up¦²
2005-06-24, 19:57:09
________ .___________ ___________
\______ \ |__\_ ___ \\_ _____/
| | \| / \ \/ | __)_
| ` \ \ \____| \
/_______ /__|\______ /_______ /
\/ \/ \/
.___ .__ __
__| _/_______ __ ____ | |__ _____ _/ |_
/ __ |/ __ \ \/ / ______ _/ ___\| | \\__ \\ __\
/ /_/ \ ___/\ / /_____/ \ \___| Y \/ __ \| |
\____ |\___ >\_/ \___ >___| (____ /__|
\/ \/ \/ \/ \/
===================================================================
Where: #battlefield2 on QuakeNet
When: 2005-06-14 at 18:00 - 19:45 (GMT)
What: dev-chat with James Salt, Associate Producer/Designer of BF2
Trivia stats
User peak: 4566 users
Questions asked: 2551
Questions answered: 58
Questions per second: ~0.4
Duration: 1 hour and 45 minutes
===================================================================
[Updated, see end]
Very welcome to the dev-chat with Dice, James Salt the Associate Producer/Designer of BF2
will be answering your questions.
eLite|VeePee asked: is there a large potential for mods :O ;):)
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: There is a large potential for the mod community. We spent a lot of time working with the tools to make them easier to use. You will be able to affect much more about how the game plays by using the python scripting we have added.
kevins asked: Will there be any changes in the speed of the menu GUI? BF1's Multiplayer serverlist has been very slow compared to e.g. Steam
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: We are currently working on a fix for the server browser speed you see in the demo. This will not be like this in the full game.
tSh|CodeRed asked: Why are no GeForce4-Cards supported?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Sadly the GF4 does not support Pixel Shader 2, which we need to make the game look as good as good as possible.
a2a]Triple_D asked: How many maps will there be included in the full release ?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: There are 12 maps in the final game. Each with 3 different size configurations.
rushed|dbj asked: will there be Mod support in the game like in BF1942?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: There are a great many MODs in development right now. The new tools for modding BF2 are the same that we used to make the game. So there is very little you wont be able to do. Especially with the ability to modify the way the game actually plays, using the Python scripts we have added.
S8|Metalmeniac asked: will there be enough support (patches) ???
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: We will continue to support the game, as we did with BFV and BF42, after release. With things like patches and content updates.
XsT]Sniperx[ asked: when comes the demo Linux server edition?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: There is one due very soon
FiRe7WoRK asked: Is it possible to add own custom commands to the handy 'commands menu' in the middle of the screen (or change them) ?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Sadly its not. But it sounds like a good idea!
Sperminator asked: why linux sux :p bleh
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Sadly the demo Linux server that was released, was only put onto the site accidentally. The real demo server will be along soon.
Seti asked: Have you taken steps to prevent people from using cheats, for instance implemented anti-cheating software?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: There are several systems in place to deal with cheating.
inx|stephen asked: With battlefield 1942 & Battlefield Vietnam being such straight forward first person shooter games - and successful ones at that; why did you feel it necessary to involve such a strategic gameplay within Battlefield 2?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: The simple shooting fun is still in there. Only we now have added more depth, so you can play in different ways. Squads was something i wish BF1942 had.
Sampyla asked: Will there be any urban map types?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: YEP!, some of my favourite maps are the urban ones like Strike at Karkand.
nacht asked: what scripting language / engine do you use in the game? do you think a common scripting engine for example included in dx would be benefitful? what do you think about lua in this regard...
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: We have a scripting language in BF2, Python. This controls how the game works in quite a large way, for example you can alter the way spawn points work. There will be some documentation released on this in the future for those of you that are interested in making MOD's
Peris asked: There is a big usability problem with setting up controls, it's really hard to properly assign keys because you have to replace the key's it's assigned too first.. are there any plans to make this more straightforward like just switching the keys when you assign them?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: This is because, even though the key in the front end is not bound to anything, it is in the controls.con file. Today we were working on fixing this.
K1nt4ro asked: One good reason to buy BF2 instead of 42/vietnam for about half the price? :P
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Squads, Much better visuals, Commander, Built in VoIP, Demo Recorder, Online Ranking & Medals . . .
sCa|Kami asked: why are the anti air capabilities in the game so ineffective vs jets?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Its a timing thing. Try and shoot as they fly away from you. Try not to shoot at a sever angle, or the missile will loose its lock. Also try and make the pilot use their flares before you fire. Hope that helps.
uK|Peanuts asked: Surely up to 32 people using their microphones at the same time would cause a problem? What measures do you have on countering mic spam?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: You cant talk to all 32 people for that reason. You can talk to your squad, and if you are the Squad Leader you can talk to the Commander.
Seba|^w0rk asked: will the ingamebrowser be "usable" because right now, scrolling is "not really" possible..
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Yes, the full version of the game will not have this problem
CrazyAnt asked: Not so much as a question, but a suggestion. I'd love to see the commander to be able to assign players to squads. This would be a very hand feature, esp. on public servers where people seem to be rather hesitant to join squads.
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: As a Squad Leader you can invite people to your squad using the MANAGE tab on the SQUAD screen.
Strider asked: Is Voip enabled in BF2 Demo? It seems not.
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: VoIP is included in the demo. You can have the game server run it, or the seperate VoIP server which is also included with the Demo. It is up to the server admin to enable VoiP for that server. Sevrers running VoiP have headset icon next to them in the server browser. To use VoiP you need to be in a squad and press 'B' to talk to your squad mates. Hope thats helpful
String asked: Given the come and go nature of game servers do you think there could be an issue with commandos dropping out or doing nothing and thereby preventing "normal" gameplay regarding supplies etc? In other words, if a commander isnt effective is it still possible to play the game on that team perfectly OK like 1942 or bfv?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: You can always start a Mutiny vote to get rid of them
I^want^voice^pl asked: i'm commander; how can i show the "commander-screen"?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Press the CAPS LOCK key when you are the Commander to see the Commander interface. Help will take over from there and let you know about all the functions on that screen.
INTENSITY-FTZ asked: why the demo isn't working with ati cards like X800PRO (mine)
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: I have an x800 and it works fine for me, are your drivers up to date?
nacht asked: what games other than bf do you play at the moment :)?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Recently the team has been here at lot working on finishing the final game, and then the demo. So i havent had much chance to play any games other than BF2.
Strider asked: Is the game engine totally rewritten? I like the new engine very much because of the gun physics and the hitboxes on the characters. Sniping is much more fun now :) (as is the rest of BF2 of course)
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Yes this is a totally new engine. Its taken a lot of work, but we think it is great improvment.
valued-tom asked: Is it true there is a trajectory decay on bullets, and is there a maximum range the bullets can travel from the sniper rifle?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Yes. Bullets do not just fly in a straight line in BF2.
Steve|wfh asked: Will the retail version have the driver check removed as its annoying for users that cant upgrade but it runs fine ( Nvidia 6600GT driver 66.93 )
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: The driver check will still be there. However Im sure there will be some new drivers along very soon. And its always a good idea to have the latest drivers, right?
Foxst0r asked: will the multiplayer accounts being used for Demo play be deleted when the retail version is released?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Nope, you can keep your current nick. And you'll be able to get stats and awards too.
FoeCuz^BF2 asked: Will 128players be the max on servers or 64? Or will it be nore than 128?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: We only support up to 64 players. But due to the flexible nature of the way the game is made, you can make it use more.
Mook asked: Are you going to expand on the orig 12 maps? Because thats not a great number for a game thats gonna cost ~£30
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: As with the previous BF games, we will continue to support the game after it is realesed, with things like updates and new content.
[saft]netrex asked: I tried looking around, but couldn't find out how tochange my nick. Is this possible?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: You can have as many nicks as you like, but you need to register them with a different email address.
Taleman asked: Will caught cheaters get their accounts revoked and stats set to null?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: We have worked hard to make it difficult to cheat when playing on a ranked server. We will be monitoring how things go closely and taking action where we need to.
Picsel asked: How much people is working on this game?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: At one time there would have been around 170 people on the game, including a large team of QA.
nekzu^ asked: Will there be a console function inte the game?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Yep there are console commands, as in the previous BF games. Check the ReadMe for a list of them, and how they work.
Antr4ks asked: i tried to register with my real email address. why i wasnt accepted?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: If your email address is already associated with a GameSpy account, you will need to register in BF2 using the same password as you use for GameSpy
craterboy asked: is there BF2 version for X-box (microsoft) / PS2 / gamecube ?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Soon there will be Battlefield 2: Modern Combat on those consoles
eyeliquid asked: are we going to be able to jump with the c4 like the tnt in bf42?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: With Friendly Fire off, sure!
[storm]sty` asked: do you guys think of clans when u are making games are just pub servers?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: We go for a balance of both. We know clans are important and had serveral in to give feedback during development. But we also want the game to be accessible to new players and those not so familiar with FPS. Its a tricky balance, but i think we have got it about right.
[Storm]Phados asked: Can you login with your gamespy ID too?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Yes, you can create an account using the email address associated with your GameSpy account and password
gijackdaniels asked: Do you ever just get drunk off your butt and play?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: No. I dont drink alcohol.
Svenska asked: How many people were involved during programming?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: I think there was roughly 35 programmers involved.
Hauk asked: How come games like HL2, FarCry, Doom3 and so on run perfectly on GF4 TI cards, but not BF2? The graphics is not superior to the ones in those games. How much did Nvidia pay you?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: We needed to take advantage of the features in Pixel Shader 2.0, sadly the cards you mentioned do not support this.
Hybridbe asked: Wich graphics engine is BF 2 going to use ?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: BF2 uses an engine we developed at the studio here in Stockholm.
LoDs|NomadSoul asked: can we find some eastereggs in BF2 ?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: If you look hard enough ;)
Kurmeloinen asked: You should do it easier to kill enemy, i mean, you have to shoot half of magazine to eliminate somebody.
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: You have better accuracy when crouched or prone. If you move around, you'll not be as accurate. So, obviously, less bullets will hit.
Trojan` asked: Can the game be played on a LAN without having the internet to make an account?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Yes, you can. Just create an Offline Account.
koe|dilbnc asked: why doesnt have the MEC a chopper like the black hawk? for passenger movement?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: The MEC do have a Transport Helo like the BlackHawk, its just not on the Gulf Of Oman map.
Zinfer asked: Helicopters are too difficult. Are you going to improve their ease of flight physics?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Yea, at first i thought that too. Stick with it and you'll be fine in no time. Just takes a bit of practice.
Slick asked: Any thought to making a more obvious announcment of when you have killed someone. Other FPS have an announcment in the middle of the screen
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: We tried that space, but it felt annoying when you were trying to shoot someone else and the text was in the way.
mrfrenzy asked: How will the updates be distributed? Will it be possible to distribute them offline on Lan partys or do you have something similar to steam in mind?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: For BF2 updates will be distributed in the same way as hte previous games.
Marburg asked: ad. Kurmeloinen question --- but even when prone you have to shoot few times to kill, plus the sniper is very bad done - 3 or even 4 shots kills - thats horrible
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: The MEC sniper has an automatic reload, so is able to fire off more shots. The M24 is a 1 shot kill (if you hit in the right place) as it is bolt action.
Butagaz asked: Did you had a miltary advisor for BF2 ?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Yes. Our Executive Producer was also in the US Military for several years.
Monty_ asked: I wished that my soldiers can rope itself out of my Black Hawk :-)
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: We tried this one in one of the Trauma prototye builds. I know it sounds like a lot of fun, but from a gameplay point of view it didnt really work out.
redphil asked: Why is the acceleration of the jet-fighters so badly? e.g. in dc I could fly low over the ground, and when there's an obstacle I easily accelerate and go off. In bf2 I crush into the obstacle.
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Have you found the afterburner key (SHIFT)? If you use it in time to can accelerate much more quickly.
TB|Dysterrrr asked: will the US weapons be made better in the future? it is very hard to kill a guy with an AK when he can hold the trigger, but you have to burst, and he even kills in 1 shot
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: The M16A2 may only fire single and burst mode, like in reality, but it does more damage with those three bullets than the AK.
DRz_CL0WN asked: I've read that you'll get better equipment or stuff like that when you increase your rank. If it's true, won't that make it hard for new players to come into the game without beeing killed all the time?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Yoyu get different equipment really, not better.
netscout asked: Why there are no blood effects in the game?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: We had to take the blood out so we wouldnt get an adult rating.
orrefan asked: is it possible to get a a falling piece of an helicopter in the head and die?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Yes, it happened to me today.
K0iN: thanks all and a big thank you to James Salt that did a great job answering your questions
froo: again, thanks for attending and MANY thanks to James Salt of Dice
----
James Salt asked us to update the log with the following information:
"I gave a half right / half wrong answer about the GF4 cards not
working. I said it was because we needed Shader 2.0, but actually we
only support Shader 1.4. So the reason was right, but the Shader
number was wrong."
\______ \ |__\_ ___ \\_ _____/
| | \| / \ \/ | __)_
| ` \ \ \____| \
/_______ /__|\______ /_______ /
\/ \/ \/
.___ .__ __
__| _/_______ __ ____ | |__ _____ _/ |_
/ __ |/ __ \ \/ / ______ _/ ___\| | \\__ \\ __\
/ /_/ \ ___/\ / /_____/ \ \___| Y \/ __ \| |
\____ |\___ >\_/ \___ >___| (____ /__|
\/ \/ \/ \/ \/
===================================================================
Where: #battlefield2 on QuakeNet
When: 2005-06-14 at 18:00 - 19:45 (GMT)
What: dev-chat with James Salt, Associate Producer/Designer of BF2
Trivia stats
User peak: 4566 users
Questions asked: 2551
Questions answered: 58
Questions per second: ~0.4
Duration: 1 hour and 45 minutes
===================================================================
[Updated, see end]
Very welcome to the dev-chat with Dice, James Salt the Associate Producer/Designer of BF2
will be answering your questions.
eLite|VeePee asked: is there a large potential for mods :O ;):)
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: There is a large potential for the mod community. We spent a lot of time working with the tools to make them easier to use. You will be able to affect much more about how the game plays by using the python scripting we have added.
kevins asked: Will there be any changes in the speed of the menu GUI? BF1's Multiplayer serverlist has been very slow compared to e.g. Steam
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: We are currently working on a fix for the server browser speed you see in the demo. This will not be like this in the full game.
tSh|CodeRed asked: Why are no GeForce4-Cards supported?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Sadly the GF4 does not support Pixel Shader 2, which we need to make the game look as good as good as possible.
a2a]Triple_D asked: How many maps will there be included in the full release ?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: There are 12 maps in the final game. Each with 3 different size configurations.
rushed|dbj asked: will there be Mod support in the game like in BF1942?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: There are a great many MODs in development right now. The new tools for modding BF2 are the same that we used to make the game. So there is very little you wont be able to do. Especially with the ability to modify the way the game actually plays, using the Python scripts we have added.
S8|Metalmeniac asked: will there be enough support (patches) ???
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: We will continue to support the game, as we did with BFV and BF42, after release. With things like patches and content updates.
XsT]Sniperx[ asked: when comes the demo Linux server edition?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: There is one due very soon
FiRe7WoRK asked: Is it possible to add own custom commands to the handy 'commands menu' in the middle of the screen (or change them) ?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Sadly its not. But it sounds like a good idea!
Sperminator asked: why linux sux :p bleh
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Sadly the demo Linux server that was released, was only put onto the site accidentally. The real demo server will be along soon.
Seti asked: Have you taken steps to prevent people from using cheats, for instance implemented anti-cheating software?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: There are several systems in place to deal with cheating.
inx|stephen asked: With battlefield 1942 & Battlefield Vietnam being such straight forward first person shooter games - and successful ones at that; why did you feel it necessary to involve such a strategic gameplay within Battlefield 2?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: The simple shooting fun is still in there. Only we now have added more depth, so you can play in different ways. Squads was something i wish BF1942 had.
Sampyla asked: Will there be any urban map types?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: YEP!, some of my favourite maps are the urban ones like Strike at Karkand.
nacht asked: what scripting language / engine do you use in the game? do you think a common scripting engine for example included in dx would be benefitful? what do you think about lua in this regard...
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: We have a scripting language in BF2, Python. This controls how the game works in quite a large way, for example you can alter the way spawn points work. There will be some documentation released on this in the future for those of you that are interested in making MOD's
Peris asked: There is a big usability problem with setting up controls, it's really hard to properly assign keys because you have to replace the key's it's assigned too first.. are there any plans to make this more straightforward like just switching the keys when you assign them?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: This is because, even though the key in the front end is not bound to anything, it is in the controls.con file. Today we were working on fixing this.
K1nt4ro asked: One good reason to buy BF2 instead of 42/vietnam for about half the price? :P
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Squads, Much better visuals, Commander, Built in VoIP, Demo Recorder, Online Ranking & Medals . . .
sCa|Kami asked: why are the anti air capabilities in the game so ineffective vs jets?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Its a timing thing. Try and shoot as they fly away from you. Try not to shoot at a sever angle, or the missile will loose its lock. Also try and make the pilot use their flares before you fire. Hope that helps.
uK|Peanuts asked: Surely up to 32 people using their microphones at the same time would cause a problem? What measures do you have on countering mic spam?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: You cant talk to all 32 people for that reason. You can talk to your squad, and if you are the Squad Leader you can talk to the Commander.
Seba|^w0rk asked: will the ingamebrowser be "usable" because right now, scrolling is "not really" possible..
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Yes, the full version of the game will not have this problem
CrazyAnt asked: Not so much as a question, but a suggestion. I'd love to see the commander to be able to assign players to squads. This would be a very hand feature, esp. on public servers where people seem to be rather hesitant to join squads.
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: As a Squad Leader you can invite people to your squad using the MANAGE tab on the SQUAD screen.
Strider asked: Is Voip enabled in BF2 Demo? It seems not.
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: VoIP is included in the demo. You can have the game server run it, or the seperate VoIP server which is also included with the Demo. It is up to the server admin to enable VoiP for that server. Sevrers running VoiP have headset icon next to them in the server browser. To use VoiP you need to be in a squad and press 'B' to talk to your squad mates. Hope thats helpful
String asked: Given the come and go nature of game servers do you think there could be an issue with commandos dropping out or doing nothing and thereby preventing "normal" gameplay regarding supplies etc? In other words, if a commander isnt effective is it still possible to play the game on that team perfectly OK like 1942 or bfv?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: You can always start a Mutiny vote to get rid of them
I^want^voice^pl asked: i'm commander; how can i show the "commander-screen"?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Press the CAPS LOCK key when you are the Commander to see the Commander interface. Help will take over from there and let you know about all the functions on that screen.
INTENSITY-FTZ asked: why the demo isn't working with ati cards like X800PRO (mine)
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: I have an x800 and it works fine for me, are your drivers up to date?
nacht asked: what games other than bf do you play at the moment :)?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Recently the team has been here at lot working on finishing the final game, and then the demo. So i havent had much chance to play any games other than BF2.
Strider asked: Is the game engine totally rewritten? I like the new engine very much because of the gun physics and the hitboxes on the characters. Sniping is much more fun now :) (as is the rest of BF2 of course)
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Yes this is a totally new engine. Its taken a lot of work, but we think it is great improvment.
valued-tom asked: Is it true there is a trajectory decay on bullets, and is there a maximum range the bullets can travel from the sniper rifle?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Yes. Bullets do not just fly in a straight line in BF2.
Steve|wfh asked: Will the retail version have the driver check removed as its annoying for users that cant upgrade but it runs fine ( Nvidia 6600GT driver 66.93 )
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: The driver check will still be there. However Im sure there will be some new drivers along very soon. And its always a good idea to have the latest drivers, right?
Foxst0r asked: will the multiplayer accounts being used for Demo play be deleted when the retail version is released?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Nope, you can keep your current nick. And you'll be able to get stats and awards too.
FoeCuz^BF2 asked: Will 128players be the max on servers or 64? Or will it be nore than 128?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: We only support up to 64 players. But due to the flexible nature of the way the game is made, you can make it use more.
Mook asked: Are you going to expand on the orig 12 maps? Because thats not a great number for a game thats gonna cost ~£30
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: As with the previous BF games, we will continue to support the game after it is realesed, with things like updates and new content.
[saft]netrex asked: I tried looking around, but couldn't find out how tochange my nick. Is this possible?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: You can have as many nicks as you like, but you need to register them with a different email address.
Taleman asked: Will caught cheaters get their accounts revoked and stats set to null?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: We have worked hard to make it difficult to cheat when playing on a ranked server. We will be monitoring how things go closely and taking action where we need to.
Picsel asked: How much people is working on this game?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: At one time there would have been around 170 people on the game, including a large team of QA.
nekzu^ asked: Will there be a console function inte the game?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Yep there are console commands, as in the previous BF games. Check the ReadMe for a list of them, and how they work.
Antr4ks asked: i tried to register with my real email address. why i wasnt accepted?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: If your email address is already associated with a GameSpy account, you will need to register in BF2 using the same password as you use for GameSpy
craterboy asked: is there BF2 version for X-box (microsoft) / PS2 / gamecube ?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Soon there will be Battlefield 2: Modern Combat on those consoles
eyeliquid asked: are we going to be able to jump with the c4 like the tnt in bf42?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: With Friendly Fire off, sure!
[storm]sty` asked: do you guys think of clans when u are making games are just pub servers?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: We go for a balance of both. We know clans are important and had serveral in to give feedback during development. But we also want the game to be accessible to new players and those not so familiar with FPS. Its a tricky balance, but i think we have got it about right.
[Storm]Phados asked: Can you login with your gamespy ID too?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Yes, you can create an account using the email address associated with your GameSpy account and password
gijackdaniels asked: Do you ever just get drunk off your butt and play?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: No. I dont drink alcohol.
Svenska asked: How many people were involved during programming?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: I think there was roughly 35 programmers involved.
Hauk asked: How come games like HL2, FarCry, Doom3 and so on run perfectly on GF4 TI cards, but not BF2? The graphics is not superior to the ones in those games. How much did Nvidia pay you?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: We needed to take advantage of the features in Pixel Shader 2.0, sadly the cards you mentioned do not support this.
Hybridbe asked: Wich graphics engine is BF 2 going to use ?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: BF2 uses an engine we developed at the studio here in Stockholm.
LoDs|NomadSoul asked: can we find some eastereggs in BF2 ?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: If you look hard enough ;)
Kurmeloinen asked: You should do it easier to kill enemy, i mean, you have to shoot half of magazine to eliminate somebody.
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: You have better accuracy when crouched or prone. If you move around, you'll not be as accurate. So, obviously, less bullets will hit.
Trojan` asked: Can the game be played on a LAN without having the internet to make an account?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Yes, you can. Just create an Offline Account.
koe|dilbnc asked: why doesnt have the MEC a chopper like the black hawk? for passenger movement?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: The MEC do have a Transport Helo like the BlackHawk, its just not on the Gulf Of Oman map.
Zinfer asked: Helicopters are too difficult. Are you going to improve their ease of flight physics?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Yea, at first i thought that too. Stick with it and you'll be fine in no time. Just takes a bit of practice.
Slick asked: Any thought to making a more obvious announcment of when you have killed someone. Other FPS have an announcment in the middle of the screen
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: We tried that space, but it felt annoying when you were trying to shoot someone else and the text was in the way.
mrfrenzy asked: How will the updates be distributed? Will it be possible to distribute them offline on Lan partys or do you have something similar to steam in mind?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: For BF2 updates will be distributed in the same way as hte previous games.
Marburg asked: ad. Kurmeloinen question --- but even when prone you have to shoot few times to kill, plus the sniper is very bad done - 3 or even 4 shots kills - thats horrible
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: The MEC sniper has an automatic reload, so is able to fire off more shots. The M24 is a 1 shot kill (if you hit in the right place) as it is bolt action.
Butagaz asked: Did you had a miltary advisor for BF2 ?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Yes. Our Executive Producer was also in the US Military for several years.
Monty_ asked: I wished that my soldiers can rope itself out of my Black Hawk :-)
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: We tried this one in one of the Trauma prototye builds. I know it sounds like a lot of fun, but from a gameplay point of view it didnt really work out.
redphil asked: Why is the acceleration of the jet-fighters so badly? e.g. in dc I could fly low over the ground, and when there's an obstacle I easily accelerate and go off. In bf2 I crush into the obstacle.
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Have you found the afterburner key (SHIFT)? If you use it in time to can accelerate much more quickly.
TB|Dysterrrr asked: will the US weapons be made better in the future? it is very hard to kill a guy with an AK when he can hold the trigger, but you have to burst, and he even kills in 1 shot
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: The M16A2 may only fire single and burst mode, like in reality, but it does more damage with those three bullets than the AK.
DRz_CL0WN asked: I've read that you'll get better equipment or stuff like that when you increase your rank. If it's true, won't that make it hard for new players to come into the game without beeing killed all the time?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Yoyu get different equipment really, not better.
netscout asked: Why there are no blood effects in the game?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: We had to take the blood out so we wouldnt get an adult rating.
orrefan asked: is it possible to get a a falling piece of an helicopter in the head and die?
[DICE]Sanosuke answers: Yes, it happened to me today.
K0iN: thanks all and a big thank you to James Salt that did a great job answering your questions
froo: again, thanks for attending and MANY thanks to James Salt of Dice
----
James Salt asked us to update the log with the following information:
"I gave a half right / half wrong answer about the GF4 cards not
working. I said it was because we needed Shader 2.0, but actually we
only support Shader 1.4. So the reason was right, but the Shader
number was wrong."