DICE continues to give out more information on the multiplayer FPS game Battlefield 3, and have decided to talk about the weapons.
Alan Kertz was asked about the AK47, M16A3 and M16A4, something all FPS gamers will recognize as the go-to for a machine gun, he said according to MP1st “the M16A3 and M16A4 are both in the game, and was decided after the fact sheet was printed.”, despite having two editions of the M16, he said “AK47 is obsolete. We have the AK74M.” in regards to the AK.
On the subject of weapon customization, Kertz mentioned that Enhanced Night Vision, often shortened to ENV is a weapon optic that only turns on when you zoom in on a target, and cannot be disabled either. When asked about sidearms, it was said that there will be no customization of pistols, but there will be a huge amount available so you can find which one is right for you. All weapons within reason can have suppressors, meaning it could be on an AK, but a shotgun could not have one.
He also said that flashlight attachments will make a big difference as shadows will play a big role in the game. As a gamer myself I can tell you that most shadows can be rendered obsolete and useless by tweaking the graphics settings due to my low-tier laptop being unable to run anything from the last three years.
On the physics of the game, Kertz mentioned the bullet drop mechanic. gravity is the same but velocity is different giving bullets different drops and travel time at the same ranges. The distances are larger so the drop has been tweaked accordingly.”, it really does bug me when you can get shot from halfway across the map.
Snipers and sniper rifles, both of which are incredibly effective in FPS games have gotten some very significant nerfs in Battlefield 3. First of all, there will be a glint on the scope, which allows a sharp-eyed player to take down a sniper in whatever means he needs once he finds his position. Additionally, the attack power of a sniper rifle was reduced, meaning a body shot is no longer a one-hit kill. Snipers that can pull off a headshot are dangerous, one that can kill you at full health with a bodyshot is just unbalanced.
Onto 3D spotting, Battlefield 2 had many issues with 3D spotting, including spamming it in order to see through obstacles that obscure your vision, causing a level of metagame that was problematic. Those who are worried about the same problem being in Battlefield 3 can rest easy knowing that they have a fix for it. A rep from EA has said on Reddit “False, 3D spotting is still there. It’s been tweaked though – the 3d marker is displayed only if you can actually see the person. So no more sitting in a bush and blindly shooting at the glowing tortilla chips for free kills.”
The blip on the minimap remains however so it’s not entirely nerfed.
Your position being revealed in any FPS is dangerous, especially if you camp a really good spot or are playing a sniper. Even if you are well covered, an annoying sniper with an approximate location will end up with a rocket straight to the face if they feel it’s worth the kill.
These are all welcome changes in my book even though I seldom play Battlefield. Especially on the spotting, that was infuriating.
