Battlefield 2 Demo out

[Hermit]

www.battlefield2.com
They released the demo yesterday, but only managed to find a decent download location today. Its around 550meg, so its a pretty big file. I'd recommend using the Download.com link if you can, I got 140 kb/s on their server as opposed to 20kb/s on most of the others. There's also bound ot be some torrents floating around by now.
The demo itself has one map running on the standard Battlefield Conquest game. Gulf of Oman reminds me a lot of an old BF1942 map (Might even be the same map, can't remember). The US forces start with an Aircraft carrier off the coast, and a few points along the beach, while the fictional militia group hold the Airfield and points inland.
It's pretty similar to BF1942, which is no bad thing. Not really many people taking advantage of the squad and command systems yet, but I've played a couple of games where Commanders have been making use of their artillery bombing abilities at least.

[okiedokie]

Yes. And hopefully people will not just try to use the tanks and planes all the time

[Hermit]

Actually thats exactly what IS happening
Although I hear its a little difficult to properly configure joysticks in the game. Planes are ok with the mouse, but its nigh on impossible to fly the helicopters without a stick. Personally, I prefer using a stick for both, but mine refuses to work anymore. Hoping to pickup a Saitek Cyborg Evo in time for the game's release.

[Ed]

Very awesome demo, although it looks like Dice pulled a Fable on us.

The RTS style commander view is missing (well, it was in the 16 player singleplayer mode), we no longer have 128 players, and where are the American maps they were talking about?! The Squads system isn't forced on the player, but still works good enough (and you can spawn at the location of your squad leader!)

But on the otherside, the classes are balanced nice and awesome, and I like their idea of having the maps adjust to the players on it (although the 32 player maps seem to be the best for 64 players.) And the urban combat is as awesome as the Killzone 2 trailer.

[Domokun Clasico]

gadgeeks.com has some mirrors. pretty fast too.

[mightfox]

hermit said:

Although I hear its a little difficult to properly configure joysticks in the game. Planes are ok with the mouse, but its nigh on impossible to fly the helicopters without a stick.

Nah, they're easy to fly. You should change the helicopter sensitivity from 300 though.

ed said:

The RTS style commander view is missing (well, it was in the 16 player singleplayer mode), we no longer have 128 players, and where are the American maps they were talking about?! The Squads system isn't forced on the player, but still works good enough (and you can spawn at the location of your squad leader!)

No, Sanius tells me the RTS style command view is still there just only in the 32 person map in multiplayer. I suppose the 16 person size map is too small for all the artillery and stuff. And there could still be a 128 player setting, just we don't have access to it yet in the demo.

But yes, the game is awesome. I mostly just wish infantry withstood less bullets.

[Blues]

Wow, that was fun. Who dosent enjoy sitting at a loading screen for 20 minutes and having their computer crash 3 times in a row!

[Hermit]

mightfox said:

Nah, they're easy to fly. You should change the helicopter sensitivity form 300 though.

Ah. That might be the reason I forgot you need to alter the sensitivity for all the things, instead of just on the General page.
The RTS thing is there, although in a lot of games it seems under-utilised. In the final game there's goign to be persistant player rakings, which means newer players can't jump straight into being a commander. Which is a nice idea, as it means you first need to get an idea of the game before, say, artillery shelling your own players as they take a flag -_-
A little tip I did pick up is thet renaming the movies folder, or the contents, stops the game runnign through them at startup each time.

[mightfox]

blues said:

Wow, that was fun. Who dosent enjoy sitting at a loading screen for 20 minutes and having their computer crash 3 times in a row!

"My computer sucks so I'm going to blame it on the video game and get all pissy and sarcastic :<<<"

Updating your driver might help, actually.

[Sabator]

I might nab this when I get my new graphics card. I severely doubt my Radeon 9200SE will cope with this.

[Ed]

Also, this game runs surprisenly fast.

[mightfox]

sabator said:

I might nab this when I get my new graphics card. I severely doubt my Radeon 9200SE will cope with this.

Well Sab, if you have enough RAM and a good processor, your Radeon could handle servers with a 32 person max as opposed to the 64 maxed ones. I don't know how it compares with my 9600 or how your processor is or anything, though, so I could just be totally wrong. :/

[MISSINGNO.]

I heard a lot of people complaining that their download timed out, so I haven't heard anything except what's been posted here. Screenshots?

[sanius]

blues said:

Wow, that was fun. Who dosent enjoy sitting at a loading screen for 20 minutes and having their computer crash 3 times in a row!

if you have less then 512 megs of ram, don't play the game. if you have 512 megs, play on low quality textures. I do low texture, medium everything except for effects, and it looks great. (minus the textures. which will be solved when I get more ram).

edit: also, how do I find my game screenshots?
and yes, the commander view IS in the game. while you're a commander, zoom in on the map with the mousescroll or whatever you use for map zoom.

[Blues]

In all seriousness, I finally got the game to run on the game's preset High setting. It's Battlefield with a bunch of extras, i'm not complaining.

[sanius]

Good to hear that Blues. I also reccomend you get a mic (if you don't have one) and play with a good clan (not join, just play) and use some voip program like ventrilo or teamspeak. if you ever want to play with a good clan on ventrilo and bf2, just ask me. :E

Also, I got an awesome gaming story!11

Last night me and my clan (about 6-7 of us) were playing BF2. On the mec team. We charged the west flag. I was support so I had a machine gun and gave out ammo, We had about 2-3 medics, and a couple assaults. An enemy boat came in so we raped him, using teamwork! (6 guys shooting at one guy ) then about 5 of the clanmates stole the boat and went to their ship. leaving me behind

Good thing for portable squad leader spawnpoints. I also had the smart idea of stealing their blackhawk. So I picked it up and moved it so I get a good look on their spawn, and another clanmate stole their attack chopper and we raped their ship, using teamwork111!!

I find being infantry to be the most enjoyable part of BF2. Only if you are in big numbers and are using teamwork and voice communication. This game is so much fun

Oh yeah, and the funny part. I was flying a jet and I don't remember why I died, but my wreckage was still flying and an enemy jet ran into it. Oops!

[Ed]

And yes Sanius, infantry is now so much better. When you're in a group using voicechat, it becomes a whole other game.

[sanius]

ed said:

And yes Sanius, infantry is now so much better. When you're in a group using voicechat, it becomes a whole other game.

Yeah. It is

Also, do you know how to use laser bombs? If I am using a jet and have it on the bomb weapon type, tanks and other armor have boxes around them. I think they are for laser bombing. How do I use them?

[Ed]

I dunno, just shoot them? Maybe they go at the target.

I can't fly jets good, I kinda just fling around in the sky and then poorly attempt to bomb their bases.

[Ed]

Oh and.

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