Battlefield V beta impressions thread

[Gethsemani_v1legacy]

Considering that the BF V beta has been running for almost a week now (for those that pre-ordered or uses Origin Access at least) and ends tomorrow, I doubt that I'm the only one on the Escapist that has played it. So let's talk about it!

My overall impression is much more positive then I first expected, apart from some weird weapon balancing (the StG is nowhere near balanced in its current state and the Suomi SMG is pretty useless unless you are standing in someones face) the moment to moment gameplay is much better than BF1. The slower pace means that you actually have time to consider your surroundings and the re-balance of sniper rifles makes them a lot less effective then they were in BF1.

It also sounds really weird to have an afro-american call out for help in a thick midlands accent, but hopefully that can be changed with the customization options upon release.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

I thought it was pretty alright, though the lack of spotting threw me off for a bit, it wasn't long to adapt to the changes. Couldn't figure out how to be a pilot though; a possible extended moment of stupid. And weapon customisation looked sparse, but maybe that's an authenticity thing? The weapons felt a bit lighter than I remember from the previous installment. In the end the shootybangbangs are all still the good feeling type.

 

[Elijin]

The snipers felt like they were meant for a WW2 game.

Which was a damn shame, since the automatic weapons felt like modern shooters, with a WW2 skin, which made from some pretty terrible combat a bunch of times.

Plus like, huge issues with weapon customisation and item unlocks. Raw upgrades with no downside? Locked in customisation paths? Plus the fact you had to completely back out to the main menu to play with customisation or add new weapons and gadgets to your lineup. Whole system does not seem well thought out.


But uh, it was pretty, and the multi-stage Rush maps were interesting.

 

[Mcgeezaks]

I've only played it for like 3 hours but I honestly didn't like it that much, I think it's too slow and I don't like the lack of vehicles in general. The V1 Rockets are cool though.

 

[TheSapphireKnight]

I think its got a lot of potential, certainly more than anything we've gotten in the past 8 years. I like the focus on teamwork and squadplay, 3d spotting is finally gone, recoil is controllable and predictable, fortifications are interesting although I often forget they exist.

I don't like what they have done with the vehicles aside from the need to rearm at a supply station. I just don't think it was necessary to make these tanks behave in a more realistic manner after they went out of their way to make WWI era tanks and vehicles faster and more maneuverable than they actually were.

The scout class is been nerfed severely and I don't really understand why when every other class has been buffed relative to their BF1 counterparts, BF1 scouts and their bolts action rifles would probably fit right in. The whole class feels pointless unless you are a bush wookie sniping at the edge of the map so I don't feel like that these changes fix anything.

The upgrade system is terrible and is going to really put a damper on new players, not only would veteran players have more weapons than new ones, they are going to have objectively better ones and that is not good for longevity.

The UI is pretty bad and as mentioned before the STG44 needs a serious looking at.

Despite all my complaints, I am actually really hopeful they can get a lot of the problems ironed out. There is so much potential here that is boggles my mind so many people are busy whining about cosmetics. Its such a petty complaint, but I guess it is to be expected from the usual suspects.

I have heard rumblings they are "toning down" the cosmetics whatever that means. I don't really care that much about the clothing, but I would drop this game immediately if they cave to bigots and remove the race and gender options, or relegate them to one class or another.

 

[Gethsemani_v1legacy]

Does the beta have dat ray tracing goodness?

 

[Squilookle]

As a Battlefield pilot I found it astounding that after 16 years and over 200 staff, including other studios being brought in to help on the project, they still struggle to balance two fighter planes. The Spitfire handles like total ass, any half decent 109 pilot can run rings around it.

Honestly sometimes I wish they'd just ditch customisation, ditch weapon and vehicle variance entirely and just make everything handle the exact same as its direct adversary. Then they'd finally be rid of the thousands of hours needed for tweaking everything, people would stop screaming out 'buff this' and 'nerf that,' People would stop blaming their deaths on their opponent having a 'better' tool at their disposal, there would no longer be a 'noob' gun that is considered cheap to use, and devs and players alike can just get down to actually making and playing the goddamned game.

That said I actually found the infantry combat quite enjoyable. I thought the low ammo really encouraged seeking out the enemy too.

I hope (pray) they sort out those stupid imbalances with the aircraft before launch (and make their machine guns effective against infantry again), but even so I will wait at least a month after launch before I even consider buying it, as usual.

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

In the one match of Conquest I played, I went about 19-13 playing exclusively Assault, and my team had only two tickets left when we won. It does appear that matches are close much more often than I've seen in previous BF games.

But that's really the extent of the positive impressions I took away. The gunplay felt like a confused mess, the respawn system is terrible, the call-down rockets are overpowered, and the attrition system is poorly thought-out. (Tanks take forever to resupply; they could probably cut that time down by 60% and not hurt gameplay.) And while I thankfully didn't hit any of the major bugs that have been seen, loads of other people did.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

It also sounds really weird to have an afro-american call out for help in a thick midlands accent

How do you know they were american? Why would an american have a british accent?

 

[Gethsemani_v1legacy]

How do you know they were american? Why would an american have a british accent?

Because the Allied Assault class is clad in only US Army gear? Which is what makes it so jarring when he shouts in a thick British accent. Had he at least been wearing something British I would not have drawn the same conclusion.

 

[Hawki]

How do you know they were american? Why would an american have a british accent?

Because the Allied Assault class is clad in only US Army gear? Which is what makes it so jarring when he shouts in a thick British accent. Had he at least been wearing something British I would not have drawn the same conclusion.

Isn't the bigger question why a British Army member (or what I'm assuming is British Army) is clad in US Army gear at all?

 

[Mcgeezaks]

How do you know they were american? Why would an american have a british accent?

Because the Allied Assault class is clad in only US Army gear? Which is what makes it so jarring when he shouts in a thick British accent. Had he at least been wearing something British I would not have drawn the same conclusion.

Isn't the bigger question why a British Army member (or what I'm assuming is British Army) is clad in US Army gear at all?

Who cares? Battlefield was never about realism :^)

 

[Hawki]

Who cares? Battlefield was never about realism :^)

And yet certain swathes of the Internet became frothing lunatics when it was revealed that you could play as a girl. 0_0

 

[TheMysteriousGX]

Was pretty fun. If I get a wild hair I might pick it up, depending on reviews.

Honestly, they should've just went with Free French instead of British. Much easier to justify a wide range of customization option between not being segregated, folding in Resistance fighters, and being primarily, but not exclusively, equipped by the US.

 

[Mcgeezaks]

Who cares? Battlefield was never about realism :^)

And yet certain swathes of the Internet became frothing lunatics when it was revealed that you could play as a girl. 0_0

I just find it funny that the same people who claimed people are being silly for thinking that having plenty of women at the frontlines is jarring are now saying that a soldier in US gear with a British accent is jarring.

 

[DeliveryGodNoah_v1legacy]

I missed it just like every beta because I'm the guy that takes the weekend shifts that literally everyone else doesn't want.

 

[Gethsemani_v1legacy]

And yet certain swathes of the Internet became frothing lunatics when it was revealed that you could play as a girl. 0_0

I just find it funny that the same people who claimed people are being silly for thinking that having plenty of women at the frontlines is jarring are now saying that a soldier in US gear with a British accent is jarring.[/quote]

I'm totally fine with it, it just became one of those unintentionally hilarious moments when you see a thin black man in US army gear go down and then shouting for a medic in a gravely, burly voice with a midlands accent. Much the same as if you'd see a burly white man with a thick red beard get hit and call out for help in a squeaky, feminine voice with a Nigerian accent. The voice simply didn't fit the model.

 

[Squilookle]

I just find it funny that anyone, anywhere, would ever claim that a nebulous group that says one thing is the same group that says another.

 

[Mcgeezaks]

I just find it funny that someone would think it's nebulous.

I'm totally fine with it, it just became one of those unintentionally hilarious moments when you see a thin black man in US army gear go down and then shouting for a medic in a gravely, burly voice with a midlands accent. Much the same as if you'd see a burly white man with a thick red beard get hit and call out for help in a squeaky, feminine voice with a Nigerian accent. The voice simply didn't fit the model.

Something that is jarring is not something I'd be 100% fine with to be honest.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

Something that is jarring is not something I'd be 100% fine with to be honest.

That is quite humourous coming from someone with a metal gear solid avatar.