Skip to main content

Posts

SvR Ultimate Control Moves

     In doing research to decide how I would like the player to control their wrestler, I have been looking back at previous pro wrestling games to see how they handled it. From the button mashing controls of WWF Royal Rumble on the SNES, to the input combination controls of WWF Warzone on the PS1, to the proto flow chart controls WCW/NWO Revenge on the N64 that we still see today; I think the best controls of any pro wrestling game belong to WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2007.      The devs at Yuke's introduced several innovations in 2006's entry of yearly WWE games, but the most important of these was the Ultimate Control Moves system. This system is important because, like the name suggests, it gives the player much more control over how, where, and when moves are performed. Having been sadly missing from wrestling games for nearly 20 years, I'll explain how ultimate control works. Starting from a base grapple, the player chooses the ultimate control move assigne...
Post a Comment
Read more
Recent posts

"Showman" Archetype Concept

Pixel art of the front, side, and back view of a man with his arms slung back wide wearing baggy low pants and a belt with a floppy tail in the front. His boxers are visible and he is shirtless.  First concept art for a "showman" archetype.
Post a Comment
Read more

First Concept Art

Front, right side, and back view of pixel art of a muscled bald man wearing dark shorts with red stripes, dark boots with red laces, and dark gloves. This is the first pass at a "brawler." Overall I like the concept, but the side view could be better. Using Krita and a mouse for the art currently. Krita is great, the mouse is not ideal.
Post a Comment
Read more

Ludo-narrative Dissonance in Pro Wrestling Games

     Every professional wrestling video game that has a career mode wants you to feel like you are living the life of a wrestler. Create your character (Brett Everett, sporting a blue singlet, blue kick pads, and black sneakers with orange soles, btw), start from the minor show, gain notoriety, practice a few matches, train your stats, learn what it takes to make a five star match. Finally, you're ready for the big time. Join the main roster, go out and work you first match! The bell rings and you... proceed to beat down the computer using all of your moves at least once, your signature and finisher twice, maybe let the computer go on the offensive for a bit if you need the stars. Pin. Rinse, repeat.       The promotion that made that wrestler their world champion would go out of business. Yet, that's exactly the player's career progression in wrestling video games. Even as the wrestling game market leans into the simulation aspect, no game wants ...
Post a Comment
Read more