Pre-ordering the game on origin for PC got you early access as well - that is how I have been playing.

I can wait just 2 days and i have it pre/ordered at present from another online retailer but its for a console.

First Thoughts for PC version:

Looks good and plays smoothly even on my HD4850 which fits into the minimum spec graphics. I suspect I am getting something of a low frame rate but my version of fraps didn't seem to want to tell me what it was. I did try taking some screenshots of how it looked for the graphics settings I had selected...but failed miserably.

My main gripes have been with stability - I can only get about 15 mins of play max before getting disconnected saying my connection to the server has timed out. Not sure what is causing it but it is frustrating.

I have heard a lot of people complain that you have to have origin running to get the server browser to then start the game. This is the case but at the same time you need steam running to get into steam games so it is literally the addition of the browser that is extra and that is no big deal. When you click join on the server browser it loads in nice and fast.

And the browser seems to work ok - the server filters were a bit bugged and queuing has been turned off for the moment but that isn't a big deal really. The quick join seems to ignore any filters and find you servers anywhere in the globe which is... well a little bit gay. But again, come the finished game I will never use the quick join. ever. So that isn't too much of a big deal either.

I do like that fact that you can create a platoon for your clan and a 'party' for picking games - you all join the party and someone finds a server with space for the party and then you get a pop-up saying do you want to join and in you all go. Which is ace.

Another small gripe of mine is that you have to get into a game, and spawn before you can press escape and get at the graphics/key options. For someone who habitually changes all keys in a game before playing it gets frustrating to die 3 times whilst you are setting things up. Again, this is something you do once and then rarely touch again so it isn't a big deal.

Squads are a bit gay. I can click to leave the squad I get assigned to and then I can click join. Not join that squad <points to squad with his clan mates in> but just a join button so it puts me in a random squad (probably the one I just left!).

The AK sounds a bit...limp - but it works very nicely. The multiple fire modes (for most guns) brings joy to my heart. Changing to single shot at distance is essential. I do find the spawn selection screen a little confusing and due to not knowing the map I often spawned facing the wrong way and can get confused by that. But after an hour or so of playing I have started to get to grips with the map and where the enemies might be etc. I am beginning to pick out enemies in the undergrowth quickly and with a bit spotting you can easily confirm your suspicions and then kill them dead. As was mentioned above the sounds are generally awesome (AK is an exception) and the effects are ace - the destruction isn't overwhelming and just seems to immerse you further. Hit reg on the servers I played in seemed good - if I wasn't killing them I could see that my aim wasn't spot on or the recoil was not being controlled.

A lot of the problems I have mentioned above are little niggles and in the grand scheme of things they don't matter. The only 2 things I have experienced that could have a long term impact are the disconnects and squad selection but I assume the disconnects is something that the beta is there to catch. Otherwise the game really gets a thumbs up from me even in the beta. It immerses you a lot in the gaming experience (something that IMO CoD games have not been able to match) and I am now a lot more confident that the game will live up to my (high) expectations. I just need to get my new graphics card ordered which I think will make it a little more fluid and I am ready for the finished game.

'Once a MW player always a MW player'.

Really not true. CoD 4 was (and still is) an awesome game. The Treyarch games have never lived up to expectations and MW2 was a step back from CoD 4 (co-op was the exception). I will readily admit to being a BF fanboy but I lost hundreds and hundreds of hours to CoD 4 and was a big fan of that too. I really want more good CoD games.

I am holding out on MW 3 until I can get a better idea of what it will offer - if there was no BF3 then I would probably order it because I would be looking for a new game but this year for the first time in a while the CoD games have to earn my purchase.

Yea totally agree with you there, my online time for MW1 was horrific lol but not a lot has happened since then that has really excited me! I'm very intrigued by BF3 now after reading a few posts here and think there will be a few things to disappoint and excite. What's all this I am reading about people hiding in the undergrowth? Is it a new feature that you "blend" in with the bushes or something when you go prone?

Which model of PS3, with different CPU in them could expect older model to have issues

You do blend in quite well if you are prone - there are a lot of bushes around in the park of the first section and charging across the open doesn't work too well. But if you scan the bushes for a little while you can usually see movement and muzzle flash gives the game away as well. I have been killed quite a few times from the undergrowth but usually when it shows you the person who shot you they are already dead because it offers no protection - only concealment.

Hey guys dont get me wrong i really want this Battlefield game to be really interesting and a good time for me and the last thing i want is it to not live up to all the hype of the past 6 months.

I am just giving a honest opinion and saying that it is a far deeper game than MW3 which to me is the easier option of pick up and play.

Then add the fact that most people in MW or Cod games are out to finish top of the scoreboard and you get my drift why its so much more run and gun and not so team based most of the time anyway.

You have the dreaded Auto aim assist in Cod games which some love it and some hate it and Battlefield from what i have read is more of a test of your skill because this function is not there,

What i have played in previous games was i always found it really hard to shoot players because of the kick of the guns and the fact i was not using the short rounds of fire burst that is suggested in this type of game.

It will be great if both shooters find there respective markets and nothing would make me more happy than falling in love with a Battlefield game.

Nice thoughts and opinions mate and that is good news indeed apart from the few flaws you mentioned that i dare say will be rectified on full release.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Which model of PS3, with different CPU in them could expect older model to have issues

I bought a new slim 6 months ago when my release day model choked! Don't get me wrong. The graphics are ok. But the trees and undergrowth are pretty awful. And the juddering started halfway through my play session then stopped then started again. Could just be the Beta.

But I am really enjoying it when it's not lagging. A proper server browser will be the decider for me. If I can't confirm it will have ping time options, I may well cancel my pre order.

That said, is the co-op part online as well? If so it will be worth it for that alone. It really is great fun when it's working.
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