Some odd SD v R 2007 news

[ringsyde]

* For about two days, YouTube ran a Smackdown Versus Raw 2007 promo piece in which Candice used a magic wand to turn Kurt Angle into a girl. For undisclosed reasons, the WWE successfully pushed to have the video removed from the site. 411.com, LoP.net and the wrestling observer mention this story or have links to the video (which is now a dead spot).

* Umaga's image and name have completely disappeared from the official WWE Smackdown Versus Raw 2007 website. The site had originally listed both him and Mark Henry as Kane. They've since corrected those errors, adding Kane and putting Mark Henry on the SD roster. Umaga has disappeared, however, including the screenshots of him beating on Carlito (originally featured in their photos section).

* THQ associate and WWE games development head, Cory Ledesma has stated that there will be NO online updates or content downloads for the 2007 game. There will, however be a slew of content downloads, new matches, etc. to download next year when the series makes its PS# (and Wii) debut. These statments were made during Gamespot.com's weekly gaming show update.

[pikemojo]

THQ is lazy. The games are always good but the game engine has been faulty for years and they have done next to nothing to fix it. The worst part is the game doesn't even really feel like wrestling. It is just another fighting game. The rosters are always incomplete and it wouldn't surprise me in the least if they decided at the last second to leave someone out of the game entirely. I would rather have a shoddy looking game that controlled well and played like a wrestling match than what they have been putting out since PS1. All that said the games are fun they just aren't any where near as fun as they should be.

[the_faction]

The thing i don't think most fans can grasp about rosters is they have to be locked down early so that the story and voice overs are recorded and done by the time the game is in the can.

The roster has to be approved and signed off on by March of the year at the latest. So based on that THQ looks at who is being pushed up until Wrestlemania and makes their choices through that.

[ringking]

Umaga's not a big loss to me at all. I personally want to play with the CAW engine and improved GM Mode myself. And I will probly switch to the old controller style as well. The wand thing is screwy but it's a game. The content downloads not happening is a sad thing. Ohh well can't wait till next year.

[Big Bri]

I saw the PS2 logo on the commercials for this during RAW last night, but I thoughtit wasn't being put out on the PS2? Can someone clarify this?

[Tournament Master]

Yes, its on PS2, next year it will be on PS3.

[Splattercat]

Pittbull and I were just playing Smackdown vs Raw 2007 on the PS2...Umaga's in it...

First match we did was Khali (Pittbull) vs. Carlito...Khali is the only Ultra Heavyweight in the game, in that he was ignoring every move I did...He was even shrugging off running attacks like kicks and Clotheslines which I thought was rather neat..

In a nutshell, lots of new stuff, they overhauled the controls....They give you a short little "Here's what's changed" tutorial at the start which is really nice...It's complicated right now, but I'm sure we'll get used to it...

Only major bad we've seen so far is the commentary: It seems directly ported from 2006...They say all the same things...Worse than that however is the fact that (conjecture incoming) sicne they directly ported it, and changed all the controls, the commentary tends to wander...We did a hardcore Match between Edge and Triple H to get used to the controls and all the new stuff....While we were outside the ring fighting, mostly with chairs and cables, several odd commentary glitches happened:

<Edge hits Triple H with a chair>
JR: "OH MY GOD KING!! WHAT A STONE COLD STUNNER!!!!"
<Edge goes into the crowd>
King: "He's climbing the cage JR! Looks like he's about to escape!"
<Triple H hits Edge with a table>
JR: "He's going up! It looks like he's going to win the Money in the Bank!!"

We've only had 3 matches, so it's a bit early to give a rating...Commentary aside, the controls will take getting used to...I'll have more later, or perhaps Pittbull will give his thoughts...

[ringsyde]

I've spent the entire evening playing this on the X-Box 360, and all I can say is WOW!!

My first match was Lashley versus Mark Henry. I won with a roll-up after taking the entire Henry arsenal.

My next match was a hardcore match between Umaga (the "I can't go for longer than 5 minute" lug made it into the finale) and the Great Khali. I literally tore the house down, taking these two all over the arena.

I was worried there was no blood on the game until I used Edge to bust Kane wide open, and I sat in awe at Triple H's and Undertaker's entrances.

I'm mighty pleased with this game so far.

[Shon Maxx]

2 questions:

First, is the CAW the samw as last year's or have they added stuff.

And how's the AI? SvR had some of the dumbest AI I have every seen with wrestlers climbinb the turnbuckle and taunting until they were thrown off. SvR 2006 was much better but could still use some improvment.



Thanks and take care,

Jay

[Big Bri]

tournamentmaster said:

Yes, its on PS2, next year it will be on PS3.

Thanks.

[Splattercat]

We haven't checked out the Create a Wrestler yet...And I personally haven't played against the cpu, so I'm not sure on the AI....

I'll let you know when i find out though...

[canadianpittbull]

You can customize your AI.

[GalactiKing]

The game sounds interesting. May pick it up sometime.

[Werner Mueck]

Change Undertaker's entrance to Micky James or Melina... that's all I ask. You'll be glad you did....

[Shon Maxx]

Does the AI actually follow the customizing though? I remember in the original SvR, I set up 2 shoot fighters with low taunting and low climbing the turnbuckle. They were mostly ground fighters. So what happened? The first guy knocked down the second, then climbed the turnbuckle. The other got up and pushed him off, only to also climb the turnbuckle and do the same thing.

Of course, Raw 2 for the XBox was even worse. Angle was fighting Brock, and Angle hit a shoulder tackle and tried to pin him. Brock kicked out and Angle covered him again. This continued for 10 minutes, and the match ended in a time limit draw.


Hopefully this one's much smarter.

Take care,

Jay

[MikeMcKinney]

I just picked this up today. I hope it's a good game!

[ringsyde]

bladeflyer said:

Does the AI actually follow the customizing though? I remember in the original SvR, I set up 2 shoot fighters with low taunting and low climbing the turnbuckle. They were mostly ground fighters. So what happened? The first guy knocked down the second, then climbed the turnbuckle. The other got up and pushed him off, only to also climb the turnbuckle and do the same thing.

Of course, Raw 2 for the XBox was even worse. Angle was fighting Brock, and Angle hit a shoulder tackle and tried to pin him. Brock kicked out and Angle covered him again. This continued for 10 minutes, and the match ended in a time limit draw.


Hopefully this one's much smarter.

Take care,

Jay

Whatever you do, don't compare this game to either of the aweful RAW games from the X-Box. This is Smackdown in EVERY way, including the at times goofy AI (tag partners still tend to have better things on their minds than making saves and winning matches). It's a great game and a vast improvement over RAW, DAY of RECKONING and many of the previous Smackdown's.

[Shon Maxx]

Oh I wasn't comparing them at all. I was just saying the AI in SvR was second only to Raw 2, but not by much.



Take care,

Jay

[theace4ever]

just picked up the game tonight..will be playing it in less than an hour....Umaga is going down! Too bad no K-Fed to kill....