News - Battlefield 3 PC specs detailed

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Also,Battlefield 3 is an AMD sponsored title too.

[Merson]

Also,Battlefield 3 is an AMD sponsored title too.

I played an alpha multiplayer build at Dreamhack Summer in June. The machine's they had there were monsters, while they wouldn't detail exact specifications we could see two 580's in SLI on each machine. Keeping in mind this was an alpha build with very un-optimized code and a lot of bugs and server crashes it ran relatively well.

As for the game? It's f***ing awesome! Firstly it looks beautiful. Those preview videos really were in game footage, while the game we ran were on was running on a low resolution (we cheekily alt-tabbed) it still looked amazing, the lighting was very good and has become a main focus of the game which i will expand on later.

Gameplay? Well, it's battlefield at it's best, we played both ends of the Rush map variety of Operation Metro (It was in the multiplayer reveal) and can honestly say the maps are very creatively made. Due to the constantly moving pace of Rush maps we went from a park scene straight to a dark narrow tunnel into a metro station finally emerging into a street section packed full of houses. A very different set of scenarios in one map. While there were no Jets there was some tanks and APC's which proved to be great support units which required a great deal of teamwork to dispatch.

One of the greatest things i now love about Bf3 is destruction. I have never seen a map which is so destructible. In the final street section of the Metro map virtually every wall and building is destructible to a point of complete destruction. These are entire buildings of a much larger scale to BC2, the levels of destruction are much more refined as well from gunfire damage of windows and bricks to entire subsections of walls falling down. I remember a part when an enemy tank was battering my squad's position near a building, we were all prone when a tank shell just skims past our heads. While we all collectively make a sigh of relief the next thing we see is the wall of the building we have used for cover collapse on our heads. Incredible mechanics.

The sound quality and effects were truly great, from near miss sniper shots to tank shells brushing your ears the sound effects you do genuinely feel in the action at all times.

Finally (as i seem to be dragging on here ) gameplay wise sniper sights can been seen with the reflection from the sun making the useless sniper an easy kill. Flashlights in dark places such as the tunnel in the metro map can be used not only for navigation but as blinding mechanism for close quarter combat. It's very effective! Finally the fabled knife has been totally refined. It's back as a selectable item while losing it's commando-esk ability from BC2 with a much more cinematic like kill seen in Halo:Reach. Knife kills are no longer a quick way to kill, it takes time, is very satisfying but can leave you totally exposed which is how it should be.

All in all it's a brilliant game worthy of dethroning COD, i was so happy to play it last month, being so early as well. I look forward to the further improvements made in the beta and hope you all decide to go out and buy it.

Well that took longer then what i thought, so much i cannot be bothered to spellcheck it!

If you have any questions you want to ask me, go ahead. I'm sure i have missed a ton of stuff out.

[Steve A]

I hope so, but I wonder how the likes of Steam would handle it as its game folder is in the 32 bit program files folder?

@jonathan_phang: Don't quote me on this but I think I remember hearing BF3 is an AMD sponsored game.

I dont think it will be an issue, as im pretty sure its not being released on steam ...

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

BFBC2 was AMD sponsered:

http://sites.amd.com/us/game/games/P...company-2.aspx

Even an HD6870 1GB can match the performance of a GTX560TI in this game:

http://techreport.com/articles.x/20293/10

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2011/..._card_review/6

http://www.techspot.com/review/359-n...ti/page10.html

http://www.legionhardware.com/articl..._ti_oc,10.html

Battlefield 3 also looks to be AMD sponsered too:

http://n4g.com/news/791999/sneak-pee...eon-at-e3-2011

[G4Z]

I really hope they don't ruin it with DRM!



I think the 6670 is quite similar to the 4870 in terms of performance. Unless it's the lower power consumption/heat/noise you're after?

Argh, you see this is the problem I have.

Should have stated, I want MOAR performance than my 4870 with DX11 thrown in. Ideally less than £200 but could go more.

This 4870 is so damn good it makes the upgrade path quite difficult! it is the main reason I have no idea what is going on in the graphics area as well as it plays just about everything and I have had no need to educate myself. Back before i got this card I was well up on all the latest cards and had been since my first graphics card which was a Riva TNT2 64mb.

I want to spends some money, I really do. Needs to be something that is worth it tho.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Argh, you see this is the problem I have.

Should have stated, I want MOAR performance than my 4870 with DX11 thrown in. Ideally less than £200 but could go more.

This 4870 is so damn good it makes the upgrade path quite difficult! it is the main reason I have no idea what is going on in the graphics area as well as it plays just about everything and I have had no need to educate myself. Back before i got this card I was well up on all the latest cards and had been since my first graphics card which was a Riva TNT2 64mb.

I want to spends some money, I really do. Needs to be something that is worth it tho.

I would get an HD6950 2GB.

[Irien]

Argh, you see this is the problem I have.

Should have stated, I want MOAR performance than my 4870 with DX11 thrown in. Ideally less than £200 but could go more.

I'd refer you back to my post on the first page of comments - any of those cards will fit the bill. Avoid any not on the list.

However, as Cat says, since the general consensus seems to be AMD for BF3, then a 6950 2Gb would be the best choice, followed by the (fractionally cheaper, but depends which oem you choose) 6950 1Gb. Or a 6870 if you want to save cash. Ironically I'll have a second hand 5870 for sale in a couple of weeks, but not quite yet. Sigh.

[Strawb77]

I hope so, but I wonder how the likes of Steam would handle it as its game folder is in the 32 bit program files folder?

@jonathan_phang: Don't quote me on this but I think I remember hearing BF3 is an AMD sponsored game.

No worries there- 64bit Crysis is installed in 32bit program files, runs fine, also Cinematic mod (which is 64bit only) runs fine under Steam (which, as you say, is in 32bit program files).

[dfour]

I would get an HD6950 2GB.

+1 to this. I am happily looking forward to seeing how it runs on my 6950(flashed 6970) and my new BD rig when I get to buy it.

I feel it its no loss not having steam.I agree there is advantages but after hearing the amount of complaining from my clan mates who play MW2 and not being able to play because of steam problems makes me glad I avoid steam ike the plaugue.

[watercooled]

No worries there- 64bit Crysis is installed in 32bit program files, runs fine, also Cinematic mod (which is 64bit only) runs fine under Steam (which, as you say, is in 32bit program files).

For some reason I was under the impression that 64-bit programs couldn't run from 32-bit program files and vice-versa. Probably opinion circulated as fact again...

[G4Z]

For some reason I was under the impression that 64-bit programs couldn't run from 32-bit program files and vice-versa. Probably opinion circulated as fact again...

Erm, aye they are just folders. Nothing special about them.

[watercooled]

It wouldn't be impossible for Windows to enforce it somehow, but TBH it's not something I've given much thought until now. On the subject of folders, I wish games would come up with standard folder they all keep game saves in!

[G4Z]

Don't want to come across as pedantic but although you could probably force that kind of behaviour in the OS it wouldn't be very advantageous because you can get 64 bit programs that will rely on older 32 bit modules. A good example might be a 64 bit version of crysis running in the steam sub folder.

[watercooled]

Yeah like I said I hadn't given it much though, and that's why I thought there would be a problem migrating to 64 bit games. Maybe we'll see more when XP support ends...

[CrazyMonkey]

Im hoping my system will be capable of running it in 1080p with it all max. Time will tell.

[Terbinator]

Im hoping my system will be capable of running it in 1080p with it all max. Time will tell.

460 SLI and an X6 - I think you'll be fine.