DICE Adds Battlefield 3 Details, Mod Tools May Not Be Released

The PC version of upcoming DICE-developed Battlefield 3 is the "lead version", although there may never be mod tools released according to new details regarding the multiplayer shooter. As parsed by the users of NeoGAF, a BF3 feature in Game Informer magazine revealed that mod tools will not be available at release, and may never see the light of day either. The complexity of the new Frostbite 2 Engine is cited as the issue. In terms of content, Battlefield 3 is set to include more unlockable achievements, weapons and equipment than Battlefield Bad Company 2, and the plan is to provide more immediate post-release content. There will only be four character classes available, but details about how squads work will be revealed at a later date. The PC edition of the game will support up to 64 players online, while the console versions will be capped at 24 players. Much more focus is going into providing realism. Level destruction will be a prominent feature as with the Bad Company series, but will be more "believable" this time around. Character animations are to be powered by the ANT Engine -- used in numerous EA Sports titles -- and AI and multiplayer characters will utilize different animation sets. Details regarding the single player campaign have also emerged. The story will take places in a variety of locations, including Sulaymaniyah in Iraq, Tehran, Paris and New York, and will not be based on any of the past Battlefield storylines. The campaign for the title, which will be further showcased at an EA event during Game Developers Conference, will come with co-op elements for multiple players, and the pacing will be balanced in a different light to the multiplayer. A Fall 2011 release date was announced late last week, with "spectacular visuals, earth-shattering destruction and real as hell combat gameplay" promised. It was also revealed that the PC edition of Battlefield 1943 has been cancelled.