DICE says it's "learnt its lesson" following Battlefield: Bad Company 2's sparse DLC schedule - and it won't make the same mistakes with just-announced Battlefield 3.
Speaking in the latest issue of US retail mag Game Informer, DICE exec producer Patrick Bach acknowledged that not releasing a new map pack for six months saw the Bad Company 2 community drop off drastically.
He added: "We were more successful with our approach then anticipated. We didn't think most people would hit level 22 to be honest, and especially so fast. Our calculations on how much people would play to hit level 20, 25, 50 were completely wrong. We thought people wouldn't play that much."
For Battlefield 3, says Bach, DICE will properly prepare for post-release content to keep the community occupied.
"We've learnt our lesson now, and have a lot of really interesting plans for how to keep the attention of the players. We can do better in that area," he said.
"The challenge is to build a game, and then have more people coming on before the project is done to start building extra content because it takes a lot of time to get stuff out."
There will be "a lot more to unlock", Bach promises, "not only weapons and other treats, but we have more things that you can unlock than in Bad Company 2. We're also making sure that there is a reason for you to reach top rank," he said.
Battlefield 3 will feature 64-player multiplayer on PC and 24-players on console.
More details arrived via the US mag this morning, including news that PC is being treated as the lead platform for the EA game.
Comments
10 comments so far...
monty_79 on 8 Feb '11 said:
Have they given any indication as to when we can expect a few screens of this? I am already well pumped for this, and it isn't going to be out for at least another 8 months!
TheLastDodo on 8 Feb '11 said:
http://battlefield.gamersverse.com/arti ... ing-scans/
This will have to do for now
monty_79 on 8 Feb '11 said:
cheers Dodo. Will have a read in my lunch break.
_Marty_ on 8 Feb '11 said:
Will consoles ever get more than 24 players? MAG did it, why can't Battlefield
TOKEN on 8 Feb '11 said:
And while your at it dice make it 32 minimum players online or i wont buy.
TOKEN on 8 Feb '11 said:
Will consoles ever get Frontlines is 50,homefront is 32,Dust 514(eve online) promised 64 shorlty upped soon after release to 88+,check out dust.org.
Basically DICE and others will milk 24 until they feel its time to charge you for 64+.
hi0marc on 8 Feb '11 said:
You thought we wouldnt get to level 22? How much do you hate your games?!
bugmenot on 9 Feb '11 said:
2bh 'more unlockables' doesn't impress me one bit. I'm hoping this won't mean ridiculous gun attachments that ruined a certain other FPS franchise. Too many unlockables would destroy the atmosphere of the game, rewarding those with the best gadgets, rather than those with the best strategy and teamwork.
I think they'll do well to top BC2 - barring the end of game cinematic and stats glitches it's the perfect game. More of the same please..!
Online Bingo
casino
AegisK on 9 Feb '11 said:
Unfortunately Console designed games must be created with the specification of the lowest powered console. Since the 360 is the lower spec console, the game is designed around that. While the 360 may or may not be able to support more players, the fact is Microsoft aren't willing to allow bigger servers because it means they need to spend more money to keep it going. MAG got an insane player support system as a technical demo to show it can be done.
Ninja Wolfman on 9 Feb '11 said:
Unfortunately Console designed games must be created with the specification of the lowest powered console. Since the 360 is the lower spec console, the game is designed around that. While the 360 may or may not be able to support more players, the fact is Microsoft aren't willing to allow bigger servers because it means they need to spend more money to keep it going. MAG got an insane player support system as a technical demo to show it can be done.
Xbox Live is gonna now be nearly 10 years old in 2013, Microsoft made $1 Billion in revenue so they do have the money to support this now, THQ, EA, MAG via Sony can do it, so its possible but as always they are just still expecting us to allow someone's crappy hamster powered connection to host these games as they are tight arseholes after all.
I hope the next gen is server based only, so we can cut all the cheating and laggy crap out once and for all.
Just read the £1000 spent by an 11 year old kid article, not surprised but thats the stupid parenting for ya.