lot of time by the fields and mountains of Golmud Railway. This is the biggest multiplayer map in Battlefield 4, and players will have access to a huge variety of vehicles (excluding boats). One of the control points is located at a train rolling around the level, and the team holding this point will see the train moving closer to the deployment zone at home base. There is also the possibility to detonate a number of IED’s (improvised explosive devices) on the map, creating huge craters in the ground.

Lancang Dam
Both land, air, and sea vehicles will battle it out on the mighty Lancang Dam, based on the real-life Xiaowan Dam in the Lancang area, China. There are five control points on main land and one located on a small island. Overlooking the riverside, with a research building and power station as some of the key areas, lies the huge dam – destroyable by planting explosive charges. The result is a devastating avalanche of concrete blocks.

Paracel Storm
With its many islands and dynamic waves, Paracel Storm is a perfect choice for fans of naval warfare. Water-based vehicles dominate the scene, but there’s also plenty of room for dog fights and infantry action, as evidenced in the Paracel Storm Multiplayer Trailer. When the dynamic weather changes stirs up a storm, players are given the possibility to untether a destroyer at sea, which then comes crashing into shore. This in turn gives access to the ship’s AA guns and alters the conditions of the island the ship crashes into.

Operation Locker
Tight level design makes Operation Locker ideal for intense, close-quarter infantry combat. In this mountain prison environment, the cell area located in the middle of the map becomes a war-ridden hot spot. Prison doors can be opened and closed, granting a possibility of trapping soldiers inside – an extra devious action if you also blow up the nearby tower. Operation Locker features both in- and outdoor enviroments and the snowstorm outside will dynamically intensify during matches.

Hainan Resort
A luxiorous hotel facility at the centre of the map is the focus of the seemingly idyllic Hainan Resort. Here, the focus is primarily on infantry combat, but there will also be lighter vehicles and air units fighting among the palm trees and bungalows. As for massive Levolution moments, the hotel can catch fire and collapse with the help of oil spills set ablaze by the players.

Siege of Shanghai
The intense urban warfare of downtown Shanghai was the first Battlefield 4 map ever shown. Making its debut at E3 2013, Siege of Shanghai features all-out war at sea, air, and land, with a great focus on vertical combat. The player-triggered Levolution moment of a falling skyscraper will change the face of the battle, making you continue the fight on the rubble at street level.

Rogue Transmission
Aptly nicknamed “Silver Sun” during development, Rogue Transmission provides a memorable battleground thanks to the huge satellite dish dominating the vista. Players can battle both on top of the dish and under it, but if someone sends the huge radio telescope receiver crashing down, it is fatal to stay around for too long. Taking all game modes into account, all kinds of vehicles except naval units are available on Rogue Transmission.

Dawnbreaker
The Dawnbreaker map, featured in the BF4 Multiplayer Launch Trailer, throws you into battle in a metropolitan environment, set at dawn. While Dawnbreaker takes place in an urban setting, vehicles such as jets are still available. In this darker setting, three gas line stations can be overheated by players, causing a chain of explosions along a gas line. This will leave a huge scar in one of the roads and also make it possible to destroy one of Dawnbreaker’s bridges.

Thank you for reading! It’s our hope that you will enjoy the variety and quality of the Battlefield 4 multiplayer maps, and that you find your own particular favorites. Make your voice heard in the poll below, and make sure to buy Battlefield 4 if you haven’t already done so. New to the world of Battlefield 4? Go to Boot Camp and learn the ropes of single and multiplayer.

 

[tential]

They need to triple the range and add 25% to damage of AA rockets.

Even if you don't scare off the jets by targeting too early and start targeting when they are very close, 1st rocket will go for flares 100%, by the time you get the 2nd up, they are already out of range. Even choppers can escape like this provided they can temp hide behind an obstacle and buy time to recharge counter measures.

This applies to average and below pilots. The good ones know exactly how long it takes them to get out of range so if they want to they can just tease you into spending ammo without taking damage.

Being new to this direction BF series took: (BF2 was the last one I really played)

There is too much fluff in the game and it's way too tactical for a FPS. Stats to look at for hours, dog tags, custom camos, emblems...gimme a break. It's not DICE's fault, it's a trend in gaming, one I hope dies sooner than later.
Also people are sooo afraid of dying, I wonder how they live real lives if they re this scared in a video game. When faced with the decision to try to help team or "save" themselves, 90% choose the latter.

Reminds me the first time I ever played Counterstrike. I refused to leave the spawn area lol. EVen worse, I was playing against a clan of girls who laughed insanely at how bad I was. Not fun lol.

 

[GullyFoyle]

Symthic forums - BF4 Weapon Comparison

BF4 Weapons charts

 

[satsau]

I'm fed up with the crashes.

Crashed while playing TDM, rejoined, and it crashed again!!!

 

[LtMikePowelll]

I update my punkbuster and haven't have a crash for the last 3 hours.

 

[TallBill]

I'm about ready to uninstall. My skill has dropped 100 over the last 3 days, my KD has dropped by .35 over the last 3 days, and my spm doesn't exist.

I've tried normal, hardcore, various modes. I just can't do anything. Putting up regular scores of 4-12 or worse. Not sure if I'm just old and out of touch or what.

Lol, finally was playing ok.. 9-5 and game crashed.

 

[Childs]

I'm fed up with the crashes.

Crashed while playing TDM, rejoined, and it crashed again!!!

Check the event viewer and list or pm your crash. I know during the beta most of my crashes were related MS VC being out of date. Might as least be able to isolate to a specific module.

 

[Fire&Blood]

just crashed with 70 tickets left in a game I was doing really well in...

heck the event viewer and list or pm your crash. I know during the beta most of my crashes were related MS VC being out of date. Might as least be able to isolate to a specific module.

I volunteer mine not sure if it will help anyone but here goes, 1st is error, the other is hang, 112 combined since I installed it:

Faulting application name: bf4.exe, version: 1.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x526b9042
Faulting module name: bf4.exe, version: 1.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x526b9042
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x0000000000adc9df
Faulting process id: 0x2f4
Faulting application start time: 0x01ced6ba5ac40381
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Battlefield 4\bf4.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Battlefield 4\bf4.exe
Report Id: 469e4db4-42be-11e3-bec8-08863b24dd84
Faulting package full name:
Faulting package-relative application ID:

The program bf4.exe version 1.0.0.0 stopped interacting with Windows and was closed. To see if more information about the problem is available, check the problem history in the Action Center control panel.
Process ID: 1058
Start Time: 01cedac77258adb1
Termination Time: 4294967295
Application Path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Battlefield 4\bf4.exe
Report Id: d9b9b889-46be-11e3-beca-08863b24dd84
Faulting package full name:
Faulting package-relative application ID:

 

[KidNiki1]

I'm about ready to uninstall. My skill has dropped 100 over the last 3 days, my KD has dropped by .35 over the last 3 days, and my spm doesn't exist.

I've tried normal, hardcore, various modes. I just can't do anything. Putting up regular scores of 4-12 or worse. Not sure if I'm just old and out of touch or what.

Lol, finally was playing ok.. 9-5 and game crashed.

i'm infinitely worse at this game than any of you guys... my kdr is .32 yes, you read that right. POINT 3-fucking-2. i die. allllll the time. i unload a full clip right in a guys face and he two-shots me and still has 40% or better health. i went a round at 0-13. that's right. i killed not one person the whole round. i also got the second highest score that round because i was capturing flags with my team and spotting people/helis/tanks.

i'm having a good time playing. i love obliteration. and the maps are pretty cool so far of the ones i have seen. i guess i don't get mad at how i do, because that isn't the only part of the game. would i like to be better? sure, but i'm still helping my team the best i can. i repair tanks left and right. i spot. i capture flags. i follow orders and get a lot of kill assists.

and when i do get those rare kills, i yell "eat it, bitch!" at my screen and laugh.

so, if anyone wants to play with someone who will always make your score seem awesome, team up with me! i suck! but, i have a good time.

 

[hondaf17]

Played my first 2 games of commander mode last night. Man, that's pretty boring, huh? You just sit on a screen and click around with music playing in the background. It needs more interaction with the squads. Is there a way the commander can VOIP with the squad leaders? Cruise missile is pretty worthless as it takes way too long to get there, so my targets have moved. Only thing I hit with it was a stationary artillery truck.

 

[JTsyo]

Finally learned how to use the defibrillator. The longer you hold down the trigger, the more health the guy revives with. Hold it for long enough and he comes back with 100 health and you get 100 points for the revive.

 

[dougp]

Symthic forums - BF4 Weapon Comparison

BF4 Weapons charts

Looking at this, the ACW-R is significantly better than any other carbine except the AK-5C or M4. The ACW-R is terribly inaccurate though, I really can't handle the gun - I prefer the AK-5C or SG553.

 

[Zargon]

They need to triple the range and add 25% to damage of AA rockets.

Even if you don't scare off the jets by targeting too early and start targeting when they are very close, 1st rocket will go for flares 100%, by the time you get the 2nd up, they are already out of range. Even choppers can escape like this provided they can temp hide behind an obstacle and buy time to recharge counter measures.

This applies to average and below pilots. The good ones know exactly how long it takes them to get out of range so if they want to they can just tease you into spending ammo without taking damage.

Being new to this direction BF series took: (BF2 was the last one I really played)

There is too much fluff in the game and it's way too tactical for a FPS. Stats to look at for hours, dog tags, custom camos, emblems...gimme a break. It's not DICE's fault, it's a trend in gaming, one I hope dies sooner than later.
Also people are sooo afraid of dying, I wonder how they live real lives if they re this scared in a video game. When faced with the decision to try to help team or "save" themselves, 90% choose the latter.

at the same time I was playing on resort last night and you couldnt keep a chopper in a the air, or a jet

it was like everyone had stingers/iglas, the whole time you flew around you had multiple threat pointers and all I heard was BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP



you have to fire flares a good full second + before a missle gets to you or you are taking the hit

and with the rotor damage if you are near the ground you are pretty well screwed

 

[Zargon]

Finally learned how to use the defibrillator. The longer you hold down the trigger, the more health the guy revives with. Hold it for long enough and he comes back with 100 health and you get 100 points for the revive.

dude sweet

 

[darkewaffle]

The Battlelog and the Loadout interface are still kind of cluttered and haphazard. They work but I think they could much cleaner.

Finally got my support C4. And then promptly forgot to equip it and next spawn snuck up on 2 LAVs but didn't have anything for them lol.

I like how many of the capture points are "layered" or have more varied terrain in 4 compared to 3 (imo). It makes engagements on them more interesting and makes vehicles sitting right on a point less overpowering.

 

[darkewaffle]

Looking at this, the ACW-R is significantly better than any other carbine except the AK-5C or M4. The ACW-R is terribly inaccurate though, I really can't handle the gun - I prefer the AK-5C or SG553.

imo you're better off using whatever gun you like the most. The "stats" are really just a matter of splitting hairs - though I do really appreciate the transparency given to their "stats" and addons. My friends talk about them on vent all the time and are obsessed with guns they see streamers using, it's pretty dumb lol. Out play your enemy and 99/100 times the gun you have really doesn't make a big difference

 

[raasco]

at the same time I was playing on resort last night and you couldnt keep a chopper in a the air, or a jet

it was like everyone had stingers/iglas, the whole time you flew around you had multiple threat pointers and all I heard was BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP



you have to fire flares a good full second + before a missle gets to you or you are taking the hit

and with the rotor damage if you are near the ground you are pretty well screwed

That must have been when I wasn't in there racking up massive amounts of repair ribbons.

 

[dougp]

imo you're better off using whatever gun you like the most. The "stats" are really just a matter of splitting hairs - though I do really appreciate the transparency given to their "stats" and addons. My friends talk about them on vent all the time and are obsessed with guns they see streamers using, it's pretty dumb lol. Out play your enemy and 99/100 times the gun you have really doesn't make a big difference

ROF makes a huge difference, to be honest. That's why the ACW is so good, because of TTK.

 

[Zargon]

I do not like the lack of 'quick loadout' like BF3 had, where you could just grab whatever without leaving the spawn screen

 

[Zargon]

That must have been when I wasn't in there racking up massive amounts of repair ribbons.

it was that time, but I spent the more time dodging and ducking while you saved our asses than I did affecting the other team


and they need to fix the miniguns on the littlebirds, jeez

 

[Termie]

Had some good rounds with Childs last night - too bad we kept losing (thanks in part to my not knowing all the maps!).

I'm reading a lot from folks who have tons of crashes, and I've got to think it might be worth a reinstall and updating of punkbuster. I haven't had a single crash of the retail game. This is on Win7 (maybe a factor), on two Nvidia cards and one AMD card.

I have noticed a few insta-deaths here and there, which is pretty annoying. I don't doubt there are a few bugs in the code.

 

[looper]

I'm fed up with the crashes.
Crashed while playing TDM, rejoined, and it crashed again!!!

Give it 2-4 weeks... I always hate new 'FPS' games for a while as they trouble-shoot the glitches.