Original Post — Direct link
over 5 years ago - /u/PartWelsh - Direct link

A copy paste from the website is below // Please do tag myself or /u/braddock512 if you have any questions

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Hi everyone,

There’s a lot to cover with this Letter from the Front. Let’s start with . . .

The Current Status of Battlefield™ V\*

Our recent launch of Chapter 4: Defying the Odds let us drop new maps, game tweaks, and in-game rewards – and evolving the game in this way is always a thrill for us. However, the deploy also introduced some issues to the overall quality of the experience. We’ve been hard at work to address these with several updates and will continue to do so until Battlefield V is where it should be. We’re fully committed to expanding and improving our core multiplayer experience. That’s why fixing the issues is our highest priority. This commitment will be met by keeping our focus and resources invested in producing the great content our players deserve.

Our next game update, 4.4, contains fixes for stuttering issues, desyncs seen on hitboxes, as well as some tweaks to the Commorose. The next few updates will improve game stability, UI communication around damage, and many other items the community flagged. 4.4 will also deliver two new infantry maps and an increase in max Rank. You’ll now be able to go beyond Rank 50 and start earning XP on your new journey to Rank 500. You can read more about this feature here if you missed the news.

The Al Sundan Map and Other Updates

Seeing you deploy on the North African battlefield of Al Sundan has been great – and we know you’re patiently waiting on the map on the larger modes. The map has not been available on all intended modes due to unwanted issues that came with Chapter 4, which unfortunately created an unusual graphical problem we haven’t found a solve for yet. You can play on Al Sundan today on Squad Conquest and Team Deathmatch without that graphical problem, but we naturally want this map to function properly across all intended modes, such as Conquest, where this vast desert map really shines. The team is pushing to get the fix into our 4.6 release next month, but we can’t confirm that just yet, as we first want to make sure the fix is working properly and won’t create problems elsewhere, which has been the case with some past updates.

Provence and Lofoten Islands

Let’s continue with our new full-tilt, infantry-only maps developed by DICE LA: Provence and Lofoten Islands. Specifically designed for fans of tighter and tactical combat, these battlefields will let you charge through alleyways in occupied France and deploy right into fast-paced combat across two Norwegian islands. The infantry-only design of the maps means several flanking opportunities, but beware the ambushes and chokepoints.

These maps will arrive in the 4.4 update and initially feature two modes – Squad Conquest and Team Deathmatch. This week at gamescom, members of the press, content creators, and Battlefield streamers are joining us in Cologne, Germany for a first look and hands-on with these maps, going live with their content that same week.

An Update on Competitive Battlefield V

The added focus on improving the quality of the experience and adding more of the content you want has led us to step back from our original plans to offer a competitive 5v5 mode. Not creating this mode was a tough decision, but vital for us to more quickly reach our bug-crushing and content goals. However, we will still pursue building a competitive gaming experience in Battlefield. We know that there’s already an existing competitive scene in our community, and we’re helping build features to support these communities. We want to work more closely with our players to help improve the tools that they have available to shape their play experience. This way, we can better support the places where competitive Battlefield V play already exists.

This change in focus allows us to better deliver on our promise of new content that we know our players will love, as well as providing new ways to enjoy some of our more intense existing modes. 

Reimagining a Classic Map – and Returning to the Pacific

In update 4.6 this September, we’ll be delivering the Operation Underground map on Conquest, Team Deathmatch, Breakthrough, and Squad Conquest. Coming later with Tides of War for a limited time, Rush will be playable on the map, too. This is our reimagining of Operation Métro and it’s something that we’re having a ton of fun playing internally. It’s being worked on by the map’s original creator, and while it absolutely has the familiar spirit of Métro which long-time fans will enjoy, the gameplay feels really fresh.

We will then turn our attention to the Pacific, the return to Iwo Jima, and two more locations that you’ll deploy on this side of the holidays. This is going to be a huge update for us, with new weapons, vehicles, factions, and visuals supporting the new maps coming with this Chapter.

Communicating More Often and with More Transparency

Improving the experience of the game is clearly important for us. How we communicate and how often are equally important. You’ll see these “Letters from the Front” blogs on a monthly basis from now on. They’ll give the more extensive updates on everything happening behind the curtains. Battlefield Community Managers Adam Freeman and Jeff Braddock will give updates far more frequently; daily and weekly. Our goal is to get into a more regular cadence of updates through channels like the in-game News section, the Battlefield V section on the Battlefield forums, or the Battlefield V subreddit where you can check in, inform yourself, and engage with us.

Until next time.

– Ryan McArthur, Senior Producer

over 5 years ago - /u/PartWelsh - Direct link

Originally posted by pvitti86

Is it really though? Lol

If it isn't, we'll say so. The plan is September, we've been playing it here today at gamescom and folks have been posting their opinions on it online.

over 5 years ago - /u/PartWelsh - Direct link

Originally posted by pvitti86

They did the same with Al-Sundan lol

We did.

We said it was coming on one date, we discovered a problem and we came back to you all to tell you that this was problem and that it was something we needed to keep working on.

We will keep communicating information as and when we have it.

We presently have no reason to believe that it’s not coming in September and until the day that changes, this is when it will release.

over 5 years ago - /u/PartWelsh - Direct link

Originally posted by Beta1548

Forgive us for not trusting anything until the content is actually delivered. The community is out of goodwill.

Neither me or Jeff are blind to it. We will put the information out there with 0 expectation of it changing anyone’s mind - but we will still put the information out there.

over 5 years ago - /u/PartWelsh - Direct link

Originally posted by Beta1548

So, u/partwelsh , just to be absolutely clear, for players who like the full, classic, combined arms experience in conquest, who haven’t gotten anything at all since Mercury, we have to sit and hope that maybe Al-Soondan will finally be fixed by the end of September? And if not, we will have to wait until the Pacific?

Maps this year:

Mercury - pretty bad for armor, really just used to camp and shell C; great for planes though

Al-Sundan - still just available for small modes

Marita - Just infantry and transport vehicles

Provence and Lofiten - not even available on Conquest

Metro remake - infantry only

Seriously, when you remember that Conquest is the flagship gamemode of the franchise, this is just pathetic.

I won’t disagree with you on your assessment here. Infantry only players are being better catered too and if you’re the full old school Battlefield fan, you’ve seen less fresh new content that makes you feel appreciated.

I can’t change your perspective on the content that’s coming in the next month or so, or the content that’s been released since EA Play. I also won’t ask you to place trust in any words that I won’t be giving you in relation to the Pacific and what’s next for Battlefield - not because I don’t have the confidence in it (I massively do) but because I can respect your present relationship with the game and that you’re going to need to see and feel it to be convinced otherwise.

We will focus on restoring quality. We will focus on delivering content. We will focus on sharing with you where we are on that journey, and then when we feel we’ve reached our goals, we will start challenging you on your perspective. Until then, your feedback is fair and heard.

over 5 years ago - /u/PartWelsh - Direct link

Originally posted by Skankhunt4Tea2

This is an excellent attempt at telling us what we want to hear. Unfortunately after nearly a year of Dice doing little to nothing to improve this game I don’t believe a word of this.

That’s fair.

over 5 years ago - /u/PartWelsh - Direct link

Originally posted by Troll-or-D

Is this message from you or the PR-team?

Anyways,

We will focus on restoring quality. We will focus on delivering content. We will focus on sharing with you where we are on that journey, and then when we feel we’ve reached our goals, we will start challenging you on your perspective

Hands down, who is "we"? How many people are actually working on BFV?

We = me and /u/braddock512

over 5 years ago - /u/PartWelsh - Direct link

Originally posted by SFSeventh

/u/PartWelsh What is keeping you from releasing weapons we already know are in the game files ? Chauchat, Madsen MG, Welgun, Welrod, Fliegerfaust, etc.

Can't you just give them to us like you did with the Ribeyrolles and the Trench gun ? It would make a lot of people happy, especially now. There is so much content just locked away.

They’re in the game files either because they feature in Single Player (and we’ve previously toyed around with the idea of adding them in) or they’re in the files because we intend to release them but we aren’t satisfied with the balance of them yet.

For a gun like the Chauchat specifically, it may be that we have first person animations (because its used in Single Player) but not 3rd person to a standard that we are happy with. We also have to build in appropriate weapon specialisations and then balance each of those variations.

It existing, either in concept or otherwise isn’t an indication that its fit to enter in the live game environment just yet.

over 5 years ago - /u/PartWelsh - Direct link

Originally posted by K9Marz919

i'm glad you noticed this too, as I was going to mention it. they stopped talking about 5v5 mode and then it got scraped. I wonder if RSP is about to have the same fate

Private Games isn’t scrapped.

over 5 years ago - /u/PartWelsh - Direct link

Originally posted by fastback09

/u/braddock512 /u/partwelsh

Why can we only play SCQ and TDM on the new Maps and not domination?

Lofoten and Provence are smaller maps.

Domination has been tested for it and next time we are running a mixed playlist that’s at 32 players we will likely include it.

over 5 years ago - /u/PartWelsh - Direct link

Originally posted by Lur7z6

/u/PartWelsh Given that we now have Marita and Mercury, any chance you can speak to the possibility of a Battle of Greece grand operation in the works? Additionally, are there plans for any refactoring/reworking of existing grand operations?

Greek Operation - I need to find out from the team on that where (if anywhere) we are on that - I’m just plain not up to speed on any plans for it so I’ll need to check that next week.

In terms of rework it’s something we’ve been talking about. It’s naturally not a priority vs. other things but it’s still not something we are satisfied with.

over 5 years ago - /u/Braddock512 - Direct link

Originally posted by AshySamurai

/u/braddock512 /u/PartWelsh hey guys, sorry if I missed that comment by you but does Provance and Lofoten even considered to "grow" into bigger maps for Conquest and Breakthrough? I feel like a lot of players concerned about it and we all understand that it's not going to happen right now but I'm curious if it is discussed internally between devs. So it's more like if it is possible in the future or those two maps are just scrapped from 5v5 and we are done here?

And thanks for all your work. You really do a lot.

P.S. side question: any news on assignments overhaul?

Feedback we've already received about the map echoes your thoughts. And it's already been shared with the Devs.