My thoughts on BF3 Beta

[Stryker]

I'm finding the community right now is very upset and split on what to make of this game. I find it a-lot of fun but the beta map does no justice to the Battlefield game. No tanks, small linear, etc. So obviously it feels like your playing Call of Duty. (If COD was only this awesome)

The graphics are amazing and I hear Ultra isn't even in yet. My 550ti runs the game great on "ultra" though I believe that is just high for beta. The guns look great, and destruction is very real. Even the little details, such as light coming off shots, or smoke coming from where the bullet casing are flying out are amazing.

The sounds are among the best for a game, except I don't like the sounds during when you get ribbons and such after the match. It kinda sounds "crackly"...it's unpleasant to me anyway. Like if my speaker is having a problem or something. (There is nothing wrong with my speakers)

The gameplay, for the small map, feels okay. I can't judge it to much because the maps are so small it's normally a spray and pray situation, but once we get more open maps i'm sure I can judge it better. Hit boxes seem pretty good to me. Guns have some nice recoil, but I do find myself unloading in full auto to kill someone in a distance. I have shot in single bursts with my M16 type gun from a distance and see it hitting them but normally doesn't kill them, full auto tends to work the best.

This is what I find strange, or dislike about the game:

• Guns, and ammo/medic packs seems to have no physics, and don't move...They should.
• There is no Team Points displayed on Stats even at the end of the round(COD style) [Only Kills and Deaths]
• The flicker from the scopes is to exaggerated and need to be reduced.
• The flashlight needs to be (just a tad)slightly reduced.
• Rush mode still $u*k$ in my opinion and don't understand making us beta test this console garbage mode...It's a BF game, let us beta test conquest.
• I don't know if it is just beta but people Rank up way to fast...BC2 fast, unlike BF2. I like the ranks, I just don't like this idea that 9 months down the road everyone will be "General" I enjoyed BF2's system ALOT more..isn't this a sequel to that..guess im mistaken =p
• From what I read, and I have to agree BF3 is a sequel to BC2 not BF3. Doesn't mean it's not an amazing game it's just not much like BF2 at all right now. Maybe a different map will open more insight. I'm unsure.
• Don't like the current position and color/transparency of the chat box, i do like that it disappears when no chat is going on.
• No cammo rose including no way to Press Q over someone for help leads me walking around with no ammo, like seriously! BF2 had it, isn't this a sequel! No way to say thank you, or anything.
• You can clear a room with a knife, and the animation cannot be interrupted. (I did this and since you can't disrupt the animation I just went person to person as they couldn't hit me) very very sad. COD style.

If you check the Battlefield official forums, the community is pissed about Battlelog, I have never seen so many people against it. I really don't know what to make of it to be honest. I love to use Google Chrome but since it's so CPU heavy I use IE instead.

Overall, i'm keeping my pre-order if that is a sign of anything. I really do enjoy the game and understand it is a beta, and changes will come along with more maps, and most anticipated Vehicles...especially Jets. I just can't picture jet's flying around right now, it almost feels like the engine won't support it. So I'm really curious how they look, feel, and move!

Remember this is just my opinion.

What are your thoughts on the beta, or comments to mine?

[Anarchy1]

Re: My thoughts on BF3 Beta

I basically agree with everything you said.

- Yeah, I noticed the packs don't have physics.
- There were no team points in BC2 either, but they should definitely add them, and then remove the death number (keep the kill number), like in RO2.
- I agree about the flicker. It is ridiculous, especially when i happens in the shadows.
- The flashlight is all right except when a teammate shines it in your face. ARGH.
- Yes, rush sucks.
- I've seen people already in the 20's and 30's in rank. That is pretty fast. It was slower in the alpha IIRC.
- I don't think it will ever be like BF2 and I hope it never will be. BF2 was a great game, but it's time for something new.
- I'm sure that is still work in progress. Remember DICE never needs a chat log so they haven't had a need to work on it yet. At least it isn't over the kill-feed anymore.
- Commo rose is in the game, just not the beta.
- Demize said that you should be able to shoot enemies, but maybe that isn't working yet.

I'm not sure about Battlelog either. I do like it, but I also think there should be an in-game menu. The game definitely is very light thought. I can alt+tab it open and closed within a seconds with no graphical problems.

[ThatEvilGuy]

Re: My thoughts on BF3 Beta

Well, I was going to make a thread but since you already made one, I'll just post here.

Overall, I have to say - Not impressed.

The game feels very consolized and simplified(Read dumbed down/noobified).


Cannot configure individual sensitivities, in BF2 you could configure all sensitivities, turrets, etc...

Jet's machine guns seem weak, in fact jets seem pretty useless.

Jets and helicopters have a weightless and "papers" feels to them. Helicopter takes off immediately whereas in BF2, it ton a time to warm up and moved like it really was a 10 ton machine, the same with jets, they were much smoother.

Also another simplification I don't like - Unlimited ammo, no resupply, no going back to base, regenerating health... yuck!

Weapons also do not overheat... on the helicopter gunner you just have 30 bullets... what a nonsense.

No multiple camera views, just front and cockpit.

The game has a weird colour, it's dark and oversaturated.

Particle effects look like crap! Jet shot down flames look like shit... have a look at this vid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpgFpJBBX5c&NR=1

Crash camera views are very strange for jets and helicopters, even tank blow up animation is strange.

Vehicles and aircrafts especially are very collision forgiving.

Can't mute players.

No stats after the round is over.

Jets are so slow, the DICE guy who said they were fast, lied!


I like the feeling of scale though, when jets fly, the scale is impressive.



Battlefield used to be about vehicles and aircrafts, they were the power in the game, now it seems that it's become more of an infantry game trying to compete with CoD.

[zuiquan1]

Re: My thoughts on BF3 Beta

Gotta agree with the vehicles, the physics on them just dont feel...right. Hopefully there still in work.

[Mtrooper]

Re: My thoughts on BF3 Beta

My first thoughts after playing the beta for a few days

Pros:
-Infantry gameplay felt very good, almost CoD like but feels spot on

-Lighting/graphics; even without an HD monitor, the game looks excellent on High settings

-Unlock/ranking system; it works pretty well in my opinion but it does go by a tad fast. 8 hours spread over 3 days and I'm already level 22...

-(Ground) Vehicles feel great, when I was lucky enough to get in Caspian Border the great feel of the vehicles soon ensured that I kept the game preordered

-Caspian Border. It is really, REALLY regrettable that this is such an exclusive and difficult to get into map, because if THIS map was the beta one instead of Metro, people would actually think this game is good, instead of a tryhard BFBC2: 2.0. The map is very large (hard to gauge the size without a proper minimap, see below), and mixes most of the vehicle types very well. True Battlefield map that brought me back to the earliest days of BF2.

Cons. Sadly, there are a few:
-Many, many glitches. I know this is a Beta, and that the build is 3 weeks old (due to the Xbox and PS3 beta being pushed back) but the level of bugs here makes me worry about a release in 3 weeks. Falling through the ground on Metro is especially prevalent, some visual and audio glitches, too, namely light flashing and repeating gun sounds.

-Forced Battlelog integration. Hear me out. I actually like the concept of Battlelog, and I don't mind it terribly, but I had major issues trying to get into a game with a party. Either it would break us up, or he never got the invite to either party or game. It feels like something that should be an option rather than the single server browser. While it has yet to be seen, it would be a major issue if Campaign access was reliant on Battlelog.

-Menus. The fact that you cannot change your loadout while alive is frustrating and the inability to change settings while dead is extremely annoying, borderline stupid. Changing options while in the middle of a firefight isn't the best thing ever.

-Minimap- even at maximum zoom out, it feels very claustrophobic, rarely showing more than 1/5 of the map. I understand that there is a perk for aircraft called "air radar" that increases the range of the minimap but having it so small really made my short time on Caspian more of stumbling around to red diamonds on my screen rather than actually understanding the battle situation.

-Scope glare. Good system and useful, but utterly ridiculous. While I hardly play sniper I weep for the men who carry huge glint-machines around with them.

-Operation Metro. While I am enjoying the beta alot, this map is NOT doing Battlefield justice. I have seen in many, many corners of the internet people canceling their preorders because this map is horrible in showing the game off. While I scoff at the notion that it is impossible for the attackers to win (I have won at least twice as attackers), the map is clearly leaning towards defenders heavily. Perhaps this map would be a fun one for IO lovers on final release, but making it a focal point of all the scrutiny of an increasingly skeptical community was a grave mistake.


I really feel this game can be fantastic, and is mostly so now, but it needs to grow out of some problems. The number of glitches suggest a very typical DICE release, one that I hope the community can stomach. The gameplay is tight and fun, and the unlock system (if it is slowed in the final release) is spot on, rewarding proficient use of their favorite weapon. The visuals are some of its best strengths, and frostbite 2 seems fairly well optimized already. Battlelog may become a decent system, but in its beta stages, it is almost more of a hindrance than a good deed to the community. The fact that it is browser based opens up a whole new level of hacking risks due to easier access to keyloggers and the system seems very DDOSable. Orgin being required on at all times is frustrating.

The game's strengths are the actual game (for the most part) with the weak link coming in the underlying system. For the sake of gamers and BF fans, DICE and EA had better wake up and allow open public access to Caspian Border or they will be losing not only preorders, but faith from the consumer.

[Vreki]

Re: My thoughts on BF3 Beta

Metro:
I agree with most thing said, except that Metro is not bad because its rush, or because its BC2.1.
There are great rush maps in BC2, and decent vehicle maps too.

But the opening parts of Metro suffer partly because it is a campers heaven, and lacks the focus the LAV provided. And the subway stages are starting to feel like nuketown, with people crowding the choke-points and seizure inducing flashlights and lasers everywhere.

It is also hard to evaluate weapon balance due to the lag, but I experience a lot of insta-kills from rifles, and I don't think that goes well with a game that wants a fast pace over open ground.
I am also getting the feeling that burst-fire is no longer the way to go, you have a better chance of scoring a kill with full-auto

Caspian Border:
I only played one round, but it is a completely different game.
I actually feels just like the trailer, or maybe even better, it is incredible to see a full war going on around you.

I really like how the jets are a part of the Battlefield now, you see them dogfighting just over your head instead of being away doing their own thing most of the time.
I understand some people think they look slow, but I believe it will really work wonders for game balance and their integration into the Battlefield.

Tanks was the only combat vehicles I tried, and they need some more torque. The do not feel like 1000hp monster, more like a family car hauling a trailer.
But it was still great. Lots of graphical glitches etc, but great.

Conclusion:
The two types of maps seem so different that I doubt most servers will keep them both in rotation.
So most of us will just forget that this "Better-COD" game-mode exists while we are playing BF maps. The Metro servers will be popular at launch, and then disappear as the next shooter emerges, since they offer nothing special.

[The_Eliminator]

Re: My thoughts on BF3 Beta

Caspian is unbelievably good.

[5t3v0]

Re: My thoughts on BF3 Beta

STOP HURTING ME WITH YOUR TALES OF MILK AND HONEY!!!

I havent even tried to get in to Caspian border yet as I feel its going to be futile!

[Stryker]

Re: My thoughts on BF3 Beta

I can feel a-lot of "console" in this PC game...Am I the only one? Arma 3 might feel more like a sequel to BF2 than BF3 =p who knows! I really hope they let us beta test the entire game in the last week. Bigger maps, tanks, etc to really see what this game is about!

[5t3v0]

Re: My thoughts on BF3 Beta

I can feel a-lot of "console" in this PC game...Am I the only one? Arma 3 might feel more like a sequel to BF2 than BF3 =p who knows! I really hope they let us beta test the entire game in the last week. Bigger maps, tanks, etc to really see what this game is about!

Well Im not ruling out the consolishness, Arma 3 won't be, because even in Battlefields 1942 form it still was nowhere near as simulator-esque as Arma and the original Operation flashpoint are

[Anarchy1]

Re: My thoughts on BF3 Beta

I can feel a-lot of "console" in this PC game...Am I the only one? Arma 3 might feel more like a sequel to BF2 than BF3 =p who knows! I really hope they let us beta test the entire game in the last week. Bigger maps, tanks, etc to really see what this game is about!

Well count me as a person who doesn't mind "consoleness" (not to the extent that some games have gone though, like Crysis 2). If I wanted a realistic PC game, I would play RO2 (which I do) or Arma.

[ThatEvilGuy]

Re: My thoughts on BF3 Beta

Well count me as a person who doesn't mind "consoleness" (not to the extent that some games have gone though, like Crysis 2). If I wanted a realistic PC game, I would play RO2 (which I do) or Arma.

It's the little things that give a game that console feeling, like those huge, thick HUD lines in helicopters or jets.

[Vreki]

Re: My thoughts on BF3 Beta

It's the little things that give a game that console feeling, like those huge, thick HUD lines in helicopters or jets.

To me, its mostly the menu system that screams "Made for Console"

[MrChris_CJ]

Re: My thoughts on BF3 Beta

Generally I like the beta, Metro for me is only fun because I can play with friends otherwise its not that great a map even by Rush standards, I don't hate Rush (I whored it in BC2 because I did not like CQ in that game) but would prefer Conquest

my day playing Caspian border, well that was something else entirely, it felt like a proper Battlefield game and I loved every second of it

and as someone who spent almost all day in the jets, unlocked almost everything for them (and was #1 in the jet leaderboard ++++++epeen) the jets perform fine WHEN you get some more kit for them, they are primarily air to air jets in Caspian, not the A10 etc which is more for ground attack, but I tell you the anti tank guided missile - which lets you attack ground targets was so much fun to use

a few bugs, such as the one affecting weapon damage and the hit detection lag can often be an annoyance and fail to give a clear indication of how well the weapon balance is going but imo the close quarters damage is a bit high

otherwise the minimap is rubbish and does not even show the full map, its hard to follow as well and the current squad interface is rubbish (although Bazajaytee has said it is bugged) but then they also said it might be handled BattleLog side. While I do like BattleLog, squad management must be in game

I don't mind the regen health on people or vehicles since it seems balanced enough, takes a while to regen and I still very much want a medic around and a support guy

helis seem a bit in between BC2 and BF2, they feel better to fly but don't let you roll etc and their missiles are terribly inaccurate, that said one good pass will disable a tank

the beta has a few problems, I know people will not like all of the different gameplay mechanics but I am pleased; I can't wait to see what some of the other maps are like and am eager to hear what fixes have been implemented etc

edit: oh yes and the knockback a heli receives when being hit by a jet cannon is just over the top, helis will be flying coffins to most noobs (you will do well if you have skill in them of course) but hitting a heli with your jet cannon in an F18 etc is literally worse than the VADs in BC2, you flip them right over

[Vreki]

Re: My thoughts on BF3 Beta

This evening I unlocked the M320 (The GL) and the IR sight for the shotgun, and it made Metro a lot more enjoyable.
When I first got the IR sight I thought they must be mad, why would I want a IR sight for a shotgun? But it is actually great on Metro, all the vermin hiding in the bushes suddenly becomes fluorescent. And then its just a matter of either spotting them or wasting them with the shotgun or the GL, depending on the range.

Smoke also looks very good, but I haven't had much time as an attacker since I unlocked it.