Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood
My Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 wishlist.
by Jon Robinson
February 6, 2007 - Sometimes games just get into a rut. That's how I feel about a lot of what I see in games with a year attached to the title. Developers feel they need to include every feature the game had last year, add a few top-line items they can sell on the back of the box, update rosters, and boom, the game sells a million no matter what the ultimate product plays like. But when is enough enough? When is it time to scrap what you've got and head in a new direction? It's a tough decision to justify, I'm sure, especially when the cash register keeps ringing like it does with the WWE Smackdown series.
And don't get me wrong, I have fun with WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2007, but there is so much that needs to be fixed, so many areas that need to be addressed, I think when we look to the future, I would actually like to see a less is more approach. If by less features, less match types that means the ones that are in the game are done right, I say hell yeah.
Here are 10 ideas I've come up that I think would help the direction of the series...
1. Online Royal Rumble
With so many pay-per-views and brands, why do we only get one WWE game a year? I would actually rather see games based around the pay-per-views than one all encompassing WWE title. Here is my idea: WWE Royal Rumble. Career mode is about creating your character and winning the Rumble. They add all kinds of additions to the Rumble gameplay with players skinning the cat ala Shawn Michaels, more double and triple team moves, and more focus paid to the various ways people are eliminated from the match. To top it off, you can play 30-man Royal Rumbles online where gamers draw a number then wait for their music to hit before walking that aisle and jumping into the fray. If done right, this would be one of the most popular games online, especially if you can bring created characters into the mix. You can have a lobby with WWE Superstars only, one with created characters, one where anything goes. I think by trying to add every match type known to man in the Smackdown series, THQ is actually limiting the excitement of the main features people want to play. By coming out with multiple games throughout the year, you can focus on events like the Rumble, like the Survivor Series, or even games based around matches like the Elimination Chamber and Hell in a Cell, and finally give fans the full blown versions of these matches they deserve.
2. Downloadable Content
Speaking of giving fans what they want, one of the main complaints people have about Smackdown 07 is the terribly out of date roster. The thing is, the designers of the game spend countless hours trying to get everything as detailed as possible for each and every character in the game, so when a wrestler quits or gets fired it's not like they have extra character models already done to swap into place. Next thing you know, someone like Kenny is a breakout star from the Spirit Squad or Jeff Hardy is the IC champ, but it's already too late to throw them into the game because all that's left to do is bug testing. This is where THQ should learn from EA and 2K Sports. Downloadable rosters. Even if they're only adding one character a month, that's one character to look forward to. That's one new wrestler to freshen up story mode or battles with your roommate. Top it off with downloadable outfits for wrestlers already in the game, and gimmick changes can happen with the click of a button just like adding throwback jerseys in Madden. I think THQ needs to look more and more at sports games for inspiration.
3. Chairs Don't Disappear
Maybe it's just me, but nothing bugs me more than smacking someone in the head with a chair, then watching that chair disappear in the ring. I know, I know, wrestling is choreographed violence so I'm already suspending reality to some degree, but if you want to make me feel like what I'm playing is real, have the chair get bent to crap, have the ref kick it out of the ring, have my opponent throw it into the crowd…anything but having the weapon just disappear. One of the stupidest things in all of gaming.
4. Old Timers Retired for a Reason
I love legends, but why add random old guys into the mix just for the sake of adding them. If it makes sense, I'm all for it. Say for the Royal Rumble game I mentioned earlier, they signed a bunch of old-timers who have won or made an impact in the past, then randomly stuck two or three of them in every Rumble just to keep you on your toes and maintain the element of surprise. Or how about if THQ finally straightens out the AI in tag matches, then all of the legends are famous tag teams you need to defeat to get your team to that same Hall of Fame status. My ultimate dream, though, is a WWE Legends game. I say, let the young guys have their game, let the legends have theirs. The idea Acclaim had with the old Legends of Wrestling was great, and it would only be better with a real wrestling engine and the backing of WWE.
5. Transfer Saves
How come I can transfer my characters from Lego Star Wars I to Lego Star Wars II but I can't do the same with my WWE games? Like I said, make multiple games throughout the year with the ability to transfer your characters from one game to the next. That way if my proposed Royal Rumble game features someone like Umaga who is later injured at Wrestlemania and isn't featured on the next game's roster, I can still play as my favorite one-man wrecking crew in the new game by simply transferring the data over from one title to the next.
It rewards customers who buy multiple games and will enable gamers to carry on the legacy of some of their favorites who might not be in the spotlight when the game ships.
6. Reality Bites
This goes back to my less is more comment in the introduction, but I seriously think there are too many match types in the game, especially considering how few of them are really done right. I say start with TLC and Hell in a Cell and perfect them. Perfect the AI so we don't just see wrestler after wrestler aimlessly climbing up ladders and jumping off. Make it so Hell in a Cell is so brutal, you remember every drop of blood. You remember the various ways you were tossed off the top of the cage or through the roof. I want to stack tables (that don't disappear!), and feel the danger of moves close to the roof's edge. I want my computer opponents to make better use of the weapons and cage walls.
In making the games more realistic, though, this also extends to everything down to the simplest singles match. I once made the Undertaker submit with a side headlock to win the match. The freakin' Undertaker tapped out to a side headlock!?! This should never happen. There are too many times in the game you get kicked in the gut, fall down, and are pinned. There's no drama. No build. No psychology. Maybe when a wrestler is in a critical stage and you put them in a side headlock, instead of tapping out, the Undertaker would become wobbly and the game would trigger an automatic finisher or something brutal to finish him off in a way that would at least still make the Undertaker look strong. And speaking of brutal finishers, what about EMT's running down to ringside if you completely destroy your opponent. That would give you extra incentive and bragging rights to finish the match the right way while also adding a little risk/reward factor to trying to add on one more big move to get the payoff of the medics.
On top of that, in terms of reality, I have to admit, I'm also not a fan of the grappling mechanic THQ introduced last year that lets you pick up an opponent in move like a suplex, then walk around the ring with him. When do you ever see that in real life? The more the game can mirror the real product the better.
7. Rivalries
Edge vs. John Cena. Was any rivalry hotter in 06? Then how come when I play this match out in Smackdown, the crowd sounds the same as when Daivari fights Kid Kash? Crowd reaction means so much to performers, and I think there needs to be a rivalry system in the game that reflects this. Not only should the crowd be more amped for a rivalry, but what if the crowd signaled face and heel turns, enabling you to switch roles in the match and have that reflect the state of your career. It sure would make picking John Cena in career mode a worthwhile experience.
8. Save Replays
Not only should there be replays of the biggest moves in the game (like Madden), but you should have the option to save the replays and then create your own Titantron video using the highlights. I want to be able to create my own entrance, create my own moves, create my own highlight reel…make it so I'm so invested in my character I don't want to play any other game, do anything else until I build him up to full strength.
I then want to play matches like Hair vs. Hair online with my created character. Can you imagine the pressure to win if your created character has the potential to get his head shaved, then use the clock of the system so it doesn't grow back for a week. I just want more incentive, more creative ways to use my created wrestlers. Maybe even a Loser Leaves Online match where if you lose, you can never bring that character online again (or at least for a month).
9. No Divas
When talking about lineups that are out of date, I have another pet peeve…divas. You're telling me that The Spirit Squad wasn't included in SVR 07 because they didn't have space but they had room for seven divas. Seriously, when playing this game, does anyone out there actually play as a diva? Maybe throw in a couple like Melina and Mickie James just because I'm sure THQ is contractually obligated to do so, but if there are any more than three divas in the next game and I hear the same tired excuse of not having room to fit all of the wrestlers, I'm going to go Mankind and pull my damn hair out (not that I have much left to begin with).
10. Edit Current Wrestlers
I want the ability to edit outfits, moves, finishers, and entrances of existing WWE superstars. So much changes throughout the year, and while downloadable content would help, I think the ability to edit characters however you want would work even better. Maybe you want to create your own stable and dress everyone in black. Maybe you have a rivalry against a certain friend and want to surprise him by editing your character and changing some of his move set to freshen things up. I'm not talking about making Rey Mysterio into a powerhouse, but what if there were hundreds of moves for every type of wrestler and you had the ability to swap moves from this set in and out of existing superstars. This way you'll be able to play as the same superstar, and maybe the better you are, the more moves you're able to unlock, so your characters actually have the ability to grow as grapplers. If you look at John Cena's career, the addition of the STFU really helped put him over the top, but it took entering a submission match for him to add the move to his repertoire. What if you're able to go to the gym and learn new moves before a big pay-per-view, that way if you're good enough, if you're getting over with the crowd, you'll be able to advance your career and your game to the next level.
Those are just some of my ideas for SVR 2008. Have ideas of your own? E-mail them to me and I'll post the best in a reader edition of the SVR Wishlist.
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I think most of these are great and a royal rumble over xbox live would be insane
My Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 wishlist.
by Jon Robinson
February 6, 2007 - Sometimes games just get into a rut. That's how I feel about a lot of what I see in games with a year attached to the title. Developers feel they need to include every feature the game had last year, add a few top-line items they can sell on the back of the box, update rosters, and boom, the game sells a million no matter what the ultimate product plays like. But when is enough enough? When is it time to scrap what you've got and head in a new direction? It's a tough decision to justify, I'm sure, especially when the cash register keeps ringing like it does with the WWE Smackdown series.
And don't get me wrong, I have fun with WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2007, but there is so much that needs to be fixed, so many areas that need to be addressed, I think when we look to the future, I would actually like to see a less is more approach. If by less features, less match types that means the ones that are in the game are done right, I say hell yeah.
Here are 10 ideas I've come up that I think would help the direction of the series...
1. Online Royal Rumble
With so many pay-per-views and brands, why do we only get one WWE game a year? I would actually rather see games based around the pay-per-views than one all encompassing WWE title. Here is my idea: WWE Royal Rumble. Career mode is about creating your character and winning the Rumble. They add all kinds of additions to the Rumble gameplay with players skinning the cat ala Shawn Michaels, more double and triple team moves, and more focus paid to the various ways people are eliminated from the match. To top it off, you can play 30-man Royal Rumbles online where gamers draw a number then wait for their music to hit before walking that aisle and jumping into the fray. If done right, this would be one of the most popular games online, especially if you can bring created characters into the mix. You can have a lobby with WWE Superstars only, one with created characters, one where anything goes. I think by trying to add every match type known to man in the Smackdown series, THQ is actually limiting the excitement of the main features people want to play. By coming out with multiple games throughout the year, you can focus on events like the Rumble, like the Survivor Series, or even games based around matches like the Elimination Chamber and Hell in a Cell, and finally give fans the full blown versions of these matches they deserve.
2. Downloadable Content
Speaking of giving fans what they want, one of the main complaints people have about Smackdown 07 is the terribly out of date roster. The thing is, the designers of the game spend countless hours trying to get everything as detailed as possible for each and every character in the game, so when a wrestler quits or gets fired it's not like they have extra character models already done to swap into place. Next thing you know, someone like Kenny is a breakout star from the Spirit Squad or Jeff Hardy is the IC champ, but it's already too late to throw them into the game because all that's left to do is bug testing. This is where THQ should learn from EA and 2K Sports. Downloadable rosters. Even if they're only adding one character a month, that's one character to look forward to. That's one new wrestler to freshen up story mode or battles with your roommate. Top it off with downloadable outfits for wrestlers already in the game, and gimmick changes can happen with the click of a button just like adding throwback jerseys in Madden. I think THQ needs to look more and more at sports games for inspiration.
3. Chairs Don't Disappear
Maybe it's just me, but nothing bugs me more than smacking someone in the head with a chair, then watching that chair disappear in the ring. I know, I know, wrestling is choreographed violence so I'm already suspending reality to some degree, but if you want to make me feel like what I'm playing is real, have the chair get bent to crap, have the ref kick it out of the ring, have my opponent throw it into the crowd…anything but having the weapon just disappear. One of the stupidest things in all of gaming.
4. Old Timers Retired for a Reason
I love legends, but why add random old guys into the mix just for the sake of adding them. If it makes sense, I'm all for it. Say for the Royal Rumble game I mentioned earlier, they signed a bunch of old-timers who have won or made an impact in the past, then randomly stuck two or three of them in every Rumble just to keep you on your toes and maintain the element of surprise. Or how about if THQ finally straightens out the AI in tag matches, then all of the legends are famous tag teams you need to defeat to get your team to that same Hall of Fame status. My ultimate dream, though, is a WWE Legends game. I say, let the young guys have their game, let the legends have theirs. The idea Acclaim had with the old Legends of Wrestling was great, and it would only be better with a real wrestling engine and the backing of WWE.
5. Transfer Saves
How come I can transfer my characters from Lego Star Wars I to Lego Star Wars II but I can't do the same with my WWE games? Like I said, make multiple games throughout the year with the ability to transfer your characters from one game to the next. That way if my proposed Royal Rumble game features someone like Umaga who is later injured at Wrestlemania and isn't featured on the next game's roster, I can still play as my favorite one-man wrecking crew in the new game by simply transferring the data over from one title to the next.
It rewards customers who buy multiple games and will enable gamers to carry on the legacy of some of their favorites who might not be in the spotlight when the game ships.
6. Reality Bites
This goes back to my less is more comment in the introduction, but I seriously think there are too many match types in the game, especially considering how few of them are really done right. I say start with TLC and Hell in a Cell and perfect them. Perfect the AI so we don't just see wrestler after wrestler aimlessly climbing up ladders and jumping off. Make it so Hell in a Cell is so brutal, you remember every drop of blood. You remember the various ways you were tossed off the top of the cage or through the roof. I want to stack tables (that don't disappear!), and feel the danger of moves close to the roof's edge. I want my computer opponents to make better use of the weapons and cage walls.
In making the games more realistic, though, this also extends to everything down to the simplest singles match. I once made the Undertaker submit with a side headlock to win the match. The freakin' Undertaker tapped out to a side headlock!?! This should never happen. There are too many times in the game you get kicked in the gut, fall down, and are pinned. There's no drama. No build. No psychology. Maybe when a wrestler is in a critical stage and you put them in a side headlock, instead of tapping out, the Undertaker would become wobbly and the game would trigger an automatic finisher or something brutal to finish him off in a way that would at least still make the Undertaker look strong. And speaking of brutal finishers, what about EMT's running down to ringside if you completely destroy your opponent. That would give you extra incentive and bragging rights to finish the match the right way while also adding a little risk/reward factor to trying to add on one more big move to get the payoff of the medics.
On top of that, in terms of reality, I have to admit, I'm also not a fan of the grappling mechanic THQ introduced last year that lets you pick up an opponent in move like a suplex, then walk around the ring with him. When do you ever see that in real life? The more the game can mirror the real product the better.
7. Rivalries
Edge vs. John Cena. Was any rivalry hotter in 06? Then how come when I play this match out in Smackdown, the crowd sounds the same as when Daivari fights Kid Kash? Crowd reaction means so much to performers, and I think there needs to be a rivalry system in the game that reflects this. Not only should the crowd be more amped for a rivalry, but what if the crowd signaled face and heel turns, enabling you to switch roles in the match and have that reflect the state of your career. It sure would make picking John Cena in career mode a worthwhile experience.
8. Save Replays
Not only should there be replays of the biggest moves in the game (like Madden), but you should have the option to save the replays and then create your own Titantron video using the highlights. I want to be able to create my own entrance, create my own moves, create my own highlight reel…make it so I'm so invested in my character I don't want to play any other game, do anything else until I build him up to full strength.
I then want to play matches like Hair vs. Hair online with my created character. Can you imagine the pressure to win if your created character has the potential to get his head shaved, then use the clock of the system so it doesn't grow back for a week. I just want more incentive, more creative ways to use my created wrestlers. Maybe even a Loser Leaves Online match where if you lose, you can never bring that character online again (or at least for a month).
9. No Divas
When talking about lineups that are out of date, I have another pet peeve…divas. You're telling me that The Spirit Squad wasn't included in SVR 07 because they didn't have space but they had room for seven divas. Seriously, when playing this game, does anyone out there actually play as a diva? Maybe throw in a couple like Melina and Mickie James just because I'm sure THQ is contractually obligated to do so, but if there are any more than three divas in the next game and I hear the same tired excuse of not having room to fit all of the wrestlers, I'm going to go Mankind and pull my damn hair out (not that I have much left to begin with).
10. Edit Current Wrestlers
I want the ability to edit outfits, moves, finishers, and entrances of existing WWE superstars. So much changes throughout the year, and while downloadable content would help, I think the ability to edit characters however you want would work even better. Maybe you want to create your own stable and dress everyone in black. Maybe you have a rivalry against a certain friend and want to surprise him by editing your character and changing some of his move set to freshen things up. I'm not talking about making Rey Mysterio into a powerhouse, but what if there were hundreds of moves for every type of wrestler and you had the ability to swap moves from this set in and out of existing superstars. This way you'll be able to play as the same superstar, and maybe the better you are, the more moves you're able to unlock, so your characters actually have the ability to grow as grapplers. If you look at John Cena's career, the addition of the STFU really helped put him over the top, but it took entering a submission match for him to add the move to his repertoire. What if you're able to go to the gym and learn new moves before a big pay-per-view, that way if you're good enough, if you're getting over with the crowd, you'll be able to advance your career and your game to the next level.
Those are just some of my ideas for SVR 2008. Have ideas of your own? E-mail them to me and I'll post the best in a reader edition of the SVR Wishlist.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I think most of these are great and a royal rumble over xbox live would be insane