Those who pre-order the game will also get immediate access to the day-one expacion pack, Back to Karkand, which features remakes of old Battlefield 2 maps redone in the Frostbite 2 engine.
The maps within the Back to Karkand pack include Strike at Karkand, Gulf of Oman and Sharqi Peninsula.
Makes me want to go back and play some old, matured Beef.
I don't usually like pre-order incentives like this, but since I know I'll be buying it I don't really care. Will be good to get back to Karkand. Was one of those the one with the TV station? I did like that one.
Sharqi was probably my most played map too. Fond memories of stabbing P-nut in the face, sniper wars and scaring folk by flying under the massive beam that stretched across two buildings on the construction site.
It wasn't a bad map and I had a lot of fun on it, but it was possible to base rape far too easily with a good defender team, and the assault team then had a choice of spawning either:
A) a little way away but having to basically run directly into the defending team.
B) Really far away hoping no one is camping it with a helicopter or jeep, and then praying you can get a seat in a boat or the chopper and that you don't get shot down before you get near land again.
Karkland was similar, it was possible though to get past the rape area due to a mistake in with the mapping (down the wall behind the stairs, where you had to run though the countdown area for a couple of seconds).
However, on both of those maps, once action started happening elsewhere so the raping stopped (or never started), they were both really good freeflowing maps.
Oman was nothing special though, and judging by the mapping in BACON, I think I might wait.
NEWS: Furious gaming nerds have seemingly won the battle to get the pre-order day 1 DLC pack available to those that don't pre-order later in the year. Citing that it will give an unfair advantage to pre-orderers. Because they've all played the game a lot and know exactly how the additional items will effect balance.
Those who pre-order the game will also get immediate access to the day-one expacion(?) pack...
Correct me if I'm wrong (I've lost track of all of this in the hoo-haa) but the map pack isn't day one DLC. It'll be released for everyone, pre-order or regular order, at the same time at a later date. You just get it free if you pre-order. Except by the time the map pack is released there'll probably be £5-10 off the base game on Amazon anyway.
The gun 'n' shit pack will be a time based exclusive. Everyone gets it for free eventually.
All in all pre-ordering ain't that essential, but it might just save you a few bob.
Those who pre-order the game will also get immediate access to the day-one expacion(?) pack...
Correct me if I'm wrong (I've lost track of all of this in the hoo-haa) but the map pack isn't day one DLC. It'll be released for everyone, pre-order or regular order, at the same time at a later date. You just get it free if you pre-order. Except by the time the map pack is released there'll probably be £5-10 off the base game on Amazon anyway.
The gun 'n' shit pack will be a time based exclusive. Everyone gets it for free eventually.
All in all pre-ordering ain't that essential, but it might just save you a few bob.
Back to Karkand will be available for purchase for those who didn't pre-order on day one, yes. The Physical Warfare Pack will be available at some later time.