Battlefield 3

 

 

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I didn't manage to get this for Christmas so I thought I'd buy it for myself. Amazon sent this game in typical quick fashion and once I sat down after dinner at about 6:30 I thought I'd get it installed and have a go. I'd seen all the negative comments about Origin etc but chose to ignore them as I've lived with Steam and gotten pretty used to it, how hard can it be? I don't really have a problem with people having my details, facebook does so why nag about it?

Except for one thing.......

A bit of software, designed not to stop piracy as that could be done in a much an easier way, but really to get you logged on to their own store and website in the hope that you buy stuff and increase their webhits. This software STOPS you playing the game you've just purchased and you have perfect reason to get annoyed.

I'll list the procedure of trying to play the game as it happened as it's easier to follow:
6:30 - insert disc, run autoplay, install.
6:32 - accept dozens of terms and agreements, accept to install Origin
6:33 - Origin requires an update before install REQUIRED to play Battlefield 3 it says. - Update begins
6:35 - Update complete, re-accept dozens of terms and agreements
6:37 - Create login account for origin
6:39 - Says you've created the account, then won't let you log in, saying password or username is incorrect
6:41 - Try and register again. It says username is not available now. Try logging in again
6:44 - Still not logging in. Go and watch a recorded program on sky for half hour
7:15 - Now logs on. Now have to set privacy details, tell it not to connect to the entire world and tell them I'm playing a game, accept another 10 T&Cs
7:18 - Now says I need an update for the game (4Gb!!!!!! - My brother in law down the road gets 0.3Mb/s imagine him trying to play this)
7:20 - Begin download, go and play chess with the wife (seriously, I haven't played chess in years and there was nothing on TV, the internet is now maxed out so I thought 'why not'?)
10:35 - Download complete. Installing
10:47 - Insert Disc 2
10:52 - Install Complete. Origin crashes
10:55 - Origin not responding to forced closing. Locks machine (my machine hasn't crashed in approx 6 months - and that was during heavy photoshop use - even then it recovered)
11:00 - Reset machine after giving up waiting
11:05 - Machine reset, launched Origin. Hit 'Play Game!'
11:05 - Origin now launches 'Battlefield Website'
11:07 - Still trying to work out why it's launching a website rather than the game
11:10 - Website tells me I need to download a plugin 'Gamemanager' to my browser to play my game
11:15 - Plugin eventually installs after sitting there like a lemon for 5 minutes. I now feel violated.
11:20 - Game launches but I'm tired and extremely hacked off. I get to the menu screen where it says 'do not power off during autosave icon' - realise that's because it's blatantly a console port and go to shut down my PC in annoyance but instead....
11:30 - Begin writing my frustration on this site at the fact I can't play a game for 5 hours because of pointless updates and logins of software I don't need or want

I can hand on heart say that's what I've been through this evening and I'm royally pi**ed off. I really don't care what the game is actually like. If you can't play the sodding thing why would you even care?

11:50 - Bed

For a game with so much promise, Battlefield 3 is a bitter dissapointment. Singleplayer is short and feels like an extended tutorial, however, this is to be expected of a game designed around multiplayer concepts. It is the multiplayer and setup that is a letdown. Multiplayer is buggy and slow, and patches keep being released in an attempt to solve this, meaning that players have to download stuff to fix issues that really shouldn't exist in completed games that have already been released.

Unfortunately, it is the installation and setup of this game that is the real dissapointment. Firstly, to install the game a lot of content has to be downloaded. What is the point of releasing the game on disk only for the installation file on the disk to make you download the content? I do not have the advantage of a strong internet connection and to download these quantities would take me several weeks of non-stop downloading. Furthermore the installation has a surprise in store for players; a piece of software called origin. This software gives EA access to unpresidented amounts of information about programs you have installed on your computer and such. This really is an invasion of players privacy, which is often agreed to unknowingly by players who simply click "I agree to the terms and conditions".

Why is it so hard for developers these days to stick a game on a disk and sell it? Instead, the process has become increasingly lengthy and convoluted. I dont want your software, I paid for the game. Nothing else. Get rid of that crap and give me a bug-free online experience without invasion of my privacy, something that you achieved in battlefield 2.

I purchased the PC DVD version of Battlefield 3 and cannot register the game via Origin (EA's version of Steam) as I constantly get "Server Busy" error messages with both the Origin "Shop" and "Validation" features for 2 weeks now. I spent 1hr20 minutes on the phone with EA's help desk who referred me back to my ISP provider. The issue obviously lies with Origin as I am able to use other programs such as "Steam", Battlefield Bad Company 2 Online, Call of Duty WF3 Online etc... without any issues.
This is regrettable as I have purchased and have been a big fan of all previous Battlefields (i.e. BF1942, BF2, BFV, BF2142 and BFBC2) since 2002.
I have therefore rated Battlefield 3 ONE STAR (the lowest possible score, else the score would have been ZERO) as I have purchased the Game on Disc and am not able to use it even for single player.
I shall update the comments and rating if there are positive developments. Until then I cannot recommend you purchase this game.
I hope this was useful.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Multiplayer Game
Truthfully speaking if you are buying this game just for the single player it isn't worth it, but if you are interested in playing the multiplayer after playing the single player... Read more

Published 23 hours ago by JS

5.0 out of 5 stars The Greatest!
The delivery was as expected, the game works perfectly. The graphics are amazing.

Just make sure you have a powerful machine to run it. Read more

Published 1 day ago by Tonete

1.0 out of 5 stars spyware
the software required to play this game, origin, contains a program that scans your computer and all your personal information. Read more

Published 5 days ago by Alistair Brown

4.0 out of 5 stars Multiplayer is brilliant
The biggest interest of this game is certainly the multiplayer part. This part is really great and fun. Read more

Published 6 days ago by shadowolf19

4.0 out of 5 stars Love it!
I think this game is great to play. I much prefer it over the Call of Duty franchise, but i guess this depends if you enjoy playing tactically with friends and teammates or just... Read more

Published 7 days ago by TomL

5.0 out of 5 stars Best shooter ever
I got Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 2 and Battlefield Bad Company 2 togheter: Battlefield was better.

Last December I decided to buy only the Battlefield Game, and yes... Read more

Published 9 days ago by KingArthas

2.0 out of 5 stars Great game if it worked
very buggy, origin is not worth the hassle

Which is a shame because of the bit i have played it feels like a really well made game.

Published 9 days ago by Khaine17

4.0 out of 5 stars A good game in overall
Battlefield 3 is a good game overall with bad things to it and good things...

Pros: Decent graphics
Vehicles
Able to change gun, equipment and role after... Read more

Published 10 days ago by Joshie :p

1.0 out of 5 stars does not work
All the usual gripes I can pretty much deal with. The huge (3gb) update immediately after installing the disc version, Origin being , well, origin, and having to launch through a... Read more

Published 14 days ago by L. Ismail

4.0 out of 5 stars Most realistic FPS I've ever played
First things first: The graphics on this game are just overwhelmingly good. Together with the sound you really are under the impression that you are in a war, complete with shouts... Read more

Published 15 days ago by Oliver Lorenz

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