1881

Apologies if this has been discussed, I haven’t followed the thread since release.

Has anyone had success with the Recon laser target and the Javelin? It seems awfully… well, terrible. It doesn’t seem to hit aircraft (I’m watching for countermeasures and they’re not being used) as advertised, and seems near worthless against ground vehicles. Sure, you can lock on and fire without line of sight, but the rocket tends to ram itself into a hillside, building frame, random piece of concrete, or an errant tree branch. It’s so ineffective I’m wondering if I’m not using the combo correctly in some way?

Would love some tips from anyone using it well.

1882

I’ve only tried the Javelin once, and on a map entirely unsuited to it. But, and correct me if I’m misunderstanding you, you do not need the laser target thing. The Javelin locks on of its own accord. I have no idea about aircraft - in real life it certainly doesn’t have that capability, so I would assume it doesn’t in BF3 either. (Yes, I realise that’s a big assumption :P)

I have no idea what the Recon laser is (is it like BC2?), perhaps it allows the SMAW/RPG to track?

The Javelin does seem quite weak, I assume the advantage is supposed to be hitting vehicles at long range on the move, which isn’t feasible with the SMAW/RPG. I’ll remember to give it a go next time I play.

1883

So you have to buy a Gold account AND an online pass?

Yeah, I’ll stick to PC gaming for multiplayer. Thanks.

1884

Well for me the Javelin can 2 shot any tank.

It doesn’t seem to lock on to air vehicles though… Unless I am doing something wrong. :(

1885

Is the Javelin the first/second engineer unlock, one of those two? I think it is, since you can only shoot it after locking on.

If so, I was having issues locking on…does it only lock on to certain vehicles? It wouldn’t lock on a humvee or an APC for some reason. Couldn’t tell if it was a glitch, intentional, or if I was just doing something wrong.

1886

The second launcher is for air only and auto locks on, I am guessing the Javelin which is the 3rd rocket launcher is for ground only, it also auto locks on.

There are distance limits as to be expected.

1887

ah, if it’s air only that would explain my issues :-) Would be nice if it said that, you know, anywhere in the in-game weapon descriptions…

1888

Correct, but the recon laser target (SOFLAM) works in conjunction with it, it allows you to lock and fire without line of sight. It’s also supposed to work for air vehicles with the SOFLAM, which it technically does. I lock onto air targets and can launch, but they don’t seem to do anything.

So against air, still nothing, and against ground targets the missiles just plow into dirt with the SOFLAM since if you don’t have line of sight it’s bound to hit a piece of rebar or a hill or a tree leaf or something. So my question isn’t so much about the Javelin, it’s WTF is the point of the SOFLAM?

1889

Oh I see. Yea, that seems a tad broken.

1890

I’m not really in love with any of the maps yet. It may be because it can never be the first one again, but the maps in BF2 were so much more fun, in my memory at least.

The constant RPG spam is pretty damn annoying as well - I wish something could be done to tone that down a bit. Thankfully, I’ve found servers were people who do it are banned.

Other than that - its a pretty fun game, and I am pleased I bought it, even with the myriad of small bugs that still plague it.

One thing though - you can edit the contrast in your Settings file, which I find a bit worrying. Does that mean tactical light looses its effectiveness? Because dear lord - thats one effective weapon!

1891

I play conquest, so I don’t know how are the maps on other modes, or even if other modes have different maps.

Operation Métro: Broken. Not broken. Is not conquest, is King of the Hill. The hill is the center flag. Too bad a 20% of the players don’t get it.

Grand Bazaar: I use to hate this map, now I kind of like it. Main problem is that half the population play to gain points. You seems to gain a lot of points killing and reviving and giving ammo to people on the center useless flag. Sort of statpadding, but legit. Stupid. So heres the weakness of the map: wen a team get cornered on the spawn, or this flag, is hard to unstuck the situation. The map really really need a sewer system, or a light copter (for transport).

Tehran Highway: Make the engine shine. The graphics are amazing, and the gameplay is not bad. Too bad create a lot of lag on the server. My own theory is that theres not partitions, so everything is visible for the player, and the server as to broadcast everything, and can’t cope with it. Is this or some physic object causing trouble. Anyway, even with the horrible lag, I enjoy the map, and the graphics are amazing.

Caspian Border: Classical map. I say is good and able decent jet vs jet, tank vs tank, infantry vs infantry combat. Yesterday I was playing on a server that has this one fixed, and made me hate it a bit. Is not all that good to play only it.

Damavand Peak: Horrible bad. Spam, spam, spam, spam. Lots of people firing blindly to a hole and hoping for a lucky shot.

Operation Firestorm: Decent, good… .I suppose. Good tank vs jet vs chopper combat. Good infantry combat.

Seine Crossing: Maybe too much spam and sniper action.

Kharg Island: Weird designed. I don’t have a opinion about it.

1892

Seinne Crossing is my favorite thus far although it can bog down. Still, I love having four floors of many buildings to fight in and around. It’s a great urban warfare map if your team isn’t bad and get bogged down at the bridge.

Is it true that on the 360 version you can’t enter all those buildings?

1893

A good half of the buildings can be entered on 360 - usually two or three four story buildings around each point along with single story shops all around - though I don’t know how that stacks up against PC. Plus you can destroy walls to create little alcoves.

1894

Would like to see a few maps with more choppers and no planes, or more planes and a larger ‘ceiling’.

Some of the maps are so tiny I feel like I’m inside a crate in ARMA2.

The biggest problems in this game is that ANYONE can pick up a vehicle and cause the team to lose the battle. some of the Rush servers have 75 tickets, 64 players, and attackers get “realistically” 1 APC before their tickers have run out. Then it is hardly fortuitous for them to have a level 1 idiot with no upgrades driving the APC Around.

There should be some sort of “progression” to use equipment:
1.- First you are a gunner and get xx kills
2.- Then you repair it xx times
3.- Then you can drive it

If noone on the server have unlocked 3, then down to 2, then to 1, then free for all.

And when it comes to the planes, I would guess requiring people to man the AA turret and shoot down enemy airplanes, or having “spotted” 10 enemy Airplanes a ‘achievement’ to be able to spawn in the planes.

In addition, there should be a “camp” zone around airplane spawns that considers players as “idle” if they are standing around the spawn for longer than 20 seconds, unless they are repairing the planes. Anyone with a idle “flag” will be prohibited for piloting a vehicle for 1 hour.

Edit:
http://i.imgur.com/eUoVU.jpg <- If only DICE Listens to PC community.

Lordkosc: Grats :)
I started using the 360 controller for the chopper… but found out that after around 15 runs on the COOP chopper mission, that it was better to use the Mouse/Keyboard, since it was easier to drop flares, spot, toggle and whatnot with keyboard buttons.

I still fly with the 360 controller though… but I feel like I’m lacking a few keys. Really wish I could use some TrackIR to look around while flying, as I have to use the 3D view to track enemy planes when they fly.

Now… if only I could find some competent Gunners for the attack choppers and not someone who just spams the fire button non stop and doesn’t track enemy aircraft.

1895

14 deaths later, and i can finally fly and land both choppers and jets.

using a 360 controller on my pc.

i cannot kill anything though. :p

1896

I played a bit last night, and I second this. That map is absolutely terribad in Conquest mode. Who on earth thought making a large tunnel with spawns at each end and no alternative routes would make for a good experience?

Operation Firestorm and Canals both seem decent, though.

1897

Demanvend Peak is good, but you have to know that
a) It’s not a 64 players map, it does have a size appropriate for… let’s say 24 players.
b) You are supposed to use the chopper to fly to the opposite side and cap there, avoiding the tunnel spam.

Only 1/3 of the maps (the 3 biggest) are acceptable playing with 64 players, imo.

1898

When I’ve done conquest 64 on Damavand it’s been nothing like Metro. Lots of back capping. Sure, some people fight at choke points, but not all that many, as flags are constantly switching hands and people go scurrying around the map. So, uh, I guess I’ve been lucky? Or you’ve been unlucky? Whatever.

1899

I think at times we look back at BF2 with rose colored glasses. Then again I havent played BF2 in years and years.

Yea the RPG spam is a bit nuts

1900

Damavand is great fun. The two side tunnels with all their little exists make for some vicious firefights.