Wrestling Games

[bps21]

I wish AW was in the game to make rape jokes while I play with convicted rapist Mike Tyson

 

[Ed Wood Caulfield]

Lita #1 doesn't even show her thong. And Lita #2 apparently uses the same entrance as Lita #1. They had to differentiate between the two because...?

 

[Mattdotcom]

wait, the games are PG too, right?

There's blood and unprotected chairshots and middle fingers in the games

 

[DrVenkman PhD]

Rated T for Teen.

 

[vivisectvi]

WWE 13 : 'Attitude Era' Mode Trailer

Rather than push players through lengthy, original storylines featuring a set few characters, THQ is attempting to recreate the biggest, most iconic moments from late 1997, when DX formed, through Wrestlemania XV some two years later, when Austin and The Rock squared off for the first time. The single-player experience is divided into chapters of varying lengths, split amongst eight characters or entities: D-Generation X, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Mick Foley, The Rock, Bret Hart, Kane and the Undertaker.

Realizing that simply increasing the number of fixed characters and dividing the single player experience into chapters wasn’t enough, THQ has set about actually telling the story of wrestling’s past. To do that, the development team worked closely with WWE to produce 20 videos that fill in the gaps and storylines necessary to not only understand a match or feud’s context, but to actually get excited to see its resolution. You might not play every match on the path to Austin colliding with The Rock, but you’ll understand why they fought - and why people cared.

It’s a genius move on the part of the development team to understand that while a finite set of characters is critical to a story, an in-game engine and voice acting can only do so much. Nothing beats the insane live theater that is professional wrestling. Plus WWE’s editing and promotional teams are some of the best in the world, rivaling if not surpassing anything that’s done in Hollywood. Allowing those talented folks to assist in telling this story is absolutely the smartest move possible. Those of us who never saw the Attitude Era play out week-to-week will finally have that chance - through stellar video packages, 65 playable matches and even a ratings chart that follows the so-called ‘Monday Night Wars’ of WWE and its rival, WCW.

THQ’s smart decisions don’t end there. The manner in which the Attitude Era is played is different than its predecessors. Your basic objective is almost always the same - win your match. That will come as a huge relief to many who found themselves simply playing to an arbitrary point and pressing a button to let the computer take control to a pre-determined conclusion. Games are meant to be played - and beaten. To have a mode that wrests control from the hands of players was understandably frustrating to some.

WWE ’13 does away with that notion, instead working with incentives and bonus objectives to entice players to recreate moments from the past. Steve Austin beat Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania XIV, but he did it in a specific way. You can simply beat the Michaels and move on, but if you go that extra step, you can potentially tap into the massive amount of unlockable content the game features.

All told, between videos, photos, belts, superstars and alternate attires, there are more than 100 items that can be opened by seeking out bonus objectives - some of which are hidden to prevent you from knowing how a match will play out. Critically, your list of objectives can be displayed at any time with the quick press of a button, just in case you’re curious if you’re accomplishing everything that’s necessary before you make the pin.

There are a myriad of other elements in (and around) the Attitude Era mode that will simply make all the difference in the world to wrestling fans. Legendary commentator Jim Ross will be heard alongside Jerry “The King” Lawler, just as he was in the late ‘90s. It’s now possible to have a reversal indicator not only tell you when a reversal is possible, but whether your timing was too fast or too slow if your timing is off. Animations are increasingly more fluid, and odd collisions or transitions seem improved from WWE ’12 (no small feat considering the immense number of variables at work in any one of these matches). The crowd also sounds significantly better, as THQ is now pulling audio samples from a live arena versus trying to simulate that effect by stuffing 100 people into a warehouse.

THQ’s enhancements and additions don’t end there either. Though the developer has yet to unveil its Universe Mode for this year, it has shared its latest addition to its Creative Suite. In addition to creating rings, players will now be able to customize their own stage sets, even going so far as altering designs past and present. Did you like the Smackdown (’01 - ’08) set that featured a fist smashing through glass? Maybe you don’t want the fist there though. Maybe you want to paste a giant Summerslam logo on the entrance platform. You can do that - and plenty more. For those wanting to adjust every last detail of WWE ’13’s wrestling world, THQ will allow that - plus the ability to share those creations with the community online.

In many ways THQ is building on the massive changes that came with WWE ’12. Last year’s iteration was bold, and reinvented wrestling gaming in a fundamental way - one that brought a new level of addictive gameplay with it. One year later, the development team (both in the United States and in Japan with Yukes) has continued to seek perfection, even throwing away its ambitious vision for Road to Wrestlemania. Attitude Era looks to be an excellent single-player substitute, and will likely become the blueprint for future endeavors. In fact, based on what I’ve seen so far, I’m not sure how THQ will top itself next year.

WWE Games: Retconning shit just like their real life counterpart!

 

[Sabre]

Wow, Billy Gunn got the Chyna role. Nice.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

I also like that Billy can't even get the proper "Mr. Ass" tights either and instead rocks generic looking blue tights.

 

[KOAB]

That mode is already a failure if I can't play out the epic Big Show/Bossman feud.

 

[Sabre]

They should have give Billy the green shorts with kisses on it, that isnt gonna break PG shiz.

Fake Edit: Hes gonna use the NAO theme isnt he

 

[Dangerous Damon]

I'd laugh so hard if they gave him "The One" theme.

 

[vivisectvi]

What if it's..

WWE Billy Gunn & Chuck Palumbo Theme

 

[DrVenkman PhD]

The NAO theme would make the most sense, though if I was running things "Rockabilly" would be an alternate character / attire / theme and there would be a quick storyline about him teaming with Road Dogg.

It's odd that the "Attitude Era" in the game storyline covers up to 1999 but they are considering Eddie Guerrero, one of the Lita models, and others from 2000-2001 as "Attitude Era" characters. I figure it's just for marketing purposes but with so much of that trailer focusing on the Monday Night War (even a chart with the ratings breakdown), you'd think they could do something with that. I'd say "probably next year", but isn't this the THQ finale?

 

[Sabre]

I believe so.

 

[vivisectvi]

I wonder if THQ lost the publishing license, would that mean that Yukes would no longer be developing as well?

 

[MillenniumMan831]

I would love THQ forever if they include the Nation techno theme used in 1998. The same one released in Attitude but only went 2:00.

 

[vivisectvi]

Gotta say, it's about time that these guys figured out how to include versions of Punk's Cobra and Pepsi tattoos without infringing on the actual trademarks. I don't know why they didn't do something like that sooner..

 

[Dobbs3K]

Speaking of THQ, is Wrestlefest ever coming out on PSN, etc. or did it get cancelled?

 

[Haws Bah Gawd]

Gotta say, it's about time that these guys figured out how to include versions of Punk's Cobra and Pepsi tattoos without infringing on the actual trademarks. I don't know why they didn't do something like that sooner..

I bought my girlfriend a CM Punk teddy bear at a live event a couple of years ago. It had tattoos that were very similar to the actual logos, and it always puzzled me how they were able to get away with it for a teddy bear.

 

[CanadianGuitarist]

Speaking of THQ, is Wrestlefest ever coming out on PSN, etc. or did it get cancelled?

I came here for an answer to the same question for 360. Achievements and DLC are announced, but there's no date that I know of yet.

I would love THQ forever if they include the Nation techno theme used in 1998. The same one released in Attitude but only went 2:00.

Badass. It was in Legends of Wrestlemania though, wasn't it?

 

[MillenniumMan831]

I don't believe that theme was in LoW. If it wasn't for Over the Edge 1998, I wouldn't have known that theme even went past 2:00.

 

[DrVenkman PhD]

Joe Gagne's Funtime Pro Wrestling Arcade #33: WWF In Your House

Man, I didn't think the game looked THAT bad. I remembered it looking on par with W:TAG's arcade version. Guess not!

 

[Dobbs3K]

Yeah, I had a friend who owned that game on the original Playstation. The graphics were incredibly fugly. I'm pretty sure my copy of WM:TAG on SNES looked way better.

 

[Dobbs3K]

I read some speculation that Wrestlefest is supposed to be hitting XBLA today, but it sounds all real vague.

 

[A Happy Medium]

Okay. With one week done for the TEW2013 Developer's Journal, I'll give you guys some links.

http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1808827 Fog of War

http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1809262 Weight Changes

http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1809954 Flexible Show Times

http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1810549 The Power 500

http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1811026 ASSISTANT BOOKER


The Assistant Booker is going to cause a small meltdown over there at those forums. You guys may want to get a front row seat.

 

[CanadianGuitarist]

I read some speculation that Wrestlefest is supposed to be hitting XBLA today, but it sounds all real vague.

Yeah, ditto. x360a.org has it listed as freakin 29-12 now! Yeesh. But I'll probably be done with WWE '13 by then, or almost. That'll be the first wrestling game I've bought new since SDvR '08.

 

[DrVenkman PhD]

Stephanie McMahon makes her entrance in WWE '13 (Official)

MY TIME~!

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

I rented wwe 12 and don't really care for it so far. It also seems pretty buggy though that might just be my copy. Glad I didn't buy it.

 

[MillenniumMan831]

I forgot how hot Stephanie's Titantron video was.

As for WWE 12, yeah it's pretty buggy and not exactly great but I'm holding onto it since it's the closest thing we'll likely ever come to a WWE vs WCW game. Plus, Demolition is in it.

 

[KingPK]

So is Short Haired HHH going to be DLC?

 

[Dobbs3K]

WWE '12 was just another in a long line of buggy THQ games. I won't buy '13 unless I know for sure it isn't as buggy...and especially if the online features actually work correctly. I haven't bothered to play '12 in a while, but I don't think they ever got the creations section online working correctly.