Xbox 360 Battlefield 3 better installed

Installing Battlefield 3 to the Xbox 360 hard-drive "absolutely" makes a difference, developer DICE has said.

Those who don't - or can't - use the optional "HD installation content" will be restricted to a "standard-def" version of the game.

"The controversy about this is that we actually let you do it on 360 for once. So what it does is it gives you the same abilities, kind of, as the PC and PS3. You can actually stream information from the hard-drive," Battlefield 3 executive producer Patrick Bach explained to Gamerzines.

"That's new for Xbox 360, but it's not a new idea for the gaming industry as a whole. No one has really tried to do it properly, so us doing it will create question marks."

"You could call it a standard-def version for the [Xbox] 360 if you don't have a hard-drive."

Patrick Bach, executive producer, Battlefield 3

"It does make a difference, yes, absolutely," he added. "The whole engine is based around streaming textures, streaming terrain and a lot of other content."

Battlefield 3 on Xbox 360 spans two DVD discs. The "HD installation content" can be found on disc one.

Offering both was a necessity of developing for Xbox 360, said Patrick Bach - as some models sell without a hard-drive.

"We need to give you the option of installing it, rather than just demanding it. You could call it a standard-def version for the 360 if you don't have a hard-drive," he added.

"For us, it's about how we can give you the most game ever, even though the hardware is over five years old."