BASH Interview with DICE

[CptainCrunch]

This webcast was released with some details about the upcoming Bad Company 2. Check out what was discussed:

<a href="http://images.totalgamingnetwork.com/images/bash126.jpg"><img src="http://images.totalgamingnetwork.com/images/thumb_bash126.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>

BASH is pleased to present Battlefield Bad Company 2’s producer, coming to us all the way from the home office of Digital Illusions CE (DICE) in Stockholm Sweden, it is none other than the legendary Gordon Van Dyke.

Gordon is on BASH to talk to us about all the awesome tech going into his new baby, BFBC2.

This is a wide-ranging interview and we cover a lot of ground. With me to help cover that ground with Gordon (aka “Lex Luthor”) is BASH regular, Garetjax from codtv.tv.

Among the interesting personal facts that Gordon drops our way is that he was a former competitive player (hence the “Lex Luthor” tags), but get this…he was also a PC modder. And his mods are the reason he got to work at DICE. I’m sure his street cred with our community just shot straight up, huh? <!--more-->

Of course we asked about BFBC2 as well.

We go into depth on the Frostbite gaming engine.
We talk about the possibilities of modding the game.
We talk about the potential for competitive BFBC2 play.
We of course talk about the fact that BFBC2 will have dedicated servers.
The PC beta is also discussed.

Thanks to all the folks who helped make this cast happen: Gordon at DICE, Matt Pruitt, Jino T. and Kelly E. at EA. Thanks guys.

Very interesting information provided in the webcast that you can listen to here. Since the issues with Modern Warfare 2, this game is being looked at very closely. What are you thoughts on the interview? What are your thoughts with Bashandslash doing this interview?

Thanks Rogue Warrior and ATM743 for the heads up!

Source

[imported_ATM743]

Re: BASH Interview with DICE

what i love about this is GVD stated that he started out creating mods for 1942. hearing this from him made me smile. plus he talks about an other dev a big gamer (competitively)

[=)BiT(= Evant3k]

Re: BASH Interview with DICE

This is what I got out of the podacast:

Gordon Van Dyke
- Dedicated Servers are to stay
- First time Frostbite Engine will be on Pc
- Explained how macro and micro destruction work
- Direct X9 and Direct X10
- Windows XP, Vista and 7 support
- Announced that a PC beta will be coming
- BFBC2 wont have modding tools out of the box but doesn't dismiss a possibility
- Frostbite is a new engine so mod tools need to be refined for DX10
- 2 new squad based game mods aside from (conquest and goldrush I guess)
- unknown anti cheat software most likely Punkbuster

[imported_Xeq]

Re: BASH Interview with DICE

He kind of hinted on BF3 modding support :thumbsup: :yay:

Edit: But he also said that PC beta will be very exclusive (not for everyone)

[TheEn|gma]

Re: BASH Interview with DICE

Interesting listen, although I typically hate podcast hosts. Your not a ****ing radio DJ get over it.

[RYKUU]

Re: BASH Interview with DICE

This is what I got out of the podacast:

Gordon Van Dyke
- Dedicated Servers are to stay

Thank god.

[Dangerdog]

Re: BASH Interview with DICE

- BFBC2 wont have modding tools out of the box but doesn't dismiss a possibility

I would dismiss it entirely, they had this big build up about how Gordon got his start making mods and he waffled on the issue by saying it's just all too technical.

Granted the tools they make the game with are probably not the most user friendly, I would bet the majority of the game's maps are made in 3ds Max and not a custom map editor, they're not going to release mod tools because they too want to sell DLC just like almost all other games do these days.

[Mavrik347]

Re: BASH Interview with DICE

Who doesn't know Lex? Well... Before he vanished into the abyss of DICE. lol

No editor sucks but they will hopefully bring one out at some point.

Good listen.

[Rogue Warrior]

Re: BASH Interview with DICE

This is what I got out of the podcast:

Sounds like LOTS of Fun :thumbsup:, and (in a real fast, low voice) Infinity Ward STILL Sucks Moose Dung!!!

[=)BiT(= Evant3k]

Re: BASH Interview with DICE

I would dismiss it entirely, they had this big build up about how Gordon got his start making mods and he waffled on the issue by saying it's just all too technical.

Granted the tools they make the game with are probably not the most user friendly, I would bet the majority of the game's maps are made in 3ds Max and not a custom map editor, they're not going to release mod tools because they too want to sell DLC just like almost all other games do these days.

Unlike COD Battlefield series have ranked servers that only GSP with contracts can run. Those servers can not be tweaked or changed in any way, without violating the GSP contract. The master server is set up to listen to specific feeds from ranked servers that EA listed as the good guys. The GSP does control their customer to make sure that the contract is not violated, restricting access to critical files, they don't want to lose their revenue because of a few rouge customers. So in order to play the DLC maps in an online ranked mach you have no choice but to buy it, since it is linked directly with your gamespy user name. COD on the other hand anyone can run a ranked servers, the game can not distinguish between a DLC and a custom community map. This model worked in the past and they don't need to hurt their customer by making something like the IW.net. This is why DICE has always made superior games to IW, even tho the casual gamer praised COD games more.

Sure you can play the DLC maps on unranked servers, but most people like ranks and it defeats the point of playing the maps, without purchasing them.

Armored Fury
Euro Forces
Northern Strike

All those DLC sold well.

[theminx]

Re: BASH Interview with DICE

see in gordon's opinion he prefers a console,
god i hate this guy.

hes saying that consoles have pcs beat because thease key reasons..
LOL
he says like this and i quote

consoles are no longer unique to pcs
in the begining they had no harddrives etc etc
now they are competitors basiclly.

he sees the future of gaming on a console rather then a pc.
he belives it can change overnight but right now this is how it looks.
which 99% of all communites disagree except on the dice ea battlefield forums..

he saying because consoles now have hard drives and they have better graphics because everyone has hdtvs..
LOL

he saying pc gaming has lost its desire compared to a console in this interview also.
then he goes on to say oh yea btw fps gaming is better on the pc but its not that bad on a console..wtf really..

this guy is really something.

GORDON MOST OF US PC GAMERS HAVE HDTVS HOOKED UP TO OUR 4780's and gtx295's what are you smoking?
i preorderd this game for pc when pre order first came a few months ago at gamestop..
im saying im buying this game but jesus gordon do console only interviews and let us have patrick for the pc ones because you lean tward consoles too much.

[=)BiT(= Evant3k]

Re: BASH Interview with DICE

Why are you Bashing GVD? He is a PC gamer unlike 402 which a XBox 360 fanboy clueless about the PC community.

He is just saying that it's easier to develop for the consoles, because they have components that are standardized. Therefore they don't need to add support for hardware, operating systems, software, drivers that might come out in the future or are currently on the market. Think about it over 200 different types of motherboards from different companies and manufactures. Over 400 different graphics cards. An abundance of PCI sound cards and on board sound cards, peripherals joysticks all that stuff, it has to work if it doesn't the PC community wont be happy. PS3 and XBox 360 have standardized components you make your game work on one machine it will work across every users machine.

theminx you made no valid point and your laughing about something you don't understand. I don't believe he said that he prefers consoles he just pointed out from a business point of view it's easier to develop for those platforms. Stop bashing and have a listen to the interview a couple of times before you make any judgments.

[Dangerdog]

Re: BASH Interview with DICE

And now they have three OS platforms that need support, along with three different DirectX formats, unless they tell Vista users to migrate to DX11.

It's definitely getting harder for developers to support the PC, throw in the fact that almost all consumer PC systems are sold with completely inadequate graphics chipsets (mostly weak as hell Intel ones) and you can see why PC gaming is becoming a niche hobby.

I do feel like he's almost setting us up for the usual PC delay that DICE throws our way with his "things constantly in change" speech towards the end of the cast, guess we'll know if that's going to happen if they miss the Beta release timeframe of December.

Wish the interviewer would have asked about BF1943.

[=)BiT(= Evant3k]

Re: BASH Interview with DICE

DX 9 and DX10 will be supported so even if they add DX 11 support (which he never said) as well it will just give Windows 7 users a choice, while supporting older platforms. Just like Crysis, and Dirt 2 did.

[Rugerdog]

Re: BASH Interview with DICE

And now they have three OS platforms that need support, along with three different DirectX formats, unless they tell Vista users to migrate to DX11.

Vista will have DX11 from the last time I checked.