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Players: 2-16

:wacko:

Perhaps I'm wrong but I don't think DICE realizes we don't want small tight maps full of choke points and low player counts. If we wanted that we would play Call of Duty.

This fall will also bring the expansion pack Battlefield 3: Armored Kill. Featuring all-out vehicle warfare with new tanks, ATV?s, and mobile artillery, it also includes the biggest map in Battlefield history. Come winter, it is time for the fourth expansion pack Battlefield 3: End Game.

Come back next week for the first gameplay trailer and screenshots from Battlefield 3: Close Quarters.

Biggest BF map ever? Of course we won't see it for 8+ months. People are already speculating that we won't see the expected march patch now until the first dlc is released. I want to say that won't happen, but they did the same thing in bc2.

I'm looking forward to

This fall will also bring the expansion pack Battlefield 3: Armored Kill. Featuring all-out vehicle warfare with new tanks, ATV?s, and mobile artillery, it also includes the biggest map in Battlefield history. Come winter, it is time for the fourth expansion pack Battlefield 3: End Game.

I want them to create like a Tank Deathmatch or something where everyone has a vehicle hopefully Armored Kill will bring something like that.

Close Quarters is the first expansion. There are two more after that: Armored Kill and End Game. All of the expansions should be out within the next 10 months. There's also a major patch on the way with tweaks, bug fixes, and optimization to the PC version. Whether that patch is released before or after Close Quarters is currently unknown. I wouldn't be surprised if it's released alongside it in June.

Close Quarters is the first expansion. There are two more after that: Armored Kill and End Game. All of the expansions should be out within the next 10 months. There's also a major patch on the way with tweaks, bug fixes, and optimization to the PC version. Whether that patch is released before or after Close Quarters is currently unknown. I wouldn't be surprised if it's released alongside it in June.

Which is irritating if they hold off on the patch for that long. I can't see any reason why they would need to do that though. But like I said, they held off patches in bc2 for longer for stupid silly reasons so it won't be surprising if they do.

Close Quarters is the first expansion. There are two more after that: Armored Kill and End Game. All of the expansions should be out within the next 10 months. There's also a major patch on the way with tweaks, bug fixes, and optimization to the PC version. Whether that patch is released before or after Close Quarters is currently unknown. I wouldn't be surprised if it's released alongside it in June.

They've already announced the patch is "comming soon" I can't believe it'd be later than the end of this month...they wouldn't make us wait till June.

I wonder if this article is true...

http://www.eurogamer...f-three-add-ons

Says consolers will be able to rent their own servers, with their own rules. Didn't know MS would allow such witchcraft.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Neq7LFDJxNg

Take your pick...

- USAS-12 Frags

- RPG

- SMAW

- M320

- Claymores

Or maybe, the 1HK snipers, which are being added to the game in the patch.

Blah. DICE/EA have officially ruined this series for me. I'm done with Battlefield. All they do is talk, talk, talk. Talk about a patch for months. Talk about DLC for months. All talk and no action. For those of us who hate choked up maps, the first DLC is worthless, so we're sitting on release day content through the early summer. Lame.

I really doubt I will spend money on this.

I like close-quarter battles, but this 16 player limit?

Should've been at least, at least 32 players.

Battlefield has so much potential in its own gameplay types, so why are they taking notes from other games?

I really doubt, I'll buy this

I wonder if this article is true...

http://www.eurogamer...f-three-add-ons

Says consolers will be able to rent their own servers, with their own rules. Didn't know MS would allow such witchcraft.

<snip>

16 player count isn't so much of an issue for the consoles...only missing a few players :)

But I'd like to see them up in to 32 on consoles in general especially if we're gonna be getting bigger maps in Armoured Kill...CQ does look as if its just to keep the CoD noobs who bought BF happy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfHjdjQiPko

Don't know how they got it. Looks lame. It also doesn't help that the person playing can't aim.

Please god let it be real. Was just saying how the game needed more QCB yesterday. I know several folk will moan and say, but itss not COD. Well all Im saying is Metro and Seine are my 2 fave maps, so this is all kinds of good if true personally

Please god let it be real. Was just saying how the game needed more QCB yesterday. I know several folk will moan and say, but itss not COD. Well all Im saying is Metro and Seine are my 2 fave maps, so this is all kinds of good if true personally

I think you're in the minority. Just about every bf3 forum I've looked at is blowing up with hate at these maps. For me though, I don't mind them so much, but the part that sucks that we have to wait 8+ months until we get the bigger maps.

If done correctly, the indoor maps could be a lot of fun for BF, especially if they're high-rise type buildings where you're attacking from the bottom up. I don't think there will be too many similarities to CoD... all of their maps are like two hallways where the game forces you to lob grenades and fire shotguns down. :s

I think you're in the minority. Just about every bf3 forum I've looked at is blowing up with hate at these maps. For me though, I don't mind them so much, but the part that sucks that we have to wait 8+ months until we get the bigger maps.

Kinda agree about the 8month part. Not too good, hell its june before we see any new maps. One thing i wish they had allowed was for some sort of mod tool, even if just specifically for maps. As altho im still by far learning the maps, i know theres a shed load of hardcore folk who,ll be the complete oppossite.

Still good of them to atleast tell us were getting stuff down the line, eventually.

I don't think there will be too many similarities to CoD... all of their maps are like two hallways where the game forces you to lob grenades and fire shotguns down. :s

huh? I don't find that in COD at all. In fact that's what I dislike about some of the tight maps in BF3, like metro. They seem to encourage the tight, cramped corridor gameplay.

Love metro due to the real power struggles you get. Reminds of the old CTF_Face maps in Unreal. Can see how people get put off due to base-raping etc but on Metro its part of the gameplay tbh and more a case of how well your team can battle out or get a sneaky drop on flag.

huh? I don't find that in COD at all. In fact that's what I dislike about some of the tight maps in BF3, like metro. They seem to encourage the tight, cramped corridor gameplay.

Admittedly I stopped COD after MW2, but mainly because it became everyone loading out with multiple grenades and dual shotguns sprinting down the corridors on any tight map.

As for Metro, sure there are some choke points that people will fling RPGs down, but you usually don't have to stack up there and try and force your way through. And, if you really want to go that route, you can usually count on someone reviving you, as long as the two sides are somewhat evenly matched.

Please god let it be real. Was just saying how the game needed more QCB yesterday. I know several folk will moan and say, but itss not COD. Well all Im saying is Metro and Seine are my 2 fave maps, so this is all kinds of good if true personally

Honestly, I kind of feel the same way. My favorite maps are Metro, Seine, and Bazaar. I just don't do well in big maps, even playing with friends. Most of the time I take a jet because that is the only fun I have in them. I don't care to much for tanks, and I usually use the trucks for C4 bait and drive them into tanks.

I generally stick to 24/7 metro maps, with high tickets, and no explosives or launchers. Every now and again I will go to a large map to pilot a helicopter for people (since I can't shoot with them) or play around in a jet, or to snipe.

I'm just hoping the Close Quarters maps will be allowed to up the player count in them, for absolute mayhem. :p

My beef isn't with Close Quarters itself - hell, Bazaar and Seine are my favorite BF3 maps - its just that I want them to release all 3 DLC pieces at the same time. For those who don't like the CQB stuff, what new maps will there be for them? None. I just feel like its a lame attempt at trying to NOT be like CoD..."Ok, we won't release a new game every year; instead, we'll just piece-mail DLC to make it feel like this game has infinite stay power."

Ah well, guess I'm just complaining to complain.

This topic is now closed to further replies.
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    • 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.
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    • I actually got to use one of those so called "backup codes" once. It was for a customer, I choose the backup code option, and by the grace of god, they actually hade them printed out. Imagine my surprise, when after using the backup code, Google then told use we had to enter a code they just sent to the gmail address we currently did not have access to. I was not amused, Google backup codes should be the end all get out of jail free card, because you had to have access to the account to even get them.
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