My BF2142 review.
Scythe
Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 46NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation, Reinforced - Silver
Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 46NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation, Reinforced - Silver
<div class="IPBDescription">Wrote it for another website.</div>This week marked the release of the demo of EA's latest offering in their lucrative Battlefield IP: Battlefield 2142. While this incarnation is based in the future, 136 years to be precise, it isn't all laser guns and wookies. In this squad-based-FPS you'll still be using chemically propelled weaponry and the occasional electromagnetic weapon.
Those familiar with the Battlefield franchise should feel right at home when you arrive at the kit selection screen. You've a choice of four classes and, as you progress in rank, the option to swap out your weapons and equipment. Then you choose your spawn point and you're away. Once in the field you'll have the choice of jumping in a range of vehicles or slugging it out on foot. As with the previous Battlefield games there's a wide choice of vehicles: there's ground vehicles including a hover-tank, an APC, a AT-ST-esque mechanised walker and also numerous aircraft.
By far the most impressive vehicle in your team's arsenal is The Titan. This is a flying fortress protected by a tough shield and equipped with a hangar for the providence of fighters and carriers for your team. These titans are the primary objectives of the demo's gameplay mode. In order for your team to win you must destroy your opponent's Titan. However, before any offensive action can be taken against one, your team must first drain its shields. This is accomplished with ground-to-titan missile silos dotted across the map. Once the shields are down your team has two choices: Go on defence and protect your titan and the silos you hold and allow the missiles to batter the Titan down, or board the Titan yourselves and take it out from the inside.
Boarding the titan is a simple matter of either flying an aircraft over to it and landing on the deck, or the much more impressive option of a drop-pod. In order to board using a drop-pod one must first locate an APC near the Titan and seat one's self in the pod seat (F3 by default). Left clicking will launch your pod skywards towards the enemy titan. It's then your job to pilot the pod down onto the desired landing point. A word of advice: Don't try to land on the shielded hangar section, you'll be instagibbed. Once aboard the Titan your team will have to destroy four control panels and finally, the core. You'll be given a short period to escape the stricken ship before it explodes in a very satisfactory manner.
In line with the career soldier system implemented in BF2, BF2142 features a stat-logging system that keeps track of your points and allows you to gain ranks. These ranks entitle you to more advanced toys to make you more effective in battle. Points are earned by neutralising enemy soldiers and assisting your team in the capture of the silos across the map. The vehicles in the demo are satisfying to drive and none too overpowered. The learning curve on the aircraft is nowhere near that of previous incarnations. I managed to crash the fighter several times until I inverted the flight controls. From then on it was plain sailing.
Having said all that about the game, it is definitely not without its faults. In a move typical of EA they've gone and made an excellent game and encased it in the most godawful customer experience imaginable. When I first attempted to run the game I received an error stating that the game was unable to find a "d3dx9_29.dll". This kind of error is usually indicative of an out-of-date DirectX installation however I was running the latest version already. After a bit of scratching around on the internets I turned up a download of the said file. I downloaded it and copied it to "c:/windows/system32". The game then started up fine.
From there I was subjected to the usual stream of bloated, unskippable corporate logo videos followed by a quite passable video guide to the Titan game-mode. Handy hint: If you navigate to the install directory then "/mods/bf2142/movies/" and rename all the files contained within, you'll no longer be forced to watch the intro movies. Having gotten that out of the way I then proceeded to customise the game's settings to my own liking. When I tried to configure the game to run at my monitor's native resolution of 1280x1024 I found there was no such option in the video configuration menu. Undaunted, I proceeded to edit the video.con files in the "My Documents/Battlefield 2142 Demo" folder to manually insert the resolution as with BF2. Unfortunately this only had the effect of making the game crash upon launch. Oh well, c'est la vie.
Performance-wise, it ran smoothly on my computer (See post-script) once it got past the near-glacial loading process.
As a game, BF2142 could well shine as a very popular online shooter. Unfortunately, as a product, it's pretty shoddy. At this stage I don't see myself buying the full version of this game. However I strongly encourage the reader to make their own decision. I suggest you all download the demo when it hits the public mirrors and give it a try.
See you ingame,
-/AUS/- Scythe
P.S. Review PC specs:
AMD 3700+,
ATI X1800XT 512MB,
2GB (2x1GB, dual channel),
250GB SATA w/ 16MB cache.
Those familiar with the Battlefield franchise should feel right at home when you arrive at the kit selection screen. You've a choice of four classes and, as you progress in rank, the option to swap out your weapons and equipment. Then you choose your spawn point and you're away. Once in the field you'll have the choice of jumping in a range of vehicles or slugging it out on foot. As with the previous Battlefield games there's a wide choice of vehicles: there's ground vehicles including a hover-tank, an APC, a AT-ST-esque mechanised walker and also numerous aircraft.
By far the most impressive vehicle in your team's arsenal is The Titan. This is a flying fortress protected by a tough shield and equipped with a hangar for the providence of fighters and carriers for your team. These titans are the primary objectives of the demo's gameplay mode. In order for your team to win you must destroy your opponent's Titan. However, before any offensive action can be taken against one, your team must first drain its shields. This is accomplished with ground-to-titan missile silos dotted across the map. Once the shields are down your team has two choices: Go on defence and protect your titan and the silos you hold and allow the missiles to batter the Titan down, or board the Titan yourselves and take it out from the inside.
Boarding the titan is a simple matter of either flying an aircraft over to it and landing on the deck, or the much more impressive option of a drop-pod. In order to board using a drop-pod one must first locate an APC near the Titan and seat one's self in the pod seat (F3 by default). Left clicking will launch your pod skywards towards the enemy titan. It's then your job to pilot the pod down onto the desired landing point. A word of advice: Don't try to land on the shielded hangar section, you'll be instagibbed. Once aboard the Titan your team will have to destroy four control panels and finally, the core. You'll be given a short period to escape the stricken ship before it explodes in a very satisfactory manner.
In line with the career soldier system implemented in BF2, BF2142 features a stat-logging system that keeps track of your points and allows you to gain ranks. These ranks entitle you to more advanced toys to make you more effective in battle. Points are earned by neutralising enemy soldiers and assisting your team in the capture of the silos across the map. The vehicles in the demo are satisfying to drive and none too overpowered. The learning curve on the aircraft is nowhere near that of previous incarnations. I managed to crash the fighter several times until I inverted the flight controls. From then on it was plain sailing.
Having said all that about the game, it is definitely not without its faults. In a move typical of EA they've gone and made an excellent game and encased it in the most godawful customer experience imaginable. When I first attempted to run the game I received an error stating that the game was unable to find a "d3dx9_29.dll". This kind of error is usually indicative of an out-of-date DirectX installation however I was running the latest version already. After a bit of scratching around on the internets I turned up a download of the said file. I downloaded it and copied it to "c:/windows/system32". The game then started up fine.
From there I was subjected to the usual stream of bloated, unskippable corporate logo videos followed by a quite passable video guide to the Titan game-mode. Handy hint: If you navigate to the install directory then "/mods/bf2142/movies/" and rename all the files contained within, you'll no longer be forced to watch the intro movies. Having gotten that out of the way I then proceeded to customise the game's settings to my own liking. When I tried to configure the game to run at my monitor's native resolution of 1280x1024 I found there was no such option in the video configuration menu. Undaunted, I proceeded to edit the video.con files in the "My Documents/Battlefield 2142 Demo" folder to manually insert the resolution as with BF2. Unfortunately this only had the effect of making the game crash upon launch. Oh well, c'est la vie.
Performance-wise, it ran smoothly on my computer (See post-script) once it got past the near-glacial loading process.
As a game, BF2142 could well shine as a very popular online shooter. Unfortunately, as a product, it's pretty shoddy. At this stage I don't see myself buying the full version of this game. However I strongly encourage the reader to make their own decision. I suggest you all download the demo when it hits the public mirrors and give it a try.
See you ingame,
-/AUS/- Scythe
P.S. Review PC specs:
AMD 3700+,
ATI X1800XT 512MB,
2GB (2x1GB, dual channel),
250GB SATA w/ 16MB cache.
Comments
Im jealous and scythes computer and read his review carefully and am now jealous and want to play the game. I guess im lagging behind in keeping up with the computer technology >.> I can't afford godly stuff like that.
Lil ole me only has
AMD64 2.2ghz (not oc'd)
1 gig DDR 400mhz ram
ATi 9800XT ( thats practically fried lawl)
I fail at life
I take it I shouldn't even bother trying to download the game with an XP2500+, 1.5GB ram and 9800 Pro?
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i dunno, give it a shot. It doesnt help as it seems half the ram modules on my gfx seem fried or something cause anytime i try to play a rather huge game with awesome graphics i get graphics corruption. YOu might be able to run it on low settings though lawl
I take it I shouldn't even bother trying to download the game with an XP2500+, 1.5GB ram and 9800 Pro?
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The beta ran fine on a 2.6GHz P4, 1GB RAM, and a 9600 pro.
(edit) <!--coloro:red--><span style="color:red"><!--/coloro-->*UNLOCKED.* (Demo officially released, thanks for the link Testament)<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->
For those interested, linky:
<a href="http://www.fileplanet.com/168737/160000/fileinfo/Battlefield-2142-Demo" target="_blank">http://www.fileplanet.com/168737/160000/fi...field-2142-Demo</a>
Bah. ET:QW throws strategy out the window. Your entire team always has the same objective, and you don't get much of a choice in how you accomplish it. I prefer Battlefield's teamwork and coordination.
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What are you smoking? It specifically gives very specific strategies to each and every person on each team, which can be followed or ignored(or modified).
But at the same time: BF2 was a joke? Says who? Seems it was one of the better FPS' in years. And counting a game's first load as every single load is stupid, especially in BF2's case, where it specifically configs its engine to your PC the first time, then just follows the routine that was set from there on out.
A. Help your teammates complete the objective that you are currently assigned.
B. Run around like an idiot shooting at bad guys.
Whereas a game like BF2 allows you to choose what areas to attack/defend, and how many people to bring along, and stuff like that.
Alternately, sneaking into an enemy spawn point and booby trapping all of the vehicles with C4 is hilarious... see them jump in and start to drive away, step out and wait for them to come about and try to run you over, then *shaboom!* and laugh your ###### off.
At this point that's the only reason I play BF2. That and the medic shock paddle kills. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" /> Oh, and doing the jeep thing with a tank, as it works almost as well and keeps the hardware out of enemy hands, possibly even taking a couple of them out in the process.
I much prefer the alternate job in BF2 of 'suicide bomber'... grab a jeep, load the front with C4 and drive around aimlessly, trying to run over enemies.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That's called a "Jihad Jeep" fyi.
--Scythe--
I first bumped into this account thing. "WTH IS THAT" shot trough my mind, anyways after creating one I created me soldier... Cant put spaces or tags in the name? Nice one EA... And what is this rank stuff give you more weapons and some useless medals etc? Hmm I'm pretty happy FH2 is going to ditch that crap...
Anyways, I'll have a look at the game tomorrow with other players to see if it's worth it.
But I think I'll still keep waiting for Forgotten Hope 2, which is on the BF2 engine (ww2 mod, still happily playing FH1 <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />) I still don't own the BF2, since this mod is not yet released. They already had some trouble due to the "nice" update from EA to the way the engine handles high textures and shaders on big vehicles like battleships ships, carriers etc.... Now they are force to either release the game without punkbuster support or ditch their HARD work on them custom (MORE EFFECTIVE) shaders and highres skins <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad-fix.gif" />
Anyhow sry for the shameless plug of my next favourite game, but I sofar like what I see ingame. I either go for ww2 games or futuristic games. Pretty curious as to how this plays...
/nighty night!
EA in shameless cash in of modification level game shocker. I shan't be bothering, simply because even if it is amazing (which I sincerely doubt), I'm reaching the point I refuse to help EA's cash cow mentality towards gamers.
You do realise Battlefield: The Sims is only a matter of time, when you must provide your troopers with people to kill, villages to pillage and human rights to violate. From this, you score points that allow you to upgrade your troops with innovations such as guns with white muzzleflashes (woo!) and even customise your experience, choosing 'peacekeeping' forces or axix-of-evil-not-at-all-middle-eastern-terrorists-honestly nuclear weapons!
</rant>
- Shockwave
<i><b>"We must be in the future, the muzzle flashes are blue!"</b></i>
EA in shameless cash in of modification level game shocker. I shan't be bothering, simply because even if it is amazing (which I sincerely doubt), I'm reaching the point I refuse to help EA's cash cow mentality towards gamers.
You do realise Battlefield: The Sims is only a matter of time, when you must provide your troopers with people to kill, villages to pillage and human rights to violate. From this, you score points that allow you to upgrade your troops with innovations such as guns with white muzzleflashes (woo!) and even customise your experience, choosing 'peacekeeping' forces or axix-of-evil-not-at-all-middle-eastern-terrorists-honestly nuclear weapons!
</rant>
- Shockwave
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Honestly, that sounded like an awesome idea for a sim game.
Though, I have to agree with you. When I heard about BF2142, I thought "Another sequel(<i>after just a year and a half</i>) with just a different setting to bring in cash for EA games".
Here's how a map in ET:QW works. Your entire team focuses on one objective. Once it compeltes the objective, it moves on to the next, etc. Like, building a bridge. Your entire team's job is to build the bridge, and the enemy's job is to stop you. This boils down to "shoot at each other unless you're an engineer, in which case you have to hold down your USE key." Or taking out a generator. This boils down to "shoot at everyone, unless you're special forces, in which case you have to get to the generator and hold down your USE key." Seriously. There's no strategy at all. Teamwork, yes. Strategic choices, no. Your only options are
A. Help your teammates complete the objective that you are currently assigned.
B. Run around like an idiot shooting at bad guys.
Whereas a game like BF2 allows you to choose what areas to attack/defend, and how many people to bring along, and stuff like that.
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No, you are incorrect.
In ET:QW, you are on a team.
This team has several 'squads'(lets say) inside of it.
Each squad has a different objective.
<img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
<i><b>"We must be in the future, the muzzle flashes are blue!"</b></i>
EA in shameless cash in of modification level game shocker. I shan't be bothering, simply because even if it is amazing (which I sincerely doubt), I'm reaching the point I refuse to help EA's cash cow mentality towards gamers.
You do realise Battlefield: The Sims is only a matter of time, when you must provide your troopers with people to kill, villages to pillage and human rights to violate. From this, you score points that allow you to upgrade your troops with innovations such as guns with white muzzleflashes (woo!) and even customise your experience, choosing 'peacekeeping' forces or axix-of-evil-not-at-all-middle-eastern-terrorists-honestly nuclear weapons!
</rant>
- Shockwave
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Yes, but BF2142 does a lot of things right that I think move the multiplayer vehicular combat genre forward. For one, the new pods are awesome. Being able to launch up out of a APC, or drop out of a plane, with no slowdown for going to hit the ground, just feels cool, and like a better solution than simpleton parachuting. Also, it finally makes air combat matter- I noticed quite often in BF2 that if you know what you're doing, you could simply avoid air combat altogether, never die from a plane/copter, and have the fun(imo) ground game time.
With this, the air game is much improved(missiles travel much faster, the pods make the transport vehicle much more useful(and the fact that it is a mobile spawnpoint by nature), and all the vehicles are easier to fly than planes or copters.
And lastly, the upgrade system is actually give-a-damn-able now. In BF2, all the weapon upgrades were of "meh" quality- I really couldn't care less, because for all but the medic, they were DOWNGRADES, not upgrades(G36, I'm looking at you). Here, not only are all the weapon upgrades true blue upgrades(and more fun!), but you get all kinds of upgrades, faster as the game goes on. In the beta, I was always playing Assault(which is now a combination of the old spec ops, assault, and medic classes), and first got a way to revive people, then a grenade launcher attachment, then a shotgun attachment(I could only use 2 out of those 3 selections- reviver, grenade launcher attach, or shotgun attach- I usually did reviver/grenade launcher, but the shotty was great too). I eventually got an entirely new weapon(out of 2 choices for each class, and for assault its between a submachine gun or a heavy assault rifle- I did heavy assault, which did more damage, more accuracy, smaller clip size), had a neat HUD upgrade(I could see everything a friendly could see on the map), and then began working on my "side" skills, such as getting grenades in general, longer/faster sprint, upgraded medic box, etc etc.
Now, its not gonna even compare to ET:QW in comparison- but then again, QW is guarenteed to not come out til Febuary, so I figure, hey, 4 months of a very, very fun holdover(thats more like Battlefield 2.5 than anything else- and thusly deserving of its title) will be good.
And, it can run on PCs that cry from the Doom 3 engine's multiplayer.
--Scythe--
Funny thing is; i hated the beta. I chalked it up to the beta only offering the titan gamemode; that mode sucks. Conquest seriously kicks the crap out of titan.
Is it because im like the only once on earth who doesent own BF2? People who played BF2 seem to think this is mainly just a mod; i guess since i have never owned BF2, i wouldnt notice.
Still getting it; though. Say all you want about EA, they DO make good games.
I like how infantry-to-infantry isn't such a ****ing joke anymore in this game. I'll probably be getting it.
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My thoughts also...BF2 demo's infantry game felt like crap; im sure that didnt change in the retail version.
2142 demo on the other hand...feels like its actually a viable fun combat method. Again; maybe its because i dont own BF2, but im definetely going to get this game.
What the hell are you on Quaunaut? The G36s were the best weapons in the bloody game! By far my most favourite. Accurate, deadly, large clip size. Once you got the second medic unlock the medics because a very viable fighting class.
--Scythe--
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I've tested it numerous times. Accurate my buttocks.
I've fired series of single shot, and burst rounds, while prone and iron-sighted, at a wall about 10 feet away.
Not a single shot appeared inside the iron sights, whatsoever. It was so bad, I almost broke my keyboard when using it in fights. All my friends(and short-lived clanmates) agreed- unaccurate as hell.
Maybe theres a reason, but I wouldn't know.
--Scythe--
Perhaps Quanaut is right, and EA just missed a decimal place. It isn't BF 2142. It's BF 2.142