[Multiplat] Battlefield 3

[Shifty Geezer]

Just played the PS3 version for about an hour and a half. If this is representative, all of the people bitching about the game must have never played the previous PS3 games. . . it's pretty much the same game as BF:BC2 (which means it is is awesome). That said, doesn't appear that voice chat is enabled and / or working and I have encountered some of the same digital audio distortion that tended to creep into BF:BC2 after playing a while (and usually meant system lockup was coming).

That doesn't bode well. Smacks of PSN's crap voice chat in general, and that's rarely ever fixed in games.

 

[RudeCurve]

Been playing this for a couple nights...graphics are kinda disappointing after all the hype from La-Yosh. I knew something was up when they only posted videos of the PC version awhile back.

 

[assurdum]

Been playing this for a couple nights...graphics are kinda disappointing after all the hype from La-Yosh. I knew something was up when they only posted videos of the PC version awhile back.

I ask only a thing when we talking of disappointment: can someone support his opinion posting an another beta or even a demo with the same features of BF3 on console? Because I found completely absurd those continues complains about the engine... BD2 demo was more stable, ok, no more to said, but for the holy God, BF3 is a miles better of BD2 demo in everything, even with its horrible glitch & bugs. The texture, the shaders, the light system, BD2 multiplayer not seem so charming to my eyes, not at least on the console. More stable & refined of course, but it's clearly more ancient of BF3. Wow I thought to live in a parallel dimension reading so much negatives critics of the graphic...

 

[NRP]

I think some people have seen PC footage and actually thought the consoles would be similar, which is idiotic especially for B3D but some here are still drinking the Kool-Aid I guess.

IMO, the BF3 beta is way better looking than the Crysis 2 beta/demo. My main gripe is the Metro map basically blows. It's so far away from the traditional Battlefield experience that I wonder who is making these decisions. It's like they are trying to show a "COD" experience, and it fails in that respect. They'll never convert COD players by showing them something similar but inferior. Show them something different and you'll get their attention.

 

[Neb]

Comparing Crysis 2 Mp to BF3 MP, 12 player vs 32.... extended destructibility etc. Kool-Aid is since 2010 classed as steroids with reverse effect, illegal.

 

[Acert93]

What, BF3 is now 32 player

 

[Shifty Geezer]

I ask only a thing when we talking of disappointment: can someone support his opinion posting an another beta or even a demo with the same features of BF3 on console?

Comparisons with other games shouldn't be carried out in the game thread. Anyone feeling disappointed with a game should qualify their disappointment a little, such as, "it looks flat/boring/jerky/ugly," etc., though without the need to drag other games and platforms into the mix which turns threads into fanwars. A technical discussion in the proper forum can make intelligent comparisons with other engines but also be governed by more stringent rules than a game thread not allowing for any fanboyisms.

 

[Richard]

I think some people have seen PC footage and actually thought the consoles would be similar, which is idiotic especially for B3D but some here are still drinking the Kool-Aid I guess.

IMO, the BF3 beta is way better looking than the Crysis 2 beta/demo. My main gripe is the Metro map basically blows. It's so far away from the traditional Battlefield experience that I wonder who is making these decisions. It's like they are trying to show a "COD" experience, and it fails in that respect. They'll never convert COD players by showing them something similar but inferior. Show them something different and you'll get their attention.

Coming from BF2 and ETQW/Wolf:ET metro is not that bad. Yes, it's radically different from conquest and requires a much more in depth knowledge of the map and close-knit teamwork, but it doesn't play like a COD map (at least a CoD4 map - last one in the series for me).

I'm still learning it but it has a real Wolf:ET presence that makes me feel all warm inside. Yes, I'm itching for some armoured cavarly rushes but it's not a bad map I don't think. I would agree with you that it was probably not the best beta map.

 

[RudeCurve]

I ask only a thing when we talking of disappointment: can someone support his opinion posting an another beta or even a demo with the same features of BF3 on console? Because I found completely absurd those continues complains about the engine... BD2 demo was more stable, ok, no more to said, but for the holy God, BF3 is a miles better of BD2 demo in everything, even with its horrible glitch & bugs. The texture, the shaders, the light system, BD2 multiplayer not seem so charming to my eyes, not at least on the console. More stable & refined of course, but it's clearly more ancient of BF3. Wow I thought to live in a parallel dimension reading so much negatives critics of the graphic...

I'd say the textures and polygon counts are mediocre while lighting is good. I have no problems with some of the glitches as I'm sure they'll be fixed when the game is released, who knows maybe the single player campaign will look closer to the videos shown from the PC version. I just feel that after all the hype, it would look better than what currently exists.

Anyway since you asked I'd say KZ2/KZ3 is WAY better in terms of graphics but since that's not a multiplatform game I guess it doesn't count...

 

[nintenho]

It's a beta test, not a demo. There really isn't much need for tutorials beyond a few helpful hints posted by DICE reps, which there are.

But is it really just a beta? It's coming out a month before the game release and every time you exit the lobby, you get a huge splash screen reminding you of that. I think the beta had the goal of both testing the network and just getting people hyped up for the game, it probably would have been better to put some tutorials in there for the noobs as this game does have a very high learning curve. spilled milk I guess.

 

[Acert93]

While I could take the time to recount all the negatives (tons of server unavailable issues, server kicks, lag... the constant falling into the ground, graphic glitching shimmers... borked game menus and squad stuff on and on) but I have to say this: I am really digging the CORE gameplay. I have played a lot of CoD the last couple years and while the games are different I must say I really, really like the "battle line" feeling. In COD the trend is to push and flank and do topsy-turvy map progression. But not here. The Metro Map has a couple really nice natural flow points (not choke points) where you form these "fire team" pushes where the intensity is great. And there are some really great moments to be had. e.g. I was in a building on offense on the last push and I went to the top story of a 3 or 4 story building. EVERY window was OPEN and you could go up and down the stairs. I was reliving an "Enemy at the Gate" moment picking off all the guys down below. When they got a feeling for where I was I mixed it up by moving to another floor and window angle. I am also digging the high damage bullets do. Some things are just time related (I kept being asked if we could defib... I said I knew we could but, like the flash light, had no idea HOW to do it... only to see later it was an unlock) and getting a feel for rush and the map layout takes some time.

Bugs aside (old build? stripped features?) I am positive that if the final version has the refinements we should expect this should be a LOT of fun. So while I am a little nervous about the condition of the beta, my concern isn't the gameplay. From what I have seen Caspian looks AMAZING and all indicators are that the PC version is playing a lot better in terms of stability. My gaming budget is ~ 3 new games a years and I think I will put my money where my mouth is and pre-order tonight as NewEgg has a special:

http://www.dealigg.com/story-Battlefield-3-Limited-Edition-Pre-order-PS3-Xbox-360-PC-47-98-2

I guess that is putting your money where you mouth is

And a big thanks repi for helping the DICE team bring a real BF to the consoles! A lot of us have been waiting for this for years.

EDIT: I want my A-10 and Apache. The beta has me itching to re-install DC just to take them for a roll... hmmm I need to find out how to get a flight stick to work with my Xbox.

 

[(((interference)))]

So is Digital Foundry going to do an analysis of the Beta or not?
AIStrong should know

I quite like the changes to gameplay and gun handling which make the shooting more realistic and gritty, feels more like a slower paced COD now.

 

[Brad Grenz]

The beta is sooo buggy I don't think performance or image quality comparisons are that useful.

 

[nintenho]

So far the beta is smoother than the BC2 one, you occasionally see clipping or something but the lag is nearly non-existent. Only annoyance is that the voice chat sometimes cuts in and out on the 360 beta.

So is Digital Foundry going to do an analysis of the Beta or not?
AIStrong should know

I quite like the changes to gameplay and gun handling which make the shooting more realistic and gritty, feels more like a slower paced COD now.

The beta has a lot of bugs/tearing that will probably be smoothed out so it wouldn't really tell much to do one now, may as well wait a few weeks for the final game to come out so that they can also look at the campaign.

 

[RudeCurve]

I was in a building on offense on the last push and I went to the top story of a 3 or 4 story building. EVERY window was OPEN and you could go up and down the stairs. I was reliving an "Enemy at the Gate" moment picking off all the guys down below. When they got a feeling for where I was I mixed it up by moving to another floor and window angle..

The cool thing is it works both ways allowing a nice balance. A few times I played as sniper on defense team on ground hiding behind cover and could easily pick off offensive team players like yourself on those floor windows. Spotting guys in those open windows from the ground was fairly easy with a good scope and I haven't even unlocked the 12X scope yet. A couple times I played as engineer and shot a couple of RPGs into those windows taking out a few players. I haven't encountered any lag so far.

BTW are the unlocks from the beta transferrable to the retail game?

 

[Shifty Geezer]

AIStrong should know.

It's A-L-Strong.

 

[RDK]

wow ... the holographic scope is like cheating

 

[NRP]

It's A-L-Strong.

Nope. He has strong AI.

 

[kagemaru]

And a big thanks repi for helping the DICE team bring a real BF to the consoles! A lot of us have been waiting for this for years.

I second this. While the demo is a beta in every sense of the word, it still is great to see DICE place a main entry BF title on consoles.

 

[tabs]

wow ... the holographic scope is like cheating

Do you mean the IR scope? That really did look like a hack, but it's funny when someone shines a torch at you. I used it for a bit, but unlike a hack it hinders rather than helps quite often. Telling friend from foe with it isn't easy either.