Community Update

[NPR Noah Adams]

Re: Community Update

IMHO, Dice sold out. The original BF1942 audience (which were spoiled by content such as these boosters at no extra charge) are scratching their heads wondering why they changed their tactics?

I'm sure they would have charged for whatever negligible additional content we got with BF42 patch updates if there had been a cost-effective way to do it. At the time, they didn't have the EA Downloader. At $10 for a direct download, they're probably making more than they did on something like Secret Weapons.

[Jon]

Re: Community Update

Most likely, there will be servers that run the booster packs and regular maps, some that run only booster packs, and some(Read:Many) that don't run the booster packs at all.

So if you don't want to disconnected, you can play on servers that don't run the boosters at all. I think the feature is more for people with the packs, who can play a variety of maps while the booster is installed, not for regular people to play until the booster comes, though it will be possible.

I think this logic holds true in countries like the US where servers are aplenty but as a player in a country (Japan) which has a relatively small BF2 community (probably not more than 1000 people country wide) this feels like an underhanded tactic. Where I am there is only a handful of servers with enough players on at any given time. The Special Forces add-on has already divided the community by reducing the number of servers running vanilla BF2 by about a third. Introducing the booster packs to vanilla BF2 threatens to reduce the number of servers which a player who doesn’t own any add-ons can use, which could very well cause over crowding on any servers that choose not to run them, making it difficult to log on to any server.

Sure, you can say that US$20 isn’t much of a price to pay but it seems unfair when it is all but required in order to play a game which I have already purchased (and the game itself was not cheap to begin with). Although US$20 isn’t much when compared with MMOs with online subscription fees, games such as WoW do alert the user at purchase that an additional fee will be required. When I bought BF2 my understanding was that I was buying a complete game which would not require the payment of any additional fees. I think this is an unfortunate move by EA.

[^Garf*uk*]

Re: Community Update

great news

i will buy them:rock: :hi: :rock:

[killerguilder]

Re: Community Update

Im Happy with the out goings with this game!

[Ind1go]

Re: Community Update

If people were really, truly offended by this "tactic" about charging for booster packs then they would leave the game for their baby, CS:S.

As it is they're not. They will still play the game with some self-perception that they are somehow morally superior for not getting the booster until envy inevitable kicks in and they buy it, quietly, without fanfare. then they will love every minute of it.

The online community, by and large, is built up entirely of people who have nothing better to do than moan. They don't care if people agree but if they see that some do then all it does is further their delusion that what they think actually matters in a community of over a million people. 95% of whom like the game enough to play it, rather than waste time over arguments about inane points that really, in the grand scheme of things, matter not one iota.

Stop wasting time. Go play BF2 or don't come back.

[Stalker-NSDQ]

Re: Community Update

BOOSTER PACKS:

Why they couldn't do that with the Special Forces Add-On ? Wouldn't it be cool to have all maps running on one server ? That would give random maps a whole new meaning. I would love to play all the maps randomly in one session. At least people would get a taste of all maps and increase their stats with every army. BTW does anyone else has issues regarding Helo flying in BF2:SF ?

[Jon]

Re: Community Update

Ind1go,

Much as my better judgement tells me that not only would replying to to your post be futile but also actually go some way toward validating your opinion I have a special place in my heart for the delicious irony of forum posts complaining about how much people complain in forum posts.

First of all the assumption that anyone who has issue with EA’s marketing stratergy must be a fanboy of another game such as CS surprises me. If I preferred another game, EA’s decisions relating to BF2 really wouldn’t bother me and I don’t imagine that I would have gone to the effort of posting.

Secondly, expressing regret or irritation at the booster packs is not the same as declairing a boycott against them. For reasons stated above, I suspect I will have to buy them should I wish to continue playing vanilla BF2 – which I probably will (from time to time) until the mods I am looking forward to are released. I simply think that it is unfortunate that EA is making it difficult for me to enjoy BF2 without purchasing the booster packs and insodoing presenting themselves as a company which values profits over customer satisfation.

Finally, I’m not sure why you believe that a post criticizing a video game publisher is of any less value than a post commending one. In my opinion posting “EA is right on target with the booster packs” is no less inane and meaningless than posting “by charging the players for booster packs EA is extorting players”. At the end of the day neither opinion matters to any great extent – I mean, hell, we’re talking about video games here – but it is nice to each have our own say. Of course, both these posts are infinately more valuable than one that does nothing more than bring attention to their valuelessness. Such a post is only surpased in meaninglessness by one which draws attention to this (and who would be foolish enough to post such a thing?)…

~Jon

[Widkidone]

Re: Community Update

The real question is, will these Booster packs be strickly download from the EA website or will there be hard copies? I am just think if i have to reformat my computer would i have to fork over the $10 again to install the game. I have checked at EB Games, GameStop and other software outlets and they do not have these Booster Packs listed.

[Stalker-NSDQ]

Re: Community Update

The real question is, will these Booster packs be strickly download from the EA website or will there be hard copies? I am just think if i have to reformat my computer would i have to fork over the $10 again to install the game. I have checked at EB Games, GameStop and other software outlets and they do not have these Booster Packs listed.

In Germany they will be available according to EAGAMES.DE in stores for
9,99 EURO

[glaucoma]

Re: Community Update

Well I hope there will be an easy way to tell when a server has a booster pack in rotation. Otherwise it's going to suck for people who don't have that specific booster pack when they get disconnected, and for the people still on the server who suddenly have 1/4 of the players they had on the last map. And to think people had troubly keeping their ranked servers occupied before this. :-/

Not having drug-addled rules such as "no more than two to three members of the same clan may join this server at the same time", "no locking of squads", "no squads with less than four people" and so on might help with keeping ranked servers occupied in the first place.
Otherwise I agree, it will suck for those who are left on the server when a large part of the players drops on mapchange.
Personally, I'd like to see some statistics 1-2 months after the release of the packs on how many % of the playerbase actually got them. Just out of curiosity. A vocal group of people here seem to be willing to buy them, but on the other hand, none of the people that I play with usually are willing to, so I'm kinda left wondering what will happen in the end..

[DisposableHero]

Re: Community Update

i'm more than likely gonna buy the booster packs. i want every bit of BF2 i can get my hands on. i'll also continue to download the custom maps and betas of mods that are being released. this is basically the only thing i play now and i can never get enough of it. i don't agree with EA charging for the booster packs, but i'll fork over the money anyway.

[David Champion]

Re: Community Update

People that want content for free are so blind of the fact that it does cost money to create patches and additional content regardless of what it is, albeit' game enhancements and bug fixes should be included, but additional content costs manhours and time to make. A modest fee is being charged for this for this reason, it's not that hard to see. Wake up and smell the megapixels.

[geddeth]

Re: Community Update

Of course, both these posts are infinately more valuable than one that does nothing more than bring attention to their valuelessness. Such a post is only surpased in meaninglessness by one which draws attention to this (and who would be foolish enough to post such a thing?)…

Jon, I know you are already aware of this, but your subtleties are rather wasted in here, IMO (though fiendishly funny as well :-)).

FWIW, I tend to agree with you, though I have not found myself so discontented with the game as you and others do. I'm also wary of the move made by EA on these booster packs, and really see them as not much more than a booster for their Steam-like money-making scheme, EA Downloader. However, DICE (lets keep devs and CEOs apart) have created a great game which I enjoy very much, and I will find myself coughing up the money for this "new content". I'm quite sure of it.

[Robske007a]

Re: Community Update

Are they reworking the enite ranking system again?

Now just expanding it