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

[TheUnk]

So far for me to fix my random crashing I have to turn the detail down to low. I've never had it crash on low. High runs perfectly smooth but randomly crashes to desktop (no msg or anything just gone instantly)

 

[GullyFoyle]

DICE Answers Our Burning Questions About Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam

The Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam expansion is scheduled to drop this winter, but we still have several questions about the franchise's return to Southeast Asia. We asked DICE executive producer Patrick Bach to shed more light on the highly anticipated addition to one of the best shooters of the year.

What compelled DICE to return to Vietnam rather than visiting a new environment?
Firstly, we have a legacy with the original Battlefield: Vietnam from 2004, and we wanted to build on that. Many of our developers who worked on that game still have merchandise lying around constantly reminding us that the game has such a strong history within DICE. We have also received a lot of requests from the community to go back to Vietnam. Secondly, I think the Vietnam setting stirs something in people. The instant you mention the Vietnam War, everyone gets these images: whether it's the jungles, the classic vehicles from the era, or even the ‘60s music. We think it makes for a really strong package. Also, I want to point out that this is not a remake of the old game that came out six years ago. This is Battlefield: Bad Company 2 gameplay in our Frostbite engine that goes to Vietnam on brand new maps.

How much inspiration are you taking from Battlefield Vietnam in terms of the game design for the expansion?
A lot of the elements that gamers loved in the original Vietnam game are implemented here as well. For example, you can listen to (and blow up) propaganda speakers, and you can enjoy ‘60s music on the radio in your vehicles – the latter being one of the features that really brings a unique feeling to this expansion.

Are there things you wanted to achieve with the original Vietnam game that you couldn’t do due to technical limitations that you can do now?
Well, a lot has happened in the Battlefield franchise since 2004, both gameplay wise and technically speaking. From a purely technical standpoint, our upgraded Frostbite engine handles destruction on a whole new level compared to the engine we used for Battlefield 1942. So simply taking our latest engine back to Vietnam automatically means we get closer to our vision of all-out warfare.

Will we see a lot of the same unique weapons and environmental hazards return from BF: Vietnam, like the bouncing Betties and the punji stick booby traps?
No. Actually, looking at the telemetry for Bad Company 2 across the different formats, we can see that we have achieved an extremely well-balanced game. This is something we take pride in and want to maintain, so while introducing booby traps might sound like a good idea, we would much rather focus on keeping our finely tuned game balance.

These are all brand new maps? How are you changing your approach to map design for this expansion pack? Will these maps be more wide open or are they going to be more streamlined like they were in Bad Company 2?
I wouldn't say we are changing our design sensibilities for Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam. We are designing the maps to offer a great sense of variation, from the tight and up close to the more wide open spaces with plenty of vehicles. Much like the difference between, say, White Pass and Atacama Desert in the base game.

Are you going to include jets like the F4 Phantom and MiG-21? If not, why not?
The jets are used for ambience and are not flyable. They just don't fit within the scope of a Bad Company 2 expansion. The helicopter is awesome, though.

How are the eight radio stations that players can listen to in vehicles different??
There is no style of music designated to a specific channel. This is mainly a way to sort the two hours worth of music so it is easier to browse for the player. There really is something special about getting into the helicopter and flying over the beautiful Vietnam scenery while blasting “Fortunate Son” through the speakers.

Are you making any infrastructure changes alongside this expansion that alters the way the game sets up matchmaking, rotates maps, etc?
Not really. We are watching the server loads as always, so we are prepared to increase the number of dedicated servers as needed, though.

When you’re playing the expansion will it only rotate through the four expansion maps or does it integrate the Bad Company 2 maps as well?
Battlefield Bad Company 2: Vietnam will have its separate map rotation. It is, however, integrated into the overall persistence, so you will keep leveling your soldier up as usual, no matter if you play the base game or the Vietnam expansion?

Are you going to be able to transport tanks around the map with the helicopter like in Battlefield Vietnam?
No, we don't see that it brings any value to the gameplay. It was a function that wasn't really used extensively in the past.

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Strangely enough, this repost version of the article has some additional questions and answers:

3rd of October 2010

Patrick Bach answer questions about Bad Company 2 Vietnam

Gameinformer have taken the opportunity to ask Dice executive producer Patrick Bach about Bad Company 2 Vietnam. In this great interview we get some good questions answered, you can read it under here.

...

Is spotting still a central mechanic to Vietnam?
Of course! Battlefield Bad Company 2 is very much a team-oriented game, and Vietnam is no different in that aspect.

Are teams still divided into squads of four?
Yes.

Have you made a conscious effort to make the gameplay feel different than that of BC2? If so, how do you want the expansion to stand out?
This is an interesting question, since the answer is both yes and no. Our goal for the Vietnam expansion was to create something that is instantly recognizable as Bad Company 2, yet different enough to the point of feeling like a completely new experience. The gameplay is definitely Bad Company 2, but the feeling when you play the expansion is new. Part of it is down to some of the high tech helping items being removed, part of it is the fact that most of your weapons are unscoped, rusty, and tied together with band aids. The dense jungle environments with its trenches and foxholes also affect the style of play. Add to this the ‘60s music and the vehicles from the era, and you get a special vibe to the whole experience. This is mainly done through design choices that aren’t technically changes in the gameplay mechanics as such.

Battlefield Bad Company 2 has certainly sold well, but after starting out strong on the Xbox Live charts it has steadily plummeted out of the top 10 while FPS competitors like Call of Duty and Halo keep going strong. Do you think the absence of new maps is the chief reason BC2 slid down the rankings, or is it something else?
We’re very happy with both the initial weeks of sales of Battlefield: Bad Company 2 but equally so with the long tail of the product, how it keeps selling week over week now long after launch. We don’t consider the lack of paid content to be a key factor in why the game is now selling less. This is part of the natural life cycle of a product, and we still have a huge amount of active players. We don’t think it is a surprise that people are playing Halo at the moment, and frankly speaking we know that Bad Company 2 Vietnam has taken its fair share of time to be finished. Now that it is close to completion – and if our epic play tests here at DICE are any indication – we feel confident that our fans will have a blast come winter.

If you had a chance to go back and do it again, would you have released more map packs earlier rather than using the VIP strategy, which simply opened up pre-existing maps for new modes?
We think doing the VIP program was a good way to give our fans complementing features that we did not have the possibility of implementing in the base game at launch, and we have received good feedback for our VIP program. That being said, we are currently evaluating the VIP program to decide how to best approach this in the future.

Is this the last batch of Bad Company DLC we can expect, or does DICE have more plans for 2011?
You never know.

source: Gameinformer

 

[Termie]

When you’re playing the expansion will it only rotate through the four expansion maps or does it integrate the Bad Company 2 maps as well?
Battlefield Bad Company 2: Vietnam will have its separate map rotation. It is, however, integrated into the overall persistence, so you will keep leveling your soldier up as usual, no matter if you play the base game or the Vietnam expansion?

While this technically makes sense, it will divide the community and will prove unsustainable. We'll see a quick burst of interest in Vietnam, with some servers dedicated to it, but when players get tired of the 4 maps and "2 hours of music", they'll just seek out the regular BC2 servers. I give Vietnam three months of life before it dies out. Worth ~$15? Maybe.

 

[Bill Brasky]

Do you think the absence of new maps is the chief reason BC2 slid down the rankings, or is it something else?

This is part of the natural life cycle of a product.

So sad. I wish Valve owned Dice.

 

[RavenSEAL]

I'm done with Bad Company 2 after 35 ranks,180hrs and no new maps. It's gotten horrible, going to gamestop later today to trade in for store credit and i'm gonna pre order either black ops or medal of honor(Ps3 side here anyways, i'm sure you folks on the PC side are feeling the frustration, at least i can get some of my money back though) By this time, there should have AT LEAST! AT LEAST! 2 Map packs, seriously, i would like to know WTF DICE has been screwing around with besides MoH.

 

[Oakenfold]

While this technically makes sense, it will divide the community and will prove unsustainable. We'll see a quick burst of interest in Vietnam, with some servers dedicated to it, but when players get tired of the 4 maps and "2 hours of music", they'll just seek out the regular BC2 servers. I give Vietnam three months of life before it dies out. Worth ~$15? Maybe.

That's pretty much what happened with the bf2 expansion packs if I remember right.

 

[Zargon]

yup

 

[beginner99]

Recently bough BC2. Played through SP campaign which is pretty short but now I'm trying multiplayer. Have played quite a lot already but still having trouble keeping up. often a 1v1 fight even with the same gun i end up losing (=dying).
Also I often get killed over pretty long distances with crappy machine guns while I barley manage to hit him with a sniper over them same distance. What's the trick?

Anyone having issues with their router? might be a coincidence but my router often crashes while playing. Never had such issues before or when playing SC2.
(but while I'm connected I often have the lowest ping of all players hence this should not be the reason that I have trouble aiming.)

 

[richierich1212]

Recently bough BC2. Played through SP campaign which is pretty short but now I'm trying multiplayer. Have played quite a lot already but still having trouble keeping up. often a 1v1 fight even with the same gun i end up losing (=dying).
Also I often get killed over pretty long distances with crappy machine guns while I barley manage to hit him with a sniper over them same distance. What's the trick?

Just gotta hang in there, it's pretty tough for the first several buildup levels.

 

[minmaster]

i've had the router problems (and i've read others having the same problem), it dies when you try to contact EA servers and there is no response. however, it hasn't really happened since the early days when the EA servers were bogged down. today it happened again but with MOH beta though.

as for killing guys at distance, you have to really control your bursts really well. after the first few bullets, you have to stop and settle and keep firing in bursts. otherwise the recoil will make it impossible to hit anything.

also everyone pretty much uses magnum ammo, so that might be why you're losing 1v1 battles. either use it yourself or use ceramic armor to counter it. mag ammo is better though.

 

[stag3]

Just gotta hang in there, it's pretty tough for the first several buildup levels.

+1 here, it was pretty brutal starting out but once you get a few unlocks it becomes much easier

 

[beginner99]

also everyone pretty much uses magnum ammo, so that might be why you're losing 1v1 battles. either use it yourself or use ceramic armor to counter it. mag ammo is better though.

i assume both are unlocks which I don't have yet.

So i just need to play even more. because i suck so bad it's hard to get points without "cheesing".

 

[Zargon]

i assume both are unlocks which I don't have yet.

So i just need to play even more. because i suck so bad it's hard to get points without "cheesing".

yup
be a medic to get fast levels, drop heath packs everywhere

same with assault and ammo packs

or go HC where the guns arent as much an issue as tactics

 

[Demo24]

Recently bough BC2. Played through SP campaign which is pretty short but now I'm trying multiplayer. Have played quite a lot already but still having trouble keeping up. often a 1v1 fight even with the same gun i end up losing (=dying).
Also I often get killed over pretty long distances with crappy machine guns while I barley manage to hit him with a sniper over them same distance. What's the trick?

Anyone having issues with their router? might be a coincidence but my router often crashes while playing. Never had such issues before or when playing SC2.
(but while I'm connected I often have the lowest ping of all players hence this should not be the reason that I have trouble aiming.)

Also remember that sniper bullets drop over distance. Wtih the m24 you'll need to aim probably more than you expect over a persons head at distance. Also if you hold the trigger you'll stay scoped after the shot and you'll typically be able to see where it landed. When learning I wouldn't bother trying to make shots on people moving. You have to calculate where they are going, bullet drop, and how far ahead to place it. Even today I still find that difficult. It does get a touch easier to place shots with the 12x scope.

 

[beginner99]

Also remember that sniper bullets drop over distance. Wtih the m24 you'll need to aim probably more than you expect over a persons head at distance. Also if you hold the trigger you'll stay scoped after the shot and you'll typically be able to see where it landed. When learning I wouldn't bother trying to make shots on people moving. You have to calculate where they are going, bullet drop, and how far ahead to place it. Even today I still find that difficult. It does get a touch easier to place shots with the 12x scope.

Yeah but a target that is standign still long enough, mostly only another sniper that is hoepfully aiming somwhere else.
Just played again. pisses me of. Scar-l or how that crappy maschien gun is called or pistol and the kill me over half the map I can't even hit them properly with the sniper. Wonder how they actually see me without any scope.

 

[Demo24]

Yeah but a target that is standign still long enough, mostly only another sniper that is hoepfully aiming somwhere else.
Just played again. pisses me of. Scar-l or how that crappy maschien gun is called or pistol and the kill me over half the map I can't even hit them properly with the sniper. Wonder how they actually see me without any scope.

Not always and some maps are better tuned for sniping. If you can follow someone they might just stop long enough for you to send one down range. The engineers when they go to rocket something are the easiest.

Also red dot sights help tremendously with clarity. Many players have also edited their field of view, although you have to do so in the ini file.

 

[beginner99]

Not always and some maps are better tuned for sniping. If you can follow someone they might just stop long enough for you to send one down range. The engineers when they go to rocket something are the easiest.

Also red dot sights help tremendously with clarity. Many players have also edited their field of view, although you have to do so in the ini file.

I'm probably not made for this game...I'm not that low-ranked anymore but still, as sniper I get points mainly from base capture and "spot assist kills" + "kill assists" and destroying tanks.
I no have the best sniper gun. Managed a few nice kills (85 additional points "marksman kill" or something) but most shots still miss and it's kind of boring to just shit in the bushes and wait. I prefer that sniper gun that has a high fire-rate. also good in short-distance fights and you get several chances for a kill shot without constantly having to "reload".

About FOV, increasing it I thought makes it even harder to hit targets but you see more of the world around you? Do certain snipers actually decrease it to hit targets better?

 

[minmaster]

try the VSS, it's a very offensive minded sniper's type of weapon. the high RoF makes it very deadly in close quarters w/o the need for scoping.

 

[Demo24]

I'm probably not made for this game...I'm not that low-ranked anymore but still, as sniper I get points mainly from base capture and "spot assist kills" + "kill assists" and destroying tanks.
I no have the best sniper gun. Managed a few nice kills (85 additional points "marksman kill" or something) but most shots still miss and it's kind of boring to just shit in the bushes and wait. I prefer that sniper gun that has a high fire-rate. also good in short-distance fights and you get several chances for a kill shot without constantly having to "reload".

About FOV, increasing it I thought makes it even harder to hit targets but you see more of the world around you? Do certain snipers actually decrease it to hit targets better?

To each his own. I like to run around with the sv98(or any single shot) + red dot. I do fairly well for myself. And when someone pisses me off I switch back to the trusty m95 + 12x scope and pick them off.

 

[Termie]

BC2 coming to iPhone: http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/65919

Hope they haven't spent all their development dollars on this effort. Is this the reason we don't have VOIP on the PC yet?

 

[Zargon]

To each his own. I like to run around with the sv98(or any single shot) + red dot. I do fairly well for myself. And when someone pisses me off I switch back to the trusty m95 + 12x scope and pick them off.

I hate the M95, you really use it? so slow

 

[Demo24]

I hate the M95, you really use it? so slow

I love the m95! It was the first gun I got platinum on. Heck I even use it with red dot sights when I want to have some fun. It really is the best for long distance as the bullets don't drop near as much as any other rifle. Pulled off a 342 marksman today, one of my higher numbers that I can remember.

However because the m95 is a touch slow I've moved to the sv98 for red dot run n' gun stuffs. Roughly the same up close and with the faster rate of fire I can grab people in 2 shots if necessary.

 

[Bill Brasky]

I hate the M95, you really use it? so slow

Pretty much, but I can't help it. It's so much fun. The sound and animation are incredibly satisfying to me.

When I really need to get the job done in a pinch, I go with the trusty GOL + stock scope.

 

[beginner99]

It's funny a lot of players say camper-noobs to each other but really, I mostly get killed exactly by campers that hide in bushes/houses,... anywhere you don't see them that well and the often kill you from behind -> lame

My problem is I'm just to offensive (suicidal one could also say). But sneaking around forever and retreating at first sign of resistance (which I see many players do) is just boring. But because of how the guns work understandable.

 

[GullyFoyle]

New Battlefield Blog post: Vietnam Hardware #1: A Tale of Two Tanks

* BY: H Brun
* POSTED : Oct 05, 2010, 04:17AM

Welcome to Vietnam Hardware -- our new blog series on the upcoming expansion Battlefield:
Bad Company 2 Vietnam. Stay tuned every Thursday for never before published info and
screenshots, straight from the developers here at DICE.

Fact: If it ain't got tanks, it ain't Battlefield. In the upcoming expansion Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam, the North Vietnamese and the US Army get one new tank each to take into the fray.

Say hello to our little friend.

North Vietnamese fly swatter on loan from Russia.

The American and Vietnamese tanks function pretty much like in the base game, with one driver/main gunner, plus room for one extra soldier to man the machine gun. The driver may also fire a secondary weapon from within the tank, if he has the required vehicle specialization.

Since the NVA don't have any real AA guns to talk about in this expansion, their tanks will often play the very important role of mobile air defense. The US tank is no less important as part of a winning strategy, and has the added luxury of a number of 60's themed radio stations to enjoy while on duty. The enemy can actually hear the music from outside as well, so it's not just for the driver's enjoyment.

Niklas Fegraeus is Lead Designer on the Vietnam expansion. We caught him between two playtests to get some inside info on the upcoming tanks:

Hey Niklas, what's the biggest difference in tank warfare in the Vietnam expansion compared to the base game?
-- The actual gameplay from within the tanks is pretty much classic Battlefield fare. The threat image versus the tanks is a bit different in Vietnam, though.

Is that because there is less high tech weaponry and gadgets in the Vietnam expansion?
-- Exactly. For example, there are no fixed anti-tank weapons or tracer darts here, so there is generally more enemy infantry in close proximity of the tanks, trying to take it down with dynamite or unguided RPG's. It's kind of a theme in this expansion, I think. The battle is more up close and personal in general.

Cool. Hey, I noticed during our playtests that the design of the NVA tank changed recently. Why was that?
-- Well, in the interest of finely tuned game balance, we decided to give the NVA tank a domed machine gunner position -- instead of the historically correct approach, where the soldier would actually pop his head up to look around. That's just asking for a headshot, and would cause massive imbalance in this multiplayer expansion.

So there you have it. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam will be released winter 2010. In the meantime, check out these previews from Tokyo Game Show:

IGN Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Takes you to Vietnam
Gamespot Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam First Look
Eurogamer Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam Hands On

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Video interview of the BF Community Manager on BFBC2: Vietnam

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Remember that Mythbusters question about a UAV flipping a tank? Well, sort of...

Believe it or not (BFBC2)

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