Battlefield General - Discuss the series here

[The Last Stand]

I didn't know 2042 released WITHOUT a server browser. Well, I think 2042 initially launched with no universal game text chat or voice chat. Only Battlefield games I know that didn't have a server browser were the Bad Company games on console.

 

[Miller]

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Well, I think 2042 initially launched with no universal game text chat or voice chat.
...

There was text chat but you couldn't interact with the enemy team. As for the rest yeah, no server browser, voice chat or scoreboard. People barely use the text chat because of the new TOS (EA records everything and can ban you for saying bad words).
To this day only the Portal mode has a server browser.

 

[The Last Stand]

People barely use the text chat because of the new TOS (EA records everything and can ban you for saying bad words).

Speaking of which,

I remember how the criminals faction from Hardline would often cuss from their battle chatter. Even more bizarre that the factions mainly consisted of White guys that sound ghetto exaggerated.

 

[Screamer_2]

I thought they stopped supporting 2042.

Anyway, I feel the Battlefield community reacted harshly to Hardline too soon. To me, I saw a vision from Visceral to mix up the formula with DICE's approval. I will say that Hardline was overpriced at launch. People say that Hardline didn't have as much content as BF4 but I would say that the initial content was undervalued in HOW it was executed. I'm sure EA mandated it to be a full price game with expansions.

People were used to new BF4 DLC every few months when Hardline came out. So it came out and fulfilled that initial "new content" satisfaction and then people migrated back to BF4 because it had so much more content.

The biggest issue with Hardline was that it had too few maps for its unique modes. I'm sure EA was mandating, "9 maps on release and then premium with a BF timescale" but it didn't work when the core gameplay attraction wasn't Battlefield. Enjoy Heirst, Hotwire or Blood Money. Here are 3 maps each for the modes. It was far too little to get people to stick around for the DLCs to release. The game then relied on falling back on the Battlefield style modes for a larger experience but it wasn't BF4. Hence why people went to BF4.

 

[The Last Stand]

The biggest issue with Hardline was that it had too few maps for its unique modes. I'm sure EA was mandating, "9 maps on release and then premium with a BF timescale" but it didn't work when the core gameplay attraction wasn't Battlefield. Enjoy Heirst, Hotwire or Blood Money. Here are 3 maps each for the modes. It was far too little to get people to stick around for the DLCs to release.

Hypothetically speaking, if Hardline was cheaper (or DLC for 4) or had more content at launch to subside the many BF4 updates, would Hardline had a chance? I couldn't get into BF4, I'm sorry. Hardline satisfied that itch for me.

 

[Screamer_2]

Hypothetically speaking, if Hardline was cheaper (or DLC for 4) or had more content at launch to subside the many BF4 updates, would Hardline had a chance? I couldn't get into BF4, I'm sorry. Hardline satisfied that itch for me.

Unknown is how much it being called Battlefield helped it or hindered it.

The biggest issue is that the Battlefield players were still content with BF4. More maps would have helped people stick around and the potential for it to grow its own distinct community. Another thing to remember is that that was the era when EA would announce a bunch of features and content for a game and the release without them implemented. So the game had that, "not a complete" game feel at launch in many areas besides limited maps.

The Premium approach to the DLC was also a misstep because the game wasn't thriving, it needed those new maps but many wouldn't be willing to pay for DLC for a game that is shedding its player base.

On Premium, I don't know why they never made them now free and base game for BF3/4/Hardline. They eventually made the DLCs for BF2 free and it brought life into those games. If the new game is going back to BF3/4 then they should want people going back to those games to get excited for the new one. It annoys me when I look at the server browser and only see low ping populated servers of the base game. I want the DLC maps.

 

[The Last Stand]

On Premium, I don't know why they never made them now free and base game for BF3/4/Hardline. They eventually made the DLCs for BF2 free and it brought life into those games. If the new game is going back to BF3/4 then they should want people going back to those games to get excited for the new one. It annoys me when I look at the server browser and only see low ping populated servers of the base game. I want the DLC maps.

I remember around 2021-2023, they did make the DLCs for 4 and Hardline free for a week at a time. That was how I was able to obtain those DLCs and the games for cheap. Agreed. I would love to be able to play the DLC maps. DICE knows how to flesh out map design when they have free time to sell it.

 

[ThinkThankThunk]

I maintain that Hardline's failure was largely just release date related. I still think that if it had been saved for the holidays as an alternative for Black Ops 3 it would have performed great, but it was sent out in March in the post-Holiday money slump and against Bloodborne at that. Going up against the defining console exclusive of the generation and releasing before the systems had really been adopted was a recipe for failure.

Hotwire is to date my single favorite mode in any game ever and the game overall is one of my favorite shooters period. Visceral had a great vision and their biggest fault was simply being attached to EA.

 

[The Last Stand]

Interesting tidbit about molotovs in Hardline: when a teammate throws it, the fire is blue and cannot harm you. When it's yours or a hostile molotov, the fire is red/orange.

 

[Powerhouse of the Cell]

New leak footage shows that they are bringing back first person take downs.

 

[Yours Truly 2095]

Personally I think BFV had peak tanks. Almost warthunder tier. Some information about their goals with them from the lead producer

 

[Caddo Cobgang]

New leak footage shows that they are bringing back first person take downs.

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even if the next BF is the greatest game ever made I most likely wouldn't want to come back, ive said this earlier in the thread but the people actually playing 2042 right now take the game far too seriously, I just dont want to play against sweats, the mentality around multiplayer games has changed drastically and I absolutely can't stand it

I didn't know 2042 released WITHOUT a server browser. Well, I think 2042 initially launched with no universal game text chat or voice chat. Only Battlefield games I know that didn't have a server browser were the Bad Company games on console.

there was portal but yeah it was usually spic lobbies with bots that they used to farm xp with, so you are stuck with matchmaking which would often throw you into an ongoing game first

 

[Powerhouse of the Cell]

even if the next BF is the greatest game ever made I most likely wouldn't want to come back, ive said this earlier in the thread but the people actually playing 2042 right now take the game far too seriously, I just dont want to play against sweats, the mentality around multiplayer games has changed drastically and I absolutely can't stand it

I feel like the increase of sweats was kind of inevitable in gaming in general due to it becoming more popular than it was 2 decades ago, and the mass availability of it.

I don't know how it will go any other way due to the fact that is a human behavior phenomena rather than anything to do with videogames themselves.

The best thing to combat the affects of "sweats" infesting videogames is no skill based match making.

 

[Yours Truly 2095]

I'd say BF2042 is a niche game by the series standard. People who are playing it REALLY like it for whatever reason. I understand really liking V, but not 2042. Feels like Chinese f2p shit in comparison. That said you're going to go up against sweats in a game with a smaller population (compared to its predecessors) like that. A more popular game and you're going to get more casuals. And a server browser would make skill based matchmaking less of an issue. I feel you though. I just can't keep up anymore. I've started playing slower shooters like arma or hell let loose because they're not so much a game of pure reaction speed. But when I go back and play something like BF4 I'm still a lot better than any new one. I can only attribute it to there's so much less visual clutter. It's easier to see enemies faster. I was playing BF1 and felt like I was dying as soon as I spawned most of the time

 

[Miller]

I feel like the increase of sweats was kind of inevitable in gaming in general due to it becoming more popular than it was 2 decades ago, and the mass availability of it.

You forgot one big thing: esports. That shit really brought the worst of some people. Every match is a "life or death" situation to them.

there was portal but yeah it was usually spic lobbies with bots that they used to farm xp with, so you are stuck with matchmaking which would often throw you into an ongoing game first

The worst part of the matchmaking system in BF2042 is that it can put you in a server right when a game ends. Sometimes it also finds a game and sends you back to the main menu.

 

[The Last Stand]

How would skill based matchmaking even work for a big team based game like Battlefield? That's a recipe for disaster.

 

[Powerhouse of the Cell]

How would skill based matchmaking even work for a big team based game like Battlefield? That's a recipe for disaster.

Exactly, that's why Delta Force's warfare modes are disasters.

 

[ZMOT]

Exactly, that's why Delta Force's warfare modes are disasters.

dunno about now but during season 1 or so it didn't really make much difference, for one the maps are good enough that 1 sweatsquad won't make much of a difference, and the systems are cut down enough the usual battlefield bullshit doesn't apply, like you can't change teams and squads are automatic etc. it seems to reflect in matchmaking too, something dice never really figured out or rather not gave a crap about. even with a full stack I ended up in arguably more good matches than bad, not the usual "your side is supposed to get fucked this time"

How would skill based matchmaking even work for a big team based game like Battlefield? That's a recipe for disaster.

overall rank and last game performance.
battlefield games are notorious for have pretty much zero team balancing, at best you get "even teams by playernumber", no matter who is in there. in principal that should work fine, but after a stomp half the enemy teams leave, and instead of moving the previous "best" squad over to even it out it's seemingly anyone else (I suspect it's simply by time joined). the loser team then either leaves over time or tries to switch teams, leading to even more lopsided games over time.

the worst part there have been server plugins to handle that for over a decade, yet dice is still unable to do the base minimum shit like that.

 

[Blackstar]

 

[Yours Truly 2095]

Concept art leak