The AT Battlefield Bad Company 2 F.A.Q.

[GullyFoyle]

All the more reason to make sure you get in to the PC beta for Battlefield Bad Company 2:

Heads Up: PC #BFBC2 Beta Players will secure their gamer alias (Soldier Name) for retail.

OfficialBFBC2 Twitter

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Another BashAndSlash podcast about BFBC2: BASH 136: Tears of Joy?

Will BFBC2 rescue the PC FPS community from the malaise it’s in after the MW2 fiasco or will it simply make things worse?

The goal we set for this cast was to determine whether DICE deserves some of the negative feedback they’ve recently received from the community or whether we truly are getting what they have been promising us all along.

Lack of a console, modding tools and private dedicated servers have made people questioning whether the PC hardcore community is an endangered species.

To help us resolve whether BFBC2 will be simply a MW2-style console port, or will it be a full-fledged PC game that will capture our attention for years is long-time Battlefield admin

John aka Jag-Five-O from thecompanyhub.com

and Battlefield competitive gamer and caster

Martin aka “nkm” from TeamRush http://www.teamrusheu.com.

 

[GullyFoyle]

Gamestop has added ANOTHER bonus for purchasing the PC version of Battlefield Bad Company 2 from them:

Reserve Battlefield Bad Company 2 and receive early access to the new multiplayer game mode, Squad Rush. Reserve your copy today for the ability to bring friends online for intense 4-on-4 multiplayer battles across five different maps. Available online and in-store while supplies last.

Online Customers: A code giving you early access to the new multiplayer mode will be emailed when the game releases.

Store / In-Store Pickup Customers: A pre-order card containing a code that gives you early access to the new multiplayer mode will be available at time of game pick-up.

Wha-wha-what? How are they giving this to you early? How is everbody else going to be kept from playing a game mode included with the game? Is Squad Rush a game mode that you have to unlock? Sort of like the Zombie mode in COD-WaW that you can't play until you finish the single player game? It's a mystery... Anyway, you heard it here first!

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The OfficialBFBC2 Twitter Site posted a message yesterday asking for help identifying vendors offering keys to the PC beta for preorders:

If you find a retailer or e*tailer offering the #BFBC2 PC Beta we'll retweet your tip. Thanks in advance everyone!

Here is an EA UK forums post that claims they will track the locations submitted to there and summarize the results for you: Link
For some reason the "OfficialBFBC2" blew off my submission of Direct2Drive, and if you look at the forum post, it does not list ANY of the known US vendors offering codes, so it's not really comprehensive. On the other hand, this is a poor substitute for an official list from EA/DICE. Fairly shoddy public relations from them at the moment...more info below.

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News item from Planet Battlefield.

The guys at Combat Testing let us know they will be "collecting data" for the Battlefield: Bad Company 2 PC beta, and have opened up registration. If you don't already have an account you can register through the link listed below.

Combat Testing will be collecting data for the BF:BC2 PC beta. To help this process, Combat Testing is open for new registrations and will give out keys to all it's testers.

People who want to join Combat Testing by registering here

Unfortunately, by the time you read this here, it was already too late to join, the application shows the message "Thank you for your interest in participating our testing team. Unfortunately at this moment we have no open positions due to overwhelming demand." :thumbsdown:

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On to the Stupid News item of the day:

Yesterday, DICE's Gordon VanDyke dropped the bomb on those "whiney PC guys" on the EA UK forums, telling them "F-U, we're out of here"!
I'm paraphrasing, here is what he actually said (source):

As many have noticed already DICE has stopped posting in these forums. This was my decision and supported by the team. This does not however mean communication will stop for us, it will just be from other channels than forums that have proven more effective.

To support this we have rolled out a plan internally to keep knowledge and tech/non-tech insight related to Battlefield and Frostbite flowing to those interested via our blog. This will insure a healthy and broader way for our Dev's to communicate and share, and hopefully increase it too.

Now before you freak out, this doesn't mean the forums are dead or useless. This is your space, not ours, and we have disrupted that environment and going forward will work to support you and the BF Forums in a better way. These forums are for you to welcome in new BF members, support existing ones, create BF discussions, speculate BF, share thoughts, and much more between your peers, not Dev's. We will continue to support our forums by reading them and getting inspiration for new blogs that reflect your curiosity and questions.

First on the plate to do this is an Audiophile blog which will appear on our official BF Blog in the near future.

The EA UK forums became a very popular site due to the fact that DICE's devs would hang out there and jump in to threads to interject some actual facts among the endless conjecture. Some took advantage of this to push their own agendas in a very inflammatory fashion, to try to create a virtual mob to attempt to get their own way. Some of the worst offenders were long-time forum guys that DICE wined-and-dined in a recent playtest session at EA Redwood in California. One night Gordon VanDyke is buying them dinner, the next night they are back to pushing his buttons harder than ever. Well, here's your response from DICE: <insert middle finger smilie here> :hmm:

 

[WaitingForNehalem]

Do you work for DICE?

 

[GullyFoyle]

Do you work for DICE?

You're the second one to ask me that...No. Do you work for Intel?

 

[clamum]

Jesus, the more videos I watch of this the more excited I am to play it (PC version). Looks great, I miss Battlefield.

 

[GullyFoyle]

The final Battlefield Bad Company 2 multi-player game mode, Squad Rush, was revealed in video form by GameStop. The video has now been posted on Youtube.

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Another day, another Gordon VanDyke interview. In this one, he mentions Squad Rush, so I guess they knew this one was getting out of the bag...

Then there&#8217;s Squad Rush, which is four vs four, eight players total and that&#8217;s set on a smaller Rush game mode. One crate per base and there will only be two bases that attackers need to take and the defenders obviously have to defend. This will be set on a custom version of the map to handle that and there are no vehicles, ever. This is that one map and game mode you&#8217;ll be able to play with no vehicles in the way and we think this is the one the competitive crowd will really take to. It&#8217;s going to be much easier for four people to team up and create their own mini-clan and this will also be Ranked.

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Some confirmation on the February 4th release date for the Xbox & PS3 demo. (Source)

To access the demo from the 4th February please login to your Xbox Live or PSN account, search for Battlefield Bad Company 2 and follow the download instructions. No code is needed as it is now a public demo.

 

[VashHT]

The final Battlefiel Bad Company 2 multi-player game mode, Squad Rush, was revealed in video form by GameStop. The video has now been posted on Youtube.

The movies for this game look really cool, hopefully it's as fun as it looks.

 

[WaitingForNehalem]

You're the second one to ask me that...No. Do you work for Intel?

I wish I did!

If this was a true Battlefield sequel I could see why you'd be excited but this isn't. So, I thought you probably work for DICE and are trying to promote it. I can't wait for Battlefield 3 or the next Counter-Strike though!

 

[uclaLabrat]

I also wish it was a true BF sequel, but this game looks pretty bad ass in its own right. The level of play won't be as deep as say BF2 but it should have a bunch of staying power. I can't wait to explore all the options and possibilities with the new destruction in game.

 

[minmaster]

i want the next true BF too but damn i don't want it in the same setting as BF2, in modern setting. kinda sick of it already. of course, they'll likely take the safe route and do modern combat all over again but i wish they would try something else. something new that hasn't been done before, like korean war or something.

oh and i hate how BC2 is trying so hard to be MWish. i hope some of those MW features don't make it to BF3.

 

[VashHT]

i want the next true BF too but damn i don't want it in the same setting as BF2, in modern setting. kinda sick of it already. of course, they'll likely take the safe route and do modern combat all over again but i wish they would try something else. something new that hasn't been done before, like korean war or something.

oh and i hate how BC2 is trying so hard to be MWish. i hope some of those MW features don't make it to BF3.

The one thing I hope isn't in BC2 is the god damned auto 1 hit kill melee attack that has become standard in FPS's nowadays. I liked how knifing was in BF1942, it actually took a lot of hits to kill someone. None of this super ninja knifing like in MW2, where you automatically kill people in 1 hit no matter where you hit them.

 

[GullyFoyle]

The one thing I hope isn't in BC2 is the god damned auto 1 hit kill melee attack that has become standard in FPS's nowadays. I liked how knifing was in BF1942, it actually took a lot of hits to kill someone. None of this super ninja knifing like in MW2, where you automatically kill people in 1 hit no matter where you hit them.

I'm pretty sure you are going to be disappointed. In all the videos I have seen, most meelee attacks resulted in a quick kill. They also had a dedicated button for melee on the PS3, and I'll bet they carry it over to the PC (asuming that is where you would like to play it).

Here's a related quote from a DICE dev (Source):

8. We increased the combat pacing with BC2 over BC1. With that change the old system of knifing was severely lacking, and going for a stab and missing almost always meant you died as you fumbled to find a bullet shooter again. The new system allows the player who closes to melee range to reliably get a melee kill, instead of slashing at the air a dozen times until a sniper turns around and quick scopes him.

Of course we can test it out ourselves, soon...

 

[VashHT]

I'm pretty sure you are going to be disappointed. In all the videos I have seen, most meelee attacks resulted in a quick kill. They also had a dedicated button for melee on the PS3, and I'll bet they carry it over to the PC (asuming that is where you would like to play it).

Here's a related quote from a DICE dev (Source):



Of course we can test it out ourselves, soon...

Ahh that sucks, I wish shooters would stick to ya know, shooting. Sure it's pretty fun to knife a sniper in the back while he's scoping, but its not like you couldn't shoot them in the back if they took out knives. It's just annoying when they make knifing so good that you're better off running around knifing people than trying to shoot them.

 

[minmaster]

yea i hate the insta slash kill too. i just hate how melee works in these games because it pretty much says every single knife slash is the same and it kills 100&#37; of the time. i think there should be more skill involved in it and one knife slash shouldn't be lethal 100% of the time. i would much prefer the older knife melee where you have to pull it out instead of the insta slash crap.

 

[neokeelo]

So if I pay for the game online at gamestop.com they will email me a beta code or I will have to go to the store and pick one up?

 

[GullyFoyle]

So if I pay for the game online at gamestop.com they will email me a beta code or I will have to go to the store and pick one up?

You have to order it from their web site and choose an option for them to mail it to you. If you choose the Site-to-Store option, they just turn your order over to your local store, and the local stores are not handling PC beta codes.

Order fom the web site, select to have it shipped to your house, and at some point they will e-mail a PC Beta access code to you (before the 28th).

Also, at some point we will be told how to download the beta, and after you download and install it, it should ask you for your code.

That is my understanding.

 

[neokeelo]

Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[Mike Gayner]

I disagree with the complaining about melee kills. I think you should be rewarded for taking the risk of going for the melee - there's no doubt that it's almost always easier to empty a clip on the enemy, which makes performing a melee attack all the more satisfying.

BTW, melee attacks in the BF series have been an abolute joke, so I hope they're more like MW2 in BC2.

 

[bullbert]

I disagree with the complaining about melee kills. I think you should be rewarded for taking the risk of going for the melee - there's no doubt that it's almost always easier to empty a clip on the enemy, which makes performing a melee attack all the more satisfying.
...snip...

Rational... Who are you? And how did you get Gayner's password?

 

[VashHT]

I disagree with the complaining about melee kills. I think you should be rewarded for taking the risk of going for the melee - there's no doubt that it's almost always easier to empty a clip on the enemy, which makes performing a melee attack all the more satisfying.

BTW, melee attacks in the BF series have been an abolute joke, so I hope they're more like MW2 in BC2.

If they made the knifing as accurate as it is in MW2, but not 1 hit kills then I would be fine with it. I've made so many absolutely ridiculous knife kills in MW2 that I can't agree when you call it a risk. Just play a game with someone who's good with a knife build and watch them go like 30-1 and not shoot a single person the whole game.

 

[minmaster]

yeah what risk? there's barely any risk in MW2 knifing...

BF2/2142 knifing was much more riskier.

 

[GullyFoyle]

HOT DEAL! Order Battlefield Bad Company 2 from Gamestop by 11:00 AM CST on 21-Jan-2010 and use coupon code BADCO to get free overnight shipping

Reserve Battlefield Bad Company 2 for the PC and recieve free overnight shipping, plus access to the Beta beginning 1/28!

Add Battlefield Bad Company 2 for the PC to your cart.

Enter coupon code BADCO into the coupon code box on your shopping cart page.
Note: Only one code allowed per checkout.

Proceed to checkout as normal and select USA Overnight as your shipping method. Your discount will be applied at checkout!

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
Terms of offer subject to change at any time. No dealers or resellers, please. This offer is available online only while supplies last. Valid only on orders shipping within the continental United States. Expires 01/21/10 at 11 AM CST.

Note that the coupon code on my checkout page said the code was good until 11:59... (yes I pre-ordered from GameStop -- again!)

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GTTV reveals Bad Company 2 Single Player Campaign Tomorrow!

* BY: DragonLadee
* POSTED: Jan 20, 2010, 02:36AM
* COMMENTS: 45

On Thursday night don't miss the season premiere of GAMETRAILERS TV on Spike TV for your first look at the single-player campaign of BATTLEFIELD BAD COMPANY 2. B-Company is back and you'll see over 10 minutes of never-before-seen footage from the single-player campaign including a new trailer and a first look at one of the game's cutscenes. During the show GTTV host Geoff Keighley interviews executive producer Karl Magnus Troedsson and senior producer Patrick Bach. Make sure to tune into GTTV on Thursday night at 12:30 on Spike TV in high-definition.

Watch the trailer here

Thursday, at 12:30 AM. That's technically Friday, right? Source: Battlefield Blog

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If you are interested, here is a behind the scenes look at the creation of Battlefield Bad Company (the original). IMHO, worth watching if you are a fan: Source

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Controversy of the day:

There was a day long Twitter conversation about the Field Of View (FOV) on the PC version of Battlefield Bad Company 2.

Started by user pekhe, who's been e-mailing a similar question to DICE devs for the last few days pekhe: "@GordonVanDyke Will the beta have bigger FOV than on consoles? repi talked something about adjustable FOV for PC."

Today someone finally responded to him, and he got an answer he didn't expect:

Demize99: "@pekhe The FOV is built for the ideal experience, we want all players to experience the same FOV especially in MP for balance."

Then all hell broke loose... demands for what value is in use ..demands for flexibility.. yadda, yadda, yadda...

Twitter user Xeq_ submitted this archived gem:

http://forums.electronicarts.co.uk/...escreen-support-time-dice-3.html#post12227654

Our goal is to have a customizable first-person soldier FOV for the PC version within a certain (but good) range, but we are still finalizing the details about that as it isn't as easy as one could think as we have so many different views in the game (weapons, vehicles, single-player, cutscenes, and so on)

Oh and we measure FOV as vertical FOV instead of horizontal FOV, which is why widescreen has the same vertical FOV as 4:3 but still see more due to the aspect difference. Think our default FOV right now in the soldier first-person view is 55 degrees on the consoles (but don't hold me for that, not fully sure). Ideally PC should have a bit higher FOV by default than the consoles as they run in higher resolution and through that can see better, and PC gamers are used to a higher FOV in general.

There is at least one active thread at the forums on the subject: pc-version-field-view-fov

Demize99's last word on the subject yesterday was this:
"Having a different FOV for different players is a balance issue. I've played lots of pc and I don't feel the fov is restricted."
"However given we are doing a PC Beta for PC Players if you play and disagree I want to hear from you. Try it on PC first please."

To be continued today...

 

[Tab]

That's some total bullshit about it being a "balance issue" - every game since ~2003 has had an adjustable fov anywhere from 65 to 135 degrees - did anyone complain about balance? NO!

Sounds like someone made a really poor choice when developing this game.

 

[minmaster]

they want to be like IW.

 

[Gumby84]

GullyFoyle

Just wanted to say thanks for all the info. This thread is the first place I go for any new BC2 info.