Battlefield 3 devs ask for feedback on future tweaks

Battlefield 3 - taaaank

Battlefield 3's core gameplay designer, Alan Kertz has opened up DICE's Battlefield 3 patch ideas for feedback on Reddit . The discussion, spotted by Games.on.net , has been going for a few days, but includes frank assessments of many of Battlefield 3's unlocks along with a suggestion from Kertz that "the player is limited in choice due to a few accessories being the clear winners in almost all categories."

The list of suggested balance changes haven't been decided on yet. DICE have decided to go to the community for some feedback first.

Kertz describes some potential changes for overused perks like the foregrip that provides steadier aim when firing from the hip, and suggests that the bipod attachment that lets players steady their weapon against a hard surface before firing is underpowered. The post also includes in depth musings on the role and effectiveness of suppressors, flash suppressors and heavy barrels.

Based on my experiences, the assessment of bipods is especially accurate, but it's worth seconding some of the suggestions that commenters mention in response to Kertz' post. Currently, the right mouse button brings a weapon up to aim by default, but also deploys the bipod if there's a nearby surface that's suitable. It'd be good to see these on different keys. On respawn, flashlights and laser pointers are switched on by default, potentially giving your position away if you're spawning on a squadmate in a good position behind enemy lines. Pressing T on every spawn gets annoying pretty quickly.

It's good to know that DICE are still working to balance BF3 and involving the community in the process. It's always useful to see the thinking behind the changes the devs are making. The last Battlefield 3 patch made some popular improvements, nerfing mortars and tactical lights . What would you like to see tweaked in the next patch?

Tom Senior

Part of the UK team, Tom was with PC Gamer at the very beginning of the website's launch—first as a news writer, and then as online editor until his departure in 2020. His specialties are strategy games, action RPGs, hack ‘n slash games, digital card games… basically anything that he can fit on a hard drive. His final boss form is Deckard Cain.