User blog:Heatedpete/Going Back to Karkand 4 - pack design

Ok, so those who remember back to the days before the release of epic-game-of-awesomeness 1 Battlefield 3 will remember the Battlefield Blog's "Battleblogs", most of which Bovell, PredEden, myself and others covered over the time when they were released. However, one that we didn't catch up on was the Going Back to Karkand blogs. Yet now, four blogs down the pipeline, here's the summary of GBtK #4 - the design behind the expansion pack.

Why Back to Karkand?
The idea for Back to Karkand was and has not been original within the series. Bad Company 2 went back to 'Nam, and had two of the community's favourite maps from BF:BC during the final two map/expansion pack releases during late 2010. And the choice to go back to four classic Battlefield 2 maps went along the same lines. However, as the blog puts it, the "idea for the expansion pack was to let players revisit these classic maps as if time had passed by since they last played them in Battlefield 2." Hence the fact that, on Strike at Oman, we now have luxury villas close to the beach, and next to the airport on Wake Island, we have a conference centre. However, I doubt any conference there would last long once BBP flies past in his AH-6...

Niklas Fegraeus, lead designer on the Back to Karkand pack, said "I want returning players to get the sense that these are cool new maps, and then suddenly realize they know them by heart. The feeling should be new, but the actual map layout the same as before. For newcomers, these are simply four brilliant maps" when asked by the blog team for a quote.

Fundamental changes
However, those stuck by their own opinions to the days of Refractor 2 will find that the four maps aren't as nice - or would that be level - as they were back in 2005. Many critics of Battlefield 3's multiplayer claimed that Destruction 3.0 wasn't extensive enough. Not enough buildings could be brought down, etc. Not in Karkand. The BtK development team is working full on to make full use of D3.0, making sure most of the maps can be turned into rubble.

Whaddya know about rubble, critics?2

As well as the new maps, we have five new dogtags, three new vehicles, 10 classic weapons (inc. the L85. British dominance will be asserted...) and, check this, a new "persistence system where players complete assignments to earn their rewards." All I can say is, watch this space/ the Battlefield blog for more information in the weeks running up to the pack's release in Winter. HP out...

Source -


 * 1 - yes, there are people who do call BF3 that...


 * 2 - Today seems to be YouTube paraphrasing day. And if you're stupid, that was a paraphrase of the Canadian guy on Epic Meal Time...