The Roomname is “FragThePlanet” without the quotes. Stop In! (Xfire Link) – if you dont have Xfire, get it Here.

=Possible Workaround Found =

In your settings.ini file found in the MyDocuments/BFBC2 folder, try setting DxVersion=9 instead of auto. Also put all your graphics settings on low and increase them gradually till your system is stable. This is not a fix, but a workaround till Dice patches this bug laden game.

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- Possible Workaround Found – Fix #2

Try disabling your onboard audio / Realtek audio device and install a different sound card. I know it’s a horrible thing to have to do but I’ve disabled my onboard Realtek and have been using a Creative XiFi PCI Card for a week or so (several 90min sessions), without a problem.  *Thanks to Jeff in the comments.

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I’ve been pulling my hair out and scaring the neighbors will yells of profanity over the crashes I’ve been having. It’s been a while since I’ve had a game completely decimate my system the way BadCo2 has.  I’m gonna be documenting my crash/freeze problem on here in the hopes that I will either, find a fix, or some nice reader will share theirs.

I recently Installed Bad Company 2 on my PC from the DVD with online authentication. The single player campaign worked flawless with no issues I can remember, no crashes or system lockups. Multiplayer is a completely different story, it will hard lockup my system with a black screen and a sound loop for a few seconds, then my monitor will shut off. The only way to recover is to do a full power off and reboot.  The crash will happen randomly, sometimes after 20 minutes, sometimes 1 hour.

My system specs are as follows,

• Windows 7 64bit Ultimate
• AMD Phenom II X4 920
• 8gb Ram
• ATI Radeon 3870
• DFI Lanparty 790GX
• Onboard Realtek Audio
• Corsair 750TX Power Supply

Nothing is overclocked and my system has been rock solid up until this game.

Here are the things I have tried that have not fixed the crash/freeze.

1. Updated to Catalyst 10.2, 10.3a, 10.3 Driver
2. Updated Realtek HD Audio Driver to 2.44, 2.45
3. Turned on/off Voice over IP in game.
4. Pointed Window fan at open PC to see if it was a overheating issue.
5. Manually Updated Punkbuster.
6. Turned off all unused Audio Devices in Volume Properties.
7. Lowered graphics settings in Settings.ini
8. Installed Motherboard chipset drivers, and audio driver
9. Settings.ini Fullscreen=true
10. Updated Motherboard BIOS
11. Less then 1 Month since Fresh install of Windows 7 x64
12. Turned UAC Virtualization off
13. Set Affinity to only use a single core
14. Ran in Compatibility Mode – Windows XP SP3
15. Settings.ini Dxversion=10, Dxversion=9, Dxversion=11, Dxversion=auto
16. Settings.ini Refreshrate=59.9 and Vsync=true
17. Shortcut options set Compatibility Mode to Windows XP Service Pack 2

I made a video of my system crashing, sorry about the lighting.  I was playing for about 7 minutes, and then blam.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Hopefully I will find a fix soon, as I really would like to get into this game.

Why it sucks.

1. You can’t level up your character or build any sort of skill set.
2. Every assassination goes the same, climb shit to get viewpoints to unlock city specific missions.
   • Beat someone up for information.
   • Save some Citizens so they can help you past guards.
   • Pickpocket for knives or information.
   • Assassinate someone.
3. There are a ton of cut scenes and no way to skip them.
4. The story is over complicated.

Why it doesn’t suck as much.

1. It looks gorgeous.
2. You can free roam in huge cities.
3. You can throw guys off roofs all day long.
4. Sword fighting is fun and challenging.

In conclusion.

They should have focused on character building/development instead of some crazy topsy turvy story.  The game did have a lot going for it but unfortunately for me, the cons out weigh the pros.  I think I need to find a new game to play with my new controller.  Maybe NHL 09 or Bionic Commando?

Genide

Tyi

Human

It’s interesting that they said the fans asked for it because every game site that talked about bioshock said that the single player was so good they didn’t expect there to be a multiplayer, and even if there was it wouldn’t work well with the way the game played out.  I wonder if they have an alternative motive for MP, maybe they’ll have a pay for play model set up like WOW.

Personally I could care less if they didn’t include multiplayer, Bioshock 1 was an amazing game without it, but if they want to give it to me in Bioshock 2 I won’t complain.

I digress, you can read the full press release below and the included key features.

Windsor, UK, May 8, 2009/… 2K Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), announced today that it has signed a partnership with Digital Extremes to develop the multiplayer experience for BioShock® 2. Under this partnership, Digital Extremes is working closely with the creative team at 2K Marin to develop a new and substantial element that enhances the lore and fiction of the BioShock universe.

“The fans asked for a multiplayer experience and we answered,” said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. “With Digital Extremes delivering a multiplayer experience for BioShock 2 that features all of the things that make BioShock unique, we’re holding ourselves to a high standard so that we can deliver the depth and variety that fans of the BioShock universe demand.”

Multiplayer in BioShock 2 provides a rich prequel experience that expands the origins of the BioShock fiction. Set during the fall of Rapture, players assume the role of a Plasmid test subject for Sinclair Solutions, a premier provider of Plasmids and Tonics in the underwater city of Rapture that was first explored in the original BioShock. Players will need to use all the elements of the BioShock toolset to survive as the full depth of the BioShock experience is refined and transformed into a unique multiplayer experience that can only be found in Rapture.

Key features:

• Evolution of the genetically enhanced shooter – Earn experience points during gameplay to earn access to new Weapons, Plasmids and Tonics that can be used to create hundreds of different combinations, allowing players to develop a unique character that caters to their playing style.

• Extend the Rapture fiction – Players will step into the shoes of Rapture citizens and learn more about the fall of Rapture as they progress through the experience.

• See Rapture before the fall – Experience Rapture before it was reclaimed by the ocean and engage in combat over iconic environments in locations such as Kashmir Restaurant and Mercury Suites, all of which have been reworked from the ground up to deliver a fast-paced multiplayer experience.

• FPS veterans add their touch to the multiplayer experience – Digital Extremes brings more than 10 years of first person shooter experience including development of award-winning entries in the Unreal® and Unreal Tournament® franchise.

BioShock 2 is currently in development at 2K Marin, 2K Australia and Digital Extremes for PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows-based PCs. This title is not yet rated by the ESRB.

Take a bite out of this meaty trailer, I’m not sure how much of it is actual gameplay but the art style is definitely appealing.

Milan, Italy – 6th May 2009 – Black Bean Games releases the first official screenshots of Superstars V8 Racing. The game will be out on Xbox 360, PlayStation® 3 and PC in June 2009.  “The screens we are releasing today are straight from the latest Superstars V8 Racing build and we are proud to release them”,  Commented Fabrizio Vagliasindi, Head of Marketing Black Bean Games.

Black Bean is known for games like, Evolution GT, SCAR, and a myriad of SBK superbike games.  For further information about Black Bean Games and its products, visit the web site: www.blackbeangames.com

Here’s some screenshots from Eurogamer.

Pros:

1. Graphics look great, the explosions and water look amazing.  The underwater submarine graphics where you see the sunlight shining down through the water is especially eye catching.
2. Dogfighting is a blast.
3. The combat system is very deep, you can outfit your aircraft with various weapon systems, you can command your squads and fleets.

Cons:

1. The demo does not remember your settings.  (Supposedly they know about this and are making a fix.)
2. You can’t choose what directory to install the game to, also it doesn’t even tell you where it installed to.  (It installs to C:\Program Files\EIDOS)
3. Multiplayer is turned off in the demo.  I always prefer playing humans rather than bots, so not including mutliplayer is a big letdown.  No way would I spend cash on a game that I didn’t know how it performed online.
4. There aren’t any tutorials in game to show you how to use the more complicated features, I had to read all the commands in the options menu to realize that I could command squads and place different assets.
5. Having to sit through 2 minutes of advertising, with no way to skip, after you exit the demo.

In Conclusion, the demo was pretty fun.  There is a lot of eye candy and the aircraft and naval assets were generally easy and fun to control.  I knew going in that BSP was going to play more like a arcade game than a simulation, so I wasn’t caught off guard.  I hope they release a multiplayer demo though, as that is a huge part for me, I much rather play other human players than computer controlled opponents.  Despite a few flaws, and no included online play, I am looking forward to more pacific action.

Here are some videos I took of the gameplay in Battlestations Pacific.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Go get the demo and see you out there, I’ll be the one with all the frags.