Battlefield 4 PC Requirements

[Sledgstone 8,672]

Maybe its just PS3, but attack helicopters seem pointless on almost every map nowadays. Once the opposing team sees an attack helicopter everyone switches to stingers. Flare 1 and its fine.. but then you get locked on again instantly and don't have a chance. Because of the range, I can't even fly away fast enough, because if there are at least 2 people at different locations with stingers, you'll never escape a lock. And thats not even counting the expert jet pilots that are already homing in on you. The only thing you can do is stay low and go after tanks and infantry up close.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

Do you use the default chopper controls? Thats one thing I hate about BF, they are so determined to have up down and pitch on the same stick. I use the left stick to pitch left and right, and I use the right stick for forward/stabilize/reverse. I get a better range of motion and faster maneuverability this way. Thats just the way I grew up playing flight simulators and ace combat... I still cant get the jet controls right.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

I can't remember how I have the controls set up. I've tried a variety of combos but I do remember I have all vehicles set for shooting their main weapons with the same button as my soldier's gun.. I don't know why the default is set to the left shoulder buttons. Whenever I got into a helicopter or jet, I kept shooting my flare every time I wanted to shoot.. It was one of the first things I changed.

 

I have great control with choppers.. I can easily cap flags by flying around in their radius, land and repair, etc. Little birds definitely have much more maneuverability. I swear attack helicopters were severely nerfed while stingers have been buffed, and I've never been able to cope with the changes to it. It also doesn't help that whenever I'm on a map with jets, some expert jet pilots are always on the other team shooting everything down with just their main gun. Its as if flying is so damn easy most of these guys seem to handicap themselves by having only flares as a perk. I don't understand how the hell people can be that good in jets. I've maxed out my jet points even before air superiority was available and experts in jets basically rape me when I'm in any air vehicle. However, if I'm in a little bird with a teammate repairing, I can usually hold my own against jets and even take them down.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

 

This is the video that inspired me to do what I do.

 

More:

 

I'm not too sure on battle pickups. I hope you cant regain ammo for it even with a ammo box near you, and I hope they spawn in random locations, Thats all we need is a big race to a weapon... then again if you play your card right you can just RPG, grenade, chopper attack, that one location rendering the battle pick up useless.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

I remember that video. I still can't believe how lucky some of those shots are. Whenever I try to do it I always miss.

 

I've shot down quite a few helicopters with my main tank gun tho. I got a little bird just yesterday. It must have pissed that guy off. The tank cannon shoots way faster than the RPG so its easier to hit with. Have you seen how fast RPGs shoot in real life tho? These damn things are seriously nerfed compared to real world stats in terms of their speed. In BF3 the rocket is all slow.. and has noticeable bullet drop over distance.. in reality the damn things shoot insanely fast.

 

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

I think COD does a better job in the RPG dept. But at the same time I think the scale BF is on makes RPGs deceptively slow. Thats a short distant covered rather than shooting at a chopper in the air. COD happens in feet while BF happens in yards is the best way I can put it.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

 

When I say COD does a better job, I meant prior to BOII where they made it slow and super inaccurate. Try shooting into a window at a camper across the map? forget it, the RPG goes all over the place and its the side or top of the window frame.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

Thats a big difference compared to the BOII RPG.

 

So I remembered that episode of mythbusters did a speed test for RPGs.. I was looking online for it and Discovery has it taken offline just about everywhere and netflix still doesn't have that season. Its actually the very next season of it that is due for netflix release. So I did watch it again and I was astonished all over again. Even on their speed test, the RPG travels so damn fast they needed high speed footage just to see it.

 

Here is the result of the speed test:

 

 

Its going so damn fast that it reaches 80 feet in 161 milliseconds. Considering there are 1000 milliseconds in a second, that RPG shoots insanely fast.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/08/23/gamescom-battlefield-4s-graphics-lacking-on-ps4

 

EA / Dice better not drop the ball on consoles. I want BF4 looking like PC with 64 players and it better deliver. I have previously read that the PS4 version will have 64 players and that the resolution will be 720p upscaled to 1080p at 60 frames per second. I can already see the PC elites starting up the old argument again.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

It will be at 720p 60fsp. Most computers wont run BF at what you've seen. lol Thats the problem, The computers at E3 and Gamescom are well above what any casual gamer can afford, and these PC elitists are few and far between. Half of them probably dont even have a rig that can play the game on ultra. I will say BF3 on "max" which was a step down from ultra looked better than consoles... I'm not 100% concerned on looks, just 64 players and gameplay. I rather have the visuals toned down for the sake of 60fps.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

I'm concerned about the 720p resolution for PS4 tho.. either the system is too new and EA doesn't have the time to program the game to the full specs of the system.. or the new consoles are already not powerful enough to run the newest PC games that are being released at the same time of launch.

 

I'm going to assume its because the game is being rushed to be a launch title. Maybe if we're lucky EA/Dice will upgrade the resolution and graphics in a future patch. Its obviously easier for them to make the game perfect for PC because they've already had experience with Windows 8 and the current graphics cards.. but with the consoles having new hardware and software, it makes me think they're having difficulty.. I'll definitely be playing the beta on PS3.. and I'll be able to compare that to the PS4 version when I finally get it. I hope the next gen console versions are based off the PC versions as opposed to being upscaled versions of the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

The development of the console version probably started on PS3. My TV is only 720p, so it doesn't affect me either way.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

So is mine.

 

But I'm concerned now for BF5 and Star Wars Battlefront.. if PS4 can't run BF4 at max specs right off the bat, then these new consoles could be outdated in just a couple years.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

Consoles will always be outdated to PC because you can bring out a new video card every month thats better than the last... The problem is people aren't willing to pay $700-800 for a console, some of these cards alone are $300-400. I don't think Sony is ever gonna do another PS3 launch price point. BF is a pc first game and always will be... but its games like Destiny and GTA V that give consoles the edge as far as what games are available. The last GTA was a train wreck on PC, there is no telling if they'll get GTA V right. PC players might get better graphics, but it isn't much good when you cant play the games that are only on consoles.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

I think console exclusives are the only thing that will save consoles in the end. I remember when Dust 514 came out, a bunch of EVE online players were quite annoyed that its not available on PC.

 

As for gaming in general, I think with how cloud computing is evolving, buying the newest graphics card won't be a requirement in the future for top of the line PC gaming. I remember seeing that video of someone playing Crysis 2 at max specs in their browser because the entire game was streamed. Once that becomes the standard, all the advanced graphics can be run on massive servers.. all we'll need is cheap disposable computers / tablets / laptops / consoles that can access those systems. Sony's Gaikai tech is really leading the way on this.. I wouldn't be surprised if online only will be required in the future for all games because of game streaming. Of course this would be a big change to the game industry. All the graphics companies would take a huge financial loss if they couldn't get all those new graphic card sales every month... people would have to buy new hardware much less frequently.. there would be no more physical game sales. No used trade ins.. no in store midnight releases. People thought MS was crazy with their initial plans for the Xbox One, but it really is the potential future for the game industry.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

I don't think it was the always online. It was how they were trying to screw everyone over on where they could play their games and how many different systems you could play it on before it was locked. I think Sony is doing right by undercutting gamestop at their own games with the discount next gen upgrades, rather than trying to control people with how they deal with their games.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

 

C'mon... thats just being stupid. You wont find me near that building when the ship comes loose.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

MS should have just gone straight digital only instead of having all those physical game restrictions. People would have probably freaked out less. Of course that would have probably screwed them even more. Xbox is in numerous countries, including countries with limited internet. Digital distribution works for Steam because they are established as that platform.. But MS would have alienated a lot of its fan base and screwed itself in numerous countries if it went that route.

 

I'm glad to see Sony doing large digital sales. The consoles need to compete with online digital sales like Steam. Obviously Steam makes profit with these sales.. there is no packaging, no paid advertisements, no real over head.. the sale will advertise itself. There is no reason why digital versions of games on PSN should cost more than used games at gamestop. If they want to compete with Steam and Gamestop and get more of that money back into their own hands, they need digital sales.

 

And I just noticed that the discount upgrade will only be for digitially purchased games. If someone buys the physical copy, they will not get the digital discount:

 

http://gamerant.com/sony-ps3-ps4-upgrade-program/

 

Btw, I just found this video about BF4.. this guy played the PS4 and PC versions and has some insight on it.. I'll have to watch this video tomorrow, I only caught a little bit of it so far:

 

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

Guided Rockets back? YES!!!! I forgot all about those. I don't like the remote control mortar. I can see people using them just to draw someone in and score an easy kill by camping out their own mortar. Staying by the mortar is the chance you take if you shoot more than 2-3 rounds out of it before repositioning.

 

I'm glad he actually showed us tiered reloading in this video. I like this a lot. I cant tell you how many times I've died while trying to reload, pulling out my pistol and doing some work and trying to go back to my primary. The knife reversals look kinda silly, and I dont like using sixaxis to lean and peak... ugh.

 

He speaks great about the PS4 version... I'll take PC medium settings. We're trading 32 player 1080p for 64 player 780... I'll take it. the PS3 maps were nerfed. 4 flags instead of 6 on conquest.

 

These are the first games on the next gen.. just look at the 1st games on PS3 and 360 compared to what has come out in the past 2 years... big difference. I think we'll be ok for Battlefront 3.

 

[Sledgstone 8,672]

I finally watched the video completely. Tiered reloading looks great. I'm glad about that feature. The throwable tugs is a good improvement too. I'd rather lob a tugs into a room before rushing in.

 

I like that remote mortar.. Mortars seemed so pointless in BF3 because of how weak they were and how exposed you are while using it. If you could place a mortar and take a tank out in 2-3 blasts I could understand why they would show up on the minimap.. but considering it takes about 6+ mortar strikes to actually take out a tank, you'll never do it before being taken out. Using them was only good for TDM along with a friend using a MAV and having another teammate defend your position. I've gotten plenty of mortar kills and I like using them, but unless someone is defending you, you're a sitting duck. And even against infantry, it usually takes 2 hits to kill someone. Using the mortar for smoke grenades was nice, I'd hit up a flag my team was trying to capture.. the enemy doesn't see them and we get the capture.. but then I get no points for assist.. same with Tank Superiority.. I would purposefully bust out my mortar and smoke blast my own teams tanks.. It breaks javelin lock ons.. I'd save my teammates while they capture the flag and once again.. no points for me. Every time I used the mortar I was at the bottom of the point list and usually went negative for the round, even though I might have played a critical role in the round. I hope we get points and assists with the damn mortar now, because even with a remote control option, they better give some incentive for strategic use. If you can get points for laser designating, you'd think you'd get points for breaking laser designations.

 

The variety of grenades sound great. I'm really looking forward to the customization options. I'm guessing they're taking the Peek and Lean feature from Medal of Honor Warfighter. Honestly, it worked good for me. Heres a video showing it off a bit:

 

 

Once I got used to it, I had no problem running up to any cover and peeking above and to the side on the fly. It made the game a bit more dynamic because the enemy wouldn't know if you were going to peek back over the ledge or shoot around the side.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

I still dont like remote mortars... too cheap IMO, Unless the mortar and the operator show up on the map when its fired. On BF3 I used mortar to take out other mortarers that were hiding in their base outside their spawn. I've taken out many tanks, but hardest was a infantry for that assignment.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

It'll be interesting to see how everything is used. I'm sure they'll nerf things once people realize their potential.

 

Since the engineers get a new piece of equipment called something like: "Man-Portable Active Protection System" Its supposed to act like the trophy system on CoD. I'm guessing it will intercept rockets, grenades and mortars. So if someone has a mortar in position and keeps hitting a specific flag, an engineer should be able to place one of these down and have no problem. I'm wondering they'll screw up MAVs again.. when BF3 first started, MAVs were so damn OP. lmao. You could barely touch enemies with it and instant kill them.. mortars were nothing.. send in the MAV to ram it.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

 

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU0XnvQQbW4

[Sledgstone 8,672]

Wow.. so the shorty can be used as a secondary firearm? Screw pistols when I can bust out a shorty 23 gauge.

 

Ohh.. I just saw something I liked at the beginning of the sniper video. He killed a guy that was in the process of throwing a grenade and when the guy died, the grenade was still live when it fell out of his hand. The sniping looks good. I wonder if the bullet drop will be the same as in BF3.. it looks like its a bit less.