Windows Vista Update

Battlefield 2142 Game Windows Vista PC: Battlefield 2142 is a game that has instant brand-name appeal, thanks to the huge success of Battlefield 1942 and last year's Battlefield 2. As the next big thing from developer Digital Illusions CE, Battlefield 2142 has a lot going for it. It also has big shoes to fill. To answer our questions, we got a briefing on Battlefield 2142 from Marcus Nilsson, senior producer at DICE.

There are two big question marks for Battlefield 2142. First, will its sci-fi roots appeal to the Battlefield fan base? The Battlefield series was built on portraying historical and modern-day conflicts, letting up to 64 players wage virtual war with real-world weapons and vehicles.

In Battlefield 2142, the action veers into science-fiction territory--it's set in a world where a new ice age sparks a global war. Second, will Battlefield 2142 be able to lure players away from Battlefield 2, which still remains wildly popular nine months after launch? Judging from what Nilsson had to say, it sounds like the developers have taken these questions into account.

Nilsson explained that Battlefield 2142 will build on the strengths of the Battlefield games. Once again, you'll be dropped onto a large, virtual battlefield, and you can be armed with a variety of weapons or use a variety of vehicles.

Battlefield works because of the rock-paper-scissors nature of the combat--every weapon and vehicle has a counter. That keeps the gameplay unpredictable and means you can play the game for months and still see new things happening. More importantly, Battlefield 2142 will introduce a brand-new game mode, which is huge news, considering that the first three Battlefield games relied on just a single, amazing gameplay mode: conquest.