Tinfoil hat, AI cooperation conspiracy in BF development

Look at this conversation & tell me that year 2 2042 Breakthrough isn't exactly what's being described here. I'll only focus on the relevant parts to decrease reading time. You can skim through or skip to the end.

(start)
(Human) In Battlefield 2042, if you wanted players to have a game mode that caters to a more infantry focused style of play, what would you do? You have Conquest 64 players, Breakthrough 64 players and team death match 20 players. Conquest is non negotiable for any changes to vehicle gameplay and our infantry mode must be 64 players to still remain at the battlefield standard for large scale modes.

(AI) To create an infantry-focused game mode in Battlefield 2042 while maintaining the 64-player format and leveraging the existing map designs, here are a few concepts that could be implemented:

Game Mode: "Infantry Assault"
Overview:
Infantry Assault would focus primarily on infantry combat and objectives, significantly reducing the presence and influence of vehicles while promoting tactical team play and diverse infantry strategies.
Key Features:
Limited Vehicle Availability:
°Only a minimal number of vehicles would be available, specifically for support roles (like a medical vehicle or supply truck) but not for direct combat. These vehicles should have limited respawn based on the team's needs and could serve as mobile spawn points or resupply hubs.
Objective-Based Gameplay:
°Players would engage in a series of objectives similar to Breakthrough but with more emphasis on control points that require close-quarters engagements. Points can be expanded to include areas critical for capturing or holding, such as barracks, command centers, or supply depots.
Conclusion:
Implementing "Infantry Assault" would create an immersive, strategic infantry-focused experience, reducing vehicle dominance while still retaining the large-scale, dynamic nature of Battlefield 2042. By emphasizing teamwork, strategic planning, and close-quarters combat, this game mode could cater to players looking for an infantry-centric experience without sacrificing the essence of the Battlefield franchise.

(human) Parameter: You have to change an existing mode to do it. because we can't have an oversaturation of 64 player modes.

(AI) To create an infantry-focused experience within Battlefield 2042 while leveraging an existing mode instead of introducing a new one, a modification to Breakthrough could be a viable solution. Here’s how we can adapt Breakthrough into an infantry-centric mode while still maintaining its core gameplay mechanics.

Game Mode Modification: "Infantry Breakthrough"
Overview:
Infantry Breakthrough retains the basic structure of Breakthrough but shifts the focus entirely to infantry combat by heavily limiting or even completely removing vehicle involvement.
Vehicle Limitation:
°Vehicles are either removed completely or limited to one or two per team. Any vehicles present could be limited to support roles (like supply trucks), designed to provide resources but not engage directly in combat.
°Optionally, allow one vehicle per team that is incredibly vulnerable and defensive in nature, driving home the infantry focus.
Redesigned Objectives:
°Objectives would still require capturing sectors, but they could be designed to emphasize urban combat. Each sector could contain multiple smaller points of interest, forcing players to engage in close-quarters combat within tight spaces.
°Add dynamic objectives that require teams to work together to achieve varied mission goals, like disabling systems or gathering intel instead of just capturing control points.
Map Adjustments:
°Fine-tune existing Breakthrough maps to encourage close-quarters combat. This may involve redesigning areas to create more choke points and indoor engagement spaces, converting sections to tighter, more claustrophobic layouts that focus on infantry brawls.

(Human) Wouldn't this alienate existing playerbase that expects vehicular gameplay as that's what Breakthrough has been since 2016 with Battlefield 1 & 2018 with Battlefield 5. Do the positives of drawing in potential players with a more tame vehicle experience outweigh the potential loss of fans from the Battlefield franchises Breakthrough mode?

(AI) You've raised a valid concern. The Breakthrough mode has long been associated with a balance of infantry and vehicular gameplay in the Battlefield series. Modifying it to heavily favor infantry could indeed alienate existing players who enjoy the vehicular dynamics that the mode traditionally offers.

Balancing Changes While Minimizing Alienation
To address both the desire for an infantry-centric experience and the potential alienation of current players who expect a balanced mode, here’s a refined approach that retains some vehicle gameplay while still catering to an infantry-focused style:
Modified Game Mode: "Infantry Focused Breakthrough"
Key Changes
Hybrid Vehicle/Infantry Balance:
°Retain a limited number of vehicles for each team (e.g., 1 or 2 primary tanks and a couple of transport vehicles). Vehicles should be supportive rather than aggressive, encouraging players to use them in a tactical way while still allowing for infantry dominance.
°Consider introducing "armor support" that is weaker and designed to assist with covering objectives rather than establishing dominance over infantry.
Objective types:
°Maintain classic Breakthrough elements like "capture the flag" or "defend key positions" but make them fewer and more spaced out to allow for both infantry and vehicle strategy.

(Human) What would be the purpose of completely removing attack helicopters and fighter jets and any offensive air elements while ignoring player feedback?

(AI) Completely removing attack helicopters, fighter jets, and other offensive air elements from a game mode like Breakthrough would indeed be a drastic decision and could have significant repercussions on player engagement and overall gameplay experience. Ignoring player feedback in such a move could lead to several key issues:
Alienation of Core Players:
°Many Battlefield fans enjoy the franchise for its combined arms gameplay, which includes a mix of infantry, land vehicles, and air support. Removing air elements would likely alienate players who appreciate the strategic depth these vehicles add.
(yeah, no s**t)
Reduction in Tactical Variety:
A significant aspect of Battlefield's gameplay is the need to engage with multiple layers of strategy. Offensive air elements often force teams to develop counter-strategies, such as relying on anti-air units or utilizing cover effectively. Removing these elements would reduce the tactical variety and depth present in matches.
(why does an AI have better sense?)
Expectation vs. Reality Discrepancy:
Given the historical context of the Breakthrough mode and its vehicular components in past Battlefield titles, fans would anticipate an experience that maintains these classic elements. Removing vehicles could lead to disappointment and frustration among the player base.
(Really! You don't say.)
Difficulty in Securing Objectives:
In settings like Breakthrough, air support can often play a crucial role in pacing and securing objectives. Without it, matches could become bogged down or become imbalanced, particularly if one team has better ground forces, leading to unchallenging or overly difficult gameplay.
(yep, like the 5-12 minute games)
Conclusion:
Ultimately, any major change—especially one involving fundamental gameplay mechanics like air support—needs to be carefully considered and should incorporate player feedback to ensure it aligns with community expectations and maintains engagement. While there can be a vision for a new player experience, the intersection of community desires and game mechanics is crucial for long-term success and stability of the player base. Listening to player feedback and adjusting game design in a manner that respects the depth and legacy of what the Battlefield series represents is essential for fostered loyalty and enjoyment.
(End)

Dice be honest, did you use AI as feedback to redesign Breakthrough or even develop 2042 for that matter? AI figured all this out on its own and it lines up with the questionable changes in-game.

"Optionally, allow one vehicle per team that is incredibly vulnerable and defensive in nature, driving home the infantry focus."
(This would reflect the defenders getting a Wildcat but attackers getting a tank. Such a decision never made any sense till now)

"Retain a limited number of vehicles for each team (e.g., 1 or 2 primary tanks and a couple of transport vehicles). Vehicles should be supportive rather than aggressive, encouraging players to use them in a tactical way while still allowing for infantry dominance."
(Yep, that reflects the vehicle availability & counts present right now)

"Fine-tune existing Breakthrough maps to encourage close-quarters combat. This may involve redesigning areas to create more choke points and indoor engagement spaces, converting sections to tighter, more claustrophobic layouts that focus on infantry brawls."
(After the map reworks we can definitely say this is true. Look at Hourglass sector 1 & 3, Manifest sector at the containers brought the flags closer together, Discarded has an extra added sector that is a one flag sector, Breakaway, specifically on last gen, got rid of a whole sector at the start to shorten down the length of the layout.)

Despite the rhetoric about balancing air power in BT because they supposedly are too dominate, the reality is new players were complaining & whining about vehicles so they gutted BT to appeal to that complaint and they couldn't do it to CQ. That's always been the real reason i suspected all along why they screwed over BT. The removal of air power for balance was only to justify the change, then you have these guys clapping their fins like seals to these changes. Recently now Gunships are gone and you only have transport helis.

Mark my words, when the BT player count starts to diminish, they'll switch the player count to 40 players and justify it by saying the player counts have to reflect vehicle availability. And that player congestion between flags is too great also. Effectively turning BT into SW BF Galactic assault.