BF2S Forums New BF2 Map Released - (Highway Tampa)

I am in 2 minds about uncaps. Would free you up to concentrate on the main battles (usually for the refinery/petrol station or village), but a couple of rounds of the half dozen I played had the bases swap, which got interesting. But usually the USMC got behind the MEC and took it, rather than the other way round. Having said that I was in a tank early on in the turret and we drove straight into the US base and capped it, stright from the MEC base.

The basic problem with the map is the MEC have too far to go. US usually grab the refinery, village and one of the other 3, and end up in a huge battle at the petrol station. Sometimes MEC can grab the last 3 with fast squads in jeeps and choppers, but they can't hold out for long once the USMC column hits the petrol station. MEC forces then get caught up in trying to retake the petrol station, and then driving on to the village, and US forces often creep through tand grab one behind them. MEC forces then get broken up trying to retake them, and the US armour column forms up and starts smashing through at either the refinery or petrol station. It then becomes very hard for the MEC to get momentum up again. MEC just seems to find it really hard to drive from the petrol station into the village. They tend to get chewed up coming over the open ground, and by the time they get into the village they are too weak. The respawners can only get 1 tank at the petrol station, so getting a column together takes ages, whereas the US can get one there much quicker. If US have the refinery as well, it gets very tough.

I was on MEC in all my games, so I am probably a bit biased, but that was how it played to me. The first few games we had a good side and smashed the US, but having said that, we were usually still trying to take the village when we won, and usually didn't have the refinery.

In later games the US were all over us and we had real trouble. But the MEC side was playing a lot worse then, and we lost our base a few times. US lines are very short and easy to rejig, while MEC gets strung out and is harder to get a roll on.

I don't think much thought has gone into the flag locations or the scenery. Jalabad plays very tight, this felt thrown together. Designing these maps is like planning a golf course or a paintball field, and I have designed a few of the latter. it is amazing the difference moving one feature a little bit makes. Many don't appreciate this.

If not changing the flag locations or distances (which entails a big rethink) I would:

1. Flip the petrol station, so it was on the south side of the road, with the trees providing infiltration cover to the south, and with the rocky ridge to the north. The fence still to the east.
2. Move the western flag north so it was in line with the village closest to the MEC base (i.e. a gimme). If left where it is, then put a TOW or two on the bridge to make it easier to hold. It only has an APC, so whoever is there gets whipped if the attackers have armour in strength.
3. Rotate the refinery 180 degrees, so the flag is closer to MEC. When the US have it MEC has to fight through the refinery, which allows infantry some chance to attack armour (i.e. spec ops). When MEC have it the US armour just rolls up to the gate and pounds whoever is there. Flipped, it would be a bit better.
4. After beta testing the above to make sure it doesn't make just make it too easy for the MEC, think about a flag on the beach halfway up the coast. Only jeeps and boats, but makes the boats worth jumping in (unless a spec ops on a demo run at the bases).

Currently the map makes a bad MEC team look terrible, but a bad US team OK. (having said that, similar criticism could be levelled at Wake)

There do need to be more jeeps on both sides. Vehicle drops can only do so much, and squad members get left behind all the time later on. However, I did see one comment that too many jeeps means more solo attacks as everyone drives their own way, and the current situation encourages teaming up. I can see there is something to that.

Defending flags is laudable. However, in a 32 on 32 battle, even taking 6 players off each side to defend makes a big difference to the dynamic. I don't know if that;s necessarily good. Maybe it just needs more funnelling like Zatar, where once you capture one you leave it, because it is unlikely they will get round you.

The Intel logos everywhere are cheap, but I really didn't start thinking "Hmm, sure could use a new Intel Processor" So, I can look away from the lame ads.

Actually, I think AMD should chip in to get even! Another new map yay!

+1 snake for the review, but I think attack helis would pwn too much and ruin the map.

That said it does rock and the armour convoys are pure sex!

If you dive bomb you should be able to hit one tank with both bombs. That eliminates that problem.

Did you all notice the nice Intel ads everywhere?  Not only are they on billboards, but they even have boxed on the map with the Intel logo on them.  Also, what is up with the Cloak Faster billboard and the 136 years strong billboard?  Does this mean that there will be another patch for BF2 that will add the ad program that is BF2142?  Or did patch 1.41 install that software without EA telling us, remember we did have to do a full update.

** If this was already posted sorry I did not read the 20 pages of post **

Or is it linked with that new single player game, whatzitcalled ?

Have you tried putting the correct localization files back?

Maybe they somehow blocked this on Tampa...

theit57 wrote:

Scorpion0x17 wrote:

Have you tried putting the correct localization files back?

Maybe they somehow blocked this on Tampa...

no, not yet

only because i had them in when it first came out and i played and was fine

ah... then it's probably not that...

theit57 wrote:

Scorpion0x17 wrote:

theit57 wrote:

no, not yet

only because i had them in when it first came out and i played and was fine

ah... then it's probably not that...

any clues then?

Sorry. No. You could try reinstalling again.

Talon wrote:

It means Tampa is coming to 2142. 2008 + 136 = 2142. Plus, EA said Tampa was coming "across two generations of Battlefields", and they're not oging to rrelase it for 1942, are they?

um...... 2008 + 136 = 2144. lol

Still not happy.  We have plenty of open area maps.  Yet Karkand and Jalalabad seem to be the most popular.  Did EA think "If we make one more tank battle map, like 5 of the 6 booster packs, then everyone will see the light and play the tank battle maps more?"

Instead of Tampa, a PLA city map is what everyone has been begging for.  Jalalabad could have been a PLA v MEC map with a few changes.