Before BC2: Vietnam hit virtual store shelves, we flicked DICE a short interview about the then upcoming expansion. Unfortunately, due to the meddling fatso who goes by the name of Sandy C. Laws, DICE's response was delayed until today, with many of the questions answered by the release of BC2: Vietnam. However, there are still a couple of nuggets worth reading courtesy of Björn Johnsson, one of the Producers at DICE. Most interesting is Björn's statement that BC2 probably won't be getting any new content, claiming that "VIP Map Pack 7 is probably the last one."

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Björn Johnsson, Producer at DICE

games.on.net: We <3 the flamethrower - has it been a difficult weapon to balance? How do you limit flame spammage?

Björn Johnsson: Glad to hear you <3 it! It’s definitely been a challenge (a fun one) to get it just right, but we think we nailed it. I think there will be lots of flame-thrower usage because of its novelty, but from a purely tactical viewpoint, the flame-thrower is really only usable at close range. And having it available in the tanks as well is a huge win for any chauffeur who is fed up with enemies sneaking up and planting dynamite on their vehicle.

Wrangl3r: Are the weapons team specific? Or are all weapons avaliable to both teams? For example, would you be able to spawn in with an ak47 as the US team, or an m16 as the Vietnamese.

All weapons are available to all teams, but we sorted them so that American weapons are at the top of an American soldier’s menu, and vice versa for the NVA.

Crocadrilla: Are the Vietnamese recon different from the American? for example can they set traps and the like as opposed to call in morter strikes?
Rega: What is the max level in BC2: Vietnam? Is the point system the same as BC2?

Björn Johnsson: There is no difference between American and NVA when it comes to tools and gadgets. And the persistence is seamless between Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam. So there are no new levels, but you keep levelling your soldier up as usual no matter how you switch back and forth between the expansion and the base game.

games.on.net: Bad Company 2 is one of our favourite FPS of all time... but it needed more maps! Is BC2:Vietnam the last content expansion? Did Dice see the number of maps as an issue?

Björn Johnsson: You should never say never, but we have nothing planned right now when it comes to even more maps for Battlefield: Bad Company 2 or Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam. VIP Map Pack 7 is probably the last one.

games.on.net: Nobody uses the VOIP in Bad Company 2 (PC version at least) - any plans to encourage this more in Vietnam?

Björn Johnsson: A lot of experienced players are using their standalone VOIP solutions that they are used to. Others use the in-game version. There is absolutely a big advantage in talking to each other to get the most out of the teamwork required to succeed on the battlefield, so we really recommend it.

games.on.net: The original BF: Vietnam was a fantastic game, but it had a major issue with foliage disappearing over a distance. A player who thought he was hiding in long grass was actually stuck out in the open because the foliage wasn't drawn at distance. How have you tackled this issue in the BC2 Vietnam pack?

Björn Johnsson: A lot has happened since 2004. :) Our Frostbite engine has a longer draw distance now, so that is not an issue, either in the base game or the expansion. This opens up to a lot of new possibilities when it comes to creating huge environments and long range combat.

games.on.net: If a player tires of hearing the same song 47 times in a row from passing vehicles, is there any way to disable it? Not that we'd ever do that, but you know, some gamers hate music. Weirdos.

Björn Johnsson: If someone is playing a tune as he runs you over with the Jeep, there is not much to do about it . Other than that, if you want to change the tune, just press D-PAD left. Keep pressing left to eventually turn off the radio completely.