new battlefied and it might be free...sorta :)

[Premonition]

http://www.battlefield-heroes.com/home.asp
http://www.battlefield-heroes.com/site-images/small-logo.gif
BATTLEFIELD HEROES LEADS THE WAY FOR EA?S NEW
?PLAY 4 FREE? BUSINESS MODEL

Unique Cartoon Shooter Introduces a New Way to Play Battlefield

Chertsey, UK January 21, 2008 ? At the Digital, Life, Design Conference (DLD) in Munich, Electronic Arts Inc., (NASDAQ: ERTS) today unveiled Battlefield Heroes?, an all-new Play 4 Free cartoon-style shooter that will bring classic Battlefield gameplay to an all new mass audience. Available for download at www.battlefield-heroes.com this summer, Battlefield Heroes is EA?s first title that is offered completely for free, and features a built-in matchmaking system to ensure that players of equal skill are paired together for fair play. Developed by DICE in Stockholm, Battlefield Heroes is leading EA?s new web-focused free to download, free to play business model which generates revenue through advertising and micro-transactions. With zero barriers to entry, now anyone can be a hero on the battlefield!

?Online gaming garners a massive audience,? said Gerhard Florin, EVP Publishing Americas-Europe at EA. ?People want to play games in new ways, with easier access that is quick to the fun. With Battlefield Heroes, EA brings its first major franchise to North America and Europe with a new distribution model and pricing structure adapted to the evolving way that people play.?

Battlefield Heroes is a brand new game from the team behind Battlefield 1942? and Battlefield 2?. It?s fun cartoon-style graphics and gameplay caters to players of all skill levels. It is easy to pick up and play but with robust character customization and a deep online meta-game, gamers can spend hours building up their characters and conquering the world.

?We put a different twist on this Battlefield game going with the cartoon-style graphics and gameplay,? added Ben Cousins, Senior Producer at EA DICE. ?There?s something here for all types of players -- be it our core Battlefield fans or casual gamers. With the new online model, we will continually add new content to keep the game fresh and keep players engaged, while integrating player feedback in real time. As a game developer, it is such a cool new way to make games.?

Battlefield Heroes will be released for the PC as a free download in summer 2008. This product is not yet rated by PEGI or ESRB. For more information on EA DICE, please visit www.dice.se or www.ea.com.

EA`s answer to tf2 i guess.

[CarbonFire]

lol, was just going to post this :)

And you gotta love EA for originality :roll:

As for "free".....
Developed by DICE in Stockholm, Battlefield Heroes is leading EA?s new web-focused free to download, free to play business model which generates revenue through advertising and micro-transactions. With zero barriers to entry, now anyone can be a hero on the battlefield!
Translation:It'll be free to download and play, but as soon as you start playing, you'll be horribly raped by all the other players that have paid for upgrades to their "free" game (microtransaction weapons and such). And of course, every ten feet you'll have to dodge a billboard advertising televisions or hamburgers.

Here's a shot of one of the character models
http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/4525/21game190tl0.jpg
:? :lol: :?

[CarbonFire]

The above character shot and more details can be found in this story:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/21/technology/21game.html

[Grisu]

Looks like a TF2 clone.

Pay:
$ 10 for a pistol
$ 20 for a sub machine gun
$ 30 for a rocket launcher
$ 50 for a body armor

I think I know where this is going... :(

[Thrashdragon]

According to this article, you can only upgrade your appearance with money, not your weaponry, and ads will not appear in the game, only when loading:

Ben Cousins, senior producer at Dice, told BBC News that no adverts would be appear in the game itself.

"They wouldn't work inside the fictional world. Instead, adverts will appear on the website and the 'front-end' of the game."

Gamers will be able to buy items which customise their appearance in the world, but will not be able to seek an advantage through buying weapons.

Mr Cousins said Battlefield Heroes was about exploring new revenue models as well as making a game more accessible.

"I've always felt there was some really good fun core gameplay which was locked away by several barriers to entry: the game is complex, it is full of skilled people, you need quite a high-end PC on which to play and you need to go to store to purchase a copy."

"We're removing all barriers to entry and we hope there is broader audience for the title. You will be able to play this game on grandma's laptop."

Mr Cousins said EA expected 95% of people who played the game never to spend any money.

"If you look at Korea and Asia this is a model that works. Given the enormous explosion in web-based gaming products, this is going to be a real source of growth in the industry and Battlefield Heroes is the first step towards doing that in West."


I find that bolded statement pretty humorous and not even remotely believable coming from the company that put ads inside BF2142. :roll: However, I'll try anything that's free.

From: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7199881.stm

[CarbonFire]

According to this article, you can only upgrade your appearance with money, not your weaponry, and ads will not appear in the game, only when loading:

Ben Cousins, senior producer at Dice, told BBC News that no adverts would be appear in the game itself.

"They wouldn't work inside the fictional world. Instead, adverts will appear on the website and the 'front-end' of the game."

Gamers will be able to buy items which customise their appearance in the world, but will not be able to seek an advantage through buying weapons.

Mr Cousins said Battlefield Heroes was about exploring new revenue models as well as making a game more accessible.

"I've always felt there was some really good fun core gameplay which was locked away by several barriers to entry: the game is complex, it is full of skilled people, you need quite a high-end PC on which to play and you need to go to store to purchase a copy."

"We're removing all barriers to entry and we hope there is broader audience for the title. You will be able to play this game on grandma's laptop."

Mr Cousins said EA expected 95% of people who played the game never to spend any money.

"If you look at Korea and Asia this is a model that works. Given the enormous explosion in web-based gaming products, this is going to be a real source of growth in the industry and Battlefield Heroes is the first step towards doing that in West."


I find that bolded statement pretty humorous and not even remotely believable coming from the company that put ads inside BF2142. :roll: However, I'll try anything that's free.

From: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7199881.stm
I also find the assertion that they won't offer weapon upgrades for $ is a bit hard to swallow. In the NYT article they site their target as their Korean FIFA game that allows stat-buffing for cash, not to mention EA's penchant for unlockable/earnable weapons and upgrades in the other BF games.

Also, lowering the barrier for entry means simplifying the gameplay until its the Fisher-Price version of battlefield. No skill, lots of quick rewards, feed the endless need for stimulation for all the Ritalin addicts out there. I'm guessing it will be like the PopCap version of Battlefield :roll:

[Thrashdragon]

I'm guessing it will be like the PopCap version of Battlefield :roll:

Well, that'd be one way to get the girlfriend to play it...she loves PopCap games! :twisted:

[Dead_And_Gone]

Joy... Not sure I want another EA product at this time...

[jaspurr]

I'm guessing it will be like the PopCap version of Battlefield :roll:

Well, that'd be one way to get the girlfriend to play it...she loves PopCap games! :twisted:

Careful you probably have to pay extra for that option :|

[Rand{CLR}]

Yeah...so...thanks, but no thanks for this game. I'll be staying well away.

-Rand

[Slaughter]

Oh, you want bullets too? Hehe...

[Premonition]

Oh, you want bullets too? Hehe...

lol... good point.
I can see it now fire off 6 rounds and see "reload" you click r on the keyboard and a message appears "please enter credit card number now"

[paceman]

Head on down to the BF Army/Navy store and pick up your boxes of ammo..... :shock:

[Dead_And_Gone]

Shhhhh... Don't give them ideas.. :twisted:

[(DSP)-Bar]

boring...

[xGoblin013x]

I'm sure peopel will make servers where the pay for weapon isnt allowed...
Unless we have to pay to enter a server :|

[TheSilentAssassin]

boring...

+1

EA needs to get its act together...

[CarbonFire]

I'm sure peopel will make servers where the pay for weapon isnt allowed...
Unless we have to pay to enter a server :|
That's the thing. If EA's previous server efforts are representative at all, you WON'T be able to do that. They tend to keep a rather tight reign on the options that server owners can tweak. I can easily imagine a scenario wherein they protect the potential profitability of their "free" game by making sure every incarnation of its server supports the upgrade for pay profit model.

It's only free on the surface. This is just the next step in trying to reap continual profit from a single FPS title, in the same way MMOs bilk customers out of their $15 every month. There is no charity here....please move along :roll: :P

[CarbonFire]

Some new info emerges:

http://planetbattlefield.gamespy.com/fullstory.php?id=147747

Sounds like they are taking the cartoony theme to the extreme on this one, even beyond what TF2 did.

General Information:
# Community management team a lot larger than any other Battlefield game
# Game has "telemetry technology" that gives feedback on items people buy and how characters are setup
# Entire game is 3rd person so you can see the customizations your player has. Also allows you to see your player blown into the air. If 1st person is really wanted it can be changed over time.
# Assorted taunts and emotes
# Any abilities you have show at the bottom of the HUD
# No command rose like BF2
# Holding Q opens 6 panels each allows you to select a jeer, wisecrack, or suggestive body language. These can be bought with points just like abilities
# Players have a lot more health
# Weapons less lethal
# Spawn time shorter (5 seconds)
# Firefights last longer giving time to use unlockable abilities
# Vehicles spawn when you arrive at the point (no waiting)
# "Intelligent Spawn System" spawns players close to the action
# Both lone wolf and competitive clan play encouraged
# Cannot switch kits mid match
# Choose abilities before you start a game
# Idea to do a cartoon Battlefield dates back to Battlefield 1942, Lars Gustavsson envisioned something like BFH

Point System:
# Called "metagame" Just a temporary name not official
# You character picks what faction to play for and you fight for territorial position, all your points you gain go into your faction / army's pool. At the end of the week amount of area conquered by each faction is added up and each is awarded "money" depending on the percentage of conquered land.

Customizable Features: (in-game money will get you this)
# Heads, faces, necks, chests, hands, waists, legs, feet

Items:
# Eye patches, badges, hats, boots, helmets, goggles, belts, gloves

Classes:
Solider
# Best at determining an enemy's location
# Has a See-the-Enemy power - outlines nearby opponents even through walls. Lasts 10 seconds, 30 seconds to recharge

Solider Abilities
# Incendiary rounds
# Health boost - Heals all allies around you
# Recharge over time


Commando
# Specializes in stealth, stab kills, sniping
# Few hit points
# Fast moving
# Slips in and out of cover
# Partial cloak
# Weapons do high damage, but not a lot of ammo


Gunner
# Well armed and armored
# Slow moving
# Uses rapid-fire machine guns, rocket launchers, possibly flamethrowers in the future
# Can throw grenades back

General Abilities Information
# Other abilities can combat each other
# Bomb Bouquet (non official name) - throw 15 grenades at a time, basically handheld artillery strike
# Possibility of 15 abilities at launch and 50 in the first year

[FieryDragon]

This sounds awesome. Carbon...You and me will have alot of fun customizing our dude to best fit our rushing capabilities. Looking forward to this one for alot of fun.

[CarbonFire]

This sounds awesome. Carbon...You and me will have alot of fun customizing our dude to best fit our rushing capabilities. Looking forward to this one for alot of fun.
Personally, I'm real hesitant on this particular title. I know there is the seed for awesomeness there, but I'm very much against LEASING my games rather than purchasing. They've been moving this way for years, this latest incarnation is just the logical next step in reaping continual revenue from essentially patch-sized content updates. I'm just trying to keep everyone abreast on the development of this game, if for no other reason than to try and convince myself that there is some good in this game ;)

I'm just always wary when someone is willing to give something away for free.....especially when that someone is EA :|

[CarbonFire]

New trailer up with gameplay:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=KYQP-uBijWg

Looks.....interesting. Not passing judgment till I see more (not particularly fond of the 3rd person view so far though).

[The_Needle]

While I don't care for the third person perspective the strafing run on the troops caught my attention. Now THAT looks like fun....

[CarbonFire]

A few more details (gleaned from Shacknews (http://www.shacknews.com/featuredarticle.x?id=793)):
Battlefield Heroes will sport three character classes: the standard Soldier, the fast-moving Commando, and the heavily-armed Gunner. Instead of picking their faction at the beginning of each round, players will be forced to swear their allegiance to the National Army--a politically correct Axis team--or the Royal Army when registering their account. The conflict between the two has something to do with a dispute over the Olympics. Yes, really.

The mini-map....has been entirely removed.

Defending the controversial choice, Cousins argued that the team had created a multiplayer mode that did not require an overall view of the battlefield. A mixture of Capture the Flag and Team Deathmatch, players will be hunting each other down while attempting to capture the flags scattered about the map. While the flags aren't needed for victory over the other team, each capture speeds up that team's respawn time.

Other casual-friendly modifications include the absence of friendly fire and the removal of one-hit sniper and knife kills, which are said to make the game less frustrating and more entertaining. Matchmaking will be handled based on a player's skill level in an attempt to keep the frustration level low.

Seems like they are going Casual-friendly to the EXTREEEEEEEEME :roll:

[Rovey Wade]

Point System:
# Called "metagame" Just a temporary name not official
# You character picks what faction to play for and you fight for territorial position, all your points you gain go into your faction / army's pool. At the end of the week amount of area conquered by each faction is added up and each is awarded "money" depending on the percentage of conquered land.

I've always envisioned something like this. Except in my mind, it is way more in-depth and in a more serious title.