Battlefield Bad Company creator David Goldfarb leaves DICE Studios
David Goldfarb, the man who is behind the designing of games such as Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and Battlefield 3, has finally left Electronic Arts or EA’s DICE studios. Over the last five years, he has worked mostly on Battlefield games. According to his tweet, he has had a great run, designing 4 games over the last 5 years and that he is grateful to work with some awesome people on some great games.
Goldfarb talked about his exiting plans with Joystiq. He said that he is finally ready to move on to some new things and get involved into something different. However, he is not completely keen on sharing his future plans.
David Goldfarb is however not the first among the high profile DICE developers to quit the company over the last few years. Prior to this was Gordon Van Dyke, who left DICE back in the year 2010. He is currently working with Paradox Interactive and is involved in the development of a Battlefield-like third person action game from the developer FatShark of War of the Roses fame. Patrick Bach, who was also a part of Battlefield’s development leadership, is currently heading as company CEO, and Karl Magnus Troedsson is on a paternity leave.
In Other Gaming News
For those of you who enjoy the spirit of the game but could do with a break from the intensive action, an Australian online casino is offering a slots game with similar themes. In the Hitman slots game, based on the 2007 film by the same name, the player can take on the role of Agent 47, the assassin lead character of the video game series, and has to kill a number of targets.
You can try the game here: http://www.onlinecasinoaustralia.com.au. At an initial glance at least, the Hitman slots game is not that different to a lot of other online slots, with five reels and fifteen paylines – both of which are quite standard for this type of game. The game allows you to bet a maximum of 20 coins for every payline, and the house edge for the Hitman slots game is considered to be around 4.16 percent. Aside from these basic features that the typical slots player would enjoy, the Hitman game also features a number of interesting bonus options for those more interested in the theme.
The first bonus feature, which is triggered when the player scores a minimum of three of the ‘Insignia’ symbols on the first, second or third reels, and the player is then given the option of choosing any of the Insignias – with each one providing a prize of different value. The second bonus feature incorporated into this game is activated by scoring a minimum of three ’18 age certificate’ symbols on the third, fourth or fifth reels and entitles the player to eighteen free spins with a two-time multiplier. The final bonus feature involves the player having to choose one of a number of potential ‘hits’ to kill, with the value of the prize they can win depending on the difficulty level of the target they choose. This feature becomes activated when the player scores a minimum of three of the ‘Laptop’ symbols on the third, fourth or fifth reels.
It is a different way to play an action game, but still definitely worth trying – it might feel a bit silly after the realist action of Battlefield bad Company, but it really gives you a new perspective to the kills!
EA bringing Battlefield Play4Free beta Nov 30
Electroic Arts may also launch in near future a second free-to-play game and it will be based on Battlefield. It is titled Battlefield Play4Free and will be containing the Battlefield 2 most popular maps and also powerful weapons of the game.
Battlefield Play4Free will have vehicular combat and at a certain time 32 people can play online. Gamers will earn game currency after gaining experience to purchase weapons and other equipment.
Electronic Arts launched, last year, Battlefield Heroes. Presently, it has about six million registered players. In the free-to-play model, the publisher allows gamers to take part in the matches for free and it also offers the players the option of making small purchases like outfits or bonus experience.
The publisher says that Battlefield Play4Free is for serious shooter fans who seeks for a premium, but without any charges. Gamers will experience in it the rivals top console titles.
On November 30, EA will start the beta version of Battlefield Play4Free. The game will be launched next spring.
Onslaught may be tough for seasoned players
The Onslaught map pack of Battlefield: Bad Company 2 has been designed to ease new players in the tough environment. This map pack is a good boot camp to those who know the game beyond the inside.
It works brilliantly in tipping back a bottle of concrete apart from hardening up before hitting the lobbies.
Gamers can flick features from Easy, Normal, Hard and Hardcore. Well, the seasoned players may find struggling. The only way to lose totally is that if everyone dies and this is almost impossible if we consider the respawn rate.
The fact in this new map pack is that the objectives are timed as the challenges are tough as one makes it. Every second with the score gamers may learn what is needed to be done and how it has to be done.
DICE brings more Battlefield fun
DICE announced that it will release Battlefield: Bad Company 2 on the Xbox 360, PlayStaion 3 and PC gaming platforms. In this new version the developer say that there will be fights through snowy mountain tops, dense jungles and also dusty villages. There will be heavy arsenal of deadly weapons with slew vehicles. The crew is ready to destroy anything that gets their way in the game.
Bed Company 2 will be developed on DICE’s Frostbite gaming engine. DICE also says that the upcoming downloadable title, Battlefield 1943 will be available by this summer through PlayStation 3, Xbox Live Marketplace and on the PC.
This 1943 multi-player game is described by DICE and EA that it will take players back to WWII. It will offer endless hours of 24 player multiplayer action. It will take gamers through three classic and tropic locations; Wake Island, Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima.
Another 5/5, this time coming from Otago Daily Times
Once again BFBC scores a 5/5.
Between all the connection and mic issues, I’m starting to question the 5/5 ratings that BFBC has been getting. Yes, I understand that the Xbox 360 has been in dire need of good FPS game for a while now. Yes I recognize that this FPS drought could have somehow caused reviewers to cut a longer slack on an FPS title. Yes, Microsoft made the Xbox 360s geared towards FPS (just look at the controller). However in a world where gaming still depends on lucrative online industries such as MMORPGs and commercial pocker, one has to have a batter taste in rating games right? I admit BFBC has some kick in it, but it’s far from being perfect. As mentioned earlier, the mic and online multiplayer are just some of the flaws that should have merited the game a rating below perfect. Let me prove my point with this review from ODT.
Looks good, sounds great, plays well… oh, and there’s nothing that can’t be blown up.Battlefield: Bad Company
Electronic Arts
Xbox 360Review by Simon Kemp
5 stars (out of 5)
Bad Company is the second of the Battlefield franchise to appear on the Xbox 360.
The first was a sort of console adaptation of the PC version of the game: basically an online multiplayer blast fest with a ropey single player mission tacked on.
It is also one of my favorite games - good looking, great maps, balanced gameplay - basically everything you want from an online shooter.
So I have been looking forward to a follow-up for, well, ages.
It was not without a hint of apprehension that I opened the box and shoved Battlefield: Bad Company into the trusty 360.
Especially as I had just read the accompanying press release which told me all about how this was a completely new Battlefield game, built using a brand new game engine developed by Swedish development company DICE specifically for this game.
The promotional blurb had also promised a deep single-player campaign loaded with dark humor, intense combat and deafening destruction - this was not sounding like a Battlefield game at all . . . but, being a true pro, I forged onward and watched the cutscene introducing our hero, Preston Marlowe.
Along with three mates, Marlowe makes up the Bad Company - a division of the US Army where they throw the misfits and troublemakers, etc, etc.
Cutscene over, I was off . . .
In true Battlefield style, I was expecting to give the token single-player game a cursory once over and then concentrate on the multiplayer.
However, an hour later Sarge, Sweetwater, Haggard and I were still battling away, shooting bad guys and stealing their gold.
OK, it is not Dickens but the story is good enough to keep you interested.
The characters interact well, often joking with each other while the bullets are flying, maybe that is why you seem to do most of the shooting.
It does seem at some times that they are only there to make up the numbers; they man the turrets and pick off a few baddies every now and then, but do not rely on them to watch your back ! The re-spawn system and unlimited health boosters may make the game a bit easier than it could have been, but it is still really enjoyable.
One of the things that is evident from the first moments of the single-player game is that the new game engine, Frostbite, is very, very good.
Everything is pretty smooth, the frame rate is excellent, the enemy AI is mostly good and the sound effects are some of the best I have heard.
Gunshots echo off walls, you hear bullets fly past your head, tanks rumble past - it is all there, and together with a great orchestral music score, makes for one of the best-sounding games I have played.
But Frostbite has one, special piece de resistance - you can pretty much blow up everything from buildings to trees.
Now this might not sound like much, but once you get into multiplayer it makes a massive difference - you cannot hide.
No longer can you crouch safely behind a wall with your sniper rifle and pick off people at will.
As soon as someone sees you, a well-aimed grenade will demolish the wall and leave you battered and exposed.
It is not perfect - some things, especially crates, refuse to break on occasion - but it makes a massive difference on how you play the game.
The multiplayer itself has only one variation, Gold Rush, a team-based 24 player game in which you take turns to attack and defend crates of gold.
Eight maps, five classes of soldier, vehicles, special abilities unlocked in the single-player game - it all sounds good, and it is.
The maps are excellent, the balance is perfect, it is quite simply one of the best multiplayer shooters on a next gen console.
EA have promised that more multiplayer games will be downloadable soon and if they are all as good as this then Battlefield: Bad Company will be stuck inside gamer’s consoles for a long time to come.
PS3, PC Sales Lead EA Revenue in Q1 2009
Earnings from Electronic Arts’ PC and PlayStation 3 publishing and development businesses contributed to net revenue of $804 million in the company’s fiscal year 2009 first quarter, the publisher revealed today.
The figure marks a $409M year-over-year increase above EA’s 2008 Q1 revenue of $395M, led by PlayStation 3 sales amounting to $139M. PC software followed at $86M, while Xbox 360 sales came in third with $81M in the quarter ending June 30, 2008.
Meanwhile, net loss for the quarter was $95 million, down from $132 million from the first quarter of last year.
The company cited EA DICE’s Battlefield: Bad Company (PS3, 360) and the BioWare and Demiurge co-developed PC edition of Mass Effect as examples of critically well-received games released in the quarter.
“We are now seeing the early returns of the change agenda we started last year,” said EA CEO John Riccitiello. “Innovation and quality are rising, our games are more accessible and fun, and we have more new titles than at any time in our history.”
Lots of Battlefield Bad Company Clans are Recruiting
I just noticed today that the recruiting area of the forum is starting to get pretty busy with both applications and clan recruiting threads. If you’re looking to join a Battlefield Bad Company clan, you may want to take a peek at the recruiting area.
Stop by the forums!
Stop by the Battlefield Bad Company Forums, we’re waiting!
IE8 Still Fails
IE still fails really hard. Link to screen shots of fail.
