Have DICE gone a step too far? 100 hours of unlocks per kit......

One of the most popular aspects of Battlefield 2 was its deep persistence feature, where players earned unlocks and awards as they played, and which could keep them busy for years. This returned in Bad Company 2, however, you could unlock most of the weapons and gadgets in Bad Company 2 in a few dozen hours, something which took DICE by surprise.

For Battlefield 3, DICE always stated that they were going with a much deeper persistence feature, with many more unlocks and a revamped unlock structure for weapons and attachments. Now DICE’s Alan Kertz has unveiled just how long it takes to unlock all the weapons, attachments and gadgets for a class: 100 hours.

The reason it takes so long is because unlocks in Battlefield 3 are given per weapon basis, where each weapon attachment must be unlocked for a specific weapon, meaning that players will be unlocking the same attachments and gadgets over and over again, for each weapon. Most weapons will be given three slots: one for scope, one for barrel, and one under-barrel slot for grips, bipods, grenade launchers, etc.

On one hand, the more you use a weapon, the more and better accessories you get for it, on the other hand, it might get a bit too repetitive unlocking the same thing again and again. But we’ll have to wait and see how the system works when the game ships. Or in the upcoming beta.

Also OXM magazine has the very first screens and preview of the 360 version. It's on the shelves today.

Oh and the 360 version will ship on 2 discs, something that M$ must seriously be looking into now............

2 Discs! So im guessing single player on one and multi on another, or maybe an install disc ??

In relation to the unlocks, seems like thats gonne take me a really really really really really long time to do, I struggle to rank up on games as it is lol.

Matt

FlukeyHeadshot wrote:or maybe an install disc ??

Hopefully its this although if they do ship SP & MP on separate discs its not going to result in much disc swapping.

I think the decision to make unlocks weapon specific is going to discourage experimentation - people are going to find a weapon per class that they are comfy with and spam it to death to get all the unlocks and then stick with it. At least with BC2 you could try the weapons with a combination of unlocks that you had already earned to see what suited your style.

While I will never unlock everything or hit the level 50 cap in BC2, I bet a lot of people did as they have consistently played the game since launch and have clocked up hundreds of hours of playing time - its for these people that EA are most likely making this decision for to add a bit more longevity to the unlock system.

100 hours?? Sounds like one hell of a grind, it was bad enough spamming the time on Forza 3!!

Surely people will just stick to 1 or 2 weapons and concentrate on levelling those up? Thats what I will do

That's what alot of people will do lol

Matt

We all know that BF3 is shipping on 2 discs for 360 (1 disc for PS3) It has been confirmed that the game content will be split as follows:

Disc 1 - Multiplayer, co-op levels and HD installation content

Disc 2 - Single player campaign


The SP being on disc 2 isnt really a surprise given that the BF series has always predominantly been a MP game but I am intrigued to know what 'HD installation content' is.

Answers on a postcard

i assume it means that you will need to install disc one before disc 2

Thats sounds logical - its almost like you are installing a PC game rather than copying an image off the disc - a bit like how Forza 3 had you install the second disc.

Unless the online pass is linked to both discs (and you shouldnt really need an online pass for SP) I wouldnt be surprised if single discs crop up on ebay from people who want only single player or multi.....

Yeah I would imagine so, theres always a few Halo 3 multiplayer only discs knocking about on there if memory serves me right

Matt

aye but they are from odst.

True mate but it's still a MP only disc standalone, kinda like how halo anniversary will have reach's MP on a separate disc.

Matt