Let's Push Innovative Gunplay

with Jac Carlsson, Game Designer, DICE

I started as an intern at DICE three years ago, working on Characters and Gadgets. But before that, I spent over 15 years working as a professional ballet and contemporary dancer - touring the world, performing on some of the biggest stages with some of the most renowned choreographers, dancers, and artists. Then later I also worked in various creative fields as an artist, and creative leader.

Not long after joining DICE, it became clear that that background in dance gave me a unique edge. I could translate my knowledge of movement into how a game should feel to play, and how everything from audio to visuals weave through gameplay design to create a connected and holistic experience. This turned out to be especially valuable for a game like Battlefield that needs to have competitive integrity with a solid FPS game design - while still being an immersive experience, grounded in a military fantasy of epic scale. That insight quickly landed me a role on the Combat Experience team.

Today, I lead the work on Firefight features working on everything related to aiming, firing, damage, input responsiveness, and more. My role also requires me to work closely with other core teams like Audio, VFX, Art, and Animation - which means I work on both the tech- and gameplay-systems, the audio-visual component of gunplay, and the firefight experience. Creating that connective tissue between how the game feels and plays - with how it looks and sounds.

My title is Gameplay Designer, but if you ask me, I’m really a Game Feel Designer. I’m constantly answering questions like: 

How do we make a gun feel impactful, unique, and visceral -  while also playing really well?

Or, how do we ensure the color grading is gritty and immersive without sacrificing player visibility?

How can animation feel both physical and responsive at the same time?

What tech should we use that supports great aiming and firing mechanics, but also make sure every shot feels crisp and is readable for the player? 

And so on.. 

Good weapon balance is a given, but there are aspects of gunplay that are often overlooked, like how it interacts with level design and player movement. 

Gunplay lives within the spatiality and rhythm of a game. We spent a lot of time fine-tuning levels for combat angles, engagement ranges, and flow. We approached soldier movement not just as a traversal mechanic across the battlefield, but as a way to impact your gunplay too - both from the perspective of the shooter and the player taking damage. Movement should enhance gunplay and increase combat efficiency, but it must also be balanced and tactically intuitive, providing depth both when attacking and defending.

Gun feel needs to marry perfectly with gunplay. It should be responsive and deliver immediate feedback when you press fire. The weapon’s motion should convey its weight and punch, while accurately reflecting its gameplay qualities.

Finally, the audio has to be nuanced, punchy, and aggressive at the same time. 

And to tie it all together, the damage loop needs to be really consistent, satisfying, and punctuated.

My job is to make sure everything - from input latency to hit detection - is solid, while pushing the boundaries of the game's artistic expression in areas that directly impact gameplay. 

Game Feel is, in short, the intersection of tech - design - and audio-visual style.

One of the biggest highlights of my time at DICE has been gradually earning the trust of my fellow developers. When I started, few people knew or understood the depth of my background, which is understandable, since I was coming in from a completely different industry. But over time, I’ve been able to share that knowledge with incredibly talented and curious colleagues - who not only listened, but also saw the value in it. That kind of openness isn’t something I take for granted. In a collaborative space like game development, trust is everything - but it only works when you’re surrounded by people who are visionary enough to embrace new perspectives. Allowing me to bring that other view to the table - and evolve it together. I’m incredibly grateful for the trust that’s been placed in me here at DICE!

Another part is that you can really feel the awesome inspiration, love, and dedication all the developers put into this game. There’s an electricity to the experience that, in my opinion, goes well beyond anything we’ve done before! From the gunplay and movement, to the dynamism of destruction, to the gritty, vivid world you step into. There’s so much detail on both a macro and micro scale. Battlefield 6 has an aura to it that I feel is connecting with our players and I’m hyped to see all the cool stuff people will do, interact with, and share with each other when the game comes out.