The Battlefront III Experience

**NB: This is from the conceptual stage.**

* Infantry Melee Attack
* Lightsaber Combat
* Special Manoeuvres
* Ground Vehicle
* Training
* Space

All infantry can perform a close-range melee attack with their selected weapon by pressing Triangle. This will be a powerful attack, 2 hits will kill an enemy soldier, so, at very close range, it is better to swing the blaster than to shoot the blaster.

There are also melee weapons available, such as the Electrostaff. With this weapon, tapping primary attack three times will perform a three-strike combo attack capable of killing an enemy outright.

When Jedi duel, we want a system that is easy to use, but provides enough complexity to make for engaging and rewarding play. Obviously, it needs to look great as well!

**Lock-On:** We do not want players running in circles around each other, wildly slashing away! So, the lock-on system centres the target and all player movement becomes relative to that target, so moving forward will close the distance to the opponent, moving left will circle around the opponent. Players can lock on manually or, if a Jedi launches an attack on another Jedi, the recipient is auto-locked onto the aggressor and will find themselves spun to face the attack, giving them a chance to defend themselves. (They sensed the attack via the Force). So, let us assume two Jedi players have locked on to each other and closed to striking distance, what now?

**Attacks:** Attacks are delivered by pressing the primary attack button. This can be combined with a direction on the left stick to produce different moves. Once an attack is launched, the player can do nothing else until the animation is complete and so the slower heavier attacks can leave a player vulnerable whilst the fast lighter attacks do less damage if successful. Every attack that causes damage or is parried (see below) increases the player’s Jedi power bar which governs the use of Force powers. If both players use the same attack simultaneously, their sabers lock (see below). If both players attack simultaneously with different attacks, the faster will land first and disrupt the slower attack. This is actually a vital point, as this prevents mindless button bashing attacks where it is just a race to inflict damage faster than your opponent. Any successful attack knocks the opponent backwards a small distance.

* R1 (primary attack) – The standard slash, it does moderate damage and is delivered at medium speed.
* R1+forward – A heavy overhead swing, it does heavy damage but is slow to execute.
* R1+backward – Spinning attack, this does medium to heavy damage at slow to medium speed.
* R1+left/right – Quick slashes, they do light damage but are fast attacks.
* R1+jump+forward – A leaping attack, it does very heavy damage but, if it misses, the player is off-balance for a moment, leaving them vulnerable.

So, someone is swinging a lightsaber at your head, what do you do?

**Defense:** The player has 2 main options for defending themselves, to parry or to dodge. Parrying is achieved by pressing R2, but it has to be timed. The parry must be initiated after the attack animation has started but before it has almost hit you. The length of this window of parrying opportunity thus depends on the speed of the attack launched against you. A successful parry prevents damage, but it lowers the player’s Jedi power bar; thus, it is a bad idea to just be passive and defend as your opponent will build his power bar and unleash a Force attack on you. (See unleashing Force attacks on hapless fools). The second option is to dodge. Pressing the parry button, combined with left or right on the left stick, will execute a swift evasive roll to either side. I will discuss the pros and cons of both in a moment, but there is actually one more option that becomes available – the Counterattack. When a successful parry is made, if the defending player quickly presses the attack button, they will launch a counter-strike at their opponent, perhaps catching him off-guard. The window of opportunity for this is small, but, if executed successfully, it can be a devastating move. Your opponent can, of course, parry your counter-strike and could then perform his own counter as you exchange a sudden flurry of blows. To prevent skilled players parry-countering ad infinitum we will rule that, after both players have performed 2 consecutive counters, their sabers lock (see below). Whether to parry or to dodge largely depends on the speed of the attack launched against you. A slow heavy attack is quite easy to parry; however, if you perform a roll, you will have completed it before your opponent has finished his attack animation and you can strike him whilst he has no opportunity to defend. However, if you try to evade a swift slash, the attack will finish whilst you are still rolling and you are helpless to prevent a follow up attack landing.

**Feints:** These are necessary to prevent the combat becoming too robotic. A feint is performed by tapping the attack button in conjunction with a direction on the left stick. Feints look like one of the 5 attacks, but the animation is subtly different and, of course, much shorter as a genuine attack is not launched. The idea is you feint and your opponent believing an attack is coming presses parry. He now cannot parry or evade until his animation completes and you can hit him with a swift attack. Conversely, if you feint at the same time as your opponent launches a genuine attack, you cannot defend or evade and will be hit. Skilful players will wait to parry until they are sure a genuine attack is being launched, but, in the heat of combat, this will take nerves of steel!

**Saber Locking:** If both players launch the same attack almost simultaneously, or if 2 consecutive parry counters are performed, then the adversaries lock sabers. They must now hammer the attack button as fast as possible to simulate straining every sinew. Whomever presses the most in a defined period knocks their opponent back and damages them.

**Health:** In BF2, Jedi did not really have health; they had a sort of timer, but I do not think that works well with the concept of duelling Jedi. We will give them health just as the normal troops do. A couple of lightsaber hits should be enough to kill a Jedi, so duelling could be quite brief; however, two skilled players could easily have a dramatic and thrilling drawn-out battle!

**Force Powers:** It is fully intended that duelling Jedi can use Force powers to assist in the fight – Force Push or Force Lightning, for example. Force Push can be evaded with a roll or a jump; Force Lightning can be parried, catching the lightning on the saber. Each power has a distinctive animation, so players will learn to spot what is coming, and then, it is a matter of staying cool and reacting in time.

**Blocking Blaster Shots:** It is currently impossible to use a button press to block blaster shots as they travel far too fast for the player to react in time. We could slow them down a lot, but this changes the game feel significantly and probably destroys the Sniper class. In BF2, blaster blocking was something you activated, but this never sat well with me. In the films, we see Jedi effortlessly blocking shots and reflecting them back at their origins; this is clearly cool and I propose an auto-block system. We assign a percentage chance of blocking a shot based on the number of incoming shots, so one battle droid firing repeatedly at a Jedi will see all his shots deflected. However, if 2 droids are firing, then one shot will always be deflected, but the second will have a 70% chance of deflection. We have to look at the number of shots arriving during a given time frame and assign percentages accordingly. With 4 assailants, for instance, the jedi will likely be hit by 2 of the 4 shots incoming. This allows the jedi to remain very powerful against a few opponents, but allows the possibility of them being overwhelmed by sheer weight of numbers, as in Episodes II and III. Of course, the jedi has other options when faced with multiple opponents – Force Leaping, Force Sprinting, and other offensive and defensive Force powers, for example. An alternative is to assign a block percentage based on the incoming angle of fire. The player will deflect, say, 90% of all shots from the front, 75% from the sides, and 50% from the rear. Of these deflected shots, 20% will reflect to strike the shooter. Obviously, these figures are only a guide and we would need to playtest extensively to reach the correct values. I feel that either method is superior to the current system, where the player must activate the blaster-blocking ability and only has it available for a very limited time, that just does not feel like being a Jedi to me.

**Showboating:** When I advance into combat with another Jedi, I want to spin my lightsaber around to look cool, so we should put this in if we have a spare button.

**Melee Combat versus Non-Jedi:** Non-Jedi will not be able to engage in melee duels with Jedi; to do so, they would need a cortosis weapon, which do not seem common in the Star Wars universe, and this would severely impair the power of the Jedi characters. In Episodes I-III, Jedi slice through battle droids like knives through butter, and this is the effect we want to go for. If an unsupported normal character sees a Jedi coming, the instinct should be to run away! Jedi can lock onto normal characters just as they would a Jedi and can use all the same attacks. A normal character has no defense against a lightsaber and will be killed by a single blow. The Jedi will be able to use combo attacks against close-packed groups of enemies. When an enemy is struck down, if the Jedi player immediately presses attack, then he will automatically attack another enemy within strike range. This process can be continued until there are no more opponents in range simply by chaining various attack animations together. The feeling of killing 4 or 5 opponents in one fluid dance of whirling death will be unsurpassed!

**Jedi versus Vehicles:** Jedi should be able to leap aboard enemy vehicles and plunge their lightsabers into them to destroy them. We would need specific animations for each vehicle.

**Conclusions:** Jedi would be, beyond doubt, the most powerful force on the battlefront, whether on the ground or in space, and this is as it should be. However, they are not invincible and can be defeated by coordinated efforts of non-Jedi. Thus, their presence encourages teamwork, which enhances the experience of all the players. Jedi-versus-Jedi duels take on great significance, as the victor will likely go on to have a big impact on the outcome of the battle, without it ever becoming a foregone conclusion.

Pilots will have special manoeuvres available to them at the click of a stick. We can have up to 8 moves that are activated by clicking R3 and then moving the stick in one of 8 directions. Pilots will have a recharging manoeuvre bar that is depleted by performing these moves. The moves will include:

* Barrel Roll
* Corkscrew
* Immelmann Turn
* Split S
* Power Turn

BF3 will offer players the chance to drive all the iconic vehicles from the films and will provide multiple seats, so that as many people as possible can join in the fun. Previously, vehicles, such as tanks, have been extremely tough; rocket infantry made little impact on them and even other vehicles would have to pound away to actually destroy them. Infantry had no incentive to engage vehicles at all, and vehicle-to-vehicle combat became a slugfest with no strategy or tension. Admittedly, there was a “weak spot” system in place, but the vast majority of players were not aware of it. Looking around, we see that Battlefield 2 handles vehicles extremely well, so we should take the best parts of their system and apply it to ours. In general, the following principles will apply:

* In general, vehicles are not vulnerable to infantry blasters, they can only be harmed by rocket infantry, explosives and other vehicles.
* An AT-ST, for example, will be devastating against infantry caught in the open; however, rocket infantry concealed from sight will have a definite advantage – if they can get shots off without being seen, they will be able to destroy the vehicle. All vehicles will receive a lock-on warning so they know if they are being targeted.
* Vehicles will generally follow the model of having the strongest armour at the front, weaker armour at the sides, and the weakest armour at the rear. This creates an interesting dynamic for rocket infantry, who are trying to get behind a vehicle without being seen for the most effective shot. Once you know it takes 1-2 hits to destroy an AT-ST from the rear, as opposed to 3-4 hits to the front, then it is obvious what you need to do. Meanwhile, vehicle drivers will be conscious of the need to keep their strongest armour facing the enemy – charging forward without thought is a good way to get surrounded and blown up. The multiple seats are useful here, as these other players can protect their vehicle by shooting their secondary guns at enemies sneaking up behind. This system will replace the “weak spot” system used previously, which was not a success.
* Evenly-matched vehicles can destroy each other in a few hits. Usually, the first person to see the other will win the fight, especially if they can land a shot on the side or rear of their enemy. Thus, vehicle combat becomes fast and furious; however, quick manoeuvring and use of cover can still turn any combat.
* One of the great joys in Battlefield is dashing up to an enemy tank, chucking explosives on it, running like mad, then blowing it sky high! We will certainly include this feature, with the Engineer class able to both lay mines and plant explosives, which will destroy a tank in one go. The trick is to get close enough without being killed…
* Light vehicles, such as speeder bikes and STAPs, operate differently. Here, the drivers are vulnerable to infantry fire as well as rockets. Their strength lies in their speed and manoeuvrability coupled with their superior firepower.
* The AT-AT is such a massive vehicle that it is a special case. It is not vulnerable to conventional anti-vehicle tactics; instead, it must be tow-cabled to bring it down.
* Respawning – The time it takes for a destroyed vehicle to respawn is actually very important. The longer it takes, the more important it becomes to destroy the enemy vehicles; however, the more frustrating it is for those who love driving the vehicles. We will have to balance this carefully.
* Jedi in vehicles – since Jedi can jump into spaceships, they can also operate vehicles and have vehicle-specific Force powers available to them. On a light vehicle, such as a speeder bike, the Jedi can use his lightsaber to cut through the enemy ranks. However, in a tank, the vehicle will operate normally, but the Jedi can use, for example, a 360-degree Force Push – a nasty surprise for Engineers running up to plant explosives. They will also be able to break the lock of incoming rockets, even having them switch to target any nearby enemies.

In conclusion, vehicles remain powerful forces on the battlefront, but they are vulnerable on their own. Using vehicles in support of groups of infantry will yield the best results, and, so, teamwork and co-operative play are encouraged.

The objective here is to introduce the player to all the key aspects of BF3 in an interesting and exciting fashion. To this end, we propose a small-scale mission set on Tatooine that will run through everything the player needs to be familiar with.

* Basic infantry combat – moving, locking on, shooting, zooming in, throwing grenades, switching weapon and using cover
* Resupply, healing and switching class
* Capturing command posts
* Advanced infantry combat – destroying vehicles with rockets and explosives
* Using turrets to shoot down fighters
* Use of vehicles hovering, wheeled and walking against infantry and other vehicles; familiarizing the player with the multiple-seat concept
* Jedi use – melee attacks, Force powers, Jedi vehicle use, Jedi-v-Jedi duels
* Use of flying vehicles – strafing ground targets and flying into space
* Space combat – dogfighting, Jedi dogfighting, destroying a capital ship’s shield generators, landing in the hangar, sabotaging the reactor

The training will proceed at the player’s own pace and they will be free to repeat sections until they are comfortable enough to move on.

The space combat in BF3 is going to be fantastic – it will combine accessibility with depth and offer individual freedom within a structured game experience. First up, we must address the criticisms levelled at BF2’s space combat. Since people found the 3D freedom disorienting, we will introduce an auto-level feature to ensure the player always reverts to being the “right way up” with the planet below them and space above them. Advanced players will be able to override this if they wish, but it will not be at all necessary to play and enjoy the game. Within this system, we make the controls as simple as can be – 1 thumbstick governs all movement, simply point in the direction you want to go and the ship will move there auto-rolling as appropriate to give that authentic feel to the flight. We will also implement aiming assistance such as that enjoyed by ground troops, as this is even more vital in the space battles. With this simple and intuitive, even the most spatially-challenged players will soon be zooming merrily through space blasting their enemies to atoms.

In BF3, the space battles have a **purpose**. Whether as part of the vertical battlefield or in a solely space based battle, space is not merely something that must be traversed to reach the action – it is the medium in which the initial battle will be won or lost. Whether you are trying to destroy dropships before they can land on your planet, or defending your capital ship’s shield generators to prevent enemies entering the hangar, a space fight is a fully-integrated part of the battle and will stand up on its own as a fun and engaging experience. As for those who just do not want to fly under any circumstances, they are not left out – they can man the guns of the capital ships, and, once shields are breached, they can play a full part as soldiers attacking and defending their ships. Also, many ships have space for crewmen who man turrets, but do not actually fly. This is illustrated in Battlefield 2 by the helicopters – most people cannot fly them, but everyone loves to ride in them, manning the big side-mounted chainguns. Thus, both fliers and non-fliers can be fully catered for.

The space objectives will be logical and **fun**! No more endless strafing to reduce a massive shield bar. Now, if you want to land on a ship, you must use slow vulnerable bombers to torpedo the shield generators whilst the defender’s fighters are swarming all over you and your own fighters try to keep them off your back. If you want to land on a planet, you must pilot dropships to the surface to become spawn points, but the defenders are not going to let you land that easily…

Jedi will now enter the fray in space using their unique Force powers to dominate the skies.

Some people found landing in a capital ship’s hangar rather taxing – we solve this by an auto-lander that can be initiated once the player is close enough to the hangar. This will guide them safely inside.

People enjoyed the advanced manoeuvres, but found them difficult to pull off. We will expand the repertoire of moves whilst making them trivially easy to perform.

Finally, we will greatly increase the immersion by including radio chatter and commanders giving orders, such as those heard during the attack on the Death Star in Episode IV. This ensures the player feels part of a much broader battle and has a sense of their place in the conflict.

All aspects of space combat will be examined in more detail below, but, suffice to say, our intention is to remove every obstacle between the player and the fun, and fully realize the high-speed laser dogfights that are such a big part of the Star Wars appeal.
## References

* Infantry Melee Attack.doc (28/06/2006)
* Lightsabre Combat.doc (23/06/2006)
* Special Manoeuvres.doc (28/06/2006)
* The BF3 Ground Vehicle Experience.doc (27/06/2006)
* The BF3 Training Experience.doc (27/06/2006)
* The Space Combat Experience intro.doc (26/06/2006)