When we talked with DICE last week they said that destruction and behemoths are keys to the Battlefield 1 sandbox, but there's also a third important aspect, the new weather system.
Every multiplayer map in Battlefield 1 will have dynamic weather that can occur as part of a larger immersion ecosystem. Unlike the game's destructible environments, weather is an outside factor that you can't control. Things can shift in small ways (like the sun peeking out of the clouds and blind you when looking for planes), or in more significant ways.
Imagine laying in cover on your sniper perch and having an easy time taking out everything you see in the distance, when a dense fog creeps up on to the battlefield. Now you're barely able to see five feet in front of you, and have to change playstyle till the fog dissipates.
Ever tried running around in the rain and looking around you? Not easy to distinguish details is it? Rain distorts your sight, which is quite inconvenient when in a firefight. Especially if you're a plane. The rain on your windshield will make it near impossible to see anything. Unless you have nerves of steel you'll probably become more cautious when flying close to mountains or the ground in the rain.
Then there's the extreme weather conditions to consider. You'll see giant sandstorms in the Sinai desert. Get captured in this and you're in trouble. It won't only affect your sight, but also your hearing. Use this to your advantage. Sneak up on or flank your enemies with ease. But beware, your enemies might use the same tactic.
Battlefield 1's weather will impact just about everything in the game. Raindrops are visible on the weapons, birds will fly away when the wind picks up, the audio changes during a sandstorm, and so much more. It'll be interesting to see if the weather system is as dynamic as they claim. If it is, we're looking forward to experiencing new, memorable for months, if not years after launch.
Battlefield 1's dynamic weather will sneak up on your PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One October 21. You'll also get a taste of the system when the open beta launches August 31.