Post-beta Battlefield 3 changes detailed

By Fred Dutton Published 20 October, 2011

Kill cam, squad settings, netcode tweaked.

DICE has revealed a few of the changes it's made to Battlefield 3 following the game's recent open beta trial.

In a post on the PlayStation Blog, product manager Tommy Rydling thanked users for their feedback and explained that the developer has made "hundreds of changes and additions" to the game as a result.

He then went on to detail a few of the main improvements:

  • Improved Squad Functionality: "There will be improved squad functionality in the retail game (including but not limited to): the ability to create squads prior to launching into a game, sticking with your squad when joining a game and continuing together through future games (if team balance on the server allows it), inviting friends to a squad, and changing squads once in game."
  • More Accessible Settings Menu: "The ability to modify your settings via the deploy screen has been added into the retail game."
  • Improved Kill Cam: "In the Open Beta, the Kill Cam would sometimes behave erratically. This has been fixed for the launch of the retail game."
  • Netcode Optimisation: "The netcode is one of the many things that we tested as part of the Open Beta and it was not necessarily reflective of the final retail game. The DICE team appreciates, and has heard, the feedback you've provided and is further optimizing online play."
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About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

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Comments (34) Latest comment 7 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • SBfistfun #1 7 months ago

    This is really not news...

  • riceNpea #2 7 months ago

    what i really want is for people to behave more like they do in BFBC2 by which i mean people actually bother to drop health and ammo from time to time.

  • HermitUK #3 7 months ago

    @riceNpea There's supposed to be a "Request health/ammo" command in the final game that should notify nearby Assault/Support folks that they need to stick a box down.

  • lockload #4 7 months ago

    This isnt new either a much larger list was put out a few weeks ago

  • johnw100 #5 7 months ago

    riceNpea: I drop health/ammo packs all the time but I hate the slowness of the throw anim in the beta. I hope they fix that.

  • polaris70 #6 7 months ago

    I'm getting Beta withdrawl already, I need the game now!!!!!!

  • metalangel #7 7 months ago

    The game sucked: "We didn't have time to fix this issue completely before going gold."

    On a serious note, how about letting us turn the kill cam off? A close up of an ugly character model going through its repertoire of gurning animations as it bunny hops around is very irritating.

  • TFM_Excalibur #8 7 months ago

    Is that it?

  • Nephirion #9 7 months ago

    Still time to board the hype train kiddies.

  • riceNpea #10 7 months ago

    @Hermit

    good as i didn't notice any clear indications in the beta highlighting who needs ammo. health wasn't very obvious either.

    @ johnw100

    me too. i make a point of it because it nets so many points.


    another thing i noticed is that whoever was squad leader failed to highlight a target with their crosshairs to issue attack/defend orders. they're missing out on so many points given for squad members following orders.

  • God_Octo #11 7 months ago

    I don't know if I was being stupid (or possibly drunk), but the whole beta didn't seem very user friendly. It never told you the controls at any point, but I assumed they would be like most games- and nothing was explained. I couldn't get the com-rose up, and squad options seemed incredibly limited. So I'm glad they're making those improvements, as I was expecting a little more accessibility, especially after having played BF2 and BF2142- it felt nothing like those two when it came to menus and making sense.

    And I have to agree on the kill camera- I don't really want to look up some ugly mug's nose after having had the shame of being killed.

  • Sodding_Gamer #12 7 months ago

    That's it? There was like a whole page of issues with the Beta on the forums for xbox :/

  • FireMonkey #13 7 months ago

    God_Octo - It was a beta so tutorials and manuals were not included. Also there is no com-rose at the moment and by the sounds of it won't be in the final release (but may come soon afterwards)

  • fletch7100 #14 7 months ago

    Como rose on pc is in the day one patch. Console well who knows

    Some leaked screenshot if true has day one patch on Xbox at 167 mb

    HD texture pack 1.5gb

  • FearCrads #15 7 months ago

    So they fixed the killcam of some little cunts head popping out of some bushes.

  • mattk84 #16 7 months ago

    "There's supposed to be a "Request health/ammo" command in the final game that should notify nearby Assault/Support folks that they need to stick a box down."

    ...as there was in BFBC2. The problem is many eejits didn't care and didn't bother. They should bring in a penalty system where when somebody requests ammo or health and it goes unheeded they get a points deduction.

  • dirtysteve #17 7 months ago

    he kill cam in the beta was weird, in close-up, some of the characters looked like they had cataracts.
    Which would make their kill-shots even more impressive tbh.

  • Sparx #18 7 months ago

    @riceNpea"what i really want is for people to behave more like they do in BFBC2 by which i mean people actually bother to drop health and ammo from time to time. "

    One thing i always do when im online is drop boxes for ammo and health, I have noticed some servers ppl just dont though and its massivyl frustrating heck one guy said to me once "noob your score is high but kd is crap" My reply was im working as a team moron try it out to which he raged like a 12 year old kid does lmao

  • priesty_lfc #19 7 months ago

    Net code wasn't necessarily reflective of game play? Either it was, or it wasn't. Sounds to me that it was pretty much the final code but as to many rightly complained there trying to make it better.

    Eitherway BF3 sucked.

  • priesty_lfc #20 7 months ago

    Net code wasn't necessarily reflective of game play? Either it was, or it wasn't. Sounds to me that it was pretty much the final code but as to many rightly complained there trying to make it better.

    Eitherway BF3 sucked.

  • gav082 #21 7 months ago

    @Sprax loved that post, I hate people who worry about their KD.

  • AcidSnake #22 7 months ago

    (if team balance on the server allows it)

    Right, I can see those servers becoming deserted in no time seeing as we'll have server browsers this time around...
    People playing with friends will not like to be seperated, and when I'm playing with randoms I admit I like having the same guys on my squad/team through rounds...

  • TelexStar #23 7 months ago

    So basically, all the same features that were part of BC2 then?

    Also, the squad functionality in the beta just flat out did not work so it's a bit cheeky to hear them say they've "Improved" it. Surely you mean "fixed"?

  • Bennyjj81 #24 7 months ago

    Any news EG on what's being said on other sites about review copies having surveys asking whether the reviewer has enjoyed previous BF games before sending them a copy? Also the fact that EA are withholding review copies until release date? Many like me are sitting firmly on the fence after the BETA and would really like to read a review before committing to our pre-orders. These will start to be processed by Tuesday so I was really hoping for some reviews over the weekend. I know I can wait till a review before you all jump on me but then I miss out on the pre-order maps. EA have me by the balls! I understand there's a day one patch fixing a lot of problems from the BETA but you'd think the majority of those fixes were already done considering it was 'old' code. Hmmmmm.

  • RustyBullet #25 7 months ago

    @metalangel play it in hardcore mode then, the best way to play in my eyes.

  • baldyroach_2011 #26 7 months ago

    I have faith that Dice will give us a great game, I loved BF 2 on the PC and also loved the Bad Company games on PS3 and Xbox.

    Also, my friends and I never had to wait more than a round to get on the same team in a squad. I for one can't wait!

  • LittleRiver #27 7 months ago

    Few days to go and we are still hearing such lightweight stuff. About time to flood the net with game play (Xbox) videos isn't it?

    If it is "all that" why hide. It is never a good sign.

  • jtodroc #28 7 months ago

    Nobody seemed to be spotting in the beta either, but then if there was a tonne of people who had never played a BF game before they probably wouldn't have known about spotting or dropping ammo/health packs.

  • GaryStew1980 #29 7 months ago

    @riceNpea When I pay as Assault or Support I constantly drop both, but people despite being low on ammo or close to death seem to think I have just dropped a grenade at their feet and they leg it away as quick as possible.

  • Spekingur #30 7 months ago

    How about an actual main menu on the PC?

    Question: How does the Battlelog work on consoles?

  • Mr_Fujisawa #31 7 months ago

    @fletch7100

    Really, I was under the impression that MS limited title updates to 8 meg in size. People release larger updates in DLC.

  • rudedudejude #32 7 months ago

    Hope they have improved the spawn in and removed that stoopid blue filter on the screen.

  • cyber_nicco #33 7 months ago

    Hee hee, I'm downloading my copy right now. :)

    Before you guys get all neg-happy, it's a legal copy bought from Amazon downloads - they allowed oneto "pre-load" it starting at 7:00 am PST, today.

  • Ahskay #34 7 months ago

    How about battllelog stability and minimal usage of system resources!