Battlefield 2042

The probably have to go 64 max anyway, the numbers dropped off faaaast.

I still don't buy that 128 players is inherently a bad idea. There aren't many Battlefield alternatives, but a glance at others and I see Hell Let Loose has 100 players at a time and I haven't seen complaints about that. It isn't exactly the same type of game, but I've always thought that Planetside was a path that Battlefield could take and that has 2000 players on a single instance.

The issue is that they have designed the maps in a battle royale style. They have effectively a massive open area with individual small maps dotted around the landscape. All of the maps are like this, so they just end up being barely indistinguishable. It completely fails for breakthrough, as there is zero flow between the locations. Conquest works slightly better, but you still have the issue of all the maps basically having the same style.

I have no doubt you could make great 128 player maps. The problem is that they started with a design philosophy for a game that they ended up not actually making.

Edit: also, it does a terrible job of encouraging teamplay, so people have no coordination. This adds to the feeling of not being able to control what is going on. That issue is partly a result of the way specialists are handled as people can be jack of all trades, as well as the game just not really giving many mechanics or incentives for teamplay.

Oh I'd certainly agree that there's nothing inherently bad about 128 players as a general concept. I guess it's just more about whether it was necessary or desirable for BF. What we've seen here suggests it certainly isn't necessary; it could possibly be desirable if executed properly, though.

Unfortunately, in 2042, it's just led to a myriad of performance-related issues, split the player base due to older console generations not being able to handle it, and clearly been guided by an original approach to map design that may or may not be down to an initial project vision for a BR (lots of rumours about that, ofc, though not sure how accurate it really is?).

Think seeing the new map will be interesting, and should let us know what their design approach is going forward (as will the redesigns coming for the older maps). Even those streamers more inclined to shit on the game (I don't actually include JackFrags, Westie etc. in that bracket, as to my mind they're usually quite measured compared to many others) suggest the map itself is actually the highlight -- it's just there isn't enough content in general outside of that, in their view.

I wish the specialists would fuck off, though. Honestly, just have an amazing cosmetic shop to kit out your nameless soldiers from the old classes.



Yup, absolutely this. It's basically played as an individual team deathmatch by most in Conquest, I find. Just run the best personal gadgets you want, with whatever weapon you fancy, and pick the specialist with the gimmick you personally prefer (almost always Sundance, for me; does anyone play Rao?).

1000% untrue.

Might have made it slightly less shit if they had made it a BR game instead. Easily my biggest disappointment in a game in years, it made the console versions of cyberpunk look like a competent game.

Yup, this is a very good shout.


I must admit though, I'm quite excited to get playing again this evening. That hasn't happened at all since it was released.

That's the one. Wasn't half bad.

I often feel as if I want the opposite to what many in the community want (not modern warfare, minimal chokepoints, true mix of on foot and vehicle play).

I thought Metro was bad enough, but only played BF4 fairly recently and Locker is somehow even worse. The odd dose of that stuff is okay, but I really don't understand why you would come to Battlefield for something like that.

Scale and a bit of chaos is Battlefield in my eyes, so I can at least appreciate that they are doing some of that in BF2042, even if it fails at making that actually interesting.

On the BR thing, I thought it was from reliable sources that the direction of the game changed quite dramatically mid development, with the focus shifting back to more traditional game modes. Perhaps that was just an assumption that it was a shift away from BR, but it seems very plausible considering the map design and the specialists.

At the very least, I definitely think that the Hazard Zone mode was meant to be more prominent than it has been (I've not even touched it).

Still don't see why they don't just shift the portal maps over into the All Out Warfare mode. Stick in a 32vs32 player mode under that section for those maps and it feel like a bunch more content without actually having to create new content. Maps might need a bit of a polish, as some of them do have rough edges (I recall water effects looked like placeholders), but should really be an easy win.

Yeah servers are really struggling atm. I did just manage to get two games on the new map, though. Obviously early days but it seems really cool; also great to see so many full lobbies for the time being.

Just dipped into a couple of games and this new map actually seems genuinely fantastic. Exactly what I would expect from a BF map. Now they just need to do this 10 more times and there might be a good game. Gives me hope that they are taking the right approach for future maps though and there is even a chance they might be able to fix the old maps to something enjoyable, although I have less faith in that.

The game in general felt a little slicker too, which is nice.

Still have the specialists to sort. No chance they are ditching them entirely, but hopefully they will be able to come up with something to make them work better than they do now.

I pretty much always play as Falck. I normally gravitate to medic characters in these games and she feels the best one. I also stick the ammo create on her so I can go full support. The lack of others playing as a team means that I don't feel that I can use her to the full advantage, but it is okay.

I also found that I contributed a lot to the team the few times I've played as Casper. Spotting has always been powerful in these games.

Yeah this map is genuinely fantastic. Reminds me a bit of a modern Mount Grappa, which was my favourite BF1 map. Going to absolutely cane it over the weekend lol

Enjoyed the new map. Suitably confusing! Don’t like the taint of f2p mechanics on the main menu, tier levels, BF coins. Cheapens the experience. The worst is the vehicle restrictions. You just can’t get a tank or see a convoy of vehicles. They need to roll that shit back. It’s not battlefield without the chaos of vehicles. They have effectively destroyed the Bolte. Why would you choose on over a tank? Mind you tanks are pretty weak too. They need to fix this.

My buddy thought he'd found another bug last night when he was trying to do that. Had no idea that was by design!

Did Angel lose his ability to give people (including yourself) armour?