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This program unpacks Playstation 3 Theme files (.p3t) so that you can touch-up an existing theme to your likings or use a certain wallpaper from it (as many themes have multiple). But remember, if you use content from another theme and release it, be sure to give credit!
Download p3textractor.zip from above. Extract the files to a folder with a program such as WinZip or WinRAR. Now there are multiple ways to extract the theme.
The first way is to simply open the p3t file with p3textractor.exe. If you don’t know how to do this, right click the p3t file and select Open With. Alternatively, open the p3t file and it will ask you to select a program to open with. Click Browse and find p3textractor.exe from where you previously extracted it to. It will open CMD and extract the theme to extracted.[filename]. After that, all you need to do for any future p3t files is open them and it will extract.
The second way is very simple. Just drag the p3t file to p3textractor.exe. It will open CMD and extract the theme to extracted.[filename].
For the third way, first put the p3t file you want to extract into the same folder as p3textractor.exe. Open CMD and browse to the folder with p3extractor.exe. Enter the following: p3textractor filename.p3t [destination path]Replace filename with the name of the p3t file, and replace [destination path] with the name of the folder you want the files to be extracted to. A destination path is not required. By default it will extract to extracted.filename.
This program unpacks Playstation 3 Theme files (.p3t) so that you can touch-up an existing theme to your likings or use a certain wallpaper from it (as many themes have multiple). But remember, if you use content from another theme and release it, be sure to give credit!
Download p3textractor.zip from above. Extract the files to a folder with a program such as WinZip or WinRAR. Now there are multiple ways to extract the theme.
The first way is to simply open the p3t file with p3textractor.exe. If you don’t know how to do this, right click the p3t file and select Open With. Alternatively, open the p3t file and it will ask you to select a program to open with. Click Browse and find p3textractor.exe from where you previously extracted it to. It will open CMD and extract the theme to extracted.[filename]. After that, all you need to do for any future p3t files is open them and it will extract.
The second way is very simple. Just drag the p3t file to p3textractor.exe. It will open CMD and extract the theme to extracted.[filename].
For the third way, first put the p3t file you want to extract into the same folder as p3textractor.exe. Open CMD and browse to the folder with p3extractor.exe. Enter the following: p3textractor filename.p3t [destination path]Replace filename with the name of the p3t file, and replace [destination path] with the name of the folder you want the files to be extracted to. A destination path is not required. By default it will extract to extracted.filename.
The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a full view of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk page.(April 2018)
Simplicity is the state or quality of being simple. Something easy to understand or explain seems simple, in contrast to something complicated. Alternatively, as Herbert A. Simon suggests, something is simple or complex depending on the way we choose to describe it.[1] In some uses, the label "simplicity" can imply beauty, purity, or clarity. In other cases, the term may suggest a lack of nuance or complexity relative to what is required.
The concept of simplicity is related to the field of epistemology and philosophy of science (e.g., in Occam's razor). Religions also reflect on simplicity with concepts such as divine simplicity. In human lifestyles, simplicity can denote freedom from excessive possessions or distractions, such as having a simple living style. In some cases, the term may have negative connotations, as when referring to someone as a simpleton.
There is a widespread philosophical presumption that simplicity is a theoretical virtue. This presumption that simpler theories are preferable appears in many guises. Often it remains implicit; sometimes it is invoked as a primitive, self-evident proposition; other times it is elevated to the status of a ‘Principle’ and labeled as such (for example, the 'Principle of Parsimony'.[2]
According to Occam's razor, all other things being equal, the simplest theory is most likely true. In other words, simplicity is a meta-scientific criterion by which scientists evaluate competing theories.
A distinction is often made by many persons [by whom?] between two senses of simplicity: syntactic simplicity (the number and complexity of hypotheses), and ontological simplicity (the number and complexity of things postulated). These two aspects of simplicity are often referred to as elegance and parsimony respectively.[3]
John von Neumann defines simplicity as an important esthetic criterion of scientific models:
[...] (scientific model) must satisfy certain esthetic criteria - that is, in relation to how much it describes, it must be rather simple. I think it is worth while insisting on these vague terms - for instance, on the use of word rather. One cannot tell exactly how "simple" simple is. [...] Simplicity is largely a matter of historical background, of previous conditioning, of antecedents, of customary procedures, and it is very much a function of what is explained by it.[4]
The recognition that too much complexity can have a negative effect on business performance was highlighted in research undertaken in 2011 by Simon Collinson of the Warwick Business School and the Simplicity Partnership, which found that managers who are orientated towards finding ways of making business "simpler and more straightforward" can have a beneficial impact on their organisation.
Most organizations contain some amount of complexity that is not performance enhancing, but drains value out of the company. Collinson concluded that this type of 'bad complexity' reduced profitability (EBITDA) by more than 10%.[5]
Collinson identified a role for "simplicity-minded managers", managers who were "predisposed towards simplicity", and identified a set of characteristics related to the role, namely "ruthless prioritisation", the ability to say "no", willingness to iterate, to reduce communication to the essential points of a message and the ability to engage a team.[5] His report, the Global Simplicity Index 2011, was the first ever study to calculate the cost of complexity in the world's largest organisations.[6]
The Global Simplicity Index identified that complexity occurs in five key areas of an organisation: people, processes, organisational design, strategy, and products and services.[7] As the "global brands report", the research is repeated and published annually.[8]: 3 The 2022 report incorporates a "brand simplicity score" and an "industry simplicity score".[9]
Research by Ioannis Evmoiridis at Tilburg University found that earnings reported by "high simplicity firms" are higher than among other businesses, and that such firms "exhibit[ed] a superior performance during the period 2010 - 2015", whilst requiring lower average capital expenditure and lower leverage.[8]: 18
"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." —Rashi (French rabbi, 11th century), citation at the beginning of the film A Serious Man (2009), Coen Brothers
^Baker, Alan (2022), "Simplicity", in Zalta, Edward N. (ed.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2022 ed.), Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, retrieved 2023-04-05
^Baker, Alan (2010-02-25). "Simplicity". In Zalta, Edward N. (ed.). Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2013 ed.). Retrieved 2015-04-26. A distinction is often made between two fundamentally distinct senses of simplicity: syntactic simplicity (roughly, the number and complexity of hypotheses), and ontological simplicity (roughly, the number and complexity of things postulated). [...] These two facets of simplicity are often referred to as elegance and parsimony respectively. [...] The terms 'parsimony' and 'simplicity' are used virtually interchangeably in much of the philosophical literature.
^
von Neumann, John (1955). "Method in the Physical Sciences". In Leary, Lewis (ed.). The Unity of Knowledge. N.J.: Garden City.
Sarkar, S. Ed. (2002). The Philosophy of Science—An Encyclopedia. London, Routledge. simplicity
Schmölders, Claudia (1974). Simplizität, Naivetät, Einfalt – Studien zur ästhetischen Terminologie in Frankreich und in Deutschland, 1674–1771. PDF, 37MB(in German)
Wilson, R. A. a. K., Frank C., (1999). The MIT Encyclopedia of the Cognitive Sciences. Cambridge, Massachusetts, The MIT Press. parsimony and simplicity p. 627–629.
If Not God, Then What? (2007) by Joshua Fost, p. 93
This program unpacks Playstation 3 Theme files (.p3t) so that you can touch-up an existing theme to your likings or use a certain wallpaper from it (as many themes have multiple). But remember, if you use content from another theme and release it, be sure to give credit!
Download p3textractor.zip from above. Extract the files to a folder with a program such as WinZip or WinRAR. Now there are multiple ways to extract the theme.
The first way is to simply open the p3t file with p3textractor.exe. If you don’t know how to do this, right click the p3t file and select Open With. Alternatively, open the p3t file and it will ask you to select a program to open with. Click Browse and find p3textractor.exe from where you previously extracted it to. It will open CMD and extract the theme to extracted.[filename]. After that, all you need to do for any future p3t files is open them and it will extract.
The second way is very simple. Just drag the p3t file to p3textractor.exe. It will open CMD and extract the theme to extracted.[filename].
For the third way, first put the p3t file you want to extract into the same folder as p3textractor.exe. Open CMD and browse to the folder with p3extractor.exe. Enter the following: p3textractor filename.p3t [destination path]Replace filename with the name of the p3t file, and replace [destination path] with the name of the folder you want the files to be extracted to. A destination path is not required. By default it will extract to extracted.filename.
The Zone of the Enders series is set in the late 22nd century. Mankind has colonized Mars, and space colonies are set up in orbit around Jupiter. Fueling this expansion are two scientific advances: the development of the Laborious Extra-Orbital Vehicle, or LEV, a mecha used for labor and military use, and the discovery of Metatron, a high-energy ore found on Callisto. Those in power on Earth begin to take a dim view of the colonists of Mars and Jupiter, calling them "Enders", and imposing harsh and exploitative laws and taxes against them. Eventually, different groups on Mars begin to rise up in opposition to Earth, the most well known of these called Bahram. A new weapon given to these rebels is the Orbital Frame, a mecha which makes extensive use of Metatron-based technology. These Orbital Frames come to shape the destiny of Earth and its colonies, for both good and evil.
Throughout the Zone of the Enders series, a number of themes and dramatic devices show up prominently. The story usually revolves around two specific Orbital Frames: Jehuty and Anubis created as the two "keys" of a superweapon called Aumaan. In the first game, Bahram forces attack Jupiter's colony Antilia to secure the two Frames, killing several civilians in the process. One of the few survivors, Leo Stenbuck, finds Jehuty and uses it to stop the Bahram soldiers. Leo is hired by the Space Force to deliver Jehuty back to their ship. On his way to the Space Force, Leo rescues several civilians; and often talks with Jehuty's artificial intelligence, A.D.A., regarding the value of life. When succeeding, Leo is requested to work for the Space Force to protect the colony from a terrorist attack. Although Leo succeeds in saving the colony, he is saddened by the revelation that A.D.A. is programmed to self-destruct Jehuty in Bahram's fortress Aumann. Shortly before the release of the sequel, Konami released a side story that explores Leo training in the Space Force and hiding Jehuty.
The sequel, Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner, is set two years after the first game. The story introduces the player to an ex-Bahram operative named Dingo Egret, who stumbles upon the hidden Jehuty. Bahram soon finds Dingo; Nohman, the leader of Bahram, wishes to have Dingo back on his side. Dingo's reluctance to go back to Bahram results in Nohman shooting him. However, Nohman's minion, Ken Marinaris, saves Dingo's life by connecting his body to Jehuty and requests his help to defeat him. Dingo agrees to defeat Nohman after learning from Leo that Jehuty will self-destruct in Aumann. Dingo joins with Leo and the Space Force to defeat the Bahram forces. In Aumann, Dingo defeats Nohman and Anubis and then uses the remains of the two Frames to stop Aumann.
The first game in the series details the story of a boy named Leo Stenbuck, a colonist from Jupiter who accidentally finds himself piloting the Orbital Frame Jehuty.
This is a side-story released for the Game Boy Advance, about a conspiracy involving the construction of Orbital Frames for Earth. The protagonist, a young man named Cage Midwell, finds himself getting involved with a resistance organization known as BIS.
A new pilot, Dingo Egret, finds Jehuty on the Moon of Callisto two years after the events of the first game and travels to the superweapon Aumaan in order to defeat Colonel Nohman of the Bahram army, who pilots Jehuty's sister craft, Anubis.
At E3 2011, Konami announced a re-release of Zone of the Enders and Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It includes updated interfaces for the HD resolutions, redrawn art, Trophy/Achievement support, improved audio, rumble support and a new opening animation produced by Sunrise, set to the theme song of Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner, "Beyond the Bounds".[2] It includes a demo for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, mirroring the first game's inclusion of the Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty demo. A PlayStation Vita version was announced but was later canceled.[3] At an event in May 2012, the HD Collection was given a release date in Japan for October 25. At the same event, Kojima confirmed that work on the next installment in the Zone of the Enders series had begun.
Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner Mars (2018)[edit]
At Tokyo Game Show 2017, Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner Mars[b] was announced, featuring enhanced graphics, 4K resolution support, VR headset support, new sound design and "next-gen surround sound".[4]
Since 2008, Zone of the Enders 3 has been in concept development by Hideo Kojima, but was kept away from game development until all the big titles were completed. On May 25, 2012, Kojima confirmed that work on the next installment in the Zone of the Enders series had begun.[5] However, the project was cancelled after Kojima Productions acknowledged issues within the HD Collection.[6]
Zone of the Enders: 2167 Idolo (released 21 February 2001) is a prequel for the entire series, telling the story of Radium Lavans, the pilot of the first Orbital Frame.
Zone of the Enders: Dolores, i (released April to September 2001) is a followup to Idolo, following the exploits of James Links, an alcoholic trucker, who, while trying to reunite with his estranged family, discovers an Orbital Frame hidden in one of his shipping containers. The frame, calling itself Dolores, seems to consider James her prince.
Zone of the Enders achieved moderate success. While the first game obtained good sales in North America as a result of including the demo for Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty,[12]Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner, received mediocre sales. Hideo Kojima cites "errors in setting the release time frame" and being overshadowed by other major titles as the reason it did not achieve high sales.[13]
Critical reception to the two PlayStation 2 titles has been positive. The action elements and graphics generated good response.[14][15] The sequel was found to have improved several elements from the first game to the point GameSpot called it "what the original Zone of the Enders should have been."[16][17] Both games have also been criticized for their story modes' short length and mixed views were offered regarding their replay value.[16][18][19] The voice acting and script translation has been panned by most writers as it made the character unappealing and the dialogue repetitive, respectively.[14][18][20]
The HD Collection ported by High Voltage Software received mixed reviews, citing that the games' graphics have been improved but suffering from an inconsistent framerate not seen in the PS2 titles as well as suffering from technical issues and lack of special content for all console versions. A patch was worked on by HexaDrive and released which improved textures, anti-aliasing, and framerate, as well as restored other visual effects, but only for the PS3 version and only affected The 2nd Runner HD Edition.[21][22]
Battlefield: Bad Company is a first-person shooter video game developed by DICE and published by Electronic Arts for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Part of the Battlefield series, it was released in North America on 23 June 2008, followed by a European release on 26 June.[4][5] The game was hinted at just before the release of Battlefield 2,[6] and announced sixteen months later.[7]
While previous installments were mostly released for PCs, Bad Company was the first game to be developed for consoles and feature a full single player campaign with characters. Its story follows protagonist Private Preston Marlowe and his exploits to steal gold from mercenaries along with his squad, in the midst of a war between the United States and Russia.
The game emphasizes squad-based combat, while retaining the vehicular and large scale multiplayer warfare of the previous entries. Bad Company also marks DICE's debut of its studio-developed Frostbite engine, which allows for highly-destructible environments; such as the ability to blow walls through houses. The engine has since been updated and used in later titles.[8]
Bad Company received mostly positive reviews from critics, who praised the story's humor and technical aspects such as sound, atmosphere and the game engine.
The player is able to use their weapon to damage the environment, enabling the player to create ambush sites or take out a sniper's cover.
In the game, players can hold one primary weapon which each has its own secondary, along with a combat knife, grenades and other picked up explosives and devices. Players start with 100 health, which is reduced by damage. Wounded players heal by using the LIFE-2 auto-injector. The environment is almost entirely destructible, but bullets cannot go through most walls. The ammunition system uses a bullet calculator, shown on the HUD, and players can endlessly repair vehicles with power tools unless they are completely destroyed. Airstrikes and Mortar Strikes can also be utilized.
Battlefield: Bad Company has an assortment of military vehicles from each of the game's three factions that can be used by the player. Tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, armored cars, attack helicopters, patrol boats, mobile anti-aircraft weapon system. Unlike some previous versions in the Battlefield series, fixed-wing aircraft such as fighter jets and bomber planes are not available in this game.
The Frostbite game engine allows 90% of the environment to be destroyed,[9] including buildings, vegetation (including trees, grass, and bushes), vehicles, other players and the ground itself. For gameplay purposes, the frames of some buildings and objects remain indestructible to prevent total destruction of key points and to prevent the map from being completely flat. Additionally, the game features dynamic lighting to correlate with the changing environment.[10]
Multiplayer supports up to 24 players. Gold Rush was the only multiplayer mode included in the initial release of Battlefield: Bad Company. The setup of the game is an Attackers vs. Defenders scenario. The eight initial maps are Harvest Day, Over and Out, End of the Line, Ascension, Valley Run, Deconstruction, Oasis, and Final Ignition, each with destructible environments, certain atmospheres, and vehicles. One team must defend two crates filled with gold while the other team attempts to destroy the crates. Once the crates are destroyed, more of the map is available to fight on with new crates appearing, along with added reinforcement numbers. The attacking team has a limited amount of respawns to achieve their goal of capturing the 3-5 gold stashes either by setting charges or simply destroying the two crates of gold at each base. The defending team has an unlimited amount of respawns available, but their goal is to exhaust the attacking teams respawns.[11]
The Conquest game mode returned to Bad Company due to overwhelming requests from players during the beta testing. Conquest was the prevalent game-mode in many of the preceding Battlefield games, and involves reducing the opponents' "ticket" meter by scoring kills and capturing strategically placed flags. This mode was available as a free download post-launch, the release date was 7 August 2008.[12] The Conquest pack included modified versions of the Ascension, End of the Line, Oasis and Harvest Day maps.
A new map pack featuring more conquest maps, and trophies for both offline and online play on the PlayStation 3 version, was released on 30 October 2008, and the Xbox 360 version releasing on 31 October 2008. The maps included 4 modified singleplayer maps such as Acta non Verba, Ghost Town, Par for the Course, and Crossing Over.
The game has 25 ranks, each from the U.S. Army (corporal, sergeant, colonel etc.). Unlock credits may be obtained by ranking up and then the aforementioned credits may be used to unlock weapons. However, the weapons included with the Find All Five program may not be unlocked using these credits. Unlock credits are not granted with every rank. A particular selection of five weapons may be unlocked only by ranking up to Rank 25 or by purchasing the Gold Edition.
Players can earn different types of awards. Trophies are awarded for multiple kills in a certain class, kills to defend an objective and for other team-related actions. These can be awarded to the player multiple times during the game. Patches can be earned for gaining certain trophies and then completing certain criteria in an online match. Patches can only be awarded once to a player. Wildcards are awarded once to a player for a combination of many different criteria. These are harder than trophies and patches to unlock. In addition to these in-game awards, the game is compatible with achievements for the Xbox 360 and trophies for the PlayStation 3.
In a move similar to Battlefield 2142, the number of soldier classes is small compared to previous games in the series, resulting in a combination of the classic soldier classes. The classes in this game are:
Assault, an all-around good soldier class, armed with an assault rifle, a 40 mm grenade launcher and the ability to heal himself
Demolition, an anti-vehicle soldier equipped with a shotgun, a rocket launcher, and anti-vehicle land mines
Recon, a long range class with a sniper rifle, a handgun, a throwable motion sensor and guided smart bomb
Specialist, a close-range class with a suppressed submachine gun and C4 for destroying objects and environments that can be destroyed, or vehicles such as tanks and armored cars.
Support, an anti-personnel class with a light machine gun, large ammo capacity, healing equipment for soldiers and vehicles, and an unlockable mortar strike device to call in a bombardment on a particular area.
Each class wields a main weapon of choice (maximum of five optional guns per class), three secondary weapons/gadgets, and a knife for quick kills. With a knife one can rank up faster than with any other weapon, since one receives both the standard points for a kill as well as the slain player's dog tags (which grant a hefty point bonus, depending on their level).[13]
The game is set in the near future and focuses on the fictional first Russo-American War between the United States and Russian Federation, mainly in the fictional country of Serdaristan. It follows a four-man fireteam from "B" Company of the 222nd Army battalion, commonly called "Bad Company," composed of troublemakers whose use in the battlefield is limited to the role of cannon fodder. Private Preston Marlowe (David Menkin), newly transferred to the company, is the game's protagonist. The more intelligent but nervous Private Terrence Sweetwater (Richard Lynson) serves as a foil to Private George Gordon Haggard Jr. (Nigel Whitmey), a pyromaniac and the comic relief of the story. Sergeant Samuel D. Redford (Bruce Johnson) is the team's leader. He is the first to volunteer for his position in exchange for shortening his term of service and has only three days left to serve. The campaign takes place in the fictional Caucasian country of Serdaristan, and a fictional Middle Eastern city called Sadiz near the Caspian Sea.[14]
Preston Marlowe is a U.S. soldier transferred to Bad Company and embarks on his first mission with his new squad. After a relatively informal introduction to fellow squadmates, Redford, Sweetwater, and Haggard, they begin by seizing Russian artillery positions and turning the guns on advancing enemy armor. Proceeding to knock out several anti-air batteries, clearing the way for advancing armor and taking control of the city of Zabograd, the group stumble upon a Legionnaire encampment: mercenaries whose leader is The Legionnaire (Nathan Osgood), a ruthless commander. The Legionnaires are possibly the deadliest army in the world, according to Sweetwater, who also mentions how each is paid in solid gold bars. Transported to a dock farther away from the U.S. Army, they spot more Legionnaires loading a supply truck with gold. The truck drives past the border into nearby Serdaristan, a neutral state in the conflict. Despite Redford ordering the squad to withdraw from the area, Haggard, excited over the prospect of getting gold, runs after the trucks, single-handedly invading a neutral country.
The squad pursues Haggard to stop him from causing further damage. When they find him, mission coordinator Mike-One-Juliet (Jennifer Woodward) calls Redford, stating that he would be subject to a court martial for Haggard's offense, as well as raising his service time. Since they have no other choice but to run, Redford flippantly suggests that they pursue the gold even further to a harbor and a ship that is loaded with gold. The group fights their way there only to get caught by U.S. forces. The Army agrees that the squad will have their charges dropped if they investigate Serdaristan since they are officially AWOL, removing U.S. liability. The squad's orders are to capture the eccentric dictator of Serdaristan, Zavomir Serdar (Stefan Ashton Frank). Soon, Serdaristan is considered at war after shooting down the squad's UH-60 Black Hawk transport helicopter, and the group advances to the dictator's palace by way of his personal golf course, where he tells them that the Legionnaires had invaded in order to pay for his bill. As they attempt to escape, they are informed that the U.S. Army is severing all ties with them, and they must find their own way out. The squad escapes with Serdar on his golden Mil Mi-24 helicopter, pursued by the Legionnaires.
Serdar reluctantly directs them to Serdaristan's military nexus, where the helicopter is used to destroy an oil refinery and the country's internet service station. After a long flight, the helicopter is shot down by a black Ka-52 helicopter in Russia. Preston wakes up alone and, with help from Mike-One-Juliet, is reunited with his squad at a monastery. Serdar, however, is captured, and the squad saves him from execution by the Legionnaires. Escaping in a boat, they leave Serdar on a small, isolated island as the exile he was seeking and arrive in Sadiz, a city under construction somewhere on the Caspian Sea. On the beach, the squad spots the ship they saw earlier in Serdaristan. Advancing past resistance, they learn that the U.S. Army is also mounting an offensive there and fear competition for the gold. They then make a deal to share some of the gold with Mike-One-Juliet in exchange for mission support.
After slowing down the U.S. Army's offensive by blowing up two bridges, the squad reaches a gold-filled garage but is attacked by the Legionnaire leader in his personal Ka-52, the same helicopter from before. Preston manages to shoot down The Legionnaire, and the squad returns to the gold, only to find the U.S. Army loading it into supply trucks. Presuming defeat, they are spotted by the commanding officer. Preston convinces him that they are Army operatives, and the officer orders them to take a truck of the gold and join the convoy. The squad happily obliges but sneak out of the convoy with their truck while acclaiming their intentions to spend the gold with Sweetwater intends to pay for his post-graduate study, Haggard wants to buy a monster truck, and Redford wants to build a mansion in the countryside and enjoy fishing. Meanwhile, at the Ka-52 crash site, The Legionnaire rises from the burning wreckage, seemingly unhurt, with a vengeful expression.
"Find All Five" is a way for players to unlock specific weapons. The game's official website includes promotional events that give the player codes for unlockable weapons. These "Find All Five" weapons include the F2000 Belgian assault rifle, USAS-12 automatic shotgun, M60 general purpose machine gun, QBU-88 sniper rifle and silenced Uzi sub-machine gun.
The five events from EA's website instructed users to participate in the Battlefield Veteran's program, check the player's stats online after playing the game, register for the BF newsletter, pre-order the game through participating stores, and get to rank 4 in the demo.
Upon learning about this system, many players were angered as it meant that a potential in-game advantage would be given to players willing to pay extra money for pre-orders, or share their personal information when signing up for the newsletter.
On 11 September 2008, Battlefield: Bad Company's website revealed that three of the Find All Five codes would be released due to lack of availability. These three guns were the QBU-88 Sniper Rifle, M60 Light Machine Gun and the Silenced Mini Uzi Sub-Machine Gun. The USAS12 Full-Automatic Shotgun code was leaked later. The F2000 Assault Rifle is being withheld as an exclusive weapon for veterans of the series.
On 21 March 2023, it was announced that the game would be delisted from digital storefronts on 28 April, along with its sequel and Battlefield 1943.[16] The servers were shut down on 8 December 2023.[17][18]
Battlefield: Bad Company received positive reviews. Professional reviews for the game have been very positive. A large portion of praise went to the game's realistically destructible environments, impressive weapons, variety of gameplay and vehicles, and its "extraordinary" multiplayer gameplay. Criticism was mainly on a sluggish opening and graphics.
IGN noted several flaws in the game, but still gave the game a very positive score of 8.6.[23]Giant Bomb gave it a 5/5 saying, "It looks great, has fun characters, a load of interesting weaponry, and works nicely whether you're playing alone or with a squad."[25]
Official PlayStation Magazine gave 90 score noting "It's not the best-looking game, it's clunky in its controls, but it delivers where it counts with a fun experience that will keep you entertained through to its conclusion".[citation needed]GameSpot praised the game with a score of 8.5 "Great" noting "Battlefield Bad Company is the most fun, addictive shooter released so far this year".[22] 1UP criticized the game's poor AI with an average score "75" saying "With a thumping sound and sudden cloud of dust, grenades erase whole sections of houses. Bullets, however, stop dead in the thinnest wood slat. But what Bad Company needs isn't a trip to a real-life firing range – it's its inflexible A.I. that requires the lessons".[21]
Mirror's Edge is a 2008 first-personaction-adventureplatform game developed by DICE and published by Electronic Arts. The game was released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in November 2008, and for Windows in January 2009. Set in a near-future city, it follows the story of Faith Connors, an underground parkour courier who transmits messages while evading government surveillance. To progress through the game, the player must control Faith from a first-person perspective and complete a series of levels that involve performing a sequence of acrobatic manoeuvres, including jumping between rooftops, running across walls, and sliding down zip lines.
Inspired by chase scenes featured in Casino Royale and the Bourne films, Mirror's Edge features hundreds of first-person animations to convey Faith's movement and interactions with the environment. Although the game is powered by Unreal Engine 3, a new lighting solution, which is able to reflect colors and create a lot of soft shadows, was created to give the game a unique art style. The game deliberately makes use of strong primary colors, with outdoor environments predominantly featuring white and distinctively lacking in green. The game was written by Rhianna Pratchett, and its score was composed by electronic music artist Solar Fields, while the main theme song was composed by Swedish producers Rami Yacoub and Arnthor Birgisson and performed by Swedish musician Lisa Miskovsky.
Upon release, Mirror's Edge received generally positive reviews from critics. They praised its visuals and immersive first-person perspective, but some criticized its trial and error gameplay and restrictive levels. The game sold around 2.5 million units by June 2013, and won Adventure Game of the Year at the 2009 Interactive Achievement Awards. Retrospectively, it has grown in esteem and developed a passionate fanbase due to its unique style. A prequel to the game, also titled Mirror's Edge, was released for mobile devices in 2010. A reboot that explores a new origin story for Faith, titled Mirror's Edge Catalyst, was released in 2016.
The player jumps towards a zip line, which is highlighted in red by the game's navigation system.
Mirror's Edge is an action-adventureplatform game where the player must control the protagonist, Faith Connors, from a first-person perspective and navigate a city.[2] To progress through the game and its storyline, the player needs to complete a series of levels that involve performing a linear sequence of acrobatic manoeuvres.[3] These include jumping between rooftops, running across walls, climbing pipes, walking along ledges, sliding down zip lines, and getting past opponents controlled by the game's artificial intelligence.[4] Faith's arms, legs, and torso are prominent and their visibility is used to convey her movement and interactions with the environment.[5] Her momentum is an important aspect of the gameplay,[6] as preserving it through multiple obstacles allows the player to run faster, jump farther and climb higher.[4] To help players chain moves seamlessly, the game employs a navigation system, called Runner Vision, which turns certain objects in a bold red color as Faith approaches them, allowing the player to instantly recognize paths and escape routes.[5]
Although the player can perform melee attacks and disarm opponents,[6] using weapons is generally discouraged as they slow Faith down and hinder her acrobatic abilities.[4] For example, carrying a weapon that is heavier than a pistol prevents the player from being able to jump and grab ledges.[4] Weapons have a finite magazine and must be discarded when they run out of ammunition.[4] If Faith has preserved enough momentum,[4] the player may use an ability called Reaction Time, which temporarily slows the gameplay down and allows the player to time their next move.[2] Faith has a certain amount of health which automatically regenerates when she does not take damage for a brief period. If Faith falls off a significantly high position or her health is fully depleted, the player must start the level again from the latest checkpoint.[4] In each level, the player may also find and collect three hidden yellow bags. These encourage the player to explore the game and unlock achievements.[7]
In addition to the game's story mode, Mirror's Edge features a time trial mode where the player must complete courses as fast as possible.[8] Each course is divided into multiple sections and has three qualifying times to beat. Although the first courses are unlocked as the player progresses through the story mode, additional courses can be unlocked by beating qualifying times.[9] Records can be uploaded to online leaderboards, where the player can compare their performance with others. The player may also download recordings of other players, called Ghosts, to show them the path they took through a course and help them improve their records.[9] Additional achievements can be unlocked by reaching certain milestones.[7]
Mirror's Edge is set in a near-future city where life is comfortable and crime is almost non-existent.[10] The city's state of bliss is achieved by an oppressive regime that controls the media and its citizens. An underground crew of parkour couriers, called Runners, operate independently from the city's security and surveillance measures, delivering private goods and sensitive information. At the same time, a new candidate, Robert Pope, is challenging the incumbent Mayor Callaghan on a platform of deregulation. The game follows the story of Faith Connors, a 24-year-old Runner who lost her mother when campaigning against the city shifting from its vibrant atmosphere to its current regime 18 years before the game's events. Faith was trained by former Runner Mercury "Merc," who now provides her with intelligence and radio support. Faith's twin sister, Kate, is a disciplined police officer who has a lot of affection for Faith but is also committed to protecting the city.[11]
After completing a delivery to fellow Runner Celeste, Faith learns that Pope has been killed and that her sister has been framed for his murder. Faith tries to get Kate to flee with her, but she refuses, saying it would only make her look guilty. After making her way through the city's storm drains, Faith learns from former Runner Jacknife that Pope's head of security, Travis "Ropeburn" Burfield, may be connected to Pope's murder. She then infiltrates Ropeburn's office, where she overhears him setting up a secret meeting at an unfinished building. Faith informs Kate's wary superior officer, Lieutenant Miller, of what she has learned, but he refuses to help her. Later at the meeting, Faith confronts Ropeburn, who admits that he framed Kate and hired someone to kill Pope, but he is killed by a sniper shortly afterward. Before he dies, Ropeburn tells Faith that he was going to meet the assassin at the New Eden Mall. Faith heads there, but the killer flees once they see Faith. Lacking other leads, Faith investigates the security firm that has begun aiding the police forces in capturing Runners. She finds they are behind Project Icarus, a program designed to train special forces to eliminate Runners and control the city. Faith follows the trail of Ropeburn's killer to a boat that is docked at a nearby wharf. There, she learns that the assassin is Celeste, who decided to collude with Project Icarus to live a more comfortable life. She also explains that Pope had to be killed because he was seen as a threat, especially once he discovered Project Icarus.[12]
With Kate convicted of Pope's murder, Merc helps Faith find a way to ambush the police convoy that is transporting her to prison. Faith succeeds and sends Kate to Merc's hideout while she leads the police forces away. Upon her return, Faith finds Merc critically injured and his hideout completely ransacked. Before he dies, Merc tells Faith that Kate has been taken to the Shard, the tallest skyscraper in the city and Callaghan's fortress. With Miller's help, Faith breaks into the Shard, destroying the servers that run the city's surveillance systems. On the rooftop helipad, she finds Kate held at gunpoint by Jacknife, who reveals that he is also part of Project Icarus. As Jacknife takes Kate onto a departing helicopter, Faith jumps onto it and knocks him out to his death. Faith and Kate then jump off to safety before the helicopter crashes.[12] During the game's end credits, the media reports that Faith's actions have only served to intensify the city's security and that the location of both Faith and Kate remains unknown.[13]
Mirror's Edge was developed by the Swedish company DICE as part of an effort to create something fresh and interesting, anticipating a need to diversify away from the successful Battlefield franchise the studio was known for.[14] The game was conceived in July 2006, when the studio decided to create a first-person game that would not be like a traditional first-person shooter, a genre that was considered very crowded at the time.[15] Because first-person shooters typically focus on weapons and technology, the studio wanted Mirror's Edge to focus on the player character and their physicality.[15] The opening chase scene of Casino Royale and the way Jason Bourne fights and runs in the Bourne film series were major inspirations for the game.[16] Originally, the development team experimented with the player being able to drive vehicles, but the idea was ultimately dropped because they felt it would break the flow of the game.[15] The game's protagonist emerged from a sketch illustrating an athletic female hacker, who art director Johannes Söderqvist felt suited the game very well. He explained that he was interested in a strong female character that would appeal to both women and men, and who became a hero not because of high-tech weapons, but because of her physical abilities.[15]
Although some of the game's first-person mechanics were first prototyped in the Battlefield 2 engine,[15]Mirror's Edge was built using Epic Games' Unreal Engine 3 because DICE's own Frostbite engine was still in the early stages of its development cycle when production of the game started.[17] Creating all the first-person animations proved to be an ambitious task, but it was considered essential to help orient players in the game world.[15] The game has hundreds of first-person animations and simple moves like using a ladder has over 40 animations alone. These include interactions such as jumping into it from multiple positions, climbing it up or down, or hanging on it with one hand.[15] Although the game has a believable first-person perspective, it is not meant to be a simulation. For example, the player is able to stop quickly after a full sprint because the development team felt that keeping the inertia would make the gameplay irritating.[18] To animate the character's in-game shadows, a different animation system runs simultaneously.[15] The only information that is visible in the game's heads-up display is a small reticle in the center of the screen, which was added to lessen the simulation sickness associated with the free movement of the camera in first-person view.[19]
Mirror's Edge deliberately makes use of strong primary colors, with outdoor environments predominantly featuring white and distinctively lacking in green.[20] According to senior producer Owen O'Brien, this stylistic choice grew out of the gameplay, as it allows the player to focus on the Runner Vision guidance. It also serves as a health meter because the colors become less saturated as Faith starts to take damage.[19] A new lighting solution, called Beast, was developed by Illuminate Labs, a company based in south of Sweden, in association with DICE.[21] This technology is able to reflect colors and create a lot of soft shadows, giving the game a unique art style.[21] Getting the lighting right was a difficult process for the development team, as it involved a lot of hand tweaking and a considerable amount of time to render each level.[15] To speed up the rendering process, DICE invested in around 400 CPU cores, which were kept cool in a separate room by a very big air conditioning unit.[15] The storm drains in the game's third level were inspired by Tokyo's Underground Discharge Channel.[22] The game's animated cutscenes were created by an external agency because DICE had no experience with 2D animations, while some of the game's art assets were created by a company based in Shanghai, China.[21]
The game's working title was "Project Faith" until it was changed to its current one in mid 2007, suggesting that the game's city is a mirror to its inhabitants.[15] American TV series Firefly and its film spin-off Serenity were cited as major influences on the setting.[21] Writer Rhianna Pratchett, who was hired a year and a half before the game was released, described the society portrayed in the game as somewhere between an anti-utopia and a nanny state, stating that the game explores the contrast between citizens who give up their personal freedom for a comfortable life and those who prefer to live on the edge freely.[10] O'Brien deliberately chose not to give the city a proper name because it was considered an amalgamation of many different cities,[19] blending both East and West aesthetics.[21] Around two and a half hours of in-game music were composed by electronic music artist Solar Fields. To ensure there was a good flow between the player and the game world, the score was designed to be very interactive and different parts transition seamlessly.[15] The game's main theme song, "Still Alive", was composed by Swedish producers Rami Yacoub and Arnthor Birgisson and performed by Swedish pop star Lisa Miskovsky.[15] The game went gold on November 6, 2008 and took nearly two years to complete.[21][23]
Mirror's Edge was first revealed to be in development when an image of Faith holding a pistol was released in June 2007.[24] The game was formally announced by Electronic Arts at E3 in July 2007, where DICE stated that they wanted to bring innovation to established first-person mechanics.[25] A video featuring in-game footage was presented at the Game Developers Conference in February 2008,[26] while a playable demonstration of the game was showcased at E3 in July 2008.[27] At that year's E3 Game Critics Awards, Mirror's Edge won Best Original Game.[28] New in-game footage showing a portion of the game's third level was subsequently presented at the Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany in August 2008.[22] To stimulate interest in the game's universe, Electronic Arts partnered with WildStorm to produce a six-issue comic book adaptation drawn by artist Matthew Dow Smith and written by Pratchett.[29] A demo comprising a small portion of the game was released on the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live services in October 2008.[30] If the game was pre-ordered at certain retailers, buyers could gain access to a time trial portion of the demo and get a Mirror's Edge T-shirt by Fenchurch.[31][32]
Mirror's Edge was first released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles in North America on November 11, 2008,[23] followed by a European release on November 14, 2008.[31] Alongside the standard edition, a collector's edition, which included a red bag manufactured by Timbuk2, was made available for purchase.[33] A remix album, Still Alive: The Remixes, featuring the Mirror's Edge theme song "Still Alive", was also released. Contributing artists include Benny Benassi, Junkie XL, Paul van Dyk, Teddybears and Armand van Helden.[34] A Microsoft Windows version of the game was released in North America on January 13, 2009,[35] and in Europe on January 16, 2009.[36] Unlike its console counterparts, the Microsoft Windows version supports Nvidia's PhysX technology, which improves graphical effects such as glass shattering, debris, and smoke.[37] It also includes the SecuROMdigital rights management software,[38] unless bought on Steam.[39]
A new downloadable map for the game's time trial mode was exclusively released on the PlayStation Store for PlayStation 3 users on January 29, 2009.[40] Seven additional time trial maps, which take place in surreal-looking stages outside of the game's city, were released for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows versions of the game on February 19, 2009.[41] This was followed by Mirror's Edge 2D, a browser game adaptation by The Fancy Pants Adventures developer Brad Borne.[41] A prequel to the game, also titled Mirror's Edge, was released for mobile devices in 2010.[42] Due to the use of the "Mirror's Edge" trademark, Electronic Arts was in conflict with California-based development studio Edge Games, who claimed the true legal ownership of the word "Edge" and its variations, including the phrases "Cutting Edge", "The Edge", and "Gamer's Edge". Ultimately, Edge Games settled with Electronic Arts and surrendered many of its trademarks on April 17, 2013.[43]
Mirror's Edge received "generally favorable" reviews from critics, according to review aggregator website Metacritic.[45] The Microsoft Windows version was considered superior to its console counterparts due to its more accurate controls and extra graphical features such as PhysX effects.[51][53]Game Informer described Mirror's Edge as an inspiring and "genre-defining" game,[49] while Computer and Video Games called it "an extraordinary and special game", stating that it takes fatigued first-person mechanics into a new and daring direction.[6] Other reviewers were not as positive towards the game.[47][50]Eurogamer considered Mirror's Edge a very divisive game, with both gaping flaws and moments of brilliance.[48]Edge felt that the game lacks depth because it forces the player to follow a predefined path, thus failing to capture anything that made parkour popular,[47] while GameRevolution found the game to be very frustrating and unforgiving.[50]
The game's visuals and soundtrack were praised very positively.[3][5][8][49]Game Informer felt that the mix of protuberant white environments with solid primary colors creates "one of gaming's finest spectacles, and a surreal world for gamers to navigate."[49] The Runner Vision guidance system was said to fit the game's art style,[49] and the setting alone was considered powerful enough to make up the game's story,[48] with The Guardian stating that Mirror's Edge is more about the environment than the people who inhabit it.[52] Critics remarked that the game's interactive soundtrack makes Faith's runs more fluid,[3][49] while sound effects such as her breathy heaves and noisy footsteps were said to enhance the sense of speed and tension.[3] The voice acting was also highlighted, with IGN noting that characters never sound "cheesy or unbelievable".[5] However, the story was criticized for its confusing plot points and the stylistic choice of animated cutscenes were said to lack the dramatic flair of the gameplay.[48][49][50]
The gameplay was praised for its responsive controls and immersive first-person perspective.[2][6][8][49]Game Informer noted Faith's fluid acrobatic maneuvers, stating that the game succeeds at making the player feel like they are part of the game world.[6]IGN editor Nate Ahearn agreed, saying that Faith's movement is accentuated by little nuances on-screen, which together "produce the best feeling of movement and momentum that I've gotten my hands on in a [video game]."[5] The game's trial and error gameplay frustrated some critics.[2][48][50]GameSpot remarked that the scenarios that involve getting past opponents are particularly annoying and require careful planning because Faith is extrem
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