Like its predecessor, Battlefield 3 is a modern military first person shooter published by Electronic Arts, that features large scale vehicular military combat with land, sea, and air vehicles. The game has a single player campaign, a separate co-op campaign, and an extensive multiplayer component. Battlefield 3 was released on PC for Origin exclusively, not on Steam due to the service "restricting" their ability to "directly support" players.Adding up all the DLC for the game, the multiplayer component features 29 maps with 12 different game modes to play.DevelopmentBattlefield 3 was confirmed to be in development by EA's chief operating officer, John Pleasants, at a Stock meeting in June, 2009."I have had the luxury of looking at Battlefield 3 over at DICE in Sweden and was highly impressed by the way the team is working on the product. Of course, that's not [coming out] in the fiscal year, but that is a product that is looking very good."Battlefield 3 was officially teased on February 4th, 2011. A 30-second teaser trailer was included, as well as some basic details regarding the highly anticipated sequel. In addition, Game Informer ran an exclusive Battlefield 3 preview in its March issue. It has been stated that the PC is the "lead platform" for development; with multiplayer matches featuring up to 64-players on PC, and 24 players on the PS3 & Xbox 360.The game was in development using the new in-house engine Frostbite 2.0 for three years. According to senior multiplayer designer Alan Kertz, the design direction, gameplay balance, and choices for Battlefield 3 were very similar to those of Battlefield 2142; a result of the senior designers' experience working primarily on that title. This is the first non- EA Sports game to utilize the ANT animation system for the character models. According to DICE, it took them several years to create Battlefield 3 simply because they didn't have the technology and assets to create the game they wanted to create; therefore they have worked on the Frostbite 2 engine from scratch for years, experimenting with their technology in the spin-off series Bad Company (using Frostbite versions 1.0 and 1.5), until they reached the level of technology needed to create Battlefield 3.During E3 2011, Battlefield 3 received 80 nominations for different awards, with 47 wins, including the Game Critics Awards for "Best Action Game" and "Best Multiplayer."Single Player Set in 2014, U.S. coalition troops are engaged by the opposition force known as the People's Liberation and Resistance (PLR) as they patrol the Iran/ Iraq border to maintain security to the area. The storyline is revealed through a series of flashbacks as Marine Staff Sergeant Henry "Black" Blackburn races to prevent an attack on New York City by the PLR.As Blackburn recalls key events leading up to the attack, the player will take control of several characters in a variety of missions across land, sea and air in many locations around the world, including Paris, New York, Rome and Tehran, which will empower the game's theme of an all-out war and a worldwide conflict. The playable soldier characters will be from various world factions, mainly Marine SSgt Henry Blackburn (1st Recon), as well as Corporal Jonathan "Jono" Miller (1st Marine Tank Battalion) and RU Special Forces operator Dmitri "Dima" Mayakovsky among others.Singleplayer levelsLevelDescriptionSemper FidelisOperation SwordbreakerOperation Swordbreaker takes place during the Global War of 2014, US Marines undergo "pacification" operations in the Iran-Iraq region and try to restore stability to the region. Arriving at Sulaymaniyah to locate a missing unit, players must face the PLR and take on the countries most devastating asset.UprisingOperation Uprising has players replay the area previously covered in Operation Swordbreaker. Sulaymaniyah has been devastated by an earthquake and the PLR have decided to use this event to push deep in to the area and take up temporary holds.Going HuntingOperation Gone Hunting places players in the role of Lieutenant Coleby Hawkins a gunner pilot in an F/A-18F Shark. After the events in Sulaymaniyah, the US has sent 50,000 marines to Iran and is launching air raids on high value PLR targets. Players are after PLR top dog Faruh Al-Bashir, launching an airstrike on Mehrabad International Airport.Operation GuillotineOperation Guillotine takes place at night, with the player assaulting from the surrounding hills and making their way into the inner city of Tehran.ComradesPlaying as Dmitri Makayovsky, or 'Dima' as he is known, a specialist Russian team attacks the stock exchange to prevent a nuclear attack being carried out by Solomon's forces.Thunder Run Fear No Evil Night Shift Rock And A Hard Place KaffarovKaffarov is the final mission of Blackburn's military career, and takes place during an assault upon the mysterious arms dealer's house. Kaffarov has funded and supplied the PLR. This is also the mission in which Dima and Blackburn meet each other face-to-face.The Great DestroyerPlaying as Blackburn, the game prologue is finally explained. Solomon is aboard a train, intending to deliver an explosive payload in the city of New York. The continuation of this mission is also seen, and it provides the finale for the overall story.Co-op Mode Battlefield 3 features a co-operative mode campaign.The co-op campaign consists of 6 long missions, featuring a full range of Battlefield gameplay, including land and air vehicle missions as well as tight urban warfare. The missions are separate from the single player campaign but will tie in to its story. This mode supports 2 players only, unlike Bad Company 2's co-op "Onslaught" which featured up to 4. Co-op MissionsMissionDescriptionOperation ExodusA number of high valued POWs are being detained at a US camp. A recent earthquake has weakened the camp's defensive perimeter and made it vulnerable to PLR attacks. An evacuate order of camp has been given. Players and a handful of marines are assigned to defend the camp until all personnel have pulled out.Fire From The SkyAn American convoy escorting a general privy to classified intel has been ambushed on their way back to base. The general is being held captive in a remote mountain village. Players will be providing close air support for a strike team sent in to rescue him.ExfiltrationThanks to extensive intelligence work, we’ve been able to locate El Zakir. He was not expected to give himself up, but when local agents located and captured his immediate family, he agreed to negotiate his surrender. El Zakir is awaiting extraction in an apartment complex in the outskirts of Baghdad. Players need to secure him and bring him back to the Green Zone.Hit and RunThe company El Zakir referenced is Levin Cooperative. It’s located in central Paris. Players need to go in and retrieve everything they can from their offices. A private security team has been alerted and players need to secure and extract whatever evidence there may be.Drop 'Em Like LiquidA hostage situation has developed in Paris. It’s confirmed that Abu Muhammad is on site orchestrating the operation. French police have requested our help. Players need to provide sniper support, free the hostages, and neutralize Abu Muhammad.The Eleventh HourThe attack has started. We’re confident this is the main attack referred to by El Zakir. Witnesses claim bomb like devices have been left in the metro and the Paris Stock Exchange. If Abdul Rahman is behind this attack, we expect it to be similar to the one that took place in London several years ago. Players will be assisting the French police to locate and disarm the bombs and neutralize Rahman if the opportunity presents itself.There are also seven weapons which can be unlocked for multiplayer kits by earning co-op points (points needed to unlock weapons were significantly reduced following a patch):KitWeaponPoints (after patch)Points (pre-patch)AssaultKH200217,000126,000AssaultG3A3160,000441,000EngineerSG553120,000378,000ReconM39 EMR58,000252,000ALL93R86,000315,000ALLMP734,000189,000ALLMP412 REX5,00063,000Multiplayer Battlefield 3 features the franchise's trademark all-out-war vehicular warfare multiplayer experience that the series is known for. The game features a similar persistent multiplayer model seen in recent Battlefield games, while bringing back the overall essence and gameplay aspects of the older games of the franchise. The multiplayer's persistence system consists of gaining experience points by killing enemies, performing supporting actions for the team and accomplishing objectives. As the player gains more XP, they go up in rank (top rank is 145), earn ribbons and medals that award them for specific actions on the battlefield, as well as unlocking better weaponry for the various kits and unlocking several weapon attachments, player gadgets/tools, performance-enhancing perks and vehicle specializations.The multiplayer component features 9 maps on the disc, and five different game modes for each map (with different pacing, objectives and player count for each mode). DLC adds even more maps and game modes.Health regeneration has been significantly tweaked. In Battlefield 3, where after taking damage, health regeneration is delayed for up to 20 seconds before it kicks in, and it takes a good while before reaching 100%. Furthermore, when the player is under enemy suppression, health regeneration is paused. The ability to go prone also makes a return, but is balanced by making the action a slow process, and also slowing the movement in prone position.DICE's executive producer Patrick Bach stated in an interview that they slowed down the pace of leveling up after the studio underestimated the popularity of Bad Company 2. Unlike BC2, the top ranks become an incentive and carry bonuses.Game ModesThe game modes from previous Battlefield games return, including classic Conquest and Rush and Squad Deathmatch which were introduced in the Bad Company series, with additional modes and options to choose from. Hardcore Mode returns from Bad Company 2, which is an alternative version to the "normal mode" of regular servers. Any game mode can be toggled to be Hardcore Mode, which removes a lot of the HUD elements and raises bullet damage, and any map can be selected to be infantry-only, with no attack vehicles (transport vehicles will still spawn in):Conquest (Maximum of 32 players on PC, 24 on consoles) - The classic Battlefield game mode in which two teams scramble to maintain control of flags scattered around parts of the map. Killing enemies depletes the enemy ticket count, and controlling a majority of the flags on the map causes the enemy team to bleed tickets over time. Teams win by depleting the enemy team's ticket count.Conquest Large (Maximum of 64 players on PC, 24 on consoles) - Conquest mode with "Large" variants of maps, built with more flags and for more players in mind.Rush (Maximum of 32 players on PC, 24 on consoles) - An attack and defend game mode in which one team must defend three sets of two M-COM crates from being destroyed by the attacking team. As each set of M-COM is destroyed, the defending team is pushed further back into the map. Attacks win when all M-COMs are destroyed, and defenders win when the attacking team's ticket amount is depleted.Squad Rush (8 players) - A variant of Rush in which there is only one M-COM crate per map phase, and significantly less tickets, encouraging more careful gameplay and shots that count.Team Deathmatch (Maximum of 32 players on PC, 24 on consoles) - Standard deathmatch mode in which two teams fight to reach a specified kill count.Squad Deathmatch (Maximum of 16 players across all platforms) - Up to four teams of four go against each other to see who can reach the maximum kill count first. An Infantry Fighting Vehicle will spawn at random intervals during the match to shake up the battle.ClassesBattlefield 3 has four player classes (kits) to choose from in the multiplayer, which are similar to those found in Battlefield 2142. Each class gets its own exclusive special equipment and gear, which consist of the Commander mode's assets from Battlefield 2 (i.e. UAV, artillery), in addition to brand new equipment to the franchise. Assault - The normal Battlefield assault class (carrying assault rifles) has been combined with the medic class and is able to heal & revive teammates with medic kits & defibrillators. Should the player choose to play as assault, they can replace the med-pack with an underslung grenade launcher on their assault rifle. According to senior multiplayer designer Lars Gustavsson,"The reason for this class fusion is because the assault class serves at the frontlines, so it only makes sense to give those frontline players the ability to revive downed teammates".Engineer - This class carries carbines & anti-vehicle rocket launchers. They are able to repair vehicles with a repair torch, or can remotely arm and disarm MCOMs with a Explosive Ordinance Disposal robot (EOD bot). Anti-tank mines can replace the repair torch.Support - This class carries light machine guns (LMG), and has the ability to mount their LMG using the bipod on the front of the gun for better accuracy. They have the ability to throw out ammo packs to resupply teammates, and also have access to explosives such as C4, Claymores, and mortars. An effective support player can help drive the Assault players forward with more ammunition and mortar fire to suppress the enemy.Recon - This class is equipped with long range sniper rifles, in addition to other reconnaissance equipment such as motion sensors and Micro Air Vehicles (MAV). Rifle sway has been added to the game, forcing snipers to actively hold their breath before taking a shot for the best accuracy, and can be augmented with bipods. Quick scoping will be much more inaccurate. An addition to this class is a radio beacon that the player can drop and acts as an additional spawn point for their squadmates to use. In order to counter snipers who lay down in the grass (prone position), a new feature has been added where if the player lays in the grass for too long, a glint will appear on their sniper rifle scope (sun reflection), giving away their position. This forces them to not camp but rather stay on the move.SquadsThough DICE decided to remove the chain of command from the game's multiplayer (used in Battlefield 2- A commander and squad leaders), in order to achieve their new design philosophy "Lowering the threshold, making the game easy to play, hard to master", the squad leader position has returned to the game. Every squad consists of four players max (as seen in Bad Company 2), one of whom is the squad leader (the person who created the squad). All squad members can spawn on each other. The squad leader has a star by his name and over his head in-game, indicating that he's a squad leader. Squad leaders are able to set attack/defend orders on objectives which give bonus points to squad members who follow these orders.Dog Tags Dog Tags return in BF3, though their usage has changed slightly. The tags are collectable by stabbing another player, but can be customized with a variety of different pieces of information, such as a player's total number of kills with assault rifles and so on. Some collectables are also limited in their availability, due to pre-order offers or other promotional items. Certain tags were limited only to certain retailers, such as Amazon, and some tags are given only to those who have registered on the Battlefield Veteran program and verified they have played previous games in the series.New AdditionsSuppressive FireBattlefield 3 features a new multiplayer combat mechanic called Suppressive Fire. When someone takes heavy fire, their vision will become blurred and their accuracy will decrease. A single shot from a sniper rifle will instantly suppress an enemy as it whizzes by their head due to its size and power.Using Suppressive Fire, players can earn "Suppression Assists" worth 50 points which are gained when an enemy they suppressed is killed by a teammate. LMGs are particularly effective at earning Suppression Assists due to their firepower.BipodsAnother new mechanic in Battlefield 3 is the ability to use bipods on weapons. This provides added stability for the gun, decreasing kick and recoil, and increasing accuracy. Deploying a sniper rifle on a bipod eliminates scope sway. Bipods can be deployed anywhere while the player is prone or when in front of certain objects, such as a window sill or cement barricade. The Bipod is available for all weapons except for PDWs and shotguns.BattlelogThe game launched with a social networking website called Battlelog, which will serve as the game's only menu and server browser, featuring extensive stat tracking, instant messaging, and an activity feed. Everything players do on the battlefield is shared on their wall amongst friends. Like most current social network apps; players can "like", comment, and post messages.Game ServersMuch like past Battlefield titles, Battlefield 3 has strong dedicated server support, where anyone can rent and operate their own server. According to KM Troedsson, Battlefield 3 did not ship with LAN support for security reasons.Battlefield 3 supports both ranked and unranked servers. Renting a ranked server gives players the restricted freedom to set the game map/mode etc. since Ranked servers will track player progression EAs master servers (much like in past Battlefield games). Whereas renting an unranked server gives the owners/administrators a lot more freedom to do as they will with their servers, allowing them to select specific things such as which weapons are available to players etc. The unranked server option is suited for tournaments because everyone has a level playing field (no ranks/unlocks). Players cannot rank up or unlock new weapons on unranked servers.According to DICE's Mikael Kalms, renting servers is not be available in every country in the world, because the servers will be provided by select Ranked Server Providers (RSPs) around the world. Since Battlefield 3 requires more processor power per player than Bad Company 2, the pricing for server rental is higher for Battlefield 3. Unlike Battlefield 2, players aren't able to create their own servers running on their own machines.Battlefield Premium As of early June 2012, Battlefield Premium has become available for purchase for all owners of Battlefield 3. For a single one-time fee, players gain access to all of the existing and scheduled-to-launch DLC expansions with a 2 week early access period. In addition, Premium members gain access to exclusive cosmetic in-game items such as unique dogtags, gun and soldier camouflages, and a new type of knife. DICE also announced additional perks for Premium players, such as exclusive strategy guides, videos and Battlefield-themed events such as Double XP Weekends.Multiplayer MapsBattlefield 3 launched with 9 multiplayer maps, taken from settings in the single player campaign, which are set in France and Iran. All of the game modes are playable on all of the maps.Map NameDescriptionImageOperation MétroOperation Metro is set in downtown Paris. The battlefields range from spacious parks to the Paris metro station, finally moving up to the streets of Paris. Seine CrossingSeine Crossing is a fairly large map with open roads and tight spaces in between buildings. Caspian BorderCaspian Border is a large map littered with plains, hills, and small towns. This map features all the vehicles in Battlefield 3. Caspian Border appeared in the PC beta of the game but was not available on the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 version at the time. The map is presumably set in Iran, with four points to capture in Conquest. Operation FirestormOperation Firestorm is a large map taking place at an oil refinery. Fairly open spaces allow for tank battles with warehouses providing cover for infantry. Grand BazaarGrand Bazaar is set in one city block of an Iranian city. Periphery roads allow for infantry fight vehicles and jeeps to traverse. The middle of the map consists of narrow alleyways creating choke points. Tehran HighwayTehran Highway is the only night map in the core game, taking place along a stretch of the highway in the Iranian capital of Tehran. The map focuses on blending infantry and vehicular combat. The map is well known due to the relatively easy nature of 'spawn trapping' in Conquest, since the linearity of points A and C to their initial spawns make player movements highly predictable. Kharg IslandKharg Island takes place in and around a seaport. Being a vehicular-based map, tanks and air support will make many appearances. Infantry can take refuge in the few buildings or behind many shipping containers around the objectives. Damavand PeakDamavand Peak takes place in and around a mining operation near an Iranian mountain range. The conquest map is centred around the narrow tunnel creating a choke point. The rush map has one team pushing down the mountain towards the mining area and the tunnel from the conquest map. Noshahr CanalsNoshahr Canal begins with the American team on an aircraft carrier, and the Russian team at a gas station during Conquest. Each area of the map is varied in its design, with the teams having to make their way to each of the different points using a variety of vehicles. Jets appear on this map along with the AA gun on the aircraft carrier supposedly only spawning on the PC version of the game. An area of shipping containers makes a shotgun's paradise, with enemies rushing to the next flag becoming prime targets in the urban jungle of the crates. Weapons, Items, and CustomizationWeaponsIn Battlefield 3, the weapons are divided into 5 groups:Class & team exclusive weapons: Weapon exclusivity for the default primary in each class is only fixed until a certain amount of XP is earned using that class. When that amount is earned the other team's initial primary for that class will be available.Class-bound weapons: The unlockable primary weapons of each kit can be used for said kit on both teams, and only those.Universal weapons: The sidearms in the game, as well as a number of unlockable primary weapons, can be used by any team and any kit.DICE Dev weapons: These are weapons using attachments not available to other playersDLC weapons: These weapons can only be unlocked through purchasing the corresponding DLC for that weapon and completing the assignment associated with that weapon.WeaponClassTeamDescriptionM16A3AssaultUSMCDefault - PrimaryM16A4AssaultUSMCUnlockable - PrimaryAK-74MAssaultRUSDefault - PrimaryG3A3AssaultUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryM416AssaultUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryAN94AssaultUniversalUnlockable- PrimaryKH2002AssaultUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryAEK-971AssaultUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryF2000AssaultUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryM27 IARSupportUSMCDefault - PrimaryRPK-74MSupportRUSDefault - PrimaryM249SupportUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryM240BSupportUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryType 88SupportUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryPKP PechenegSupportUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryM60E4SupportUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryM4A1EngineerUSMCDefault - PrimaryAKS-74uEngineerRUSDefault - PrimaryG36CEngineerUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryScar-HEngineerUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryA-91EngineerUniversalUnlockable - PrimarySG553EngineerUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryMK11 MOD 0ReconUSMCDefault - PrimarySVDReconRUSDefault - PrimarySV98ReconUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryM98BReconUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryM40A5ReconUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryM82A3 - Single-player onlyReconN/AN/AM39 EMRReconUniversalUnlockable - PrimarySKSReconUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryM9 (Includes variants with a suppressor or tactical light)UniversalUSMCSidearmM1911 (Includes variants with a suppressor or tactical light) - Unlocked via EA Gun Club, Battlefield Veteranship or Physical WarfareUniversalUniversalSidearm.44 MagnumUniversalUniversalSidearm.44 ScopedUniversalUniversalSidearmMP412 REXUniversalUniversalSidearmG18 (Variant is equipped with a suppressor)UniversalUniversalSidearm93RUniversalUniversalSidearmG17C (equipped with laser sight, variant adds a suppressor)UniversalUniversalSidearmMP443 (Includes variants with a suppressor or tactical light)UniversalRUSSidearmM1014UniversalUniversalUnlockable - Primary870MCSUniversalUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryUSAS-12UniversalUniversalUnlockable - PrimarySaiga 20kUniversalUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryDAO-12UniversalUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryMP7UniversalUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryAS VALUniversalUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryP90UniversalUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryUMP .45UniversalUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryPP2000UniversalUniversalUnlockable - Primary AssaultUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryAssaultUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryEngineerUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryEngineerUniversalUnlockable - PrimarySupportUniversalUnlockable - PrimarySupportUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryReconUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryReconUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryUniversalUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryUniversalUniversalUnlockable - Primary AssaultUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryAssaultUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryACW-REngineerUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryMTAR-21EngineerUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryL86A2SupportUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryLSATSupportUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryM417ReconUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryJNG-90ReconUniversalUnlockable - PrimarySPAS-12UniversalUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryM5KUniversalUniversalUnlockable - PrimaryAftermath Crossbow (Also has a scoped variant, can fire standard bolts, scan bolts, explosive bolts, and balanced bolts)UniversalUniversalEquipmentEnd Game M1911 S-TAC (Previously Dev-Only weapon)UniversalUniversalSidearmWeapon AccessoriesEvery primary weapon of every class gets 3 different unlockable add-on slots: Optics, Primary (grip or bipods), Secondary (barrel). After getting a sufficient number of kills with a gun it becomes possible to mount the other team sights upon it. For example, the Russian Kobra Red Dot Sight can be mounted on an American M16A3 rifle and so on.AttachmentSlotInitial TeamACOG (4x)#1 OpticsUSMCPKA-S (Holo)#1 OpticsRUSM145 (3.4x)#1 OpticsUSMCPKS-07 (7x)#1 OpticsRUSPSO-1 (4x)#1 OpticsRUSBallistic (12x)#1 OpticsBothReflex (RDS)#1 OpticsRUS Kobra (RDS)#1 OpticsRUS Holographic (Holo)#1 OpticsUSMC PK-A (3.4x)#1 OpticsRUS IRNV (IR 1x)#1 OpticsBoth Rifle Scope (6x)#1 OpticsUSMCRifle Scope (8x)#1 OpticsBothUnderslung Rail#2 PrimaryBothForegrip#2 PrimaryBothBipod#2 PrimaryBothHeavy Barrel#3 SecondaryBothTarget Pointer#3 SecondaryBothExtended Mag#3 SecondaryBothFlash Suppressor#3 SecondaryBothTactical Light#3 SecondaryBothStraight Pull Bolt#3 SecondaryBothSuppressor#3 SecondaryBothGadgetsGadgets are the soldier equipment (secondary weapons and/or tools that each class carries)ClassGadgetsDescriptionUniversalCombat KnifeUsed for either head-on slashing attacks or from-behind stealth takedownsUniversalM67 Hand GrenadeThrown hand grenadeN/AM18 Smoke Grenade (single-player only)Thrown smoke grenadeAssaultM320Underslung grenade launcherAssaultM320 BUCKFires buck shotAssaultM320 SMOKEFires 40mm smoke grenadeAssaultM320 LVGFires live grenadeAssaultDefibrillatorUsed to revive teammatesAssaultMedic KitHeals teammates standing in radiusSupportAmmo BoxReplenishes ammo of teammates in radius SupportC4 ExplosiveRemote triggered explosivesSupportM18 ClaymoreA motion-triggered anti-infantry land mineSupportM224 MortarDeployable 60mm mortar cannon, also fires smoke roundsEngineerSMAWFree fire anti-tank rocket launcher EngineerRPG-7V2Free fire anti-tank rocket launcherEngineerFGM-148 JavelinLock-on rocket launcherEngineerFIM-92 StingerLock-on anti-air rocket launcherEngineerSA-18 IGLALock-on anti-air rocket launcherEngineerRepair ToolTool used to repair friendly vehicles or damage enemy onesEngineerM15 AT MineAnti-tank mine which explodes when ran over by enemy vehiclesEngineerEOD BotRemote-controlled robot with a mounted repair tool, can also arm/disarm M-COM stationsReconT-UGSDeployable motion sensor ReconSOFLAMLaser target designatorReconRadio BeaconDeployable squad spawn pointReconMAVRemote controlled flying survaillance devicePlayer SpecializationPlayer specializations are performance-enhancing perks a player can equip. Players can equip one specialization at a time (no multiple perks equipped at the same time). Each specialization has a Squad variant unlocked at later ranks in which the effects from the specialization applies to both players and their squad.SpecializationDescriptionSprint (SPRNT)Increases sprint speed[Unlocked at Rank 2, Squad unlock at Rank 23]Extra Ammo (AMMO)Increases the total amount of spare clips[Unlocked at Rank 5, Squad unlock at Rank 26]Flak Vest (FLAK)Reduces splash damage taken from explosives[Unlocked at Rank 8, Squad unlock at Rank 29]Extra Explosives (EXPL)Increases the total number of explosives carried[Unlocked at Rank 11, Squad unlock at Rank 31]Suppression Reduction (COVR)Reduces the effect of incoming suppression (Cancels against SUPR)[Unlocked at Rank 14, Squad unlock at Rank 33]Suppression (SUPR)Increases the suppressive effect of the player's weapons (Cancels against COVR)[Unlocked at Rank 17, Squad unlock at Rank 35]Extra Grenades (FRAG)Increases the total number of grenades carried[Unlocked at Rank 20, Squad unlock at Rank 37]Vehicles Battlefield 3 features a large variety of usable vehicles, from tanks to buggies and helicopters to jets. Damage to vehicles has changed; this time the point of impact can decide what passenger(s) has been killed. Vehicle health has also been changed; they can now be immobilized with turrets intact.This new "vehicle disablement" feature delays the explosion of vehicles, allowing passengers to exit the vehicle and have a chance to fight back. When a vehicle is disabled, it catches fire and its speed is dramatically reduced. The vehicle can still be repaired by an Engineer at this point.Vehicle perks and points are based on the new vehicles classes. Vehicles will have secondary weapon slots, gadget slots, and upgrade slots. The player can use the vehicle specializations to customize the vehicle to their specifications.TanksVehicleFactionClass TypeM1 AbramsU.S.Main Battle TankT-90RussianMain Battle TankIFVVehicleFactionClass TypeLAV 25U.S.Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV)BMP-2MRussianInfantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV)TransportVehicleFactionClass TypeM1114 HMMWVU.S.Light Armored TransportGAZ-3937 VodnikRussianLight Armored TransportGrowler ITVU.S.Light Utility TransportVDV BuggyRussianLight Utility TransportMobile Anti-AirVehicleFactionClass TypeLAV-ADU.S.Mobile Anti-Air (AA)Tunguska 9K22RussianMobile Anti-Air (AA)HelicoptersHelicopters in the game will not have auto-stabilization like those in Bad Company 2 (hover mode that disallows manoeuvres and agile piloting).VehicleFactionClass TypeAH-6J Little BirdU.S.Light Observation HelicopterZ-11WRussianLight Observation HelicopterAH-1Z ViperU.S.Attack HelicopterMi-28 HavocRussianAttack HelicopterUH-1Y VenomU.S.Transport/Utility HelicopterKa-60 KasatkaRussianTransport/Utility HelicopterJetsJets have returned to Battlefield 3 after being taken out in the Bad Company series.VehicleFactionClass TypeF/A-18E Super HornetU.S.Fighter JetSu-35BM Flanker-ERussianFighter JetA-10 ThunderboltU.S.Close Air SupportSu-25TM FrogfootRussianClose Air SupportBoatsVehicleFactionClass TypeRigid-Hulled Inflatable Boat (RHIB)UniversalAmphibious Personnel CarrierAAV-7A1 AMTRACUniversalAmphibious Armored Personnel CarrierVehicle SpecializationsThe game features 80 unlockable vehicle customizations, where players unlock customizations based on the vehicle class they play. Players can have 3 active vehicle perks.Scout HelicoptersNameDescriptionIR FlaresLaunches flares that deter incoming missiles.Heat SeekersHeatseeking missiles that lock onto enemy aircraft.StealthPassively increases locking times and reduces spotting duration.Belt SpeedDecreases time between bursts of the main weapon.Proximity ScanShows nearby enemies on the minimap.Air RadarIncreases minimap size and shows all aircraft.ExtinguisherExtinguishes fires, saving the vehicle from destruction/disablement.MaintenanceImproves vehicle self repair time.Guided MissileA missile that locks onto land vehicles.Below RadarHides the aircraft from enemy anti-air and radar when flying at low altitudes.Laser PainterAutomatically laser designates targets in line of sight.ECM JammerTemporarily protects the aircraft from being locked onto.Attack HelicoptersNameDescriptionIR FlaresLaunches flares that deter incoming missiles.Heat SeekersHeatseeking missiles that lock onto enemy aircraft.StealthPassively increases locking times and reduces spotting duration.Belt SpeedDecreases time between bursts of the main weapon.Zoom OpticsAdds zoom capability.Proximity ScanShows nearby enemies on the minimap.Air RadarIncreases minimap size and shows all aircraft.Guided MissileA missile that locks onto land vehicles.ExtinguisherExtinguishes fires, saving the vehicle from destruction/disablement.MaintenanceImproves vehicle self repair time.Thermal OpticsAdds thermal view capability.Laser PainterAutomatically laser designates targets in line of sight.Below RadarHides the aircraft from enemy anti-air and radar when flying at low altitudes.ECM JammerTemporarily protects the aircraft from being locked onto.Guided RocketIncreases accuracy and range of the pilot's missiles.TV MissileAdds a missile which, once fired, must be player controlled.JetsNameDescriptionIR FlaresLaunches flares that deter incoming missiles.Heat SeekersHeatseeking missiles that lock onto enemy aircraft.StealthPassively increases locking times and reduces spotting duration.Belt SpeedDecreases time between bursts of the main weapon.Proximity ScanShows nearby enemies on the minimap.Rocket PodsAdds rockets.Air RadarIncreases minimap size and shows all aircraft.ExtinguisherExtinguishes fires, saving the vehicle from destruction/disablement.Below RadarHides the aircraft from enemy anti-air and radar when flying at low altitudes.MaintenanceImproves vehicle self repair time.Guided MissileA missile that locks onto land vehicles.Beam ScanningLock on now happens faster when using heatseeker or guided missiles.ECM JammerTemporarily protects the aircraft from being locked onto.Anti-AirNameDescriptionIR SmokeLaunches a smoke screen that removes locks and spots.Anti-Air MissileAdds anti-air missiles.Belt SpeedDecreases time between bursts of the main weapon.Zoom OpticsAdds zoom capability.Proximity ScanShows nearby enemies on the minimap.Thermal OpticsAdds thermal view capability.Air RadarIncreases minimap size and shows all aircraft.MaintenanceImproves vehicle self repair time.Thermal CamoPassively increases locking times and reduces spotting duration.Reactive ArmorAdds special armor which decreases damage taken once.TanksNameDescriptionIR SmokeLaunches a smoke screen that removes locks and spots.Coaxial LMGAdds a light machine gun.Auto-loaderDecreases time between main weapon shots.Zoom OpticsAdds zoom capability.MaintenanceImproves vehicle self repair time.Coaxial HMGAdds a heavy machine gun.Proximity ScanShows nearby enemies on the minimap.Guided ShellTank shells now lock onto targets.Thermal OpticsAdds thermal view capability.Thermal CamoPassively increases locking times and reduces spotting duration.Canister ShellMain cannon now fires thousands of pellets rather than one shell.Reactive ArmorAdds special armor which decreases damage taken once.CITV StationAdds a 3rd position to the tank which laser designates and proximity scans.Infantry VehiclesNameDescriptionIR SmokeLaunches a smoke screen that removes locks and spots.ATGM LauncherAdds guided anti-tank missiles.Belt SpeedDecreases time between bursts of the main weapon.Coaxial LMGAdds a light machine gun.Thermal OpticsAdds thermal view capability.Proximity ScanShows nearby enemies on the minimap.Zoom OpticsAdds zoom capability.MaintenanceImproves vehicle self repair time.APFSDS-T ShellArmor piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot (with tracer) shell deals direct damage with no explosion.Thermal CamoPassively increases locking times and reduces spotting duration.Guided MissileA missile that locks onto land vehicles.Reactive ArmorAdds special armor which decreases damage taken once.Player Awards Real military ranks, ribbons and medals returned from Battlefield 2.As players progress in the game and unlock new weapons and customization items, they also rank up, receive ribbons rewarding them for the different tasks a soldier performs on the battlefield (both weapon usage/combat performance, and helping/supporting their team with teamwork actions), and also giving prestigious medals to the best achievers.RanksThe game features a large amount of military ranks, achieved by players as they progress in the game by gaining XP for teamwork and kills, and unlocking weapons and gadgets.InsigniaRankUnlocksPoints RequiredTotal Points Required0RecruitN/A001Private First Class870MCS1,0001,0002Private First Class 1 StarSprint Specialization7,0008,0003Private First Class 2 StarWoodland Pattern Camouflage10,00018,0004Private First Class 3 StarG17C11,00029,0005Lance CorporalAmmo Specialization12,00041,0006Lance Corporal 1 StarRanger Camouflage13,00054,0007Lance Corporal 2 StarPP-200013,00067,0008Lance Corporal 3 StarFlak Specialization14,00081,0009CorporalArmy Green Camouflage15,00096,00010Corporal 1 StarM9 Tactical15,000111,00011Corporal 2 StarExplosives Specialization19,000130,00012Corporal 3 StarExpeditionary Force Camouflage20,000150,00013SergeantMP433 Tactical20,000170,00014Sergeant 1 StarCover Specialization20,000190,00015Sergeant 2 StarParatrooper Camouflage30,000220,00016Sergeant 3 StarUMP-4530,000250,00017Staff SergeantSuppressive Specialization30,000280,00018Staff Sergeant 1 StarNavy Blue Camouflage30,000310,00019Staff Sergeant 2 StarG17C Suppressed30,000340,00020Gunnery SergeantFrag Specialization30,000370,00021Gunnery Sergeant 1 StarJungle Pattern Camouflage30,000400,00022Gunnery Sergeant 2 StarM101430,000430,00023Master SergeantSquad Sprint Specialization40,000470,00024Master Sergeant 1 StarDesert Khaki Camouflage40,000510,00025Master Sergeant 2 StarM9 Suppressed40,000550,00026First SergeantSquad Ammo Specialization40,000590,00027First Sergeant 1 StarUrban Pattern Camouflage40,000630,00028First Sergeant 2 StarMP-443 Suppressed40,000670,00029Master Gunnery SergeantSquad Flak Specialization40,000710,00030Master Gunnery Sergeant 1 StarG1850,000760,00031Master Gunnery Sergeant 2 StarSquad Explosive Specialization50,000810,00032Sergeant MajorPDW-R50,000860,00033Sergeant Major 1 StarSquad Suppressive Specialization50,000910,00034Sergeant Major 2 StarSAIGA 12K50,000960,00035Warrant Officer 1Squad Cover Specialization50,0001,010,00036Chief Warrant Officer 2.44 Magnum50,0001,060,00037Chief Warrant Officer 3Squad Frag Specialization50,0001,110,00038Chief Warrant Officer 4DAO-1255,0001,165,00039Chief Warrant Officer 5Veteran Package Camouflage55,0001,220,00040Second LieutenantP9060,0001,289,00041First LieutenantG18 Suppressed60,0001,340,00042CaptainSpec Ops Black Camouflage60,0001,400,00043MajorUSAS-1260,0001,460,00044Lt. Colonel.44 Magnum Scoped60,0001,520,00045ColonelAS VAL80,0001,600,000RibbonsCategoryDescriptionAssault Rifle RibbonWeaponsKill 7 Enemies with Assault Rifles in a RoundShotgun RibbonWeaponsKill 5 Enemies with Shotguns in a RoundSniper Rifle RibbonWeaponsKill 7 Enemies with Sniper Rifles in a RoundMachine Gun RibbonWeaponsKill 7 Enemies with Light Machine Guns (LMG) in a RoundCarbine RibbonWeaponsKill 7 Enemies with Carbines in a RoundHandgun RibbonWeaponsKill 4 Enemies with Handguns in a RoundMelee RibbonWeaponsKill 4 Melee Kills in a RoundPDW RibbonWeaponsKill 4 Enemies with Personal Defense Weapons in a RoundCombat Efficiency RibbonCombatPerform 3 Streak Bonuses in a RoundNemesis RibbonCombatPerform 2 Nemesis Kills in a RoundAvenger RibbonCombatPerform 3 Avenger Kills in a RoundMarksman RibbonCombatPerform 5 Headshots in a RoundDisable Vehicle RibbonCombatDisable 4 Enemy Vehicles in a RoundAir Warfare RibbonCombatKill 6 Enemies with Air Vehicles in a RoundAnti Vehicle RibbonCombatDestroy 3 Enemy Vehicles in a RoundStationary Emplacement RibbonCombatKill 3 Enemies with Emplaced GunsGround Warfare RibbonCombatKill 7 Enemies with Land Vehicles in a RoundAnti Explosives RibbonCombatDestroy 2 Enemy Explosives in a RoundSquad Wipe RibbonCombatPerform 2 Squad Wipe Bonuses in a RoundResupply Efficiency RibbonSupporting ActionsPerform 7 Resupplies in a RoundMedical Efficiency RibbonSupporting ActionsPerform 5 Revives in a RoundMaintainence Efficiency RibbonSupporting ActionsPerform 7 Repairs in a RoundTransport Warfare RibbonSupporting ActionsKill 5 Enemies with Transport Vehicles in a RoundSurveillance Efficiency RibbonSupporting ActionsPerform 5 UAV Spot AssistsSuppression RibbonSupporting ActionsPerform 3 SuppressionsSquad Spawn RibbonTeamworkPerform 2 Squad Spawn Bonuses in a RoundAce Squad RibbonTeamworkBe part of the Best Squad in a RoundSavior RibbonTeamworkPerform 2 Savior Kills in a RoundFlag Defender RibbonObjectivesDefend 4 Flags in a RoundFlag Attacker RibbonObjectivesCapture 4 Flags in a RoundM-COM Defender RibbonObjectivesDefend 4 M-COM Stations in a RoundM-COM Attacker RibbonObjectivesBlow Up 3 M-COM Stations in a RoundRush RibbonObjectivesFinish a Rush RoundRush Winner RibbonObjectivesWin a Rush RoundSquad Deathmatch RibbonObjectivesFinish a Squad Deathmatch RoundSquad Deathmatch Winner RibbonObjectivesWin a Squad Deathmatch RoundSquad Rush RibbonObjectivesFinish a Squad Rush RoundSquad Rush Winner RibbonObjectivesWin a Squad Rush RoundTeam Deathmatch RibbonObjectivesFinish a Team Deathmatch RoundTeam Deathmatch Winner RibbonObjectivesWin a Team Deathmatch RoundConquest RibbonObjectivesFinish a Conquest RoundConquest Winner RibbonObjectivesWin a Conquest RoundMVP RibbonPerformanceBe the Best Player in a RoundMVP 2 RibbonPerformanceBe the 2nd Best Player in a RoundMVP 3 RibbonPerformanceBe the 3rd Best Player in a RoundMedalsMedalCategoryDescriptionAssault Rifle MedalWeaponsObtain the Assault Rifle Ribbon 50 timesLight Machine Gun MedalWeaponsObtain the Light Machine Gun (LMG) Ribbon 50 timesSniper Rifle MedalWeaponsObtain the Sniper Rifle Ribbon 30 timesShotgun MedalWeaponsObtain the Shotgun Ribbon 50 timesCarbine MedalWeaponsObtain the Carbine Ribbon 50 timesPDW MedalWeaponsObtain the Personal Defense Ribbon 30 timesHandgun MedalWeaponsObtain the Handgun Ribbon 30 timesMelee MedalWeaponsObtain the Melee Ribbon 30 timesClaymore MedalWeaponsKill 150 Enemies with the ClaymoreLaser Designator MedalWeaponsObtain 150 damage assists with the Laser DesignatorCombat Efficiency MedalCombatObtain the Combat Efficiency Ribbon 30 timesStationary Emplacement MedalCombatObtain the Stationary Ribbon 10 timesStationary Service MedalCombatSpend 1 hour in Stationary WeaponsAvenger MedalCombatObtain the Avenger Ribbon 50 timesNemesis MedalCombatObtain the Nemesis Ribbon 50 timesMortar MedalCombatKill 150 Enemies with the MortarTank Service MedalCombatSpend 10 hours in TanksMarksman MedalCombatObtain the Marksmen Ribbon 50 timesGround Warfare MedalCombatObtain the Armor Warfare Ribbon 30 timesHelicopter Service MedalCombatSpend 10 hours in HelicoptersJet Service MedalCombatSpend 10 hours in JetsAir Warfare MedalCombatObtain the Air Warfare Ribbon 20 timesAssault Service MedalClassesSpend 50 hours as AssaultSupport Service MedalClassesSpend 50 hours as SupportEngineer Service MedalClassesSpend 50 hours as EngineerRecon Service MedalClassesSpend 50 hours as ReconResupply MedalSupporting ActionsObtain the Resupply Ribbon 50 timesMedical MedalSupporting ActionsObtain the Medical Ribbon 50 timesMaintainence MedalSupporting ActionsObtain the Maintenance Ribbon 30 timesSurveilance MedalSupporting ActionsObtain the Surveillance Ribbon 50 timesSavior MedalSupporting ActionsObtain the Savior Ribbon 50 timesTransport Warfare MedalSupporting ActionsObtain the Transport Warfare Ribbon 10 timesRadio Beacon MedalSupporting ActionsObtain 100 spawns on the player's own Radio BeaconSuppression MedalSupporting ActionsObtain the Suppression Ribbon 50 timesFlag Defender MedalObjectivesObtain the Flag Defender Ribbon 50 timesFlag Attacker MedalObjectivesObtain the Flag Attacker Ribbon 50 timesM-COM Defender MedalObjectivesObtain the M-COM Defender Ribbon 50 timesM-COM Attacker MedalObjectivesObtain the M-COM Attacker Ribbon 10 timesRush MedalObjectivesObtain the Rush Ribbon 50 timesSquad Rush MedalObjectivesObtain the Squad Rush Ribbon 20 timesSquad Deathmatch MedalObjectivesObtain the Squad Deathmatch Ribbon 20 timesTeam Deathmatch MedalObjectivesObtain the Team Deathmatch Ribbon 30 timesConquest MedalObjectivesObtain the Conquest Ribbon 50 timesAce Squad MedalPerformanceObtain the Ace Squad Ribbon 50 timesUS Army Service MedalPerformanceSpend 100 hours in the USMCRU Army Service MedalPerformanceSpend 100 hours in the RussiansMVP MedalPerformanceObtain the MVP Ribbon 30 times2nd MVP MedalPerformanceObtain the 2nd MVP Ribbon 30 times3rd MVP MedalPerformanceObtain the 3rd MVP Ribbon 30 timesMultiplayer Point SystemNameDescriptionPointsAvenger BonusKill an enemy shortly after they have killed a team-mate.10Headshot BonusShoot someone in the head. Simple.10Enemy Squad EliminatedWipe out an enemy squad in quick succession.10Squad Spawn on YouPlayers have someone in their squad spawn on their location.10Spot BonusIdentify an enemy who is killed afterwards by a team-mate.10Suppression AssistFire at an enemy who is then killed by a team-mate.10Savior BonusSave an injured ally from an enemy who would otherwise have killed them.20M-COM Attack KillKill someone while attacking the M-COM in Rush.20M-COM Defense KillKill someone while defending the M-COM from the Defenders in Rush.20RepairRepair a vehicle being used by an ally.20Squad RepairRepair a vehicle being used by an ally in the player's squad.30Comeback Bonus40Double KillKill two enemies in rapid succession.40Suppression Assist50Destroy VehicleDestroy a vehicle occupied by, or soon after it has been vacated by an enemy.60Nemesis Kill60Killstreak Stopped70Enemy Down100M-COM Armed100M-COM Disarmed100Disable Enemy Vehicle100Revive TeammateRevive a team-mate who has been killed by the enemy.100Squad ReviveRevive a team-mate, in one's own squad, who has been killed by the enemy.120M-COM Destroyed500Destroy Enemy Vehicle200Squad Driver Assist20Squad Passenger Assist70Kill AssistInjure an enemy while a team-mate finishes them off.Based Upon Damage DealtSquad Kill AssistInjure an enemy while a squad-mate finishes them off.Based Upon Damage DealtMarksman BonusKill an enemy from a long distance with a sniper rifle.Based on DistanceAvailabilityBattlefield 3 boxed version is available at retailers around the world in a variety of editions. The game is available as a digital edition on several digital distribution services, excluding Steam.Premium EditionReleased on September 11, 2012, this edition of the game includes membership in Battlefield Premium, which grants access to all 5 expansions. It also includes a "Multiplayer Head Start Kit" which gives players 15 advanced weapons plus additional gadgets, vehicle upgrades, and more.Limited Edition Includes the full game as well as free access to the Back to Karkand DLC when it released in December 2011. In addition to the Back to Karkand DLC, the Limited Edition pre-order also includes bonus item packages. Those packages were available at select retailers all over the world (each retailer had their own package to offer).A list of all Limited Edition pre-order bonus packages:SPECACT Kit Upgrade: A set of 8 multiplayer skins, one for each class and side in Battlefield 3.Dog Tag Pack: A set of 5 unique in-game dog tags to choose from (for more information about Dog Tags, read above).Avatar Battlefield 3 Gear: Battlefield 3 gear for Xbox 360 avatars.Shotgun and Beret for Battlefield Play4Free: An 870S shotgun and a beret for in-game use in the play-for-free title Battlefield Play4Free. This pack could only be acquired by pre-ordering Battlefield 3 Limited Edition from Origin (ODM).Limited Edition: Physical Warfare Pack Includes the Physical Warfare Pack (PWP), which consists of a set of three time-based exclusive items and one early weapon unlock for Battlefield 3. The items: The Type 88 LMG, a Flash Suppressor for the SKS sniper rifle, Flechette Ammo and an early unlock of the DAO-12 shotgun (returning from Battlefield 2). The pack was available at select retailers all over the world. It was available on day 1 for pre-orders, and 30 days later (November 25th) at no extra charge for non pre-orders.Steelbook Edition The Steelbook edition was originally only announced within Sweden, though this was changed and it was released worldwide. The game comes with all the bonuses of the aforementioned Limited Editions, but with a steelbook case.Standard Edition Includes the full game only, without any multiplayer bonuses or free DLC.Downloadable ContentThere are a total of 5 downloadable content packs for the multiplayer portion of the game. Each is available individually for purchase at , or all included in a bundle if a player signs up for Battlefield Premium ().Back To Karkand The Limited Edition of Battlefield 3 included a code for the "Back to Karkand" expansion pack at no extra charge. The expansion pack became available in December 2011 for Limited Edition owners, and became available for purchase one month later for all other players. It is also included for all Premium members as well. The expansion pack features classic weapons, vehicles, and 4 updated maps from Battlefield 2.New Game ModeConquest Assault - Exclusive to Back To Karkand maps, this variant of Conquest brought back from the original Battlefield games has one team that starts with no flags and the other team begins with all of them, which is balanced by having the team with no flags start with significantly more tickets than their opponents.New MapsNameDescriptionWake IslandA remake of the classic Battlefield 1942 map. Attackers can come from the air, or by sea. Once on the island, the multiple roads and different attack options will keep the defenders on their toes.Strike at KarkandStrike at Karkand is a large map built for close quarter combat, and tank battles taking place on the main streets.Gulf of OmanGulf of Oman is a desert map, with open areas for vehicle combat and urban districts for infantry fighting.Sharqi PeninsulaAnother map that has a dense urban environment, with tight quarters and multiple firing vantage points.Close Quarters The second DLC Pack, called Close Quarters, was released in June 2012. It focuses on infantry-only combat featuring 4 new maps, ten new guns, ten new assignments, five new dogtags and two new game modes.New Game ModesConquest Domination - This game mode is very similar to traditional Conquest, with the main difference being that players cannot spawn on flags they control. Rather, they are relegated to spawning on their squadmates or at random points on the map. Also flag capture & ticket bleed rates are significantly faster.Gun Master - Exclusive to Close Quarters maps, this game mod pits two teams of 8 against each other. Every player begins with a low-tier weapon, and every two kills with that weapon, said player advances to the next tier of weaponry. Upon reaching the final tier, the player must get a kill using only the knife. Knifing a player demotes them down a weapon tier.New MapsNameDescriptionZiba TowerZiba Tower takes place on top of a skyscraper in the middle of a city and features a central area flanked by numerous rooms with two levels.Donya FortressDonya Fortress is a fortress that has seen better days. The map features three levels, including an underground tunnel that goes through the central plaza.Operation 925Operation 925 is a large office building featuring many office spaces and an underground parking garage filled with vehicles ready to explode when shot.ScrapmetalScrapmetal takes place in two industrial buildings connected by walkways and covered in pipes and concrete walls.Armored Kill The third DLC pack called Armored Kill provides 4 extremely large new maps that have a focus on vehicular combat. It also contains new weapons, vehicles, assignments, and a new game mode called Tank Superiority. It was released in September 2012.New Game ModeTank Superiority - Exclusive to the Armored Kill expansion maps, this game mode is essentially Conquest, except with only one flag to attack. Also, there is no cooldown on vehicle respawns; as soon as one is destroyed another immediately appears back in the player spawn area so they can get back into the action quickly.New MapsMapDescriptionAlborz MountainA snowy mountain range with high towers and narrow valleys.Bandar DesertBilled as "The Largest Map in Battlefield History," this is a large open desert map.Death ValleyA moonlit valley.Armored ShieldSet in the outskirts of Sanoy, Russia, this is a large open grassy field.Aftermath The fourth piece of DLC is called aftermath, and takes place in an Iranian city immediately following a devastating earthquake that has completely destroyed the surroundings. It features 4 new maps, vehicles, assignments, and a new game mode. It also introduces the new crossbow weapon. It was first released to Premium members on PS3 November 27th, 2012, and to other platforms throughout the following weeks in December 2012.New Game ModeScavenger - Another twist on the Conquest game mode, this time players start the game as lost & disoriented soldiers immediately following an earthquake, and start the round equipped with only a knife, a grenade, and their sidearm. Ammo is extremely scarce, and players must search the environment for more powerful weapons and take control of flags to win the game.New MapsMapDescriptionAzadi PalaceA tourist hotspot destroyed.EpicenterA post-earthquake city with a close urban environment.Markaz MonolithAn under construction developing city center destroyed by earthquakes.Talah MarketA dense market place with close quarters.End Game The 5th and final piece of DLC is titled End Game, and was released in March 2013. It contains 4 new maps that are designed for high speed vehicles and combat. It introduces the dirt bike, the most agile vehicle in the game, and a new "dropship," which can rapidly parachute Infantry Fighting Vehicles down into the battlefield. Players can also choose to paradrop themselves from the dropship.New Game ModesCapture The Flag - Traditional CTF mode where each team tries to capture the enemy flag and return it back to their home base. The flag can only be captured if the team's own flag is at the base as well.Air Superiority - Only jet's are allowed in this conquest style mode. Team's battle over zeppelin control points in the sky.New MapsMapDescriptionOperation RiversideAutumn-themed map with a river running through numerous electrical sub-stationsSalaban PipelineA snowy oil refinery with a large overhead pipeline.Kiasar RailroadA logging camp and a railroad.Nebandan FlatsA wide open prairie wind farm.Battlefield 3: The Russian Media consultant and ex-SAS Operator-turned novelist Andy McNab, who wrote books such as "Bravo Two Zero" and "Immediate Action", co-wrote a 400-page novel entitled "Battlefield 3: The Russian" with author Peter Grimsdale, and with the assistance of DICE executive producer Patrick Bach.The book tells the story of RU Special Forces operator Dmitri "Dima" Mayakovsky, aka The Cleaner, one of the playable characters in the game, in the events taking place after the events of the game. The book paints a picture of that legendary and pragmatic soldier struggling to do whatever it takes to keep himself, and his platoon, alive.The book was published by Orion Publishing in Europe and Grand Central Publishing in North America, and was released alongside the game on October 25th for the price of 10$. It is available for purchase on several online stores including Amazon.com.SoundtrackThe official Battlefield 3 soundtrack was released October 24, 2011. It was composed by Johan Skugge & Jukka Rintamaki.1.Battlefield 3 Main Theme1:562.Thunder Run2:513.The Red Wire0:324.Solomon's Theme2:515.Spark0:436.Frostbite0:497.The Death of Vladimir2:168.Fire From the Sky3:069.Kaffarov's Villa1:0510.Operation Metro2:0311.La Bourse0:5312.Tremors2:0313.Choked2:1414.Black Gold1:2315.The Great Destroyer2:2216.Hunter's Point0:5417.Brawl0:4718.Interrogating Blackburn6:3919.Battlefield 3 Dark Theme0:32Multiplayer Alpha and BetaAlpha Trial On July 20th, DICE launched an Alpha Trial for players at home to download and play, in order to test and debug the game. The trial runs on the same software used for the E3 2011 showcase floor demo, and on the same map (Operation Metro 32-player Rush).Several waves of trial invitations were sent out in the weeks that followed. In order to be eligible to receive an invitation, the player has to subscribe to the EA newsletter, Battlefield 3 newsletter and have a Battlefield Veteran Status Rank.Many Alpha participants broke the NDA agreement by capturing footage of the game and uploading it to YouTube, resulting in YouTube channel bans, and one EA lawsuit.PC System RequirementsOS: Windows 7 or Vista (SP1)Installed: OriginCPU: Quadcore @ 2.0 GHz or fasterRAM: 4 GB or moreHard Drive: 7.25 GB free disk spaceVideo: 512 MB or greaterDirectX: 10 or 11 compatible card with latest drivers (AMD 11.5 or later, nVidia 275.33 or later)Sound: DirectX 10 or 11 compatible cardInternet: broadband connectionNote that these do not necessarily represent the requirements for the final game.Multiplayer Beta The beta started on September 29th and ended on October 10th, and was available on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.Early beta access (48 hours) was available for those who pre-ordered the limited versions of Medal of Honor. The stipulation, however, was that the invite was only valid if the beta was opened within 12 months of MOH's release. Pre-orders on Origin got the same early access.The beta was on the same map used in the Alpha Trial, Operation Metro, on the same game mode, Rush. Late in the beta Caspian Border was unlocked.ReceptionBattlefield 3's PC version received favorable reviews at launch, as most reviewers praised the multiplayer aspect of the game, while criticizing the single player for being too linear and dull. However, critics were harsher on the console version of the game and cited multiple graphical & matchmaking bugs as deterrents to the multiplayer experience.EA's Review Code ControversyEA's policy of sending review codes & copies only to selective press outlets caught flak from the gaming media and was criticized for trying to tilt the game's reception at launch.Origin Privacy ControversyAccording to German radio station 1live the intrusive Origin service has once again broken federal laws by supposedly acting in many ways like spyware. Being required by EA to play the game as a countermeasure to piracy, Origin scans hard- and software and is able to log IP addresses and thereby identifying Gamers on a personal level. Because it also requires login via real names, Thomas Schwenke, entertainment lawyer, claims that EA has overstepped several German privacy laws and can be traded in with a statement of that fact. The data protection office of the state of Northrhine-Westphalia is also said to be investigating Battlefield 3's terms of use. To be safe, the author concludes, it is recommended to try playing one of the console ports instead; a poor substitute most likely.PC System RequirementsMinimumRecommendedOS: Windows Vista (SP2) 32-bitPROCESSOR: 2 GHz dual core (Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz OR Athlon X2 2.7 GHz)MEMORY: 2 GBHARD DRIVE: 20 GBGRAPHICS CARD (AMD): DirectX 10.1 compatible with 512 MB RAM (ATI Radeon 3000, 4000, 5000 or 6000 series, with ATI Radeon 3870 or higher performance)GRAPHICS CARD (NVIDIA): DirectX 10.0 compatible with 512 MB RAM (Nvidia GeForce 8, 9, 200, 300, 400 or 500 series with Nvidia GeForce 8800 GT or higher performance)SOUND CARD: DirectX compatibleOS: Windows 7 64-bitPROCESSOR: Quad-core CPUMEMORY: 4 GBHARD DRIVE: 20 GBGRAPHICS CARD: DirectX 11 compatible with 1024 MB RAM (Nvidia GeForce GTX 560 or ATI Radeon 6950)SOUND CARD: DirectX compatibleXbox 360 HDD Install RequirementDisc 1 of Battlefield 3 requires 7.3 GB to install on the Xbox 360's HDD, and Disc 2 requires 6.7 GB. The additional "HD-Texture Pack" which can be installed from Disc 1 requires 1.5 GB.Online PassAn Online Pass (which comes with the game when purchased new) is required to play any multiplayer modes on the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3.
