# Battlefield 3 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 24, 2011, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlefield-3/600591 "2011-10-24T00:33:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Koldanar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@Koldanar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koldanar)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlefield-3/600591/61 "2011-10-26T15:29:54Z")
> [@Kinthalis](#): > > What are your specs? > > Make sure you are running the latest dirvers available for your card. Nvidia and AMD just released new drivers that improve performance in BF3. > > Also, turn off MSAA (Deferred Anti-aliasing) and use post-processing Anti-aliasing instead. It gets rid of most jaggies and doesn’t cost anywhere near as much video RAM or performance as traditional MSAA. > > I find that using MSAA X2 and Medium or high Post AA gives me better AA than 4X MSAA would, but at a fraction of the performance/memory cost. > > Terrific for someone like me running at 2560x1440 on a GTX 580 (only 1.5 Gig buffer) where vRAM gets eaten up by textures and the high resolution. Hah; MSAA is off completely; this box was built in 2007 for about 2k then (so, 50 cents now?) Core 2 Duo is the worst thing for me; I only have two cores at about 2.4ghz; so even though I could update my video card (9800 GTX), my cpu is still my bottleneck. ---
**Author:** ![Inthewater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Inthewater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inthewater)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlefield-3/600591/62 "2011-10-26T15:34:12Z")
Thinking of picking this up after the reviews I have read here and online. I am a complete BF and MW newbie. Can I still join up even if I stink really bad? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Inthewater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Inthewater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inthewater)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlefield-3/600591/63 "2011-10-26T15:46:44Z")
Built in early 2010 on a budget to get best bang for the buck: 4gig DDR3 1333 RAM i5-750 Lynnfield Sapphire Vapor-X 4890 1 gig I am no PC master, anything on here that will give me issues? Handles everything I throw at it right now. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlefield-3/600591/64 "2011-10-26T15:54:24Z")
> [@Inthewater](#): > > Thinking of picking this up after the reviews I have read here and online. > > I am a complete BF and MW newbie. Can I still join up even if I stink really bad? > > 🙂 Yes please. I consistently come out on the bottom of the round summaries, something which Beef loves to point out over and over until he makes me cry. So I’d love it if someone else ended up lower. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlefield-3/600591/65 "2011-10-26T15:58:06Z")
> [@Inthewater](#): > > Built in early 2010 on a budget to get best bang for the buck: > > 4gig DDR3 1333 RAM > i5-750 Lynnfield > Sapphire Vapor-X 4890 1 gig > > I am no PC master, anything on here that will give me issues? > > Handles everything I throw at it right now. Not at all. Should be an awesome experience for you. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlefield-3/600591/66 "2011-10-26T16:10:15Z")
I leveled up my assault class to get the defibulator. Although I like the engineer class I’ll be able to offer med support if need be. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlefield-3/600591/67 "2011-10-26T16:48:58Z")
I suck so bad at this game. I thought i was good at video games, specially shooters. No longer, i now know i am a horrible noob at this game. Beautiful game though. ---
**Author:** ![Inthewater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Inthewater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inthewater)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlefield-3/600591/68 "2011-10-26T16:55:09Z")
DigitalC - What makes it so tough? Just curious. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlefield-3/600591/69 "2011-10-26T16:57:58Z")
_Cries_ It looks so pretty, and I’m so poor! ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Inthewater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Inthewater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inthewater)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlefield-3/600591/70 "2011-10-26T17:16:49Z")
Hoping this fills a bit of my paintballing void. I haven’t been able to play as much lately due to an injury a few years back, time and money. Gonna give it a download later from Amazon and hope to see some of you in game. Any chance I can get a “newbies guide to crap you have to do before playing BF games” sort of list? I have Venty from my past life as a freighter captain in EVE-O as well as a headset. I’ll have to futz around with that a bit, but as I said, I have NEVER played this sort of game online. Kind of excited. What time zone are most of you in? I am in CST. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlefield-3/600591/71 "2011-10-26T18:08:40Z")
> [@Inthewater](#): > > DigitalC - What makes it so tough? Just curious. The best way i can explain it is that there is A LOT going on. The camera shakes, your vision gets blurry, you start sucking breath, dirt gets in your vision. Then I’m dead before i know what happened. ---
**Author:** ![Koldanar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@Koldanar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koldanar)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlefield-3/600591/72 "2011-10-26T18:17:31Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > The best way i can explain it is that there is A LOT going on. The camera shakes, your vision gets blurry, you start sucking breath, dirt gets in your vision. Then I’m dead before i know what happened. It was a tank. Or a plane. Grenade? Sniper! ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlefield-3/600591/73 "2011-10-26T18:28:32Z")
So I hoped in to our private server for a few minutes. The xbox 360 game pad makes flying the choppers a freaking joy. I was able to take off, go full tilt across the map, and set down easily. I also able to keep any part of the aircraft oriented towards a particular target. The jet planes, too go from (IMHO) uncontrollable with mouse and keyboard, to at least a lot more functional with the gamepad. Didn’t have time to play with them much though. So if you have a gamepad, use it for the vehicles (well, the aerial ones at least). If you have wireless game pads, make sure they are turned on before joining a server, as the game won’t recognize them if turned on during the game. ---
**Author:** ![Inthewater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Inthewater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inthewater)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlefield-3/600591/74 "2011-10-26T18:30:54Z")
Assuming a USB gamepad would work? Any particular style to go for, should I decide to pick one up? ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlefield-3/600591/75 "2011-10-26T18:43:32Z")
> [@Inthewater](#): > > Assuming a USB gamepad would work? Any particular style to go for, should I decide to pick one up? I would recommend a gamepad overall for Pc gaming. We’re getting a lot of platformers, fighting games, sports games, arcade racing games now a days, and the gamepad is usually a better interface for these types of games. For BF3 specifically, if you want to take full advantage of the aerial vehicle,s yeah, I’d recommend it as well. The xbox 360 controller is your best bet since most games work with it out of the box. You can use a wired xbox 360 controller, just by plugging in the USB, a wireless one by purchasing a PC receiver for it, or you cna also purchase one that can be used by both the PC and console right out of the box (they tend to cost more though). It’s easier to switch back and forth from Mouse and Keyboard and gamepad than m&k and jostick as well. ---
**Author:** ![Inthewater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Inthewater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inthewater)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlefield-3/600591/76 "2011-10-26T18:50:26Z")
So, just a standard Xbox 360 controller works on a PC, or do I need a special one made for the PC? I’d prefer wired, not a huge fan of wireless controllers. Would be fun, because I do love to fly. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlefield-3/600591/77 "2011-10-26T19:08:28Z")
> [@Inthewater](#): > > So, just a standard Xbox 360 controller works on a PC, or do I need a special one made for the PC? > > I’d prefer wired, not a huge fan of wireless controllers. > > Would be fun, because I do love to fly. Any wired xbox controller off the rack will work with a PC, yes. If you have windows vista/7 all you have to do is plug it in. If you’re on XP you might have to download a driver (it will prompt you to). If it’s wireless you’ll need a special receiver for the PC, which you cna pick up from amazon or your local best buy for $20-$30. And as I mentioned, another option is to pick up a specifically branded xbox gamepad. I forget what Microsoft calls them, but they say on the box that they work on both PC and xbox. ---
**Author:** ![Inthewater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Inthewater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inthewater)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlefield-3/600591/78 "2011-10-26T19:12:57Z")
Windows 7. I have no XBOX, well I have an old XBOX just not a 360, so no need for a special one for both. Thanks for the info, Kinthalis. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlefield-3/600591/79 "2011-10-26T19:15:28Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > The best way i can explain it is that there is A LOT going on. The camera shakes, your vision gets blurry, you start sucking breath, dirt gets in your vision. Then I’m dead before i know what happened. The reason everything is getting blurry is because you’re getting hit with suppressive fire. It completely fucks up your sight. ---
**Author:** ![Inthewater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Inthewater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inthewater)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlefield-3/600591/80 "2011-10-26T19:17:40Z")
Sorry about all the questions. Can people on PC play on the same servers as the XBOX 360 people? My brother in law wanted me to get Black Ops to play with him, but he does 360, I do PC. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlefield-3/600591.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlefield-3/600591.md?page=5)