EA, DICE unveil Battlefield 4 Battlelog improvements

EA and DICE have revealed additional details regarding the Battlelog companion service upgrades that will join the latest entry in the Battlefield series of first-person shooters.

Originally launched to work with Battlefield 3, Battlelog started out as a relatively simple social networking service. The launch of Battlefield Premium in 2012 saw Battlelog receiving a major overhaul, along with support for Medal of Honor: Warfighter later that year. Since then, however, the service has all-but languished with only minor visual updates this year.

Now, Jesper Nielsen, associate producer on the service, has broken the company's silence and detailed the changes that will be taking place when Battlefield 4 hits consoles and PCs.

'We loved introducing Battlelog in Battlefield 3, but that was just the beginning,' claimed Nielsen in an official blog post. 'Since then, we’ve had some great ideas for how we could innovate and make it even better with Battlefield 4. The goal with Battlelog for BF4 is to create an enhanced experience for the player that allows them to be constantly connected to the game, whether it’s in front of their console or PC or on the go using their mobile device.

'[i]We had to fundamentally change some features – like fully integrating Battlelog into the game on next-gen consoles and PC. By doing this, it has enabled us to give Battlelog a style and look that is much more in-tune with the game, introduce connected features to make it an even more powerful companion and provide new ways for you to customise your experience.'

The revamped Battlelog, Nielsen explained, will be designed for seamless integration on both PC and console platforms: a widget at the top-right of the HUD will allow for instant triggering of Battlelog, providing quick access to friends lists, the setting or completing of in-game challenges between said friends, all in a freshly-built overlay which features a redesign that will be echoed in the web, tablet and smartphone versions.

'With BF3 we realized that the game, Battlelog on the web, and Battlelog on mobile felt like separate pieces,' Nielsen admitted. 'With Battlelog for BF4 the design across the in-game, web, tablet, and mobile experiences are much more uniform. Going between the game and Battlelog on the various platforms will feel much smoother and connected. We’re also working hard to ensure the Battlelog experience for BF4 on console is on par with the deep interaction PC players have enjoyed since BF3.'

As well as improved usability, the revamped Battlelog will include both out-of-game and in-game loadout customisations - allowing a user to adjust his or her equipment on a tablet or smartphone even while playing the game on a PC or console, and have it instantly applied when the new loadout is saved. Battlelog is also to receive easier ways to join the same server as a friend without quitting and restarting the game.

Perhaps the most impressive new feature, however, is a real-time interactive minimap of the current game dubbed BattleScreen. 'Say you’re on your way to the fight as a passenger in a helicopter – if you’re the Squad Leader, you can grab the tablet next to you and set attack points for your pilot, prepping you and your squad for the battle to come,' Nielsen enthused. 'This all happens in real-time – there are no delays between what’s going on in-game and what you see on your device. It takes a bit of getting used to, having a second screen to look at, but once you get the hang of it you can use it your advantage. Gone are the days of bringing up the full-screen mini-map only to blur your view of the battle.'

Screenshots of all the new features, plus details of the revamped Commander app, geographic leaderboards, and the additional statistics available under Battlelog on Battlefield 4 are available on the official website.