This weeks 20 Questions will be with Dan Mitre (Community Manager BF Hardline) @dan_mitre
Seven million players got their hands on the Battlefield Hardline Beta from February 3-9, allowing EA and Visceral Games to gather a mountain of data to mine, feedback to read, and videos to watch. But rest assured, as Dan Mitre says, “We still hold strong to the March 17th ship date”. That’s great to hear that Visceral Games has dedicated so much time to listening to the communities feedback and implementing it in the best way possible— while still meeting the design needs of the game, while adhering to said feedback and time constraints. The Battlefield series is ready for a fresh new look and I think that Battlefield Hardline has that look.
Moving on to the 20Qs with Dan Mitre [DM] (these are his opinions!)
1) What was the first thing you did after the Beta closed Monday?
[DM] I drank heavily. Haha. No, I actually went straight into reporting mode and began working closely with my team to ensure that critical issues will be addressed for launch. I also began to scour YouTube and various social channels for clips that showcased what Battlefield Hardline brings to the table, in which we then promote on the Battlefield official channels.
2) What has been your biggest challenge during the Beta, other than sleep?
[DM] The lack of sleep was definitely an obstacle to overcome. However, to be completely honest, this was an incredibly smooth Beta. The company was quite happy with how it turned out from a player experience and data mining perspective.
3) How many hours did you work last week?
[DM] How about we start with how many hours of sleep did I got each night… 4-5. The rest was spent in our Beta operations center called The War Room where we have representatives from each team sitting in to keep systems running smoothly. You do the math.
4) Reports are, Hardline had about 7 million players try it out. Did this surpass your exceptions?
[DM] Isn’t that incredible? I’m humbled to be on a game that has received such positive and monumental reception. Hitting around 7M players put a HUGE grin on all of our faces, and certainly gave us even more gusto to deliver a world-class game in March.
5) Feedback was probably overwhelming; did it contain enough to help but not too much as to effect ship dates?
[DM] Absolutely. That’s what Beta is all about – identifying the showstopper bugs, if any, and balance/refine various elements such as team play, classes, guns, gadgets, vehicles, etc. We still hold strong to the March 17th ship date.
6) How often do you get a chance to play Hardline during the Beta?
[DM] Not nearly as much as I wanted. I got to hop in once in a while, but mainly just to check out an issue. I didn’t get to play much for personal pleasure. I gave up my ability to play so you all could enjoy playing!
7) What was your last game played (mode)? Did you win?
[DM] It was Hotwire, and we smashed the hell out of the Crims.
8) Is that your favorite game mode? if no, what is?
[DM] Depends on my mood. Sometimes I want to get into the action with intense speed and “oh sh!t” moments, so I play Hotwire. Other times I want to work as a team and be more focused on PTFO. That’s where Heist comes in.
9) What has been your favorite map in Hardline? Was it the same before playing the beta?
[DM] My favorite maps are Riptide and The Block so far. Those you haven’t seen as they weren’t in Beta. They are beautiful environments that flow well for gameplay. You’ll see them in the full game.
10) Can you talk anymore about the competitive aspect and Esports in Hardline?
[DM] Hardline introduces two new game modes that satisfy the need to compete on a professional level – Rescue and Crosshair. I’m excited to see how pro teams start to integrate them into their tournaments.
11) Do you think Competitive gaming has a place in he BF series?
[DM] Absolutely, and it currently does with the awesome partnership we have with leagues like ESL. Wait until you check out the two competitive modes I mentioned. You’ll see what I’m talking about – it’s intense and keeps you at the edge of your seat.
12) Can gamers create servers/rooms or are they just EA ones? Maybe rent servers? In the future maybe?
[DM] Can’t say much at this time. But, we will have more info on that in the future.
13) What do you think of user voted options for future DLC in Hardline?
[DM] Would be awesome to implement the same sort of initiative that we have for BF4, the Community Map project. But, not much to report on at the moment.
14) If the community showed enough support for new voted on game modes down the road, could it be looked at as a possibility?
[DM] Without a doubt. We are a team that listens to our players. If the players feel strongly about a change or new feature we will certainly consider it. So, be sure to provide your feedback on the Battlefield forums.
