BF 2142: Northern Strike Interview February 16, 2007 John JCal Callaham

Introduction

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FiringSquad: First, is DICE and EA pleased with how Battlefield 2142 was received from previous Battlefield fans?

Kristoffer Bergqvist: It was a challenge to communicate how different Battlefield 2142 was to Battlefield 2, and how much unique gameplay that was put into it. Ultimately I believe we hit our goal, to have two different games that were played side-by-side. Even though I personally mostly play 2142 (Northern Strike right now, to be honest) I still love BF2 and won’t stop playing it any time soon.

FiringSquad: How did the idea for Northern Strike come about?

Kristoffer Bergqvist: We spent a lot of time discussing what we wanted to achieve for the gameplay. Once we decided on the expanded infantry experience and the asymmetrical assault type of levels the urban post-apocalyptic Europe was an obvious choice. The urban landscape allows us to shape the levels for the type of infantry combat we want, and they add an awesome backdrop as well.

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FiringSquad: What can you tell us about the three new maps in Northern Strike?

Kristoffer Bergqvist: The new levels takes place in snow covered Europe, where the Pan Asian Coalition took advantage of EU concentrating their troops to the south, and quickly seized control of several important key locations. The battles we are visiting are, in turn, a fierce night battle in Liberation of Leipzig, a daring assault on a remote Titan harbor in the high alps in Port Bavaria and an epic battle over Rheine, where the EU coalition 200 years to the day after the allied forces crossed the river on their way to Berlin tries to cease control over a bridgehead at Bridge of Remagen.

FiringSquad: What new vehicles will be made available in the booster pack?

Kristoffer Bergqvist: Northern Strike introduces one brand new vehicle type on for each faction. The European forces get the Goliath, a monstrous self-repairing infantry support vehicle carrying five guns and a grenade launcher. To take it out will take a coordinated effort from the Pan Asian army.
The PAC vehicle is the opposite of the Goliath. It’s a small, very fast and very agile, hovering infantry hunter, named the Hachimoto. It has a gunner position with full-auto grenade launchers and TV-guided missiles for vehicle-to-vehicle combat. When in the hands of a well-coordinated driver-gunner pair this one is deadlier than anything else on the battlefield.

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FiringSquad: What new weapons and items will be available via unlockable items in Northern Strike?

Kristoffer Bergqvist: Ten new unlocks will be available in Northern Strike. It’s a mix of weapons, like the shotgun firing small sticky projectiles that will blow up on enemies close to them – a great way to scare people of their hiding spots, and items like the Motion Mine Bait which you can throw and then have enemy Motion Mines chasing it like a bunch of puppies after a rubber ball.

Battlefield 2142: Northern Strike Interview (con't)

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Kristoffer Bergqvist: There are 11 new awards for each player to earn, each of them valid for an unlock. There is also a pin tied to the new version of Conquest: Assault that is introduced in Battlefield 2142: Northern Strike – Assault Lines. The Assault Lines way of playing conquest will create a more goal oriented gameplay with higher demands on teamplay for both teams.

FiringSquad: Will there be any graphical upgrades for the release of the booster pack?

Kristoffer Bergqvist: The three new Northern Strike levels are without a question visually the most impressive ones in the Battlefield franchise so far. All vehicles and objects have also been updated with frost and snow to complete the feeling of fighting a battle in more central parts of the ice-age.

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FiringSquad: What can you tell us about the distribution and price of Northern Strike at this point?

Kristoffer Bergqvist: Northern Strike will be priced similar to Battlefield 2: Armored Fury and Euro Forces. Currently the plan is to release this title exclusively on EA Downloader. With its small file size it’s an ideal product for EAD, you’ll have it on your computer faster than you can say “Garmisch-Partenkirchen”.

FiringSquad: Can you talk about any future booster pack releases for BF 2142?

Kristoffer Bergqvist: As we’ve been listening a lot to the community’s concerns of dividing the player base when releasing exclusive content there currently are no more booster packs planned for Battlefield 2142.

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FiringSquad: Finally is there anything else you wish to say about Battlefield 2142 Northern Strike?

Kristoffer Bergqvist: I can share you this story, as it explains exactly what Northern Strike is all about. In a play test the other day I spawned into the PAC home base on Port Bavaria, as you know by now is in a rocky passage high up in the Alps. A frost covered battlewalker stood there so I jumped in a stomped away towards the enemies. After a few steps a Hachimoto respawns in front of me and I quickly decided to leave the walker for its more agile cousin. After getting into the speeder, giving full throttle and max boost I soon find myself strafing infantry left and right, my only problem in the world is to decide whether to shoot or run over the poor EU soldiers struggling to establish a foothold in my base.

Suddenly I see a fellow Hachimoto, with an EU soldier behind the wheel! [DICE]jos, the thieving bastard! After nailing him with a few shots in the back he realises he is in trouble and takes of like a bat out of hell. With my guns hammering on the stolen speeder I chase him down this winter wonderland alp setting and can’t stop a grin from spreading on my lips when his (our!) vehicle starts to show sparks and fire coming out of the engine compartment. Desperately he plunges his vehicle towards our homebase in a hopeless attempt to escape the wrath of my cannons.

As we approach the PAC homebase I, and [DICE]jos, see the walker I just left in favour for the speeder still standing there, abandoned yet glorious. Jos sees his chance and I realize I have no chance to hit the brakes in time. The second my guns are placing the killing rounds into the speeder he stole he jumps out and leaps into the walker. With my body frozen in fear I boost between the walker’s legs! I hear the battlewalker’s guns opening up on me as I use a strategically placed snow mound to jump a small fence standing between me and freedom.

Mid-air I realize that I just cannot let this guy steal two of my vehicles and get away with it, so with a swift nudge on the steering wheel I swing my Hachimoto 180 degrees, now moving backwards with the front towards the walker, and jump into the gunner’s seat. Just as I activate the TV-guided weapon systems I see a swarm of missiles coming from the battlewalker with the thief in it. This is the last thing I see before my speeder explodes in a big cloud of fire, twisted metal debris and snow. From the other side of the office I can hear [DICE]jos giggle but the only thing I can think about is how awesome that mid-air turn must have looked. Judges’ verdict: Best flip, worst landing.