BF3 Beta

[RockyRan]

Keep getting booted from servers before I can even finish a single match. And I especially hate the way the game just immediately crashes to desktop when doing that. Far more annoying than, say, the way TF2 does it, which freezes everyone and says "LOST CONNECTION TO THE SERVER, DISCONNECT IN 30 SECONDS". At least I know what's going on instead of happily playing a match then the next picosecond I'm staring at my server browser.

Edited September 30, 2011 by RockyRan

[Maritan]

No setting to toggle for crouch

Also, for all the people who've complained about the XP system in COD giving experienced players an advantage, BF3 is complete BS to newcomers. You're given sticks to fight guys with RPGs and laser scopes and everything else. Screw that crap. Hope you get in day one because if you're a late comer to this game it freaking sucks.

Real men use iron sights.

[Nezacant]

No setting to toggle for crouch

 

The game is still shooting itself in the foot from Alpha. The server browser just makes the entire experience an utter nightmare and won't be winning any favours.

 

Also the pretty much forced AFK when alt+ enter to go full screen is pretty annoying and lead to a fair few deaths too. (I assume that'll be fixed sharpish since it seems to be a bug than a technically on purpose thing that you can't do it until you've deployed without crashing)

 

Also because of the way it launches you can't add it to Steam for the overlay so that's pretty much a bugger. (And it does make you wonder a bit on why they've got the game launching the way it does given recent events regarding EA n Steam)

 

edit: Also it doesn't seem to like the graphics drivers that it makes you install too. Despite being the newest available (they're beta drivers for a beta game) they're still outdated as far as BF3 is concerned, and tells you every time you launch the game.

There is a setting to toggle crouch.

 

I don't see any issue with the server browser. It reminds me of old school gamespy. It works better than I thought it would for a beta. They made the game very alt+tab friendly because of the browser and that I like a lot. I don't see any point to adding it to steam when it is as alt+tab friendly.

 

I haven't had issues with the beta drivers. My clan seems to be running it fine as well. What type of issues are you having?

 

I (respectfully) disagree with Yantelope about BF3 being BS to newcomers. BF3 awards you points for more than just killing which contributes toward your unlocks. You can use your med pack, repair tool, and ammo pack early on to blaze through some of the first levels. You don't have that in CoD which makes it harder for newcomers.

[Yantelope]

I (respectfully) disagree with Yantelope about BF3 being BS to newcomers. BF3 awards you points for more than just killing which contributes toward your unlocks. You can use your med pack, repair tool, and ammo pack early on to blaze through some of the first levels. You don't have that in CoD which makes it harder for newcomers.

 

Well in COD you can get points for objectives like captures or bomb plants but you're right about BF3 just throwing XP your way. Still, that doesn't make it any more fun when you're dying everywhere and don't have anything but a crappy gun with iron sights.

[deanb]

No setting to toggle for crouch

Where's the setting for that?

 

I don't see any issue with the server browser. It reminds me of old school gamespy. It works better than I thought it would for a beta. They made the game very alt+tab friendly because of the browser and that I like a lot. I don't see any point to adding it to steam when it is as alt+tab friendly.

 

I haven't had issues with the beta drivers. My clan seems to be running it fine as well. What type of issues are you having?

Yes "old school". Not always for the best when your meant to be a top of the line shooter in 2011. The comparisons to shitty MMOs and stuff like Hamachi is pretty on target and that's not good news. The browser has nothing to do with the game being alt-tab friendly and many games are alt-tab friendly anyway. Of course alt-tabbing in the middle of a few second spawn isn't really desirable when the alternative could be hitting shift-tab and remaining in-game. It also shrinks the game back up each time you're alt-tabbing, which means the game, even when "full-screen", is probably windowed-no-borders. Which would explain some of the lag others are having cos running windowed tends to add a performance hit some of us could probably do without.

It's a really shitty solution. There's no two ways about it.

 

Also the blindness by laser may explain one of the deaths I had. That is pretty fucking unfair. Also I'm unsure but is it glare off scopes, or are people walking around with flashlights on in the middle of the day? Both are pretty stupid, even if it gives me easy kills. Though I'm worried that if it's glare, then me sniping is like I've got a fog light on the front of my gun which would make me equally easy to kill too.

[Thursday Next]

I (respectfully) disagree with Yantelope about BF3 being BS to newcomers. BF3 awards you points for more than just killing which contributes toward your unlocks. You can use your med pack, repair tool, and ammo pack early on to blaze through some of the first levels. You don't have that in CoD which makes it harder for newcomers.

 

Well in COD you can get points for objectives like captures or bomb plants but you're right about BF3 just throwing XP your way. Still, that doesn't make it any more fun when you're dying everywhere and don't have anything but a crappy gun with iron sights.

 

You shouldn't do too much dying if you play with a squad, even with iron sights you can still get plenty of suppression assist points (my new favourite feature).

[Yantelope]

Also the blindness by laser may explain one of the deaths I had. That is pretty fucking unfair. Also I'm unsure but is it glare off scopes, or are people walking around with flashlights on in the middle of the day? Both are pretty stupid, even if it gives me easy kills. Though I'm worried that if it's glare, then me sniping is like I've got a fog light on the front of my gun which would make me equally easy to kill too.

 

The laser thing is done so poorly. Maybe if and only if it flashed you extremely briefly when their cursor was actually over your head it'd be acceptable but it seems like if they even look in your general direction you're blind for 30 seconds and the game I played seemed like everyone on the other team had laser sights for this reason. I suppose this will be balanced though.

 

Yeah, the muzzle flash from LMGs is a bit overstated as well. I know why they do it but it seems like a bit much.

 

There's a lot of balancing issues overall I think and I guess those will get sorted out eventually. I can't help but think that these laser blinding and stuff will be things that hackers will be able to remove though.

[Thursday Next]

@Dean: Press shift + F1 for your Origin overlay instead. Learn to love the Origin! Love iiiiiit!

 

- Tactical Flashlight blinds players and illuminates dark areas. It can be turned off by pressing up on the d-pad (not sure what the PC key binding is for it).

- Laser Sight also blinds players and can also be turned off in the same way.

- Glare from scopes should not blind you. It should just show you exactly where the snipers is.

 

The pay off for being able to blind people temporarily is that you are lit up like a Christmas tree.

[Maritan]

Still, that doesn't make it any more fun when you're dying everywhere and don't have anything but a crappy gun with iron sights.

I facepalmed so fucking hard.

 

Where's the setting for that?

The usual: Options>Controls

[Yantelope]

@Dean: Press shift + F1 for your Origin overlay instead. Learn to love the Origin! Love iiiiiit!

 

- Tactical Flashlight blinds players and illuminates dark areas. It can be turned off by pressing up on the d-pad (not sure what the PC key binding is for it).

- Laser Sight also blinds players and can also be turned off in the same way.

- Glare from scopes should not blind you. It should just show you exactly where the snipers is.

 

The pay off for being able to blind people temporarily is that you are lit up like a Christmas tree.

 

I haven't really noticed people with lasers sights being more easily visible. Maybe on large conquest maps that's the case but on the linear metro map that doesn't seem to be the case.

[Thursday Next]

I haven't really noticed people with lasers sights being more easily visible. Maybe on large conquest maps that's the case but on the linear metro map that doesn't seem to be the case.

 

I find that laser people are pretty easy to spot in the underground section of metro. They have big red sticks coming out of their guns so you know when they're coming past your position long before they see you.

 

Not saying it's perfectly balanced mind. I think that either the duration of the effect needs reducing or you should need to be much more accurate. No one ever got blinded by having a laser shone at their neck.

[deanb]

Also the blindness by laser may explain one of the deaths I had. That is pretty fucking unfair. Also I'm unsure but is it glare off scopes, or are people walking around with flashlights on in the middle of the day? Both are pretty stupid, even if it gives me easy kills. Though I'm worried that if it's glare, then me sniping is like I've got a fog light on the front of my gun which would make me equally easy to kill too.

 

The laser thing is done so poorly. Maybe if and only if it flashed you extremely briefly when their cursor was actually over your head it'd be acceptable but it seems like if they even look in your general direction you're blind for 30 seconds and the game I played seemed like everyone on the other team had laser sights for this reason. I suppose this will be balanced though.

 

Given how precise you'd need to be, yeah the laser blinding is a fair bit annoying. Flashlight does make sense, but laser would be a no.

 

@Dean: Press shift + F1 for your Origin overlay instead. Learn to love the Origin! Love iiiiiit!

 

- Tactical Flashlight blinds players and illuminates dark areas. It can be turned off by pressing up on the d-pad (not sure what the PC key binding is for it).

- Laser Sight also blinds players and can also be turned off in the same way.

- Glare from scopes should not blind you. It should just show you exactly where the snipers is.

 

The pay off for being able to blind people temporarily is that you are lit up like a Christmas tree.

 

Not saying the glare from scopes is blinding, just that it's so much that it looks like someone is shining a torch. It also seems to happen no matter what, not like with an IRL glare that'd be from when you're at the right angle to the sun. Also I'm pretty sure (I'm not a firearms expert though so) that you can cancel the glare on modern scopes.

And when Origin gets steam chat, then yeah it'll be useful.

 

Where's the setting for that?

The usual: Options>Controls

 

Hmm. I'll have to look again.

[Thursday Next]

Just meant that if it looks like a torch and you're being blinded, then it's a torch. If it looks like a torch and you aren't being blinded it's a sniper.

 

Origin has... "Origin Chat"? Maybe you could use the overlay to bring up the browser to use Steam chat?

 

EDIT: You can't. I guess you'll just have to persuade all your steam friends to get on Origin.... Mwuhahahahahahahahaaaaaa!

Edited September 30, 2011 by Thursday Next

[Yantelope]

TN, please, please, we all beg of you, convince the people over there to drop this origin browser stuff and please get us a proper menu system without having to be in-game.

Edited September 30, 2011 by Yantelope

[deanb]

Steam chat isn't in a browser. As for the glare I'm just hoping that at the very least there's some kind of upgrade to stick an anti-glare snope on cos I'm not up for being a lighthouse in the bushes.

 

To add/augment Yantes request: At the very least some kind of external menu for options like what Bioware have.

 

edit: Well here's a new one. The website produces "Generic Error 1" which a fish about in the forum reveals it's because there's an update out. Now if the client was used to launch the game then it could update the game before launching. However because a website is used it can do no such thing, thus chucking out a rather unhelpful error.

[Nezacant]

Origin has a chat feature like steam I believe. It's Shift+F1. I haven't used it since everyone I've been playing with is on ventrilo so I don't know how to compare it yet.

 

Deanb- the option to toggle crouch is actually a separate bind from the "hold down' bind. This allows you to have 2 separate key binds to do both functions. The default is Ctrl for hold down, and C for toggle. These can be changed in the key bind menu. There is a bug where you can not bind actions to mouse buttons although the menu shows that ability. I want my knife bind back.

 

The laser blind thing is a bit much. It doesn't really give you away too bad outside during the day but you can see it very well underground. Someone asked what the PC default key was to toggle the flashlight and laser light. It's "T". Most of the reason people are running around with the light attached outside is because a lot of people haven't figured that out yet.

 

The options while only being in game is a bit problematic. However this is a beta and it's impossible to tell if that is how it is going to be in retail. It wouldn't be hard to have a separate exe config like how it's done in Bioware RPGs and how it was done in Oblivion. If it is done only while in a game (which would be stupid), the PC gaming community would quickly remedy that with some sort of user made configuration tool which wouldn't be hard to do. So that issue doesn't concern me too much.

 

The reflection on sniper rifle scopes is an obvious attempt to nerf what has been traditionally the "OP" class. BC2 was a snipers playground and as any other class you couldn't see them period. As a sniper now you have to rely on your own eyes and keep your gun down until you are ready to make a kill. Good players will adjust to these changes.

[Yantelope]

The reflection on sniper rifle scopes is an obvious attempt to nerf what has been traditionally the "OP" class. BC2 was a snipers playground and as any other class you couldn't see them period. As a sniper now you have to rely on your own eyes and keep your gun down until you are ready to make a kill. Good players will adjust to these changes.

 

So the sniper scope flash is only active when you're looking down your scope? That's good to know. Also, the key word here is balance. I'm sure it's some growing pains of a game that's still unreleased.

 

Oh, and I forgot to mention. I went back and played the Xbox version with my Razer Onza TE and cranked the thumbsticks down so they're very stiff and the game was more enjoyable. If you're really into this game you may want to consider using a similar controller. It helps make the controls feel more tight.

Edited September 30, 2011 by Yantelope

[deanb]

Origin has a chat feature like steam I believe. It's Shift+F1. I haven't used it since everyone I've been playing with is on ventrilo so I don't know how to compare it yet.

 

The options while only being in game is a bit problematic. However this is a beta and it's impossible to tell if that is how it is going to be in retail. It wouldn't be hard to have a separate exe config like how it's done in Bioware RPGs and how it was done in Oblivion. If it is done only while in a game (which would be stupid), the PC gaming community would quickly remedy that with some sort of user made configuration tool which wouldn't be hard to do. So that issue doesn't concern me too much.

 

Origin has a chat system, it however isn't attached to the Steam community so it's pretty sucky/useless in that regard.

 

Also it's a beta, which means feature complete with a few bugs. It's going to be exactly like this come launch unless they do some major overhauling, but as it's being a constant complaint since Alpha and DICE are still sticking to their guns on having it launch from a browser I doubt they're going to change it any time soon. When you're bigging up your game on PC it really shouldn't require community fixes for something as simple as editing the game settings.

 

 

edit: Forgot to add in regards to the update: You can't actually get it yet. Hoorah. And from what I can tell there's no auto-update system in Origin anyway.

[Saturnine Tenshi]

I'm still not fond of Origin. But I'm not fond of Steam either. Regardless, BF3 impressed me... with its maximize time. Alt+tabbing is fluid. The game plays less like BC or BF and more like Call of Duty. Well, on the beta map. Here's hoping Prince Caspian changes that.

[Nezacant]

Why would Origin want to attach to the steam community. Why doesn't Live Messenger attach to AIM, XFire, Yahoo, etc. I understand that it sucks the game isn't on Steam, but it doesn't feel like a game breaker. If you really want to see real time chat from steam while playing, play in a window the size of your desktop. I do this in other games that have weird launcher window that doesn't work with the steam overlay.

 

I still don't see the problem with the battlelog other than configuration options. My point is that it wouldn't be hard for either Dice or the community to fix since client side Video/Sound options and key binds are usually stored on an easy to access ini file. This battlelog already works better than BC2's ingame server browser.

 

This betas intention is more for server stuff than client stuff by the way. It also gave video driver programmers a chance to see potential issues. The alpha issues could actually be fixed in the retail build of the game, we just wont know until the game comes out. You can't treat this like a full on demo, it's still a beta.

[madbassman39]

My biggest complaint thus far is the menu system on the Xbox. Its made for PC, and I just wish they would change it to control like the ingame menus to change or customize classed like BF:BC2. The best feature was the fact that you moved up or down to change class and left or right to change load out, in this its left or right to change class and left or right to change load out. In order to change the load out, you have to press the RB and LB. Not a really big deal, but its less intuitive for a controller.

 

Having said that, I'm really enjoying the game, it will take some time to get used to, after dedicating two years to BC2.

[Maritan]

Shotguns in this game are amazing, I just love running around the map and killing recons behind cover.

[Luftwaffles]

Why would Origin want to attach to the steam community. Why doesn't Live Messenger attach to AIM, XFire, Yahoo, etc. I understand that it sucks the game isn't on Steam, but it doesn't feel like a game breaker. If you really want to see real time chat from steam while playing, play in a window the size of your desktop. I do this in other games that have weird launcher window that doesn't work with the steam overlay.

 

I still don't see the problem with the battlelog other than configuration options. My point is that it wouldn't be hard for either Dice or the community to fix since client side Video/Sound options and key binds are usually stored on an easy to access ini file. This battlelog already works better than BC2's ingame server browser.

 

This betas intention is more for server stuff than client stuff by the way. It also gave video driver programmers a chance to see potential issues. The alpha issues could actually be fixed in the retail build of the game, we just wont know until the game comes out. You can't treat this like a full on demo, it's still a beta.

 

You're right, it's not a gamebreaker for the game itself, but I think the issue is more with those that were on the fence about BF3. For me, Battlefield 3 looks and plays like a good game, quirks aside. I could see myself devoting quite a bit of time to it, but It's just not quite good enough of a game to justify moving over to Origin, especially when Origin doesn't do anything. Just like Steam doesn't do anything in BC2, all Origin does is give me another overlay with friends and another place I need to be connected to the internet to play my game. (It also won't let me change my name or avatar, but that's a different story).

 

Maybe I value convenience way too much, but right now it's just more convenient to stick with what works, especially if BF3 keeps selling for $60 for a while.

[Maritan]

but I think the issue is more with those that were on the fence about BF3.

That is arguable. I don't like origin and I don't know how to feel about Battle Log, but I'm still "on the fence" about the game.

It looks good, plays good(despite all alpha-beta issues), sounds good and Origin won't stop me from enjoying the game.

[deanb]

Why would Origin want to attach to the steam community. Why doesn't Live Messenger attach to AIM, XFire, Yahoo, etc. I understand that it sucks the game isn't on Steam, but it doesn't feel like a game breaker. If you really want to see real time chat from steam while playing, play in a window the size of your desktop. I do this in other games that have weird launcher window that doesn't work with the steam overlay.

 

I still don't see the problem with the battlelog other than configuration options. My point is that it wouldn't be hard for either Dice or the community to fix since client side Video/Sound options and key binds are usually stored on an easy to access ini file. This battlelog already works better than BC2's ingame server browser.

 

This betas intention is more for server stuff than client stuff by the way. It also gave video driver programmers a chance to see potential issues. The alpha issues could actually be fixed in the retail build of the game, we just wont know until the game comes out. You can't treat this like a full on demo, it's still a beta.

The lack of Steam overlay is a game breaker for me. (And I use Trillain so those other examples are moot). Yes I can look at the Steam chat window in another monitor(which not everyone has btw) except I'm limited to a single tab of half a dozen. And since there's no way to run it as a non-steam game it means people messaging me just see me as online and ignoring them. I can't show that I'm playing a game (Without my old 'hacks' for Episode 3 beta, which shouldn't be needed) and I can't reply without completely leaving the game either.

 

If battlelog works better than the BC2 server browser (I've only done the beta of BC2 n can't remember much tbh) then the BC2 server browser must have been utter wank. There is absolutely zero reason on why you would put the game launcher and server browser on a website. It adds extra point of failures, requires unnecessary browser plug-ins and adds nothing of value to the game. Battlelog as a stat site is nice n nifty. As a game launcher and server browser? it's a horrible idea. Site goes down? Can't play. Change server? Leave the game. I don't even know why the game requires Origin when it does nothing either. Everything just strikes me as using the BF3 game to push stuff like Battlelog and Origin at the expense of gaming convenience.

 

I can still, and will, treat it as a feature complete. The "your beta driver we made you download is out of date" yeah I'll put that down as a bug (albeit one still not fixed from Alpha, not looking good). Battlelog to launch games? Not using Origin friend lists? No external settings editor? That's features and nothing to do with beta or alpha status.