Battlefield Blog: 10th Anniversary: Replay yesterday’s chat with Battlefield veteran Lars Gustavss

http://blogscdn.battlefield.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Lars-21.jpgThanks to everyone for joining the live chat yesterday with DICE’s Lars Gustavsson. We had a great time. If you weren’t able to attend, here’s a full replay of the chat where Lars answers your questions on the past, present, and the future of Battlefield.

Lars Gustavsson:

Hello everybody out there!

[Clapton07]

Is there a Battlefield 2143 in the pipeline?

Lars Gustavsson:

No, it’s currently not but I would love to make it.

[N3mesis]

How did the Battlefield game idea get in your mind ?

Lars Gustavsson:

The first concept was actually created long before I joined Refraction Games as two students, Mats Dal and Johan Persson, were building a 3D engine as their exam job, and dreamt about this all-out war.

Lars Gustavsson:

It wasn’t until once we’ve shipped Codename Eagle that we were fully able to go all-in on our dream.

[Kuziboone]

What is your favorite Battlefield?

Lars Gustavsson:

Battlefield 1942 is the “first born” and will always be dear to me. So is Battlefield 2 since we refined so many ideas from BF1942. Still, I’m extremely proud of where we managed to take Battlefield 3 and love playing it, even one year post launch.

[GiGaB4yt]

What are you doing in your free time? If it’s not secret

Lars Gustavsson:

Free time?

Lars Gustavsson:

Lars Gustavsson:

I mostly hang around with friends and family, playing games with my kids and build Lego. Also love to watch movies and play games.

[D4rkranger]

Is it possible to see another futuristic Battlefield in the future?

Lars Gustavsson:

Just as on the question about 2143, I would love to do it. When we announced in the studio that we were going to build Battlefield 2142, a lot of people ran over and wanted to apply for that team.

Lars Gustavsson:

I guess that the creative freedom that comes with a fictional world is something that’s tempting when you have made games around historical and contemporary settings for a longer time.

[David]

What’s your favorite non-Battlefield game ?

Lars Gustavsson:

Right now I spend all my “relax gaming time” in Forza 4 which I truly love.

[Olle ]

How did you get into the industry ?

Lars Gustavsson:

Had a “normal” job as accountant and then IT-manager for over ten years until I, during a road trip through the US, realized that you can make a living out of doing things that you love. Since I’ve always been drawing, I studied 3D art, and got a job at Refraction Games in Stockholm.

Lars Gustavsson:

Then I’ve gone from art to producer on 1942 and then down the design track.

[Gen_Vila]

With Battlefield’s debut and continuing success on PC, what are some of the challenges you’ve had bringing the series over to console. Both are technologically and demographically different, how do you please both?

Lars Gustavsson:

Initially it was quite a challenge to wrap our heads around how to approach the console consumers, which you probably could tell in Bad Company 1. We had a lot of wrong assumptions and it wasn’t until Bad Company 2 that we started to get a better understanding of how to build a game that’s tailored to work at its best on each platform.

Lars Gustavsson:

A lot of work has to go into everything from the menus, huds to input and controls.

Lars Gustavsson:

It’s great to see that now that Battlefield 3 is out, we have managed to give each platform the attention that it deserves, while the core Battlefield experience is unified across all of these.

[KaRgA]

Which titles do you think helped “remolding the FPS genre” in the past 10 years other than battlefield?

Lars Gustavsson:

I would say that Halo really brought the FPS-genre to the console generation (2001, I know but it was still a major shift). Call of Duty needs to be on the list as well as Half Life 2, since HL2 was really defining for the genre when it came out, and still is in many ways, when it comes to action and storytelling.

[igor]

How did you like your last year visit to Russia? Has Moscow inspired you in some way?

Lars Gustavsson:

It was my first time in Russia when I went to visit Igromir last year. It was a great time to finally get to meet the Russian audience who’s been with us for so many years. Even though the trip was short, it left me with a lot of good memories.

[Peter]

Do you feel like Battlefield 3 is complete?

Lars Gustavsson:

As I’ve been part of building Battlefield for over 13 years, there’s no end to what we can do so the question is whether it ever becomes complete. As soon as we release a product, we have a million new ideas for the future. When it comes to Battlefield 3, I’m extremely happy with the base product and now that we have just launched our 3rd expansion pack, it feels more diverse and a step closer to completion.

[stRuPiE]

What is your favorite Machinima?

Lars Gustavsson:

Historically I’m a big fan of Noken’s work (Mine, Mine) and I’m happy to see that he nowadays works here at DICE. The list is long of great work through the years but most recently I’m happy to see movies like irontjunfisk’s jet stunts since that’s always been a key part of Battlefield to me.

Lars Gustavsson:

While I was sitting late nights during the making of Battlefield 1942 and doing conference calls with EA, all of the participants in the meeting where chasing each other around an early version of Bocage… great times… love to fly.

[1337EagleEye]

Who was the 1st dev to be knifed in BF3?

Lars Gustavsson:

…he is not with us anymore…

Lars Gustavsson:

Lars Gustavsson:

It’s amazing to see what the whole knifing phenomena has become within the community. It’s always interesting to hear the devs come into work in the morning to relay their experience the night before as they got hunted with knives around the maps…

Lars Gustavsson:

guess we need to practice more

[FHLloydy]

What was your Favorite map while playing Battlefield 1942?

Lars Gustavsson:

I would say Wake, El Alamein and Stalingrad

[Jesse]

What were/are your duties as Lead Multiplayer Designer on Battlefield 3?

Lars Gustavsson:

It changes as the project moves forward but since I had an extremely experienced group of developers, my job was very much to shape the vision together with them and then ensure that we stayed true to it. To clear obstacles ahead of the group as well as constantly validating the designs so that what we build gets tested and validated over and over again. It’s easy to get too close to the game and my job is to step back and look at the big picture.

[Venzire]

Will you be doing another Bad Company?

Lars Gustavsson:

Last we heard from the misfits in Bad Company was a postcard in June from Bahamas where Haggard and the group had opened up a beach bar…it’s really up to them…will keep you posted…

[Perkeie]

What do you think about the transition from big maps (1942,Bf2, 2142) to small maps (Bf3, Bc2)? Are you happy about it?

Lars Gustavsson:

I could agree that the maps in BC2 were smaller but BF3 really manages to deliver high quality combat on the smallest and most intense maps ever as well as the largest ones in Armored Kill. It’s a great testament to the diversity of Battlefield and that we really try to listen to all sides of our community.

Lars Gustavsson:

Just wanted to let you all know that Magnus Walterstad (sound designer on BF1942) just walked into the room and he wanted me to tell you all that he’s so grateful for all the support we’ve gotten through the years from you guys. And I can only agree. Without you, I would still be an accountant waiting for the clock to turn five…

Lars Gustavsson:

nothing bad about the accountant job but this is slightly better…

[igor]

In past 10 years games have made fantastic jump in all senses: graphics, sound, gameplay etc. Have you ever thought what Battlefield will be like in 10 years? What are your expectations?

Lars Gustavsson:

No one could have guessed what the last ten years have brought us and to look ahead for another ten years is hard…I do think and hope that the social aspect as well as the competitive nature of Battlefield is so strong that it can thrive no matter what the future holds

Lars Gustavsson:

As we embark on the journey towards the next ten year mark, for those who stay with us, my guess is that your opinions will be key to shape the future of Battlefield. In the end, we build it for you.

[MrARCO]

What do you think is the best aspect about the Battlefield games?

Lars Gustavsson:

For me the two things that comes to mind are the sandbox experience where we provide the tools and you use them to do your magic as well as the social layer in and around Battlefield with our great community.

Lars Gustavsson:

I cannot tell you how many mornings I’ve come into work for the past ten years to see comments on our internal games forum where devs comment on great movies created by the community or interesting threads that we all follow. Keep it up!!

[JohnnyBNL]

What was the most challenging Battlefield game to make?

Lars Gustavsson:

I would say Battlefield 1942 since we were young, inexperienced and extremely overambitious. Still, it wouldn’t have become what it became if we hadn’t had that mindset. Everything was (and still is) possible!

Lars Gustavsson:

Thank you all for joining in today and sorry for not being able to answer all of your questions. It’s been a pleasure to build games for you through the years and I hope that we sit here in ten years looking back at “the old days”. Need to run now since I need to go and design stuff… Stay in there and I hope to see you all on the Battlefield!

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