Battlefield 3 New Info: Consoles, Theatre Mode, Maps, Vehicles, and more!

"The playable demo atGDC 2011is running on heavily beefed-up computers, which could mean that this gorgeous game isn't going to be quite as gorgeous on consoles. Bach insists that the console offering will be able to handle the load"

Here's what Bach had to say about Frostbite 2 running on consoles:"We're streaming all the data. There's not a single frame where nothing streams. From textures to objects to weapons to sounds and animations … it scales down pretty well. All of the core systems will use streaming, so it's more of a question of how often you have to stream, and how big are those packages. The engine is built with that taken into account."

Looks like the difference on Battlefield 3 on consoles and on PC (not counting graphics but counting sound, gameplay, destructibility, animations, etc.) won't be as big as people thought it would be. Here's what Bach had to say about Battlefield 3 multiplayer:

"We got better and better at making single player thanks to theBad Companyseries, [but] even if you don't like single player, you know what? Multiplayer is bigger thanBattlefield 2anyways. People shouldn't think we're spending energy on single player when we could have spent it on multiplayer, because we have a full-fledged team working on multiplayer."

and also future games will use the Frostbite 2 engine:

"Building an engine for just one game would no doubt be ridiculous. After all, a lot of money and time goes into such an undertaking. Acknowledging this, Bach mentioned that gamers can expect four or even five games to come out using the Frostbite 2 engine. Lets keep our collective fingers crossed that this means we'll be seeing a gorgeousMirror's Edge 2someday, or at the very least the continuation of theBad Companygames."

Source:http://gamerant.com/battlefield-3-frostbite-2-realism-multiplayer-seb-70950/

EDIT: Battlefield 3 will have some sort of Theatre Mode too, look at this video and skip to 13:20:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuKo8XLoJjs

They talk about contacting DICE and asking them about some kind of Theatre Mode, and their response was that there will be a sort of Battle Recorder, and they go on to talk about how it probably won't ship out with the game at first. This makes it even more awesome!

EDIT 2: Look at the same video and skip to 14:46, they talk about vehicles, apparently these guys (Pixel Enemy) were shown a trailer where they got to see transport vehicles, and the cockpit of the jet (which they claim to be really good). They also talk about one of the maps: They said that if you think Heavy Metal was huge, wait till you see this. This is a separate trailer by the way, it's different from the first one where they saw the jet. So the maps are enormous. In the end they talk about one of the locales being london (they believe it's london, at least somewhere similar).

Wow if true, Dice just killed Crytek.

Oh no...do you hear that??

Hermits incoming!!

:o

No one is doubting consoles will look good, but since they use DX9 unlike PC, there will be a limit.:D

Here's what Bach had to say about Frostbite 2 running on consoles:"We're streaming all the data. There's not a single frame where nothing streams. From textures to objects to weapons to sounds and animations … it scales down pretty well. All of the core systems will use streaming, so it's more of a question of how often you have to stream, and how big are those packages. The engine is built with that taken into account."

Looks like the difference on Battlefield 3 on consoles and on PC (not counting graphics but counting sound, gameplay, destructibility, animations, etc.) won't be as big as people thought it would be.

^^From the OP

I am sure I will be more than content with it on consoles. Aside from the incredible visuals, the animations, atmosphere, sound and overall immersion was fantastic as well. It is just a hell of a production all around. However, I must say that the PC footage we all have just witnessed just about blew my head off. Those who will be playing it on PC have a hell of a treat in store for them.

Any comment that boils down to "consoles can do it too" should be taken with a grain of salt.

Sure, consoles can run the game, as he mentioned they stream everything; but expect insane pop-in and super small levels. Does anyone honestly think a jet blasting over a stream loaded level is going to work on console? No.

This is like Crysis 2 in reverse, "we're making a PC worthy game".

Im going to upgrade for this game

Sounds good, as expected from DICE.

For those who already read my original post: look at my Edit, there'll be a Theatre Mode variant in Battlefield 3. Props to DICE, this is really turning out well! We've got Co-op, Campaign, Theatre Mode (something like that) and Multiplayer!

DICE is now truly the only l33t dev left. Crytek has sold out, Blizzard is Blizzard, Bethesda can't figure itself out, Bioware sold out ....

DICE - you are all thats left of true and pure game development; the rest is "can we fit the game in 512MB RAM? no, then scrap it"

For those who already read my original post: look at my Edit, there'll be a Theatre Mode variant in Battlefield 3. Props to DICE, this is really turning out well! We've got Co-op, Campaign, Theatre Mode (something like that) and Multiplayer!

XVision84

how is it even possible that this game is going to run on the current generation of consoles? The answer, according to DICE executive producer Patrick Bach in an interview with Joystiq,is Frostbite 2.

The playable demo at GDC 2011 is running on heavily beefed-up computers, which could mean that this gorgeous game isn't going to be quite as gorgeous on consoles. Bach insists that the console offering will be able to handle the load" Gamerant

Whoever wrote this is misrpresenting the interview, making it sound like Patrick Bach is either delusional or a liar. Battlefield 3 will absolutely not look as good on console at it will on PC.

What the guy is actually saying, is that the engine is streaming all the data and that it scales down pretty well. The original article mentions that "DICE hopes that the streaming tech will enable the console versions to keep the mood and feel of the original intact."

Hopefully there has not been a need to scale back areas of the singleplayer in order for it to also be feasible on consoles and their puny memory.

[QUOTE="Gamerant"]how is it even possible that this game is going to run on the current generation of consoles? The answer, according to DICE executive producer Patrick Bach in an interview with Joystiq,is Frostbite 2.

The playable demo at GDC 2011 is running on heavily beefed-up computers, which could mean that this gorgeous game isn't going to be quite as gorgeous on consoles. Bach insists that the console offering will be able to handle the load" McStrongfast

Whoever wrote this is misrpresenting the interview, making it sound like Patrick Bach is either delusional or a liar. Battlefield 3 will absolutely not look as good on console at it will on PC.

What the guy is actually saying, is that the engine is streaming all the data and that it scales down pretty well. The original article mentions that "DICE hopes that the streaming tech will enable the console versions to keep the mood and feel of the original intact."

Hopefully there has not been a need to scale back areas of the singleplayer in order for it to also be feasible on consoles and their puny memory.

I'm not misrepresenting the article, as I said before: "Looks like the difference on Battlefield 3 on consoles and on PC (not counting graphics but counting sound, gameplay, destructibility, animations, etc.) won't be as big as people thought it would be."

Of course it's not going to look as good as PC. This was originally posted a few posts above you by devious742 by the way (thanks devious!).

DICE is now truly the only l33t dev left. Crytek has sold out, Blizzard is Blizzard, Bethesda can't figure itself out, Bioware sold out ....

DICE - you are all thats left of true and pure game development; the rest is "can we fit the game in 512MB RAM? no, then scrap it"

haberman13

All DICE has to do after BF3 is make Rally sport challange 3.

[QUOTE="haberman13"]

DICE is now truly the only l33t dev left. Crytek has sold out, Blizzard is Blizzard, Bethesda can't figure itself out, Bioware sold out ....

DICE - you are all thats left of true and pure game development; the rest is "can we fit the game in 512MB RAM? no, then scrap it"

Remmib

I hope they are capable of pulling Killzone 3 graphics.

Or at least make the game more visuallystunning than BC2.

I hope they are capable of pulling Killzone 3 graphics.

Or at least make the game more visuallystunning than BC2.

tonitorsi

don't be delusional, there no way a console can do what we have seen of BF3, the tech we have seen its probably running on DX11LookAnDrolL

How many times must I say that I'm not talking about graphics >.< I said it once in my OP, and it's been said twice after that.

I hope they are capable of pulling Killzone 3 graphics.

Or at least make the game more visuallystunning than BC2.

tonitorsi

I really doubt the game will look better than BC2 on consoles.

On PC it will be f'ing jaw dropping.

[QUOTE="tonitorsi"]

I hope they are capable of pulling Killzone 3 graphics.

Or at least make the game more visuallystunning than BC2.

mitu123

Well thats the thing, obvisoulythey can't do thePC graphics but if it pulls it off looking much more better than BC2 (textures included), especially after how they're hyping their new engine with all sorts of amazing things (lighting, animation, etc) ...the least they can do is try to make it more visually appealingthan BC2.

BC2 hasn't aged well :?

[QUOTE="mitu123"]

[QUOTE="tonitorsi"]

I hope they are capable of pulling Killzone 3 graphics.

Or at least make the game more visuallystunning than BC2.

tonitorsi

Well thats the thing, obvisoulythey can't do thePC graphics but if it pulls it off looking much more better than BC2 (textures included), especially after how they're hyping their new engine with all sorts of amazing things (lighting, animation, etc) ...the least they can do is try to make it more visually appealingthan BC2.

BC2 hasn't aged well :?

Really? On Pc it still looks as great as the day it came out.

I really doubt the game will look better than BC2 on consoles.

On PC it will be f'ing jaw dropping.

ChubbyGuy40

[QUOTE="mitu123"]

[QUOTE="tonitorsi"]

I hope they are capable of pulling Killzone 3 graphics.

Or at least make the game more visuallystunning than BC2.

tonitorsi

Well thats the thing, obvisoulythey can't do thePC graphics but if it pulls it off looking much more better than BC2 (textures included), especially after how they're hyping their new engine with all sorts of amazing things (lighting, animation, etc) ...the least they can do is try to make it more visually appealingthan BC2.

BC2 hasn't aged well :?

I'm not misrepresenting the article

XVision84

There are some interesting comments made by the PixelEnemy guy. What was demonstrated isn't necessarily representative of the overall game, but the part he was shown at least sounds like it supports my impression from the trailer that it'll be pretty similar to the CoD school of game design rather than DICE going for a more distinctively Battlefieldy campaign. Which would be a shame. But whatever, not here for the single player.

So who's getting which version?

I'm getting the 360, of course.

Wow if true, Dice just killed Crytek.

Oh no...do you hear that??

Hermits incoming!!

:o

Oh god...they confirmed destructibility in BF3? I hate destructibility it is one of the worst things to ever come to battlefield it makes all battlefield games with it come down to no one in online matches doing objectives just rushing in with tanks and blowing the crap out of every thing...

Oh god...they confirmed destructibility in BF3? I hate destructibility it is one of the worst things to ever come to battlefield it makes all battlefield games with it come down to no one in online matches doing objectives just rushing in with tanks and blowing the crap out of every thing...

WilliamRLBaker

Oh god...they confirmed destructibility in BF3? I hate destructibility it is one of the worst things to ever come to battlefield it makes all battlefield games with it come down to no one in online matches doing objectives just rushing in with tanks and blowing the crap out of every thing...

WilliamRLBaker

Back in my day trolling used to mean something.

DICE are making this game for PC, which is awesome! Usually a game made for PC translates well onto consoles.So I imagine Battlefield 3 will look, sound and play just fine on the 360 and PS3. Why wouldn't it? Their powerful systems that have great-looking games. It's just awesome to see a development team creating a PC game from the ground-up. There's a reason why people like DICE, no one gets the short end of the stick with this team, no one! :D

So who's getting which version?

I'm getting the 360, of course.

KingsofQueens

no one in online matches doing objectives just rushing in with tanks and blowing the crap out of every thing...

WilliamRLBaker

Sounds like someone needs to play the PC version. Seriously. The console community in BF:BC2 (at least the PS3 version. I don't own it on my 360 :P) sucks.

[QUOTE="mitu123"]

No one is doubting consoles will look good, but since they use DX9 unlike PC, there will be a limit.:D

AncientDozer

How can you not like destruction? Its literally a game changer. Plus its more realistic. You'd rather a game be static and arcadey where maps are just death arenas to play in and not a true war torn battlefield?

How can you not like destruction? Its literally a game changer. Plus its more realistic. You'd rather a game be static and arcadey where maps are just death arenas to play in and not a true war torn battlefield?

blues35301

I can see how somebody wouldnt like it. Its not very realistic in the BF series.

I want Mirror's Edge 2 so badly :(

I'm getting it for the consoles. PC gaming is Meh. I can deal with slightly downgraded graphics.Sp4rtan_3

Lol if you think it will be slightly. Not to mention 64 players and way larger maps will be way better than the console version. Increased destruction, choppers, jet, jets...jets...too much win for PC.

If they can get games like UC2, KZ3 to look as good as they do, I am sure DICE will be able to make BF3 look great on consoles. No doubt it will look better on PC, but for people without a top of the line computer, it will be perfect. Something I have a feeling Crysis 2 wont be able to do...

[QUOTE="Sp4rtan_3"]I'm getting it for the consoles. PC gaming is Meh. I can deal with slightly downgraded graphics.ChubbyGuy40

Lol if you think it will be slightly. Not to mention 64 players and way larger maps will be way better than the console version. Increased destruction, choppers, jet, jets...jets...too much win for PC.

I'm getting it for both PS3 and PC.

but seriously i'm most concerned about console version of the multiplayer.

If they're way of handeling larger maps on the consoles is merely making a series of Rush maps. that is by far the cheapest and laziest way of going about it.

Not surprisngly they've been incredibly mute over console features at the moment. i'd expect to hear some more news come E3 or possibly sooner, but i'm not getting my hopes up at this point.

the singleplayer is not what concerns me with BF3 on consoles, it's the multiplayer. I'm sure DICE will do a fine job getting the best looking graphics out on each platform for singleplayer.

I'm getting it for the consoles. PC gaming is Meh. I can deal with slightly downgraded graphics.Sp4rtan_3

Rofl.

Cognitive dissonance at its absolute finest.

I'm getting it for both PS3 and PC.

SaudiFury

Why would you even entertain the thought of pissing away money on the vastly inferior PS3 version if you're getting it for PC?

[QUOTE="Sp4rtan_3"]I'm getting it for the consoles. PC gaming is Meh. I can deal with slightly downgraded graphics.Remmib

Rofl.

Cognitive dissonance at its absolute finest.

I'm getting it for both PS3 and PC.

SaudiFury

Why would you even entertain the thought of pissing away money on the vastly inferior PS3 version if you're getting it for PC?