Windows Battlefield 3 Alpha Trial

Can't say how it will run maxed, but the Alpha was running perfectly fine on my rig which is pretty modest. Q6600 and a 512mb 9800gt. It ran better than Bad Company 2.

Now I think the alpha is locked to medium? I was never able to get into any graphical settings as the game crashed when I tried to look at settings.

 

been playing it most of yesterday. KDR is over 1.5 (not easy when i was trying all guns and unlock everything)

recon class is pretty useless, it's played the most and still not unlocked any gadgets.
support class is even more useless with its LMG, and because people have huge clip LMG, they rarely put down ammo boxes
so in the end, i still play engineer or recon most of the time, just like BFBC2.

the blurred vision while being suppressed is a very neat feature, with sound, it really felt like im going to loose my head when pop up from cover.



alpha runs over 90 FPS (which tears and is horrible, no Vsync option) on my rig at 1920x1200. but textures do seem low at some time, hopefully will be more polished on release. it's only alpha.

 

Have you seen 720p inflated onto a 1080p screen? It looks terrible.

 

I have indeed, but you seem to have missed my point entirely. I was discussing hardware advantage on PC vs common platform on console (i.e. no advantage).

 

Its also to do with the NDA Cuase its kinda a legal agreement between you and them saying you wont say anything etc as not only could what you say harm their game (possibly) but It could even lead to helping rival developers get an idea of your game and steal bits or w/e.

But tbh with the ammount of people they had running the alpha it'd be hard keeping data withheld.. The same will apply with the closed beta tbf.

 

just saw this, thought those who were wondering BF3 performance might be interested:

http://www.brightsideofnews.com/news/2011/7/31/battlefield-3-alpha-benchmarks-leak-out.aspx

 

Interesting. I still reckon I am going to be VRAM limited if I upgrade to a larger monitor.

This was even more interesting:



See how poorly the Athlon II X4 620 performed? Not only will it need a quad core, it will need a decent one at that.

Nice to see the i5 760 still up there...

 

Really annoyed that they've nerfed the Recon class quite a bit. I mean apart from the long range support he's very lacking now. Maybe it's just because he didn't have any little gadgets to unlock which is why he felt lackluster... and he doesn't even get a Ghillie Suit to look all awesome like .

You're right about Support not placing down ammo boxes... i don't know if that's worse, or the ones who insist on placing them at the front lines (when we're defending). I usually play Engineer and having to run to the front to restock isn't cool... it's actually more viable to run out gungho and suicide myself (and maybe take a couple of them) in order to respawn with full ammo again.

On that last note, one of my best rounds was when i shot a friendly support to get his attention to drop a box (no FF, so he just got jolted a bit). He still didn't listen and ran off and camped on top of a hill, promptly getting shot. I took his kit, ran back behind the hill and dumped an ammo box, then took my Engineer kit back and restocked myself. Then suddenly everyone from everywhere crowds around this little Ammo box i put down and i rack up massive amounts of points =].

The Support class as a whole is suffers from a bit of mismatching going on. Their LMG and Bipod make them incredibly useful either at the mid-line or back-line, keeping targets supressed... they also can't effectively run and gun with the weapon due to recoil without the bipod. However apparently they're the ones that unlock the C4 option which ideally you want on the front line, or at least, encourage them to run up to vehicles.

All that said, i do think he makes the best Squad Leader though, he doesn't need to be at the front line and can easily provide supressing fire for his squadmates moving up from his position.

 

wait, C4 is with support class? that is just wrong.

i had been playing a LOT of recon class, and wondering why C4 still hasn't been unlocked. although did unlock SV98's 10x scope, and became awesome at getting headshots front line quick scope ForTehWin.

squad leader system currently is pretty random. i agree with you on support being a good squad leader. ability to spawn on any team member and give ammo is valuable. i also thought recon could be a good squad leader, since recon are usually behind, spotting enemy and only poping out to snipe.

can't wait to get some voice-com going and playing this game on CPC server. will be epic. hopefully recon will have some useful gadgets. (motion sensors :drool

 

Yup, it was the very last unlock for the Support class.

As a Recon at heart (i play Sniper in almost every game ;>), i actually spent so little time sniping. I don't really think the Metro map was a particularly good stage for sniping (unlike say, Valdez from the BC2 Beta). The starting area was alright, but i still found i preferred a fully pimped out M16A4 as opposed to the Sniper/Marksman Rifles... it might also be an issue that i'm very used to HC mode on BC2 so not having one shot body kills with the SV98 was sometimes rather jarring and/or annoying.

Also i "like" (from a technical standpoint) that Recons are now more reliant on teamates for finding targets. One thing i wasn't used to yet was remembering not to scan whilst scoped in, since the Sniper glint highlighted my position way too often. Now they're much more situational (no more campy campy lone wolf). The holding breath thing wasn't as good as i'd like TBH... i personally don't think there was enough time (nor enough feedback to it) but maybe there'll be a specialization unlock to increase duration.

True, but generally i think Recon's should stay at the very back line with their 10X scopes, as opposed to around the mid-line. Also, nothing's more annoying as a Recon than having someone spawn on you, blocking a shot, pushing you out of a shot or giving away your position.

/nodnod.

 

you, sir, are a sniper. not a recon. just change position when been discovered. strafe or use hill as cover while scopped in and mashing Q works well on BF3. (and mashing Q on bushes seem to be a must)

i did notice there are a larger bullet drop than in BFBC2, the first stage of paris rush map seems to be pretty small, definitely not as big as BFBC2 Port Valdez sniping platform to defender spawn, but i still found myself having to snipe quite a bit above people's head to get headshots.

i LOVE terrain based sniping in first stage of Paris rush map. i used to play on 24/7 Blood Gulch sniper/pistol only, and that is terrain based headhunting mania.





btw, hardcore bodyshot kill are for noobies normal headhunter is the way forward.

 

Does support have a lightweight non-LMG gun at all?

I liked running around with Ammo boxes and C4 with the M14 on BFBC2. Spamming the wall of a target building with C4 from behind enemy lines, then blowing up a building full of enemies is just overly satisfying!

 

all classes can use mp7 should they desire.

after c4 unlock its claymores for support (123000xp), i lost count of times i blew up that LAV with c4, even got some medal for explosive kills, they were ace to plant as falling back in tunnels at base 2.

 

mp7 or that 4-shell semi-auto shotgun.

oh god, support gets C4 AND claymores??? recon class better got something really special. (motion sensor )

 

lol, i guess .

Although if the team is lacking in BC2 i normally forgo the Sniper Rifle and switch to something more close quarters... maybe a shotgun, the VSS or the Dragunov (depending on which range i want to be at). But that being said, i'd rather just switch to Medic and rain LMG bullets of death on everyone.

Mashing Q needs to be fixed i think (in fact, it's another reason i play HC mode ), sometimes i won't have a clue if anybody's on the horizon, but the magical Q button will highlight anyone i fail to see >.>.

I noticed that as well, although i wasn't sure if it was simply because i'm used to the 12X scope from BC2 and not the 6X that you get here.

It also doesn't help that i absolutely despise the "Arrow" type scopes (as found on the SV98 in BC2), i never really know what to do with them ;>.

Lol, i agree with you there, HC has corrupted me , although my HS:Kill ratio is actually rather nice in BC2 . I'll always go for the headshot if i've got the time, however most times in the Alpha where i didn't, was when i was quickscoping someone approaching or killing teamates... then i'll kill them the most efficient way, not the most flashy (and HC mode, tells me that's with a body shot).

There are "General" non-class specific weapons that can be used... specifically the MP7 and M1014 Shotgun, the stats page also indicates the HK416.

Also, some weapons seem to be designed to only shine in HC mode, more specifically the aforementioned MP7 or Shotgun. The former takes almost an entire clip to kill someone, meaning unless they're all clustered (i think the bullets penetrate... got a double kill with one clip) you have to reload after every kill. The shotgun's kill range is also a bit lackluster, by the time you've chambered a second shot, most people should have killed you already (in a head to head that is). It's not quite the Saiga or USAS, but more similar to the SPAS i think, it's not pump action, but you can't go on a complete rampage with one ;>. I also miss the circular reticule... the "normal but wide" crosshair is distracting for me .

 

Wait wait wait... AND Claymores !?!

Support Class OP for defenders .

I can think of quite a few places now where i can camp a corridor with an LMG, Bipod and Ammo Box next to me and then just Claymore my flanks.

In fact, the only way you'd be able to dig me out would be to RPG my location... good luck trying to aim down line with the amount of suppressing fire i could pull out ;>.

On a side note about RPG'ing people... i had a fun time messing about the last day of the Alpha RPG'ing anyone and everyone, even if i could (and probably should) have shot them.

Best one was when i took out a Sniper at rougly 100m ;D.

 

around 80% GOL headshot with around 2500 kills, on my BFBC2 lvl50 profile

mashing Q indeed need to be fixed, but not the spam filter in BFBC2 where zero feedback is given whether you've been blocked for spamming it. but prone makes it way too easy to hide inside a bush, then kill someone while they are running for cover. without mashing Q, it's impossible to see if there are anyone hiding inside a bush.

may be able to pick out those in bushes easily, but must be aiming squarely at enemy in open ground to spot them?

 

Impressive .

I've got nowhere near as many kills as that, but atm it's 82% headshot kills with the M24 (300 Kills) and 80% for the GOL (190 Kills).

Stopped playing the Recon class after a spat of teams being completely useless and not taking objectives. Swapped to Medic and am having fun just mowing people down with the LMG ;>.

 

My i3 530 is quaking in its boots. Here's hoping that a 4GHz overclock might ease the pain.

 

And the e8400 is less than half the speed of a slower clocked quad of the same 45nm core architecture?

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight....................