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Easily the best BC2 video I've seen. Shown some real skill, and some brilliant editing. The effect at 06:32 was astounding - the editing and effects in general were amazing.

That video makes me want to use the m16 again. But then I remember how much of a pain in the ass it was to platinum it for a second time. Anyways, great video.

@Singh400

Good job.

And that's a truly great montage. It's not as fun as R3claimed's Hornet vids and a few minutes too long, but the editing and post-processing is top notch. As are his skills.

Also, platinumed the F2000 today and I stand by what I said - it's not a bad rifle at all. Hell, so far it's one of my fastest platinums.

I'ma have to give the f2000 another shot. Every time I try it I go on a decent killing spree with it at first and that quickly tapers off to me getting owned repeatedly and I switch to something else or just stop playing. :rofl:

Easily the best BC2 video I've seen. Shown some real skill, and some brilliant editing. The effect at 06:32 was astounding - the editing and effects in general were amazing.

Wow. That was some great editing. And even greater skill. :omg:

  • 2 weeks later...

Well, I'm heading out tomorrow to pick up BC2 again and will be getting Vietnam (on 360). Decided to put off my PC build for sure until BF3 so hopefully the 360 community is still rocking. I can't wait to get back in it again.

See you mofos on there!

gotta say i'm liking the Vietnam expansion so far. it does better service to the era than that other game, and the maps are nice and big with lots of interesting possibilities. there is a little too much Favorite Son as some reviews said back when it came out in Dec, but it's still a good value. i just wish there were more people playing!

Started multiplayer on the 360 knowing that the play style was completely different than CoD but wow, I am getting destroyed lol. Going to take alot of practice but I'm much happier with Battlefield so far.

After 18 months or so in MW2, I recently switched to BFBC2 and for the first week or so, I got rocked non-stop. Then, something finally 'clicked' and I got my act together.

Some recommendations if you're just getting started

- Pick up kits from other players. when someone dies, they drop their entire kit, not just their main weapon. This lets you get access to items you don't have at level 0 (motion sensor mine, med kit, ammo kit, repair tool, defib, etc). You can then use these items, get some points and switch back to your original kit if you choose. For example, if you see a fallen teammate nearby and a dead medic, pick up the medic's kit and defib your teammate. If you see a dead sniper, pick up his recon kit and toss out a motion sensor, then pick up your original kit again. Just yesterday I was a medic defending a base, and when the engineer in my squad died, I grabbed his kit and finished off the attacking tank with his launcher. I got the vehicle destruction and base defense points I wouldn't have gotten otherwise

- Join a squad. You get bonus points for working with your squad. Kill assists, heals, resupplies, vehicle repairs all get double points when its a squad-mate that benefits. And stay with your squad. Lone wolves don't last long.

- Be smart when you respawn. Respawn on a squad-mate whenever you can, unless he's in a no-win, gonna die situation. If he's in a tank, spawn as an engineer and repair the tank when it gets damaged. If he's holed up in a building, spawn with the assault or medic kits to keep him supplied or healed. If he's making his way toward an enemy base, spawn with the recon kit and toss out a motion sensor or call in a mortar strike. If a squad-mate is in the process of taking a base, spawn on him and help, it's a quick 75 points.

- Don't snipe super-long range until you get the 12x optics perk. I spend the first few days playing with the recon kit, and I wasn't getting more than 200-300 points per game. Getting long range kills with the default M24 and no perks is NOT easy, at least for me it wasn't. And if a higher level enemy sniper sees you, you're dead. You're better off staying close to the action and using your motion sensors to rack up assist points, maybe even switching out your rifle for a shotgun.

- Spot, spot, spot, spot, spot. You can tell your entire team where an enemy is by aiming down the sights at him and hitting the 'communicate' button (Q by default). Everyone on your team will see the red triangle in their HUD, and if he dies, you get some bonus points. You can also spot vehicles and bases. If you get one attack and one defend order in a single round, that's a bonus of 200 points.

In other news, has anyone else found that the SAIGA (or any auto shotgun) pairs really well with the recon kit? With C4 and motion sensors, it really turns the recon player from a 'sniper' into a frontline, close quarters powerhouse. I found it to be pretty good at base defense. Drop some C4 in choke points, drop a motion sensor, and flank incoming enemies, taking them out with the shotgun. With its power and spread, the squad that stays together, dies together. I had 5 double kills in a single conquest game last night.

It's a very good weapon; one of the first ones that substantially improved my overall skills in BC2 for some reason. And although I never use it together with recon (or at all, nowadays), I do get a bit uneasy if I hear a motion sensor beeping and I know that the recon is packing an autoshotty.

I finally got the roadkill pin. If anyone is still struggling with it, just do what is shown in this video:

Here's the settings I have on Battlefield BC2. This settings greatly improved the FPS and the stuttering is gone!...Yes!

[WindowSettings]

Width=1680

Height=1050

Fullscreen=true

RefreshRate=59.953999

VSync=false

[sound]

Quality=medium

VoipEnable=false

SpeakerCount=0

[Graphics]

Effects=high

Soldiers=high

Vehicles=high

Overgrowth=high

Undergrowth=high

StaticObjects=high

Terrain=high

Shadows=high

Bloom=false

HSAO=false

MSAA=2

Water=high

MainQuality=custom

Texture=high

DxVersion=auto

Aniso=0

Detail=high

RenderAheadLimit=0

Fov=65

In other news, has anyone else found that the SAIGA (or any auto shotgun) pairs really well with the recon kit? With C4 and motion sensors, it really turns the recon player from a 'sniper' into a frontline, close quarters powerhouse. I found it to be pretty good at base defense. Drop some C4 in choke points, drop a motion sensor, and flank incoming enemies, taking them out with the shotgun. With its power and spread, the squad that stays together, dies together. I had 5 double kills in a single conquest game last night.
Yup, that's my default setup.

Assault (for ammo) + USAS + LW upgrade + Shotgun upgrade (from 6 shots to 12 shots in a round) + C4 = unstoppable

I can go into a room full of people and clear it out, did exactly that last night in a scrim I had. Tank coming towards me? No problem, flank and C4 them. Even at medium to longish range (and only if you are a good shot) the USAS can still be effect. I've nailed people from other sides of rivers to their amazement (and to mine frankly :o)

  • 2 weeks later...

So I've started my smurf character (last night), a couple of friends said they could spot my playing style from a mile away. Challenge accepted :D

I can't seem to play this anymore, when searching servers they all have a "-" in the Ping column, or 999. :pinch:

Help?

Strange you should mention this. I was having this exact same problem last night...

So I've started my smurf character (last night), a couple of friends said they could spot my playing style from a mile away. Challenge accepted :D

Strange you should mention this. I was having this exact same problem last night...

It's interesting, at home I used to be able to play perfectly fine, here I can't. And I have a much better connection here. :huh:

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Posts

    • Nope. That lack of surround sound capability (analog) won't fly with me. Sure, I use headphones most of the time, but still.
    • Creative Sound Blaster AE-X PCIe review: your headphones will love it by Steven Parker If you have been reading Neowin for any length of time, you may remember that I reviewed the Sound Blaster Audigy FX Pro back in April. I found it to be an excellent budget sound card, even though it lacked support for formats such as DTS over the included SPDIF port. Anyway, Creative reached out to me again asking if I was interested in reviewing the Sound Blaster AE-X. It is a card mainly targeted at headphone wearers, which I'll get into a bit later. Before we get underway, here is a disclaimer: Creative Labs provided a free sample without any review pre-approval. Here are the full specs of it: Creative Sound Blaster AE-X Dimensions: 179 x 126 x 18 mm Weight: 263g / 9.28 oz Platform: PCI-e DAC: ESS ES9039Q2M Connectivity Options Side: Rear: 1 x HD Audio Front Panel Connector, 1 x ⅛“ Headphone port, 1 x RCA Line-out (Left) port, 1 x RCA Line-out (Right) port, 1 x Coaxial SPDIF-out port, 1 x ⅛“ Mic in/Line-in port, 1 x TOSLINK SPDIF-in port Surround: No DNR / SNR: THD+N: 0.0001% Dynamic Range 130 dB Recording Resolution: PCM up to 32-bit / 192kHz (Stereo) Direct Mode: Line Out (Stereo): PCM up to 32-bit  384 kHz Coaxial SPDIF Out: PCM up to 24-bit 192.0 kHz Headphone Amp: PCM up to 32-bit / 384kHz (Stereo) Native DSD: DSD64, DSD128, DSD256 Output Impedance: 1Ω, Supported Headphone Impedance: 8–600Ω, IEM: 0.5Vrms, Low: 1.5Vrms, Mid: 3Vrms, High: 6Vrms, Maximum output power: 350mW @ 32Ω (High), Maximum output voltage: 6Vrms (High) Front Panel Headphone Amp: PCM up to 32-bit / 192kHz (Stereo) Native DSD: DSD64, DSD128 Output Impedance: 10Ω, Supported Headphone Impedance: 32–300Ω, Maximum output power: 40mW @ 32Ω, Maximum output voltage: 1.9Vrms ASIO: ASIO 2.3 Total Harmonic Distortion: THD+N: 0.0006% Dynamic Range: 114 dB Scout Mode: Yes EMI shielding: No (but it passed all the FCC emission tests) Operating temperature: 0–45°C Input Power: 12V⎓0.5A Warranty: 1 Year (MSRP) Price: $179.99 / £169.99 The Sound Blaster AE-X was announced at the end of May, and it becomes clear that it is mainly for headphone wearers. I should also note that the card does not support DDL/DTS encoding technology, but it is said to support decoding through the coaxial SPDIF port. I was able to test this working with the classic Windows Sound properties, but I could not get a DTS (decode) signal through my Logitech Z906, it defaulted to 3D sound whenever I played DTS content through Plex or Emby. In addition, this card only supports two channels (stereo) over the speakers. The surround support is limited to the Headphone Amp, so before I get underway, what we have here is a card mostly intended for headphone use, especially with its SPDIF In (Toslink) port where you could connect another device like a console. So what about the highlights of this card? The AE-X is powered by the ESS SABRE DAC (ES9039Q2M), which is capable of a 130 dB dynamic range. In addition, it supports 32-bit/384 kHz playback for deeper detail and clarity. The headphone amplifier delivers up to 350 mW @ 32Ω, which admittedly far surpasses standard onboard audio, offering support for studio-grade headphones. DSD256 and ASIO 2.3 are also supported. What doesn't it have? No support for What-U-Hear, Super X-Fi, or the SmartComms Kit No EMI shielding, but it passed all the FCC emission tests (from the FAQ) I also want to make it clear that I am no audiophile. For me, it's purely subjective and it should just "work" out of the box. First impressions As I said in the introduction, I was a bit sad to see that the AE-X only supports stereo output, meaning it would not be on par with my ALC1220 over my speakers, as I mentioned it seems like this card is marketed toward headphone users. Since I am not an avid gamer that would rule me out as a potential customer, but I can still test its capabilities! The card arrived in a nice-looking box, as shown above. It's quite a bit larger than the Audify FX Pro that I reviewed back in April, and at first I thought the covering meant that it was EMI shielded, but it isn't as mentioned above in the highlights section. What's in the box: 1 x Sound Blaster AE-X PCIe card 1 x 3.5 mm CTIA TRRS to Dual TRS Headset Splitter Cable 1 x Quick Start Guide Aside from the Quick Start Guide, which someone at my age (I guess) needs a magnifying glass to read thanks to the tiny fonts, Creative Labs also has the manual online, which first requires you to prove that you're human in order to access it (so I can't direct link it). Anyway, the box is mostly made up of cardboard, and the only plastic in it is the anti-static bag for the card itself. Design Top Bottom The card itself looks pretty cool and actually wouldn't look out of place in an all-white build. There's only one connector, and for some reason it is awkwardly placed on the side (front-facing) that is for the front panel audio connector, which will let you use the headphones through the front PC audio jack. Since the front panel Headphone Amp has fewer capabilities than the rear headphone port, I decided not to use it. Rear of card PCI-e interface The rear of the card is completely open and is normally where you would find the front panel connector. The PCIe interface side is completely covered, which initially made me think it was EMI shielded. I/O panel Side (front-facing) with Front panel connector On the outer rear bracket side we have the TOSLINK SPDIF in, Coaxial SPDIF out, RCA line out (Right), RCA line out (Left), Headphone out, and Mic/Line in ports. On the front facing portion of the card itself is the F-panel connector. Usage Test System Our test system consists of the following: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D Gigabyte X870E AORUS MASTER (BIOS F12) Corsair RM1000x (2024) Thermal Grizzly Kyronaut (33x33x0,2mm) 2x 32GB Kingston Fury Beast RGB DDR5 6000MT/s CL36-38-38-80 T-Force Z540 2TB (PCIe Gen5) NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition (NVIDIA) Creative Sound Blaster AE-X Windows 11 25H2 Pro I installed the card into the Gigabyte X870E AORUS MASTER which includes the RealTek ALC1220 onboard audio. For our subjective listening tests, I used the Coaxial SPDIF port to my Logitech Z906 speakers. For headphone tests I used the OneOdio Studio Max 2 Wireless DJ Headphones that I reviewed last month. After installing the audio driver, I installed Creative Nexus, which is a relatively new app designed for the latest Sound Blaster cards. Then I discovered the AE-X needed both a driver update from 1.00.15.0001 to 1.01.09.000 and a firmware update from 1.00.06.0000 to 1.00.06.0002, then I was set to go. It should be noted that the card did not work without the driver (not Plug and Play). As you can see above, you can manage the firmware, driver, and inputs via Advanced Settings on the Device tab. By default Nexus enabled "Direct Mode". Upon clicking on Acoustic Engine, the Equalizer can be enabled and set to four different presets, which are: Gaming Music Movies Footsteps Enhancer There's also a dedicated Scout Mode for gamers. I mainly used Tidal and Spotify in the past week to listen to some of my Liked Songs (which now total over 700) in Shuffle mode; there were no pops or interference that I could hear. I also found a 5.1 Surround Music playlist on Tidal that sounded really great over Studio Max 2 headphones. When I reviewed the Audigy FX Pro, I went out and purchased a Logitech Z906 set second-hand for €100 specifically to use with the card, but in this instance all I could get on the AE-X was the 3D output of surround sound through Coaxial SPDIF and although it still sounded great, it isn't quite as good as DTS Interactive via my onboard Realtek ALC1220. Conclusion So what have I learned? The AE-X lacks multi-channel support for 5.1/7.1 setups and drops support for modern surround technologies like Dolby or DTS, functioning strictly as a stereo output device. So to really benefit, you will need Studio-grade headphones to "hear" the benefits of this card. With that being said, I can imagine it will appeal to gamers who are switching between console and PC. By utilizing the SPDIF in port, you could just plug your headphones into the AE-X (front or rear port) and then switch between PC and Console without having to move the headphones to a different port. As I said in the Sound Blaster Audigy review, the EQ in the Creative Nexus app offers safe presets, which allows a user to further tweak the lows, mids, and highs for a personal listening experience. Of course it all depends on the headphones you hook up to it. Speaking of headphones, I kind of wish I had higher-quality Studio-grade headphones to really test this card with; I'm not usually wearing headphones in my day to day duties. The only time I will wear them is if I want to listen to music very late at night and I don't want to disturb my neighbors, so my rating (verdict) is based on this fact. Someone with a PC/Console setup and wears headphone religiously to game, and consume media will benefit much more than I from the high-quality Headphone Amps that are included in the AE-X. Once again, I do feel like Creative could have gone the extra mile to support the S/PDIF port a bit more. Why include it if you're not supporting the main popular digital formats? It seems like the decision was more of a legacy-based one, offering uncompressed 2-channel PCM audio, for users with high-fidelity audio systems and external DACs. Maybe I will be lucky enough to review a card that truly includes all these features in the future. I am sure readers with far more knowledge on audio systems than me will correct me in the comments below. I'll just say I am happy to learn what I don't know! Where to buy The Sound Blaster AE-X is available to purchase now in preorder for $179.99 on the U.S. Creative website, or for £169.99 on the Creative UK website and will start shipping to customers from June 25.
    • $80 or 90%, anything else would be financial suicide one way or another.
    • Or... just use Bitwarden. Free, and has on-prem option as well. Works both on desktop and mobile, wherever you are. The age of local password files is over.
    • Thanks
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