EA Games Battlefield 2 Interview

EA Games, Monday 23 August 2004 - 23:00:23

EAGAMES: Mike, tell us a little about yourself, your background, and how you came to work for Electronic Arts on the Battlefield franchise.
MIKE: I’ve been working at Electronic Arts for about four years now. I began in the testing department, working on various titles including the original Battlefield 1942. Once BF1942 had shipped, I was given the opportunity to join the Battlefield production team, working on every BF product since – from Road to Rome to Battlefield Vietnam.

EAGAMES: very cool, hey, rumor has it that there will be some sort of in-game communication. Not chat, but voice. Can you talk about this?
MIKE: There are several features in Battlefield 2 that are designed to make communication with your teammates and friends easier. One of the biggest new additions will indeed be VOIP support. I can’t go into specifics at this time, but the short answer is – yes, there will be VOIP in Battlefield 2.

EAGAMES: What sort of unlockables will Battlefield 2 have, if any?
MIKE: Battlefield 2 features a global persistent character growth system. It is important to note that the game is still skill based – a private can take out a general. As players rise in rank from Private to General, they are rewarded with unlocks and privileges which compliment their rank. We'll be revealing details about these rewards soon.

EAGAMES: Battlefield 1942 and Battlefield Vietnam were amazing team-based games. What’s being done in Battlefield 2 to heighten this experience?
MIKE: Enhanced teamplay is a huge focus for Battlefield 2. In one of my earlier responses I mentioned that there are several new features in Battlefield 2 that have been designed to promote teamwork and coordination. We’ve added small things like context sensitive radio commands – if you trigger the “enemy spotted” radio command while looking at a tank, your teammates and friends will see “Enemy tank spotted!”

But there are also bigger features, such as the squad and commander interface that allow a much greater deal of communication. For me, the most satisfying gameplay moments in previous Battlefield games are those “all out war” moments when there are multiple vehicles and players fighting over a front or a choke point. Unfortunately, in the current Battlefield games, these moments don’t happen as often as we’d like. With Battlefield 2, experiencing all out war is going to be much more evident.

EAGAMES: Are there going to be any unique weapons or special abilities that set Battlefield 2 apart from other games in the FPS genre?
MIKE: Because Battlefield 2 takes place in the modern era, there are quite a few new toys that we have been able to bring to the Battlefield. From laser designation to TV guided missiles to artillery strikes, there are quite a few new abilities for players to wage war with, not to mention some other goodies that we aren’t ready to reveal yet. Combine all of this with the great vehicle experience from the past Battlefield games, and Battlefield 2 really stands out from the pack.

EAGAMES: What can we expect to see in terms of online play? How many modes of play are there and can you tell us what they are?
MIKE: Battlefield 2 will up the player limit from 64 to 100 players. Conquest mode will make a return, and we have some other gameplay mode ideas that we are in the midst of playing around with. Look for more details soon!

EAGAMES: Ok, Mike, one last question. What can the non-online gamer expect to see in the single player experience?
MIKE: Battlefield 2 will feature an enhanced single player mode compared to the previous Battlefield games. Beyond this, we aren’t ready to release any details on single player.

Courtesy of EA Games

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