We’ve seen your feedback regarding the recent changes to jet camera behavior and controls. We started investigating this right away and found some changes that were not communicated in the Update Notes so we spent time with the design team to gather the full details along with the intent behind them.
Top Gun is a big moment for Battlefield 6. Jets have historically not been the most welcoming aspect of the game while also providing some of the wildest, most amazing only-in-Battlefield moments that get shared in the community. We wanted to improve this so we developed the Airplane Control Assists which are intended to make flying more approachable for players getting started, while maintaining the Classic Controls for experienced pilots who want more direct control over their aircraft in their journey to being THE Top Gun.
As part of this approach, there were fixes, changes, and improvements to make for the existing flight experience which address feedback regarding camera behavior, freelook, and handling. Here is a full list of these changes that are currently live with the Top Gun update.
Flight Camera
- Adjusted the third-person camera pivot position to reduce excessive visual movement when rolling.
- Dev Note: Previously, the camera rotated around the aircraft in a way that could make the jet appear to move in a circle during rolls. The updated camera positioning reduces that effect and also helps prevent the aircraft from obstructing the camera during freelook.
- Fixed an issue where aim input could move in the wrong direction when using freelook with third-person camera roll disabled.
- Dev Note: When third-person camera roll is disabled, the camera remains oriented relative to the world. Previously, aim inputs were still being applied relative to the aircraft, which could cause aiming to move in an unexpected direction when the aircraft wasn’t level with the ground.
- Removed third-person camera damping that could cause the camera to lag significantly behind the aircraft, particularly while using freelook.
- Dev Note: Camera movement now more closely follows the aircraft, resulting in more responsive third-person aiming. It also improves alignment between where the camera is looking and where actions such as pinging or spotting are directed.
- Adjusted first-person camera positioning to provide improved visibility, particularly while using freelook.
- Dev Note: The updated position reduces how much of the screen is obstructed by cockpit elements, particularly when looking upward or to the sides. This is especially noticeable on aircraft such as the F-39E and SU-57.
Flight Handling
Note: The yaw adjustment below is the only change made to how the existing jets actually fly. Pitch and roll rates, other lift curves, thrust, weight, and other flight physics remain unchanged.
- Adjusted rudder and body lift to improve yaw responsiveness and allow aircraft to fly at higher sideslip angles.
- Dev Note: This addresses longstanding feedback that yaw could feel too stiff and gives pilots more ability to adjust their aim left or right without needing to roll the aircraft.
- Added throttle-splitting support for twin-engine aircraft using the brake and afterburner input combination.
- Dev Note: This functionality is used by the F-74A Seacat and F/A-81F Super Spectre. Supporting it required a broader change that now allows afterburner to be activated while brake input is being applied.
This update is not the end of our work on jets. We’ll continue monitoring feedback to determine where we can make targeted updates to jets in the future.
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