So, here’s the thing. I’ve been playing Battlefield since Battlefield 1942. I just now joined BF5. Why? Well, life got in the way and the idiotic controversy made it sound like a toxic swamp. [Removed] it’s just a game. But my thoughts are on gameplay, not skins/genders of a bunch of pixels on characters in a children’s video game.
I have NEVER been good. My KDR is usually inverse, and I absolutely suck in CQB (close quarters battle). But I love the series, dear God I do.
My fav time came when I started playing the Forgotten Hope mod for Battlefield 2. It was a WWII realism shooter - one shot, one kill, most infantry had rifles, tanks had properly sloped armor, etc. Not quite as extreme as say, Arma, but pretty tough. What made it a joy was my time with a clan. First time I ever joined a group. The 130th Panzer Lehr. It was tight - we had out-of-game ranks, determined by our ability to play the game, follow orders over teamspeak, and in general contribute. Yeah, there was some questionable use of the insignia. I hate Illinois ¯_(ツ)_/¯, but … what the hey. It was a fun group. I miss the hell out of those guys.
So to me, team play is cool.
Since my skills in infantry suck, I was assigned to the Panzer Pioneers which usually had Engineer kits. Mines, AT panzerfausts, the works. I alternated between placed artillery and tank hunting. My job was not to cap flags (unless ordered of course). Man I love hunting tanks. I think BF5 did a fine job with the AT mines. Had my first mine kill a few days ago by placing the sucked right on the Sherman’s engine deck.
So it’s what I expected in some ways. I love the fact that insto-spotting was removed as it was done in BF1. That was a pain. The sounds are superb, my God, the sounds of artillery going off is amazing. Its a little too fast-paced and video gamey, but that is nothing new. Slow it down 20% and it would be better - more tactical. But fine. I’m not one you pubescent kids with the reflexes of a Shaolin Master. Such is life. No, what I am talking about is some scale issues.
See what I (IMHO) think is missing is the gameplay of Battlefield 1942. You had maps where it was carrier vs. carrier and you’d have 8 or more plans in the air at any one time, with near instant respawns. HUGE battles. You had a submarine that could launch torpedoes, Kate torpedo planes (drop it from 2 grids away and turn while still in the fog of war), flyable b-17s, and when you manned a ship you had firepower. One player could control a band of AA guns - not simply be sniped out of the one gun by a crybaby pilot.
Some maps were all armor. I think Al-Alamein comes to mind. Lots of shermans vs. panzer III and IV (IIRC). Wow.
And the crown was the Battle of Britain. Both side, all aircraft 32 vs. 32 pilots (a few people stayed on ground to man AA guns). Bombing runs on the Brit installations, and counter airstrikes by Typhoons and Spitfires. Man, to see THAT redone with modern graphics, a flight ceiling of 10000 feet, a huge map, and in-air respawns and/or landings for repairs - wow.
THAT’s where Dice dropped the ball. Not crap about minorities, women, prosthetic limbs, in-game purchases, etc. All those are window dressing.
Stop trying to be COD with a few tanks and couple planes thrown in. Drop a game that can handle 200 players, with 200 vehicles. Now THAT would be worth $75.
The play’s the thing to catch the conscience of the king.
My 2 cents for anyone who cares. And to the 130th if you happen to read this … S!