DICE’s Technical Art Director, Ken Brown, received the news that he would be responsible for the upcoming design of Star Wars: Battlefront, he had mixed feelings. He was excited but also wondering how he could possibly create such a complex universe on screen. Once DICE told him their main goal was to replicate the universe as close to the original as possible, all of his worries vanished. “Doing it true to the source was the only way. Being respectful to Star Wars™ and doing it right was something I wanted to be a part of,” Brown says. Brown and his team have a hefty job of making Star Wars: Battlefront look as perfect as humanly possible. With the help of a technology called Physical Based Rendering and Brown’s passion to create this detailed world, Star Wars: Battlefront’s outlook is amazing. “From a rendering and a technical perspective, PBR refers to…
Star Wars: Battlefront
Star Wars Battlefront tease reveals Han Solo following E3 gameplay pledge
A recent picture of Han Solo’s DL-44 heavy blaster pistol was posted by the official EA Star Wars Twitter account and the comment “Keep it on the DL… 44,” was posted along with it. The heavy blaster pistol is seen wielded by Solo in the Star Wars movies and it seems like it will be featured in Star Wars: Battlefront. Solo also used it in Battlefront 2 but it seemed to not be as effective against the Sith character roster. The only confirmed characters for Star Wars: Battlefront so far are Boba Fett and Darth Vader. However, DICE developers have told fans that they will be revealing more characters in the next few months. It seems possible that there will be more heroes at this year’s E3 event in June and it could possibly even feature Han Solo himself. The Design Director of Star Wars: Battlefront, Niklas Fegraeus, confirmed during…
Maybe it should not be called Star Wars: Battlefront?
EA and DICE seem intent on breaking my heart. First there’s the announcement that their upcoming Star Wars: Battlefront title won’t feature any prequel content. Understandable. Then there was the neglecting of a single player campaign, Galactic Conquest Mode, space battles, and drivable AT-AT walkers: basically unforgivable. But I still held out hope. “This is a Star Wars Battlefront title, I have to believe…” Recently, DICE announced that the new game title will be replacing the class system of the older Star Wars games that have unlockable weapons and gear. We want you to ask yourself a question, what parts of this new Star Wars game makes you think it’s a Battlefront title? The title of the game, that’s it. Besides the fact that you will be shooting things in the Star Wars setting and landscape, this game does not have any features that made fans fall in love with…
Battlefront Third Person POV Distinction
Star Wars; Battlefront veterans are happy about the inclusion of third person POV but many are concerned with the customization options of this. It seems very few vets actually played the game from a first person POV (if you were one of them, we want to hear from you in the comments) but there are some possible issues with the default perspective of the third person POV, at least for many players. Check out this image: You can see the difference above. Battlefront vets: what say you on this? Do you want to see changes made to the third person POV? Did you play in first person mode and plan to do so again? What is the benefit or potential downside to each? Some fans are concerned that DICE will not listen to player complaints and concerns and that they are taking a “we know best” approach to the game…
Battlefront Will Run at Both 60fps AND 30fps on Consoles
If you are planning to play Star Wars: Battlefront on your console, there is some good news. It will run at 60fps in multiplayer and 30fps in offline split screen, so that’s pretty good frames either way you look at it. This means console players will still get a good looking game as well as reaction time you want to see from a shooter. With the kind of graphics they have put into this (even on the console version), the fact that it is expected to play at 60 frames is good. we’ll probably expect to see a lower resolution on the consoles to help account for this but with a graphic-heavy game like this, it’s to be expected. And, if you’re curious at seeing the difference in 30 vs. the 60, here’s a handy little link that does JUST THAT: http://30vs60.com/
How DICE used Photogrammetry to Capture Every Last Detail for Star Wars Battlefront
After DICE visited the Lucasfilm Cultural Arts Museum and some of the original filming location for Star Wars, the studio artists had many pieces of inspiration for Star Wars: Battlefront. The crew had one mission and that was to return to the places where the Star Wars franchise all began. During their time they captured the basis for hi-res 3D models for the game and this was anything from huge redwood trees to Stormtrooper helmets. The major component during this process is called photogrammetry. “Photogrammetry is essentially the technique of processing still images to produce a high resolution 3D mesh,” explains Andrew Hamilton, Lead Environment Artist. “There are a number approaches to this, but they all involve taking photos of a subject in real-life and running it through photogrammetry software.” The software is given the images and then makes referenced points that are all based on the angles of the…
STAR WARS: BATTLEFRONT LEAKED INFO. CLOSED ALPHA, NEW 40-PLAYER GAME MODE & AI CONTROLLED AT-AT
I got in contact with an insider who got to play EA’s upcoming game Star Wars: Battlefront, and we got some nice or not so nice info from his play session. I couldn’t get a screenshot or an unreleased asset from the game to back this leak, so take it however you want. Keep in mind that things might drastically change nearing release as these pieces of info are coming from a really early build of the game. It was said that a closed alpha test was done directly after the game’s second reveal at the Star Wars Celebration. This close alpha test was only done for a few EA employees and it ran for a week. This makes one believe that there will be a public alpha test held in Q3 2015 if they did decide to have one, and also a public beta test about a month before…
Star Wars: Battlefront does not have classes or squads
The new Star Wars: Battlefront game will be leaving out a few typical features that you find in most multiplayer shooter games. It will not have any squads or classes. During a recent interviews that was published in OXM and was reported by Gamesradar, the design director Niklas Fegraeus states that players will be able to choose the equipment they would like to use instead of only given a few choices. New gear is guarded by XP, but you will be able to share what you unlock with your Partner. What this enables is two friends always purchasing different unlocks in order to put together their resources. Also, a higher-level player could give a new player access to their top-choice weapons in order to help the partnership. Partners will be replacing Squads, giving you only one person to help you along the way. Star Wars: Battlefront just might be a…
Star Wars: Battlefront Gameplay Debuts at E3, New Multiplayer Mode Revealed
For those of you that feel like you have ants in your pants for more information about Star Wars: Battlefront, we have some great news. June 15th is the official date that developer DICE will be releasing the very first gameplay footage to the public. It will be done through publisher Electronic Arts’ briefing that will be happening at E3 in Los Angeles. The designer for Star Wars: Battlefront, Niklas Fegraeus, announced this news on the games website and he also teased about DICE having “great plans for E3” overall. During the Star Wars Celebration in April, DICE showed a demo for Star Wars: Battlefront in a private area. E3 will be showing the gameplay footage to the open public as long as there are no leaks before then. The only thing that has been shown to the public is a CG trailer. While this trailer did impress us, there…
The Millennium Falcon Will Be Playable In Star Wars Battlefront
We have another Star Wars Battlefront update and this one is the answer to a big question from many friends. Will the Millennium Falcon be playable? With the game releasing on November 17th, and with all the hype about its release up to this point, it’s really no surprise that so many people are asking questions. And who wouldn’t want the chance to pilot one of the most iconic ships in Star Wars history and lore? If you ever dreamed of riding along with Han Solo and Chewy (or of being Solo – or Chewy) then this is going to be news you may enjoy. ComicBook.com covers the scoop: Fans are looking forward to Star Wars Battlefront for many reasons, not least of which is the ability to pilot some of the vehicles from the Star Wars universe. In a Q&A session on Reddit, the game’s developers revealed that players will be…
Star Wars: Battlefront Hero System is Revealed – Powered by Powerups
As more and more info comes out about Star Wars Battlefront, we anxiously await the release of the game. We also look forward to any other bits of information that tell us more about the game such as gameplay, footage, info from developers and more. So here we have some released details about the new Hero System. Lazy Gamer tell us more about how Battlefront wants to turn us into a “beacon of hope”: REBEL SCUM! Who wants to be a meaningless foot soldier in the war between the Rebels and Empire, am I right? Sure, Stormtroopers have bitchin’ cool armour, but they’ve also got the depth perception of a cyclops and even worse aim. And Rebel soldiers have silly helmets. No, I want to be a badass. A Sith lord, a legendary bounty hunter or possibly a killer Ewok. At least two of those options will be available in…
IGN Slams the Haters
“Yes, there’s no space battles, no prequel content, and no single-player campaign, but we’re not worried yet.” Fans are pretty upset that IGN seems to be backing Star Wars Battlefront and they slam the haters in this video, giving their opinions and stating they they are not worried about the game. They read some “demands” from fans who are already expecting specific things from the game and complaining about things that have not happened yet. Of course, some fans don’t side with IGN on this one and claim that IGN is just being paid off by EA/DICE. Paid to have an opinion? Hmm… unheard of in journalism! *sarcasm* That said, it doesn’t mean they are paid fanboys. Maybe they just like the idea of the game. They do have some good points, even if you don’t agree with the overall positivity. For example, they talk about the difference in games…
Battlefront a “Unique” Beast of a Game Set to Sell 9-10 Million Copies
The upcoming Star Wars: Battlefront is one of the most hotly anticipated games of the last few years, and while the developer has apparently spared no resources in its creation, EA are expecting to cash in big time come November 17, when Battlefront is scheduled to be launched on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. According to CFO Blake Jorgensen, the sales estimate on the title is some 9-10 million copies, in EA’s 2016 fiscal year alone (which wraps up in March 2016). Obviously, the long-term potential for the title is much greater. Jorgensen also sought to allay potential fears tied to the actual launch of the product, fears which have been somewhat justified since the problem-ridden, botched launch of Battlefield 4. According to Jorgensen, EA have learned their lessons then, and there aren’t any such unpleasant surprises to be expected with Battlefront. In other Battlefront news: DICE have made…
Star Wars Battlefront will let players play as a female Storm Trooper
According to DICE’s general manager, Patrick Bach, Star Wars: Battlefront will have the option for the player to play as a female Stormtooper. “Male or female characters are separate from customization,” Bach said. The design team wanted to stay true to what the fans would want to be able to customize. “You can’t do it in crazy ways. You can’t have a pink Darth Vader,” he said. “You want the Stormtroopers to look like Stormtroopers,” Bach added. When you look back to the time of the Palapatine’s ruling there were females included as Stormtroopers, and this choice falls in line with the established canon. “Our customization is tilted toward what makes sense,” Bach told us. Seeing that Stormtroopers, no matter what sex, where the same uniform, we could have seen female Stormtroopers in games before without realizing it. Star Wars: Battlefront is giving gamers the choice from the beginning and…
Why Star Wars Battlefront Snubbed The Prequel Trilogy
DICE decided to let fans know why Star Wars: Battlefront will not include the prequel trilogy of movies. Jesper Nielson, Star Wars: Battlefront’s producer, spoke up on Reddit and told fans why the game doesn’t include the prequels or Clone Wars. “Sometimes you have to make choices, and those choices may be hard. We are the ones making the game and have to making hard choices sometimes. One of them was to focus solely on the Original Trilogy. The reasoning I’d rather have someone like Figge comment on” The reason for this may have something to do with DICE being on a strict time constraint. Star Wars: Battlefront really needs to be released this year because of all the hype surrounding the new Star Wars movie, The Force Awakens. If the game became delayed to 2016, sales wouldn’t be as great. Mr. Nielson decided to also talk about the Star…
Alexander Freed confirmed as writer for Comming ‘Star Wars: Battlefront’ Tie-in Book
We all know by now that Star Wars: Battlefront will not have space battles, more than five planets, a single-player campaign, or even setting from the prequel trilogy, but it does have something that no other games in the series has: a tie-in novel. After Disney took over Lucasfilm and the Star Wars franchise, they decided to remove the “Expanded Universe.” This includes every novel, comic book, TV show, and other non-film Star Wars material that was made over the years. This media will be published still, but it shows up as part of the “Legends” line. Lucasfilm is started from scratch and building up the Star Wars franchise with a fresh start. As of now, the new Star Wars canon includes a few comic books by Marvel and a line of books from Del Ray books. Two books have been published and half a dozen are still waiting to…
Star Wars Battlefront Devs “Feels Nothing Like Battlefield”; Space Battles Still Under Discussion
Star Wars: Battlefront is still the main topic for Star Wars fans and producer Jesper Nielsen is continuing to speak with the Reddit community about the upcoming game. The first comment is about why the prequel trilogy and the Clone wars were left out of this game. “Sometimes you have to make choices, and those choices may be hard. We are the ones making the game and have to make hard choices sometimes. One of them was to focus solely on the Original Trilogy. The reasoning I’d rather have someone like Figge comment on.” He continued saying that Battlefront does not compare to Battlefield in any way. “I can absolutely guarantee you that it feels nothing like Battlefield. That would be like saying Halo or COD feels like Battlefield. Or the original Battlefront games.” He also mentioned that the Battle of Jakku DLC will not have any solo player missions….
Star Wars Battlefront: AT-AT’s Are Confirmed To Be On Rails, DICE Explains Reason Behind The Decision
One of the most controversial additions to Star Wars: Battlefront has finally been addressed by DICE producer with the Reddit username “DICE_TheBikingViking.” He has finally confirmed that the AT-AT’s in Star Wars: Battlefront will be on rails. A recent conversation happened with a fan on Reddit and the producer. The fan asked: “With all due respect, are you seriously saying that level of foliage is going to be running on our PS4’s in 2015? Ignoring everything else.” This was his reply: “I don’t like making hard guarantees. The game hasn’t shipped yet. We’re not done with it. But this is how it looks right now – on PS4 as well, yes. I do want to make a very specific comment. While some people have called bullshots, others have said this is not that different from e.g. BF4 and not that impressive, etc. Which is an interesting mix. What impresses me…
Forbes discourages pre-ordering Battlefront
As well all are aware of by now, Star Wars: Battlefront is already available for pre-order and as much excitement as this game has given us, we think you should have some hesitations about pre-ordering it. One of two scenarios are a possibility when receiving an item that you are totally psyched about that you pre-ordered: you are completely satisfied with the product or after all that excitement, it’s not as great as you thought it would be. The problem is that most of the time we are disappointed with pre-ordered games instead of being satisfied. Most every game that is available for pre-order gives you an incentive in the DLC form. However, the DLC’s are usually totally and completely not worth the pre-order price. We know that EA has a horrible reputation with brand new game releases, for instance, there were major issues with Battlefield 4 during its launch….
Star Wars Battlefront “focusing on planetary battles,” not space combat
In the new Star Wars: Battlefront you will be able to fly in an X-Wing or TIE Fighter, but don’t even think about space battles or leaving the atmosphere. “Are we going to see space battles?” I asked DICE producer Craig Mcleod. His answer was a bit more politic than “no,” but didn’t leave much room for ambiguity. “We’re focusing on epic planetary battles for this game,” he said. Mcleod stated that Battlefront’s maps will be on four different planets; these are Hoth, Endor, Tatooine, and Sullust. Now, you will be seeing dogfights above these planets and in the trailer that was released by EA you can see a Star Destroyer hanging out in the background. Does this mean that just maybe there will be one level set on a Star Destroyer? Mcleod only gave me a vague answer when I asked. “It’s very important for us to create a…
DICE dev says Star Wars Battlefront won’t have Battlelog support
Jesper Nielsenon, DICE assistant producer, has stated on NeoGAF that the Battlelog online service, that allows stat tracking for Battlefield titled games, will not be supporting Star Wars: Battlefront. That article is based on the fact that the Uprise website mentions that Uprise is working on Star Wars Battlefront. While Uprise has been doing Battlelog, does that automatically mean that we will do Battlelog for Star Wars Battlefront? No, it won’t. That can only be an assumption, and I can tell you, no, there won’t be Battlelog for Star Wars Battlefront. Is this a good or bad thing in your opinion? Leave your thoughts!
Star Wars: Battlefront Will Return to the “Roots and Ethos” of the Franchise
As we all anxiously await the release of Star Wars: Battlefront, we enjoy finding any and all information we can about the game. According to DICE general manager Patrick Bach, the upcoming shooter is so much more than a big-budget Battlefield mod. Bach says they are going back to the roots and ethos of the franchise with Star Wars: Battlefront, something that many fans of the series are going to be very happy to see. Eurogamer spoke to the DICE GM about the game and what the studio is doing to make it more than just a “big-budget Battlefield mod.” “Let me go back to when we got our hands on it, when it all started,” Bach said. “The whole idea of building a Star Wars Battlefront game is about two things. First of all, it’s called Star Wars Battlefront for a reason, so [we’re] going back to the roots and the core ethos…
Potential Star Wars: Battlefront Collectors editions box art leaked
A few images that show two different potential collector’s editions for the new Star Wars: Battlefront game has been leaked. These new images do look legit and many are hoping so because they look really impressive. The Bounty Hunter Edition, for Xbox One, shows an art book and a Boba Fett-esque bounty hunter helmet, all with instructions on how to construct it. The helmet will probably not be wearable but it would be a cool conversation piece. The PS4 edition is the Stormtrooper Edition and it consists of the same things except the helmet is different, a stormtrooper’s helmet. Both editions will be available on both platforms, but this is how they have been separated. Do you think these images seem legit? Let us know in the comments!
Amazon reveals Star Wars Battlefront Deluxe Edition, DLC pre-order bonus and other details
You can now pre-order Star Wars: Battlefront on Amazon. The standard edition will be available but there will also be a Deluxe Edition, which gives the player access to the DL-44 blaster, which is the gun used by Han Solo, Ion Grenade, and the Ion Torpedo weapons; all this with exclusive access to the Ion Shock and Victory emotes. Anyone who does decide to preorder the game will gain exclusive access to the Battle of Jakku, which is a map that will be featured in the Star Wars: The Force Awakens movie. This battle will take place in a desert-like planet that sits in the Outer Rim. On December 1st, a special DLC will be available for free to anyone who preorders the game. The other players will not have access until the 8th of December to download the DLC. The official release date for Star Wars: Battlefront is November…