Battlefield 3 producers Fredrik Löving and Alexander Gröndal sat down with Battlefield fans to answer some questions in an EA live chat earlier today regarding future DLC, the Battlerecorder and much more.
Unsurprisingly, one of the first questions asked was regarding the so-called “Battlerecorder” and if it will ever be implemented. The producers were optimistic, saying that the Battlerecorder is “something we really want to do” and is “something we’re looking into.”
DLC has also been a very hot topic. It was asked if more destruction would be featured in future DLC and if Dinosaur’s would ever make it into an expansion. “Dinosaur mode is something we’d love to do” they mentioned, but it is still unconfirmed. When it came to more destruction, they simply answered, “Yes.” It sounded like they were quite pleased with what they have in store for Battlefield fans.
When it comes to two-man jets, the developers mentioned that “that is something [they’d] love to see.” However, they don’t want to take away from the number of foot soldiers on the ground. Skipping the kill-cam was mentioned in the questions as well. The producers admitted that they “think it’s a good idea.” The chat box on lower PC resolutions is also something that the producers “think [they] need to change.” Split-screen co-op was also something that was considered by the producers to be included in the future.
Daniel Matros has been answering many questions recently, including concerns of VOIP, PS3 input lag, color blind options and Back to Karkand.
Many fans have been wondering if Back to Karkand-only servers would be available on consoles once the DLC has shipped, giving players the opportunity to select playlists that only take place on the maps Strike at Karkand, Gulf of Oman, Sharqi Peninsula and the ever-so-popular Wake Island. Matros has responded saying, “not confirmed yet. We’re working on the whole process today.” However, he did add that “that is the goal, yes.” It would make sense given the extensive selection of servers that console players already have. If you haven’t yet, check out the complete list of Back to Karkand weapons and attachments!
Other than the upcoming Back to Karkand expansion pack (available tomorrow, December 6th on PS3 and on December 13 for Xbox and PC), Matros has also been grilled on many questions regarding PS3 VOIP and input lag, two major concerns of the PS3 community currenty. So far, the only response given is that DICE is “working on them.” PC fans have also been asking if a VOIP addition will be included in the December 6 PC patch. Matros answered that “we’re keeping the voip as it is right now. By increasing to this level of functionality we would have to make the VOIP solution a part of the game installation, which we currently don’t want from a business perspective.” Included in the upcoming PC update is an option for color-blind mode. Many fans have been asking if this would ever make it to consoles as well. Matros responds, “not yet. Will try it out on PC first.”
In preparation for tomorrows PS3 release of Back to Karkand, DICE has officially announced that maintenance will be performed across all platforms, including the Battlelog, between 9:00 CET and 12:00 CET today.
Alan Kertz, Senior Gameplay designer at DICE give us some more insight into the balancing act that goes into developing a game like Battlefield 3.
Talk of the IRNV scope is quite popular these days, with the community being seemingly undecided on whether it’s been nerfed too hard, or not enough. Two videos have been making rounds lately, one demonstrating the uselessness of the IRNV while in the tunnels of Operation Métro, while the other demonstrates a much more reasonable usability on the Canals. Kertz recently took to reddit where he had this to say regarding the muddy look of the IRNV in the Op Métro tunnels: “The IRNV has a lot of trouble down in the tunnels due to all the smoke from burning stuff.” However, he also mentioned that with “that said, I think this area might be over nerfed, and it’s hard to get a setting that works everywhere effectively. The bright background of the tunnel makes the system not work so great. It’s not perfect, but at least it’s not a free hack anymore. The changes are by no means set in stone, it’s a living game.” So, look for more updates to come regarding the infamous IRNV scope.
Another admittedly tough balancing act has much to do with the mobile anti-aircraft units. Kertz admits that “It’s still on our radar. Probably the toughest balance issue in the game.” He explains that “the buff to AA vs Infantry was a side effect of buffing the Jets vs Infantry. That’s the way the system works. The AA buff will be removed in the future and the Jet buff will remain.” Another update many Battlefield fans can look forward to. Kerts also talked about the shotguns in Battlefield 3 receiving a slight nerf. However, he assured us that “it’s not that bad, and it’s not getting nerfed hard. The explosive damage will be similar, its the direct hits that aren’t intended to be 1hk with a USAS12.”
Many fans are awaiting news regarding the PS3 input lag issue. All we’ve gotten so far what Community Manager, Daniel Matros has stated: “We couldn’t really find what caused it. We’re working on it though.”
So far DICE has shown some aptitude towards consistent updates with the PC having seen one patch with another one releasing December 6th (you can check out the full patch notes here). The PS3 has also seen a patch while we still await for an incoming Xbox 360 update.
Keep an eye on our brand new Patch Notes section for recent, and incoming patches!
Blizzard Entertainment has added support to Starcraft 2 this week for the authenticator by-pass feature. Players playing World of Warcraft may already be familiar with this optional feature which has been around for a while now.
To anyone who is unfamiliar with what an authenticator does, it is a physical device (or mobile phone application) that creates a unique one time code that is required to log in to your Battle.net account. The By-Pass system works by skipping the authentication code normally required if you using an authenticator, but only if you are logging in from the same location. Note this feature is now enabled by default but can be disabled in the Battle.net account management page, opting out of the service will mean an authentication code is required at all times from all locations.
It is great to see Blizzard Entertainment expanding this feature to Starcraft 2 and will hopefully assist in giving players more reasons to try out the service which is a great extra layer of security for precious accounts.
Would you like to see an authenticator service on more games with similar features?
Don’t forget to follow MP1st on Twitter and Facebook for the latest multiplayer news.
UPDATE 2: After much debate among the community, Kertz has finally decided to follow through on his idea to add a small, upper-chest hitbox that would one-hit-kill a soldier if struck by a bolt-action sniper round.
UPDATE: It looks like Kertz has recently decided against this option saying, “I still am open to the idea of bolt sniper tuning, just not sure exactly what at the moment. Most likely a higher dmg but no body 1hk.” Out of curiosity, we’ve added a poll to the sidebar, so go ahead and vote!
It looks like bolt-action sniper rifles could be seeing a radical change in the near future.
Leading up to the release of Battlefield 3, bolt-action sniper rifles and their ability (or inability) to one-hit-kill an enemy without it being a head shot was a subject of great debate. As many already know, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 allowed one hit kills to the body and it’s what many fans became used to during their time with the game. Of course, some controversy arose when the developers at DICE announced that one hit body kills with a bolt-action rifle would not be allowed in Battlefield 3. Whether this has become the preferred method by the community is still undecided. Perhaps this would make great subject matter in the comment section below!
Fast forward to just over a month after Battlefield 3’s release, Alan Kertz, Core Gameplay Designer at DICE seems to be showing a change of heart. Once again looking to the community for feedback, Kertz mentions that he is “thinking of adding a ‘chest’ hit box that would allow 1HK bolt action shots at close range.” This has yet to be implemented as he is still “looking for Feedback: Trying for a Skill Shot,” he continued.
Kertz was recently asked if it was possible to set sniper rifles to a ‘toggle’ zoom while still keeping a ‘hold’ zoom for other weapons. He replied “not right now, no.” This could possibly suggest that it may be changed in the future.
The AKS47U is another weapon that may also be seeing changes in the future. Contrary to some comments Kertz has been receiving, he stated that the weapon is currently “over powered a bit.” Perhaps we can expect another possible nerf in an upcoming patch.
Could we be seeing a shift in the way bolt-action rifles are used? As always, let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
The Battlelog has been a very successful aspect to the Battlefield 3 experience, which has also seen a few updates since the latest patches. However, many are still wondering whether or not it will ever make it to mobile devices. Thankfully, DICE has stated that the “iOS will see it soon. Android, Blackberry, and Windows may see it yet in the future.” A little ambiguous about the last three devices, but at least iOS users may get their hands on an app soon.
DICE has also recently responded to some new issues that Battlefield 3 players are experiencing after the latest PS3 patch. However, this particular issue doesn’t really present itself as a “problem,” fortunately. Strangely, some fans have reported that after the patch, all co-op weapons were automatically unlocked. Responding to fans asking whether or not this was intentional, DICE states, “unfortunately not. This is a bug and we’re aware of the issue. Thanks for your report!” Whether players who have unlocked these weapons through the patch will get them taken away or not is still unclear.
Tomas Danko, Voice-Over Producer at DICE, has revealed some new features that may be included in the next PC patch. (If you missed what was included the previous one, check out the patch notes here.) Some fans have been asking if it will ever be possible to be able to hear CommoRose commands over the radio, just like in Battlefield 2. Danko responded saying, “you might like the upcoming patch.” This obviously isn’t an official statement from DICE, but it seems pretty safe to assume that PC players will soon be able to enjoy barking commands over the radio.
To stay up to date on all recent patch notes for Battlefield 3, head over to our brand new ‘Patch Notes‘ section!
Assuming you didn’t start gaming today (and if you did, remember to press ‘X’ to win!), you’re familiar with the crazy glut of games that soaks up your cash every winter. Week after week, it’s like a non-stop deluge of amazing titles, all deserving of your hard-earned moolah. Our poor money – how quickly it is sacrificed for the chance to race a kart and drop bananas, or shoot terrorists, or fight dragons, or equip an Xbox Live avatar with yet another pointless and trivial accessory.
Know what these avatars need (besides monocles and toe socks)? Star Wars gear and Halo toys!
However, after a dedicated and thorough internet research session, halted only occasionally by my unrelenting passion for sad panda bear videos, I discovered the gaming industry’s best-kept secret: March 6th, 2012, is the new winter gaming season. Seriously, check this out:
First, we have Mass Effect 3, the third installment of one of this generation’s most heralded series, and the first to feature multiplayer. Its dynamic cooperative modes are sure to keep gamers playing for months, which will be incredibly difficult due to the fact that…
Max Payne 3 releases the same day, which is also the third installment in a classic franchise, and the first to feature multiplayer. While the game looks like a Stranglehold successor, Rockstar’s legendary touch should bring amazing and unique elements to the traditional 3rd person shooter. It would be easy to get sucked back into the seedy world of Maxwell T. Payne, if only…
"Maximillion Theodore Paynedrop...at your service."
Street Fighter X Tekken didn’t come out the same day. Featuring a buffed-up Street Fighter IV engine and mechanics, with a host of new features and staple Tekken fighters, Street Fighter X Tekken looks to meld the series and craft a brilliant new fighting mold with its unique gem feature. Street Fighter games tend to be played religiously for years; a task easier said than done considering the fact that…
Ghost Recon: Future Soldier storms the online battlefield on that day as well. With a refined and robust set of online multiplayer options, Future Soldier looks to be the best installment yet. Featuring an intense and deep gear customizing and leveling system, it will unfortunately be difficult to witness all the action on display when you also have to make time to play…
MLB 12: The Show, the latest chapter in the critically-acclaimed baseball series. Ground rule doubles and in-depth roster options will also be available this day with…
Facial hair action!
Major League Baseball: 2K12. Damn, son, that’s a lot of foul balls, spittin’ tobacco, and mustaches. You’ll have to curl those baseball ‘staches quick though, because March 6th also hosts the release of…
The X-Com reboot. Intergalactic mysteries and first-person thrills abound in the latest doesn’t-stick-to-the-original-remake, and you’ll be hard-pressed to witness the finale of the clash between man and alien when you’ve got…
The Game of Thrones game coming out the same day. An epic RPG from RPG masters Atlus, this game looks to bridge any and all gaps between the novels and the popular television show. Offering 30+ hours of original Game of Thrones content, the game might have to wait for completion as you also work your way through…
Ridge Racer Unbounded, the latest in the occasionally popular racing games with terrible names (Unbounded? Seriously?). Design your own tracks on which to race your friends, and try to best your buddies’ times before you dive headlong into…
Horses 3D, perhaps the culmination of decades of video game research and design.
What's Mass Effect? These horses are in 3 damn D's!
Seriously, all of these games are slated for March 6, 2012. Even if a few are pushed back or forwards, that’s a stupid amount of fun for one month. I’m thrilled that publishers are looking to expand beyond the traditional October-December window of constant game releasing, but please…think of the wallets.
"Curse you, fun video games, and your unquenchable lust for my money!"
Let us know in the comments which games are on your March 6, 2012 radar.
A new sizable patch in the works for Battlefield 3.
DICE’s Mikael Kalms has announced a new patch for the PC version of Battlefield 3. The new patch will go live on Tuesday, Dec 6th, at 8 am GMT. It’s both client and server side. The patch will set you back a whooping 2 GB in memory as it contains a large portion of Back to Karkand’s assets. It’s worth noting that both players and RSPs will have to update in order for the game to run properly.
Here are the patch notes:
Bug Fixes:
Fixed a problem with spawn timer now showing blue border on startup and lost spawn point
Fixed a problem where player who joined queuing on End of round got spawn screen stuck on screen, but unable to do anything with it untill next round loaded
Fixed a problem where camera would change to 3rd person on killcam when killcam was turned off in server settings
Fixed stat references on several dogtags
Fixed for surveillance ribbon not counting TUGS
Fixed a missing combat area lines on the minimap for Grand Bazaar conquest small
Moved a tank spawn in US base on Caspian Border so it would not be destroyed by a falling tree
Fixed a problem where placing C4 with the russians soldier was playing US faction VO
Fixed a problem where TV guided missiles could be shot into its own helicopter and destroy it
Fixed a problem when attempting to fire lock on weapons without a target
Tweaked the chat, it should now be a bit easier to read
Fixed several vehicles that did not properly shoot rockets and guns towards their predictive sights
Fixed the G17 Supressed Laser not working properly
Added alternate HUD colors to help colorblinds
Added a network interpolation setting. This allows users with good bandwidth reduce latency, but might increase some stuttering. The user can find what works best for his connection by tweaking the slider.
Increased the Spawn protection radius on TDM
Fixed a problem with smoke on land vehicles, Missiles should now miss more often
Fixed a problem where users could end up with IRNV scope in any vehicle
Fixed a problem where player dies if vaulting over a ledge and into water while sprinting
Fixed several crashes and increased general stability
Fixed a problem where the user was unable to revive two players that have the bodies one over the other
Fixed so you can assign an axis and use as a digital input. This makes it possible for the player (on pc) to assign one of the sticks on a gameped to be used for throttle/brake.
Fixed a problem with the Kill camera acting up when suiciding from parachute
Fixed air radar was showing to much. now lasertagged, heatsignature above threshold, enemy missiles and capture points are only visible on air radar
Fixed a problem where the game would enter a technical hang if the user pressed pause menu and tilde at the same time
Fixed a problem where you could get green flashes on screen
You can now reassign cycle weapons
Fixed so the weapon zooms automatically after bipod deploy is gone when using zoom toggle
Fixed a problem where the parachute would stay stuck in air if the owner was killed
Balance Tweaks:
Fixed several weapons so they are properly suppressed and hide the player on the minimap when fired.
Tweaked Tactical Light so it is not as blinding over longer ranges.
Tweaked the IRNV scope so it is limited to usage only at close range.
Reduced heat masking effectiveness of Spec Ops Camo.
Fixed a bug where Ammo spec would give additional 40mm grenades instead of Frag spec.
Increased the number of additional 40mm grenades from Frag spec.
Fixed so AT mines only live for 20 seconds after a player dies to prevent infinite mines. (We want to make a different fix in the future, it’s in JIRA).
Increased the Time to Live on sniper caliber rounds to allow extreme distance shots.
Fixed several weapon descriptions, calibers, and fire rates. The weapons themselves have not changed.
Fixed so the M9 and MP443 pistol can be equipped by the opposing faction when it is unlocked at 100 kills.
Fixed Laser Guided Missiles missing their targets if the target is moving too fast.
Reduced the effectiveness of Stealth on Air Vehicles.
Reduced the effectiveness of Beam Scanning for Jets.
Reduced the damage done to Armored Vehicles and Infantry from AA guns.
Increased the damage RPGs and Tank shells do to AA vehicles.
Slightly decreased the accuracy for all weapons on fully automatic, burst fire is now preferable at mid to long range.
Increased the effective accuracy of long bursts for LMGs when using a bipod.
Slightly increased the range of the 44magnum bullets.
Increased the close range damage of 4.6x30mm and 5.7x28mm bullets.
Increased the reload time of the Mortar from 3.5sec to 4.8sec and increased the time it takes before a shell hits the ground.
Reduced the aimed accuracy bonus given by a Suppressor for the MP7, P90, PP2000, PP-19, and UMP45.
Increased the range and FOV for designating targets with the SOFLAM and vehicle Laser Designators.
Decreased the effectiveness of 12g FRAG ammo when equipped on semi-automatic and automatic shotguns.
Slightly Increased the power of Fighter Jet Cannons against all vehicle targets, especially Helicopters.
Decreased the power of Miniguns against Jets and Helicopters.
Increased the power of Stingers against Jets.
Flares reload times for Jets and Helicopter Gunners have been increased.
Tweaked the AN94 so its burst fire better conveys the real world advantage offered by this weapon.
Added Single Shot to the AN94 as an available fire mode.
Slightly increased the recoil on the M416 and removed the Burst Fire mode (this weapon incorrectly had burst fire, which was not authentic).
Tweaked the spawns for TDM on Kharg Island, Grand Bazaar, Caspian Border, Seine Crossing, Operation Firestorm, Damavand Peak and Noshahar Canals
Moved a tank spawn in US base on Caspian Border so it would not be destroyed by a falling tree
Tweaked the Gas station Capture area on Conquest on Caspian Border
In a podcast with the Official PlayStation Blog, Community Manager Ian Tornay, aka Crash 7800, spoke a few words about DICE’s upcoming expansion pack to Battlefield 3, Back to Karkand.
Here, he really stressed the words “expansion pack.” We’re interested in not doing map packs. We want to make expansions. We want to add content and we want to change the way people are playing.” Whether or not this was a hint at other franchises with heavy duty post-launch support, this is definitely a unique take on adding content to a big hit title with long lasting value. If we can take Battlefield: Bad Company 2’s Vietnam as any indication, we can expect good things from DICE in the future. “With Frostbite 2 being a new engine and Battlefield 3 being our biggest launch ever and the best Battlefield ever, we’re so focussed on getting user feedback. We really want Battlefield to be long tailed, to be for the users by the users,” Mentioned Tornay. What we can most likely take from this is that if you have any strong ideas for post-launch downloadable content, let DICE know. As Tornay said, “we’re not ruling anything out.”
Alan Kertz also recently spoke more on the subject of balance in his continuing search for fan feedback.
Some fans noticed his intent to increase the general damage of semi-automatic sniper rifles, assault rifles and light machine guns over long range. Kertz clarified saying, “slightly, so that it’s 5 hits at range even if you hit limbs.” Speaking of range, some have noticed that the range of the recon class weapons aren’t as long as what many think is should be. Kertz responds: “All bullets had a standard time to live, the sniper rounds will be getting an increase in the future.” Lastly, Kertz has stated the final word on more than 24 players on consoles: “Not this generation.”
Are you happy with DICE’s take on post-launch “expansions?” What type of DLC would you like to see in the future? Let us know in the comments below!
Call of Duty: Black Ops Developer, David Vonderhaar, has been rather active on the official Black Ops forums lately searching for feedback on various gameplay and balance matters.
One question we are asking is if this feedback is to be used to improve Black Ops, or will it be factored into their next title, be it Black Ops 2 or something completely different. So far, we’ve already seen some major changes to Black Ops gameplay fairly late into it’s life, including weapon balancing, playlists, and perks like Last Stand. It would not be crazy to assume more changes are on their way, but meanwhile, we can begin to get a general idea of the direction Treyarch might be headed in with their next project. For now, you should check out the Unofficial Feedback Thread and Unofficial Knife Feedback Thread that Vonderhaar has set up to gather feedback.
Vonderhaar has stressed that he’s reading all comments on these threads, so it would be a great place to have your voice heard.
Many fans have been showing appreciation for Treyarch’s willingness to learn and implement new improvements/ideas into Black Ops. Vonderhaar mentions that “You have to challenge assumptions. I don’t want to change just because we could. Finding the right things is important.” Treyarch recently implemented the option to turn aim assist for consoles in the multiplayer and was asked if there were any plans to create playlists that enforce this feature. Vonderhaar states, “yes. It could be enforced at a playlist level. Not sure how popular it would be, but am thinking of a way to deal with that.” One of the more controversial ideas that Vonderhaar has been looking for feedback on is the ability to unlock weapons permanently through prestiging. “We have these ‘traditions’ of doing things a certain way. Prestige relocking gameplay content being one.” Perhaps it’s time to break these traditions in order for Call of Duty to really move forward. In response to one fan stating that all of these changes could have been tested earlier in a Beta, had they implemented one, Vonderhaar noted that “it would be ridiculously beneficial to be able to test out this stuff now in black ops so its perfect for the ‘next game.'”
It seems we live in a day and age when it’s more and more acceptable for games with a strong multiplayer community like Call of Duty to be tweaked and changed, days, months, or years after release. Do you agree with this dynamic way of updating games, or should they be “perfect” from the get-go. Also, what would you like to see in the “next” Call of Duty?
Update: DICE has confirmed that the release date for Xbox 360 and PC is indeed the 13th of December.
Battlefield 3: Back to Karkand’s official release date for the PS3 has been revealed.
Sony, via the official PlayStation Twitter account, announced “Battlefield 3 Back to Karkand DLC is coming exclusively to PSN this Tuesday, December 6th”. This means that Xbox 360 and PC users will get the expansion 7 days after, on the 13th of December. However, the release date for 360 and PC isn’t official. We will keep you posted once it’s revealed.
Core Gameplay Designer, Alan Kertz, has revealed some of the next steps the DICE team is going to be taking in order to improve Battlefield 3.
In case you missed it, be sure to check out their statements regarding the PS3 VOIP issues.
Also, some gamers on the PC are experiencing issues with the mouse which isn’t firing as responsively as many would like. This sounds similar to another problem PS3 users are facing with the “input lag,” forcing many to play on lower resolutions. Still no word on this particular PS3 problem, but Kertz has informed us that the mouse issue has “been fixed internally,” and that it “should make a future patch.”
Kertz has been receiving a lot of feedback ever since DICE released a list of future updates that the team is working on internally. Note that all of these updates were related to ‘balance’ rather than what glitches and bugs the team is ironing out. One fan in particular suggested the ability to target an empty vehicle with the soflam/guided missile even after the driver/pilot exits the vehicle. Kertz simply responded, “Agreed.” Many fans have also voiced their opinion regarding the recent nerf of the G3A4 Assault Rifle, which many feel is now under-effective. This is especially true at range. Kertz responds by stating, “agreed, ranged damage will be going up again in the future.” Most likely, we can expect this in their next patch. Along with weapons like the G3a3 and the SCAR-H, the IRNV scope was also hit with a substantial nerf, at least in the eyes of some. A recent video demonstrated it’s inability to clearly see the enemy while in the tunnels of Operation Métro. Kertz did not say if it would once again be re-balanced, but he did mention that “the smoke In the tunnel from the fires hurts [the vision].”
One of the major issues that PS3 Battlefield 3 owners are anxiously waiting for DICE to iron out is indeed being fixed.
If you check the comments’ section of almost any BF3 article here on MP1st, you’ll notice PS3 gamers are getting fed up with the way DICE has handled the voice chat problems. As James put it on our latest article where we revealed B2K’s trophies, “DICE should unlock: Finding Mic Meyers – Fix the VOIP’s problem (Gold trophy)”. Unfortunately, the latest patch didn’t fix that particular problem. Through the official Twitter account of Battlefield 3, DICE stated to one fan with regards to the voice chat problem, “we apologize for lateness for the fix”. They also reassured that they “are aware of the inconveniences with the VOIP on PS3. [DICE is] working hard to address this concern.” So, there you have it, VOIP problems will be fixed, but still there is no official word on input lag.
On a different note, since the patch went live on the PS3, players have been experiencing problems with the game not loading properly. DICE suggests to talk to a game adviser at EA’s Help Center.
UPDATE: Reports are coming in that the “no recoil glitch” is no longer possible. Let’s hope it is the last we’ll see of it.
Robert Bowling and Guy Beahm give us a look into what sort of updates the teams behind Modern Warfare 3 have in the works.
Some PS3 players have been reporting issues of receding in rank after being disconnected from a game. One in particular even experienced dropping in prestige rank. This did not happen instantaneously but rather the next day. Robert Bowling, Infinity Ward’s Community Manager explained that “if you common error out or lose connection, you stop writing stats to the server.” Currently, “there is no way to get what you lost back, but if you notice an error while playing ever, reboot your PS3 before playing more.” Fortunately, he did mention that “this will be prevented after the next update.”
FOV (field of view) for the PC version of Modern Warfare 3 may be looking at some tweaks in the near future. Guy Beahm, Community Manager at Sledgehammer Games, has reported that the team is receiving “quite a few remarks regarding the FOV on PC.” He continued to mention that he will “have a meeting with the engineer team” to hopefully sort it out. For those unaware of the concerns, the FOV is currently the same on PCs as it it on consoles. Since most PC gamers sit closer to their monitor, it calls for a slightly larger FOV than what the console players are experiencing. PC gamers, keep an eye out for more updates.
Bowling also mentioned that those using a LAN setup to play MW3 might be seeing some more support. He stated to one fan, “I’ll see what I can do about getting LAN priority bumped up internally. Including Timer [pre-round countdown timer] and All Unlock option.”
These are a few of the things that we can expect in future Modern Warfare 3 updates, on top of fixes for the “recoil glitch” that the MW3 teams are currently looking into, as well as some rebalancing of the FMG’s, especially when used Akimbo. Make sure to stay tuned to MP1st to stay on top of all your Modern Warfare 3 news.
DICE is fully behind Battlefield 3, from future updates to recent ones, but the one change that has BF3 fans talking is the fall of an antenna that stood the test of time. YouTubers, EEVERSTI and GreenMashx, have posted videos showing this historic event in the ever growing Battlefield community. The former YouTuber explained that the fall is scripted. The antenna “falls every time when there’s only 10 tickets left.” These videos were recorded on the PS3 (post patch), and the 360 and PC versions of the game should be patched to do the same in the near future.
Alan Kertz, Core Gameplay Designer on Battlefield 3, has recently released a list of balance changes that DICE developers have been experimenting with. This is in hopes to provide insight to the millions of Battlefield fans as to what types of things the dev team is working on in hopes to gather proper feedback before any more patches are released. Bugs and glitches have been intentionally left out of this list.
Kertz puts it best: “Rather than waiting until we launch these updates for feedback, today I would like to give you, the Community, a peak into the Balance testing that we are doing here at DICE.”
DICE also updated the PS3 version of Battlefield 3 earlier this morning through a recent patch. You can check out the list of changes here.
Make sure to leave your thoughts in the comments after reading this list!
Vehicles:
Increased the locking distance for Jets when locking on laser designated targets.
Increased the damage the MBT’s primary weapon does to other main battle tanks.
AA Missiles should no longer kill the pilot instead of the vehicle.
Tank rounds will now instantly destroy Jets, Attack Helicopters, and Scout Helicopters.
Using flares too early will no longer distract missiles fired at long range. The missile must be approaching the vehicle in order to reliably be distracted by flares.
Attack Helicopter Guided Rockets will now only track ground targets, as originally intended.
Reduced the direct damage done by helicopter gunners vs armor.
Slightly increased the blast radius of the rounds fired by helicopter gunners vs infantry.
Vehicle weapons should now suppress correctly.
Increased the direct hit damage of the APFSDS rounds for the IFVs.
Miniguns and Helicopter Gunners now more quickly destroy parked cars.
Weapons:
Significantly increased the damage of Laser Guided Top Attack missiles. Javelin missiles fired without laser targeting now do more damage to the side and rear of MBTs. Slightly reduced the repair speed of the repair tool. Fixed a problem when locking on to two nearby targets, the locking should no longer jump rapidly between multiple targets. Reduced the total number of RPG and SMAW missiles carried from 5 to 4. Slightly reduced the locking time of all weapons vs Laser Designated targets. Slightly reduced the effective blast radius of the RPG and SMAW projectiles against infantry. Reduced the recoil of the SKS rifle and slightly increased its power at close range. Semiautomatic sniper rifles, Assault Rifles, and LMGs now have more consistent damage over long range. Increased the close range damage maximum range of 9x39mm ammo.
Soldiers:
Increased the spawn protection time from 1sec to 2sec. The protection will still be immediately canceled as soon as the player moves or shoots.
Spawn protection will no longer be canceled by the player looking around.
Slightly increased the speed at which a player can shoot again after sprinting.
Battlefield 3 patch is now available for PS3 players. Also, server maintenance on all platforms is underway.
As we reported yesterday, PS3 Battlefield 3 owners should now be able to download Battlefield 3’s first major client side patch (Read full patch notes). The file size of the patch is 758 MB in North America and 767 MB elsewhere. Also, a scheduled 3 hour long server maintenance has just began (3 am EST, 9 am CET, 12 am PST) on all three platforms. Xbox players will get a similar patch “shortly” according to Daniel Matros, so expect it to go live in the upcoming days.
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Thanks to our awesome Twitter followers for all the help (Specially to TheHighC, @gummidge, and David1878_ for taking images of different file sizes).
With just over one month after release, Battlefield 3 is a force to be reckoned with.
At San Francisco’s Baird Technology Conference, Electronic Arts’ CFO, Eric Brown, announced that Battlefield 3 has reached 8 million copies sold in five weeks. In term of shipped copies, EA has distributed to retailers 12 million copies. It’s worth noting that EA sold 5 million copies in the first week and shipped 10 million.
Now that Battlefield 3 has proven to be a financial success, what would you like to see next from DICE?
A few weeks ago, we reported on alleged Modern Warfare 2 and Call of Duty 4 map files found in Modern Warfare 3. In the previous leak, the maps were CoD4’s Crash, Crossfire, Strike, and Overgrown along with MW2’s Highrise. Apparently, there are three other classic maps and two new ones to join the MW3 map rumor mill.
This new, apparently leaked flyer reveals that on the 12th of January, 2012, Modern Warfare 3 will receive its first map pack packing in five maps, two brand new ones (Aftershock and Fallout), two from MW2 (Terminal and Favela), and the smallest map from CoD 4 (Shipment). This map pack is supposedly going to be available for all MW3 players on that date with Elite paid members having a head start earlier. Take this leak with a big grain of salt since the word “unrational” technically isn’t a real word, but keep in mind that Activision did make up a word in the past with “Mapathy”.
![[Updated] Sony Announces the Official Release Date of Back to Karkand](https://mp1st.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/battlefield-3-back-to-karkand-screenshot.jpeg)
