Musings on the Battlefield: Don't Call Me FAT! and, "To IGLA or Not To IGLA?" That is the QUESTION.

No this is not me. generacionpixel.com

ARE YOU TIRED OF BEING CALLED “FAT” “GROSSLY OBESE” or, “OVERWEIGHT”? How bout, “LAZY”? “UNFOCUSSED”? “UNMOTIVATED”?

Well, your uncle John understands and he wants you to know that there are solutions to that problem which I PROMISE will not affect you and your life as A GAMER, in any negative way. I promise.

The first is to grow older like me and stop caring. It sounds easy, but it is no mean feat. The second requires no aging on your part and will turn your body into rock hard gaming armor with absolutely no running required. In fact, there is comparatively little movement at all. Ready?

YOGA.

No this is not me either. massageyogawellnes.com

Seriously gamers, YOGA will change your life and put to rest the constant blather coming from parents, friends, enemies, unbelievers, etc.

“BUT YOGA IS THAT THING WHERE YOU SWEAT A LOT RIGHT?”

Yep, if you are doing it right. I have even heard the odd fart when doing a downward dog at the end of a vigorous flow. It doesn’t matter. The sweat, the fart, the smell (the more people the more … erm … pungent), none of it matters if what you want to do is feel good about yourself and get the jerks off your back.

i.b.blogspot.com

lightningintheboxblog.com

You don’t need a lot of space and you can do it at home standing in front of your own computer, but still, I recommend going into a studio for the first few times.

"WHY?"

Lots of reasons but in particular you need to learn the correct form to avoid injury or stress, and the yogis at the studio will help.

“Did he say ‘YOGIS'?" Yes, that’s what they call the teachers.

The other reason is that you may find you like the culture. It can be like an aerobics class or it can be a neo-eastern spiritual fest with drums, chanting, and lots of people sweating.

So, check it out and tell me if after two weeks of regular practice you don’t feel like an honest to god, superhero.

bf4central.com

TO IGLA OR NOT TO IGLA?

Last weekend I was doing my best to get through 119 with my hands full of 25 and 50 XP bonuses and DYING in the process (where did all these 130s come from?), when I noticed something that made my stomach LURCH: a map with the NO IGLA rule.

Then I saw another, and another, and for a split-second I wondered if I had accidentally bumped the Battlefield 3 widget.

Nope, it was BF4, and surprise SURPRISE, all the Admins of these new servers were … wait for it … HELICOPTER PILOTS.

bf4central.com

First off, I get it. I do. IGLAs in the right hands can ruin a helicopter pilot's day, just RUIN it, I know because I do it often. So, I UNDERSTAND. I do. Still… it’s a dumb rule. Yeah, it is.

“BUT BUT BUT…”

Shhhh, it’s ok. I’m going to help you out with this.

If you want to be a truly GREAT helicopter pilot, it is stupid to ban weapons that will help you achieve that goal.

Bad ol' IGLA.

I said, “STUPID”.

“BUT…but… HOW DOES DYING HELP?”

Metal sharpens metal my friend and a difficult enemy is only going to make you a better player in the long run.

Another problem is that by banning the IGLA you also eliminate one of THE BEST defensive options a helicopter pilot can have: the Engineer with an IGLA.

I honestly don’t know of a more dangerous combination than a demon helicopter pilot and an Engineer armed with an IGLA manning the 30mm cannon of a viper.

You will own the sky. I know because I have seen them. They have ruined my day.

bf4central.com

The point is these games are HARD for a reason. Making them easier takes away from what makes them great. Let’s leave that BS where it belongs, in BF3. Let’s evolve with the game and learn to just get along… CAN’T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG?

AND I SAW A VISION: IGLAS and HELICOPTERS living together in BLISS…namaste.

Next post: SONY UPDATE and more! PLUS EXCITING NEW CONTEST!

Oh and don’t forget I have an incendiary waiting for your pretty little face so come find me at PSN>JOHNDAVIDFLORES

Musings on the Battlefield: TANKS, APCs, JEEPS, BOATS and … MORE TANKS!!! Also: What Data is SONY Collecting and Why Is It So SECRET?

The versatile quad.

I thought with this weekend’s XP BONUS event rapidly approaching, I would give my faithful readers some useful pointers on driving the vehicles, including the boats!

You are welcome.

The main challenge with all of the vehicles, and especially the tanks and helis, is becoming adept at the highly complex controller sequences that are required to be effective and not a mobile liability. I would say that of the numerous air and land vehicles available, tanks and helicopters are the most challenging because you have so much you have to pay attention to simultaneously, in addition to the controller movements.

Shouldn't be parked there friend.

Players that don’t understand this and then jump into an APC make me crazy. I can almost predict how long it will take them to ABANDON the vehicle to the enemy. Once the enemy has your tank, you’ve got problems, especially if the thief knows how to drive it.

So, RULE #1: NEVER ABANDON ANY LARGE ARMORED VEHICLE, unless you are ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN the vehicle cannot be salvaged.

When in doubt, let it blow. If you want to practice in a live environment, you have to be willing to take one for the team.

I like jeeps and quads. They're fun. They fly over hilltops and off of skyscraper hotels. They are the easiest vehicles to use because they are both indestructible, sort of, and highly maneuverable. They are like BF4 starter vehicles and I recommend them to those that want to be better vehicle drivers in general.

You really like quads eh?

“BUT I WANNA DRIVE TANKS!”

You will, but we ALL have to walk before we can run.

Start with jeeps and quads. Both are very dangerous vehicles and still the best transportation to use in OBLITERATION when you’re taking the bomb to a target.

Keep in mind though, because of their size they are easy to lose control of especially if you are driving over hills. Sometimes it requires airborne counter-steering and other advanced techniques to keep from launching yourself into a building when you land.

Starting with small vehicles like jeeps or quads will help you to develop the basic motion you will use later to drive the big boys. AND they will teach you a TON about EVASIVE MANUEVERING in a vehicle, a skill that can make you a tank drivin GOD.

My BEST TIP FOR DRIVING SMALL VEHICLES is to take your foot off the gas. You don’t always have to drive pedal to the metal, even if you are carrying the bomb. If you want to get somewhere fast, learn when to let the vehicle coast.

When you do finally get in that big armored monster, and you will, just keep these things in mind and I GUARANTEE you will have a better chance at surviving.

I see you behind those flames.

NUMERO 1: Keep moving. Standing still, even to aim, makes you an EASY TARGET, so keep moving. Forwards and backwards, sometimes you will get kills just running over the enemy that is sneaking up behind you. In any case, ONLY THE DEAD STAY MOTIONLESS.

NUMERO 2: Learn to AIM and then move the enemy into sight. What I mean by this is, aim your main gun before you engage the enemy, and then drive the vehicle so that the enemy is in your sights, and fire. This will help you to avoid standing still and over time will also improve your aim.

NUMERO 3: When taking on another tank/tanks, in close combat, practice moving forward and watch the enemy’s gun, when you see it start to track you, quickly move backward, until the tank is in your sights, and fire. Keep practicing this and sooner than later you will see just how easy it is to out maneuver the enemy and make them pay.

NUMERO 4: Retreat is sometimes the better part of valor. I almost never abandon my tank, and if I do, the tank is going to blow. I prefer to never get to that point. Which means knowing when to get out of town. If you find you’re taking too many hits or if you’ve landed in a hornet’s nest of SMAWs and Javelins, haul a$$ to the nearest shelter and regroup.

“WHAT ABOUT THE BOATS?”

Boats are an easy crossover from land vehicles, the effect of the water on your motion being the main difference. RULE #1 still applies: NEVER abandon an armored boat to your enemy. NEVER. With that in mind, the tips for the jeep and the tank apply well to their cousins in the water, with one minor exception: the Personal Water Craft or PWC.

Um. How do I get off of this thing?

Remember that advice I gave you about the jeep and taking your foot off the gas? Well, even that may not help you get control of the BUCKING BRONCO PWC. Your best bet is to switch to first person view when driving it. You might find it’s a little easier to control.

Actually, I prefer first-person view for the large vehicles and third-person for the smaller, but like I said, the PWC is its own animal.

Last thing to keep in mind about the boats, is that you can dislodge any vehicle with a MELEE STRIKE, yep, EVEN THE BIG RCB and DV-15. Next time you find a boat stuck on the dune, just hit it from the front with your knife until its safely back in the water.

gamepressure.com

 SONY’S DATA COLLECTION SECRET.

So, a weird thing happened to me last week. I was on the phone with Sony Playstation Support, and we got on the subject of the DATA COLLECTION process on my PS3.

 “What data collection?” You ask. It’s the data collection that you send to Sony whenever a certain app takes a dump… a memory dump. Those with a PS3 should know what I am talking about.

After a hard-reboot, the PS3 asks if you want to send information about the crash to Sony. The purpose of the data collection is to help improve the quality of the software and user experience, so they claim.

Stupid me, I thought I would ask Sony for a copy of my PS3 report, you know, what data have they collected, who have they sent it to, and what have they done with it?

Hear that? That silence. That’s what it sounded like on the phone.

I pushed a little harder and eventually got someone who said that Playstation Support is not privy to the details of the data collection that occurs after an application blows up. In other words, they didn’t know AND Sony Corp. wasn’t going to share.

Interesting. So, I’ll let you know how this all plays out. A supervisor promised that someone would get back to me with answers to my questions. We’ll see.

Until next time, DEATH TO ALL C4 SPAMMERs! And come find me at PSN>JOHNDAVIDFLORES

Musings on the Battlefield: Aesthetics in Gaming, CHAIN LINK ADDICTION, and What's With SHIELDMAN?

Aesthetics. Look it up. Aesthetics are EVERYTHING to an FPS. Sure, back when all you had was DUKE NUKEM and BARNEY skins, the aesthetics (there’s that word again) may not have been great, but they weren’t bad.

Fast-forward twenty years (Jesus has it been that long?) and look what the gaming world has brought us: BIOSHOCK INFINITE, DESTINY, COD: GHOSTS (I should write a post about my thoughts on GHOSTS, and my disappointments), and BATTLEFIELD: DRAGON’S TEETH.

destructoid.com

Not bad for twenty+ years of software development. Like film, we are breaking new visual ground in gaming. The realism aside, it’s the breathtaking views that have been constructed, the entire AESTHETIC, that should finally have the old-guard artistic authorities take the blinders from their eyes and admit that THESE GAMES ARE WORKS OF ART JUST LIKE FILM.

digitaltrends.com

The snapshots you see are evidence that, though only MARGINALLY more realistic in their reproduction of things like biomechanics and the sensual aspects that make it possible for us to differentiate between a Halloween mask and a human face, these environments have transcended the drive towards realism and gone on to CREATE A HYPER-REALISM in ART and VIDEO that IMHO can be likened to GERMAN EXPRESSIONISM of the 20^th century.

It all goes back to aesthetics. Look it up.

Aesthetics

CHAIN LINK, or as I like to call it, 10 TIMES THE FUN BUT HALF THE POINTS, is a nifty little update to the traditional CONQUEST mode. In fact, let’s just call it what it is, CONQUEST ON METH (I figure they got science teachers making the stuff on TV these days so I must be in safe company).

@WarZoneSecure

Somehow they made CONQUEST FASTER without reducing the size of the maps or number of targets. And yet, it still feels really crowded, especially at the individual targets. 

Oh yeah, and let’s all welcome back Mr. and Mrs. Spawn Camping…we have… MISSED YOU.

Yep, the campers are back with a vengeance. But do not despair. The game is way too fast for one team to hold any position forever.

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THE GAME IS ‘TOO FAST’?”

I can’t explain it and it would be futile to try. You have to play it. It’s similar to DOMINATION, but less like DEATHMATCH. LOL. Ok, that’s as nerdy as I am EVER going to get on this blog. The point is that you have to play it to understand what I mean by a “FASTER” version of CONQUEST.

If your team or YOU are competent, you should be able to take back a couple of positions. You’re still GOING TO LOSE. There are clans that have ALREADY become VERY FAMILIAR with the mode and maps, and they will tear your team to ribbons. I say that with a knowing smile on my face.

So far, I have only completed the mode in DRAGON’S TEETH and I like it, A LOT… of course there’s that problem with the points…THERE AREN’T ANY!

It’s the first time I feel like I am doing this for DICE’s amusement more than my own. Even with ASSAULT fully kitted, it’s hard to come by points if you are losing. That’s not like the old CONQUEST at ALL.

Winning isn’t necessarily a point rack either, though it is better.

AND DRAGON’S TEETH IS STILL GLITCHY. Just take a look at the pic. Twice my tank was stuck on the railing in SUNKEN DRAGON. STUCK ON THE RAILING.

I don't know. It's just "stuck".

And what is with that SHIELD (see title pic above)?

They should call that the WEAKEST LINK (sorry it was just sitting there and I had to). I actually saw some player get killed by SHIELDMAN. I had to get on my Bluetooth and tell the team, “JUST JUMP AROUND HIM AND CUT HIS THROAT.”

It’s that easy.

Every time I see them coming I head straight for their direction so I can TAKE THEIR TAGS.

There’s other minor issues that I have with the DLC, like that machine-gun R/C (hate that thing), but ALL IN ALL IT IS STILL WORTH THE PRICE OF ADMISSION, if only to see how the Battlefield is evolving.

Next post I will share some tips on how to be a more successful vehicle driver: TANKS and JEEPS and BOATS. Until then, TAKE THAT BULLDOG AND MAKE IT SMOKE! And come find me at PSN>JOHNDAVIDFLORES

Musings on the Battlefield: Getting Max Points WITHOUT Joining a Clan, and FINALLY, a Look at the Dragon's Teeth

LET’S FACE IT a decent clan will kick the crap out of a non-clan team nine times out of ten. It’s true. Find a clan of players who know their positions and are able to work together effectively. Wire them up with Bluetooth headsets and turn them loose. If you are in a non-clan team or a team made up of non-clan and clan members, I don’t care if you are all 120 colonels, you are probably going to lose. It’s the law of teams.

www.bf4clans.com

Thus, the chances of winning games are much better if you join a clan, especially one that works together as a team and communicates.

But that doesn’t mean that you have to join a clan to get maximum points. Your individual score and how often you level-up have a lot more to do with your individual talents than your team.

Don’t get me wrong. Having a clan at your back will definitely help to increase your score significantly, even if it is just two of you. But what if you aren’t interested in joining a clan? How do you get maximum points without having to add [INSERT CLEVER ACRONYM HERE] to your PSN handle?

As someone who has NEVER JOINED A CLAN, I have had to develop strategies of play that are highly adaptable and require the ability to play at least two loadouts competently. I have three that I use frequently enough that I can play any one of them and feel confident.

Of the three, two are my strongest and one is my favorite: the blessed “REVIVE AND SURVIVE” loadout, also known as ASSAULT.

My first experience with this particular kit was in BF3. A friend of mine used it like he was a surgeon, no pun intended. He would decimate squads and at the same time keep his alive.  I almost never used it. I don’t know why but it just seemed so advanced that I couldn’t get the hang of it, not until BF4. Now, it is practically all I ever use.

Just to be clear, I am referring to the Assault kit that includes the DEFIB and MEDIC BAG with the COMBAT MEDIC mod on top. The weapon you use is up to you and it almost doesn’t matter. Your role is support mostly and because of that handy medic bag, you immediately have an edge over the kits that don’t.

It is the most lethal loadout of them all.

Which of the other loadouts can you heal yourself and kill the enemy with ease?

“INCLUDING THE SNIPER?”

Yes, including the SNIPER SHADOWED. There is a reason they don’t let the medic have the PDW and I am convinced it’s because it would give the kit an unfair advantage over everyone else. Can you imagine the damage you could do with this loadout and an SR-2 or an MP7 in your hands? It wouldn’t be a fair fight.

The only ONLY downside to the kit is that it takes time to become proficient, and that means you are probably going to DIE MORE. Still if you play it right, and you choose the right maps/modes, there is nothing better for racking up the points.

As to maps and modes, personal favorites are RUSH and CONQUEST anywhere that has more close combat like say OPERATION LOCKER or DAWNBREAKER, GOLMUD is pretty good too.

“BUT WHAT IF EVERYONE IS A MEDIC?”

Yeah that’s been happening a LOT more lately. It’s like the SNIPER situation: TOO DAMN MANY. That’s why you need a second loadout handy. It all depends on the situation and what the TEAM needs. If you follow the needs of the team, you will always score points.

Of the two modes, CONQUEST is your best bet for max score because you can play the entire game and almost never see anyone and yet still rack-up some decent points. Not that I am advocating you do that. Being a CONQUEST FLAG HOPPER is not the way to go if you want to level-up fast.

The way you do that requires, and I hate to say it, a PREMIUM MEMBERSHIP. Yep, hate all you want. I have leveled up four times in a couple of hours using my XP bonus awards during the PREMIUM MEMBER DOUBLE-XP days. It’s the only way to get through the higher levels.

EVEN IF you are a LEGEND of the game, without the PREMIUM it will take you FOREVER TO GET BEYOND 110.

I know I know, you don’t have $50. All I can say is, if you want to level-up fast, you are going to need to do two things: save your XP bonus awards, and get a Premium membership. Then when the DOUBLE XP days come, cash in. OR, you can wait until DICE decides to have a system wide XP bonus.

You may be waiting for a while.

Dragon's Teeth: Propaganda

ONE of the things I like to do whenever there is a new DLC, like DRAGON’S TEETH, is to find a game with NO ONE IN IT, and spend some time getting to know the layout. I find it is very useful to spend a little time in the map free of the threat of combat. For one thing, I can RECONNOITER THE RIM sans harassment.

Let's just call this the ALLEY OF DEATH.

Secondly, it allows me to see where the targets are and plan my strategies of attack or defense.

Sometimes you get some jerk who doesn’t realize you are just checkin things out and he kills you over and over again. When that happens, I just switch maps. Any way, try it and see if it doesn’t help you to hit the ground running when the live fire comes.

Took me FOREVER to find this one.

Next blog I will give you my initial thoughts on the new mode CHAINLINK (hint: Pappa like) and the epic DLC, DRAGON’S TEETH. Till then, don’t let them throw C4 on you from a skyscraper, and don’t forget to come find me at PSN>JOHNDAVIDFLORES.

Musings on the Battlefield: A Barricade of Quads and Jeeps.

Me parking the enemy's quad in front of my base objective.

No doubt if you are a fan of RUSH mode you have already noticed that, for some unknown reason, the game gives the attacking team all the vehicles while the defense is left to fend for themselves. Well here's a way to turn that offensive advantage to your team's benefit.

This tactic works on nearly all land maps, but I prefer DAWNBREAKER or ROGUE TRANSMISSION because they have the quads and what the hell else are you going to do with them? If you are defensive, the quads are like tits on a bull, not very useful as transport. Well, this CHANGES ALL OF THAT.

Be forewarned, YOU ARE PROBABLY GOING TO DIE a couple times till you get the hang of how to position your vehicles. For this example, I will be using some captures I took from a game in ROGUE earlier. The one above shows me putting the vehicle into the corner where the enemy likes to hide and shoot at you as you try to disarm the objective. Those days are gone.

More the merrier I say.

Just keep adding vehicles until you have the area well covered or until your squad starts shooting at you. I like to drive one off the top platform just for good measure.

"BUT WON'T YOU MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR YOUR TEAM TO DEFEND THE BASE OBJECTIVE?"

IT BURNS! IT BURNS!

No. Unless you call making your objectives nearly impenetrable a 'difficulty' for the team. Trust when I say your enemy will have a much harder time than your team. All you need to do is wait for the enemy to show up on your map when he has to GET ON ONE OF THE QUADS and move it just to set the bomb. Then you have the choice of either shooting him before he gets off the vehicle, or throwing a grenade and watching him and the quad blow; either way, the enemy is toast.

Some like to put C4 on the quads or a SLAM. That's up to you and how much BOOM SALAD you want to make. Just remember, the fire burns both ways if you are not careful.

DAWNBREAKER is another map with quads that are intended for offensive purposes. I have used them on a number occasions to beef up security around my base to great success. Like the quads, the jeeps work well in maps like GOLMUD and LANCANG. Having a machine gun mounted makes it even more effective as a defensive vehicle, you just have to be willing to man it.

The only full size vehicle I use in the same fashion is the MRAP in Rogue Transmission. If the enemy pushes you back under the dish, as you are running for position grab one of the trucks sitting out on the perimeter. You can either use it to block access to alpha or drive it down the stairs and park it front of bravo (I like to block the side of the stairs so that the enemy can't hide down there). It may not completely stop them but it will make attacking your base damn inconvenient.

Door too small to fit? No problem. Just put the vehicle in front of the door and put some slams or claymores on it. The enemy will have to use a grenade to get through or try to climb on and then BOOM.

Next time, we'll talk about DICE'S recently announced CTE (Community Test Environment) and whether it's A) Just another cynical attempt to distract the users from the real problems affecting the game, or  B) An honest effort to make the game better via customer feedback. Till then, happy hunting.

DON'T FORGET TO COME FIND ME AT PSN>JOHNDAVIDFLORES and I will surround you with quads.

Nice parking!

Musings on the Battledfield: SPOT-SUPRRESS-KILL FEST with the RHIB.

RHIB in Hainan Resort

One of my favorite tactics, and one that is growing in popularity, is to use the RHIB and jeeps like mobile and powerful machine guns, instead of simply as transport vehicles. For example, the image above was captured while playing Hainan Resort/RUSH. Notice where I have landed my RHIB: on the island directly across from the enemy’s base. From this position I can do a TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF DAMAGE, with relative immunity from counterattack.

Like shooting fish in a barrel.

Placing the boat in the right place is key and you need enough speed to get it over the dune. If you land it right, there should be a tree blocking your view to the left. Cut the tree down and you will see your enemy exposed and vulnerable before you like a spot-suppression-kill fest.

Similarly, in Paracel Storm/RUSH, you can park the boat on the sunken carrier across from the enemy’s base (see below). 

On the sunken carrier in Paracel Storm.

Again, placement is key and you have to time it so that you land the boat as the waves flood the carrier. If you try to land when the waves have receded you may not make it far enough to see your target. Once you land, switch over to the gunner and have at it.

DON'T FORGET TO SPOT. Spot points can add up quick with this tactic.

"I see you and you and you and you..."

Of course, eventually your enemy is going to figure out that you are a big problem and unleash every weapon they have to stop you. Here's where being a mechanic with repair ability comes in very handy. Also, watch out for those determined souls who try to swim over to you. 

Check back for my next post where I will show you an imaginative way to use the quads as a barricade for your base. Until then, happy hunting. DON'T FORGET TO COME FIND ME AT PSN>JOHNDAVIDFLORES.

Musings on the Battlefield: Throwing Your Last Grenade.

IF ONLY I HAD THROWN MY GRENADE!

This past weekend, I spent part of my days watching the World Cup and part padding my score on BF4 with the Premium Member's 100% Bonus thing. I thought it interesting that during the Colombia v. Uruguay match there were comparatively few players on multiplayer. Maybe there is a relationship.

My goal was to break into 115 (I needed about a million points) but, alas, the gaming gods were not on my side. Instead the entire day was a stutter step of glitch/freezing and hard rebooting (see my post on the subject regarding Lancang Dam for insight into my continued trouble with the game's instability). It was during a particularly long session of Conquest/Operation Locker that the above was captured.

First, the timing couldn't have been better as you can plainly see (just to add insult to injury, this was a 1400 ticket match that I had been playing for God knows how long). But what may not be so readily evident is also the inspiration behind today's post: I didn't throw my last grenade.

I know. It seems like such a small thing to forget and in actual size it most definitely is, HOWEVER, it is because of its size that it is EASILY forgotten, case in point: the picture above.

A little backstory: I KNEW THIS LUCKY SLOB was hiding in the tunnel and could have put an end to his MISERABLE LIFE if only I had THROWN MY GRENADE. But I didn't, and that's the point.

So often we are in the heat of battle that we don't stop and think, "hey idiot, throw your grenade". I do it all the time too. Still, a helpful reminder to focus on the little things is always a good idea, so here you go: ALWAYS THROW YOUR LAST GRENADE.

Try to keep that in mind the next time you play and see if it doesn't pay off.

On to more serious issues. One of the big questions I have had about the game is its fidelity when it crashes. "Are my game totals accurately accounted for when the game freezes and I have to reboot?" is something I worry about given the high number of software/system failures I experience per gaming session. WELL, I AM HERE TO TELL YOU THAT MY FEARS seem to have been assuaged.

Yeah, I know, I hate to admit it, but I cannot argue with hard data. After each crash, I made note of my numbers immediately afterwards. My running tally showed that I was definitely getting my points and that they were reasonably, if not completely, accurate.

This is comforting on many levels, but most importantly it demonstrates that EA and team recognize that there is a problem with system instability and they have developed a means of dumping the score to memory before it's lost.

Now if they could only fix the cause and not treat the symptom, what a world it would be.

I was just getting started.

Musings on the Battlefield: BLOW UP THE DAMN BUILDINGS!

Today I was playing Golmud Railway. I love that map. I love the fact that it is the ONLY map of the first series that doesn't have a lick of water, nada. Dry as a witch's ... I also love the fact that tanks are a main feature, OBLITERATION especially, (RUSH kinda pisses me off because they give the attacking team THREE tanks AND A HELICOPTER and leave the defending squads with only one tank and their good looks).

I dropped into it on the offensive and we had already secured the first two bases but were now getting hammered as we approached the sniper friendly buildings and 30 foot sheer faced walls of rock. For whatever reason, my team had allowed all the buildings to stand including those that were 100 meters behind our target objectives.

This gave the unfriendly snipers and SMAW junkies a turkey shoot as our tanks and men approached the main street and ground zero. 30 seconds later, I was driving through smoke and rubble in my tank, thinking, "I am glad I came". It took me two tanks but I finally brought all the buildings down. After that it didn't take long before we took the last objectives.

Did I really make that much of a difference? You bet I did. Once the buildings and protective walls surrounding the targets were demolished, the enemy had nowhere to hide. They were totally exposed, defeat was imminent. And yet, I often see teams get there asses handed to them because they allow a half dozen or more snipers to sit on rooftops and pick off players one by one, an unfortunate and totally unnecessary situation.

After the game, I decided I would give my faithful readers some tactical and strategic tips that I have found make it easier to win. With that in mind, below I am compiling a list of things that I am certain will aid you in your success as a player and the murderer of those that deserve it: animated humans in video games.

TIP NUMER UNO: BLOW UP THE GODDAMN BUILDINGS! Sorry, that probably sounded a little harsh. It's the father in me. Still, please WOULD YOU KINDLY blow up the damn buildings and walls? In fact, BLOW IT ALL TO HELL!

One of the things I LOVE ABOUT the game is the fact that the designers intentionally created an environment which, if you can hit it with an explosive, chances are it is COMING DOWN. Operation Firestorm is a classic example.

Operation Firestorm is from the BF3 maps and is a huge sandbox filled with things that turn into twisted metal and dust when they are hit with a SABOT or a SMAW or an RPG, etc, etc, you get the point. Even better, the grass burns and the big gas tanks explode fire. BLOW IT ALL TO HELL!

BUT WHAT ABOUT MY MEN THAT ARE HIDING IN THERE? Keep the structures up until the enemy overruns you and then BLOW THEM TO HELL! Some buildings, you should blow up whether your personnel are in there or not, for instance, CASPIAN BORDER. If you are playing RUSH in CB, and you are defending, I say, blow up ALL the buildings. I have yet to play a game where having the buildings up in CB, or any map for that matter, was worth it.

So to reiterate. If you are in GOLMUD or FIRESTORM, or ANY OTHER MAP and you have some serious explosives, blow stuff up.

TIP NUMERO DOS: The TEST RANGE.

Yeah I know. I have already sang its praises in a previous post BUT SO WHAT!? I am saying it again, "USE THE TEST RANGE." Even if it is just to try out your shiny new mod before stepping out into the field and costing you and your team tickets.

If you really want to have fun doing something you need to practice at it. Golf, basketball, bowling, darts, and BATTLEFIELD FOUR, all require a lot of practice to be able to play enjoyably. It sucks when you hit a golf ball into another green, just like it does to miss 20 free throws in a row. Only practice will fix what ails ya.

There are boats, helicopter, quads, tanks, LAVs, a complete firing range a'la BLACK OPS, AND a change station so you don't have to redeploy every time you want to change your kit. What more could a player ask for I say? Nothing, so take a few minutes before you jump in and check it out, BLOW STUFF UP (there are even flying targets).

I guarantee that the more time you spend in the TEST RANGE trying out the weapons and vehicles, the better you will play in the battlefield, and ULTIMATELY the more fun you will have.

TIP NUMERO TRES: DON'T FEAR THE RED ZONES. No doubt you've played BF3 or BF4 long enough to know about the RED ZONES, the off limit areas where you will die if you linger too long. These are NO MAN'S LAND and sometimes they can be a real pain the ass, BUT there are ways to use them to your advantage.

Just like in METRO in Battlefield 3, there are certain maps and certain missions where you can use the off-limit areas to decimate your enemy. The screen capture above shows one of my favorite tactics that you can use on almost any map in RUSH mode. This one is tricky but if done right, you will put your enemy on their heels and have the objectives blown to bits before they've even come back from that Hot Pocket break.

The key is to time how long it takes from the moment you see the "AWAIT FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS" notice to the unveiling of the new target objectives. Then, time how long it takes you to reach the objectives. This is where you might have to take a KIA. Since the distances are more or less the same for each new stage in the mission, you should only have to do this once.

Now, take the two data points and subtract the first number from the second, that's your delta. That's how long you should wait before you zoom into the RED ZONE during the next transition. Earlier today, I played Operation Locker and discovered that each transition took about 16 seconds before the RED ZONES receded and the new targets were revealed.

Running to the next objective took me about 13 seconds. That meant that I would have to wait at least 3 seconds before venturing into the RED ZONE and taking my enemies unawares. Which I did to great success.

To review. Figure out how long it takes you to get to the target area, the area around the hidden objectives. Then figure out how long the period is between the AWAIT FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS and when the RED ZONES are reset. Then subtract the two numbers and the next time you see the notice, count down the difference (for me the difference was three seconds), and then jump on in.

It may take a few times to get the hang of it, but once you do, look out. Your enemies and your team will be shocked to see how fast the alarm is sounded.

Another way to exploit the RED ZONE areas, as mentioned previously, comes from the BF3 days. Most RED ZONES protecting your enemy's spawn areas are accessible via multiple points on every map, meaning that there are a lot of ways to get in and out quickly enough that you don't commit suicide. For example, in OPERATION LOCKER-RUSH, the attackers have three routes to their objectives, one is via the stairs, another is through the main warehouse, and the last is from outside.

The two routes inside the building provide excellent opportunities to sneak up on the enemy and blow them away while they linger in the red. I like to start from the top floor. First make sure the enemy isn't waiting for you as you descend the stairs into their spawn area. Once you are all the way down the stairs and DEEP in enemy territory, keep heading towards the warehouse and shoot whatever moves. You won't be able to see very good because of the filter the game puts on your view but trust your instincts and shoot at will.

Again, it may take awhile to get the hang of it and YOU WILL DIE numerous times till you do, but you will also take a lot of your enemy with you while you learn. Sooner or later, you are going to figure it out and then, LET THE GAMES BEGIN! Your enemy won't know what hit them and your team will be praising your courage.

One final tip regarding the RED ZONES could save your game if your back is against the wall. Once again, I will refer to Operation Locker, but this time playing OBLITERATION.

As with all men, there are times when the enemy has reached deep into our territory with the BOMB. If ever you find yourself in a similar situation and you are deep in your own backyard and the enemy is coming hard at you, if you can get the bomb before they set it off, DON'T HEAD FOR THE ENEMY TARGET, RUN TO THE RED ZONE OUTSIDE!

BUT WON'T I DIE AND LOSE POSSESSION OF THE BOMB? Yep, but you will also put the bomb in a place where the enemy can't get to it easily and even if they try they will be perfect targets for you and your friends watching them. Eventually the mission will time out and a new bomb will appear in the map far away from you and your precious target.

It may not help you to win but it should buy your team time to re-organize and get to the new bomb before your enemy. In any case, it could stop them from taking all of your objectives and there is a certain amount of pride to be had with that. Good luck. Till next time, happy hunting.

CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES TO THIS ARTICLE.

Musings on the Battlefield

Millennials and the Absurdity of Video Game Violence.

Today I begin a new post series in which I will share with you some of my gaming experiences and how I believe they reflect our early, 21st-century American culture and society. Yes, I will also share my thoughts on the current debate regarding the 2nd Amendment right to bear arms and gun violence in this country, as it relates to games which feature graphic gun violence like the Battlefield franchise (some may recall the controversy caused by the media over the fact that Adam Lanza, the Sandy Hook murderer, was an avid "Combat Arms" player, I will address this and my thoughts on whether I believe that video games encourage gun violence in America).

I will also spend a considerable amount of space sharing with you tactics that I have used successfully and found to be very effective. Like, how to use a RHIB to destroy your opponent's position in Paracel Storm?

Today, however, I would like to tell you a story about something that happened to me recently while I was playing RUSH mode in Dawnbreaker.

I was glitching hard when I spawned and found I had no control over my movement. Two of my team who were on microphones noticed me. From the sound I thought they were both in their early teens. For a few seconds, they laughed and talked about my pathetic state. Then finally one of them said, "Hey look! I just put a bunch of slams on him so when he moves 'BOOM'." It was easily one of the funniest moments I have ever had playing the game. "Why would they want to see me blow up?" I asked myself, "It's absurd." But that's the point. They know it is absurd.

Over the past half-decade, I have had numerous opportunities as both a student and a teacher, to observe and interact with what many have called the "millennial generations," (I prefer the designation I-Gen+). This includes the age range of the young men who wished, not only to witness but, to effect my explosive demise.

What I learned from my experiences is that the millennials' approach to violence in video games often reveals their famous (or infamous) love of irony, in other words, the kids understand that the gaming world is fake and, therefore, seek ways to exaggerate that absurdity by exploiting the unreality of the gaming environment. For example, in the Hainan Resort map there is a multi-story hotel right in the middle of the battlefield. In the hotel is an elevator that leads to the rooftop.

Just last month, I witnessed a group of young players fit two quads in the elevator, take them to the top, and then drive them off roof. Why? Again, because it is funny as shit, but more importantly it is because they are trying to find the limits of the irony and absurdity within the virtual reality that they play.

Another example, but this time from BF3. I had just spawned on the beach of Operation Firestorm and was heading for Alpha when I noticed two of my team standing face to face like they were having a virtual conversation. Suddenly, one of them began to toss C4 on the other's head and upper torso, turning his compatriot into a virtual suicide bomber. Afterwards, both rushed off together, happy as clams, towards the front lines.

What do this and the other experiences indicate about the millennials and the way they perceive the violence they experience in video games like Battlefield 3 and 4? I believe it suggests that they are not only capable of recognizing the differences between the virtual reality of the game and the world outside, but to demonstrate that recognition, they intentionally amplify the unreality in harmony with their well-known, ironic pre-disposition.

Furthermore, I believe it reveals the media's claims of a direct link between violent video games and millennial violence as incomplete and representative of a misinformed bias towards games like the Battlefield and Grand Theft Auto franchises.

Musings on the Battlefield: I am NOT insane. Why I have decided to give up my beloved Lancang Dam (for the time being). POST PATCH UPDATE!

So that patch thingy? Didn't help. Nope. 07/09/14.

So after weeks and weeks of avoiding Lancang entirely (I even dropped out if the map switched to LD), I finally decided that after this past week's 600+MB patch I would give it a go. Well, I hate to say it but, THE BOYCOTT LIVES ON! The pic above was only one of several moments where the game hung. Something that I will be writing a post about soon, once I figure out what the patch was supposed to do, other than give everyone more content (Dragon's Teeth)?

06/18/14

I am not a complainer by nature, especially when it comes to software. I know that most software comes out half-baked at the time of release, and that rule applies to all of it: OS, app, games, etc. It goes without saying, however, that in the last decade, release cycles have shrunk to the point that the problem of what I like to call "user-led debguging" has been exacerbated. The so-called "alpha-stage" of the S/W development cycle is a myth. What you see on the day of release is little more than an advanced Beta at best.

In other words, things are getting worse, not better. Take for instance BF4. I think I have demonstrated on this blog as well as in the number of hours that I have played the game, that it is my favorite franchise. But no matter how much I may praise its glories, it is only fair if I also point out its glaring weaknesses.

Case in point: the number of online updates. As a PS3 user, I know that there have been at least three since February, not including the DLCs (as expected, the Naval Strike DLC contained several bug fixes and code updates as well as new content). If online reports are accurate, the number of updates for the PC and PS4 have been two or even, threefold.

Then there's the server issues. My last count was four separate server "updates" and the game isn't even a year old. That means that the problem isn't only software, it's hardware as well, a cross-departmental miss.

But perhaps the most galling is the frequent and predictable glitching, when the game freezes and there is no recovery besides a hard boot of the device (I would love it if some angry PS3 user one day proved that BF4 damaged their PS3 due to all the hard reboots**). It is the glitching that continues to be the BF4 Achilles' heal.

Glitching or "freezing" is perhaps the oldest of software failures, and one of the most difficult to troubleshoot. Is it the customer environment or the software? Is it the network or the hardware? The areas of investigation are limitless, and even more so with a game like BF4 and its multiplayer mode.

Still, there comes a time when even the factory, level three support engineer, has to go back to the programmer and say, "This is us, not them." Which they have clearly done, forcing EA to respond with an apology and admission of the errors with the platform.

Yet, despite EA's mea culpa, (a rare acknowledgement from a traditionally "take it or leave it" industry), there are lines that must be drawn if changes are to be made. And while my decision to stop playing Lancang Dam, a map I thoroughly enjoy, may be like a gnat buzzing in a giant's ear, "BUZZ! BUZZ! BUZZ!" I say to the giants EA DICE and Activision!

"Why?" you ask, have I become so incensed? What could possibly have led me to this extreme course of action? Simple, I am not insane.

If "insanity" is defined as "the repetition of the same self-destructive behaviors in the hope of an improved outcome" then my answer is succinct and on point. In just the past month, I have played multiplayer-BF4 a dozen times or more. For some reason, the game has froze at nearly the same point, in the same vehicle, three times in just the past several weeks. That my friend is what you call "a pattern."

Prove it.

Done. Take a look at the above screen capture*. Note it is in Lancang Dam, near the western end of the map. I am in driving the tank. I glitched in the parking lot as the enemy with the bomb advanced. Now, take a look at the captures below.

06/13/14

06/12/14

They look very similar, because they are: same map, same area, same vehicle, almost same view. It's uncanny and interesting but it is also RIDICULOUS. From a programmer's standpoint, this pretty much eliminates my PS3 or network from being the source of the issue. In other words, it ain't me sister.

The irony of course is that I am still going to play the game, just not the map. That's the sad result of a market that has made its own bed. We would rather play a glitchy game now, than give the programmers time to put out a finished product later.

So while my stand may be only half-baked, it seems a perfect response to the half-baked world of contemporary gaming software. Take that you lot, "BUZZ! BUZZ! BUZZ!"

*For other examples of when the game goes wrong, check here: BF4 glitch screenshots
**I was informed by a BF4 forum user that several have already demonstrated a link between a failure with their PS3 and BF4 requiring so many hard reboots.