Player Feedback Bringing Tweaks to Battlefield 4

To help Dice improve the online experience for Battlefield 4, the developer set up the Community Test Environment, a set of test servers that allow Battlefield 4 Premium members to provide feedback about the PC version of the game, this May. The efforts of developers and players on the CTE have resulted in several gameplay changes that DICE has detailed on the Battlefield site.

Essentially a post-launch test beta, the CTE has yielded various improvements, from bug-fixes to gameplay tweaks, by watching streamed gameplay, analyzing telemetry and interacting with players on the game forums.

Earlier this month, DICE made improvements to Battlefield 4’s netcode that focused on decreasing the feeling of being killed through cover and being killed without seeing a damage indicator. DICE promises more netcode fixes in the coming months.

The first phase of DICE’s core gameplay initiative will focus on improvements to the Dragon’s Teeth expansion. The all-new ballistics shield will be powered down based on player feedback. The new shield will no longer stop anti-personnel rounds, and can no longer one-hit-kill opponents with a shield bash.

The game’s Rush mode will receive tweaks that make it easier to attack MCOM stations, resulting in a more balanced and fluid Rush experience. Other general changes to Rush include decreased range on radar sweeps around attacker’s bases, and the removal of the Commander in the mode by default. Map-specific changes have also been made, including placement of MCOM stations and cover passes.

In the coming months, DICE will be making even more tweaks to Battlefield 4’s online suite. Some of these changes will include general weapon balancing, weapon suppression tuning, 3P Head-flinch dampening, visual recoil ADS tuning, vehicle balancing and HUD improvements.

While the Community Test Environment program has already resulted in plenty of gameplay improvements, DICE is looking for more testers to help them make the game as balanced and fun as possible. It’s available to all Battlefield 4 Premium members, and players and players can sign up for the program on the Battlelog.