Battlefield 3

[Brando70]

(oh and I unlocked mortars last night so I think another session of Squad Rush against RobV is in order to celebrate).

My favorite weapon in the game. There's nothing quite as satisfying as getting a multikill on a group of clowns sitting right by a flag. With the right cover and map, you can really help your team out, especially with flag defends or taking out armor that's parked by a flag.

[Brando70]

I also have come around a bit on Operation Metro. It is still too easy to get stuck in the tunnel spawn against a good team, but I find myself enjoying the change of pace of having BF3 gameplay in a CoD-style map. The B flag has become one of my favorite spots to battle over.

[pk500]

I also have come around a bit on Operation Metro. It is still too easy to get stuck in the tunnel spawn against a good team, but I find myself enjoying the change of pace of having BF3 gameplay in a CoD-style map. The B flag has become one of my favorite spots to battle over.

Agree. Metro is a great place to pad your stats and level up if you're in a good groove because there are so few places to hide. Everything is linear toward the capture flags.

Unfortunately, I find a good, funky groove in this game about as often as Mitt Romney does on the campaign stump.

[Spooky]

Good thoughts on aiming at flag areas - Haven't even tried mortars on Conquest yet. I'm more of a Rush mode man.

[RobVarak]

Good thoughts on aiming at flag areas - Haven't even tried mortars on Conquest yet. I'm more of a Rush mode man.

There are several maps (Tehran, for one) where some of the MCOM's can be destroyed by Mortar fire alone.

[Brando70]

Good thoughts on aiming at flag areas - Haven't even tried mortars on Conquest yet. I'm more of a Rush mode man.

There are several maps (Tehran, for one) where some of the MCOM's can be destroyed by Mortar fire alone.

Mortars are tailor-made for Seine Crossing. You can almost reach the whole map from the spawns. In the cross street that runs in front of the US spawn, there's a car flipped on its side that provides a great spot for shelling.

They are also pretty effective on Grand Bazaar, Noshaahr Canals, Gulf of Oman, and Strike at Karkland. On Karkland Conquest, a lot of players will take the B flag by hiding in the depression next to the flag -- if I have a mortar and see that flag going down, I can defend it most of the time by dropping mortars in that spot.

Tehran Highway will block your shells with the overpass, but you can rain hell on the gas station or the A flag. The other maps are really too big for Conquest mortaring although I could see the benefit of using them for Rush.

[Diablo25]

I also have come around a bit on Operation Metro. It is still too easy to get stuck in the tunnel spawn against a good team, but I find myself enjoying the change of pace of having BF3 gameplay in a CoD-style map. The B flag has become one of my favorite spots to battle over.

Agree. Metro is a great place to pad your stats and level up if you're in a good groove because there are so few places to hide. Everything is linear toward the capture flags.

Unfortunately, I find a good, funky groove in this game about as often as Mitt Romney does on the campaign stump.

I also agree. I originally was turned off because of the beta but I like the map now...unlike our boy Teal

[greggsand]

I finally sold my copy. I just couldn't get into BF3 (but loved the last one). For me, I think it was the map design that didn't grab me (there were a few I liked). Bad Co's maps seemed much more fluid and 'destructible'. The new maps had too much 'run a marathon, get shot, start over'. I joked with my friends that at least if I was playing COD, I wouldn't have to run as far just to get killed.

[pk500]

I had a fun time last night playing BF3 with Rob and Zeppo, especially once we left Rush for Conquest. Had a few kills, racked up some healthy points to level up and gain a laser sight. Always good to play with buds, especially those who tolerate my ineptitude and help me improve my limited skills.

Popped in Battlefield: Bad Company 2 around 1:30 a.m., after I said good night to Rob and Zep. And the next thing I knew, the clock read 3:32 a.m. It was my first online session of more than 30 minutes with BF:BC2.

Those flowing, fun two hours were a revelation. I was among the top half of scorers in every Conquest game I played, and the points weren't earned by darting from empty flagpoint to empty flagpoint. I was killing people, even those of high rank.

I'm convinced BF:BC 2 is a better game than BF3, for these reasons, in no order:

1. Destructible environments. It's so cool to crumble building and other structures through sheer firepower. Makes the game feel more realistic.

2. No cheap Conquest points. BF3 rewards players for neutralizing an objective and capturing a flag. It's an easy way to pile up points simply by squatting. I know -- I do it often. BF:BC2 only rewards points for capturing a flag. No neutralizing points.

3. Bigger maps. This has been mentioned ad nauseum, but the maps in BF:BC 2 give players so many more options of attack. It's a much bigger sandbox. The maps in BF3 feel linear in comparison, funneling you toward lethal bottlenecks like the Call of Duty or Medal of Honor series.

4. Less frantic pace. The pace of BF:BC2 feels slower than BF3. It seems to be a nice compromise between the more frantic pace of BF3 and the cerebral, deliberate speed of Operation Flashpoint: Red River.

5. More places to hide. There seems to be more nooks and crannies available to hide in the maps in BF:BC2 than BF3. Great for sniping and surprise attacks.

6. More stable weapons. This is huge. Weapons set to rapid fire are more stable and fire straighter in BF:BC2 than in BF3, giving more accuracy. I feel like I'm swaying in a gale-force breeze most of the time when shooting on rapid fire in BF3. I achieve many more one- and two-burst kills in BF:BC 2, which seems to be more forgiving for players with slower reflexes and a better match for the slower pace of the game.

7. Less permissive spotting creates more stealth. This might be a false impression, but I seem to be spotted less in BF:BC2 than in BF3. It's also harder for me to find opposing shooters, which increases the challenge and stealth. Spotting seems to be easier in BF3 -- maybe because the maps are tighter -- which creates more of an Aaron Burr-Alexander Hamilton style of dueling than in BF:BC 2. Those "here I am f*cker, shoot me" duels never work out well for me.

To be fair, the ability to lie prone is an edge held by BF3. Otherwise, I think BF:BC2 trumps it in nearly every category.

BF3 is a fun game that frustrates me at times. But its main appeal for me is the amount of DSP brothers who play. I enjoy the camaraderie with buddies.

But I can play against randoms in BF:BC 2 and have a great time, even randoms of huge rank. Can't say the same about BF3. If not for DSP fellas, it's unlikely I'd pull BF3 from its lime-green case very often.

[Spooky]

Great analysis PK.

As I said in this thread when the game first came out - I am SO disappointed in the map design of BF3 compared to BF:BC2. I have warmed to them a bit but in general - they absolutely pale in comparison.

Add in the Vietnam expansion maps and it's a no brainer.

If BF:BC2 could get the graphical tweaks and the gameplay interface (NOT the menu interface) of BF3 it would be the best game of all time.

[Spooky]

7. Less permissive spotting creates more stealth. This might be a false impression, but I seem to be spotted less in BF:BC2 than in BF3. It's also harder for me to find opposing shooters, which increases the challenge and stealth. Spotting seems to be easier in BF3 -- maybe because the maps are tighter -- which creates more of an Aaron Burr-Alexander Hamilton style of dueling than in BF:BC 2. Those "here I am f*cker, shoot me" duels never work out well for me.

Just so you know - Hardcore mode in BF:3 resolves this issue.

Oh - one more great thing that BF:BC2 has over 3 is the ability to create private matches. Imagine that...

[Naples39]

They've definitely taken a little more COD to the game, and the reduced destructibility is disappointing.

Regarding the spotting however, I think the big difference is that in BF3 firing a weapon briefly causes a player to appear on the mini-map. They don't get tracked as long as actual spotting, but a lot of the time it's long enough. This didn't happen in BC2. Using a suppressor makes you remain invisible when firing, and is key when sneaking behind enemy lines.

Regarding weapon accuracy, I think BF3 gives more of an accuracy bonus for aiming down the sight than BC2. Also, the attachments like foregrip help quite a bit. Aiming for the head/upper torso makes a huge difference in how fast you can drop someone. Generally, I drop people faster in BF3 than I could in BC2.

[Teal]

7. Less permissive spotting creates more stealth. This might be a false impression, but I seem to be spotted less in BF:BC2 than in BF3. It's also harder for me to find opposing shooters, which increases the challenge and stealth. Spotting seems to be easier in BF3 -- maybe because the maps are tighter -- which creates more of an Aaron Burr-Alexander Hamilton style of dueling than in BF:BC 2. Those "here I am f*cker, shoot me" duels never work out well for me.

Just so you know - Hardcore mode in BF:3 resolves this issue.

Oh - one more great thing that BF:BC2 has over 3 is the ability to create private matches. Imagine that...

That's an example of one step up, two steps back, though. Hardcore mode also creates the infuriating environment where you kill your own teammates, run over your own mines, all that. I will say again, spotting in BF3 is simply a part of the game, and a part that, given how wonky things get with all the other stuff, just isn't worth removing. Private matches-yeah, that's a big oversight. But I have to admit I get less frustrated with BF3 than I did BF: BC2. I miss Vietnam, and might actually repurchase BC2 just for that, but the rest of the comparison is toma-to, to-mah-to.

[pk500]

But I have to admit I get less frustrated with BF3 than I did BF: BC2. I miss Vietnam, and might actually repurchase BC2 just for that, but the rest of the comparison is toma-to, to-mah-to.

You're just a happy dick who lives to shoot the newest shiny gun. Stop venerating every damn shooter that comes down the barrel.

Speaking of Hardcore, let's play OFP:RR in that mode soon! Tonight?

[Diablo25]

I still have BFBC2 so I'm game for some matches PK. I played that b*tch right up to when BF3 came out and loved it. The Vietnam pack is awesome too. You got me pumped to play it again PK.

[pk500]

I still have BFBC2 so I'm game for some matches PK. I played that b*tch right up to when BF3 came out and loved it. The Vietnam pack is awesome too. You got me pumped to play it again PK.

I need to buy the Vietnam map pack if BF:BC2 catches fire here again. That map pack reminds me of one of the most underrated war first-person shooters I've enjoyed on the PC in the last decade, Vietcong. That was a great game marred by some major bugs.

Here's another reason I prefer BF:BC2 over BF3 -- no jets, if I recall correctly. Jets are so removed from ground combat in BF3. Hardly anyone uses them for close air support like an Apache chopper.

When I see a jet flying overhead in BF3, I rarely worry about it because I know it will end up in a dogfight with one of my jet pilots within moments, detached from anything that's happening on the ground. But choppers command my full attention and can change a game.

Last night I was in a Conquest game on the BF:BC2 map with the huge windmills and three spawn points spread over long distances. We we were ahead 87-5, helped by having a two-man advantage. Then two players joined the opposing team, which also put two Apaches in the air. Those guys were great pilots and flew deftly around two spawn points, knocking us out of the spawn points and eliminating any charges to recapture with close-air support while moving around enough to avoid RPG's and tank fire.

Then their remaining ground troops ganged up in Abrams M1's and pushed us from the last spawn point, holding it with great tactics and precision. We ended up losing the Conquest match 4-0 after being ahead 87-5. I was so much in awe of their performance that I had no emotion left to be pissed.

Incredible game and performance.

[Danimal]

Someone told me at work today EA shut down all the Bf servers except for 3. I found that hard to believe but I haven't checked it.

[pk500]

Someone told me at work today EA shut down all the Bf servers except for 3. I found that hard to believe but I haven't checked it.

Untrue unless the switch was flicked after 3:35 a.m. (ET) this morning, when I stopped playing Bad Company 2. Hope that's not the case, man!

[Diablo25]

I still have BFBC2 so I'm game for some matches PK. I played that b*tch right up to when BF3 came out and loved it. The Vietnam pack is awesome too. You got me pumped to play it again PK.

I need to buy the Vietnam map pack if BF:BC2 catches fire here again. That map pack reminds me of one of the most underrated war first-person shooters I've enjoyed on the PC in the last decade, Vietcong. That was a great game marred by some major bugs.

Here's another reason I prefer BF:BC2 over BF3 -- no jets, if I recall correctly. Jets are so removed from ground combat in BF3. Hardly anyone uses them for close air support like an Apache chopper.

When I see a jet flying overhead in BF3, I rarely worry about it because I know it will end up in a dogfight with one of my jet pilots within moments, detached from anything that's happening on the ground. But choppers command my full attention and can change a game.

Last night I was in a Conquest game on the BF:BC2 map with the huge windmills and three spawn points spread over long distances. We we were ahead 87-5, helped by having a two-man advantage. Then two players joined the opposing team, which also put two Apaches in the air. Those guys were great pilots and flew deftly around two spawn points, knocking us out of the spawn points and eliminating any charges to recapture with close-air support while moving around enough to avoid RPG's and tank fire.

Then their remaining ground troops ganged up in Abrams M1's and pushed us from the last spawn point, holding it with great tactics and precision. We ended up losing the Conquest match 4-0 after being ahead 87-5. I was so much in awe of their performance that I had no emotion left to be pissed.

Incredible game and performance.

Me being the dumbass I am, I didn't play Conquest on BFBC2 until like a month before BF3 came out. I was dumbfounded at how stupid I was for not playing that mode. I'm definitely gonna play some very soon...maybe even tonight.

[Teal]

PK, I'm all for it. Would love for DIABLO and DANIMAL, or whomever else has Red River, to fill in the other two slots, but hell...we did it the other night, we can do it again...I think...

[Spooky]

PK, I'm all for it. Would love for DIABLO and DANIMAL, or whomever else has Red River, to fill in the other two slots, but hell...we did it the other night, we can do it again...I think...

I have it - still in the shrink wrap. But ready to be opened.

[pk500]

Me being the dumbass I am, I didn't play Conquest on BFBC2 until like a month before BF3 came out. I was dumbfounded at how stupid I was for not playing that mode. I'm definitely gonna play some very soon...maybe even tonight.

I'll look for you, bro.

[pk500]

PK, I'm all for it. Would love for DIABLO and DANIMAL, or whomever else has Red River, to fill in the other two slots, but hell...we did it the other night, we can do it again...I think...

I have it - still in the shrink wrap. But ready to be opened.

OPEN IT, DUDE. It's a great f*cking game. Let's do some co-op tonight, followed possibly by a bit of BF:BC2.

[Zeppo]

PK, I'm all for it. Would love for DIABLO and DANIMAL, or whomever else has Red River, to fill in the other two slots, but hell...we did it the other night, we can do it again...I think...

I have given in to the hype and have OF:RR I the way from Amazon. Should show up in a couple of days, but I don't have it yet.

But I got rid of BC2 a while ago. I do still have ShadowRun, though, which as we all know is the best balanced, deepest, most team oriented, and brilliant shooter EVER!! And the legendary Splinter Cell Double Agent.

[Teal]

It's right up your alley, Zepp-because communication is absolutely essential for success...