So for a game like the upcoming BF3... whats your number and opinion on the number of players on the server.

I personally prefer smaller numbers that allow for more slower and tactical play over the larger full server, alot of action stuff.

My ideal would be squad vs squad... 9 vs 9...

maybe 12 vs 12...

what you think? Why?
and what size server do you think SimHQ should run?
and while were at it... would you prefer a hardcore server for SimHQ or a default one?

Battlefield is one of the only games where I like large player counts like 64 players. I like small scale infantry combat in most games but BF has always been the exception. It's one of the reasons I don't like the BC series nearly as much as I like the real BF series.

I don't play on hardcore servers, it's a silly mode for people who want to spray for lucky toe shots.

32v32 is a melee, a bar fight with guns. I favored the 12v12 of the console version of BFBC2. The 16v16 games were even infuriatingly large numbers of people, unless you were playing on the Harvest Day map or something.

The console version is the one I will buy, it has the right balance of numbers, and the cheating is not as much of an issue. Granted, it will be uglier, but then, EA won't know what version of Microsoft Office I have.

It remains to be seen if my elderly PC could even run it. That is the trouble with it not being a console port. I can be reasonably assured an older PC can run an Xbox 360 or PS3 port.

And I feel the same way about hardcore servers. They're pretty pointless.

Hardcore is great for noobies, it gives them more of a chance, I found that out in BC2 with the nade launcher lol. (drove some people crazy).

Standard server for me.

I thought the maps are going to be larger to support 64 player, will 12 VS 12 work on them? I know that smaller numbers can make it more "tactical" but part of the fun playing these games is the body count.

I don't think I will be playing until spring next year anyway, my graphics card is on the way out (played BC2 the other day and the card was running at 105 degrees lol), I won't upgrade till next year.

It really depends on the map size. 32 v 32 on maps the size of console BC2 would be crazy, 12v12 on a huge map designed for 64 players would also be rather barren. I hope the maps remain scalable based on how many players are actually playing. I believe BF2 had this feature, although I didn't play it much, so can't really remember.

I guess the question should be more direct... how many slots should i buy for our SimHQ BF3 server?

24 slots is my vote.

I like bigger player counts. Low player counts tend to lead to a stalemate. Then everyone just starts sniping.

For the battlefield series I have always preferred much bigger player counts. The addition of vehicular based combat lens itself to 64 slot servers.
All mr best memories of the bf series are from 64 player games.

Thanks for your feedback...

The problem is cost... These servers come out of my own pocket, and the bad economy has hit me too just like most others...

A 64 player server is 83 bucks a month, my server budget a month is 50 bucks...and thats pushing it.

I can get a 32 player server for 41 bucks or maybe the best for all a 40 player server at 51 bucks a month... 20 on each side? That would be fair and enough right?

OK, follow up question...

you'll have an option for infantry only servers/games...

What is preferred?

http://worthplaying.com/article/2011/9/15/news/83327/

Can it be a vote option or a rotation? I'd hate to limit it to just one or the other.

Same here.

no one or other... anymore feedback before I preorder it, thier running out of server space already for it.

I vote 24 slots and with vehicles

Depends on the slots, 32-40 I'd go vehicles, under 30 infantry.

I think all ya need is player count at this point Magnum. The server variables like hardcore/softcore, vehicles/no vehicles can be changed on the fly once you have the server.

I personally like lower player counts in BC2 ... like 16-24, to keep things sane. Since DICE is saying the 9 multiplayer maps are huge, I think around 30 players would be fine.

I went with 32, for 50 bucks a month... 50 is my limit for server spending... 3 months up front, probably redo 3 for a 6 month server... after that we'll see.

thx for the feedback/comments.

No, thank you Magnum.

Thanks Magnum, hope I can play it.