Post by #HEEL Dark Lord on Sept 12, 2008 20:15:16 GMT -5
September 12, 2008 - Fall's a pretty great time of year. Yeah, yeah -- there are all those leaves changing colors, the return of football, and pumpkins or whatever -- but what the fall really means is that it's wrestling game season.
This year's no different at IGN. The SmackDown Countdown (where we debut the SVR roster one character at a time) is in full effect, we've already got our first Friday Fight (a full SVR match fans choose) in the books, and now it's time for the first THQ&A. THQ Senior Creative Manager Cory Ledesma has selected a number of IGN reader questions about SVR 09 and answered them in full.
Want to get in on the action? Want to vote on the new match we feature on Friday Fights? Want to ask Cory a question? You'll need to start checking the IGN SmackDown board then, brutha.
Until then, enjoy this fan-driven interview, but keep in mind reader questions have not been edited so that they may serve as catalyst to scare kids back into the classroom.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The THQ&A
TwistedSwanton: Now in this latest video of create a finisher a few seconds before it goes to it we see the create menu. Now is there no create a stable in this years game or is it somewhere else?
Cory Ledesma: Create-A-Stable is indeed still in WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009. However, it is no longer under the Create Menu, and we have changed the name of it to "Team Management." We will still have all the great features that were found in Create-A-Stable from past iterations of the game.
fl305: Is GM mode in?
Cory Ledesma: The GM mode is not in WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009. We decided to go in a brand new and exciting direction. Although the GM mode has been in the game for the last three years, we wanted to offer a new and exciting mode that we believe offers more of what our WWE fans are looking for. This new mode, however, does offer some of the same features found in GM mode, but we are presenting everything in a whole new way.
fl305: Are there more than 8 divas this year?
Cory Ledesma: I don't want to spoil the Superstar Countdown, so I would rather not reveal it just now. But I can tell you that we have a huge roster this year. Please check daily to see who is announced next.
fl305: Are there Classic arenas as unlockables?
Cory Ledesma: Yes, we do have a special unlockable arena this year, but I don't want to give out spoilers. You are going to have to wait until someone else spoils it for you or to pick up WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 and check it for yourself.
TwistedSwanton: Will there be alternate attires in this years game?
Cory Ledesma: Yes, indeed. We have about eight alternate attires in WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009. All of these are unlockables in our Road To WrestleMania mode.
Phoenixxx73: Do researchers from THQ/Yukes visit these boards as part of their research into what to add or remove for the next game?
Cory Ledesma: We absolutely do! I can say with full honesty that all of our designers are frequent visitors to the IGN message boards. This is one of our best resources and the best way to hear directly from the fans. I occasionally read posts from people who doubt we are looking, but we definitely are. I see your posts about us!
619rko: Will the PS2 version have online? Will the PS2 version include everything that the next gen consoles have (besides the graphics)?
Cory Ledesma: Unfortunately, we are not supporting online play for the PlayStation 2 this year. The PS2 version does include almost every single feature from the next gen consoles. As we continue to roll out the rest of our features, we will let you know which consoles each feature will be supported on.
LeonJuggaloWHF: At the end of the CAF video, when Punk pinned Batista, he didn't just stand up and be motionless while the video went off. Does this mean we will have any control post match in the non-Wii versions?
Cory Ledesma: The interactive victory scenes are an exclusive feature for the Wii version of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009.
dave_150177: We've been told that Caw mode has ridden itself of the "painted on" look, although we were told this in 07 I think... What else has changed with CAW mode, or have they left it the same?
Cory Ledesma: We focused mostly on the quality of the Create-A-Superstar parts. They are all 3-D parts and look fantastic this year. Fans will definitely notice the difference. We have also added some new customization options that give you a little more freedom. More details to come later.
blackcyborg: Has manual targetting been put back into the game?
Cory Ledesma: There is no manual targeting in the game. However, we have put in an awesome system which I like to call a semi-auto target system. This system is auto, but can be also controlled in-game to target whoever you want. We have redesigned this brand new targeting system from the ground up. I think it is near flawless because it is extremely accurate and super easy to use.
ChristianSpikez: Why should I buy this game , I'm not 100 % Convinced that it might not live up to it's hype. Give me some reasons why I should buy this year's game. I'm a big fan of the season mode but it's only three months it makes me wonder , if I should buy this game or not.
Cory Ledesma: Fans of the game know that I have been working on the game for a long time (eight years, to be exact). I have seen some of the best WWE SmackDown vs. Raw features/games and some of the ones that did not deliver on fans' expectations. I can say without any hesitation that this is by far the best WWE SmackDown vs. Raw game I have ever worked on. Now, I'm sure some of the readers are sitting there and thinking, "Yeah, like he's really not going to say this is a great game," or "He's going to say whatever to put the game over." I'm saying as a true wrestling game fan that this is truly the best wrestling game I've ever seen to date. Here are the reasons why:
Gameplay is solid! I haven't felt this good about WWE SmackDown vs. Raw gameplay in a while. The game feels very well tuned and polished. A lot of that credit goes to Yuke's and our game designer Bryan Williams. We have also improved a lot of match types this year, including my favorite – the Tag Team match.
Road To WrestleMania Mode is one of the best story modes we have ever delivered. Now, I know some people are complaining that there are only six stories. However, you will not complain at all when you play these storylines because they are fantastic and incorporate a lot of new gameplay elements into the stories. They also have multiple endings, choices and challenges that are all character specific. The mode itself is just a very satisfying experience. I've personally played all the stories multiple times because they are that much fun. As a creative team, we felt that we needed to vindicate ourselves based on the 24/7 mode we delivered last year, so we took the challenge to step up and deliver an amazing experience this year.
Huge roster. Enough said.
Mystery features that have not been announced. I know there is a lot of talk on the boards about what the mystery mode is, and rightfully so, because there are a lot of great features that we have not announced yet. These mystery features will definitely win your approval. We will be announcing them in the near future, so as you start to see these features revealed and you think of all the awesome features we've already announced, you'll definitely piece together why this is the best wrestling game ever.
Create-A-Finisher. If you're a wrestling fan, then how could you not buy a game that has this feature? This is the pinnacle of wrestling game features. This is a feature that everyone wants, and it's finally here!
Pedrolovesdivas: Why can't divas participate in all matches?
Cory Ledesma: The WWE does not want their Divas to bleed or be put in extreme matches that you would not normally find them in when watching WWE programming. This is why we have put this restriction in our game. We apologize to our fans who are interested in this possibility. However, we feel it is important to keep the authenticity of the WWE brand in tact.
mysterio_619_king: CAF looks great and runs very smoothly. Are you even able to create a finisher that say goes into a sturggle submission hold?
Cory Ledesma: We did not incorporate struggle submission holds into the Create-A-Finisher mode. For our first effort of the mode, we decided to dedicate the majority of our effort creating as many animations as we could from the front grapple position. This way we ensure that our fans are very pleased with the amount of content out of the front grapple position, and then as we continue to improve the mode, we can make sure we are offering more and more quality positions and animations. You can say it is more of a quality versus quantity approach. Rather than have a lot of positions and only a few animations, we wanted to have the most frequent and popular position and tons of animations.
This year's no different at IGN. The SmackDown Countdown (where we debut the SVR roster one character at a time) is in full effect, we've already got our first Friday Fight (a full SVR match fans choose) in the books, and now it's time for the first THQ&A. THQ Senior Creative Manager Cory Ledesma has selected a number of IGN reader questions about SVR 09 and answered them in full.
Want to get in on the action? Want to vote on the new match we feature on Friday Fights? Want to ask Cory a question? You'll need to start checking the IGN SmackDown board then, brutha.
Until then, enjoy this fan-driven interview, but keep in mind reader questions have not been edited so that they may serve as catalyst to scare kids back into the classroom.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The THQ&A
TwistedSwanton: Now in this latest video of create a finisher a few seconds before it goes to it we see the create menu. Now is there no create a stable in this years game or is it somewhere else?
Cory Ledesma: Create-A-Stable is indeed still in WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009. However, it is no longer under the Create Menu, and we have changed the name of it to "Team Management." We will still have all the great features that were found in Create-A-Stable from past iterations of the game.
fl305: Is GM mode in?
Cory Ledesma: The GM mode is not in WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009. We decided to go in a brand new and exciting direction. Although the GM mode has been in the game for the last three years, we wanted to offer a new and exciting mode that we believe offers more of what our WWE fans are looking for. This new mode, however, does offer some of the same features found in GM mode, but we are presenting everything in a whole new way.
fl305: Are there more than 8 divas this year?
Cory Ledesma: I don't want to spoil the Superstar Countdown, so I would rather not reveal it just now. But I can tell you that we have a huge roster this year. Please check daily to see who is announced next.
fl305: Are there Classic arenas as unlockables?
Cory Ledesma: Yes, we do have a special unlockable arena this year, but I don't want to give out spoilers. You are going to have to wait until someone else spoils it for you or to pick up WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 and check it for yourself.
TwistedSwanton: Will there be alternate attires in this years game?
Cory Ledesma: Yes, indeed. We have about eight alternate attires in WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009. All of these are unlockables in our Road To WrestleMania mode.
Phoenixxx73: Do researchers from THQ/Yukes visit these boards as part of their research into what to add or remove for the next game?
Cory Ledesma: We absolutely do! I can say with full honesty that all of our designers are frequent visitors to the IGN message boards. This is one of our best resources and the best way to hear directly from the fans. I occasionally read posts from people who doubt we are looking, but we definitely are. I see your posts about us!
619rko: Will the PS2 version have online? Will the PS2 version include everything that the next gen consoles have (besides the graphics)?
Cory Ledesma: Unfortunately, we are not supporting online play for the PlayStation 2 this year. The PS2 version does include almost every single feature from the next gen consoles. As we continue to roll out the rest of our features, we will let you know which consoles each feature will be supported on.
LeonJuggaloWHF: At the end of the CAF video, when Punk pinned Batista, he didn't just stand up and be motionless while the video went off. Does this mean we will have any control post match in the non-Wii versions?
Cory Ledesma: The interactive victory scenes are an exclusive feature for the Wii version of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009.
dave_150177: We've been told that Caw mode has ridden itself of the "painted on" look, although we were told this in 07 I think... What else has changed with CAW mode, or have they left it the same?
Cory Ledesma: We focused mostly on the quality of the Create-A-Superstar parts. They are all 3-D parts and look fantastic this year. Fans will definitely notice the difference. We have also added some new customization options that give you a little more freedom. More details to come later.
blackcyborg: Has manual targetting been put back into the game?
Cory Ledesma: There is no manual targeting in the game. However, we have put in an awesome system which I like to call a semi-auto target system. This system is auto, but can be also controlled in-game to target whoever you want. We have redesigned this brand new targeting system from the ground up. I think it is near flawless because it is extremely accurate and super easy to use.
ChristianSpikez: Why should I buy this game , I'm not 100 % Convinced that it might not live up to it's hype. Give me some reasons why I should buy this year's game. I'm a big fan of the season mode but it's only three months it makes me wonder , if I should buy this game or not.
Cory Ledesma: Fans of the game know that I have been working on the game for a long time (eight years, to be exact). I have seen some of the best WWE SmackDown vs. Raw features/games and some of the ones that did not deliver on fans' expectations. I can say without any hesitation that this is by far the best WWE SmackDown vs. Raw game I have ever worked on. Now, I'm sure some of the readers are sitting there and thinking, "Yeah, like he's really not going to say this is a great game," or "He's going to say whatever to put the game over." I'm saying as a true wrestling game fan that this is truly the best wrestling game I've ever seen to date. Here are the reasons why:
Gameplay is solid! I haven't felt this good about WWE SmackDown vs. Raw gameplay in a while. The game feels very well tuned and polished. A lot of that credit goes to Yuke's and our game designer Bryan Williams. We have also improved a lot of match types this year, including my favorite – the Tag Team match.
Road To WrestleMania Mode is one of the best story modes we have ever delivered. Now, I know some people are complaining that there are only six stories. However, you will not complain at all when you play these storylines because they are fantastic and incorporate a lot of new gameplay elements into the stories. They also have multiple endings, choices and challenges that are all character specific. The mode itself is just a very satisfying experience. I've personally played all the stories multiple times because they are that much fun. As a creative team, we felt that we needed to vindicate ourselves based on the 24/7 mode we delivered last year, so we took the challenge to step up and deliver an amazing experience this year.
Huge roster. Enough said.
Mystery features that have not been announced. I know there is a lot of talk on the boards about what the mystery mode is, and rightfully so, because there are a lot of great features that we have not announced yet. These mystery features will definitely win your approval. We will be announcing them in the near future, so as you start to see these features revealed and you think of all the awesome features we've already announced, you'll definitely piece together why this is the best wrestling game ever.
Create-A-Finisher. If you're a wrestling fan, then how could you not buy a game that has this feature? This is the pinnacle of wrestling game features. This is a feature that everyone wants, and it's finally here!
Pedrolovesdivas: Why can't divas participate in all matches?
Cory Ledesma: The WWE does not want their Divas to bleed or be put in extreme matches that you would not normally find them in when watching WWE programming. This is why we have put this restriction in our game. We apologize to our fans who are interested in this possibility. However, we feel it is important to keep the authenticity of the WWE brand in tact.
mysterio_619_king: CAF looks great and runs very smoothly. Are you even able to create a finisher that say goes into a sturggle submission hold?
Cory Ledesma: We did not incorporate struggle submission holds into the Create-A-Finisher mode. For our first effort of the mode, we decided to dedicate the majority of our effort creating as many animations as we could from the front grapple position. This way we ensure that our fans are very pleased with the amount of content out of the front grapple position, and then as we continue to improve the mode, we can make sure we are offering more and more quality positions and animations. You can say it is more of a quality versus quantity approach. Rather than have a lot of positions and only a few animations, we wanted to have the most frequent and popular position and tons of animations.
