SmackDown vs. Raw 2008

[Riceman 4K]

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/776/776654p1.html

IGN: You've already talked about some major adjustments this year, have you made any improvements to the modes?

Ledesma: Yes! We've combined our General Manager Mode and Season Mode into what we're calling "WWE 24/7." The general theme is that you're living the life of a WWE superstar who wants to become a legend.

24/7 is different from past years in that, in previous years, your whole goal was to win a title at WrestleMania. This year we're talking a broader approach where you'll have to meet a long list of objectives to be considered a legend. If you start out with The Undertaker, maybe that question will take you six months; start out with a created wrestler and it may take you three years. Obviously, it depends on how successful you are and how well you play.

Edited March 30, 2007 by Riceman 4K

[zero]

I really don't like the "fighting style" system that they described. I can already tell it's going to limit what certain people can do and I fucking hate that. How will you create a guy like Samoa Joe when he's obviously a powerhouse, but he can also do some high-flying, he's a submission expert and a brawler?

Other than that, sounds like they're working on everything that needs to be worked on. Combining GM and Season mode I'm raising an eyebrow toward... does this mean there's going to be a two player season mode or did they just eliminate the feature with the most potential in the game - the GM mode?

EDIT

Oh and with all the talk of "playing to each system's strengths," if they don't allow for custom entrance themes on the 360, then I know they're full of shit. I have no idea how they're putting this on the Wii though.

Edited March 30, 2007 by Zero

[VerbalPuke]

IGN: On the subject of submissions, there's also a new submission system. Can you talk a little about that?

Ledesma: We're implementing a new "Struggle Submission System." Last year we wanted to give players improved controls with the analog sticks and this just the next step. We really want to get rid of the button mashing meters that we have because those are really dated. We're getting pretty tired of those, honestly. But now that we have our "Ultimate Control" theme going, we can apply that to submissions.

You can decide how much pressure to add to any submission move.

What's that mean for this year? It means that submissions are now controlled with the analog sticks. You can decide as an offensive player how much pressure you want to apply when you put an opponent in a hold. The more you push the stick in a particular direction, the more force you're putting behind that particular move.

Say, for example, that we have the Crippler Crossface applied to someone. As you add the pressure with the analog stick, you'll see your character pull back harder on the opponent in real time. That's an example of our new animation and how it applies to gameplay too. What's really great about it, though, is that you can also be defensive with this system and power out of a submission hold using the same analog mechanic. It makes the whole thing more of a cat and mouse game. We're trying to introduce a system where players always have control -- we don't want anyone sitting around waiting until their next opportunity. Adding a real strategy, a true "back and forth," is cool too.

I like this idea quite a bit myself, it'd be fun to sort of torture the opponent a bit, rearing back, and easing up on the pain, rearing back, and then easing up on the pain.

Ledesma:We're not going to talk much about it yet -- that's for later in the year. The only thing I can tell you is that you will start out on the SmackDown or Raw shows and become a superstar for those promotions. Of course, you can still switch shows like you could in previous years.

Oh, and there will be some specific created superstar paths, but again, we're not detailing how all that is going to work yet.

Really now? I don't remember being able to switch shows in Smackdown vs. Raw 07. OH yeah, you could switch shows, but YOU couldn't make that decision, it was made for you whether you liked it or not. Seriously, they need to go back to the HCTP season mode model of letting you make the rosters how you like.

IGN: What sort of presentational improvements have you made?

Ledesma: One of our big additions this year is that ECW has a big presence. We're treating it as an equal brand with the SmackDown and Raw brands and having that in the game is the largest presentational improvement...

I can dig the ECW presence, I'm just hoping guys like Sandman, Dreamer, and Sabu make the cut off date, even if two out of those three end up released. I know Sabu's style would be hard to emulate for a video game, but I don't care, I just want to see Sabu make it in.

[Gongsun Zan]

I love how they say they're 'reworking' the animation. It's like it's their go-to phrase for every interview for every wrestling game they've ever done, yet when the game is released, you find all the exact same animations are still in it.

[oldskool]

IGN: Is 24/7 keeping the same theme as past SmackDowns? Where you start off on Raw or SmackDown to begin with and work your way through those shows, or are you taking a Day of Reckoning approach and starting in OVW or something similar?

Ledesma:We're not going to talk much about it yet -- that's for later in the year. The only thing I can tell you is that you will start out on the SmackDown or Raw shows and become a superstar for those promotions. Of course, you can still switch shows like you could in previous years.

[Ruki]

Option two would be cooler though. Too bad they are mean and won't do that.

I skipped 2007 personally....and I don't have a next gen consol yet, but hopefully I will by the time this it out. And the WWE 24/7 actually seems interesting.

[Timmoru Suzuki]

Things that were hit on last year were examples like the AI for tag team matches -- that's something we really wanted to improve upon this year

[Nerf]

I think the fighting style thing could work, if we could have two options like we did in earlier games.

That way, you could choose powerhouse and submission for Joe (using him as an example seeing him mentioned above). I believe something similiar was in Smackdown 2 for the PSX, if I'm not mistaken.

On an unrelated note, looking at IGN's pictures for this game, it always bugs me how they never can make a realistic Triple H. They always over-do his physique and make his face look like his Blade III character.

[stokeriño]

On an unrelated note, looking at IGN's pictures for this game, it always bugs me how they never can make a realistic Triple H. They always over-do his physique and make his face look like his Blade III character.

Triple H has looked progressively worse since Just Bring It, in which I think he actually looked pretty damn good.

[Olive the other Jiberdeer]

If they manage to make a decent Shawn Micheals, I will be truely impressed.

[VerbalPuke]

I wouldn't mind a better facial model for Mr. Kennedy, the one in 07 isn't all that great looking. Of course, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt since it was his first go round in the Smackdown series.

[Guest digrind]

Bah, I can't believe you're all neglecting who's in the most obvious need of a face lift.

I'll give you a hint: he's been bleaching his hair for years, it's falling out, and yet he always looks like it's 1996 in this game. Also his name rhymes with Bic Blair.

[estebanmon]

I hope they make it so that the moves a wrestlers does reflect how much energy they have left or how injured they are. I really hate it when you can just run up the turnbuckle anytime.

I'm likeing the new submission system, as it's nearly impossible to get out of a submission with button mashing or the other one they have.

[GhostMachine]

I hope they make it so that the moves a wrestlers does reflect how much energy they have left or how injured they are. I really hate it when you can just run up the turnbuckle anytime.

I'm likeing the new submission system, as it's nearly impossible to get out of a submission with button mashing or the other one they have.

[Kwanzabot]

If you mash all 4 buttons with that, they die very quickly. Just a heads up.

[Chris2K]

I thought 07 did a great job of Melina's face.

Melina's face before her surgery of course.

24/7 mode seems ok, I just hope that they FINALLY give some kind of depth to a season mode for replayability. It's like they keep hearing how good No Mercy's season mode was 7 YEARS AGO and just put their fingers in their ears and shout LA LA LA LA LA LA to drown it out.

[zero]

No Mercy's season mode was not that great. And I'm just going to come out and say it... No Mercy isn't that great anymore. Seven years ago, yeah, but it hasn't aged well. The season mode was the worst part of the game, I mean c'mon, you had to intentionally lose matches to get through certain paths. I'm not saying Smackdown's is perfect, far from it, but No Mercy's is far from even being good.

[Ruki]

I have to agree with Zero....I was playing it last night, trying to get 100% on Cruiserweight, and it is just a pain in the ass really.

[Captain Kirk]

I always preferred the original Smackdown's season mode which never ended compared to play 1 set season and that's it over.

[Guest digrind]

No Mercy's season mode was not that great. And I'm just going to come out and say it... No Mercy isn't that great anymore. Seven years ago, yeah, but it hasn't aged well. The season mode was the worst part of the game, I mean c'mon, you had to intentionally lose matches to get through certain paths. I'm not saying Smackdown's is perfect, far from it, but No Mercy's is far from even being good.