Battlefield 2 Q&A Feature

With fewer and fewer PC titles appearing and with EA PC games for the coming year down to the bear bones one of the really exceptional titles, thankfully on PC, is Battlefields 2. The award-winning Battlefield franchise invades the high tech frontlines of modern warfare in the new sequel, Battlefield 2 and brings the intensity and excitement of Battlefield 1942 into the modern era with enhanced team play and the latest, most technologically advanced vehicles and weapons systems available to man.

In Battlefield 2 players will choose to fight for one of three military superpowers: the United States, the Chinese, or the newly formed Middle East Coalition. Armed with the latest modern weaponry, players can take control of any of the game's 30+ vehicles to engage in major conflicts with over 100 players in some of the largest online battles on the PC. Additionally, persistent character growth allows players to rise through the ranks and attain the ultimate rank of General. Derek dela Fuente spoke with Lars Gustavsson, Lead Designer of Battlefield 2, about some of the final touches as the game nears completion.

What have been some of the changes and focuses over the last couple of months from the team?

We have been working hard to not only turn all the features into a game but also to really polish and play test the game so that it feels solid. Our new squad & commander system has evolved based on feedback from our test groups and the in game interface has been overhauled to keep it as simple and intuitive as possible.

Do ideas expand and develop much over the course of development or are ideas and the structure pretty much set in place at the start? Please tell the readers about one interesting event in the course of development that you may not have planned for?

You always write an initial design at the start-up of the project. As you proceed you detail it out and once you get to implement the different features you'll soon find out if they work or not. What seemed great when planned was maybe good-looking in the game but didn't really add anything to the gameplay value. Killing all the features that don't really add to the game is part of turning a game into a solid experience.

The design of Battlefield 2 has evolved quite a lot since we started and it still does but now on a much smaller scale.

A good example of how the design has evolved would be the chock-paddles that the medic kit has to revive people. As we have been playing, itâ??s now turned into the ultimate humiliation weapon to kill enemies with in close combat. Who could have known?

What are the real fundamental differences within Battlefield 2 over previous Battlefield games?

Teamplay. If we disregard all the new effects, high-poly graphics, improved animation system, etc. I would say that teamplay is what sticks out the most. We all felt that you get so much more out of the game if you team up with one or more other players so the choice of where to focus came naturally.

Can you expand on the new game engine and technology behind B2? Also tell us some interesting facts about the physics system and what will be obvious to gamers when playing.

When we decided where we wanted to go with BF2, we realised that neither the BF1942, nor the upgraded BF Vietnam engine, would be able to do all the things that we had planned for this game.

Based on our needs, almost the whole engine has been rewritten. Animation system, effects system, physics system, rendering system, sound systemâ?¦you name it. Additional to this we created our own in-house tool that is being used in all parts of the creation of the game and will be shipped with the game.

Since Battlefield is a vehicle based game, the most apparent proof of the new physics system will be when you drive the different vehicles but also in other details like the new rag-doll system that allow a much clearer indication on whether you took out an enemy or not.

What have you learnt from Battlefield 1942 and Vietnam and do you run forums and open days to get feedback from gamers?

Both BF1942 and Vietnam had their own way of serving the Battlefield experience and we have worked hard on monitoring the forums to see how people liked them. Based on this and all the feedback we receive from different groups playtesting the Battlefield 2 (ranging from EA testers to press and clans) we feel that we have a great chance of creating something really good.

Tell us about the maps in the game and how you go about creating them, etc?

It has been really interesting to see the maps evolve in Battlefield 2. Compared to Battlefield 1942 where we had to start from scratch, we now could test levels at a very early stage in the old BF1942 engine to verify if they were good or not.

The procedure of creating the maps has been divided into a number of steps: We start up with the concept stage when the level designers draw a number of ideas and iterate over and over again until we find one of them being good enough to continue with and refine. Then weâ??ve been building them in the old BF1942 engine where the gameplay is balanced and we can focus on how the map plays more than on the things around. Once we are satisfied with it in there, we create it once more in the BF2 Landscape Editor where the final version is tweaked and polished based on all the testing feedback until itâ??s time to ship.

What are the settings within the game, as although fictitious you have to have realism? With the current climate for political correctness has the setting caused any problems and what maybe is your fav location?

Battlefield 2 will take place in the Middle East and in Asia where the reason for all the battles will be the conflict creating treasure: oil!

Everyone wants it but only a few have it.

The Battlefield games has never been about depicting war as â??Saving Private Ryanâ?? where gore and realism is key but rather as â??Kellys Heroesâ?? where fun and excitement is the key-focus. Then add to that all the military hardware that you find on one of the shows of the Discovery channel and you have Battlefield 2.

Tell us the discernable differences - no matter how subtle it is - in fighting for one of the three superpowers?

We have gone back to the system of Battlefield 1942 where there always will be a similar weapon on each side but with its unique feeling and advantages/disadvantages. Though there are a few exceptions to thatâ?¦ The US Marines will be equipped with the F35 joint strike fighter that will be able to perform the short take-offs and the vertical landings.

Give us details on 2 weapons that gamers will not be au fait with?

I can give you oneâ?¦ever heard of the Phalanx close-in weapon system? This static anti-air system will teach all hostile planes and helicopters to stay far away from its lethal range.

Can you expand on Character Persistence and Growth?

When playing BF1942 and Vietnam, you played the game for a shorter or longer time but you always left it without any feedback on how you had performed. With the new persistence system you will be able to play on the ranked servers and by doing this you will gain ranks, medals and unlocks on your way to being the highest ranked player in the BF-world.

Thank you

With Battlefield 1942 being such a superb title then much is expected from Battlefield 2 and Digital Illusions certainly appear to be on course for another blockbuster! Weâ??ll have more on this hotly anticipated title soonâ?¦