@donthurtm3 I agree with all you're points OP. I personally prefer the older PC games like BF2 and BF2142. Those are still my two favorites.
I'm not sure it would work to go back to those games though. Too much has changed in gaming. Back in the days of Battlefield 2, they were just trying to make an all out war experience. It wasn't as much about tight shooting mechanics and competitive play like today. Maps were larger with more distance between points to force vehicle action. Look at the Dragon Valley remake in BF4 compared to its BF2 version.
So I think BF3 and BF4 are the better targets for BF6. BF4 is my 3rd favorite Battlefield of all time. BF4 is the last game that successfully delivered on both the massive vehicle warfare and infantry combat. Even the larger maps had areas designed for heavy infantry combat. Example: Flags A, B, and C on Golmud Railway. But if you didn't like larger maps, it still had Operation Locker, Flood Zone, Zavod 311 for more infantry combat.
BF4 was the sandbox experience Battlefield players want.
Map design...something that has been sorely lacking since BF4. Both BF3 and BF4 launched several instant classic maps:
- Operation Metro, Caspian Border, Operation Firestorm in BF3
- Siege of Shanghai, Golmud Railway, Operation Locker, Paracel Storm in BF4
DLC support...BF3 and BF4 used premium pass (which needs to return imo). I don't buy the argument that it splits the community. But the point is they delivered a lot of post launch content, and quickly. Basically every 3-4 months a new set of 4 maps were added.
Both BF1 and BFV struggled with post launch support, especially BFV. A game like Battlefield needs steady map content. People aren't going to buy your cosmetics to play on the same stale maps for 6 months.
Server Browser...needs to return...PERIOD. No more matchmaking. This is why the "split community" argument never really held up in regards to DLC. With a server browser, you and your friends can find a server to play on that everyone has the maps for. There were so many servers active on BF3 and BF4 you would instantly find a place to play.
Just a few points. I think BF6 is going to show us where DICE really is. Are they still in touch with what made Battlefield a great series to begin with? Or have things changed too much and it's been too long? BF4 will be 8 years old this fall after all.
