Battlefield 5: DICE responds to beta criticisms, reveals what's changing based on feedback
With the Battlefield 5 beta now behind us, DICE has taken to listing everything it learned from the test and how this data is going to shape the launch version.
In a new blog post, DICE addressed the major points of discussion coming out of the Battlefield 5 beta.
The game's attrition systems, which are responsible for spawning players with limited ammo and no health packs, are being tweaked. At launch, certain weapons will spawn in with more ammo, while others will have their max cap increased. DICE is considering having all players spawn with a health pouch rather than requiring them to run to a supply station/medic at the start.
To sort of counter that, the number of supply stations around the map has been decreased. That said, you'll be able to build supply stations at certain capture points, in the same way players can build various fortifications.
Player visibility was among the hot topics in the beta, with many complaining that it's much harder now to identify enemies from their surroundings. DICE is improving this on Rotterdam, and across the board with changes to lighting.
The bleed out screen has been tweaked, making the experience faster. The game will now take into account the time spent calling out for a medic when you're sent back to the spawn screen. This should make it less frustrating for dead players without ruining the medic's job.
Time to kill, as expected, is a polarising topic yet again. DICE is generally happy with how TTK was in the beta, but it's going to nerf some weapons that were a bit too strong or more versatile than intended.
Interestingly, part of why players felt that dying can sometimes happen much quicker than anticipated has something to do with netcode. According to DICE, the beta had a bug that would sometimes cause damage to stack.
Spotting for pilots is being looked at, with DICE making it easier for them to see spotted enemies on the ground. Compared to the beta, the launch version will feature plane upgrade like radar and spotting flares that should make things even easier for pilots.
Moving on to vehicles, DICE noted that the full game will launch with many more tanks in different classes, which should create a balance between mobility and armament. In general, the developer is hoping to have specific roles for the different tank classes. For instance, light tanks are intended as infantry support vehicles while the medium and heavy options can help capture and defend points.
On that note, the developer also confirmed that tanks will have an even more detailed destruction and damage system. This basically means tanks can take an engine hit, turret hit, track hit and so on without being completely destroyed on the spot.
An early version of this system was available in the beta, but at launch, tank drivers will have a bit more manoeuvrability even when their tracks are hit. DICE wants to reduce instances where the tank is a sitting duck, unable to escape or attack.
Battlefield 5 is out November 20 on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.