It's no secret that most modern games become available on their pre-determined release date whether they're ready or not, and Battlefield 1 is no exception. One month after this WWI-themed FPS hit the shelves, a massive fall update patch was released that literally contains hundreds of bug fixes, changes, and additions. Since most gamers would rather play a game than spend an hour reading about it, we waded through the massive wall of text and experienced the changes just so we could give you the… err… bullet points.
Support Class
Speaking of bullets, one of the biggest complaints from players is that the Support class light machine guns were practically useless. DICE responded by increasing both the accuracy and suppression feature of these powerful weapons when zoomed in. In addition, they have added bipods to all LMGs to increase accuracy even more when prone. Since the update was released, I've noticed that LMGs are definitely more accurate at medium ranges and are highly effective when shooting while prone. Other changes to Support class include the addition of smoke mortars and a longer wait time for mortars to become accurate, which decreases mortar spam.
Hardcore Mode
Players have been asking about a Hardcore mode ever since the beta, and DICE has finally provided one in this update. This mode is definitely not casual-friendly, as weapon damage has been doubled while numerous helpful features, like the mini-map, spotting, and weapon crosshairs have been removed. Perhaps the hardest feature to get accustomed to is friendly fire because the lack of friendly or enemy indicators forces players to recognize enemies before they annihilate them. Ironically, many of the people demanding Hardcore mode now consider it to be “too hardcore.”
Suez Map
Suez is the only map in Conquest mode that only has three flags, and one side seemed to have a clear advantage due to the asymmetrical layout of the terrain. Now Suez has five flags to increase the size of the map and spread out the fighting. In addition, there's now one additional armored car per side, and the capture zone around each flag has been reduced. After playing it several times since the update, flags seem easier to capture.
Fog of War
Barely mentioned in the update notes is the new Fog of War custom Team Deathmatch mode. This unusual mode fills the map with thick fog, and limits armaments to sidearms with no crosshairs. Anyone who hates getting sniped from across the map will enjoy the up close and personal combat in this mode as it truly changes the way the game is played. Sadly, Fog of War is limited to one map (Argonne Forest), but there is a possibility for it to be adapted to other maps in the future.
Buggy Additions
Not all of the additions work as intended. For example, the “quit” button used to only give players around ten seconds to quit after a round, but now it can be activated at any time in between rounds. Too bad that it just puts players into an infinite loading loop where they have to wait until the server kicks them. Another failed addition is the ability to customize soldier loadouts without joining a server. However, this mode isn't properly synced, so it shows all classes at level zero despite any progress that has actually been made. This means players cannot purchase weapons that have already been unlocked in this screen. They have to wait until they join a server to purchase them.
Squad Leader
Battlefield 1 is all about playing the objective, and an organized squad is an extremely powerful force in battle. That's why each squad has a leader, and that leader can issue basic commands to take or defend flags. Extra points are awarded to each squad member when a command is followed, which is why it's infuriating when a squad leader doesn't issue commands. With the update, a squad leader is demoted if he doesn't issue a command within one minute of a command request by a squad mate. When the squad leader is demoted, the person requesting the command takes his place.
Battlefest
The massive fall update helped kick off Battlefest, which is EA and DICE's celebration of all things Battlefield. From now until November 27, there's a special weapon skin and some exclusive dogtags to earn, livestreams to watch, Friday night battles with game devs, and much more for Battlefield 1. In addition, there are special missions and double XP for Battlefield 4 and Battlefield Hardline players. Find out more here.
