A new update has been posted on the Battlefield Portal from level designer Björn Sundell. It gives us some more information about the new map that we first uncovered in our DICE interview last December. Check it out:
Unfortunately, there's still no answer for the question of the day - when is this patch going to be released? While you wait, you can check out some more screenshots and info about the map from our December interview with DICE here.
<a href="http://images.totalgamingnetwork.com/images/dice_pic0.1236973665.jpg" style="float:right; margin:5px;"><img src="http://images.totalgamingnetwork.com/images/thumb_dice_pic0.1236973665.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a href="http://images.totalgamingnetwork.com/images/dice_pic8.1236974390.jpg" style="float:right; clear:both; margin:5px;"><img src="http://images.totalgamingnetwork.com/images/thumb_dice_pic8.1236974390.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Why?
Reading the feedback you guys give us in the gaming forums, it’s been clear to us that the game was lacking in a tight infantry map with the PLA army involved. So we set out to create a map with that in mind and this is the result of that. That map, which we have called Operation Blue Pearl, will appear in the upcoming Battlefield 2 Update 1.50 and Battlefield 2142 Update 1.51.
Limitations
As some of you probably know, BF2 has been around for a while and many of the current players have rigs that can run the game at high settings. But to us, creating official content, we still have to keep the low specs of the game in mind designing a map.
That’s where the “fog of war” comes in. When we make maps here at DICE we are constantly using programs that check draw-calls on our maps so that, wherever you position yourself on the map, the draw-calls never exceed the maximum limit. (A draw-call is when the game engine must call a texture image into the graphic card’s memory for it to be rendered on screen. The more draw-calls the game must make, the more it impacts computer performance so limiting these is one of the cornerstones of game production.)
In order to make a tight city-feel map you need a certain object density. The only way to get that is to use fog to “cull” distant objects.
This also prohibits us from using air vehicles on this kind of map. On ground level, your view is often blocked by buildings and other objects, keeping the draw-calls in check. If you would use an air vehicle you would get a free 180’ view of the city which would make the draw-calls exceed the maximum number.
The setting
Even though this new map reuse all content from the original game we’ve tried to come up with something that we hope will feel fresh for you. As already mentioned the map gives you an infantry, city setting with the PLA army, which hasn’t been present in the game before.
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Reading the feedback you guys give us in the gaming forums, it’s been clear to us that the game was lacking in a tight infantry map with the PLA army involved. So we set out to create a map with that in mind and this is the result of that. That map, which we have called Operation Blue Pearl, will appear in the upcoming Battlefield 2 Update 1.50 and Battlefield 2142 Update 1.51.
Limitations
As some of you probably know, BF2 has been around for a while and many of the current players have rigs that can run the game at high settings. But to us, creating official content, we still have to keep the low specs of the game in mind designing a map.
That’s where the “fog of war” comes in. When we make maps here at DICE we are constantly using programs that check draw-calls on our maps so that, wherever you position yourself on the map, the draw-calls never exceed the maximum limit. (A draw-call is when the game engine must call a texture image into the graphic card’s memory for it to be rendered on screen. The more draw-calls the game must make, the more it impacts computer performance so limiting these is one of the cornerstones of game production.)
In order to make a tight city-feel map you need a certain object density. The only way to get that is to use fog to “cull” distant objects.
This also prohibits us from using air vehicles on this kind of map. On ground level, your view is often blocked by buildings and other objects, keeping the draw-calls in check. If you would use an air vehicle you would get a free 180’ view of the city which would make the draw-calls exceed the maximum number.
The setting
Even though this new map reuse all content from the original game we’ve tried to come up with something that we hope will feel fresh for you. As already mentioned the map gives you an infantry, city setting with the PLA army, which hasn’t been present in the game before.
Continue Reading...
Unfortunately, there's still no answer for the question of the day - when is this patch going to be released? While you wait, you can check out some more screenshots and info about the map from our December interview with DICE here.
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