"Wrestling is an art form. I don't worry
about those who don't get it;
I worry about satisfying those who do."
- Paul Heyman
From day one, there's
always been 2 sides to my wrestling work. As entertaining as the career
aspects may be, they're only ever a prelude to the inevitable management
game! Federation Wrestling evolved into Federation Booker,
Wrestling MPire paved the way for Booking MPire, and now
Wrestling Encore must pass the torch to Booking Encore. A
legacy of clumsy game titles aside, this process can always be relied upon
to take a concept to the next level - so get ready for a wrestling
experience that might just steal the title from its all-conquering
predecessor...
In The Pipeline
The game has practically caught
up with Booking MPire already. Another feature which is unique to this
half of the series - the production process - has been successfully implemented.
It's the same old system from the previous game, which offers 15 show
enhancements for you to work on (and then pay for) with each passing week. It's
the same old selection too - ranging from bureaucratic money savers to visible
arena enhancements. I feel lazy saying that, but there's a definite "if it ain't
broke don't fix it" philosophy going on with this remake - and I'm not going to
reinvent the wheel just for the sake of it! There are one or two tiny
adjustments though. The business productions, for instance, now cost $100 per
head - instead of one inexplicable lump sum that may not be in tune with the
size of your roster. Some of the effects have been made clearer and more
significant too. The screen also enjoys slightly improved presentation. The
price now sits neatly beneath each production's name tag, instead of
awkwardly sitting over the top of the picture. What you have and haven't
built is also clearer at a glance, as a subtle red or green outline
accompanies the icon...
Enemy Lines
Speaking of presentation,
another little adjustment is that you can now view the relationships of your
wrestlers at the selection screen. By simply holding down the TAB key, the game
will plot a pink line towards friends and an orange one towards enemies -
leaving you in no doubt as to who your characters are currently involved with!
It's handy for making sure the right elements are in place for hot matches and
meaningful storylines. The "Title Histories" have also made a welcome return to
the database - logging each new world title reign, complete with the holder and
date for you to look back on...
War Of Words
Although you have more assistance
when it comes to storylines, you may not need it because the promos are
nowhere near as fussy as they used to be. Instead of stressing about
whether each character is in the right situation, you're now free to
perform most storylines without being criticised for bad logic. Apart from
glaringly obvious things like claiming to be a champion when they're not,
the game will assume that you know what you're doing and will let you get
on with the show. There are plenty of new ones to help you do it too. A
particularly handy one involves a rule summary from the perspective of the
wrestlers - where they argue about the stipulations of the
match! It's just a glorified way of reminding yourself what you've already
set up, but it's good to see the wrestlers talking accurately about the
match at hand...
Meet Your Match
The wrestlers have got a
lot to say backstage too. After each match, any significant occurrences
might be brought up in special post-match meetings - such as feuding or
teaming based on an interference, or turning Face/Heel based on the way
they wrestled. It's handy for setting up angles automatically without the
need for promos or manipulation. Hundreds of general meetings have also
been piling in with each passing day - ranging from updated classics to
brand new ideas. One key change for this version is that you can now have
multiple encounters each week. Instead of giving you one preset wrestler
to speak to, the game scans the whole roster and grants a meeting to
anybody that requires one. The result is that you end up speaking to a
nice handful of employees each night, and can exercise much more control
over your roster...
Courting
Controversy
One "meeting" you don't want to
be having too often is that with a judge! Yes, the court cases from Popscene
and Popcorn have finally turned up in a wrestling game. They didn't quite suit the
solo nature of Wrestling Encore, but there are plenty of disputes in a
booker's life. Among the many possibilities are the hiring and firing of
employees, compensating for injuries, and even accusations of drug-pushing when
you prescribe steroids and painkillers! But beneath those wrestling-based
arguments, it's the same old process from the Popscene
series - whereby each character makes their case before the judge randomly
delivers a verdict. It's a welcome break from the demands of booking though, and adds
plenty of spice to your schedule (not to mention an extra chance to rest your
roster)...
Attack Of The Tacks
Since Booking Encore lifts
features from practically every game that came before it, its progress was
always going to be somewhat predictable. However, it has managed to throw a few
last-minute curveballs - one of which is the introduction of thumbtacks as a
weapon! If the "Canadian Destroyer" was the
most requested move, then this was the most requested gimmick - and now both are
present and correct. Fans of the 2D series will be interested to
know that the feature is surprisingly similar to what we had in those games. A
mess of tacks spill out whenever the item is on the floor, and then they're
instantly scooped up into a tight bag once taken in hand. I had assumed that
illusion was too hard to implement in 3D, but I took a shot and managed to
create and program the entire thing within an hour! The only bad news is that
the feature is too deeply implemented to be thrown back to Wrestling Encore.
It would involve replacing all 17 character models, which would be more like
re-releasing the entire game than uploading a patch...
Let's Get Ready To Stumble
One breakthrough that will be
available for Wrestling Encore is the addition of "stumbling" variations
of the falling animations. Instead of falling flat on their face or back, a wrestler may now
drop onto one knee and then quickly get back up again. That may not sound like
much, but it's great news for those that are weary of the constant falling over.
Now it only happens half the time! The rest of the time, the wrestlers are soon
back on their feet and ready for action (albeit in a tired state). It factors
into practically every area of the game - not least move failures, which are
more unpredictable than ever now that either wrestler could be back on their
feet. All in all, it's done wonders for the game balancing and produces plenty
of back-and-forth action...
The Greatest Show
On Earth
In other news, a great "Reverse Suplex" is the final chapter in
the recent barrage of new moves. I've never really liked that move, but it
enjoys a satisfyingly realistic animation in this game - and looks especially
good falling onto an item! Now that the game has taken such solid shape, I've
finally been able to play it as much as I'm making it - and my findings are very
positive. I always forget how superior these booking instalments can be, but
there's no doubt that this really is better than Wrestling Encore. The
improved in-ring possibilities and enhanced artificial intelligence has made the
matches a joy to play (instead of the chore that they could be in Booking
MPire). Entertaining matches are just waiting to unfold for any booker that
takes a shred of interest in the proceedings, and the results of your hard work
are played out perfectly in the match analysis and news reports. All the fun of
booking without the headache-inducing paperwork! Look out for a March release
and then you can kiss the rest of 2006 goodbye...
Show Me The Money
Although the game continues to make great
progress, I'm afraid it's in bureaucratic ways that don't exactly lend
themselves to screenshots!
Following on from the improved nightly ratings, there's now a modified
financial report to go with it. It's the same old cocktail of "Gate Receipts"
and "Merchandise Sales" set against "Salaries" and "Production Costs", but the
improved presentation from Wrestling Encore makes it all much easier to
appreciate...
The People's Champion
The attendance that produces that income has also been implemented.
Each night you construct your ideal arena, before a little cut-scene reveals how
many people have turned up. Same old story from Booking MPire, but the
process does seem a lot smoother this time - complete with improved camera work
and presentation. The introduction of hall venues has also changed things a
little. Instead of seeing the same 3-layer crowd at every show, the attendance
figure is now used to trim it down to just 1 or 2 layers. That ensures there's a
noticeable difference between playing to hundreds of people and the 5'000
capacity that a hall has. The hall settings are also used to mark a difference
between TV shows and PPV's. To make the major events feel as special as they
are, they're now the only times that you're allowed to break out a stadium
setting - while having to make do with various halls throughout the month...
Best Of The Best
As you'd expect, the above
attendances are governed by how popular your product is - and nowhere is that
more obvious than in the weekly TV ratings! Far from a statistical gimmick, it's
actually the aim of the game to become (and remain) the number one TV show on
the air. And, as in real life, it's not just wrestling that's vying for the top
spot. Whereas the original game had just 10 preset shows drifting up and down
the list, this version follows in Popcorn's footsteps with 20 shows
evolving behind the scenes - only 10 of which make it onto the weekly list. That
makes it a little more realistic as shows appear and disappear from the list
(including your own!). The feature is also accompanied by the chart icons that
Popscene and co introduced - which, combined with the improved
presentation of all other charts, makes for a very welcome part of the game...
Headline Acts
After being reminded of where all
the shows stand, you're then taken into the same old news reports from
Wrestling Encore to find out what else is happening. It may look and feel
the same, but days on end had to be spent tearing out the events and adjusting
them for the perspective of a booker! A by-product of that is that there are
much such events in this version. The managerial games are what this feature was
designed for, and you'll appreciate that when every little detail about your
wrestlers' lives is reported for your consideration. You can also find plenty of
warnings and advice about the way you're running your business...
Sale Of The Century
As surely as the news events
needed to be turned around, the contract negotiations have had to receive
similar treatment. As the booker, you're now trying to acquire talent for the
lowest price instead trying to negotiate the highest pay cheque for yourself!
Wrestling Encore's various advancements remain intact though, such as the
option to pay in one lump sum instead on a weekly basis (or a combination of the
two). There's better AI on the computer's side of the negotiations too, which
makes things much tougher for a hustler! The characters now remember whether or
not you've approached them that week, and they won't respond kindly to being
dragged into negotiations again. The selling side of things has also made a
return to this game. As before, you can unload any unwanted wrestlers by
offering them to rival promotions or releasing them back to the independent
circuit. Rivals promotions can even approach you to acquire a particularly
valuable wrestler - at which point the meeting becomes a game in itself, as you
see how far you can make them jack up the price before they lose their patience!
New Tricks
For Old Dogs
To relieve the boredom of
constantly programming booking features, I've taken to drawing up some brand new
moves every now and then - most of which are the more unique and powerful
manoeuvres that I didn't have time to make during Wrestling Encore's
production! It all kicked off with the most requested of them all - the
Canadian Destroyer
popularized by Petey Williams on the independent circuit. It's such a welcome
addition to the list of finishers that I even uploaded a
video clip of the animation to satisfy
your curiosity until you see it in action! We've also seen the addition of an
equally impressive
Pump Handle Slam, which can even be used to
drop an opponent out of the
ring. Meanwhile, the more agile wrestlers can make use of a decent
Michinoku Driver
and a more energetic
Tornado DTT...
Out Of The
Closet
And it's not just new moves that
Booking Encore promises to contribute to the series. Subscribers to the
mailing list will be well aware that I'm in the process of churning out an
official game for 1PW - the British affiliate of NWA-TNA, which
has access to all manner of major names from legends like Bret Hart and Jeff
Jarrett to the hottest newcomers such as AJ Styles and Low Ki. Plenty of new and
improved costumes are being drawn up accordingly - ranging from D'Lo Brown's new
red & yellow leotard to the Blue Meanie's unique fashion sense! Most of which
should have been tossed into Booking Encore's wardrobe by the time it's
released. While honing my musical skills, I also came across a handful of new
theme tunes that are worth using too - so look our for plenty of new content in
the finished game. And before the complaints fly in, yes it will all be made
available for Wrestling Encore owners in the form of a patch...
When World's
Collide
Speaking of other promotions, one
of Booking Encore's most exciting developments is the return of
inter-promotional contests! As you may know, they're a different experience when
it comes to the booking game. Instead playing your one insignificant match, you
now preside over a whole card of "Champion Vs Champion" matches - followed
by an optional 4-on-4 war if your computer's up to it! It's always difficult to
squeeze such novelty events into the game, but the process is smoother than ever
this time and has been tested to perfection. One minor change that will be
welcomed by many is that you can assume control any wrestler on your team by
using the TAB key. So, although you're the booker stood at ringside by default,
you can always play the match directly if that's what you'd prefer. You might
need to if you want to win, because the effects of inter-promotional matches are
more keenly felt than ever before! As the post-match reports point out, each win
boosts your promotion's popularity while damaging that of your rival...
And Finally...
Other miscellaneous nuggets of
progress include the fact that promos have been re-implemented in terms of
booking - with greater effects on allegiance and relationships (not to mention
entertainment!). You'll be pleased to know that the categorized selection has
returned too, so that inflated 80+ selection should be easier to browse. And
speaking of entertainment, the match analysis continues to be perfected. A new
twist in this game is that "Chemistry" only applies when a Face and Heel are
actually focused on each other - so you can't take it for granted quite so
often. A similar thing applies with "Heat" too, so you have to make sure that
rivals spend more time with each other in busy matches. All in all, everything
is looking and working better than ever before - so it's definitely going to be
a good 2006 for fans of the original game!
Mother Booker
Making these management games is
easy compared to thinking up names for them! Leave "wrestling" in the title and
you risk confusing people that have the original game. Start talking about
"booking" and you confuse all but the most savvy of wrestling fans (hence the
dubious write-up's I receive at sites like Download.com). But book we must,
because changing it to anything else would be like changing the name of Rocky
VI (even though they have?!). So allow me to confirm the title you were
using before Wrestling Encore was even released. Now that the the logo is in
place, the project is official and can finally proceed under its own identity...
Playing God
Of course, all that really
matters is the gameplay - and that's where this game is on much surer ground.
The wrestling engine has already been tried & tested in Wrestling Encore,
so fans of that instalment have nothing to fear. However, there are some minor
adjustments on the agenda. The whole point of these booking games is that you
stop being a competitor and become an omnipotent force that steers the matches
to a satisfactory conclusion. The best tool at your disposal is that TAB key that
allows you to assume control of any character that isn't pulling their weight,
and you'll be pleased to know that the system is already better than ever. The
process is now accompanied by an overhead label that points out who you've taken
control of, which obviously keeps confusion to a minimum and allows you to
concentrate on playing the match...
Seeing Stars
The most significant difference
between this and the wrestling instalment is that the matches are now analysed
in terms of "entertainment". As a booker, you must put the right wrestlers in
the right environment - and make them perform an exciting match - in order to
extract the highest possible score. Fans of my previous booking games will be
pleased to see that the display has remained intact (if it ain't broke...), but
plenty of fine-tuning has taken place behind the scenes to make sure it
functions more accurately than ever. For the uninitiated, matches in my world
are a cocktail of "Potential" (the average popularity of the participants),
"Heat" (whether or not there's animosity between opponents), "Chemistry"
(whether the good vs evil dynamic is present), and "Closeness" (whether or not
the match is being evenly fought). It's through that gauntlet of factors that
the in-ring action is filtered. Every move, attack, and development chalks up
more points for the match - up until the audience grows restless and starts
praying for a conclusion! And you'll know when that's the case, because the
crowd are more vocal than ever - complete with a volume and tone that's
precisely linked to what they see in the ring...
Critical Acclaim
As you'd expect, the new and
improved aftermath screen has provided the perfect place to report that final
verdict. The entertainment and content ratings have now been slipped into the
magazine's opening paragraph, which even comments on the match's qualities as
best it can ("Steve Austin emerged victorious in a disappointing match"). Those
hoping for the kind of verbose analysis that we saw in Popscene and
Popcorn will have to make do with that, because an unpredictable wrestling
match isn't quite so easy to describe! Plus, there are too many other details to
acknowledge on this screen - such as the effect the match has had on each
wrestler's profile. Naturally, there are more such incidents in the booking game
than any other. In addition to status and injuries, we also find out whether the
workers were happy with the repercussions of the outcome. If not, you may be
dismayed to find that they've stormed out of the arena!
The Show Stealer
The improved presentation
continues right through until the end of the show. In previous games, we had to
make do with a quick reminder of the show's overall qualities on a cluttered
finance screen. Now a whole other magazine page is dedicated to listing each
match that took place, which results in a more coherent verdict. The effect that
has on your promotion's status is then clearly broken down, before you proceed
to the separate finance screen. You can even bring up a quick version of the
page at the calendar screen if you'd like to be reminded of what has taken place
so far! That's the good news. The bad news, as far as some of you are concerned,
is that you no longer know what rating you're heading for until the moment of
truth. This prevents players from obsessing about sculpting the perfect score,
and makes things more unpredictable. On the flipside, that does make the
revealing moment a little more exciting...
Paper Trail
Yet another presentation
improvement is that those nightly ratings are clear to see on your calendar's
history. Instead of a win or loss icon (which is irrelevant now), your legacy is
a mini version of the rating stars. The icing on the cake is that these values
are even used to plot a cool little chart! It weaves from one rating to the
next, and leaves you with a graphical indicator of how consistent your shows
have been...
Command & Conquer
In order to help you get your
managerial work done, the standard options have doubled since the wrestling
game. Instead of playing one preset match, there are up to 8 of them to
construct and perform as you wish (much like a series of Exhibitions). Instead
of customizing and training your star character, you have access to the whole
roster so that you can sculpt them into the perfect cast for your show.
Meanwhile, all the "studying" options remain intact - allowing you to scout new
talent and keep tabs on your own. In fact, the booking games allow you to watch
"video footage" of such wrestlers (which is a glorified CPU match that has no
consequences)! When the time comes, you'll then be able to use that information
to decide who to buy and who to sell...
The Saga Continues
In just 2 weeks, Booking
Encore has already shown that it's up to the challenge of taking the concept
in some exciting new directions. There are still months left for the game to
bring its improved presentation and gameplay to the remaining features. The
promotion's finances are sure to be clearer than ever thanks to Wrestling
Encore's improved display. The contract negotiations are guaranteed to be
smoother and more sophisticated than ever. Meanwhile, the selection of meetings
and news events is set to expand in both quantity and quality - giving your
career more twists and turns than ever. And that's just the dog work of bringing
the game up to speed with Booking MPire! Once the game reaches that
level, it'll be free to forge its own identity with brand new features...
Copyright © MDickie 2000 - 2006
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