Part I in a behind the scenes series on Battlefield 3: Back to Karkand

Containing four of the best Battlefield maps ever created by DICE, the first expansion pack for Battlefield 3 will be a treat both for returning fans and newcomers. Read on for more in-depth details on Battlefield 3: Back to Karkand and how to get it at no extra charge.

Anyone who preorders

Battlefield 3

will receive our first themed expansion pack at no extra charge. When Lead Designer Niklas Fegraeus got the assignment to lead the expansion pack, his thoughts immediately went to the four most played and loved maps in the history of Battlefield: Strike at Karkand, Wake Island, Gulf of Oman, and Sharqi Peninsula. Combined, these four maps have been played for an incredible 25,000 man years!

It’s obvious returning Battlefield fans should be excited. What does the expansion pack offer to those new to Battlefield?

-- It’s pretty simple, really. These are evidently some of the very best maps we have ever built. We have unquestionable data and feedback from the community saying so. You would be crazy turning down the chance to boost your game with these classic multiplayer maps.

An early piece of concept art for the Frostbite 2 reimagining of a true classic. Meant to represent lighting and color palette only. Actual map layout will be very similar to the original.

What does the Frostbite 2 engine and the Battlefield 3 gameplay bring to the reimagined version of Strike at Karkand?

-- From a gameplay perspective, destruction is the biggest addition compared to the original map in Battlefield 2 back in 2005. I remember this particular building by the square in the original where players could defend very effectively. Now, with the destructive power of Frostbite 2, someone can just RPG that building and expose the defenders within. At the same time, we need to be careful not to add destruction that breaks the tried and tested game flow of the map.

You were also Lead Designer on last year’s expansion pack Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam. Do you see any similarities between that and Back to Karkand?

-- Certainly from the perspective of scope and ambition, they are very similar. This is no simple map pack. Back to Karkand will also include iconic Battlefield 2 weapons and vehicles to bring back to the base game, new unlocks and persistence, and more content that we will talk about later. They are also similar in that they are both strongly themed.

In your mind, what makes Strike at Karkand still great?

-- Strike at Karkand finds the perfect combination of tight urban infantry combat and traditional Battlefield vehicle combat, without any one side ever dominating the fight. I also think that the linear flag positions give you a clear idea of where you need to go, creating a strong sense of direction.

David Spinnier (formerly Göthberg) is currently Co-op Lead Designer for Battlefield 3 and the one who created the original Strike at Karkand map for Battlefield 2.

How do you feel now that your map is set for a reimagining in Battlefield 3?

-- I'm super happy and proud that it became such a classic. I'm excited to see it remade with a whole new level of graphics and destruction and have given the developers of the expansion pack a few pointers on the map.

What was your original design idea for Strike at Karkand?

-- I wanted almost to tell a story. In my mind when I started the design, I could see these tanks rolling downhill in a sandy desert into a city where defenders were scurrying around, setting up a defensive perimeter and then being pushed back further downtown. I also wanted to create an asymetric battlefield with a defensive focus. Infantry defenders meeting heavy armor. I just started painting the layout of the map in Photoshop and went from there.

What happened when you actually started play testing the design?

-- I remember one of the first play tests. People were behaving exactly as I had imagined: Placing mines and C4, climbing onto roofs to get a clear view and clear shot of the tanks rolling in. It all just fell into place. It was a fantastic feeling.

Do you have any original design docs for Strike at Karkand lying around that we could have a look at, just for fun?

-- Sure thing! Here is my original layout design, last saved in October 2004. If you know your Karkand, you realize that the layout here is mirrored from the actual in-game map. This was something I wasn’t aware of at the time, but when you entered your layout into the game editor, everything was reversed!

Bonus feature: The original design doc for Strike at Karkand from Battlefield 2!

To receive Battlefield 3: Back to Karkand at no extra charge, all you need to do is preorder Battlefield 3.

Come back next week for more in-depth details on Back to Karkand.
For more information on Battlefield 3, visit the Official Site.
For the latest news on everything Battlefield, follow us on Twitter.

http://blogs.battlefield.ea.com/battlefield_bad_company/archive/2011/05/10/Back-to-Karkand.aspx

Source: FPSAdmin

Today on the Battlefield Blog:

Looking ahead

BY: H Brun
POSTED: Feb 03, 2011, 12:00AM

There comes a time when we as a studio have to choose where to best put our efforts. At DICE we’re dedicated to taking care of our products after launch, and also hell bent on building new, innovative and high quality games.

In my day to day work, I look at our release schedule and the studio’s capacity, weighing them against our wild ambitions to create awesomeness. I often need to make hard calls regarding where we put the studio’s focus. Part of the challenge is to balance work on the new against the already shipped, prioritizing the amount of energy spent on the known franchises and the time spent on developing something entirely new.

This is one of those cross roads where I need to make a hard decision. While we’ll continue supporting Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and previous games, it’s time to look ahead to the next giant leap for DICE – the release of Battlefield 3, powered by the mighty Frostbite 2 engine. Our goal is crystal clear: we’re going to build the best Battlefield game ever, and we’ll do whatever it takes to make this the biggest launch in DICE’s history.

We know some of you eagerly have been awaiting Battlefield 1943 and Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Onslaught on PC. I’m sad to say that these two titles are now officially cancelled. Instead, our talented teams will focus on delivering the greatest possible gaming experience in our next behemoth release. We’re confident this will lead to an even better experience in Battlefield 3, not only on PC, but on all platforms.

For an idea of what that means, watch this space for some exciting news I think you’ll like.

Best regards,
Karl Magnus Troedsson
General Manager, DICE

From the Battlefield Blog

Pure gameplay action from Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam

Ah, Friday! Just a few more days before the launch of

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam

now. And to whet your appetite, here's some ingame mayhem from maps Hill 137 and Vantage Point, as played by the team here at DICE. Nothing fancy as far as cinematic trailers go, just the awesomeness of playing the game in its rawest form. Hope you enjoy it!

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam releases on Dec 18 on EA Store/Steam, Dec 21 on PS3 in North America and Xbox 360 world-wide, and Dec 22 on PS3 in Europe. For more info on Battlefield: Bad Company 2, visit the Official Site.

www.twitter.com/OfficialBFBC2

www.twitter.com/zh1nt0

Today, we are happy to announce a fifth multiplayer bonus map in our upcoming expansion pack Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam!

This bonus map joins the previously announced Hill 137, Vantage Point, Phu Bai Valley and Cao Son Temple for a total of five maps in Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam. Some of you might recognize the setting, as this is the classic Operation Hastings map made famous in our PC game Battlefield: Vietnam from 2004.

If you didn’t play it back then, it’s one of the favorites among our fans, featuring everything awesome in one fantastic arena: boats, helicopters, tanks, jeeps, temples, and the signature bridge dividing the map into two strategic areas. To make things a little more interesting, we’re giving you, the players, the power to unlock this fifth map!

So what do you need to do? Easy. You and all your friends playing on PS3, PC, or Xbox 360 need to perform 69 million team actions across Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam. So what’s a team action? Well, it’s any and all of these: resupply, revive, heal, spot, and repair. We start counting on December 21st, so make sure you contribute from the start!

For an action packed preview of the map and this community challenge, just watch the video at the top of this post.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam is out December 18 on EA Store and Steam (PC version). December 21 world-wide on Xbox 360. December 21 on PS3 in North America, and December 22 on PS3 in Europe.

For more info on Battlefield: Bad Company 2, visit the Official Site.

Concentrated awesomeness. You have to earn this map, though.

This is how we roll.

Pre-orders for Battlefield: Bad Company 2: Vietnam have just gone up in the US EA online store. Available for just $14.99 (USD), those who pre-order the game will be allowed to play the game a full three days before the rest of the public has a chance to.

- Four Brand New Maps. Four distinct Vietnam-based maps each bring a fresh visual and gameplay experience.
- Six Immortalized Vehicles. Skim the treetops in the iconic American Huey helicopter. Drive the sturdy Russian T54 tank and the nimble US PBR "Pibber" patrol boat, plus three more vehicles immortalized in the Vietnam War.
- 15 Characteristic Weapons. Players charge into battle with 15 new weapons modeled on their real life counter-parts, including the rare Navy SEAL XM22 machinegun and the characteristic M79 "Blooper" Grenade Launcher.
- Rocking 60's Soundtrack. Listen to eight radio channels in-game, featuring 49 era specific tracks, including "Ride of the Valkyries" and "Fortunate Son" by CCR.
- True War Dialogue. All-new voiceovers for both American and Vietnamese forces, based on authentic communication from the Vietnam war for maximum immersion.
- New Achievements/Trophies. Players collect 10 new achievements/trophies, one being to blow up Vietnamese propaganda speakers. Earn new weapon proficiency stars specific to your skills with the weapons in the expansion.

No release date has been set yet.