The new Battlefield, from EA

Joshua Stubbles

Just saw this now.
Apparently free for download (expect insane amount of ads). And it looks like they've completely ripped the TF2-esque style for the game:

Mishra

i really dont know what to say about this, i thought this was fake at first and you were messing with us until i looked it up. i'm mostly just in awe that they are being this blatant about the graphical style.

Wells

why is it a surprise?

thousands of other games blatantly share the same style. remember when cell-shading first hit the scene? tf2 will only be unique for being the first.

i look at this as a good thing.

Slainean

This kind of copycat mentality encourages creative stagnation. Now that the OTHER guys took the creative risk, let's steal it for ourselves and churn out sequels.

JordanW

I agree with sectaurs on this, how is this possibly a bad thing? If anything it means publishers will be less afraid to veer away from photorealistic real world madness.

Joshua Stubbles

EA has lacked creativity and innovation for the better part of a decade now. When they see something they like, they gobble it up in a merger and claim it as their own.
They're riding a hot ticket on the visuals because of TF2's success, but my guess is it will have the same stale gameplay as BF2 and BF2142.

I'm all for developers branching out to new visual styles. But when it's a huge studio like this that's looking to make a quick buck, it angers me a bit.

aesir

if only battlefield games were fun for me. oh well.

Also, for those of you who are saying they waited till TF2 was a success, and THEN started on this game... come on, clearly not enough time for that. At most, they copied the style off some of the teaser images, but even then, the style is hardly an exact copy of TF2. This is much from "graphic artist-y".

Snowfly

See the "AND IT'S FREE" on the cover?

How can EA possibly make a quick buck off of that?

(Online play + micro transactions?)

Joshua Stubbles

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How can EA possibly make a quick buck off of that?


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From the immense amount of ads the game will have :P

aesir

yea, I think this is gonna be their flagship for micro transactions. New tanks and guns and units for people who pay up. I think it'll work too.

pliang

I like Battlefield...and maybe this one.

leilei

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tf2 will only be unique for being the first.

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evil genius says hi.

Ferg

blah blah blah, ea sucks, blah blah

edit: bahah, just noticed they included a pic of the tf2 heavy on the cover. gg magazine dudes.

acc

EA games already take like 5 minutes to get to the main menu because of all the freaking logo screens. Now we get to "ad" another 4 minutes on top of that? Hurray!

It'll look like a poor man's TF2, play like a poor man's BF1942, and nickle-and-dime you to until you are a poor man.

adam

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tf2 will only be unique for being the first.

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evil genius says hi.

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haha ok cheap, you made me giggle.

nitzmoff

Some of you guys need to put away those Jump to Conclusions Mats.

I don't care if BF:H was in the Okami style, the Rez style, whatever. Anytime a major publisher makes a move like this it's important for everyone out there not making photo real games.

It tells consumers who are not you that this kind of thing is cool and ok to like.

And anyone that thinks micro transactions and free play is universally bad is thinking a bit rash. There's a proper execution to anything and a game that is free but 'nickel and dimes you' for little return is no different than a game you dropped 59 bucks for and were ultimately not happy with.

I don't believe that there should be one single way I can purchase and experience a game any more than I believe in a one console future. Change and choice are a good thing.

Matabus

You guys are funny. If it's a good game, it's a good game.

Asmuel

Freeplay games are great for me, I don't have the time to get deep enough into it where I have to pay anyway. Thats for teenagers with their parents credit cards, and slackers

However, does look like a poor mans TF2, though its a bit early to come to such conclusions.

HonkyPunch

If ea can pull off the graphic style without it looking like complete ass i'm even more in, rip off or not.
Battlefield without "OMG REALISM" graphics is good for me.

But when I hear the term "casual gamer", my stomach churns in a strange way.

Slainean

[ QUOTE ]
Some of you guys need to put away those Jump to Conclusions Mats.

I don't care if BF:H was in the Okami style, the Rez style, whatever. Anytime a major publisher makes a move like this it's important for everyone out there not making photo real games.

It tells consumers who are not you that this kind of thing is cool and ok to like.

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See, I thought the point was to show developers (or maybe publishers I suppose) that a market exists for stylized, mature games. I don't know the numbers for the Orange Box, but I think it's safe to say it has been successful.

The problem with the realism war is that we get new iterations of old ideas with small visual improvements. I just think EA is exhibiting the same mindset when they make such similar visuals. The gameplay is a whole different issue.

Of course once the screens come out it could look entirely different, and on release it might be GOTY from here to eternity. In that case, everyone wins.


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You guys are funny. If it's a good game, it's a good game.

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I envy your perspective.

nitzmoff

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But when I hear the term "casual gamer", my stomach churns in a strange way.

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Why?

Thegodzero

What does art style have to do with casual games? Casual gameplay is what makes for a casual game.

Any game that has a distinct art style that is maintained threw out the entire game gets a hats off from me. Almost every game i see that has a distinct art style fails for hold its ground as the projects moves forward in its dev cycle. So if an EA game can do that then wow hats off to them.

Snowfly

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What does art style have to do with casual games? Casual gameplay is what makes for a casual game.

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Hehe, I know a casual game art director who'd have a lot to say to that. Accessibility, for starters. :-)

Thanks for posting that nitzmoff +1000000

motives

Its awesome fun to play. Thats all im gonna bring to this discussion.

TheSplash

I find it kind of interesting how they are trying to make this seem something new and fresh, when it's clearly just updating an old game and following current trends... Targeting a more casual audience because of the success of the Wii, presumably adding "user generated content" because of the whole craze at last years GDC and the reaction to LBP. Choosing a similar style to that of TF2 which was highly acclaimed for it's presentation. And using free-to-play the business model more and more online games are doing now.

Hopefully all this molding won't affect the actual quality of the game, i think out of all genres the TF2 style suits war the most... but i don't see why they have to go with such a similar look, there isn't just one way to do cartooney..

Ged

Im just at the lack of creativity and style in that image. I mean TF2 worked really really hard to make a charming style...this really looks like someone took a default battlefield soldier and drew him with a square jaw and flat nose and then said...look everyone its our new game! Nothing else on that character has that same style, just his jaw and nose and the tank looks like it was pulled from Advance Wars. Oh well I hope the game is better than the concept.

Oh and for nitzmoff: nope I dont think a good game should ever rely on micropayments. No matter how good the game looks or plays, micropayments are a rash that detract from the game experience and remind you how annoying the real world is. They are an invention of the corporate world and they should have no place in my liesure time.

/// does that dude have 4 fingers?

Xenobond

At least it looks like they are going back to WW2. ^_^

arshlevon

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Im just at the lack of creativity and style in that image. I mean TF2 worked really really hard to make a charming style...this really looks like someone took a default battlefield soldier and drew him with a square jaw and flat nose and then said...look everyone its our new game! Nothing else on that character has that same style, just his jaw and nose and the tank looks like it was pulled from Advance Wars. Oh well I hope the game is better than the concept.


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i agree that junk looks so ghetto.. we loved stylized stuff at work, and i don't think anyone thought it looked good.. looks like crap.. doesn't mean it will be a bad game but absolutely no effort was put into the design there..

i bet its free cause interns made it..

East

It's free, yeah, and going to be supported by ads and microtransactions. No ads during gameplay, and the microtransactions will affect your character's looks, not give you better weapons that unfairly affect the gameplay.

I have no problem with all of this. Ads while I wait for levels to load? No problem, games have load screens anyway that always look the same. At least now they will look different from time to time.

PC games have to adopt a new business model to survive in this console-centric climate. While the word "casual" is thrown around a lot, I don't think this will be more of a casual game than TF2.

ElysiumGX

My first thought is to argue against anything Empire Arts does these days. But, FPS/RTS games that have a fun presentation in 3D is something I've been waiting for a long time. Even if inspired by the success of TF2, and the Wii, we all know why the shift started. Hopefully from now on, we'll stop nominating realistic graphics card melting military simulations as the best games, and begin seeing more fun games for the non-hardcore gamers that have a quality that lasts longer than a couple weeks.

I've said I will never play another Battlefield game ever again, after the bugfest that was BF2. But, after I see some actual gameplay and production art, this may change my mind, depending on the amount of ads and the quality of the game with microtransactions. So far, this image isn't very appealing, and I have doubts they can carry a unique style through an entire game without looking like a desperate rip.

Rhinokey

its clear that that style was more ripped from the incredibles type than the tf2 look. even if a motivator was tf2 its far from a copy of that style. i'm not a fan of the style of this game. but i've enjoyed all battlefield games, and i'm sure i'll like playing this one.

remember what tf2 looked like before pixar made the world awesome?

Zwebbie

I think TF2 does not just have great graphics because they're so full of character, but also because they add to the gameplay so much - that's what they were designed for in the first place. I don't think BF:H's graphics are as stylish as TF2's (or the Incredibles, if you wish), but if they help distinguish between classes and that kind of gameplay-enhancing stuff, that's a ton of improvement already.

Pedro Amorim

im liking the jaw and nose. and look forward to this.
i dont care about "the rip"
i want cool games.

moose

technically TF2 was free when you bought Episode 2

will be interested to see the direction this goes though, definitely exciting to see some visual experimentation!

Jay Evans

ha wow, lots of haters based on a magazine cover:P I like what nitzmoff was saying, its great just to see devs trying something different. I would imagine a game like this has been in development for a while, and although it shares similarities in look to TF2, I can't imagine their art direction was a direct reaction to TF2 being so well received. Who knows? I want more pics:)

Justin Meisse

article and trailer

AWESOME

Joseph Silverman

This actually looks really good. I'm definitely interested, now.

blankslatejoe

oh, im loving it! hitchhiker-support on planes! Genius!

b1ll

ROFL the planes! interesting, interesting

Wells

looks pretty charming. I'll definitely be giving it a go

MoP

looks like fun, yeah

Jeremy Lindstrom

third person?

nitzmoff

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third person?

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I'm sure it's both.

Looks wonderful.

Mark Dygert

If anything this rips off three other games before it rips off TF2. Battalion Wars, Cannon Fodder and Advanced Wars oh and maybe Worms.

Valve can always make more "awesome" and they will.
Besides after the second, they stop being rip offs and become a genre. I don't see how this is hurting anyone, and it actually looks like fun. The animation could be much better bug given that its a free game, can anyone really complain?


EDIT: If this is true I doubt I'll be playing it depending on the pay structure.
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"It's free, yeah, and going to be supported by ads and microtransactions."

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I'm not paying for ammo...

rooster

hehe it does look pretty cool after seeing the vid

Armanguy

yeah the vids awesome and i love the art style no matter what game it is fifa street, tf2, or battlefield if the game plays good im happy.

Tumerboy

I was scared of this at first, but I have to say I'm intrigued.

Joshua Stubbles

Very casual. Would make a good "during lunch" game.

Mtg_kirin

I am really not interested in this. I cant believe a company would copy an art style and expect no one to care... and the whole play for free thing is a load. What ive been hearing is that ya to play it will be free, but the fun content will be available through micro payments...

Mishra

i take back every bad thing i've ever said about this. that just looks like pure awesomeness. definitely reminds me of TF2 but it differs enough so that i wouldn't say that it's a blatant rip off

Pseudo

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Very casual. Would make a good "during lunch" game.

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Exactly, I'm looking forward to it.