Battlefront difficulty?

Started by blob, November 17, 2022, 03:05:16 AM

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anyone here have any insight on why the game is so difficult? particularly Islands and Geonosis, both can be seemingly impossible. i read that the console versions are easier due to the CPUs being incapable of 'focusing' on so many units at once, hence lesser unit count + units idling... but that doesn't explain why medium difficulty on PC is what it is. i also read it could be CPU related due to a CPU bug being patched 4 years ago. i'm pretty sure there's artificial difficulty in the AI skill balancing to make matches more challenging or whatever, as well.

could this problem simply be oversight from Pandemic, by focusing on console versions first? or is it how the game is handled by modern computers.

ps: i just played Geonosis on the Xemu emulator and was able to comfortably finish the match playing mostly a gunner role (gunship and walker), and took down all 3 Techno ships. it was pretty close, ended up winning by using the AT-TE.

AI difficulty asside, Kashyyyk: Islands is notoriously biased towards CIS and Rebels due to the layout of CPs.
There's a lot of areas where Republic and Empire are vulnerable to cross fire without cover.

Also, the Y-Wings outclass the Empire's TIEs and have free reign to spam their bombs on infantry.

There's a few folk on Youtube who have provided strategies on beating the map. It's certainly do-able

There was no CPU bug patched.  The difficulty on PC was increased on purpose by Pandemic between 1.0 and 1.1 and I think even 1.1 to 1.2 (which the Steam version kept the same from my testing).

Like Unit 33 said, there's strategies to beat it.  It's by no means impossible.
The BOBclan:  A Rich History


Quote from: Unit 33 on November 29, 2014, 03:44:44 AM
'Please, tell me more about the logistics of the design of laser swords being wielded by space wizards' - Some guy on the internet.

i know about the big faction advantages on certain maps, but it's just a bit much. you have no choice but to use every cheap tactic you can, nonstop until you (barely) win. i've won on these maps before though.

Quote from: Dark_Phantom on November 17, 2022, 07:06:59 AMThere was no CPU bug patched.  The difficulty on PC was increased on purpose by Pandemic between 1.0 and 1.1 and I think even 1.1 to 1.2 (which the Steam version kept the same from my testing).

Like Unit 33 said, there's strategies to beat it.  It's by no means impossible.
i read about the difficulty increase too. the CPU patch i'm referring to is:

Quote from: random steam userdue to spectre related issues (cpu hardware bug discovered in 2018) getting patched with some kind of software plug many games started to have weird issues like mouse lag/ jerky physics bugs, and i am afraid its here to stay as even running on a patched cpu still looks a bit weird at times of all games released prior to the 2018 software spectre patch. hl1/2 for example lags much more atm and they trying to fix it with vulkan renderer, not sure if it will ever be fixed for older unpatched titles.

another thing: why do both gunships on Geonosis take off simultaneously then immediately run into each other on PC? i was trying to man the guns and command the pilot (as i did on xbox version), but 3 times in a row they collide and explode. i'm pretty sure newer hardware/OS can affect the way a game behaves, right down to AI, that's why i brought up the CPU thing.

That CPU stuff doesn't impact BF1.  The jerky physics is tied to framerate and always has been.  Other behavioral differences are just the AI controller and the quirks of a game from 2004.  The stuff you've observed was there long before Spectre fixes became a thing.

For the gunships crashing: The AI logic is not perfect.  Once again, 2004.  The flyers follow the same pathing as ground units except where specified (unless Geo has flight specific paths, which it could).
Another thing is that the AI never performs a check for collisions, the AI picks a path and takes it.  If the other gunship happens to be there, then RIP.  You can observe the same behavior with the ATTEs.  They just don't crash when they run into each other.
The BOBclan:  A Rich History


Quote from: Unit 33 on November 29, 2014, 03:44:44 AM
'Please, tell me more about the logistics of the design of laser swords being wielded by space wizards' - Some guy on the internet.

November 17, 2022, 02:18:18 PM #5 Last Edit: November 17, 2022, 02:21:38 PM by Unit 33
Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but don't the AI controlled TIEs on Kashyyyk frequently crash into the buldings immediately after taking off lol?

I seem to remember moving all the TIEs away from their spawns, so AI would have a chance getting them off the ground.

I've never noticed that myself.
In Progress:
--Star Wars: Battlefront - Anniversary Edition (formerly Star Wars: Battlefront - Legacy Edition)

On Hold:
--Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron For SWBF1
--Endor: Imperial Base

Ah well, maybe I'm misremembering it from a custom Kashyyyk map

Quote from: Dark_Phantom on November 17, 2022, 09:32:39 AMThat CPU stuff doesn't impact BF1.  The jerky physics is tied to framerate and always has been.  Other behavioral differences are just the AI controller and the quirks of a game from 2004.  The stuff you've observed was there long before Spectre fixes became a thing.

For the gunships crashing: The AI logic is not perfect.  Once again, 2004.  The flyers follow the same pathing as ground units except where specified (unless Geo has flight specific paths, which it could).
Another thing is that the AI never performs a check for collisions, the AI picks a path and takes it.  If the other gunship happens to be there, then RIP.  You can observe the same behavior with the ATTEs.  They just don't crash when they run into each other.
i brought up the CPU thing because it was mentioned in a steam topic about BFs difficulty. i've read about behavioral issues in old games occurring due to modern computers, whether true or not, so i asked about it here.

the gunship (and air to ground in general) is one of the highlights of the game, especially on Geonosis and Raxus Prime, so it's always disappointing when the AI collide/crash. i've also noticed that the CIS don't use their spider walkers on Docks... :(