Battlefield 2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Battlefield 2 | |
|---|---|
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| Developer(s) | Digital Illusions CE |
| Publisher(s) | EA Games |
| Series | Battlefield series |
| Engine | Refractor 2 |
| Version | 1.41 (November 16, 2006) |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release date | June 21, 2005 ( )June 22, 2005 (  )June 24, 2005 (  ) |
| Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, Multiplayer, Conquest, Co-op |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Teen (T) PEGI: 16+ OFLC: MA15+ |
| Media | DVD (1 disc) or CD (3 discs + 1 manual disc) (both same features) (With Deluxe edition, it comes on 5 CDs, or Complete Collection DVD (1 disc)) |
| System requirements | Windows XP, 1.7 GHz AMD Athlon XP, Sempron, Intel Pentium 4 or Celeron D CPU, 512 MB RAM, 2.3 GB hard disk space, sound card, DirectX compatible 128 MB graphics card, Radeon 8500 or GeForce FX 5700 |
| Input methods | Keyboard, mouse, joystick (optional) |
Battlefield 2 (abbreviated to BF2) is a computer game in which players fight in a modern battlefield using modern weapon systems.[1] Battlefield 2 is a first-person shooter with some strategy and RPG elements.[2] Battlefield 2 was developed by Digital Illusions CE (DICE) with a custom game engine. During development, Trauma Studios contributed to the development of the game after it was acquired by Digital Illusions CE.[3] BF2 is published by Electronic Arts as the third full game of the Battlefield series, released in late June 2005.[2] The first two installments were Battlefield 1942 and Battlefield Vietnam.
BF2 includes a single-player mode with three difficulty levels and multiplayer mode via the Internet or a LAN. Both player modes use the same maps and use Battlefield's conquest game mode. Single-player mode allows 15 computer controlled players,[4] while Internet mode allows up to 64 players. Players can choose to play 3 factions: United States Marine Corps (USMC), People's Liberation Army (PLA), and the fictional "Middle East Coalition" (MEC). Additional factions are playable through the expansion packs.
A console branded version also exists (for Xbox, Xbox 360 and PS2), named Battlefield 2: Modern Combat. Although they both share the same name, they differ quite considerably in execution, content, and gameplay.[5]
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[edit] Gameplay
There are two main game modes, Conquest and Cooperative gameplay. The ultimate objective of "Conquest" (Battlefield 2's only officially ranked game mode) is to reduce the opposing team's "tickets" to zero. This can be accomplished by capturing flags (which also allows the team to spawn at that point), forcing the opposing team to respawn players by killing them. By capturing flags, the team with less than half of the flags or failing to capture a certain number of flags depending on the map will have their tickets gradually diminish. By killing an opponent, his or her team’s ticket will decrement by one once the player respawns. Furthermore, if a team has nowhere to spawn and all of its members are dead, their ticket count will instantly go to zero.
Cooperative gameplay, known as “co-op”, is the same as conquest mode except that players also play with and against computers or known as “bots”. This game mode is not part of the ranking system.
[edit] Infantry classes
In Battlefield 2, as with previous Battlefield titles, players are able to select from a variety of infantry classes. Each class of soldier is equipped with different weaponry appropriate to their role in the battle. Assault soldiers, for example, are general-purpose infantry with grenade-launcher equipped assault-rifles and extra armor, Medics carry first-aid equipment such as a field defibrillator, and Anti-Tank troopers are equipped with missiles which are effective against heavy armor.
Players are able to choose a class at the start of a match, or between dying and respawning once the match has begun. Players can also change their class by picking up a "kit" from the body of an incapacitated soldier, friendly or otherwise. Hence, an Assault soldier can become a Medic if they come across a fallen Medic. Possible player classes are Spec Ops, Sniper, Assault, Support, Engineer, Medic and Anti-Tank.
Within the infantry class, there are three support classes with special abilities. The engineer can repair with his wrench, the medic can revive with his defibrillator paddles, the support can resupply ammunition with his ammo bags. These special abilities are helpful to other players when one of the these three classes occupies a vehicle. Nearby personnel and vehicles can be replenished by being in close proximity.
[edit] Vehicles
The various forces still use the trademark feature of the Battlefield series - the large stable of vehicles that any player, regardless of faction, specialty or experience, can climb into and control.[6] There are many different types of vehicles playable in Battlefield 2. They are all based on real-life vehicles used by the militaries of different countries.[7]
There are about 30 vehicles available for use ranging from main battle tanks such as the M1A2 Abrams to fast transports like the Desert Patrol Vehicle. Contrast to Battlefield 1942, Battlefield 2 has only one purely water-based vehicle, the rigid-inflatable boat, however, the BTR-90, the MEC APC, can travel in water as well as the LAV-25 and the WZ 551, the USMC and PLA equivalents, respectively. Theoretically, every vehicle is weak to another type of vehicle, similar to a game of rock-paper-scissors.[8] For example, the mobile anti-air can effectively destroy a helicopter, but is vulnerable against an opposing tank. Included within this relationship are stationary defenses such as light machine guns and anti-aircraft/armor emplacements. The availability and number of certain vehicles are dependent on the map and its size. Also, more vehicles become available to be used on the maps of expansion/booster packs. (see Maps).
[edit] Features
Even though Battlefield 2 is a sequel to Battlefield 1942, there are many changes to the popular gameplay of the original. Many of these new gameplay features were added to the game with teamwork and collaboration in mind. The new game engine includes improved physics, dynamic lighting, and more realistic material penetration.
[edit] Squads
Players are able to form themselves into one-to-six-man squads with up to nine squads, for better versatility and survivability on the battlefield. Members of a squad have the added ability to communicate to players within their squad via Voice-over IP (VoIP), a method of voice communication integrated into BF2.
The commander can provide the squad leader with objectives (such as destroying, moving, mining an area, attacking, defending, repairing a team asset), for which he or she can pass, decline or convey along to the squad members. Squad leaders also have the ability to create objectives for their squad. Once an order is sent down to the squad, they will appear on the player interface as waypoints or colored smoke markers. The squad leader is also the only person in the team that has access to request orders, artillery, UAV support, and supply/vehicle drops from the commander, as well as the only player that is able to communicate directly to the commander via VoIP.
The members of the squad have the option of "spawning" on their squad leader instead of a flag. This can be a considerable advantage, for as long as the squad leader is alive and the team has at least one control point, squad members gain a closer respawn point to their objective.
[edit] Commander
The commander position is an exclusive role in each team that is assigned via player initiated application and selection is made prior to the beginning of the round. If more than one player applies for the position, it falls on whoever has the highest in-game rank.
The commander position plays the strategic role of the battlefield commander, assigning objectives to squad leaders and providing direct support in the form of artillery support, satellite scan and UAV reconnaissance, and supply and vehicle drops. In addition, the commander can view any part of the map real-time and point out hostile elements to the entire team. Despite this the commander is still as vulnerable to gunfire as any other player, and receives no special kit or sidearms; the commander uses whatever loadout the player selected to use.
The commander can resign at any time, letting other players apply for the position. It is also possible to mutiny against the commander with enough votes from the team. This option can be disabled by servers, however.
[edit] Global ranking
A log of all players' activities, kills, weapon usage, and other achievements on "official" ranked servers is kept, and organized into a ranking system. Rankings are based on USMC military ranks, ranging from Private all the way to General. Achievements and promotions are largely based on the player's global points which increases as he or she accomplishes certain objectives in the game. At the same time, points can be deducted from the global score due to player's negative actions such as killing/injuring teammates and damaging/destroying teammates in vehicles. Once the player's global points reaches a certain number, he or she will be promoted to the next rank, giving him or her preference when applying for the team commander position. These ranks become harder to achieve the higher up the hierarchy. A player's point standing and rank can be viewed within Battlefield 2 or from various 3rd-party websites.
[edit] Awards and unlockable weapons
One can earn awards (ribbons, badges, and medals) for certain tasks accomplished. Badges and ribbons are the easiest to obtain, and medals are much harder, requiring dedication and extensive play. As players ascend through the ranks they will gain the ability to unlock certain weapons. For each rank gained after the rank of Private First Class, a player will be granted the ability to unlock one of seven unlockable weapons with the original game, one for each class. Players who have the Special Forces expansion have the option to unlock 7 more weapons, 2 weapons per each promotion after lance corporal. This system has players who have not purchased the expansion at a disadvantage with regard to weapon availability on servers which allow use of unlocked weapons. For each kit, however, in order to unlock the Special Forces weapon one must first unlock the "Vanilla" weapon. For instance, if the player wanted to unlock the L96A1 Sniper rifle, he/she would first have to unlock the M95. The ranking system and unlockables can be used on all servers which allow them, but only "official" (ranked) servers record and send back stats.
[edit] Battlefield recorder
A built-in game recorder records battles for subsequent replay. These files can be downloaded off a server which supports BattleRecorder directly after their respective game. Recorded battle files are around 1 megabytes to 8 megabytes in size and are played within the Battlefield 2 engine. Camera angles can be changed (free roaming & selected player), as well as the speed, though it cannot be rewound. Files can be exported to AVI format.[9] The Battlefield Recorder has facilitated the creation of various machinima.
[edit] Maps
Battlefield 2 offers 15 maps for the players to play. These maps are diverse, ranging from swamps such as Songhua Stalemate, to urban areas such as Strike at Karkand, to an unfinished dam known as Kubra Dam. The USMC is present in all maps and faces against either the MEC or the PLA depending on the map. PLA is present in Far East theaters such as Dragon Valley and Daqing Oilfields. MEC is present in Middle East theaters such as Gulf of Oman and Zatar Wetlands. The BF2 series including the expansion and booster packs puts the map count at 29 maps.
BF2 maps have 3 variations, each suited for a certain number of players. Each map has 16, 32, and 64 player-suggested variations in which the area of battlefield or playing field is relatively small, medium, and large, respectively. The only exception to this is Wake Island 2007, which is locked at 64-player size. Other contrasts between these variations other than the size are the number and position of control points and availability of vehicles. As a result, the gameplay of the map is different depending on the variation.[10][11]
In June 2007, EA officially released a beta map, Highway Tampa. As of July 2007, the map has become an official ranked Battlefield 2 map. It is a large map with rolling terrain and favors armored warfare.
[edit] Reception
Battlefield 2 has sales of over 2,250,000 copies worldwide, as of July 2006.[12]
The game gained widespread approval from critics, receiving an aggregate score of 91% from 55 reviews,[13] including five stars out of five from large reviewing organizations Yahoo! Games, GameSpy, X-play and Computer Gaming World. PC Gamer awarded it 94%, stating, "Its finely tuned maps and balanced gameplay prove that you CAN improve on perfection," and honored it as Game of the Year.[14] GameSpot rated the game 9.3 out of 10 claiming that "when you experience Battlefield 2 like it's meant to be played, with everyone working together and using real-time voice chat, the game quickly becomes unlike anything else that you've played before."[15]
Some of the lower scores were reactions to the large amount of bugs and glitches in the initial release. For example, Gaming Nexus (who awarded the game an 8.7 out of 10) reported, "I’ve had many cool experiences playing it and a lot of 'did I just see that' moments but all of that is crapped on by the bugs and quirks in the game.".[16] Many players have complained that bugs have remained unfixed or were replaced with worse bugs due to poorly tested game patches. As of 1.41, most of the fatal errors (crash-to-desktop) have been fixed, and few browser, server and balance problems remain.
Games Radar approved of the game, awarding a 90%, but added a disclaimer that the gaming experience is best "if your machine is up to it".[17][18] GameSpot's review agreed with the high system requirements noting that "the load times are one of the biggest gripes that we have, as you will spend quite a bit of time waiting for a game to start up, even on high-end machines...also a bit demanding in the hardware department."
[edit] Awards
E3 2005 Game Critics Awards: Best Online Multiplayer.[19]
PC Gamer: 2005 Game of the Year
PC Powerplay: 2005 Game of the Year
Gamespot: 2005 Multiplayer Game of the Year[20]
Maximum PC Gaming Awards: 2006 Best Multiplayer (quote "despite being 2005's war")
[edit] Demo
A demo is available for download from major game sites featuring a single map (Gulf of Oman) for both single-player and multi-player. If you own the retail version, it is possible to play with unlocked weapons in the demo. Having the retail version will also result in your current rank being shown in the demo. The 16-person version of the map has a time limit of 10 minutes; the 32-person version has a time limit of 12 minutes. The 64-person version is unavailable in the demo, though up to 64 players can still play on the 32-person map. EA Games shut down all of its demo servers on November 28, 2005. However, demo client and demo server software are still available for download from BF2 website should players and server operators wish to host the game themselves. Many players still game on these demo servers, with a community numbering at least 100 at a time, a low peak.[21]
Some aspects of gameplay, such as jet combat, are markedly different in the demo compared with the current game. This is due to changes made in recent patches. The demo does not feature rankings, apart from on a couple of servers.
[edit] Official Expansion Pack
[edit] Battlefield 2: Special Forces
| Battlefield 2: Special Forces | |
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| Developer(s) | Digital Illusions CE: Canada |
| Publisher(s) | EA Games |
| Engine | Battlefield 2 Engine |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release date | November 21, 2005 (SG) November 22, 2005 (NA) |
| Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, Multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Teen (T) PEGI: 16+ OFLC: M |
| Media | 1 DVD or 2 CDs (both same features) or Digital Download (5 CDs with the Deluxe Edition) |
| System requirements | Same as Battlefield 2 |
Battlefield 2's only expansion pack, Special Forces, first began its development sometime during or shortly before the release of the original Battlefield 2 by DICE Canada: Battlefield producer, Mike Doran, commented in August 2005 that "The truth is that work on Battlefield 2: Special Forces began several months ago.".[22] It was officially announced on July 14, 2005 and released on November 21 of the same year.[23][24] The focus of the development was infantry-based combat as opposed to vehicle-centric combat from the original. As such, most of the additional content in the expansion pack can be used by infantry only or to assist the infantry
By name, this pack focuses on special warfare with players taking the role of six unconventional forces: US Navy SEALS, British SAS, Russian Spetsnaz, MEC Special Forces, and unspecified Rebels and Insurgents. Players play in eight maps with ten more vehicles such as the AH-64D Apache and Mi-35 Hind. In addition to these new contents, players have access to new equipment such as night vision goggles, tear gas, and flashbangs which can alter gameplay. There are eight more small arms weapons available such as the G36K/E and FN SCAR L/H and several weapons from the original are replaced. The expansion offers more awards in the form of badges, ribbons, and medals that players can earn.[25] Finally, many of the weapons from the expansion may be used in the original Battlefield 2.
This expansion pack is available for purchase via EA's content delivery service, known as EA Store, in addition to retail copies and Battlefield 2 Deluxe Edition.
[edit] Official Booster Packs
| Battlefield 2: Booster Pack Collection | |
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| Developer(s) | Digital Illusions CE: Canada |
| Publisher(s) | EA Games |
| Engine | Battlefield 2 Engine |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release date | November 20, 2006 |
| Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, Multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Teen (T) PEGI: 16+ OFLC: M |
| Media | Digital Download or DVD(1) |
| System requirements | Same as Battlefield 2 |
Booster packs are additional content released for Battlefield 2 that can be downloaded via the EA Link for US$10, £6 or €10. The booster packs are now available in retail form as the Booster Pack Collection, containing a DVD which features these packs.
Booster packs add a significant amount of content to the game, but are different from expansion packs because they are intended to add to the original gameplay and not stand on their own (such as Special Forces does). The booster packs include new maps, vehicles, and a new European Union faction. Neither booster pack adds any content that can be used within the Battlefield 2 core game.
[edit] Euro Force
Battlefield 2: Euro Force is the first booster pack, and was released on March 14, 2006. The booster pack allows players to play as a new European Union army, armed with new weapons and vehicles from the various countries of the EU. It is available for purchase online at the Electronic Arts download service, or as part of the retail Booster Pack Collection. It was scheduled for release in February, but was delayed due to a substantial amount of new bugs caused by the release of patch 1.2. It features a whole new army, 4 new vehicles, 3 new maps (including 'The Great Wall of China', against the People's Liberation Army of China), and 7 new weapons: the HK53, L96, L85A2, HK21, Benelli M4, FAMAS, and P90.
[edit] Armored Fury
Battlefield 2: Armored Fury is the second booster pack released for Battlefield 2 and was released on June 6, 2006. It added 3 new maps, as well as two new vehicle classes: attack jets for close air support and reconnaissance helicopters that operate as a mobile UAV. The booster pack has the USMC defending U.S. soil from invasions from the PLA and MEC. Operation Midnight Sun features the Chinese landing at the Alaskan port Valdez where they are trying to secure much needed fuel from the pipeline. Operation Road Rage is a MEC vs. USMC map, where the MEC are using US Highways to transport units to industrial areas. Operation Harvest sees the United States trying to stall the MEC en route to the capital from the northwest, being blocked in a Pennsylvania Dutch farm, while waiting for reinforcements. New vehicles include Attack or Close Air Support aircraft such as the A-10 Thunderbolt II, Su-25 Frogfoot and the Nanchang Q-5 as well as new light utility helicopers such as OH-6 Little Bird, EC-635 and the WZ-11. As well as the addition of new helicopters and planes, DICE also added the Muscle Car and Semi Truck. However, the proposed AV-8B Harrier was cut from the addon due to balancing issues.[26]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ GameSpot Battlefield 2 Technical Information. GameSpot. Retrieved on 2006-05-19.
- ^ a b GameSpy Review - Page 1. GameSpy. Retrieved on 2006-05-19.
- ^ Digital Illusions buys Trauma Studios. Trauma Studios. Retrieved on 2006-05-19.
- ^ Battlefield 2 Review. GameSpy. Retrieved on 2006-05-19.
- ^ Battlefield 2: Modern Combat review. Gamespot. Retrieved on 2007-01-15.
- ^ Battlefield 2 Profile Preview - The Vehicles of Battlefield 2. Gamespot. Retrieved on 2007-06-28.
- ^ Battlefield 2 Developer Interview (video). Gamespot. Retrieved on 2007-06-28.
- ^ Accardo, Sal (2007-04-20). Battlefield 2 Interview. Gamespy. Retrieved on 2007-12-12.
- ^ Community Update (6/10/05) on BattleRecorder. EA GAMES.
- ^ Battlefield 2 Review. GameSpot. Retrieved on 2007-03-11.
- ^ The Maps of Battlefield: Part 1. GameSpy. Retrieved on 2007-03-11.
- ^ cc-39119edff67d&page=0 Digital Illusions Interim report January-June 2006. Retrieved on 2006-08-11.
- ^ Metacritic: Battlefield 2. Retrieved on 2006-05-20.
- ^ "PC Gamer", September 2005, p. 56.
- ^ Review of Battlefield 2 by Gamespot. GameSpot. Retrieved on 2007-06-28.
- ^ Gaming Nexus' Battlefield 2 Review. Retrieved on 2006-05-20.
- ^ Battlefield 2 Review. Games Radar. Retrieved on 2006-05-20.
- ^ Battlefield 2 Product Description. EA Games. Retrieved on 2008-02-04.
- ^ 2005 Winners. gamecriticsawards.com.
- ^ Gamespot's Best of 2005 - Special Achievement Awards. Gamespot.
- ^ Battlefield 2 Download. Retrieved on 2007-07-20.
- ^ Gamespot interview on Battlefield 2: Special Forces. Gamespot. Retrieved on 2007-06-28.
- ^ Gamespot article: Special Forces heading to Battlefield 2. Gamespot. Retrieved on 2007-06-28.
- ^ Gamespot article: BF2's Special Forces ready for action. Gamespot. Retrieved on 2007-06-28.
- ^ Visual interface showcasing Battlefield 2: Special Forces content (Flash Player required). Electronic Arts. Retrieved on 2007-06-28.
- ^ Official EA Armored Fury website.
[edit] External links
- Official
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