DICE: Spotting a ‘hot topic of discussion’ for BF3

One of the Battlefield series’ most identifiable features – spotting – has been confirmed for the recently announced Battlefield 3, according to DICE senior gameplay designer Alan Kertz.

“Yes, there will be spotting,” said Kertz on Twitter.

Kertz is keen to point out that the overall specifics of the spotting system have yet to be finalised. “I’m really torn on spotting systems,” he said, “it’s a hot topic of discussion in our studio. Pros and Cons for any system.”

The likelihood is that a form of 3D spotting (most recently seen in Bad Company 2) will make a return – Kertz said that he wanted to see “a balanced 3D spot that works for a whole team.”

3D spotting is when a player can highlight the location of enemies for the benefit of the team – in the Battlefield series they’re lit up by a red triangle over their head and a blip on the mini-map. In Bad Company 2 the spotted player would be highlighted to the entire team for three seconds, but in previous games spotted players have only shown up to the spotter’s squad.

He refused to comment on particular specifics – such as whether the mini-map indicator would disappear if the enemy moved out of a player’s line of sight. “It’s still early, there’s still plenty to do” Kertz said.

Elsewhere, Kertz also confirmed that the game will feature friendly fire and bullet drop – though the game would use a different way of calculating bullet drop than in Bad Company 2. Tehran and Paris will also show up in Battlefield 3, and leaping into prone from mid-air – an act often called dolphin diving – won’t be allowed.

Kertz has actively used Twitter to answer questions regarding Battlefield 3. Recently he made headlines by saying “you don’t kill COD by trying to be COD. You kill COD by making a better shooter.”