Details On Star Wars Battlefront’s Drop Zone Mode
As we get closer to the launch of Star Wars Battlefront in November, EA have released some details on one of the game modes, “Drop Zone”. This mode is similar to “King of the Hill”-style experiences, where the objective centers on drop pods falling through the atmosphere onto the planet surfaces. This game features a tight 8-versus-8 match which sees Rebel and Empire teams fight to capture and control these pods.
According to the EA blog, when you locate a drop pod’s landing site, make your way to it and trigger the short claim process. Your team will win if it captures five pods, or control the majority of them after the 10-minute match is up. If a pod is constantly changing possession with no team able to defend it long enough to claim it, another pod will be sent down to break the stalemate. Then, there would be two pods that the teams have to gain control over.
EA have explained that Drop Zone is all about action and quick thinking, forcing Rebels and Imperial troops to always be on their feet. Though captured pods need to be defended, static players standing in a cluster too close to their pod always run the risk of being hit by explosives or a well-placed Orbital Strike.
Lead Level Designer Dennis Brännvall explained that “This goes hand in hand with our design philosophy behind many of the game modes in Star Wars Battlefront. We’re promoting the idea of a fast, action-packed game where you need to be mobile and think on your feet. Camping doesn’t really pay off.”
EA gave some details on this mode saying that apart from playing the objective and bringing your team to victory, claiming pods comes with another perk: they contain Power Pickups. Once successfully claimed, the pod will start to open. This will take a moment, but staying around to get your hands on the contents can definitely be worth the risk. The choice is yours, though; when your claimed pod is opening up, another one will hit the surface elsewhere and going for that one could be the smarter move.
That isn’t all as there are other ways to master Drop Zone. For instance, using the Droids™ and Turrets in your arsenal can be an excellent strategic move. Since it’s somewhat hard to predict which areas you’ll be defending, makeshift defenses like these are great to deploy. Throw down a turret and give your partner a shout that you’ve got this section covered, or deploy a Viper Droid that outlines where enemies are coming from.
The Drop Zone mode can be played on different planets including Tatooine, Hoth, Sullust, or the moon of Endor. Lead Level Designer Dennis Brännval explained “Playing Drop Zone on the Swamp Crash Site on Endor is a personal favorite. The map has a couple of nice choke points but is overall very free-flowing and hectic, as enemies can attack from anywhere on that level. The fight takes place around a crashed GR-75 transport ship with containers from the craft strewn across the landscape, and there’s one section with a waterfall overlooked by an Ewok village, where you have to jump down into the pool below in order to claim the pod, hoping no one’s hiding in the trees above waiting to pick you off.”
Are you excited for Star Wars Battlefront?