You might be wondering “Why do I keep dying in BF3, do I suck?”

Well, if you’ve just started, you are a) still getting used to the controls and the game, b) getting used to the weapons and c) you don’t know the maps well. Additionally, d) you’ve got weaker weapons.

BF3 is a progression-based FPS game, so you need to level up to earn increases for your firepower and lethality. This is more realistic and increases game replay value since you play for hours and hours and don’t unlock everything during your first couple of hours of play. Gameinformer.com reported:

Compared to these progression systems, Bad Company 2 fell short. When we visited DICE’s Stockholm, Sweden offices during our Battlefield 3 cover story, executive producer Patrick Bach told us the studio was surprised by how quickly players rose through the ranks in the game. After reaching level 22, there was scarcely anything left to unlock.

AND

Though the designers didn’t mention the total number of ranks, they said their approach is “similar to Battlefield: Bad Company 2,” which capped at level 50. DICE didn’t explicitly rule out a prestige style system, but in saying “even if you hit the max rank, there is always more glory to strive for with the new concept of Service Stars,” it sounds like the team has other plans for keeping players engaged.

As you can see, progression was decided on before BF3 even began development. Many games lately give you progressive power while playing, like Crysis 2, so its not a new concept.