[TheAccuser]

Has anyone else tried running BF3? I get the following error when launching the game:

This game will not run in a virtual environment. Please use your main Windows environment to play.

[martinmc78]

Damn...

Saw the title of your thread and got so excited a little bit of wee came out.

Thought i was going to see a clip of it running.

[Salman Shah]

So, BF3 does not work on SP?

[failed1234]

Probably wouldn't anyway. Ultrabooks not the best for those games.
Sent from my HTC 8x using Board Express

[Talderon]

Has anyone else tried running BF3? I get the following error when launching the game:

This game will not run in a virtual environment. Please use your main Windows environment to play.

This is an issue EA and Origin are working on fixing. They are aware and working to make things work.

[a5cent]

Although it would be neat, this isn't an issue. The minimal system specs clearly state a graphics card is required:

Graphic card: DirectX 10 or 11 compatible Nvidia or AMD ATI card, ATI Radeon 3870 or higher, Nvidia GeForce 8800 GT or higher.

Expecting any game like this to run on Intels IGP is somewhat of a stretch... if they ever get it to run it will look ghastly... the surface pro just isn't the right tool for the "job"... as previously mentioned, neither is any other ultrabook.

[TheAccuser]

Although it would be neat, this isn't an issue. The minimal system specs clearly state a graphics card is required:

Graphic card: DirectX 10 or 11 compatible Nvidia or AMD ATI card, ATI Radeon 3870 or higher, Nvidia GeForce 8800 GT or higher.

Expecting any game like this to run on Intels IGP is somewhat of a stretch... if they ever get it to run it will look ghastly... the surface pro just isn't the right tool for the "job"... as previously mentioned, neither is any other ultrabook.

FWIW, I can play Arma 2 / DayZ on my Surface Pro and this is what they list for the minimum specs:

"GPU (Nvidia Geforce 7800 / ATI Radeon 1800 or faster) with Shader Model 3 and 256 MB VRAM"

[a5cent]

FWIW, I can play Arma 2 / DayZ on my Surface Pro and this is what they list for the minimum specs:

"GPU (Nvidia Geforce 7800 / ATI Radeon 1800 or faster) with Shader Model 3 and 256 MB VRAM"

Yeah, you are right. It isn't quite that simple. The thing is, that 7800 GPU (listed for Arma 2) came out eight years ago. The IGPs (integrated graphics processors) that ship with current Intel Core CPUs may perform rather poorly by todays standards, but they certainly can keep up with the graphics cards from so long ago. Expectedly, todays IGP's will run Arma 2 just fine.

Contrast that to BF3, which is based on one of the most demanding graphics engines ever built. BF3 was designed explicitly to push the envelope in terms of graphics quality. It was deliberately built to redefine high end PC graphics. Expecting that to run on an Intel IGP, the lowest-end graphics hardware currently available, is a little ridiculous. It's like buying a Ferrari and strapping that to two horses, instead of ever turning on the engine. It just doesn't make much sense. Anyone buying that kind of game really should get the graphics hardware to do it justice.

[TheAccuser]

Yeah, you are right. It isn't quite that simple. The thing is, that 7800 GPU (listed for Arma 2) came out eight years ago. The IGPs (integrated graphics processors) that ship with current Intel Core CPUs may perform rather poorly by todays standards, but they certainly can keep up with the graphics cards from so long ago. Expectedly, todays IGP's will run Arma 2 just fine.

Contrast that to BF3, which is based on one of the most demanding graphics engines ever built. BF3 was designed explicitly to push the envelope in terms of graphics quality. It was deliberately built to redefine high end PC graphics. Expecting that to run on an Intel IGP, the lowest-end graphics hardware currently available, is a little ridiculous. It's like buying a Ferrari and strapping that to two horses, instead of ever turning on the engine. It just doesn't make much sense. Anyone buying that kind of game really should get the graphics hardware to do it justice.

Yeah, I agree...nobody should expect to buy a Surface Pro and play a game like BF3 in it's fully glory. But, for someone like me that built a $2500 rig just for BF3 last year...it would be cool to get it to run on my SP for when I'm traveling. Even if it's just to play the campaign that I haven't gotten around to doing yet.

[a5cent]

Yeah, I agree...nobody should expect to buy a Surface Pro and play a game like BF3 in it's fully glory. But, for someone like me that built a $2500 rig just for BF3 last year...it would be cool to get it to run on my SP for when I'm traveling. Even if it's just to play the campaign that I haven't gotten around to doing yet.

Well, I'll keep my fingers crossed that DICE get it to run for you! I just won't be surprised if they give up before succeeding (it will be one h3ll of an engineering task).

[TheAccuser]

Well, I'll keep my fingers crossed that DICE get it to run for you! I just won't be surprised if they give up before succeeding (it will be one h3ll of an engineering task).

It will run it, and well enough to be playable. It's already been proven that the Intel HD 4000 is sufficient enough for most modern games, including BF3.

[a5cent]

It will run it, and well enough to be playable. It's already been proven that the Intel HD 4000 is sufficient enough for most modern games, including BF3.

Hey, you're right. Only just looked it up and noticed that BF does already run on some HD 4000 based systems. Pretty amazing. Then it is strange that it doesn't run on SP.

Still, 26 FPS on lowest quality settings at 1024x768 isn't exactly what I would call sufficient for a competitive online first person shooter. For campaign mode, like you said, sure, why not.

Hope they get it running soon.

[TheAccuser]

Hey, you're right. Only just looked it up and noticed that BF does already run on some HD 4000 based systems. Pretty amazing. Then it is strange that it doesn't run on SP.

Still, 26 FPS on lowest quality settings at 1024x768 isn't exactly what I would call sufficient for a competitive online first person shooter. For campaign mode, like you said, sure, why not.

Hope they get it running soon.

It's actually an issue with all Origin games. Their stupid software thinks Surface Pro is running Win8 in a VM..

[jlynnm350z]

I just started playing bf3 again. Got really board with it for a while there. Once crises 3 comes out plus metro, gears of war. . . Lot of good games coming out soon. I'm afraid bf3 is about to collect some more dust. Multiplayer was never very challenging anyway, I was always first. It was like I was this invincible destruction of death walking around. You would die if I just looked at you. . . . Lol. . . . Yeah

[jlzimmerman]

I am always amazed that people want/expect to play high-end, graphically-intensive and intrusive games on tablet/ tablet-LT hybrids.

[freestaterocker]

I am always amazed that people want/expect to play high-end, graphically-intensive and intrusive games on tablet/ tablet-LT hybrids.

Non-techy people are a different breed, man. They think "if Xbox version of BF3 runs on any Xbox, then the PC version should work on my Toshiba Netbook ask long as I get the external DVD ROM". They don't understand. Console gaming spoiled people. You can drop a few hundred bucks on a console and it will run any game available for that console because it's a standardized platform. PC gaming is like Android, in a way...

[a5cent]

They don't understand. Console gaming spoiled people. You can drop a few hundred bucks on a console and it will run any game available for that console because it's a standardized platform. PC gaming is like Android, in a way...

Ding! Ding! Ding! 1000 points for freestaterocker!

The existence of widespread hardware fragmentation in both the Windows PC and Android space make them conceptually identical in this regard!

WP also wants to be a standardized platform... the console of the smartphone space, if you will.

[freestaterocker]

Ding! Ding! Ding! 1000 points for freestaterocker!

The existence of widespread hardware fragmentation in both the Windows PC and Android space make them conceptually identical in this regard!

WP also wants to be a standardized platform... the console of the smartphone space, if you will.

Can I exchange those points for gamerscore? :D

[Ted Ritsick]

As fragmented as PC gaming is, I'd still love to hear about all those top-notch games that run on Linux and a Mac.

[TheAccuser]

I am always amazed that people want/expect to play high-end, graphically-intensive and intrusive games on tablet/ tablet-LT hybrids.

BF3 is one of the most scalable modern games. I am a huge BF3 fan, and have been playing since launch on a $2500 rig...getting BF3 running on my Surface Pro while I'm stuck in a hotel room is enticing.

I am always amazed when trolls decide to give their 2 cents. Thanks for the great contribution.

[TheAccuser]

Same HD 4000, but an i7 vs i5...so SP would perform below this, but still hopeful. He's playing multiplayer though which is a bit more demanding than campaign.

[jlynnm350z]

Non-techy people are a different breed, man. They think "if Xbox version of BF3 runs on any Xbox, then the PC version should work on my Toshiba Netbook ask long as I get the external DVD ROM". They don't understand. Console gaming spoiled people. You can drop a few hundred bucks on a console and it will run any game available for that console because it's a standardized platform. PC gaming is like Android, in a way...

[jlynnm350z]

I take your a PC gamer and not a console player. Lol

[freestaterocker]

I take your a PC gamer and not a console player. Lol

I'm actually a console gamer. Never had the bankroll to build a gaming PC. I just happen to be somewhat techy.

And self-aware of how spoiled I am by console gaming. :)

[nuprotocol]

Yeah, I agree...nobody should expect to buy a Surface Pro and play a game like BF3 in it's fully glory. But, for someone like me that built a $2500 rig just for BF3 last year...it would be cool to get it to run on my SP for when I'm traveling. Even if it's just to play the campaign that I haven't gotten around to doing yet.

Interesting you say that. I built a rig around that same amount last year just to play BF3 as well. What are your specs?

Mine:

i7 3930k
ASUS Sabertooth x79
Corsair H100
Corsair x750
Corsair Carbide 400R Case
Corsair Dominator GT Ram
Sasmsung 830 120GB SSD (boot)
Seagate 1TB Sata6gb
EVGA GTX 670 FTW
Samsung DVDRW Drive

Always nice to see a fellow builder in the forums. I think my rigs have me spoiled and I wouldn't even want to play BF3 on the SPRO.