WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2011 News Post

Carraggi's Corner: Wrestling With Realism

03:52 PM - July 22, 2010 by RaychelSnr

Thanks for stepping into Carraggi's Corner, where we are always off the wall but promise to at least stay in the room. In this space, we'll tackle this and that, these and those -- strap up!

It really is something of a paradox, isn't it? How do you cultivate realism in a video game based on something faker than Pam Anderson? How do you improve the sim aspect of WWE's Smackdown series?

Unfortunately, there is no blanket answer that can lay the smackdown on some of the arcade-like parts of the decade-old fighting series. However, common sense suggests the developers may see an opening to make the next few versions of the game more sim-friendly, especially with the steroid-fueled (speaking of realism) WWE All-Stars making its debut.

But what steps should THQ take to make the series a little more realistic? Here are a couple of suggestions.

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Member Comments

# 1 SmashMan @ 07/22/10 04:59 PM

A career mode for created players would be great if, and only if, you started out wrestling other newcomers on NXT. The way they do it now with the CAW's RTWM mode just puts you automatically in the ring with established superstars and it isn't that great.

My biggest gameplay issue is that every AI character wrestles the exact same way (95% strikes to build to finisher, end match), which absolutely kills the replayability. I made a post not too long ago about having wrestler tendencies to drive the Ai characters, but I have no confidence that anything like that would make it into the Smackdown series.

Their presentation of the moves is really confusing. I actually like the idea of having actual wrestlers do the mo-cap (though it does lead to stale animations being reused year after year) but then they couple that with the overexaggerated animations like Kofi Kingston jumping 20 feet in the air and it totally throws off the feel because I don't know what they're going for. Between the two, I'd personally prefer straight mo-cap without exaggerations.

DLC is tricky, especially for a game that with (and this will sound harsh to those that work on it) so few overall improvements, is entirely too dependent on new wrestlers and arenas. As you said, they can't add new guys because it cuts into next year. I do like the PPV idea, but I wouldn't pay for it as I could just go into Exhibition and set up the matches myself. I would like to see them update the "My WWE" section with appropriate heel/face, brand, and champions so I don't have to do that.

In general, I could sum up my problems with the game being that there seems to be a feeling that THQ/Yukes think a lot of aspects of the game are just good enough, when they could be expanded on over time.

# 2 ILLCHILL @ 07/22/10 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmashMan


	In general, I could sum up my problems with the game being that there seems to be a feeling that THQ/Yukes think a lot of aspects of the game are just good enough, when they could be expanded on over time.

I absolutely agree with Goh's idea, and really think you hit the nail on the head with this statement about the developers' sense of contentment with their product, and the slow as molasses rate they make changes.

# 3 statum71 @ 07/22/10 08:14 PM

Sad to say....I love wrestling but have absolutely stopped buying the series. The other sports games are just leaving it so far behind.

# 4 seeuatthemovies @ 07/22/10 08:54 PM

I would like to see them go to more of a physics based approach and open up the opportunity to introduce create-a-move and bring back create-a-taunt. That would possibly cut into next year's sales too, but users love to create their own content and share it. Just look at ModNation Racers and Little Big Planet. Maybe this game is another that would benefit from a two year development cycle in which you could just purchase DLC upgrades to the rosters/presentation.

# 5 Carolina Dude29 @ 07/22/10 08:55 PM

I love the WWE and i like SvR 2010 so i cant wait til this comes out. the TLC phisics are awesome

# 6 PantherBeast_OS @ 07/22/10 10:45 PM

Well from what I've herd from interviews with Bryan Willaims earlier that THQ is trying give fans what they want and give WWE what they want aswell. But the thing is WWE Vince Mcmahon now adays is limiting THQ to what they can and can't do in the series anymore. I thought WWE was doing for the fans. Not hardly. Fans want extreme matches with lots of weapons and blood like on the real WWE show you see on raw. But yet WWE limits THQ on things like that. That doesn't show WWe caring about the fans ver much at this point. But I want so the weight detection come back. I ain't seen it since sd vs raw 07. Plus I want to see them allow svr fans to be able fight from the ring to back stage areas. That ain't happen since here comes the pain game. I also want to see them allow for us fans to do high flying moves off of high places you saw in ECW days. If they did these things and add more weapons to the game. Then the game would be alot more fun and it would sale alot copies aswell. But I love the way they are going SD vs Raw 11 this year. By going with a new Weapons engine. It's going nice to see something different for a change. I can't wait. Thanks for the good write up Chris.

# 7 DJ @ 07/22/10 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goh


	I was already over it in detail in another topic so I'll just keep short here. Take the focus off of winning/losing so it's less of a glorified fighting game and put it on performance. Keep fans happy and ratings up with good matches.

I agree that this is the way it should go. Incorporate things like promo ability as well into how successful a wrestler is.

# 8 Hooe @ 07/23/10 01:22 AM

They could start by rewriting the AI, which seemingly hasn't changed since the series' inception on the PSX. It's dire.

# 9 mattlanta @ 07/23/10 02:05 AM

You can't. It's all scripted. So you can just pretend like whatever happened in the game was scripted. Trying to apply the 'sim' aspect of wrestling is wack.

# 10 Biggdeez @ 07/23/10 01:44 PM

If the game was improving from year to year they wouldn't have to worry about dlc hurting the next years sales. Are there that many people out there who buy this years game ONLY because of a couple of new characters? The biggest problem is a lack of follow through. No patches, no dlc, same issues year in and year out. New features are implemented every year and then forgotten about or removed down the road. If they would just fix what's already there before trying to add something else they could have a really good game.

# 11 DubTrey1 @ 07/23/10 01:58 PM

I will keep it short - but I think to me in order to innovate the series as well as the genre as a whole, I would say put in realtime animations and collisions. I know, no small feat and how could it be done? Well, I would say doing something along the lines what R* did with GTA and RDR.... Using the the engine or parts of it in order to make the wrestling more dynamic and fresh for every fight or situation. Or - if that is not an option, how about the Euphoria engine? I am just throwing stuff out there since I think one or the other would be awesome in a brawler/fighting game. Think of the matches and how it would look? No more canned animations after punches to the face or slams to the floor, turnbuckle etc.... The fun would seemingly be endless.

# 12 Cryolemon @ 07/23/10 02:05 PM

Quote:


	Instead, let us play out the pay-per-view shows a few weeks after they actually take place. And not just play them, I also want to experience the run-ins, match stipulations and whatever else is thrown at us. Even if this just goes through WrestleMania, let us play out the PPVs with the actual promo packages before the match and a highlight video of the real match afterward.

I really like that idea.

# 13 ILLCHILL @ 07/23/10 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Legend Killer


	Thanks for the good write up Chris.

Chris gets enough credit

It was my write up!

It seems that a recurring sentiment of everyone posting is that, if the developers would just really follow through on making improvements and not stand pat year after year, the series would be closer to hitting its potential. And I've got to agree that in this particular case, it seems effort on THQ/Yukes's part along with some possible buzz-killing on WWE's part is holding the series back.

# 14 SmashMan @ 07/23/10 03:37 PM

I'm sure there's quite a bit of WWE-imposed limitations, but I would assume (that being the key word, obviously) those would be on how their characters are represented; not on gameplay enhancements.

I don't know...I buy the games because I'm a lifelong wrestling fan and I do have fun with the games for some period of time; but each version just seems so "closed off", for lack of a better term. Where other games have varying levels of developer interaction, DLC, patches, and user-created content, the Smackdown series seems ten steps behind on all those aspects. Even the menu screens are clunky and outdated.

This game still feels like a PS2 game instead of a next-gen game, and I really wish they'd realize that. I don't expect wholesale changes from one version to the next, but gradual change would be very welcome by just about everybody.

I could type way, way, way too much about wrestling games, but I'll stop now.

# 15 Rebel10 @ 07/23/10 05:17 PM

"Faker than Pam Anderson."

Do people even know who she is anymore?

# 16 stlstudios189 @ 07/23/10 07:31 PM

Weight detection and better career mode is all I need. DLC to update the roster would be helpful, I mean look at this years game no Shamus and he is now a 2x champ.

# 17 SmashMan @ 07/23/10 09:09 PM

Weight detection is tough because they obviously can't do it right with the system they had before. I guess, within their system (the one based entirely on weight classes), they could just "flag" certain guys (Cena...others?) as able to lift the really big guys.

I really think they should rehaul the ratings similar to how sports games do it. Give us a strength rating and base the weight detection on that. Maybe have it so they can update the ratings once a month (or whatever) to better reflect TV. Say we had ratings like that in place now, they could bump up Jack Swagger's submission rating because of his newfound use of the ankle lock, for example.

# 18 Eman5805 @ 07/24/10 02:43 AM

To this day one of the best wrestling games I've ever played was No Mercy on the N64 and just about every other game using that AKI engine.

Including the Def Jam fighting games.

# 19 Pappy Knuckles @ 07/25/10 02:13 PM

How are these games online?

# 20 Majingir @ 07/25/10 07:30 PM

Matches need to be improved and give it a more wrestling type of feel. Wrestling games are still like the button mashing type of things with the exception of strong grapples. They should make it more like nba,nhl where it takes skill to preform moves and stuff and not just button mashing and/or luck.

There needs to be more things outside of actual fighting to do in the game. Not just default RTWM or even create a story, we need more than that. Like No Mercy and HCTP games were great.

Why not have a "be a wrestler" mode type of thing also. Live the life of a wrestler by doing things like traveling around the world, competing on shows, making good promos to get fan support and everything like that.

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