Anton Sugar
Member
I'll be gathering news and details on BF4 in this thread. "New" news and big announcements should still go into new threads, per the forum norms.
Thanks to RoKKer for his help gathering info and the banner.
Battlefield 4
Release Date: 10/29/2013
Rumored (leaked?) Beta date: 09/29/2013
Alpha date: 06/17/2013
- Limited number of people selected, seemingly random
- "White out" alpha, missing majority of textures on maps
- It seems that if you didn't get an invite, you basically didn't make it in and should wait for beta
Media
- Official Trailers
- Battlefield 4: Official "Siege of Shanghai" Multiplayer Trailer
- Battlefield 4 -- E3 Multiplayer Gameplay -- Best Moments
- Battlefield 4: Official Commander Mode Trailer
- Battlefield 4: Official "Angry Sea" Single Player Gameplay Video
- Battlefield 4: Official 17 Minutes "Fishing in Baku" Gameplay Reveal
- Gameplay Footage
- Official Gallery
Expansion Packs
- China Rising: free with preorder
- Second Assault: includes 4 maps from BF3
Features
- 64 players, 60 fps confirmed for XB1 and PS4 (1080p has been mentioned, but is yet to be confirmed); expect 30 FPS, 24 players, kinda-HD for X360 and PS3
- Confirmed game modes: Squad Deathmatch, Conquest, Rush, and Team Deathmatch (at least 2 new game modes will come, but some from BF3 will be dropped; implied 7-10 game modes total)
- Rumored game modes: Squad Rush, Conquest Large, Conquest Assault Large, Conquest Assault Small, Conquest Domination, Obliteration (bomb-oriented mode with the presence of a High Value Target), Elimination (likely a no-respawn mode)
- Hardcore mode
- Ammo is magazine-based, not "pool"-based
- In-game VOIP
- No Battle Recorder; can rely on built in XB1 and PS4 recorders
- Practice mode/tutorial mode for vehicles
- Better Battlelog integration for consoles
- USMC, Russia, and China factions
Maps
- Siege at Shanghai (featured in E3 Pre-Alpha)
- "Levolution"
- Every map will have changes that can alter the makeup of the map/level. For example, in Siege in Shanghai, after the skyscraper falls, a small peninsula of rubble can be traversed and dust/debris in the air decreases visibility in the area
- Also refers to the verticality they want to add to maps.
- So far, not scripted--can take out supports to bring down skyscraper
- Urban areas can't be flattened by destruction; design choice, not engine limitation
- Improved environments
- Metal detectors can expose you, storefront gates can be shut to cut people off, fire extinguishers create smoke screens, bollards can prevent vehicle access
- Water reacts dynamically to vehicles and events (skyscraper falling)
reddit said:
Commander Mode
- One player on each side that does not occupy a player slot (64 players + 2 commanders)
- Can be played from console, PC, or remotely with a tablet (“Mobile Commander” mode)
- Scan and EMP UAVs can be deployed; vehicle scans, tomahawk missiles, infantry scans, and gunships can be deployed based on whether or not certain bases are capture
- Supply (ammo and medical) and vehicle drops
- Set attack orders for individual squads; squad leaders can confirm that they are accepting the commander’s orders
- Included in Conquest and Rush so far
- Commander persistence/skill tree
- "Gating" queue system that prevents everyone from being eligible as a commander
- Squad leaders can initiate votekick to oust a bad commander
- If squads follow your orders, everyone receives bonus points
- Can counter commander's abilities (scramble UAV, for example)
Spectator Mode
- Confirmed for PC, "we'll see" for console
- Views: Table Top, First Person, Third Person, Free Cam
- Can "set" up to five free cams around the map to quickly jump to certain location
- UI can be turned off
- Can click on player from table top view and get PiP view of their screen
Game Mechanics
- Squad assists can count as kills if you contibuted the most to the kill (maybe >90%?)
- Reduced suppression: Support now contributes the most to suppression and it has a greater effect at long range
- ADS near cover allows a "peak" cover system. Not sure if you can lean left/right, but seems you can pop up above cover
- "Click to spawn" deployment options; you can click on a spawn point or squad member to spawn
- Interface is muuuch less click-heavy vs BF3
- No in-game Killfeed (your kills are displayed in center of screen briefly) or Killcam, but this is subject to change (pre-alpha)
- Movement system has been tweaked for momentum; it takes a moment to get to full sprint speed
- Directional callouts--the default "enemy spotted" voice seems to indicate directions/location relative to your position
- Hand gestures indicate commands, including spotting; multiple enemies can be spotted at a time
- Ladder climbing is faster
- Proprietary matchmaking system instead of system matchmaking
- Skill system, in addition to matchmaking; can set skill reqs for servers
- "Partial mod" support; likely to be server-side modifications (vehicle count, damage mods, player count???)
- No blue tint, (yet) in-game UI looks very neutral
- In-game HUD shows hotkeys for different gadgets/attachments at bottom/middle of the screen
- When spawning, you'll see live feed gameplay of wherever you choose to spawn. (squad member, vehicle, capture point, etc.)
- Bullet tracers and smoke trails are more prominent; grenades have smoke trails
- Knife attacks can be countered by pressing button when prompted (small window)
Naval Warfare
- Zh1nt0 says it will "be big", trailer will be coming out soon
- While swimming, can dive to avoid gunfire
- Can shoot pistols under/above water while swimming (shooting underwater is very inaccurate)
- Can sprint swim
- Sea combat: Jetskis, boats, and “ships” confirmed.
- Exiting an attack boat launches you directly into a jetski from the back of the boat
Vehicles
- Enhanced vehicle disabling: Vehicles are disabled based on the parts that are hit; however, tires can't be shot out (it's not that granular)
- Vehicle customization/specialization is more robust than BF3
- Air
- Land
- Limited MBT 120mm ammo, which can regenerate
- Sea
- Can be outfitted with anti-air and anti-armor rockets
Classes, Weapons, and Equipment
- All classes
- Excellent gallery of loadout screens
- Faction-specific weapons are back
- All classes have access to:
- Carbines: M4A1, AK5C
- Designated Marksman Rifles: QBU-88, Kel-Tec RFB
- Shotguns: Serbu Super Shorty, Saiga-12, Hawk 12 Gauge, M26 MASS, Norinco V1218
- Pistols: M9A1, QSZ-92, MP412 REX
- Grenades: HE, flashbang, and incendiary
- Tons of attachments/customizations (green hipfire laser sights, different foregrips, barrel types, bipods, silencer/flashlight combo)
- Over 1200 items that can be unlocked via 300 "Battlepacks", which can be earned or bought
- Primary weapon attachment system
- Optics: various sights
- Barrel: muzzle brake, etc.
- Accessory: Canted Iron Sights (turn gun 45 degrees to use sights), 2x Magnifier (adds optional magnification to chosen sight), laser pointer (same as BF3), green laser pointer (possibly stealthier, only shows up to enemy if directly in their eyes)
- Underbarrel: bipod, angled grip (lower initial recoil), vertical grip (same as BF3)
- Pistol attachment system
- Optics: iron sights, ghost ring, RDS
- Barrel: sound suppressor, compensator
- Accessory: laser pointer, green laser pointer
- Assault
- Assault rifles: QBZ-95-1, CZ805, M16A3, AEK-971, HK416
- M320
- Medic Bag: deployable health
- First Aid Pack: You toss this onto someone. It regenerates their health, regardless of their proximity to you. If you toss onto ground, it can be picked up by someone else
- Defibs need to be charged before you can pick someone up;
seems they still need to be unlockedActually, they were not in the Alpha due to a bug found at the last minute
- Recon
- Sniper rifles: Steyr Scout Elite, SV-98
- C4; can be thrown again, and can attach to boats
- Motion sensor ball (it also seems there is TUGS, but haven't seen it in-game; we have seen the sensor ball in-game, however)
- Range finder and scope zeroing
- Accessory: variable zoom 14x (adds 14x zoom to any scope being used)
- Support
- Light machine guns: Mk. 46 Mod. 0, Ultimax-100, QJY-88
- Ammo bag: deployable ammo
- Ammo pack: ammo that can individually be given to someone
- Support has XM25 CDTE grenade launcher, grenades explode midflight. Aim at target, then lift sights and fire and grenade explodes above target
- Engineer
- Personal defense weapons: CZ3A1, P90, U-100 M5K
- Engineer can carry AT Mine and Repair torch at same time
- RPG-7, Stinger, MBT-LAW, SRAW
Squads
- Field Upgrades
- Team actions/XP build up your squad "field upgrades" meter
- You get to pick your upgrade "path"; you share XP, but pick your own field upgrades--there are no more squad specializations
- Two field upgrade paths: Offensive and Defensive (more field upgrades may be added down the line)
- Defensive
- Level 1: Suppression Resistance
- Level 2: Grenade Boost
- Level 3: Explosive Resistance
- Level 4: Heal Boost
- Offensive
- Level 1: Sprint Boost
- Level 2: Ammo Boost
- Level 3: Grenade Boost
- Level 4: Suppression Increase
- Defensive
- Squad wipe takes you down one level; there are four levels of field upgrades
- 5 players per squad
- Default is squad-spawn on anyone; squad leader-only spawning is server setting
Battlefield 4 also contains a single-player mode.
