Star Wars: Battlefront – DICE Developer Diary #1 – Game

There was a moment where I thought the last week might have inured me, tired me out, given me a tolerance to Star Wars news.

Then I caught a brief look at the render for the X-Wing in DICE’s first developer diary for Star Wars: Battlefront and the matter of whether or not I was over my Star Wars limit was quickly settled.

This is the first in a series of developer diaries from DICE, and as such it is barely more than an introduction. Design Director Niklaus Fegraeus’s voice-over provides little in the way of new information but the Developer Diary does give us a slightly closer and longer look at some of the footage from last week’s in-engine trailer, as well as a few quick peeks at detail shots of Hoth, Tatooine and/or Jakku, and the long-mentioned but never seen Sullust.

Also of note was the focus on the Death Star 2 model at Skywalker Ranch, possibly hinting at yet-to-be-seen content on the forest moon of Endor.  I don’t think it was ever in question that this game was going to be pretty, but seeing the combination of unprecedented access to film assets and the effect of photogrammetry technology on the visuals, it would be difficult to describe Star Wars: Battlefront as anything but breath-takingly gorgeous.

Additionally, the authenticity won’t be limited to the visuals – the DICE team visited Skywalker Sound to sample directly from the original effects from the films, promising an incredibly authentic and immersive experience.

[youtube]https://youtu.be/XKUSfUYOnls[/youtube]

Tucked into the video is our first look at the split-screen Partner mode shown at minute mark 1:55, and just prior to that, a gorgeous look at the X-Wing rendered by photogrammetry into the Frostbyte engine.

Photogrammetry is the future of visual fidelity in digital worlds.
Photogrammetry is the future of visual fidelity in digital worlds.

Another interesting takeaway from this trailer is the specific phrasing surrounding the Battle of Jakku: “The pivotal moment when the New Republic confronted key Imperial holdouts on the remote desert planet on the Outer Rim.” Given last year’s expulsion of Expanded Universe lore as canon, this gives us an interesting insight into what direction official canon will take – the New Republic is still the official title for the post-rebellion government, and it is clear that the Empire was pushed out of certain seats of power. It also establishes Jakku’s location in the Star Wars galaxy.

Excited about Star Wars: Battlefront? Check back over the next few months for the latest details and updates on DICE’s highly-anticipated November release!