Mat@MDickie.com
Wrestling MPire 2008: Career Edition














 


I wasn't planning to make another wrestling game this year and you certainly weren't expecting to play one, but the encouraging developments of Reach have re-written the script for both of us! Everything from the polished visuals to the refined gameplay has been crying out to fulfil its potential in a different kind of ring, and it would be foolhardy to ignore the call of my most enduring creation. It comes at a testing time though. Aside from making the headlines for all the wrong reasons, wrestling is once again suffering from a dip in form - and the demand for it is the lowest it's been since I've been contributing to the genre. However, that's my cue to turn a negative into a positive by offering THE contribution that turns it all around...


27th January 2008

After 6 long months of solid work, I'm pleased to announce that the game is practically complete! I say "practically" because having a finished game in your hands is just the beginning. I've still got to re-write the instruction manuals and finalize some other presentational details. Plus I'll need the few remaining days of January for some intensive testing to make sure everything pans out properly. The single biggest development that has brought us to this point is that all 200 characters are present and correct. If you're curious to know who made the cut, where they ended up, and what they look like, look no further than this huge cast list montage. Imagine making all of those on your own in just 2 weeks! The standard is pretty high this time too - with much more thought going into who's there and what their role is. I can also offer you a few random screenshots. Here's the Steve Austin character hosting a special student training session (which was great by the way - we beat him with a double-team move onto a chair!), here's the Vince McMahon booker (backed by Shane) about to trick me into signing up for $90 per week, and here's Ricki Choshu taking a baseball bat to Toshiaki Kawada in a rare moment of madness. All of which you'll be able to experience yourself - in addition to your own stories - when the game is released a couple of weeks from now...


22nd January 2008

The game continues to progress incredibly well as it swaggers towards completion. I was expecting the final few weeks to be a sleepless nightmare, but it's actually the least stressful end to a project I've had for quite some time. The improved editor has ensured that the considerable task of making 200 characters is more of a pleasure than a chore - as scores of new creations pile in on a daily basis. Maple Leaf Grappling's new identity as the wholesome home of mat wrestling has also given the rosters a much-needed shake up. All the Canadian or technically-minded characters (such as Bret Hart and Chris Benoit) have migrated there, and plenty of other changes have been made to balance out the remaining rosters. The whole process should be over by the end of the week, and that'll pretty much be the last piece falling into place. Along the way, I've also been expanding on Wrestling Encore's career possibilities for this new game. All of the promos from Booking Encore have now been successfully woven into the game - which wasn't true of even the latest of Wrestling Encore updates. That automatically throws up a dozen new situations that you won't have experienced in this environment before. Meanwhile, there are plenty of brand new ones too. For a start, the tournaments have got a couple of their own for talking about making it through to the next round or being part of the final. As in the post-match magazine reports, the referee even points out who the winner will face in the next round - which makes it all feel very well organized! There's also a special attribute comparison promo, which plays out like an in-ring version of Reach's press conferences. Simple "I'm stronger than you! I'm faster than you!" stuff, but it's good to see characters talking about real strengths and weaknesses rather than generic ones. Thanks to the sophisticated new relationship system, we've also got some good ones about hooking up with an old friend when they join your promotion or you join theirs. Plus so many others that it would spoil the surprise to list them all...


18th January 2008

The range of costumes has been well and truly finalized - right down to being rearranged into a coherent order and being provided in efficient low resolution versions (which will probably be the standard because there are so many of them). That in turn means the characters are piling in on a daily basis - and after all these months, we're finally seeing the game as it was meant to be seen! No matter how you feel about the game so far, you can times it by 10 now that the proper textures are making it look its best, the proper move sets are making it feel good, and the proper stats are making things pan out beautifully. I've yet to have a bad match! My caricatures of Demolition (the Smash character now has a partner) and my version of the Hardy Boyz worked an incredible match here. The Hardy Boyz giving us a masterclass in hardcore high-flying action, and Demolition giving us a masterclass in tag team chemistry and Heel conniving. It ended, rather realistically, when Ax distracted the referee and Smash nailed Jeff Hardy with a steel chair for the cheap pinfall. Meanwhile, in the lead shot, my Mitsuharu Misawa and Kensuke Sasaki characters wrestled up a storm on the other side of the Pacific. It's testament to the game's diversity that their suplex-filled reversal-fest can exist alongside the hardcore stuff - and still be no less entertaining! In addition to the costumes, we've also seen a dozen new taunts added since Reach - most of which are better than ever. Hogan's cupped ear is now in there, and there's all manner of animalistic chest-thumping for people like the Ultimate Warrior. There's also a slightly improved feminine stance to make sure the women don't look too masculine (although that seems to be impossible in my games!). Likewise, the range of theme tunes has been revised and finalized for this game. The range now numbers 40 rather than Reach's 35 - but there are actually 10 new ones because 5 of the weaker themes were replaced. Churning out so many pieces of music in such a short space of time makes it a bit of a rush job, but there's plenty of interesting stuff in there to use...


14th January 2008

Apologies for the lack of updates. You'll be pleased to know it's because I've been locked away all weekend piling in some serious content! I'm pleased to say that the costume possibilities are practically complete - with the range of leg wear spilling beyond 100, and the range of bodies not far behind. There are some truly great creations in there too - too many to mention in fact. The quality of Rey Mysterio's leggings in this shot should give you some clue as to what to expect, as should this shot of Rob Van Dam's slightly modified new look. We'll slowly start to see the rest as I get down to the business of making all 200 characters properly - which is something I've been waiting to do for months! The range of moves has also been finalized for this instalment of the game. The number falls slightly short of what we're used to from Booking Encore (you can hear them whining already), but it's in keeping with where the original Wrestling Encore was upon its release. The remaining moves - none of which are particularly popular anyway - will follow in subsequent updates. The last few creations to round out the selection have certainly ended my animation work on a high note. Everyone's favourite move, the "Choke Slam", has finally been done justice with a great animation worthy of WWF No Mercy. Meanwhile, there's a nice "Underhook Suplex", a much improved "Reverse DDT" that drops vertically rather than lurching backwards, an equally good new "Reverse Suplex", and an "MDKO" (a move of my own invention) which isn't quite so stiff. Above all else, I've also nailed a couple of behind-the-scenes programming problems that have been bothering me since before Christmas! All that remains now is to do 2 weeks of wrapping up, and we should be on course for a mid-February release...


9th January 2008

After an arduous start to the new year, the project finally seems to be in good shape again. A string of yet more great moves has brought the range tantalizingly close to completion (or at least up to speed with what we had in Wrestling Encore). Impact moves such as the above "Standing Clothesline" and a "Spear" are better than ever. Although people will always criticize the Spear for being triggered by a grapple, the fact that it's designed to work like that makes for a perfect animation. Ditto the clothesline, which now tears down the victim like Bradshaw's "Clothesline From Hell"! There's also a slightly improved "Russian Legsweep" and a superb "X-Factor", which is a candidate for the nicest move in the game. The biggest development of the week so far, however, is that the exhaustive range of backstage possibilities has finally caught up with Wrestling Encore. I thought that side of things would never end, but now everything that was good about the last game is back and working better than ever. All that remains now is to pad it out with brand new storylines - of which there are many in the pipeline. One revolves around keeping a record of who you've teamed with or been friends with, so that we can have accurate "back together" storylines to make team scenarios more meaningful. The highlight of the new storylines, however, is the modified new "Product Endorsement" opportunity. Instead of promoting a beer, it's now possible to be given ANY prop in the game to endorse! You're then subjected to a mortifying promo, where your character carries the item with him into the ring and claims that buying one has changed his life - which is particularly amusing if it turns out to be a "brick" or a "metal pipe"...


5th January 2008

After a lengthy absence, there are now no fewer than 17 new clips of Wrestling MPire 2008 to watch at my YouTube channel! They all show some interesting features that you haven't seen in other clips, so be sure to work through them all. Please bear in mind that the choppiness is down to the recording software though, and isn't an accurate representation of the pure game. Also note that the characters featured aren't finalized in any way. They were quickly knocked up to make the videos more visually relevant, so their move sets and attributes are pretty much random. And that brings us neatly onto the latest developments, because you can see most of the new moves in there. A beautiful "Tornado DDT", an adequate "Hip Toss", and a good "Gutwrench Suplex" are the latest ones to be added. The only problem is my newfound perfectionism is still making it a time-consuming affair - with each move swallowing at least 2 hours of my valuable time. Work has still managed to go into the career mode though, and we've seen the return of some of the more interesting meetings and career possibilities - such as being offered drugs and being asked to fix certain matches. All of which are implemented better than ever before...


31st December 2007

An intensive weekend of content creation has edged the game a little closer to completion. The masks and painted faces have developed yet further - featuring dedicated new designs for Road Warrior Animal and Demolition's Smash, so that they no longer have to make do with existing faces. As promised, the costumes are there alongside them too - featuring an updated version of Demolition's studded leather, a dedicated brown Mankind costume, and some red-trimmed items that come in handy for The Legion Of Doom and Vader. Meanwhile, plenty of classics are in there and better than ever - such as Mr Perfect's black & blue "V" leotard, and all manner of colourful leggings such as those used above for my Edge caricature. I've had to make absolutely every possibility because variable colours no longer work under the game's new graphical system, but the upside to that extra work is that they all look exactly as they should! And that's just the tip of the iceberg. The real work of the weekend has been in churning out a good 3 moves per day instead of one or two. The latest ones being a decent "Drop Toe Hold", a more energetic "Samoan Drop", a beautiful "Snapmare", a painful looking "Neckbreaker", and a much improved "Death Valley Driver" and "DDT" - both of which benefit from sending the victim hurtling forwards on a sore neck like the Swanton Bomb! But it's not all graphical. Back on the programming side of things, a new way of editing relationships has had to be implemented. Since each character has a unique setting for every other character in the game, you now do it by accessing a special character selection process where you click on whoever you want and highlight them either red or green (or nothing at all) - representing enemies and friends respectively. In that manner, you can carefully set up a realistic network of who each wrestler is and isn't friendly with - and there's even a randomization option if you can't be bothered!


28th December 2007

The game has reached that rare benchmark of 100 screenshots, and what an encouraging screenshot it is! After a lazy week of festivities, I've eased the game back into production with some solid work on masks and painted faces. As you can see, the painted faces now have as much character as any other kind of face - not to mention all the usual details that come with high resolution. It meant they were twice as hard to put together, but the results are there to be enjoyed in the editor - featuring the best Sting, Goldust, and Great Muta caricatures yet. The masked creations aren't quite as revelatory, and simply tidy up what we had before instead of replacing it. The Mankind contraption, however, does benefit from wrapping all over the head like the Vader mask - so you no longer have to hide it behind thick hair. By the time you read this, a healthy dose of new costumes should have joined these faces to complete the characterization. That's what's holding me back right now. I've got 200 characters to make, and yet I can't make a single one until every item of clothing is in place and every move is there to be picked (otherwise I'd only have to make them again). Thankfully, the project is reaching the point where I'll soon have entire days to spend on just that...


21st December 2007

The moves continue to impress. The above silky smooth new "German Suplex" is now available, and it benefits from sending the victim hurtling head over heels Japanese style! The move can't be held, so it might as well do that. A much improved "Back Suplex" is also in there, and benefits from having more of a dropping motion than the stiff old one. I was rather hoping a new "Atomic Drop" would follow suit, but it hasn't been too faithful to what I made in 3D Studio MAX and looks merely adequate. The impact is sold better though - as the victim cradles their rear-end and sinks to the ground! Meanwhile, the rest of my time has been spent crunching numbers for the career mode. The Top 10 lists have made a triumphant return in their own right - allowing you to study more information in a more palatable way than the character selection rankings can muster. Stat fiends will also be pleased to know that there are more categories than ever. For a start, as in Reach, all of the other wrestlers have career records like yours - so it's possible to compare the experience and win rates of everybody as with any other statistic. And there's even a handful of dedicated lists for you - which chart your experience, success, and title reigns across every promotion you've worked for! Best of all, the title histories from Booking Encore are an official part of this game from the start - and they go even further by offering histories of EVERY title (including the lineage of bookers and cup winners!). You could spend all day browsing those pages once you're deep into an illustrious career. Speaking of statistics, a similar feature is that the career mode now has a "learning" system - whereby you slowly unlock moves, attacks, taunts, costumes, and even theme songs by encountering them in the ring! Upon creating your character you can choose whatever you want, but from then on you're stuck with those settings until you get out into the real world and see wrestlers living their lives differently. You're then reminded of what you've acquired in the weekly news ("You've learnt XX new moves since last week..."), and can take that as a prompt to go and update your move set. As restrictive as it sounds, I suspect the realism of evolving as an athlete will make it all worthwhile...


18th December 2007

The game is finally starting to look as good as it plays - as the arrival of some recognizable characters gives the action a familiar feel. As you can see, Hulk Hogan's red & yellow outfit is back and looking better than ever with its advanced detail. His face is even provided at a darker complexion if you'd prefer (although I think it's a tanning session too far myself!). Speaking of which, a dedicated Rock face is in there too - although the hairstyle still lets the caricature down. That's becoming true of a lot of characters. As good as the hairstyles are within themselves, very few of them are 100% faithful to what these guys require. One thing Rock fans can rejoice about, though, is a much improved "Rock Bottom" move animation! It does for him what the great new Stunner does for Austin, and gives a major character a major move to be proud of. Other costume revelations include the best Dusty Rhodes "polka dots" design yet and a more ambiguous Ultimate Warrior costume that replaces the eye patterns with inoffensive stars (which will probably extend to the face paint too). In case you're not aware, our intense friend is extremely litigious and I don't want too many lawsuits thrown my way when this becomes one of the most popular wrestling games of all time! Elsewhere, the range of attacks has pretty much caught up with Wrestling Encore thanks to all manner of kicks. There are a great new side kicks and high kicks in the standard attacks - as well as the best "Shuffle Kick", "Big Boot", and "Spinning Kick" power attacks yet. All of which make good use of the game's inch-perfect collision detection. And I'll leave you with news that the prospect of a character's portrait appearing on the video screen is now handled better than ever. For a start, whenever they appear the character's height is taken into consideration to make sure it's the cleanest crop possible. Plus the "pixelated" overlay actually makes it look like a video image rather than a plain one. Above all else, they now actually have a use beyond memorial shows because the screens occasionally show the portraits of the wrestlers involved in a match - especially during entrances and after victories...


15th December 2007

I appear to have invented a time machine. Whenever I look up from animating a move an entire morning has passed, and whenever I look up from programming a few storylines an entire afternoon has passed! I'd normally be thrilled at the ability to bend time and space, but it's not ideal when I'm racing to get this thing finished before the end of the year. The good news is that the work being done is of a very high quality. Yet more great moves have flooded into the game - the latest being a much improved "Inverted Atomic Drop", a regular "Backbreaker", and a superb "Stone Cold Stunner" (at last!). I studied AKI's fantastic version of that and pulled out all the stops to get mine looking similar. Unfortunately, a static shot doesn't do it justice so you'll have to hold out for some video. There's a steady flow of other attacks to pad out the possibilities too. A kicking version of the stomp is back in there, along with a quick double-axe handle ground attack for wrestlers that insist on using their hands for everything! There's also a much improved "Big Splash" at ground level. Meanwhile, there's a feminine slap and a great chest chop for attacking upstairs - both of which benefit from the more precise collision detection. Speaking of moves and attacks, another little twist which I'm pleased about is that the unusual things such as spitting and dust throwing are now available as grapple moves as well as stand alone attacks. That means you can squeeze them into someone's arsenal without them being used quite so often. In other news, the career side of things has been dominated by inter-promotional issues - and there are yet more advances there. For a start, it's now possible to have an industry-wide inter-promotional contest rather than a battle between 2 specific companies. In that situation, the one-on-one matches become 6-way brawls featuring representatives from each promotion (usually the champions). To top it off, there's even a great new promo which introduces them as such - complete with the camera turning to each participant and making them taunt when their name is announced! Some other inter-promotional issues also have more in common with Booking Encore than the original Wrestling Encore. For instance, foreign invasions can now lead to an inter-promotional as they did in that game - and it's also possible to take part in a 4-on-4 war after your solo match is over. Oh, and I forgot that the whole purpose of this post was to talk about yet more great new costumes - such as the star-spangled red & blue leotard that the Kurt Angle inspired character is wearing in the shot...


11th December 2007

Speaking of which, the first release of 2008 continues to shape up well. As you can see, a modified new pink & black Bret Hart costume is the latest to look better in high resolution. It comes in all pink and all black variations now as well, so you can mix and match to recreate your favourite of the 4 possibilities. Meanwhile, the steady flow of new moves includes a decent "Arm Bar" submission hold at the head, a much improved "Ankle Lock" at the legs, and a new "Side Slam" and "Side Backbreaker" amongst the standing moves - neither of which are perfect, but they are considerably better than what we had before. In other news, the backstage possibilities continue to catch up with Wrestling Encore. Team formation (and break-up) issues are in there now, along with similar conversations about management. The opportunity to play secondary roles also makes a welcome return, as you assess offers to assist at ringside, serve as referee, or work a second match that night. An interesting new twist there is that it's no good saying no to the booker when you haven't got creative control! This version's so realistic it'll make you cry...


8th December 2007

As you can see, yet another double-team move has been added. This "Double Lift" is triggered when wrestlers are standing on either side of a victim, and brings the possibilities to a healthy total of 5. Not bad considering there were ZERO in the original game! Elsewhere, the ground moves are almost up to speed with Wrestling Encore. A nice Crossface Clutch and a perfunctory "Bow & Arrow Hold" give you two more possibilities at the head. As you can tell from the shot, the costume possibilities are also starting to emulate the original games. A sharper version of Jushin Liger's red & white gear (all the better for being high resolution) is in there, and there's a similarly improved black & red kimono for The Great Sasuke. These masked characters once again have access to horns as headwear too, which helps to create the illusion of a mask. As for the career mode, the big news is that the countless meetings are slowly being added. All manner of "missions" are already in there (although they're more in tune with Reach than any previous wrestling game). Various opportunities to change your allegiance have also got the ball rolling when it comes to talking to your peers. The sophisticated new network of relationships really comes into play there. Every pleasant exchange with a character puts a friendship on file, whereas every disagreement creates another of many potential enemies. The days of having one preset friend and one preset enemy have given way to something amusingly complicated...


5th December 2007

The game continues to make strides in several key areas as the finished product finally starts to take shape. One such feature that I'm pleased to have out of the way is the new-look health meters. As you can see, it's the same old story of a name line and photo accompanying a green meter - but the presentation is a notch sharper this time. It's hard to do anything more ambitious when there could be anywhere between 2 and 10 such meters to display! However, the game is coping with the unpredictability surprisingly well. A sophisticated new system now sifts through the characters and only displays the ones that are relevant to you - removing those that have been eliminated or adding those that have just joined the action. And it constantly rearranges the layout upon doing so to ensure things always look their best. A nice new highlighting system is even used in tag matches to indicate the legal man. There's even an option setting for these meters which allows you to tone it down to "discreet" for large matches - thereby sticking strictly to the top row. In other news, the all-important promos have finally started to appear in the career mode. At the moment it's a direct import of what we had in Wrestling Encore, but new promos and new ways of incorporating them will follow in due time. I must say I'm not particularly inspired on that front though, so if there are any storylines you want to see please do request them. So far all I've got is a few new ones about tournaments! And I'll leave you the obligatory good news about moves. A much improved "Back Body Drop" and a great new "Spinebuster" are the latest ones to be added. The latter, in particular, benefits from turning automatically like a Powerslam rather than stiffly falling forwards like the old version...


30th November 2007

After months of things taking longer to materialize than expected, it has been a relief to see a few things pile in quicker than expected! In addition to the modified contract negotiations, all 3 of this new game's much vaunted "career control" options are already fully implemented. Firstly, as in Reach, it's once again possible to arrange matches of your choosing. You'd be surprised how similar it is - practically the only thing that's changed is that talk of "rounds" is now where you specify a gimmick to go along with the basic match type. Other than that, it's the same old process of trying to pin an opponent down to a time and a place. That is, if you can get an audience with them to begin with! They're as fussy as ever in this game to ensure that you can't just hand-pick your ideal opponents on a weekly basis. Similar new options also allow you to approach people to be your manager or tag team partner, which means you're no longer at the mercy of what the game randomly sends your way. There's not much negotiation involved (they either agree or disagree), but there are plenty of excuses they can have for not getting onboard with you - which makes it all feel rather realistic. It's certainly a lot better than changing your manager in the editor as if he were an item of clothing! And yet another key career feature that has returned is Reach's interactive training mode. To my surprise, practically nothing has changed here. Even the exercises haven't had to change to accommodate wrestling. You still pump iron to build strength, etc - and even the notion of hitting the speed bag is a sound representation of "Skill" because it does affect your attack speed in this game. It's great to have it onboard though, because I felt that meaningful training system brought a lot to Reach and it looks to do the same here. Don't expect it to stay for the booking game though! You won't be doing that 20 times per week. In other news, the move animations continue to impress. A beautiful "Belly-To-Belly Suplex" and an equally good "Belly-To-Belly Slam" are the latest to be added. As you can see, the slam version is no longer so stiff - and turns of its own accord like a "Powerslam" rather than trusting you to make it look good. And I'll leave you with the highlight of the week for me, which is that a more dynamic name line and commentary system has been implemented. You may think it looks a notch better in that static shot, but what can't be demonstrated here is that the lines and text now scroll out smoothly from the logo in the corner! It then smoothly returns from whence it came. And not only is it used for entrance lines, but it's also used for displaying in-game messages such as "XXX has been eliminated". Trust me, Wrestling Encore had no presentation compared to what's going on here...


27th November 2007

The game continues to progress with confidence. Following on from the double-team moves and improved spit attacks, yet another first for my wrestling games is the addition of move-based pins. By which I mean intricate roll-up's like the "Small Package" above. I've resisted such moves so far because they require 3 times as many animations as the average move (one to execute it, one to hold it, and one to release it). Not only is that a workload I could do without, but it's also yet another strain on a project that's already pushing its luck. That means we won't be seeing too many of them, but it's good to have at least one onboard. The "Small Package" looks fantastic every step of the way, and makes the to and fro of a match even more unpredictable than it was already - especially when used as a reversal. Meanwhile, another new move is a much improved "Slingshot" which unfolds beautifully - and can now be used to fling opponents out of the ring! The most pleasing development of all, however, is that practically every attack from Reach has wormed its way into this game to pad out the attack selection. I already did the basics, but now the more powerful attacks are in there too - and look even better when sped up to be used as standard wrestling attacks! They're as energetic as a wrestling game deserves, and suit sluggers like Steve Austin very well. And it's a shame we're running out of time here, because the big career development is that contract negotiations are back and better than ever. They combine the sophisticated balancing of Reach with the weekly wages and pay-off's of Wrestling Encore to produce the ultimate battle of wills. It's been a headache for me to program, but as a player all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the attention to detail...


24th November 2007

Despite the career aspects taking centre stage, the game still manages to squeeze in some exciting gameplay elements. Firstly, as you can see, a "Death Drop" is the most elaborate double-team move yet. It took the best part of a day to make, put the results are up there to enjoy on screen! It's triggered when the assistant is standing to the side of your enemy rather than in front alongside you. Meanwhile, we're also seeing some of the more exotic attacks. The Great Muta's "Green Mist" spit is once again on hand to blind your opponents instead of physically hurting them. It looks a notch better than last time, but not radically so. A firing breathing variation, however, does look more spectacular thanks to the improved flame effects. The pick of the bunch is the sneaky "Dust Throw" attack though, which makes use of the tiny new specks to produce a real dust effect! And even if those unusual attacks aren't in your character's move set, you can still make use of them by spitting water or beer from a bottle, etc...


22nd November 2007
The focus has shifted almost entirely to the career side of things as the game desperately tries to get a glimpse of the finishing line. The news reports are now fully implemented - combining the advances of Reach and all other recent games to offer twice as many possibilities as the original Wrestling Encore had. The post-match magazine reports have benefited likewise - boasting a range of possibilities that are both wider in scale and more sophisticated, with the effects even more closely linked to what happened in the match. Speaking of which, the little match descriptions are even a notch more sophisticated (click for a larger shot). As in Reach, they now throw in the timing and circumstances of the result - such as acknowledging whether it was a pin or submission instead of simply stating "XXX emerged victorious". The backstage meetings are also on the way, and can expect to be followed by all manner of new business negotiations. In the meantime, it's a few simple conversations about your allegiance that have got us started - but one new twist since Reach is that your "Creative Control" status means you might not have the right to refuse! The trivial discussions you used to have with your booker are now considerably more tense if you have no power. Being accused of having a bad attitude is the least of your concerns. In other news, the moves continue to impress. Following on from a smooth Hurricanranna, there's now an equally good "Leaping Plancha" and a "Flying Head Scissors". There's even a Hurricanranna from the top rope, which has made use of the extra space to look even better. Meanwhile, plenty more attacks are on the way. A superb "Spinning Heel Kick" is the latest big attack versus standing opponents, and there's an equally good version of it from the top rope. All of which is astounding when you consider my version of 3D Studio MAX has taken to crashing every 10 minutes - so severely that the project you were working on is lost forever if you neglect to back it up! Talk about two steps forward and one step back...


19th November 2007

After an uninspiring couple of weeks, the move animations are once again giving the project something to smile about. I've made a triumphant return to regular moves courtesy of a great "Piledriver" (which now topples to the side, as shown above, rather than lurching forward), a much improved standing "Powerbomb", a silky smooth "Sitting Powerbomb" for agile wrestlers, and a beautiful "Hurricanranna" - which even ends in a kneeling position to secure the pin! You can see some of those (and other recent moves) in a huge compendium of videos posted at YouTube. Do remember that the choppiness is down to the recording software though, and isn't an accurate representation of the pure game. As if that's not enough, the most pleasing development of recent days is that the costume textures have been improved yet further. The lack of detail in the trunks bothered me (especially since that's what most wrestlers wear), so I pulled out all the stops to get them looking right. The result is a set of textures that include much more detail - even in black! I even expanded the technique to produce some fetching leather trousers, and there are brand new kneepads and elbowpads that are equally detailed and look good in all colours. I was dreading making the characters, but now I feel anything is possible and can't wait to get stuck in. Meanwhile, behind the scenes there are plenty of tiny modifications that keep things moving forwards. Firstly, you'll be pleased to hear that there's a new "Entrances" option - which allows you to specify when and where the long, drawn out entrance process is used. If you set it to "Never" or "Only In Small Matches", you can start with everybody in the ring instead of pressing ESC on a dozen individual wrestlers! Likewise, there's a new option for specifying the level of detail you can cope with in careers. Setting it to "Minimum" avoids the bigger matches and tones down the amount of weapons used, whereas cranking it up to "Maximum" assumes you're good for anything and piles everything in there. It even unlocks the possibility of big 6-man or 8-man tag team matches during your career. They were only avoided last time because I had to assume everyone was playing with an average computer. Now you call the shots...


15th November 2007

Churning out the dozens upon dozens of animations required for a wrestling game continues to be a daily chore - and one with mixed results. Rather frustratingly, a new set of head smashes in the corner and on the ground that looked great in 3D Studio MAX have failed to translate to game and look merely adequate. As does a new set of shoulder barges in the corner. Don't get me wrong - they're all still much better than what we saw in Wrestling Encore. It's just disappointing that these impact moves don't seem to translate as smoothly as technical moves do. Speaking of which, I've had a lot more luck with the holds. A "Choke Hold", a "Figure 4 Leglock", a "Spinning Toe Hold", and a great new "Leg Wrench" are flying the flag for submission wrestling. Meanwhile, the double-team moves have an alternative already in the form of a "Double Hip Toss". It's not as good as the solo version will be (making those 3-way animations is an absolute nightmare), but it's a welcome addition to an exciting new part of the game. Speaking of moves, a tiny new feature that's having a big effect is that the ring now SHAKES! It uses the cage's new mathematical system to rattle every single component that makes up the ring, creating convincing shakes of various size. It really does help to give every fall and slam a lot more impact. The only problem is your eyes get so used to it that you spot ANYTHING that hasn't shaken when it should've done - which means I've got my work cut out trying to cover all bases. I'm not doing too bad so far though. The ring even shakes when you whip someone against it on the outside! The career mode is also progressing slowly but surely. The news reports are the latest feature to be resurrected, and I'm spending a lot of time making sure every conceivable possibility is in there. Between the advances of Booking Encore and Reach, there are already twice as many issues as the original Wrestling Encore had. And some brand new ones revolve around having your matches planned in advance. Instead of waking up to some random opponent, it's sometimes possible to be notified up to a month in advance of key matches. I say "sometimes" because occasionally you won't even be booked at all. The closer it gets to an event without you hearing anything, the more you panic - much like a real wrestler would! Now you'll know how your employees in the booking versions feel...


10th November 2007

What better way to wrap up a week of exciting developments than with the revelation that double-team moves have made a last-minute appearance! I was hoping to add them from day one, but the antisocial loading times ruled it out. With that particular beast slain, however, I'm now free to give even the most extravagant feature a try. My only gripe is that I could do without having yet more moves to animate. I had enough on my plate with the standard moves, so these ultra-time-consuming monstrosities are likely to push the release date into 2008 (that title was supposed to be prescient not literal!). So what about the feature? There's not really much to say. Whenever two wrestlers attempt to grab someone at the same time, a dual animation is now triggered instead of a regular one. As you can see, a double suplex has got us started - but it's set to be joined by no fewer than 4 alternatives to cover each combination of positions. They're like standard moves in every other respect - from the risk of being messed up to the chance of tossing the victim to the outside. And that's not the only new move in recent days. A modified top rope "Splash" has been added, which arches upwards upon landing to sell the pain to the stomach (think RVD). And with that in place, every conceivable variation of it has followed - ranging from a solid "Frog Splash" to the acrobatics of a "Moonsault", "Shooting Star Press", and "Somersault Splash" (450 Splash). All of which look and work better than ever, and are also available as crushes on the ground. Meanwhile, the career mode has been beavering away behind the scenes. The process of being assigned matches and opponents is twice as sophisticated this time, which ensures everything pans out as logically as possible. It has to because you're able to view them in advance this time! Placing the cursor over a date in the calendar reveals any known info about the opponent and match type (much like in Reach), so you can plan ahead as surely as you would in real life. Speaking of schedules, they look set to be far less predictable this time. The week on which a PPV falls already differs from year to year and from promotion to promotion, and I'm even toying with the idea of inserting plenty of days off (especially at the less popular promotions) - so that there's a tangible feeling of one month being busier than another...


Lighten Your Load
For weeks now, I've been wondering how I was going to explain away the game's appalling loading times in the final review. Fortunately, we'll never know what excuses I might have come up with because a timely breakthrough has saved the day! After much detective work, it turns out the loading times were down to the animation files being so large (not the new model being too detailed as I had assumed) - and it turns out they were so large because they contained 3 times more data than a game actually needs (position and scale keys when rotation is all a skeleton cares about). So, after putting 2 and 2 together, I spent a few hours sifting out the dead weight - and the result is the same great animations weighing in at a staggering 25% of the size! Which in turn means the loading times have been similarly slashed. Furthermore, the biggest boon is that the game performs just that little bit better now that megabytes of weight have been lifted from its shoulders. You can kiss those stuttering intros goodbye, and closedown is now as tidy as can be. The game was on the brink of being too high maintenance for anybody to enjoy, so it's a relief that this breakthrough has brought things back in line with Wrestling Encore...


The Wonder Of Creation

Those reduced loading times get you in and out of the editor as quickly as possible now too. One of the most important developments of recent weeks is that this game finally has its own modified version of Reach's editor. A great deal of new options are required for the wrestling instalment - and, in the case of moves, a couple of whole new pages! Two separate ones are required now (one for standing moves and one for ground moves) because of the one-sided presentation, but what the new system lacks in scale it makes up for in detail - with much more room to display the options clearly, etc. Other changes since Reach are that the arms are once again separated into left and right for those unusual elbow pad combinations. In addition to changing each costume, you're also able to specify which one is the default by assigning the character an "Intended Role". That means you can mark people out as managers or referees and be sure that they'll be photographed as such. Speaking of roles, fans of tag team wrestling will be pleased to know that it's now possible to specify a dedicated partner in addition to a manager - so you no longer need to compromise between the two when hooking people up. Better yet, it's even possible to assign this tandem a dedicated name so that they needn't be referred to as "XXX's Team"! You simply enter it alongside your solo name, and the game will use that one whenever the character is referred to in a team environment. And of course, one major feature that remains from Reach and debuts for wrestling is the chance to preview certain animations. In the same way you saw the punches in Reach, you can now see every type of attack played out to help you decide. Unfortunately, the feature doesn't extend to moves as yet - but watch this space now that loading times aren't an issue...


Female Of The Species

Another big milestone for the character possibilities is that the women have finally turned up! They were supposed to be in Reach, but I never got round to readjusting the new character model. They're here in their latest form now though, and although they're still not the voluptuous temptresses we'd perhaps like they're still a notch better than last time. It's hard to make women truly feminine because they have to be sculpted from the same skeleton as the men (anything more ambitious would require that they have their own animation sequences). They're helped by the best selection of female textures yet though, which include cleavage that's as detailed as the men's muscles! Their femininity also manifests itself in high pitched versions of the pain sounds. Creating female characters is also a little more clear-cut this time because "Gender" is a completely separate option underneath the "Height" and "Weight" settings (rather than a build that you select as if it were a costume)...


Who's Who

The arrival of the editor has also required that I delve further into this game's character selection process. I'm pleased to say that my ambitions of giving you access to both the rankings AND the grid of boxes is now a reality - as you simply hit TAB to switch between the two displays! The character boxes are being modified to offer more information while in that classic grid format too. In addition to a helpful reminder of their face, a slim-line health meter also runs along the bottom of the box to show you how fit they are at a glance (which will come in handy for the booking instalment). The controller icons also return from Reach to drill home which method you've chosen (although they're still backed up by the classic coloured backgrounds). This game also throws plenty of numbers around to help you keep track of who you've chosen and for what purpose. The many entrants of a Battle Royal, for instance, are numbered to clarify who'll be out first and last. Meanwhile, the members of a team are clarified by "T1" or "T2" identifiers. Even the referee gets in on the act with a little "R1" reference! The promo descriptions have been similarly clarified, referring to "P1" and "Opponent" rather than the vague monikers of "Wrestler1" and "Wrestler2"...


Best Of The Best

With the character boxes in place, I've also been free to reintroduce the tournament system for this game - and I'm pleased to confirm that it'll be a big part of both exhibitions and careers. I was expecting to modify it for wrestling, as I'm sure you were, but it turns out there isn't much call for straying from traditional one-on-one matches. Any gimmicks would have to be committed to for EVERY stage of EVERY match, which soon starts to get a little farcical. It's best that tournaments are respectable competitions where you know what you're getting. The most drastic change I can offer is that it's now designed to accommodate tag teams. You simply specify that format before creating a new competition and each box will then represent a duo rather than an individual wrestler (there are even 2 cups to win!). Speaking of rules, yet another example of their newfound versatility is that the time limit setting can now be used to set the interval period for rumbles. That means you can try for the real-life 2-minute interval, or use even longer intervals for custom matches that don't eliminate wrestlers quite so quickly. The clock in those circumstances also counts DOWN now, so you always know where you are. In fact, all time limits count down now - it's only linear when there is no limit. The match rules continue to evolve in other ways too. Instead of warning you that KO's aren't relevant here and DQ's aren't relevant there, the game now figures out a way to make anything you want work. Rather than bringing big matches to a premature halt when such things occur, the game can now eliminate specific wrestlers and allow the rest of the match to carry on as planned. For instance, a DQ or count-out in a "Triple Threat" match will cut out the offending wrestler and leave the others to fight it out to a decent finish. It sounds like standard stuff, but it wasn't true of the previous games. All kinds of tiny tweaks like that ensure the matches pan out better than ever before. It gives the referees more to do too, as they now spot things like count-out bullying and demand that a persistent wrestler go away before the count resumes (much like the KO counts in Reach)...


Gone 'til November

As more and more key features are stricken from my "to do" list, there's less and less holding back that all-important career mode. Great swathes of Reach code have been imported to give us a headstart on that side of things. In fact, the whole schedule system has already been implemented and is working well! As you can see, Reach's boxed presentation has returned - only with new icons for the many more events that you encounter in a wrestling career. Other than that, it's the same old treadmill of TV and PPV dates - peppered with the odd inter-promotional supershow. Expect things to be planned out in advance a little more this time though, rather than having a random opponent dumped on your lap each week. Hell, if Reach has any influence, you'll be able to arrange the odd match yourself! As you can see, the new icons are also joined by this game's own version of the boxing glove cursor. We're working with bare hands this time - and there are two different ones depending on what the circumstances are. Wrestling matters are manipulated with a taped up fighter's hand, while managerial matters fall under the influence of the suited hand above. I can also reveal that there's a new theme tune ringing out in the background of that shot! For months now, I've had my hands on a whole new set of source material with which to make songs - and much of it falls into the metal genre. I used it to knock up a decent rock song that wouldn't sound out of place on WWE programming. Like many recent efforts, it's a little vocal heavy though - so it runs the risk of being more intrusive than the old music. In any case, the worst case scenario is that we've got some great new entrance themes...


Self Promotion

I wasn't expecting to tamper with the promotions, but practically every single one of them has been revamped already! Like the old Wrestling MPire logo, the old promotion logos weren't designed to work on anything but a black background - and those that couldn't make the transition to colour have had to be redrawn. I took the opportunity to perfect the designs though - and provide them in higher resolution - so it has been a very fruitful exercise. As you can see above, the "United Kingdom Wrestling" logo now has more character - quite literally, as a burly bulldog glowers over the Union Jack! Likewise, the Super Lucha Libre logo benefits from having that vague glittery background replaced by a striking yellow star. I liked the Rising Sun Puroresu logo so much that all I can bare to do was recreate the exact same design in greater detail, and it looks even better for it. On the other hand, some promotions have taken the opportunity to change their image completely. There was talk of scrapping Maple Leaf Grappling in favour of a more credible shoot-fighting candidate, but a more appropriate new logo has salvaged it! As you can see, the red & white colour scheme adheres to the promotion's Canadian heritage more closely - and the respectable design hints at a more serious organization that focuses on the kind of submission wrestling that would make Stu Hart proud. That being the case, "shoot fights" are now likely to be transferred to the Japanese promotion instead - leaving this to be the North American home of technical wrestling...


Flying The Flag

In addition to new logos, each promotion can also show them off on a new set of high resolution ring aprons and canvases. It's the same old story of one design for TV tapings and another for PPV shows, but this game takes a leaf out of Reach's book by providing them in any of several colours (either white, blue, or the classic black). The apron designs themselves are also more informative, with unique slogans and national flags reminded you where you are. Those of the 6 main promotions are also joined by novelty ones for interpromotionals, tournaments, memorials, and charity events - which amounts to dozens upon dozens in total. They're all complement by a range of unique ring canvases as well, which look all the better for being as high resolution as they were in Reach. A new set of blue corner posts and pads have also expanded the range of possibilities even further, allowing every combination of ring decoration to be offset by strikingly different rope colour schemes...


Heavy Metal

If you'll forgive the pun, one of the most recent things to be "polished" is the title belts themselves! As you can see, the mess of colour we previously had has now been replaced by an intricate high resolution design. Not only does the texture look better, but it's also applied better too - staying 100% faithful to the source image as it wraps its way around the belt model. What you see above is the "World" title, but equally modified "Inter" and "Tag" titles are also available - and they look substantially different from one another this time rather than simply being a different colour. I was tempted to make dedicated ones for each promotion, but multiplying 3 titles by 6 companies would bring the tally to 18 - which is neither practical for my sanity nor your computer's RAM! Speaking of weapons, after plundering Hard Time one last time the total has been brought up to a staggering 38 different types - with fiddly things like screwdrivers, syringes, rocks, and bricks padding out the selection...


Scars & Expressions
Not to be outdone by the new arena textures, the human textures also continue to be modified for this game. We've got a new set of scars which build on the bruises of Reach with the messy cuts you'd expect from wrestling, and even the speech and eyebrow overlays have been redrawn in more detail! They're so different that it can be a little disorientating at times, but it's important that we finally move on from the shapeless lines that we've been using for the past few years...


New Moves

A steady flow of moves have been reminding us why we came to the dance in the first place. A  nice "Bulldog" and a decent "Headlock Takedown" are among the first moves to work the head. Meanwhile, all manner of "Press Slams" are giving powerful wrestlers something to smile about - the highlight of which is a much improved "Gorilla Press Slam" that drops the victim face first onto the floor! They're complemented by a smooth "Powerslam" and a fantastic Shoulder Powerslam (which, like the Jackhammer, even remains in a pinning position so you can ride it out like the British Bulldog himself). Four more moves came out of that shoulder stance too - those being a decent "Shoulder Breaker", a fantastic "Tombstone", a good "Inverted Piledriver", and an adequate "Jumping Bodyslam" (Michinoku Driver). The "Tombstone", in particular, benefits from ending in a kneeling position so that you can ride it out for the pin in Undertaker fashion. Meanwhile, over at the turnbuckles there's a much improved version of the mounted punches - which end with the victim being tossed out of the corner...


New Ground Moves

We're also seeing some of the best moves yet on the ground. A whole set of "Boston Crab" variations are in place at the legs - ranging from a modest "Half Crab" to the excruciating version of the "Lion Tamer" (Walls Of Jericho) that you see above. Meanwhile, at the head, a much improved "Sleeper Hold" now rocks from side to side rather than back to front - and there's also a "Dragon Sleeper" variation which is a notch more painful...


New Attacks

The attacks have also started competing for attention in recent weeks. A beautiful "Senton Bomb" is now available as both a top rope crush and a quick crush at ground level. The move now lurches forwards with a nice whiplash effect after being executed, so it doesn't look quite so effortless! There's also an equally smooth "Knee Drop" from the top, which once again rolls forward upon landing in Ric Flair fashion. A shaky tope rope "Elbow Drop" can't claim to be quite so successful, and falls short of doing Randy Savage proud. The versions down on the ground are fine though - as is a slightly improved "Leg Drop", which can also be launched from the tope rope for major damage. Meanwhile, the new flying attacks versus standing opponents include a good "Missile Dropkick" and a much improved "Flying Clothesline" which rolls upon landing in Undertaker style. The "Diving Clothesline" at ground level, however, is poor by comparison. And all of these additions have been padded out even further by the return of key punches from Reach, which ensures you have more options in that department than usual...


New For 2008
The game is finally operating under its own logo - a milestone that always makes me feel better about a project's progress. Click for a larger image (which actually makes good wallpaper if you stretch it!). As you can see, it reverts back to the original Wrestling MPire - pushing the "MPire" to the side in favour of a striking "2008" in mock scoreboard lighting. The "edition" gimmick finally seems to be official too - with this one entitled "Career Edition" and the booking instalment to be referred to as "Management Edition". Although the logo looks almost identical, it has actually been redrawn from scratch - which I'm very pleased about because it's now designed to look good on ANY background. The old one had no such foresight and was doomed to cling to all things black, but study the new example closely and you'll see that its outlined form works much better...


Reading Between The Ropes

In addition to the modified logo, we also have similarly modified menu boxes (click for a larger shot). Like the logo, they're still in their early stages - but what we have so far is a larger and sharper version of the rope gimmick used in previous games. Most strikingly of all, the stuffy old font has given way to a more anarchic comic book scrawl - which harks back to the WWF Attitude era! The background has also changed to have more in common with Reach's coloured gradients than the tiled logo of older games. As insignificant as it seems, this is another big milestone because it clears the way for work to begin on the menu screens (i.e. the career mode). We'll be seeing branches shooting off it on a daily basis from now on. A good case in point is the character selection process, which is currently figuring what it wants to keep from Reach. It's likely to keep those stat-comparing rankings, but I'm also working on making it possible to switch to the classic grid system at the touch of a button. In the meantime, the character boxes themselves are already more useful - due to having a little portrait baked right into them...


Life Through A Lens

The in-game presentation is also being stepped up thanks to the smoothest camera work yet. I was expecting to abandon Reach's camera system since it focuses on just two combatants, but it turns out it wasn't that hard to adapt it to keep track of bigger matches. What we have now is the smoothest and most reliable "Contain All" option yet - so much so that it's not even an "option" and offers its services to any camera angle! The game automatically phases it in or out throughout the course of the match to best reflect your interests. For instance, if you stray too far from the others then the camera takes the hint and makes you the sole focus as you venture backstage and elsewhere. Even in the heat of battle, the game is good at figuring out who is and isn't relevant to you and will zoom in on your corner of the ring instead of being pulled away by someone doing nothing in particular on the other side. As chaotic as it sounds, it's all so smooth that you'll barely even notice the transitions being made. It just gently accelerates from here to there, constantly giving you the best view of the action...


Way With Words

The smooth new camera work also makes the most of promos. Instead of following the speaker's general location, the camera is now trained to maintain a view of the target's face (as with Reach's entrance camera) - which means you no longer have to feel guilty about moving! The way the promos are presented also looks set to evolve. Not only is there a new comic book style font (although I'm still not sold on it just yet), but there's a new way of displaying the text which ensures that it always fits onto the screen. As with the menu boxes, the game compares the text being used to the space it has to go in and either shrinks it or enlarges it accordingly. That means the lines always look balanced regardless of the information being juggled. More importantly, it also means I no longer have to worry about precise wording and can use an extra word here or there without it looking odd! Trust me, that's half the reason my scripts end up sounding clichéd. That said, I have imported the old promos in their entirety for the time being. That may sound breathtakingly lazy, but I figure that instantly having access to 90 promos isn't a bad starting point! I'll obviously work through them and re-write each line where necessary, but throughout that slow process it'll be good to have the basics to fall back on. Of course, there'll also be plenty of brand new ones - and the dozen or so that were unique to Booking Encore have got a chance to be woven into the storylines of the career game this time...


The Eye Of The Beholder

The promos also tie in nicely with the addition of Hard Time's sophisticated relationship system. Instead of having one preset friend and one preset enemy, it's now possible to have a unique relationship with every single character in the game (the length of which is even measured this time). More importantly, the "anger" system has also made the transition to ensure that you're temporarily hated by people you annoy! That was strictly reserved for referees last time, but now even the greatest of friends will punch you back if you step out of line. As in Hard Time, their facial expression even turns to anger to drill the point home. Speaking of relationships, yet another exciting development is the return of interferences. It's the same old story of wrestlers (or even referees) running in to temporarily affect the action, but the addition of a second backstage location means you never know where they're going to come from this time! It's just a shame that the increased loading times make them an even rarer luxury than they were before...


Match Made In Hell

In addition to intruders, it's also once again possible to pile as many wrestlers as you want into the matches! As ever, you can have up to 5-vs-5 tag team matches - complete with the most reliable AI yet that ensures your team-mates behave appropriately. I'm also pleased to have the Royal Rumble style "sequential" match format on the table - whereby characters enter on a minutely basis, and can be eliminated upon being thrown to the outside. With that to experiment with, the final verdict on performance is that the matches themselves are no worse than what we had in Wrestling Encore. It's just the loading times that will make you think twice about staging matches with more than 10 characters. That said, we're only talking about a few seconds per character. It just feels like a long time when you're staring at a screen, so perhaps a more informative loading display will lessen the blow? Meanwhile, all of the hardcore gimmicks are in place to make your custom matches even more interesting! Following on from the improved cage, the barbed wire ropes you see above have also had a facelift. As you can see, they're now literally ropes wrapped in real strands of metal. I was sat there looking at the feeble metal texture of previous games and decided that it wasn't in keeping with the advances this 2008 instalment has made. You can still have that metal core instead of coloured ropes though, and even the electrified version keeps the wire in place to give things some sort of structure. Other than that, it's the same old story of scoring bonus damage when you whip someone into these sinister constructions. The blast timer has returned as well, allowing you to turn the arena into war zone after a certain amount of time...


Interior Decoration

The sophisticated match options once again allow you to specify how items are used too, and it's even easier to have your way this time. Instead of having to commit to putting ALL items in the ring or at ringside, the options now read "Mostly In The Ring", etc - which still gives you the basics at ringside and then positions the rest elsewhere. The same thing applies to your selection of items, which now read "Mostly Ladders", etc - so you can specify one particular type without it being the only thing you see! There's even a nice link between both selection and layout, where you can specify a preferred type and then have those exclusively placed in the ring - such as glass panes for a "Hall Of Mirrors" gimmick or explosives for a "Mine Field" gimmick. Again, the difference here is that they're not the only things you see and only add to the surrounding decoration instead of replacing it. Even the relatively straightforward task of placing items in their standard position has been improved. The game now considers how big an item is when placing it, so a crate or trashcan is now tucked in against a wall instead of leaving a space where a table would have been. It's one of many tiny pieces of programming that makes a big difference about how you feel about the game...


Wear It With Pride

The way you interact with handheld weapons also continues to evolve. Reach's belts that were really worn were too good to leave out, so I figured out a way of combining them with the handheld belts of this game. The result is that it's now possible to strap them around your waist or over your shoulder with a simple tap of the "Taunt" command! You can then walk around with them as surely as you did in Reach, before returning them to your hand with the "Drop" command. It really is as simple as it sounds, and works extremely well. There are similar touches for other novelty weapons, where hitting the "Taunt" command will trigger a unique way of celebrating with them - such as with the trophy you see above, which is now small enough to be grasped in both hands. Even the microphone can be spoken into as if you were berating your opponent mid-match (not that anybody can tell what's being said!). Speaking of new animations, other titbits include a new standing examination for referees so that they no longer get down to their knees only to reach up like a dog!


Low Blow
The wrestling action itself is constantly evolving with new moves and attacks. One of the most significant developments is that the crouching punch has returned to help you mount an offence while still on the ground. A major difference here, however, is that you return to your kneeling position instead of getting up - and can therefore fire it off as many times as you want! That makes it more effective than ever, since you can resist getting up until any threats have been suitably neutralized. Meanwhile, the "Dropkick" you see above is the most elaborate attack so far - and finally steers us away from the punches of Reach. It has also given me a chance to assess how such attacks should pan out in this game. Missing them in the old series would see you collapse as if you'd broken your neck, but now that only happens if you're really tired (and even when it does, the new kneeling positions ensure you're not always flat on the canvas). The big news with attacks is that the CPU's are better at using them as well. This game's artificial intelligence takes many of the advances of Reach and puts them into a wrestling context. They don't exactly "learn" how best to attack depending on what did or didn't work, but they do consider what an attack's limits are and use it accordingly. That ensures they're as formidable as a human opponent, and makes for some satisfying action. The defensive AI is even more effective - allowing your opponents to block and dodge with pinpoint accuracy (neither of which was even possible in the previous games). Plus they're exploring the playing field with more common sense than ever before and don't act quite so strangely...


Here Comes The Pain

The moves are seeping in slowly but surely. We finally have a decent "Suplex" - which is locked on snugly, lifted with a realistic amount of effort, and brought down nicely. It's a good move to have in the bank, because every possible variation of it has swiftly followed! In addition to the obligatory "stalling" variations, there's the best "Snap Suplex" yet and a superb "Brainbuster" (at last!). Veering closer to the finisher side of things, there's also a good "Suplex Slam" (Jackhammer) and a decent "Suplex Drop". One interesting development here is that, like regular falls, the numerous grounded states have allowed moves to end however they want (rather than forcing them right back up to their feet or leaving them flat on the ground). The Jackhammer, for instance, ends exactly as you'd expect - with the aggressor kneeling over the guy he just slammed! It's even acknowledged as a pinning position, so you're free to try your luck after executing it. We're also seeing plenty of standing holds. A "Sleeper Hold" got us started, which is well animated in theory - it's just a shame that such a precisely held move doesn't fare well with height differences. A "Side Headlock" fares much better, and is both wrapped on and wrenched more snugly than ever. A "Headlock Punch" variation that results in an attack is also quite good. As in Hard Time, it's locked on with the left arm this time while a fist is thrown with the right - so that you hit them with any weapons you might have in hand! Meanwhile, down on the ground a self-explanatory "Groin Kick" is an attacking move at the legs - while the "Mounted Punches" allow you to pummel an opponent at the head. It looks a lot better than last time, but there's still something not quite right about it. Despite their apparent simplicity, you wouldn't believe how difficult it is to get punches looking right in a synchronized animation...


New Costumes

The screenshots should start to look a little more attractive from now on, because we're finally starting to see some unique items of clothing for this game. Up until now I've been making do with what Reach left behind, but a brand new range of wrestling tights is slowly being put together. As you can see, the patterns down the side are already more fanciful than the triangular trim that EVERY pair of leggings had in the previous games! I'm hoping to make each item of clothing somewhat unique this time, with different patterns and motifs. In the meantime, the way leg textures are loaded in is already giving us more options than Reach had. You see, the "Shorts" options are now taken from the pool of "Legs" rather than having their own separate folder. That's actually good news, because it means you can now wear ANY leg texture as either a baggy short or a tight short - and in the case of trousers, you can even wear a shortened version of any of those! It has effectively doubled the number of clothing options down there...


Destruction Derby

After weeks of distractions, those all-important destructible items have finally joined the action! At this early stage, it's practically a direct import of the system used in Wrestling Encore. However, one tiny change with significant implications is that there are now TWO ways of holding a piece of furniture depending on whether it's wide or narrow. That means smaller items such as monitors can now be grasped tightly at the sides, rather than mysteriously following a pair of outstretched hands. More importantly, it also means such items are now free to be shown at the scale that suits them - such as the slim-line trashcan above, which no longer needs to be unusually wide. That still doesn't mean it can be wielded like a handheld weapon, but it's a good aesthetic. Speaking of which, many of the items are in the process of being redrawn for the new generation (and accompanied by new creations should any spring to mind). A good case in point is a new ladder, which has been both remodelled from scratch and redecorated with a more detailed texture. It's no better to use, once again allowing you to leap instantly to the top, but it's a welcome update nonetheless...


Play Where They Lay

The handheld weapons are also on hand to compliment the destructible furniture - and they're actually compatible with one another this time! Thanks to World War Alpha and Hard Time, weapons have come a long way since the last wrestling game. Each of those games had sophisticated physics that allowed the items to bounce off or land on any surface, and now Wrestling MPire 2008 brings that level of detail to the squared circle. Instead of passing through scenery on the way to the floor, items can now be dropped (or thrown) onto any raised surface - whether that be static scenery or a movable piece of furniture. It's not especially useful, but it is realistic to see weapons sitting on top of crates and tables. As if that's not exciting enough, the real news is that the selection of weapons looks set to explode in light of recent projects. The ancient weapons from World War Alpha and the fiddly tools from Hard Time are all being experimented with to see which ones are worth re-using. Meanwhile, all the old favourites are being tidied up and used in their latest and greatest form. The selection has already expanded from less than 30 to almost 40 different weapons...


The Sword In The Stone

The way you access weapons has also been influenced by the advances of World War Alpha and Hard Time. For instance, it's already possible to "snatch" weapons from opponents instead of making the effort to find your own! And, as in Hard Time, that feature also lends itself to picking up items that are sitting at eye level rather than on the ground. Once you've got them, the manner in which you use them is also as detailed as it was in recent games. For a start, there are dedicated animations for swinging or stabbing with a weapon - so you no longer have to settle for "punching" with them. That even extends to strong attacks and attacks to the ground, which all have their own unique animations for making use of the weapon's style. Nowhere is that more noticeable than with broad items, such as chairs, which have to be held in two hands instead of one. It's even possible to block with those now (as with all weapons), effectively hiding yourself under a shell of steel!


Infernal Affairs

As ever, the most devastating weapons of them all are explosives - which are back and better than ever! Particle effects aren't my strong suit (chiefly because my computer can't handle them), but I pulled out all the stops to get things looking as good as possible this time. One of the biggest changes is that the dark particles from Reach's blood have made it possible to have BLACK smoke in addition to white smoke! Together with a greater range of white flames, that ensures the explosions billow with more texture than the basic red & yellow of previous games. It also means they leave a convincing trail of smoke, which is especially true of burning items. It's once again possible to set fire to weapons and furniture (either deliberately or inadvertently with explosions!), which effectively doubles the damage they inflict...


Wrestling MPire 2008
Latest

Speaking of particle effects, an equally welcome development is the addition of the new gore effect that you see above. It goes far beyond the tiny specks of blood from Reach and allows bloody impacts to be accompanied by thick dollops of crimson! It's so different from what we've had before that I struggled to figure out where it does and doesn't belong, but I've settled on a system that figures out how much scarring there is at the point of impact and tries to reflect that. That means your early attacks are relatively clean, and they slowly evolve into a blood-soaked mess as the action progresses! Those thick drops of blood also do a more convincing job of producing puddles on the floor. In fact, that's the only way it happens now - so you can always see where a stain of blood has come from...


Give The Man A Hand

Once again, the culmination of all that scarring is to lose a limb completely - and the excessive new gore does an excellent job of selling that. In previous games you had to settle for seeing a gaping wound where the limb used to be, but now you see the damn thing explode into a fountain of blood as well! Once it's gone, things take an even more interesting turn too. The notion of losing limbs has been combined with the specific injuries of Reach to ensure that they affect your play in a realistic manner. The loss of fingers, for instance, instantly gives you an "injured" hand - and causes all strikes with that hand to aggravate the situation. Same thing with arms and legs - the loss of which produces a dedicated injury in that area (it's chilling to see a one-legged man bend over to nurse his stump!). It's even possible to lose individual ears in this instalment, which wasn't possible last time because they had only just arrived...


Dazed And Confused

On the lighter side of things, a different kind of ailment is the "blind" state that now works alongside Reach's "dizzy" state instead of replacing it. Although both can occur after a stiff blow to the head, there are some cases when blindness is more likely than dizziness so it's good to have both options in place. Speaking of reactions, one small touch that I'm loving is an expanded version of Reach's gestures - where they would respond positively or negatively to the end of a round or match. A similar system is in place here, which queues up a reaction for all concerned whenever a fall is scored or something of equal significance happens. The victors acknowledge their progress with a brief celebration, while the defeated express varying degrees of disappointment. It's especially good for selling things like count-out's and DQ's, where the situation may not have otherwise been clear...


From The Top

In amongst this chaos, there has also been time for some good old-fashioned wrestling moves. A slightly better animated "Superplex" has got the corner moves off to a promising start. Everything from the carry up to the landing has been handled better than ever before, and bodes well for future moves. It's just a shame it took me the best part of a day to make! On the programming side of things, one small development that's having a big impact is that the moves now know when either participant is lying outstretched. Ever noticed how you would slam someone in Wrestling Encore and THEN they'd realize they were lying on something and belatedly rise up on top of it? Well, now some smart programming forecasts that situation and prevents there being any difference between your status during and after a move. Hard one to explain, but if I've done my job you won't even notice it...


Man Of 1'000 Holds

We're also starting to see the submission holds factor into the gameplay. The "Scorpion Lock" (Sharpshooter) you see above is the first move at the legs, while a relatively humble "Camel Clutch" is the first ground move at the head. Both of them are locked on and held more convincingly than ever before - just like the regular moves. The latter, in particular, now has you turning into it while rolling your opponent onto his front - so it's locked on much smoother and quicker this time (and the wrench backwards looks suitably painful!). Above all else, having those animations to work has finally given me the green light to bring in the whole submission system - which sits alongside the pinning system as a way of ending a match. There are one or two changes behind the scenes too, which affect the pain they inflict and the chances of scoring a tap-out...


Beneath A Steel Sky

Talk about saving the best for last! Weeks of work spent on hardcore action has been rounded off with the biggest weapon of them all - the steel cage. In terms of gameplay, it's once again little more than a better animated version of what we had before. The ring is surrounded by 4 walls of wire mesh, which are designed to keep you inside but can be scaled for high flying attacks or escape victories. However, if nothing else, the structure itself is looking a lot better this time (click for a larger shot). For a start, the cage's outer frame is now made of the same transparent girders as the light fittings (rather than thick chunks of metal we had last time). That's more in keeping with the way real steel cages are constructed nowadays, and helps to make it look a little more convincing. More importantly, there's also a better cage shaking process - which uses realistic physics to shake each wall backwards or forwards and side-to-side. It's as though I animated it with great care in a modelling program, but it's actually purely mathematical - which allows me to cause shakes of varying severity at the touch of a button! In this case, you see all kinds of realistic shakes for everything from climbing to smashing...


Any Which Way But Loose

The game continues to reintroduce the grappling options from the original game - albeit with considerably more style this time! Further to the new toss out mentioned last time, there's now an equally improved toss IN - which allows you to steer opponents back into the ring. They're both easier to trigger too, so you're much more likely to make use of them. In a similar manner, it's also once again possible to drag opponents either in or out when one party is situated on the apron. The animations there are particularly good, and bode well for the proper moves that are to come. In the meantime, one exciting piece of news is that this game takes things even further by allowing you to grab opponents while they're perching on the turnbuckle! You then instantly throw them down in a "Press Slam" style (although the Gods of animation weren't smiling on that one, so it's not sold quite as well as a Ric Flair bump). The beauty of it is that it's also available for dragging down opponents from any similar height, so you can also use it on the outside for tossing people off aprons, railings, and even items...


All The Right Moves

With the novelties out of the way, the proper moves that form the backbone of any wrestling game are also starting to emerge. A beautifully animated "Bodyslam" has got us started. It features a lower pick up at the beginning to make the victim feel heavier, and ends with a firmer throw to the canvas. If the other animations follow suit we should be in for a visual treat that harks back to AKI in their heyday! The only downside is that each one is a little work of art that takes up to 2 hours to produce, which isn't exactly the work rate we're looking for. I'm especially pleased that all the trimmings are in place too. It's once again possible to throw an opponent out of the ring with such moves by steering them towards the ropes. As with other recent falls, the animation there is better than ever too - with limbs flailing as the victim plummets to the ground. The old animation is practically static by comparison! Meanwhile, the mid-move turning that helps you make use of the feature has also been implemented. The 360 degree control system has revolutionized that too, allowing you to pinpoint the area in 3D space that you aim towards. The wrestler then moves smoothly towards that, speeding up the further away your demand is to ensure that you always hit the target. Hard one to explain, but you'll appreciate it when you see it...


Pulling Your Leg

Before I got stuck any further into making moves, I thought I'd get the basics out of the way for ground grappling as well. It's once again possible to put your hands on a grounded opponent and seize them by either the head or legs in preparation for a move. As you can see, the animations appear to be practically identical to what we saw before - but I can assure you that they have been redrawn from scratch and play out a notch more smoothly. The great new synchronized grappling system has even been adapted for these ground grapples to ensure that taller characters have a firm grip on the limbs of smaller opponents (and vice versa). There aren't any aggressive holds as yet, but it is possible to drag the victim around and either release them or usher them to their feet. As with a lot of things about this remake, it's amazing how easily they've been reintroduced to the action too. The intricacies of that system took me weeks to perfect the first time round, and here I am slotting the whole thing back in in a couple of days! Same thing with the reversal and mess up features, which were brain teasers at their conception but have since been reintroduced in a matter of hours. But hey, if it ain't broke don't waste weeks of valuable production time pretending to fix it!


Buckle Up

Yet another foundation being laid for the future is the addition of turnbuckle slumps, which will eventually lead to moves from that position. You may recall that they were last-minute additions to Wrestling Encore, so it'll be interesting to see how they evolve as a solid part of this game from the start. The process of putting opponents in the corner in the first place is already smoother than ever, with a nice turning animation for whips and a separate backwards slump for falls. The sheer number of new falls means it's more satisfying than ever to see opponents either fall INTO such positions or collapse OUT of them. Yet another nice touch is that the slumped character's head eventually regains consciousness and resumes looking at his opponent (in much the same way grounded victims now do), leaving you to decide when you get back into the action. And the level of interaction is as high as ever - once again allowing surreptitious players to unfasten the corner pads to expose the flesh-tearing steel underneath!


Don't Look Down

With the game in a more comfortable state, I was able to return to the climbing system to polish up a few things and ended up revolutionizing it even further! For a start, as you can see, it's now possible to clamber up to the balcony above the entrance way in much the same way you would climb the video screen last time. One key difference here, however, is that the climbing part is one swift automatic process that instantly takes you to the top (like an extended version of hopping onto an item). Not only is that quicker and more practical, but it also means you get to stand up there and function as if it were any other platform! In fact, the real breakthrough here is that you can even EXPLORE platforms now. The guy on that balcony can step anywhere along it as if it was a ring apron, and the same goes for railings and the edges of the seating areas which are now similarly accessible. In addition to simply helping you get around, being able to take a few steps on the scenery also looks and feels great. And that's just half the story! The new system is so versatile that the possibilities have absolutely exploded - allowing you to clamber up anything backstage, from bookshelves and lockers to sofas and toilet cubicles. It's already one of the most interactive wrestling games of all time, and I haven't even made a start on the items yet...


Wrapped Up

One of the wrestling game's most important elements, the pinning system, has finally made an appearance. It's actually one of the least revolutionary features so far, being practically identical to what we saw in Wrestling Encore - save for the usual dose of improved animation. Other than that, you once again press the "Taunt" command in close proximity to a fallen enemy to kneel down and wrap them up in the most appropriate of 5 positions. The fact you can do it when they're on all fours mixes things up now though, and hovering over a fallen opponent looks better as standard thanks to the kneeling position. There's also plenty of polish elsewhere. The height you rise to when crawling over an opponent is more accurately linked to their build than ever before, ensuring that pin attempts always look as logical as possible regardless of the size of the participants (much like the synchronized grapples)...


Don't Cross The Boss

Along with the pinning possibilities, another feature I'm pleased to have made a start on is the role of referees. Up until now they've been wandering around aimlessly, but now they're once again on hand to spot pinfall attempts and attend to them. It's the same old story of improved animations performing the functions we've already seen before, but the programming behind the scenes is also tighter here and allows me to exercise much more control over officiating. A good case in point is the addition of count-out's, which return from Reach and slot effortlessly into the referee's existing duties. I'm a little anxious that too many matches will be ending that way, but there are plenty of options to counter it such as a slower version of the count (and not least the option to turn off count-out's altogether!). The more accurate assessment of rope breaks is also worth mentioning. Instead of taking a rough guess as to whether someone's touching the ropes during a pin or hold, the game now studies every limb to figure out exactly where and when they're occurring. That basically means you'll NEVER hear the call when it isn't warranted and you'll ALWAYS hear it when it is. Alas, the same couldn't be said for the previous instalment...


Feel The Power

If Reach made Wrestling Encore "look" like a demo, then this new project promises to make Reach PLAY like a demo! It's already halfway there after inheriting much of boxing game's engine. The first few days were spent trawling through the code and carefully weeding out the boxing elements that aren't relevant to a wrestling game, while keeping the common elements that would give us a headstart. The first thing to go was the attacking system, which has once again been condensed onto just one button. And the fist-based collision detection has gone with it, since it's not entirely compatible with wrestling novelties such as dropkicks, etc. An equally sophisticated new system has arisen to take its place though. The different attacks now use an ungodly amount of data (as illustrated by this code) to precisely figure out when an impact starts and ends - with the range rising and falling smoothly as the animation progresses, which is then further offset against the size of the aggressor to ensure bigger characters really do enjoy a better reach (which wasn't true of Wrestling Encore). The travelling of these moves is also as smooth as it was in Reach (albeit linked to "Agility" this time instead of the now defunct "Reach"). Most pleasingly of all, the reaction to these attacks is also finely tuned - even more so than in Reach - with the victim ALWAYS reeling back far enough to stay beyond the aggressor (thus preventing clipping)...


Smack Down

A basic set of ground attacks have also been implemented, and they've been similarly refined for the new generation. Thanks to the new grounded states, you can now kick an opponent through each stage of suffering instead of repeatedly digging into them while they're lying on the ground. The attack simply connects earlier if they're crawling or kneeling, and then forces them further down to the ground - effectively doubling the number of reactions there can be! It's also more realistic (and more fun!) to be able to attack a grounded opponent at any time instead of having to wait until they're flat on the ground. They're not entirely helpless down there though. Unlike Reach, which demanded that you get up, this game allows you to sit out your time on the ground and regain consciousness (at which point your head resumes staring at the target). You can then operate at that level for as long as you want - effectively deciding when to launch that crouching punch instead of praying it happens by chance! There'll even be a mule kick for when on all fours, but all this has yet to be implemented...


From The Top

Of course, the biggest "ground attacks" of them all come from on high - and that's already possible thanks to the addition of flying attacks. I dedicate a whole week to producing the best system yet, and although it's still not perfect it is at least a notch better than what we saw in Wrestling Encore. The floaty physics of the previous game have been replaced by something a little more dynamic, and they're more accurately linked to the agility of the wrestler as well - so there's a considerable difference between sluggish heavyweights and natural high-flyers. They also launch differently depending on how far away your intended target is - which wasn't strictly true of the previous games. They flew off with the same gusto no matter what and then tried to rectify themselves in mid-air to hit their target (not always convincingly). Now, however, you won't find an agile wrestler jumping any further than he has to. In the case of moving targets, they even turn more easily in mid-air to deliver the blow correctly! The animations even take into account how big the drop is, so huge leaps to the outside are now just as smooth as those that take place inside the ring. In the case of things like splashes, I've also been looking into how the wrestlers pile on top of one another. One of my pet hates from the previous games was how bodies would rise and fall unconvincingly as the game tried to figure out who should be lying on top of who and in what manner. Now the game keeps things as logical as possible by scanning the bodies of all concerned and calculating exactly where they overlap. You probably won't even notice it, which I suppose is the point!


Platform Games

The number of things you can use as a launch pad looks set to expand in this game too. It's already possible to clamber on and off the turnbuckles by any means, and to launch attacks from the apron to the outside. However, I'm also hoping to make every other part of the arena just as interactive - starting with the railings. It's once again possible to hop on and off them (thus allowing you behind the barrier once more), but the system here is workable for ANY similar scenery - such as the sofas, bookshelves, and lockers that now lie backstage! When every possibility has been programmed, it should even be possible to shimmy up to the edges of the new seating areas and launch an attack from there. Not only will there be more options, but they'll work better too - thanks to the most sophisticated flight programming yet that ensures you take the best route and steers you away from illogical landings...


The Harder They Fall

Don't get too comfortable up there though, because the FALLING possibilities are just as advanced as the flying possibilities! Looking back at the old code, I was horrified that the standard falling animations were also wheeled out for falling off platforms. Now I'm pleased to say that there are dedicated new animations for falling from a great height - and they benefit from the same flight physics that flying attacks enjoy. Each serves their own purpose too. Instead of them both falling backwards in some fashion, the fall onto the front now literally somersaults forwards and is used for when being struck from behind! The same is true back on the ground, where a new falling forward animation has been added since Reach. It's the same effect that every game from Grass Roots onwards has made good use of, but this is its first outing in a wrestling game - and it couldn't be more at home...


Tied Up

Perhaps the most important development so far is the addition of grappling - and it's yet another confident stride in the right direction. As you can see, the bizarre shoulder-to-shoulder dancing of previous games has finally been replaced by a proper "elbow-collar" tie-up! It's a much more aggressive animation - not least because the victim now has his own separate subjugated stance, which leaves you in no doubt as to who's controlling the action! It wasn't easy synchronizing these more precise stances, but I pulled out all the stops to make it happen and the results are there to be enjoyed on screen. It even extends to the moving animations, and ensures the victim looks like he's being tugged around. And one feature I've been looking forward to since Reach's clinching is that the wrestlers now aim their grapples either higher or lower to make them work at any height! A fine example is this shot, which shows a 7-foot giant keeping his hands on a 5-foot opponent. It even affects the initial lunge, so every moment of interaction is perfectly logical and looks seamless. Speaking of which, even that lunge is looking better than ever thanks to a smooth new animation. It's even working better too, due to the increased role of statistics. As with all attacks, "Agility" now affects how far the attempt travels and "Skill" determines how quickly it's performed - so exceptional ability in either area (or both) can be key to having success with grapples...


Crack Of The Whip

And what good would a grapple be without moves to unleash? Unfortunately, it'll be a while before the full quota is there to make use of - but until then a traditional "Irish Whip" has got us started. Even this most basic of moves has raised the bar though, and has set a good standard of quality for the other animations to follow. It's much more energetic - with a big tug of the arm at the start and a firm push at the end. The old animation looks like a pat on the back by comparison! We're also starting to see the whipping variations that help you take control of the ring - such as tossing an opponent to the outside. That animation is equally different - with the aggressor taking his victim by the scruff of the neck and throwing him over the top rope instead of gently pushing him through the middle! The animation is generally of a good quality too, although the manhandling is so precise that it currently looks a little odd with characters of different heights. It's fresh out of the oven though and has plenty of time to be knocked into something special...


Rope Burn

Unlike in the boxing game, whipping yourself or your opponent into the ropes now results in a bounce too. As in real life, it can either be used to add extra leverage to your attack or to create extra vulnerability in an oncoming opponent (or to simply get them out of the way!). It's at this juncture that I should probably point out that the game has already reverted back to the 3-rope ring we associate with wrestling. The 4-rope boxing ring with its vertical pads isn't even in there as an option because it would conflict with turnbuckle climbing and other ring interactions. However, the good news is that the new ropes have inherited the old ones' attention to detail - and once again shake gently when pressed against in any way. They even move differently depending on where along them you climb through too, which was a level of detail strictly reserved for Irish whips in the previous game...

Copyright © MDickie 2000 - 2008