Four Things EA Sports MMA Must Do To Compete With UFC

Feature Article

Submitted on: 07/19/2010 by Dustin Toms

UFC Undisputed 2009 took the sports gaming nation by storm. The follow-up product in 2010 was a little less than spectacular, but it is still serving its purpose as one of the best fighting games known to date.

Now everyone's favorite monopolizer wants to join in on the fun. So EA Sports is coming to the fight with EA MMA. Will it be able to trump Undisputed's two-year reign, or will it fail to meet expectations? Here are a few things that would certainly help EA MMA's cause.

Controls Need To Be Easy To Understand

I know a lot of you probably want to stab me for saying this, but it is true. I’m not saying let "A" be punch and "B" be kick, but it's not a good thing if we have to stare at the instruction manual for the first two weeks to try and figure out the controls. All the UFC lovers know that there are countless moves to be done in the cage, so for the best possible experience in a video game, we need to be able to complete all of those moves, right? The short answer is yes. So, yes there will be a couple complex combos or some tricky movement of the analog sticks at points, but as long as the game is just slightly harder than the typical "pick-up-and-play" game, it should do well.

Career Mode Can’t Be Stale

Fighting games have generally failed when implementing a career mode. The mode is usually the same thing over and over: train, train, train and fight. Then do it again. I know that it is hard to completely capture the true essence of fighting, whether it is in a cage or in a ring, but one of these days it is bound to happen. Since EA MMA has been a project since 2007, the career mode has to be legit.

Gameplay Needs To Be Fresh

This is the one major worry I have for EA MMA. With Fight Night already being a success, and having the analog sticks implemented into the game so well, what if this title feels the same? I don’t want to open up my copy and play Fight Night Round 5 or UFC Undisputed. There needs to be some sort of middle ground between the two, and luckily the folks at EA Tiburon have a few tricks up their sleeves. Though they are not saying much, they have announced a "mini-game-like" ground game. Not too many details have been announced about it -- just a few impressions from the E3 floor demo -- so it seems like there will be more details revealed about this at a later date. The point is, at the end of the day, the ground game has to involve more strategy than what is found in Undisputed.

The Online Experience Better Be as Good as Advertised

It seems like every year now we hear about new and amazing online features. And once these new online features can finally be experienced, they tend to disappoint. But with the new "Live Broadcast" feature for EA MMA, the potential and hype all seem warranted. You can make your own video to get noticed, and then hopefully selected to fight in front of gamers across the globe. I look at this as the beginning of something great. If this takes off, imagine the hype that could surround a fight between OS' own Steve and Chris? What if EA takes this feature and inserts into Madden and Elite? I smell a revolution.

But what do you folks think EA MMA MUST do if it wants to carve out its own fan base?

EA Sports MMA Videos

Member Comments

# 1 geezmeister @ 07/20/10 01:17 AM

The one thing I hate about undisputed is the chess match feel. You punch I punch you kick then my turn. If I time it right I may be able to get a takedown. Boooo. What I like about the ea videos is the game seems to capture the controlled chaos in the ring better. If you know what I mean. Punches are being thrown fighters are holding wrist and pushing on heads. And when on the ground it seems as if there is a quicker pace so that the ground game can stay fresh and rewarding each time. We will see. While I think undisputed is fun. I'm pulling for EA MMA to dominate

# 2 redsrule @ 07/20/10 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geezmeister


	The one thing I hate about undisputed is the chess match feel. You punch I punch you kick then my turn. If I time it right I may be able to get a takedown. Boooo. What I like about the ea videos is the game seems to capture the controlled chaos in the ring better. If you know what I mean. Punches are being thrown fighters are holding wrist and pushing on heads. And when on the ground it seems as if there is a quicker pace so that the ground game can stay fresh and rewarding each time. We will see. While I think undisputed is fun. I'm pulling for EA MMA to dominate

I hope this game is good as well, but from the gameplay video, it looks a little unrealistic standup wise to me. But it is quicker pace which is cool

# 3 SgtDillznick @ 07/20/10 10:27 AM

In regards to career mode, I realize that EA MMA will not do it this way, but both EA MMA and Undisputed could learn a thing or two from the PSP's Boxer's Road 2.

Training for a fight is so much more than hitting the gym and practicing technique or sparring with a generic opponent. The game needs to involve proper dieting and cardio workouts. Do you bulk up to match the size of Brock Lesnar or Shane Carwin in order to stand and bang? Or, do you trim down and work on wrestling and jiu-jitsu and boost your cardio in order to out-work and out-class these guys on the ground?

In essence, the training before each fight should be like going through the off-season in a game like Madden or MLB The Show. Each fight should bring a new challenge that must be properly prepared for in order to come out with the win. For those who want to rush into each and every career fight, have an auto-train mode for them to skip right through the process and get to the action.

See, everyone is happy now.

# 4 redsrule @ 07/20/10 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SgtDillznick


	In regards to career mode, I realize that EA MMA will not do it this way, but both EA MMA and Undisputed could learn a thing or two from the PSP's Boxer's Road 2. Training for a fight is so much more than hitting the gym and practicing technique or sparring with a generic opponent. The game needs to involve proper dieting and cardio workouts. Do you bulk up to match the size of Brock Lesnar or Shane Carwin in order to stand and bang? Or, do you trim down and work on wrestling and jiu-jitsu and boost your cardio in order to out-work and out-class these guys on the ground? In essence, the training before each fight should be like going through the off-season in a game like Madden or MLB The Show. Each fight should bring a new challenge that must be properly prepared for in order to come out with the win. For those who want to rush into each and every career fight, have an auto-train mode for them to skip right through the process and get to the action. See, everyone is happy now.

Havent played that psp game before. I have some career mode suggestions that i will put down when i get the chance to, but im lazy lol.
I completely agree with you about that, I think it would be huge to have weight and dieting issues. Maybe you have to go to sauna before weigh ins and if you need to cut to much weight, you will be drained and look drained ie James Irvin from UFC on Versus 1.
I also would love it if you had to make weight, and if you didnt, it becomes a nc or catchweight and you lose part of your purse.

# 5 Saijahn @ 07/20/10 02:47 PM

People who complained about the ground game in UFC will complain about the striking in EA MMA.

They essentially flipped control schemes. So for striking in UFC it was buttons, but in EA MMA it will be TPC from Fight Night, while the ground game in EA MMA will be buttons.

It's essentially the same game.

# 6 redsrule @ 07/20/10 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saijahn


	People who complained about the ground game in UFC will complain about the striking in EA MMA. They essentially flipped control schemes. So for striking in UFC it was buttons, but in EA MMA it will be TPC from Fight Night, while the ground game in EA MMA will be buttons. It's essentially the same game.

I love FNR4, but thats boxing not mma. I think people might be able to spam takedowns if you have to use right analog stick for punchin.g

# 7 mmathaifighter @ 07/21/10 11:09 AM

EA could give UFC a massive punch in the mouth if they have an extensive create a fighter mode which allows people to upload their fighters for others to DL, like they do in Fight Night. Not only be able to allow players to upload their creations for others to DL but also have the option for the creators to allow those DLing their fighters to edit them, which was a MAJOR fumble THQ made with that last wrestling game.

As far as assigning attribute points, well have all attributes set to a base number of say, 55-60, so they arent overly weak and allow those downloading them to either be able to earn more attribute points by winning fights online or maybe taking them through a somewhat shortened career mode.

The ability for the community to be able to create and keep the game fresh will give this a long shelf life as well as giving them an upper hand against THQ and UFC as this game certainly will NOT need a yearly update. I was still playing The Show 09 thanks to Knights rosters until the day I bought The Show 10.

It should also be noted that I stopped playing UFC 2010 about a month ago due to boring career mode, lame CAF, largely unrealistic gameplay(HWs can throw power punches one after the other without any effect at all on overall stamina) and horrible online. I dont even mind spammers online because they can easily be defeated once you figure out what they are doing.

# 8 redsrule @ 07/21/10 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SA1NT401


	Wont take much to top UFC10 honestly....Just learn from how THQ screwed up UFC10 and dont do that. Career mode has to shine in EA MMA. I dont play sprts games online at all...So Sp career mode is all the time i will get out of EA MMA...IF....IF the gameplay is even worth it. Does seem like it is going for a WAY more SIM direction than UFC10 where they went 98% ARCADE. Who knows for sure until it actually drops or we get a DEMO.

Yep, i dont have live so career mode is huge for me. I think the ufc game is fun to certain points, but im bout to sell mine on craigslist.

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