Battlefield: Bad Company 2

[Azazel]

I haven't played this since slightly after I finished unlocking everything, several months ago. Tried to get on a bit over the last few days but pre-patch I kept getting "Try again" errors when I was attempting to log on, and yesterday (post-patch) it told me that no servers were up....

[Xuri]

I'm in the same situation - huge initial drive to unlock stuff, and then decline in will to play as I no longer have anything to unlock.

I played Counter-Strike for years upon years without any unlocking, achievements, xp, levelling, ranks or other rewards other than the scoreboard, but while playing more recent games (like this one) it's almost as if I from the very start get trained to play because of the rewards and not because I like the actual gameplay, and as soon as the rewards dry up so does my will to continue playing.

[Malakili]

I'm in the same situation - huge initial drive to unlock stuff, and then decline in will to play as I no longer have anything to unlock.

I played Counter-Strike for years upon years without any unlocking, achievements, xp, levelling, ranks or other rewards other than the scoreboard, but while playing more recent games (like this one) it's almost as if I from the very start get trained to play because of the rewards and not because I like the actual gameplay, and as soon as the rewards dry up so does my will to continue playing.

This is basically, how I feel, and it is depressing to consider.

ETA:  I think it just sort of breeds the mentality that you have an "end point."   In counter-strike my goal was just always to get better, there was no "Ok, I'm done."  When I'm trying to unlock things I have a feeling of completion when I finish, and it makes it hard to keep playing.  Ironically, they add this stuff in to keep you engaged longer, but in reality I think it encourages me to put the game down much sooner than I normally would.

[Engels]

I've kept playing. Maybe its because there's so much room for improvement on my part! 

[WayAbvPar]

I don't play as often, but when I do I set little goals for myself to work toward- gold starring the RPG-7 is my current quest, for instance. Also mixing my loadouts to try new things. It feels much more balanced now- I get killed by all kinds of things now instead of 90% AN-94 and M60, 10% CG like before 

[Engels]

My current challenge is long distance sniped headshots. Current record is +325 bonus for distance. On Arica Harbor, that's from the norths  spawn on top of the buildings all the way Camp A's small 2 story building to the left of the flag.

[Nightblade]

The VSS is now stupidly overpowered. Close range, it functions as an exceedingly powerful SMG (25 damage WITHOUT magnum ammo) Long range, it functions as a silenced hybrid of a sniper rifle and assault rifle. This is worse than the old M60.

[Azazel]

That's the thing I guess. I played 1942 and Desert Combat for an age without needing any unlocks, and even played BF2 for a long time without unlocking half of the stuff. I think with this game, despite being very good it lacks the stickiness of the true BF series for me with the smaller, less flexible maps. Compared to the very large, wide open spaces of the previous titles - they just allowed for far more flexibility, lateral play, crazy play with a jeep, humvee or a spitfire and a lot more players. With the unlocks system they have, I casual-grinded my way (while having a lot of fun) to the finish, then when I did, it was like a sigh of relief and rest, and "time to take a break" that ended up being more than 2 months.

The gold stars and medals and so forth don't hold any interest for me personally, since they don't do anything. They're very similar to PS3 trophies in that - vs 360 Achievements, which for some reason work as a ding for me - probably the fact that they go across games and aren;t forgotten forever once you put a certain game away.

[Demonix]

My current challenge is long distance sniped headshots. Current record is +325 bonus for distance. On Arica Harbor, that's from the norths  spawn on top of the buildings all the way Camp A's small 2 story building to the left of the flag.

Wow, nice!  Mine is 280ish...I generally prefer long range sniping because, well, isn't that what sniping is all about?  Plus spotting and mortar support, of course.  I get tons of points for spot asssists.

I've found that its a hell of a lot easier to get headshots since the patch though, not sure I like it.  not so much the getting shot as the earning of them.  Getting hit is just nature's way of telling me to be less obvious. :)

[Azazel]

Hm, a new 4-player co-op format has been released to the consoles as DLC. They're apparently "looking into" porting it for the PC. I guess despite the whole "more players online on PC than both consoles combined" thing the PC is still a secondary platform.

[Toast]

I've continued to play pretty steadily. I'm not interested in unlocks or achievement completionism, so I haven't burned out in that regard. I'm driven to improve my skills, my K/D ratio, and my win loss record.

I play almost all Conquest mode at this point, as those maps remind me of classic battlefield. The maps are much smaller, but I at least get a taste of the creativity and wide-flanking of the older BF games.

Meat-grinding in Rush mode is exciting, but it usually just pisses me off.

[Malakili]

I thought I would vastly prefer Conquest mode when before I had actually played it, but in most conquest maps I find that the focus is just too much on the vehicles.  There are a couple conquest maps with few vehicles that I like a lot, but I find that the emphasis on them, especially on something lke Atacama Desert, makes the game less fun.  That being said, I do like vehicles in general, I just think they should be there to support infantry, not vice versa.

[WayAbvPar]

New Map Pack out today. Just old maps skinned for new modes, but it is something. Would love to see some actual new maps, or some reskins of classic Battlefield maps. It doesn't feel right without Wake Island!

[Azazel]

I'd love Wake, but I fear it's way too wide-open for BC2.

[Toast]

Unfortunately, I read a comment from one of the Devs that there will be no true new maps until the Vietnam expansion.. We'll have to settle for mode updates.

[Engels]

Anyone noticing increased 'lag' on matches? I'm getting my rear shot off a full 2 seconds after ducking for cover on several 'low ping' servers of late.

[Nightblade]

Anyone noticing increased 'lag' on matches? I'm getting my rear shot off a full 2 seconds after ducking for cover on several 'low ping' servers of late.

It's been like this for awhile. The engine is apparently made of soupy shit.

[Jimbo]

With Call of Duty & Battlefield doing more Vietnam, I wish they would do some other conflicts.  Korea would be cool, but the crazy factors of that war would be interesting, like how most of the war was fought with WWII surplus, and how the Comm Bloc used mass formations and human waves of soldiers with sub machine guns and grenades, which would suck against the UN forces with Quad mounted M Deuce's.  The Jet vs Jet combat would be awesome, but the C.A.S. is straight out of WWII with modified P-51's & A-26's (now F-51's & B-26's), and even though the Mig 15 gave a bit of a scare, US & UN forces beat the hell out of them (thank God we didn't pull back our good pilots on that one).

I'm just hoping BF3 gets the combined arms with a ton of players (62 vs 62 or even better PS sized teams) worked out.

[WayAbvPar]

I have heard rumors that BF3 would be like 128 v 128, but we shall see. With combined arms and huge maps that could be seriously fun.

[Strazos]

Sounds like a serious mess to me.  

OR, a chance to revive the fun we had in Planetside! 

[WayAbvPar]

http://www.own3d.tv/video/29337/lol_fin1

 

[Sky]

http://www.evga.com/11/game/

[Strazos]

http://www.own3d.tv/video/29337/lol_fin1

 

Yup, complete nonsense.

[Azazel]

That happens all the time. Exactly like that. Happened to me last week and I smashed a keyboard, then went into my bedroom and cried.

[Nightblade]

I don't remember defibs being this ridiculous in Battlefield 2. What's changed from B2 to BC2. It's been awhile.

[WayAbvPar]

The point is it shouldn't happen at all. It is a terrible mechanic.

[Malakili]

The point is it shouldn't happen at all. It is a terrible mechanic.

I really think they went with one too few classes in BC2.  I think a few of the mechanics could be spread out a bit, medics couldn't slightly reduced in combat effectiveness meaning it would make sense to NOT have everyone on your team play medic.  Have a support class with the MGs and some other sort of support mechanic as their special ability and give medics submachine guns like the Engineer, or something else entirely I suppose.

Right now Medics are just plain too good, their only possibly weakness is vehicles, thats not really that big a worry most of the times, especially ocnsidering you can get in your own vehicles to counter them, or the various rocket launcher encampments.

[WayAbvPar]

Agreed. Having the ability to rez people once every couple of seconds coupled with the highest ammo'ed guns in the game (with laser accuracy, which is totally ridiculous) makes them THE class to play. Which is why I almost never play medic (unless we are in a tough game and my squad is working together but doesn't already have one). I vastly prefer Engineer (trying to gold/plat all the AT weapons  ) or Recon (shotgun + wizard balls is WAY too much fun). My K/D ratio is pure crap because I ignore it- I am trying to win the game every time I play.

[Azazel]

The point is it shouldn't happen at all. It is a terrible mechanic.

I really think they went with one too few classes in BC2. 

I'll agree with you there, though I think it could have worked just as well with the setup from BF2142.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battlefield_2142#Classes