Wraslin' VG nirvana
I've got nothing better to do, so I figured I'd post up some random ramblings my brother and I had about how a wrestling game should be made, and how to get the most out of it without having to buy a new copy every year as a means to get the newest and freshest storylines and gimmicks of every wrestler that happens to be on the older roster.
This is going to be a bit lengthy, so you might want to break out the coushin, get you some popcorn and soda, and sit back for a lengthy read.
- Downloadable Content:
Since the invention of the internet, it's become appearant that if you want something, at any time, you can easily get it instantly. Just a quick click of the mouse, and you've got your ammendment, or your new music albulm.
With all of the next gen consoles geared for the push of online capabilities, this becomes a full blown thing for the entire wrestling franchise, and an easy fix to anyone that is disatisfied with the product.
The solution to every compalint you'll ever hear about a wrestling game, you may be asking? Well, downloadable wrestler roster additions, of course, silly.
The game can start off with its barebones roster of 30 top WWE superstars, but as the year progresses, the fun of that easily and quickly dissipates, and it soon gets added to the collection of dust collecting game titles you own, such as that Resident Evil 2 game you own. You know you haven't touched that since 1999, don't kid yourself on this.
With a downloadable roster patch officially released by THQ, you can easily ammend problems found in the game: the characters are too linear and limited to 2 options, an old gimmick and an old look. Presto change-o, you now have have further, deeper options with your roster; ie. ou can play the game's released version of Christian, or the new, improved Christian (push not included). Didn't enjoy playing Christian with just his red or brown tights? The updates could include simple costume changes, just to add spice and flavor to your gaming experience. Couldn't stand playing Taker - Texas Ranger? The updates could include his new cosmetic changes he might make to his character in the near future. Can't stand that you're playing Mr. Money in the Bank Edge when he lost that gimmick and push back at the end of '05? The updates can ammend how your roster to include brand spanking new versions of a superstar with their own storyline, so you have the choice of the old Edge, or the new Edge.
Many fans who buy the game for its depth of roster choices will be satisfied, and those who grow bored of the game quickly because of how dull its roster choices can become so soon will all be satisfied; and to top that all off, with a small surcharge to your online subscription, you can purchase each update as you see fit for pennies on the dollar, and many won't mind shelling out the cash so long as it prolongs their play experience and enjoyment of the game. People will finally feel that their $50 dollars (or in some extreme cases, $60 dollars) will have finally be worth it for a wrestling game. The first time since WWF Wrestlemania 2000, mind you.
In addition to extra wrestlers added to the game, downloadable content can extend other forms of entertainment you find in the game, such as the complete and utter customization of the game.
Where, you may ask, is this leading to? Why, downloadable entrance themes and movies, of course you silly-billy.
Not only can you get the new version of Shelton Benjamin and his bad self, but his brand new theme song and entrance movie to match! It's a completely new superstar, and a whole new experience for the gamer, as now your custom wrestler that you've been working on and perfecting since the games release has new movies and themes to choose from.
Further break that down, you could add custom entrance moves, such as adding to the fray, DDP's entrance through the crowds, Shawn Michael's memorable Wrestlemania XII entrance from the rafters. Imagine how the fans would react with the knowledge that they could really get a bigger set of entrance moves to add to their custom superstar. The selections could grow to such an extent that people will have more than a fair ammount of choices for how their superstar should come out, how he should walk, swagger, and taunt the fans, and just when to do it all. It would certainnly spice it up for the sake of the gamers, and, again, add some life to the games total shelf life.
Further break this down and, oh yes, you have downloadable move lists and new maneuvers to add to the entire games catelog. See a new move performed on SmackDown! that isn't in the game? Now it can be, all thanks to the internet, and the downloadable content, all of which helps both the gamers and the company.
This could expand to a multitude of options that you can easily ammend that was lacking in the original version of the game. Downloadable game/match types, new storylines to career mode, so it's not a complete borefest after the first few times you've played through it, areanas and ring stylings, and it doesn't even have to end there. Whatever they can think of that isn't a complete change that would require a new engine could be added for download until a new game is released to replace it with these same new improvements.
- Complete Interaction:
Story mode, or career mode as it's labeled as, should be a lot stronger, and more interactive. Players should really feel they have total control over the superstar they're playing, even if it is a custom superstar that the player created.
Career mode should be on par with what Fable did, even if its choices were more for a purely cosmetic feel of your character, your superstar should have a choice between good and evil at the start of the season, and those options shouldn't be as simply cut and dry between if you say or do something that easily pisses off a superstar or the management. In fact, because wrestling isn't as clear and cut as you'd find in Fables story, as your character could have options to stay as completely neutral in a situation as humanly possible, if not, completely neutral throughout your career.
Your move set could be completely dictated by your alignment in career mode, such as if you make face choices, your character will never opt to use cheap tactics, and every maneuver can get the crowd to rally behind you, especially if you've taken a heavy beating. Your style of wrestling would be completely clean if you opted to take the face options in the storyline, and can instantly be negated in the next feud if you take sleazy tactics, such as purposely hit someone with a chair. Away with the system of heat where only high spots will get you a points just to hit a hulk-up reversal, or dirty moves give you a low blow finisher.
Also, story mode should be broken up into 2 different career modes: established wrestler mode could be a scenario where you play as actual wrestlers, such as Angle, Triple H or Paul Birchall, and dicate how that superstar ends up in the WWE rankings. You could push someone such as Nunzio to the top of the food chain, and the World Heavyweight Champion at Wrestlemania, only to have him lose the title on Tuesday to Sylvain in a triple threat cage match.
Where as the polar opposite, build a superstar, could be the player's experience to build up their created superstar to the ranks of undisputed legendary status within the course of a year, where your superstar caters to house shows, indy promotions, and the occassional job spot on Velocity and Heat, which is aimed to guage how well you work a match and how well you can get the crowd into it (includes actual jobbing physics). This will allow the player to fine tune their superstar, and build up their superstar to gain the reputation and the crowd following to contend with that of the popular superstars, and gives the players a lot more to do than job out on the shows to established wrestlers who are obviously more beefed in stats than you, and give the player a greater sense that they're getting a better deal to beef up their stats. Created superstars would also be able to upgrade their look, and add alternative looks to them to switch on the fly during the season, and as that superstar ages in the season, he can opt to make more drastic changes to their look, such as hair cuts to match their new attitudes, battle scars from tough battles in a career of Elimination Chambers and steel cages. The character could almost come alive as a living, breathing entity throughout the mode, and it would really give the player a sense that this is their superstar, and that they completely and utterl control them.
Here, everyone gets to play God.
Also, things could shape up with a stronger booking system that would allow the player to choose their path, which could subsequently change the path of other superstars. As an example, Carlito could be stuck on Raw, without a belt for ages, and take out his aggressions on Bischoff, and demand he do something. Bischoff could take this tone as threatening and do something about attempting to suspend Carltio, but not before Carlito takes out those very aggressions he expressed by crippling Bischoff. This could, in turn, put Vince into the perdicament of coming up with a new Raw General Manager until Bischoff is fit to return to work, which could actually lead to Carlito coming out to interject and throw his name in the hat as that replacement; this could give the player the sense that he now controls what matches are on his show, as each superstar he's ever feuded with could be in the direct path of hew new found path of terror and power, or the player could aim his ambitions to turning Carlito into a main eventing monster the likes similar to JBL's title reign, or worse, Goldberg's.
Or a better example, you, as Edge, could request a tag match with Snitsky against Cade and Murdoch, only to have the match interupted by a long time feuding opponent of yours, depending on how long and heated that feud became, or better yet, you could opt to turn on Snitsky as walk off the brand completely, leaving Snitsky 1 of 2 options; stay on Raw and bide his time until he can get Edge at a Raw and SmackDown pay-per-view, such as Wrestlemania, where he can interfere and make run-ins on your new turf of SmackDown, or simply switch brands as a means to get his hands on you on a more permanent basis.
The play experience should be the longest lasting part of the game, outside of the multiplayer feature. It shouldn't be a one trick pony, and that's where the downloadable content could immensely help out, as you could download new storylines and story archs that could add simple twists to the same storylines you've already played. Add some unpredictability to the predictable game play you just experienced, some spice, if you will.
- Customize This!:
Every wrestling game loves to give the player some options on how their game should look and feel. Okay, for the most part, they love to give us the option of how you'd like to play it, namely, your own superstar and your own title, but is that really enough?
Where's the innovation? What happened to the create a pay-per-view? What of more customization options to a match? What about customizing the look and feel of the arena? How about the complete, and utter customization to the game itself?
What if you could create your own brand of match with your own rules? Instead of winning a cage match by climbing out of the cage, pin or submission, you could make it so that the cage was more of an entity that contained a blood bath, more so than just another addition to the ways you could win? What if the rules you created explicitedly detailed that the match couldn't end until one player submitted? Well, I'm sure you could already do that...but what if you wanted it to be an encaged tables match? What about a glorified inferno match trapped inside of a cage match? How about a caged ladders match, where you could literally win by jumping off the cage and onto the prize in the center of the ring? What if you could really spice up your matches, and make them out to be your own, so you could truly fulfill your deepest inner desires of a fantasy match?
The bench mark to this customization would be the complete and utter creation of your own match type, rather than the melding of other matches already within the game? What if you wanted a buried alive match? How about those casket matches you love so much? Or maybe you want something that's never been done in the WWE, ever? How about an Ultimate X styled match? Something that could never be created by THQ and made as downloadable content officially released by the company? That sounds like it could definitely get people to look the game over, and definitely would also add some shelf life to the game, and the franchise it would build off of, afterwards.
It would certainly allow the players complete customization of their game play, and would allow the gamer to feel that their money was far best spent on this game, rather than Halo 3, or Final Fantasy VII's re-release on the PS3.
Add to this further, this could wrap around to the career mode, where you could physically book a pay-per-view as you see fit, and have it play out in your career mode. In addition to creating your own pay-per-view, you can choose as many matches as you want, and double book superstars as you see fit, and even even choose the look and feel of that stage, and even have the stage reflect the theme you have going, or something completely different and totally funky. You could even, to a certain extent, create the logo of this new pay-per-view you're creating, so it has a life of its own, and completely reflects what it is you want out of the WWE.
This all added to the create a player/superstar, create a title, and create a taunt feature (with new and improved options, a stronger sense of control, and maybe even free roaming options to allow the player to actually create the taunt as if they were experts in the field of Maya or 3D Studio Max could help), would definitely give the player that sense that they could actually live out their fantasy of being a true to life WWE superstar.
- Balancing the Physics:
Stuff everything you've read thus far, directly into a blender, set it to purè, and then add the main ingredients to that blending: the game physics.
Normally, this would all be stuffed inside the Thunder engine that THQ has mastered, and transformed into the signature SmackDown series, which has subsequently become Raw vs. SmackDown! Well, instead of that completely shit engine which is more of a button masher than an actual decent game fighter engine, why not pack this into the AKI engine?
I can already see the dumb founded look on some of your faces as I type out those letters.
But Moral, you ask, what is "AKI?" Is it a social disease, and can I contract it by touching myself at night? Why, no, Johnny. In fact, touching yourself at night leads only to baby Angle crying.
AKI is actually the game developer behind such games as WCW vs. nWo World Tour, WWF Wrestlemania 2000, WWF No Mercy all for the N64, and their recent hits in Def Jam Vendetta and Def Jam Fight for New York. Yes, the fighting engine perfected by the people of AKI is considered the perfect fighting engine for wrestling games, so much so, people to this day still consider WWF No Mercy to still be the greatest wrestling game of any new wrestling game to come out today.
With a strong grapple mechanic in the game that you've seen from Vendetta would instantly allow you the sensation that you're wrestling a more realistic WWE style match than that of your WWF Wrestlemania X-8, or Raw vs. SmackDown! game. Also, the counter system would be far more intuitive to allow for players to reverse a figure four once its locked, rather than before it could even be applied, not only that, but trademarks, such as the Lionsault, could be hit anywhere, rather than preset to only hit from a certain angle, as the game designers so lazily add and then pass off as a great way to add to the action.
Continue to stroll that about, and you easily counter out some of the balance issues found within the SmackDown franchise, such as wrestlers solely winning based on their overall stats, rather than the player's ability to properly counter and reverse, or even the computers ability to realistically follow the body damage system to lead to a realistic finish. Simulated matches shouldn't end with a result satisfying the numbers of the superstars overall, either.
Also, with the AKI engine, you can forever say good-bye to the cheese of instant win submissions in multi-player matches such as triple threat, four corners matches and tag matches, etc. Now you can legitimately break up any submission at any time, from anywhere via any means you can imagine: see your chances to win a triple threat US Title match slipping as Benoit slaps the Crossface on Orlando, but you're on the outside near the time keeper? Why not opt to knock out the time keeper, take the bell, rush the ring and knock out Benoit? Why not grab the time keeper's chair and simply toss it into the ring as a means to distract the ref?
In addition to this, but damage is more long term with the AKI engine. As the match wears on, if your opponent worked on your leg long enough, you'll noticably limp. If your head was pounded on, and punished throughout the match, you'll become woozy and stagger about at points until you can clear the cob-webs from your head. If a maneuver had a big impact on you, you'll stay on the ground longer, laid out for the most part, if it incapacitated both superstars in the match, then you'll have a standing ten count applied, where the superstars will realistically get up by the count of 7 or 8, rather than after 2 seconds.
This even breaks down to the way the ring is used as a weapon. Players can hang their opponent off the apron, only to crush upon their larynx with a leg drop. Why not grab at their feet with a single leg takedown, and then drag them to the corner to apply a ring post figure four leg lock? If you want to inflict more damage on your opponent, you could easily hit a powerbomb on your opponent near the ropes, subsequently sending them kareening to the outside. You could keep the punishment of your opponent on the outside, since the fight spilled out there, by tossing them, back first, into the ring apron, rather than automatically sending them, running first, into the ring. Or better yet, if you're an agile superstar, you could counter being tossed into the ring apron but springboarding off the apron and back at your opponent with a high flying counter.
The AKI engine is all about control, and expansion, so you can easily simulate a real wrestling match that you would see in any ring. It would easily become the backbone of balance, and the way it factors in how to hit trademark finishers is simple and easy; get your meter high enough, taunt the crowd for a special taunt that signals the end of the match, grapple your opponent and hit the taunt button for that trademark to be executed.
Branch this idea out further, and we could add in elements from other companies that have never worked on a wrestling game, or even a fighting game for this matter. Take, for example, Bungie.
Bed-bug? Bungle, I hear you asking? (Red vs. Blue joke, learn it and love it) What do the creators of Halo have to do with this thought, I hear you questionning? Especially when you consider that they're a one trick pony that deals only with first person shooters?
Well, let's take into the effect that they're heralded for their impressive work in the campaign mode, where their AI is damn near untouchable.
What Bungie so eloquently did was simply create an entire AI engine that allows the game to live and breathe on its own, within its own 3 dimensional space, and allow its very world to be something it easily notices and adapts to. What they did was map out every interactive object to hold its own properties, and have the game characters recognize those properties so it knows exactly how to interact with it. Graft this onto Eugene within the game, and now you'll never have to question why he feels it necessary to walk into the hole at the top of that unreasonably placed caged off area in the backstage area, although, it is Eugene, so you'd probably always have to ask yourself why he's constantly doing that in the first place.
And it's not just this, but it would allow the in-game superstars a stronger AI that doesn't rely on a rubberband effect, where it can allow you to beat on it at will for the most part of the game, only to start countering and reversing everything until it wins. You'll completely eliminate the dopey arcade feel of the game, and grant it a more real feel that is both challenging, and rich in its depth to grant players with a better play experience.
Keeping with the theme of realism, you coule easily do away with the clumsy AI's dumb moments, by giving it a more vicious feel to it, such as displayed by any Tecmo action or fighting game, like Ninja Gaiden or Dead or Alive's series. Allow the AI to do more when you opt to run, besides stand around and taunt, or do something about you as your decide to taunt on the outside, such as persue you and try to lay in some beatings, anything to disallow you time to get cheap build for your momentum.
Graft this inciteful AI engine to the AKI wrestling engine with more toys from other companies and you'll make for the perfect wrestling game, and the perfect overall experience for any gamer, whether they're a wrestling fan or a hardcore fighting gamer.
- Game Presentation:
With next gen consoles boasting, for the most part, about how gorgeous their games will look, it's no surprise that the next step for this game to be a solid winner is to remove the plastic look and feel of their game, and add stronger facial expressions to its presentation. Why not go with shadowing system that the Doom engine boasted, as well as the player models found in Metal Gear Solid's recent releases from its series. Or, why not, anything displayed on the block for the PS3 console? Anything better than this plastic look they have for their wrestling models.
The sound, of course, should be upbeat and intuitive, and with each console also coming with optional hard drive units, you could easily allow players to customize their sound, by allowing customizable soundtracks for their matches, or simply allowing the only sound to be the ring action, the crowd, and the commentary.
- Summation:
In the end, the product has to grow with the technology, and it doesn't hurt to abuse the hell out of some of the innovations other games have been using, particularly downloadable content. Not only would it be wise on the part of THQ to take advantage of the next gen consoles features to the fullest extent, it would give its target audience a greater sense that this game is far more than worth the pick up, but it would delay how often we recieve wrestling games in the course of a decade.
Slowing down THQ to allow us to really enjoy a title that continues to grow and breathe long since its initial release can allow them to really work on a follow up that can not only equate its previous title, but surpass it. Without the annual game titles from THQ, we might see more innovation in the next title, which could expand upon a certain feature that the fans enjoyed in the original, but didn't really have enough to offer. Not only that, but they can stretch that $50 dollar game into a $100 dollar experience with all of the downloadable content they could release within a seasonal release date for something akin to a $5 dollar download for 10 new items, or such.
If the game become more than just a game, and was more of an experience that continued to get better with age, rather than bland and linear, people would really look forward to these games releases, as they know they can get a lot more out of the game than just a few months worth of game play before it grew completely repetative.
THQ could learn from companies like Rare and Bungie, both of whom who are looking, or have looked, into the online capacities of the consoles to be a better way to expand on their games as a means to make it a better experience for the player.
But take with this as you will, after all, it is the product of a gamer's mind with no actual game coding knowledge in his repitore. I could be talking miracles here that sound simple to me.
And yes, this is exactly how I interpretted my conversation with my brother at 3 and 4 in the morning, while he suddenly got the urge to play SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain. Also, this sounded better than the actual conversation, which pretty much was like "How cool would this feature be?" - "Very."
If only life were really like a Kevin Smith movie...then conversations would actually be fucking interesting.
This is going to be a bit lengthy, so you might want to break out the coushin, get you some popcorn and soda, and sit back for a lengthy read.
- Downloadable Content:
Since the invention of the internet, it's become appearant that if you want something, at any time, you can easily get it instantly. Just a quick click of the mouse, and you've got your ammendment, or your new music albulm.
With all of the next gen consoles geared for the push of online capabilities, this becomes a full blown thing for the entire wrestling franchise, and an easy fix to anyone that is disatisfied with the product.
The solution to every compalint you'll ever hear about a wrestling game, you may be asking? Well, downloadable wrestler roster additions, of course, silly.
The game can start off with its barebones roster of 30 top WWE superstars, but as the year progresses, the fun of that easily and quickly dissipates, and it soon gets added to the collection of dust collecting game titles you own, such as that Resident Evil 2 game you own. You know you haven't touched that since 1999, don't kid yourself on this.
With a downloadable roster patch officially released by THQ, you can easily ammend problems found in the game: the characters are too linear and limited to 2 options, an old gimmick and an old look. Presto change-o, you now have have further, deeper options with your roster; ie. ou can play the game's released version of Christian, or the new, improved Christian (push not included). Didn't enjoy playing Christian with just his red or brown tights? The updates could include simple costume changes, just to add spice and flavor to your gaming experience. Couldn't stand playing Taker - Texas Ranger? The updates could include his new cosmetic changes he might make to his character in the near future. Can't stand that you're playing Mr. Money in the Bank Edge when he lost that gimmick and push back at the end of '05? The updates can ammend how your roster to include brand spanking new versions of a superstar with their own storyline, so you have the choice of the old Edge, or the new Edge.
Many fans who buy the game for its depth of roster choices will be satisfied, and those who grow bored of the game quickly because of how dull its roster choices can become so soon will all be satisfied; and to top that all off, with a small surcharge to your online subscription, you can purchase each update as you see fit for pennies on the dollar, and many won't mind shelling out the cash so long as it prolongs their play experience and enjoyment of the game. People will finally feel that their $50 dollars (or in some extreme cases, $60 dollars) will have finally be worth it for a wrestling game. The first time since WWF Wrestlemania 2000, mind you.
In addition to extra wrestlers added to the game, downloadable content can extend other forms of entertainment you find in the game, such as the complete and utter customization of the game.
Where, you may ask, is this leading to? Why, downloadable entrance themes and movies, of course you silly-billy.
Not only can you get the new version of Shelton Benjamin and his bad self, but his brand new theme song and entrance movie to match! It's a completely new superstar, and a whole new experience for the gamer, as now your custom wrestler that you've been working on and perfecting since the games release has new movies and themes to choose from.
Further break that down, you could add custom entrance moves, such as adding to the fray, DDP's entrance through the crowds, Shawn Michael's memorable Wrestlemania XII entrance from the rafters. Imagine how the fans would react with the knowledge that they could really get a bigger set of entrance moves to add to their custom superstar. The selections could grow to such an extent that people will have more than a fair ammount of choices for how their superstar should come out, how he should walk, swagger, and taunt the fans, and just when to do it all. It would certainnly spice it up for the sake of the gamers, and, again, add some life to the games total shelf life.
Further break this down and, oh yes, you have downloadable move lists and new maneuvers to add to the entire games catelog. See a new move performed on SmackDown! that isn't in the game? Now it can be, all thanks to the internet, and the downloadable content, all of which helps both the gamers and the company.
This could expand to a multitude of options that you can easily ammend that was lacking in the original version of the game. Downloadable game/match types, new storylines to career mode, so it's not a complete borefest after the first few times you've played through it, areanas and ring stylings, and it doesn't even have to end there. Whatever they can think of that isn't a complete change that would require a new engine could be added for download until a new game is released to replace it with these same new improvements.
- Complete Interaction:
Story mode, or career mode as it's labeled as, should be a lot stronger, and more interactive. Players should really feel they have total control over the superstar they're playing, even if it is a custom superstar that the player created.
Career mode should be on par with what Fable did, even if its choices were more for a purely cosmetic feel of your character, your superstar should have a choice between good and evil at the start of the season, and those options shouldn't be as simply cut and dry between if you say or do something that easily pisses off a superstar or the management. In fact, because wrestling isn't as clear and cut as you'd find in Fables story, as your character could have options to stay as completely neutral in a situation as humanly possible, if not, completely neutral throughout your career.
Your move set could be completely dictated by your alignment in career mode, such as if you make face choices, your character will never opt to use cheap tactics, and every maneuver can get the crowd to rally behind you, especially if you've taken a heavy beating. Your style of wrestling would be completely clean if you opted to take the face options in the storyline, and can instantly be negated in the next feud if you take sleazy tactics, such as purposely hit someone with a chair. Away with the system of heat where only high spots will get you a points just to hit a hulk-up reversal, or dirty moves give you a low blow finisher.
Also, story mode should be broken up into 2 different career modes: established wrestler mode could be a scenario where you play as actual wrestlers, such as Angle, Triple H or Paul Birchall, and dicate how that superstar ends up in the WWE rankings. You could push someone such as Nunzio to the top of the food chain, and the World Heavyweight Champion at Wrestlemania, only to have him lose the title on Tuesday to Sylvain in a triple threat cage match.
Where as the polar opposite, build a superstar, could be the player's experience to build up their created superstar to the ranks of undisputed legendary status within the course of a year, where your superstar caters to house shows, indy promotions, and the occassional job spot on Velocity and Heat, which is aimed to guage how well you work a match and how well you can get the crowd into it (includes actual jobbing physics). This will allow the player to fine tune their superstar, and build up their superstar to gain the reputation and the crowd following to contend with that of the popular superstars, and gives the players a lot more to do than job out on the shows to established wrestlers who are obviously more beefed in stats than you, and give the player a greater sense that they're getting a better deal to beef up their stats. Created superstars would also be able to upgrade their look, and add alternative looks to them to switch on the fly during the season, and as that superstar ages in the season, he can opt to make more drastic changes to their look, such as hair cuts to match their new attitudes, battle scars from tough battles in a career of Elimination Chambers and steel cages. The character could almost come alive as a living, breathing entity throughout the mode, and it would really give the player a sense that this is their superstar, and that they completely and utterl control them.
Here, everyone gets to play God.
Also, things could shape up with a stronger booking system that would allow the player to choose their path, which could subsequently change the path of other superstars. As an example, Carlito could be stuck on Raw, without a belt for ages, and take out his aggressions on Bischoff, and demand he do something. Bischoff could take this tone as threatening and do something about attempting to suspend Carltio, but not before Carlito takes out those very aggressions he expressed by crippling Bischoff. This could, in turn, put Vince into the perdicament of coming up with a new Raw General Manager until Bischoff is fit to return to work, which could actually lead to Carlito coming out to interject and throw his name in the hat as that replacement; this could give the player the sense that he now controls what matches are on his show, as each superstar he's ever feuded with could be in the direct path of hew new found path of terror and power, or the player could aim his ambitions to turning Carlito into a main eventing monster the likes similar to JBL's title reign, or worse, Goldberg's.
Or a better example, you, as Edge, could request a tag match with Snitsky against Cade and Murdoch, only to have the match interupted by a long time feuding opponent of yours, depending on how long and heated that feud became, or better yet, you could opt to turn on Snitsky as walk off the brand completely, leaving Snitsky 1 of 2 options; stay on Raw and bide his time until he can get Edge at a Raw and SmackDown pay-per-view, such as Wrestlemania, where he can interfere and make run-ins on your new turf of SmackDown, or simply switch brands as a means to get his hands on you on a more permanent basis.
The play experience should be the longest lasting part of the game, outside of the multiplayer feature. It shouldn't be a one trick pony, and that's where the downloadable content could immensely help out, as you could download new storylines and story archs that could add simple twists to the same storylines you've already played. Add some unpredictability to the predictable game play you just experienced, some spice, if you will.
- Customize This!:
Every wrestling game loves to give the player some options on how their game should look and feel. Okay, for the most part, they love to give us the option of how you'd like to play it, namely, your own superstar and your own title, but is that really enough?
Where's the innovation? What happened to the create a pay-per-view? What of more customization options to a match? What about customizing the look and feel of the arena? How about the complete, and utter customization to the game itself?
What if you could create your own brand of match with your own rules? Instead of winning a cage match by climbing out of the cage, pin or submission, you could make it so that the cage was more of an entity that contained a blood bath, more so than just another addition to the ways you could win? What if the rules you created explicitedly detailed that the match couldn't end until one player submitted? Well, I'm sure you could already do that...but what if you wanted it to be an encaged tables match? What about a glorified inferno match trapped inside of a cage match? How about a caged ladders match, where you could literally win by jumping off the cage and onto the prize in the center of the ring? What if you could really spice up your matches, and make them out to be your own, so you could truly fulfill your deepest inner desires of a fantasy match?
The bench mark to this customization would be the complete and utter creation of your own match type, rather than the melding of other matches already within the game? What if you wanted a buried alive match? How about those casket matches you love so much? Or maybe you want something that's never been done in the WWE, ever? How about an Ultimate X styled match? Something that could never be created by THQ and made as downloadable content officially released by the company? That sounds like it could definitely get people to look the game over, and definitely would also add some shelf life to the game, and the franchise it would build off of, afterwards.
It would certainly allow the players complete customization of their game play, and would allow the gamer to feel that their money was far best spent on this game, rather than Halo 3, or Final Fantasy VII's re-release on the PS3.
Add to this further, this could wrap around to the career mode, where you could physically book a pay-per-view as you see fit, and have it play out in your career mode. In addition to creating your own pay-per-view, you can choose as many matches as you want, and double book superstars as you see fit, and even even choose the look and feel of that stage, and even have the stage reflect the theme you have going, or something completely different and totally funky. You could even, to a certain extent, create the logo of this new pay-per-view you're creating, so it has a life of its own, and completely reflects what it is you want out of the WWE.
This all added to the create a player/superstar, create a title, and create a taunt feature (with new and improved options, a stronger sense of control, and maybe even free roaming options to allow the player to actually create the taunt as if they were experts in the field of Maya or 3D Studio Max could help), would definitely give the player that sense that they could actually live out their fantasy of being a true to life WWE superstar.
- Balancing the Physics:
Stuff everything you've read thus far, directly into a blender, set it to purè, and then add the main ingredients to that blending: the game physics.
Normally, this would all be stuffed inside the Thunder engine that THQ has mastered, and transformed into the signature SmackDown series, which has subsequently become Raw vs. SmackDown! Well, instead of that completely shit engine which is more of a button masher than an actual decent game fighter engine, why not pack this into the AKI engine?
I can already see the dumb founded look on some of your faces as I type out those letters.
But Moral, you ask, what is "AKI?" Is it a social disease, and can I contract it by touching myself at night? Why, no, Johnny. In fact, touching yourself at night leads only to baby Angle crying.
AKI is actually the game developer behind such games as WCW vs. nWo World Tour, WWF Wrestlemania 2000, WWF No Mercy all for the N64, and their recent hits in Def Jam Vendetta and Def Jam Fight for New York. Yes, the fighting engine perfected by the people of AKI is considered the perfect fighting engine for wrestling games, so much so, people to this day still consider WWF No Mercy to still be the greatest wrestling game of any new wrestling game to come out today.
With a strong grapple mechanic in the game that you've seen from Vendetta would instantly allow you the sensation that you're wrestling a more realistic WWE style match than that of your WWF Wrestlemania X-8, or Raw vs. SmackDown! game. Also, the counter system would be far more intuitive to allow for players to reverse a figure four once its locked, rather than before it could even be applied, not only that, but trademarks, such as the Lionsault, could be hit anywhere, rather than preset to only hit from a certain angle, as the game designers so lazily add and then pass off as a great way to add to the action.
Continue to stroll that about, and you easily counter out some of the balance issues found within the SmackDown franchise, such as wrestlers solely winning based on their overall stats, rather than the player's ability to properly counter and reverse, or even the computers ability to realistically follow the body damage system to lead to a realistic finish. Simulated matches shouldn't end with a result satisfying the numbers of the superstars overall, either.
Also, with the AKI engine, you can forever say good-bye to the cheese of instant win submissions in multi-player matches such as triple threat, four corners matches and tag matches, etc. Now you can legitimately break up any submission at any time, from anywhere via any means you can imagine: see your chances to win a triple threat US Title match slipping as Benoit slaps the Crossface on Orlando, but you're on the outside near the time keeper? Why not opt to knock out the time keeper, take the bell, rush the ring and knock out Benoit? Why not grab the time keeper's chair and simply toss it into the ring as a means to distract the ref?
In addition to this, but damage is more long term with the AKI engine. As the match wears on, if your opponent worked on your leg long enough, you'll noticably limp. If your head was pounded on, and punished throughout the match, you'll become woozy and stagger about at points until you can clear the cob-webs from your head. If a maneuver had a big impact on you, you'll stay on the ground longer, laid out for the most part, if it incapacitated both superstars in the match, then you'll have a standing ten count applied, where the superstars will realistically get up by the count of 7 or 8, rather than after 2 seconds.
This even breaks down to the way the ring is used as a weapon. Players can hang their opponent off the apron, only to crush upon their larynx with a leg drop. Why not grab at their feet with a single leg takedown, and then drag them to the corner to apply a ring post figure four leg lock? If you want to inflict more damage on your opponent, you could easily hit a powerbomb on your opponent near the ropes, subsequently sending them kareening to the outside. You could keep the punishment of your opponent on the outside, since the fight spilled out there, by tossing them, back first, into the ring apron, rather than automatically sending them, running first, into the ring. Or better yet, if you're an agile superstar, you could counter being tossed into the ring apron but springboarding off the apron and back at your opponent with a high flying counter.
The AKI engine is all about control, and expansion, so you can easily simulate a real wrestling match that you would see in any ring. It would easily become the backbone of balance, and the way it factors in how to hit trademark finishers is simple and easy; get your meter high enough, taunt the crowd for a special taunt that signals the end of the match, grapple your opponent and hit the taunt button for that trademark to be executed.
Branch this idea out further, and we could add in elements from other companies that have never worked on a wrestling game, or even a fighting game for this matter. Take, for example, Bungie.
Bed-bug? Bungle, I hear you asking? (Red vs. Blue joke, learn it and love it) What do the creators of Halo have to do with this thought, I hear you questionning? Especially when you consider that they're a one trick pony that deals only with first person shooters?
Well, let's take into the effect that they're heralded for their impressive work in the campaign mode, where their AI is damn near untouchable.
What Bungie so eloquently did was simply create an entire AI engine that allows the game to live and breathe on its own, within its own 3 dimensional space, and allow its very world to be something it easily notices and adapts to. What they did was map out every interactive object to hold its own properties, and have the game characters recognize those properties so it knows exactly how to interact with it. Graft this onto Eugene within the game, and now you'll never have to question why he feels it necessary to walk into the hole at the top of that unreasonably placed caged off area in the backstage area, although, it is Eugene, so you'd probably always have to ask yourself why he's constantly doing that in the first place.
And it's not just this, but it would allow the in-game superstars a stronger AI that doesn't rely on a rubberband effect, where it can allow you to beat on it at will for the most part of the game, only to start countering and reversing everything until it wins. You'll completely eliminate the dopey arcade feel of the game, and grant it a more real feel that is both challenging, and rich in its depth to grant players with a better play experience.
Keeping with the theme of realism, you coule easily do away with the clumsy AI's dumb moments, by giving it a more vicious feel to it, such as displayed by any Tecmo action or fighting game, like Ninja Gaiden or Dead or Alive's series. Allow the AI to do more when you opt to run, besides stand around and taunt, or do something about you as your decide to taunt on the outside, such as persue you and try to lay in some beatings, anything to disallow you time to get cheap build for your momentum.
Graft this inciteful AI engine to the AKI wrestling engine with more toys from other companies and you'll make for the perfect wrestling game, and the perfect overall experience for any gamer, whether they're a wrestling fan or a hardcore fighting gamer.
- Game Presentation:
With next gen consoles boasting, for the most part, about how gorgeous their games will look, it's no surprise that the next step for this game to be a solid winner is to remove the plastic look and feel of their game, and add stronger facial expressions to its presentation. Why not go with shadowing system that the Doom engine boasted, as well as the player models found in Metal Gear Solid's recent releases from its series. Or, why not, anything displayed on the block for the PS3 console? Anything better than this plastic look they have for their wrestling models.
The sound, of course, should be upbeat and intuitive, and with each console also coming with optional hard drive units, you could easily allow players to customize their sound, by allowing customizable soundtracks for their matches, or simply allowing the only sound to be the ring action, the crowd, and the commentary.
- Summation:
In the end, the product has to grow with the technology, and it doesn't hurt to abuse the hell out of some of the innovations other games have been using, particularly downloadable content. Not only would it be wise on the part of THQ to take advantage of the next gen consoles features to the fullest extent, it would give its target audience a greater sense that this game is far more than worth the pick up, but it would delay how often we recieve wrestling games in the course of a decade.
Slowing down THQ to allow us to really enjoy a title that continues to grow and breathe long since its initial release can allow them to really work on a follow up that can not only equate its previous title, but surpass it. Without the annual game titles from THQ, we might see more innovation in the next title, which could expand upon a certain feature that the fans enjoyed in the original, but didn't really have enough to offer. Not only that, but they can stretch that $50 dollar game into a $100 dollar experience with all of the downloadable content they could release within a seasonal release date for something akin to a $5 dollar download for 10 new items, or such.
If the game become more than just a game, and was more of an experience that continued to get better with age, rather than bland and linear, people would really look forward to these games releases, as they know they can get a lot more out of the game than just a few months worth of game play before it grew completely repetative.
THQ could learn from companies like Rare and Bungie, both of whom who are looking, or have looked, into the online capacities of the consoles to be a better way to expand on their games as a means to make it a better experience for the player.
But take with this as you will, after all, it is the product of a gamer's mind with no actual game coding knowledge in his repitore. I could be talking miracles here that sound simple to me.
And yes, this is exactly how I interpretted my conversation with my brother at 3 and 4 in the morning, while he suddenly got the urge to play SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain. Also, this sounded better than the actual conversation, which pretty much was like "How cool would this feature be?" - "Very."
If only life were really like a Kevin Smith movie...then conversations would actually be fucking interesting.