DICE has released plenty of footage so far for its anticipated shooter, but was holding quite a bit of content back for Gamescom 2011. At the show we finally got a look at PC-based 64 player multiplayer, as well as the game's two player co-operative mode. The co-op was playable on PlayStation 3, and though it didn't look as detailed as the PC version, it was still pretty. The mission was to snatch an informant from the clutches of hostile forces, and to do so you and one other player had to move through a heavily guarded building.

Armed with silenced pistols it is technically possible to get through the whole building undetected, though it requires you to work closely with your partner. In co-op it's possible to mark targets, which is important in communicating who you're going to kill. If two targets are in the same room and you want to kill both without raising an alarm, it's necessary to coordinate shots so they go down at the same time. Cameras can also trip the alarm, but thankfully you can shoot them down before they spot you.




Once the informant is secure you need to run out to a waiting row of personnel carriers that rumble through nighttime city streets. Rocket-propelled grenades frequently halt convoy progress and at these times you'll need to hop out and take out targets on foot. The weapons available have thermal scopes to help identify enemies crowded on balconies and taking cover behind pillars on the upper floors of buildings. It's a challenging fight that forces you to work for every kill, as few enemies have much of their bodies exposed above cover.


When you do die, your partner can revive you, though it requires time. It's not just a quick zap, you need to spend several second hunched over the downed body waiting for a meter to fill up. That means if the area is still swarming with enemies it's very possible you could be killed while trying to revive, so it's worth taking the time to survey the scene. Your downed partner can also help out, as there's a bleed-out timer that starts after the down state is initiated. During that period it's possible to aim a pistol and shoot. If a revive isn't completed in time, the game ends.


Perhaps the more exciting part of what DICE showed at Gamescom was the 64 player Conquest mode on a map called Caspian Border. The combat space on this map was enormous, with rolling grassy hills dotted with rocks and small forested areas to break up sight lines. On the ground it makes for some thrilling fights, as battles can break out anywhere and, given the size of the map, from any side. There's enough room for large groups of enemy soldiers to sweep down one side and attack from an area you'd never expect. And it's an especially thrilling scene to have tanks flanked by machine gun toting trucks and buggies rumbling over the crest of a rocky hill and fire simultaneously upon entrenched enemy positions as they defend a capture point.




In case you're not familiar, the Conquest experience requires you to capture and hold points across the map with the aim of decreasing the ticket count of the enemy team. If you manage to drop their total to zero through map control and kills, you win. In Battlefield 3, you can do that in jets if you like. The controls require some learning with a mouse and keyboard. It's most definitely a highly simplified system when compared to simulators, but it's not exactly pick up and play. Twisting your plane around in the air and ensuring its machine gun is pointed in the right direction to blow up an enemy still appears to have a skill curve, so not just anyone can take off in a jet and instantly dominate: you'll need to put in the time.


The sheer range of possibilities for teamwork in a 32 versus 32 match with helicopters, jets, tanks and plenty of structures for those on-foot to take cover is dizzying, and at launch it's a sure bet hardcore players will be spending plenty of hours figuring out the best spots for positioning and to maintain map control. Hopefully the same holds true for consoles, where online matches are capped at 24 players total.

Source: http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/118/1188443p1.html

Posted: Aug 17, 2011 3:24 pm