Battlefield 3's Pre-Order Firepower Upsets Gamers

[Kahunaburger]

Look at the VSS in BC2

Haha this gun is hilarious. Anything that I can A. snipe with, B. hold a position with, and C. run around in a chewbacca suit spraying people with is pretty awesome.

EDIT:

OT, I was probably going to get BF3 but this is basically a deal-breaker for me. A flash suppressor is a huge deal for a battlefield game, in particular, and any company that ships unbalanced multiplayer should get their heads checked.

They just had a short FAQ about this, the purpose of these weapons is to add variety. Now the flash suppressor is for the sks, what if other sniper rifles also have flash suppressors? The SKS is also more of an urban sniper (kinda like the type 88 sniper from BC2 I would think, or maybe even closer to the M14, would a flash surpressor really upset the WHOLE game? The Developers at DICE aren't stupid, don't even try to think that they are. They specifically said in the FAQ, exclusive content gives more variety. Now instead of choosing an LMG with a 600 rpm fire rate and a 900 rpm fire rate, you can get one with 750 rpm (with damage being adjusted to compensate). Is that so bad?

The issue for me is that the game should, theoretically, ship balanced, so the either A) the flash supressor will balance a previously useless weapon (like putting it on the type 88) or B) it will create an unbalanced weapon (like putting it on the SVD from Vietnam). I'm not a fan of either option, honestly. And much as I like DICE, they were the people who brought us the M60. So balance may in fact be an issue even if they don't intend it to be.

 

[qeinar]

There's also this:
http://blogs.battlefield.ea.com/

Q: Will Physical Warfare Pack imbalance the game?
A: The three exclusive items in the Physical Warfare Pack were specifically chosen not to be overpowered or imbalance or break the game in any way.

Q: Why do I want the Physical Warfare Pack?
A: Owning these items will give you a more varied arsenal, but it will not give you a significant advantage on the battlefield.

Yes this. Also preordering the game doesn't really cost any extra money.. unless you wait a good while buying your games. their basicly rewarding fans that are really eager to play the game the secound it comes out.

 

[Katana314]

My entire opinion is based off of whether those items end up being somewhat game-changers, or if they're just mildly different choices of armament. Of course, determining if this is true involves waiting until the game releases and seeing what people think. Ironically, the pre-order bonus convinced me that even if I buy it, I should not preorder it. =p

 

[snfonseka]

At least they are giving something worthy for pre-orders. I doubt this package will totally unbalance the multi-player.

 

[strangemoose]

whats this?? an internet call to arms telling people to cancel their pre orders well jeez this has never been done before and will most certainly work!!

 

[Beautiful End]

Technically...it's not the store's fault. If EA tells them that they're giving away kittens with the Battlefield 3 pre-order, they're not gonna argue.

If anything, they should protest by going to EA HQ or whatever is the closest thing to that.

On the other hand, such is the point of pre-ordering the game: to get extra stuff that you normally wouldn't be able to get somewhere else. If you're a hardcore fan of the series and you're planning on getting the game as soon as it comes out, why not pre-order it and get something for it? If you don't want to pre-order it, then rise up to the challenge and kick butt with the conventional guns.

I don't see why people are so offended; 75% of the pre-orders give you something extra that you can't normally get anywhere else, such as the MK costumes. Sure, some give you an advantage over other players while others are just for fun. But this doesn't come as a surprise. I see this as EA's way of saying "Hey, we're giving away goodies for the game and you can get into that starting right now even though the game is schedules to come out next year. So come get some". :/

 

[Aerograt]

Fact: Developers like pre-orders because it's guaranteed sales.

Fact: Retailers like pre-orders because it's guaranteed sales.

Not necessarily, I have a bunch of games pre ordered with a five dollar deposit (mostly for the pre order demos) but I have no obligation to pay the rest of the money if I don't want to. For instance, I have Duke Nukem Forever preordered for its demo, but after realizing the game itself is shit I decided that I wasn't going to pay the full price for the game.

 

[Throwitawaynow]

Really? And these bonuses are only for UK pre-orders? Wow, and people always complain that they're last in getting games.

 

[irequirefood]

Well somebody already posted this link in this thread but I will do it in a less conspicuous way.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002I0HJZO/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_AmI9nb1DBMH2V

It is a free expansion pack that has four legendary maps form Battlefield 2 that have been re-imagined with the frostbite 2 engine, and weapons and vehicles and such from Battlefield 2.

There isn't a price increase, it is set at $59.95.

Well...damn. Guess there is no reason not to pre-order unless you don't have the money then.

 

[kingmob]

I remember back when the very first Battlefield came out. I remember thinking "Ah, this game is fantastic. What a shame it's brought to us by EA."

How little things have changed. They already pulled this stunt with Dragon Age II, so I expect it to become company policy.

Haha, my sentiment exactly (all the way down to the BF1 comment )

Btw, for those asking why this is a bad thing? It is all about precedent. It doesn't matter what the amount of improvement is these guns and thingies bring you, what matters is that a non pre-order can not access a gameplay element. This is clearly a case of testing out the waters, which is a shame since I'm rather excited for the game itself. The line for pre-order bonusses is clear imo; cosmetic or some minor early-starts (higher lvl etc.) is as far as one should go.

 

[darkcommanderq]

Well I was not planning on buying this game. Then I saw the amazing footage of the e3 tank section, and was interested in it. Now this fiasco happens and im not interested again. Good job DICE for scaring people on the fence away.

You know what the funny thing is? In a week before release im sure the pirates will already have access to all of the games content, pre-order be damned lol.

 

[LorienvArden]

Anyway: More stuff iAndrew has to remove from the promod. With the mod tools he won't get...

No Modding tools for BF3 ?? Now that would be the real dealbreaker for me here.

BF2 had some of the greatest mods out there - like Project Realism and some ambitious teams that sadly couldn't work around the hard coded cockblocks (like Battlefield 40k)

Surely, with an expensive engine like Frostbite2, you'ld want the game to have as long as a shelf life as possible so you can sell it for at least a year after launch.

But at least you can milk your customers with dlc and mappacks... very well thought through...

In comparison, Blizzard under Activision:
SC2 has one of the best editors I've seen in years. With the first expansion pack, the MapMarketPlace will allow modders to make MONEY with their maps.
No DLC BS, buy one expansion each year if the fanmaps aren't allready enough.
I'ld give SC2 around 4-8 years of shelflife at the moment, perhaps even longer if the Expansions hold up to expectations.

 

[Vampire cat]

I don't get the complaints, and I feel slightly alone in thinking that this is in no way a bad thing. Maybe some people will look at those that pre-ordered with jealous eyes, but for pretty much ALL games that has these kinds of pay-for upgrades, but don't base their game on said kind of upgrades, have those upgrades be at best similar too, and usually inferior to a lot if not most of the other stuff in the game.

Take World of Tanks. The Premium vehicles are bought with gold, which are in turn bought with money. They are not very good though, a tier 8 premium vehicle will work about as well as a medium-upgraded tier 8 normal vehicle, and the normal vehicle can still be upgraded more and far surpass the premium vehicle in combat ability.

If they were giving away a "golden gun" or something I'd be complaining too, but DICE know they can't make these weapons superior to the normal ones, and so they wont. The weapons will likely be about middle of the tree in performance.

I think it's nice of DICE to reward their dedicated fans.

 

[Numachuka]

I don't get the complaints, and I feel slightly alone in thinking that this is in no way a bad thing. Maybe some people will look at those that pre-ordered with jealous eyes, but for pretty much ALL games that has these kinds of pay-for upgrades, but don't base their game on said kind of upgrades, have those upgrades be at best similar too, and usually inferior to a lot if not most of the other stuff in the game.

Take World of Tanks. The Premium vehicles are bought with gold, which are in turn bought with money. They are not very good though, a tier 8 premium vehicle will work about as well as a medium-upgraded tier 8 normal vehicle, and the normal vehicle can still be upgraded more and far surpass the premium vehicle in combat ability.

If they were giving away a "golden gun" or something I'd be complaining too, but DICE know they can't make these weapons superior to the normal ones, and so they wont. The weapons will likely be about middle of the tree in performance.

I think it's nice of DICE to reward their dedicated fans.

It's not about those items in particular, it's about the fact that there is no way to get in game content after it has been released, or if you don't preorder from specific retailers. Also I don't see how having a pre-order bonus is a reward for dedicated fans when anyone who has never played BF can pre-order and get the bonus.

 

[Calcium]

But are the bonuses overpowered? If they're no better than in game weapons then I don't see a problem. If they had said "These guns are no better than what are available in game"... well, that's not going to motivate selling pre orders now is it? I'm guessing it'll only be apparent how the weapons perform when the game is released.

I'm kinda hoping it is overpowered, if only to frustrate the Battlefield elitists. You know the type; the ones who spend more time talking about why CoD sucks than why Battlefield is good.

 

[Redratson]

So. The sniper rifle will be quieter and harder to spot. The shotgun can shoot me from a little further away.
I think that someone is failing to understand what is supposed to be special about Battlefield 3. Real men don't need slightly modified guns.
THEY LEVEL THE BUILDING WITH A TANK!

They are in the game from day one as well. Let's see what happens when the pre-orders come up against heavy ordnance.

Totally agree, plus idc bout weapons in my preorder. I want my beloved karkand.

 

[Vampire cat]

It's not about those items in particular, it's about the fact that there is no way to get in game content after it has been released, or if you don't preorder from specific retailers. Also I don't see how having a pre-order bonus is a reward for dedicated fans when anyone who has never played BF can pre-order and get the bonus.

When World of Tanks was released you could chose to buy 3 "pre-order" packages, priced in different levels. Each package gave an unique tank free along with a bunch of gold which is basically what you payed for. The vehicles were OK for their tier, but not as good as their "normal" equivalents. Sure, anyone could buy these packages, but most that do had taken part in the closed beta or at least the open beta, and had a history with the game. Very few new players went with the pre-order, but obviously some did and I don't see any wrong in that.

A couple of people was upset that they couldn't get the vehicles, but most didn't have a problem with it. They are NOT in any way over-powered, they only give those willing to pay for it a slightly unique vehicle that EVERYONE doesn't have. It's still a lot that have them, but it gives those that do that little "yay I was with it from the beginning" feel. It's the same about the "Veteran rifle" in for example Bad Company 2. If you had a few of the previous BF titles (can't remember if there was a numbered limit and such) you'd get an M1 Garand as a little bone for your loyalty, if you can put it like that... I heard something about the M1 being made available to anyone now, but I don't know for sure haven't played BC2 for quite a while. I'm sure a lot of people didn't like this arrangement too, but I think it was nice and saw no problem in it.

Then again, maybe it's important for a lot of people to have all the content. It's not for me, especially when it's such a trivial thing. I don't enjoy map-packs and rarely if ever buy into those, but something like this is in truth entirely optional and unless your completely in love with and want the weapons in question there's not really any reason to be flailing about it.

They won't be superior weapons. If they are I'll eat my hair and slap DICEs monkey. It's only a shiny trinket, and we should be perfectly able to do without.

 

[warhammerfrog]

meh with my experiance with the recent Battlefield games is that one weapon or tool will never win the game. the most important thing in battlefield is knowing what class and equipment to use at the right time. If they want to spend more money for it let them. it's not as though good players should be affected by it at all.

BTW armour piercing shotgun rounds? what kind of maniac is going to go up to a vehicle with a shotgun?

 

[DVS Storm]

I'm gonna buy the game but still I won't bother preordering it. Type 88 LMG wasn't anything special in Bad Company 2 and I think it will be like other LMG's in the game. And I don't give a damn about an automatic shotgun or a supressor for a sniper rifle(especially if it is semi-automatic). Also in BF:BC2 the preorder bonuses were not exclusive for those who preordered the game. Others got them after a specific rank in multiplayer. So yeah maybe people are overreacting a bit.