Monday, February 6, 2012

My thoughts and Feedback On WWE'12 (thus far)

This is my WWE'12 feedback, true to what I said I didn't purchase WWE'12
but I did receive a copy of the peoples edition sent to me for free
it arrived in the mail on Dec 15  so this is basically ever thing
from Dec 15 2011 to Jan 29th 2012.  Some of these things might
have been fixed with the "Fix everything patch"  but I doubt it.
many aspects of the game are covered from Create mode, Universe,
Online, etc.  also be aware that being that I am a girl gamer
most of this is from a "Diva perspective" unless I'm talking
about Road to Wrestlemaina or something like that.
(I do not mention all the things I liked just ones that stood out)

I did like the opening movie, I think it has been a
long time since there was an opening movie to the
games.

 When creating a character nothing is very different it all
looks pretty much the same as it did in 2011 I just basically
copied everything from SVR11 into 12.  there wasn't really
anything new and exciting, where is the new? 

the actual create a character is pretty much
identical. though you do need to bring back the color wheel
for skin tone/color  the bars where you pick one is still
horrible. we need the sliders so we can adjust the right
skin tone.

Now probably the single greatest thing in the
game is the ring announcer thing were you can
string together words to make something good
and doesn't sound stupid no longer am I "the Superstar"
but I actually have "Sexy Girl" back  well its more like
"Sexy...Girl" but that is not a complaint its better then
"the Superstar"  also when I come out dressed nicely
(as in non ring gear clothes)  it announces me as
"Ms.Jones"  which made me just as happy.

But this only go so far as for commentary you have to
pick a completely different name off a completely different
list?  so in the commentary I once again have to be ""the Superstar"
again.. Why have two different lists? why not for commentary
just pick one thing off the announcer list for your commentary
name?  if I could do that I would have picked Jones for my
commentary name.

Also The crowd doesn't chant the right name at times
I was playing with a friend offline and their
commentary name was "the Monster" but the
crowd was chanting "Nightmare"

As for the "Home town" thing it is good to have some wacky
places like Mount Olympus, The Distant Future, From under your bed
but you should stick to real places. for example there are more
Canadian provinces then Ontario, Quebec,Alberta, etc
what about the people from New Brunswick? or PEI? I'm from Nova Scotia
so it would have been great to have Nova Scotia, Canada.
you have all 50 states and each state opens up to a list of
cities in that state. all I want is one province.

Most of the idiocy of the level cap is gone which is good but still
there are some things that are still held back  my striking strength
is at 75 I think and my grapple is at 80?  but the majority of my other stats
I was allowed to max out. 

While cycling through the Taunts in Create a move set I noticed
there there were more expressive face and hand animations which
was pretty good.

While in Create a move set  I have the ability to set moves for the
Royal Rumble.. Why is that even in there it is superfluous
being that I can't use my character in the Royal Rumble because
of the retardedness of the Gender Restrictions. 

Speaking of which the game once again fails as a whole because
of that one thing.. And will continue to fail because of that one
thing.  Take for example the recent Royal Rumble (Jan 29th 2012)
Kharma is the 3rd woman to enter the Rumble and it is only a
matter of time before she done tossing around Kelly Kelly and
Eve before they start putting her in matches with the men.
so THQ or its representatives can no longer hide behind
"We have to follow what happens on WWE TV" 
or hide behind saying they have to have the Gender Restrictions
in there because it is a "Teen Rated" game. 
We all know the rating doesn't matter people of all ages are
going to play it no matter what also The game series has been
around since 1999 and all the games all of them were rated
T for Teen and there was worse things in them in the past
everyone seems to forget the "Spank Meter" and the
spanking move you could add to your move set.
and under the rating on the front cover of the case
it states "Online interaction Not Rated by the ESRB"
I told THQ and Marcus Stephenson exactly how to fix
the Gender Restrictions in a way that does not compromise anything.

There was another thing that I thought was the result of
Gender Restrictions my very first match online (12/20/2011) was a
with manager match a friend of mine what me to manage them
and I went to pick my character and couldn't I couldn't seem to pick
any female characters.. and I was furious but the next time
I tried (1/24/2012) I could do it.

Also I am reminded of this quote Brian Williams
"Were doing this for you guys, and we want to give
you your money's worth"
Us diva players and fans are not getting our money's
worth out of the game. Were paying 60+ for a game that
you can at the moment play only 40-45% of as a female character
and then another $11 for Fan Access or a dollar per Diva
to get a roster of people to fight. 
where there is 40+ Superstars that could could
face off with but can't. 
The Gender Restrictions don't help they only hinder
I still believe there should not be a special set of
rules governing one side and not the other, there should be
no limitations placed on one side and not the other.

Women should be allow to compete in every match type
ladder, extreme, Hell in a Cell or 6 Man person tag,
elimination chamber, ect. anything and everything!
speaking of which Why can't I do a 6 person mixed tag?
you do one in the first part of Road to Wrestlemaina
Layla is taking part in a match with 2 of the "United Kingdom"
Members. But as always I'm intrested to hear any new excuse
for the The Gender Restrictions.

As for DLC I wish you could edit the entrances
in advanced creator and pick them apart and change them
around like you can with the characters that come on the
disk. 
also the majority of the DLC is lost on me
Why would I download Macho Man or Batista?
I'm not going to play as them and I can't
fight them.. so it would be a waist for me
to even get them, if I could fight them sure
I would have happy downloaded them but I can't.

What the point of "custom" Entrance video?
sure that is a cool idea where it makes an
actual entrance video but you have so very little
control over what is created.. it just makes some
random video based on a template I have no actual say
in what goes into the video.. how do I edit my entrance
video? What if i want to put a part at the end at the beginning?
or what if I want to put a part from the middle at the end?
I thought this was suppose to be Custom?
with entrance video you should be able to import it into
the editor where you make highlight reels so you can edit it
and save it so you can use it online.

Also what it the point of create an arena?
I know people wanted that for years and years
and it is a cool feature but I think stuff like that is
a bit useless in the long run because you can only use
it offline. you can spend a couple of hours making this
thing and making it great but in the end it just
kind of a waist of time.  Its like create a sign.
create a sign was an excellent idea  but you can't
use any of your signs online.  Now I know you want
to protect all the lil kids from swear words and
awkwardly drawn pixellated boobs someone made in
paint tool.  But at the same time it kind of
defeats the purpose of actually having the feature
if you can't use it to its fullest.

In Create an Entrance Where you add things like
pyro and the name plate on the stage/ramp
I always thought you should have better control
over that like the timeline there
with some better controls.  maybe the ability to pause
it and use the sticks to rewind/fast forward
and maybe have L2 or R2 as step buttons where you
click them  and it goes through the animation
one frame at a time so you can place your
name plate/pyro at just the right time
also there should be some type of Undo button
that will erase it if your timing is off or want
change it which would be good.

Mini Trons..everyone was talking about
wanting Mini Trons.  I thought they
were suppose to be a selectable thing?
like entrance videos.  Were you could
pick them from a list where you could have
a set of fire ones or electricity or rotating
chains?  what happened to that?
I didn't see the ability to select anything
like that when creating my entrance.
create an entrance is pretty much the same
as it was last year.

On the name plates it says
"WWEDivas.com"  why can't I remove
that? I don't want that on there I
should be allowed to remove it. 
or at least replace it with something
of my own.

As for paint tool Which don't use very much
but needed to make a few things this year
now I had a big problem with the placement of
my created Logo/Designs.  It took me a week
to actually get it to stay where I put it.
For example I would put something on the stomach
or chest and save it then come back to edit it
and the logo would be down on the characters leg
or back or somewhere else. I don't know what happened
in the end I finally gotten it to stay in one place
but I just had to keep moving it back and moving it
back until it actually stayed there.

Why is it in paint tool that the lettering color is
preset?  if I put a Letter on there it is preset to
black and to change it I would have to edit it with
one of the other tools in paint. that is some
unnecessary steps whatever color I have selected
should automatically be the color of the text
I want to use.  If I have Red selected on the
color pallet then my text should automatically
be Red. 

While playing offline I seem to have been having
some problems with things like collision detection
here and there where my strikes didn't at times
seem to connect there was a few times were I was
in front of an opponent and take a few swings and
it was like hitting nothing and then they would just
grapple me.

also speaking of things that are "hit and miss"
the running strikes and grapples success rate
seems to be some what low as well where I would
try to do one and the opp would side step then I
would get up and try to do one again and for some
reason I wouldn't even get close and would for
some reason fall short and then try for a 3rd time
and just get side stepped again.
Now you might be thinking by that description I'm try to spam
the thing, but no this is during a regular match
with strikes,grapples,reversals I would try to use them
when an opportunity came up.  Also the Game controlled opp
seemed to be spamming me with their successful running
strikes and grapples.
There were also times where I would try to do one
and my character would go in the opposite direction
or go for the opp and then go off in a different
direction.

As for the controls I don't think I really consider
them simple and easy.  It might be because you are
use to playing things a certain way for a few years
and it takes time to get use to a new way of doing
things.  I remember being told that you could
switch between the NEW 12 controls and the previous
SVR 11 control system, If that was actually planed
what happened to it?
Have you ever thought about custom controls? 
a lot of games offer you the ability to change the
controls to how you want them. 

I thought Simply pressing L1 during a regular tag
match was a good idea.

I don't really like the Grapple and Submission button
both being X.  I know you could probably just tap it
for Grapple and Press for Submission, but there are times
when your in a fast paced match and you what to do a
grapple then press and you get a submission. I don't know
I just don't think it shouldn't be the same button
I don't have a problem with the submission system
as of yet it seems to be actually good its just the button
mapping that frustrates me.

Also speaking of things that are utterly frustrating

1. The kick out system:  why in the hell did you make it
like this?!?  where you have to hold in the button
and have to go to that lil blue line? 
holding in the button is a horrible thing because 95%
of the time it doesn't work!!!
I was doing pretty good with the button mashing kick out
that actually worked, you actually had a chance of kicking out!
the "Hold in the button, and hit the tiny line"  one
does not work!!!
I would be holding it in and it would go right passed it
and I would be doing this until the 3 count and I would loose
I was even using at times resiliency to make this line bigger
and it would go right passed it and I wasn't kicking out.
I was playing with a friend of mine and they pinned me
and I was holding in the button and it was hitting the
blue line and on the blue line many times and I
still didn't kick out.   

2. The reversal system is of course with out a doubt
complete and absolute garbage!  it has been for
the last couple of years. it seems it started with
the introduction of the One button reversal system
Now I know there was one before then you switched
to the 2 button and then back to the one.
Now here is how I see it:

SVR09- I would say I possibly had a 75% chance
of doing a successful reversal. 

SVR10- this was horrible I would have to say
I might have had a 45% chance of a reversal.

SVR11- Actually seemed workable and I would say
that there was actually a 50% chance of a reversal

WWE'12- is horrid..even more so then SVR10
I would say there is about a 35-40% chance
that I'll reverse anything.

I don't know what is going on with this
you could say that I'm not timing it right
or something like that but I can honestly
say that I am clicking the button when the
button needs to be clicked and nothing happens.

In the few online matches I was actually
able to have while trying to play online
(the keyword is trying) it like you
just get steamrolled. I'm click for a
reversal nothing happens, I could go
a whole match and not seem to be able
to do one reversal. 

I don't know what to say I'm
trying to play my best but with
the way the kick out and reversal
systems are I look like a total jobber.

I didn't do much with story creator
it looks all pretty much the same
with nothing really new. although
it does look like you can write
in more in the text boxes which is good.

As for ring escape, why did you put a
limit on it?? that is just stupid you can only get
out 3 times? what is the point of having it if you
can only use it a few times?  you should by now know
don't put limits on stuff. If I want to use ring escape
I should be allowed to use it as much or as little as
I want to. 
You want this to be "realistic" right? do people in the
WWE have a limit on how many times they can roll in and
out of a ring? I mean are they told "you can't do that
more then X amount of times"

One thing I'm curious about is the Smackdown Theme
why is it different then the one on TV? 
is it because Know Your Enemy by Green Day is a
horrible song and whoever picked that should be fired
and the one on the game is way better
is that why they are different or is it something
else?

During one singles match I was practically halfway
under the ropes when I was pinned and I did not receive
a robe break and yes I always play with rope break on.


You should have had a way to turn off the
"Whats Hot" scroll at the bottom of the main
menu. Like how you could turn off
Universe in 2011, I don't really need that
scrolling down there I find it a bit
distracting. 

I don't know about anyone else
but you should have probably kept
the "Training area" to help people
get accustomed to the new button scheme
that might have went over well
with people trying to get use to
the new set up

A quick word on the switch to
"Online Manuals"  sure you might consider
that convenient in some way and it might
make you feel better about going green
or whatever. I for one would have possibly
would have liked to have gotten an
actual booklet if it is all the same to you
unlike most people my manuals
don't get worn,torn or lost because I do
this radical thing that many might not have
thought of which is I keep them in the game case
until I need them..
for a quick look up of something during
the loading screen or while the entrances
run I would usually grab it. 

Having to turn on the computer, waiting for it to boot up,
open Web Browser, type in address, select the game
from a pull down list  and then find what I need
on the web page  is of course more quicker and easier
then reaching across the couch, grabbing the case
taking the manual out and flipping a few pages?
but after all what do I know right?

another thing that happened in this game as well as the last
couple is an odd glitch where someone come out to interfere
in my match then the camera angle changes and some how
they never make it to the ring they seem to get lost is the
black hole between the ramp and the ring. 

Also another problem with Universe is what I call
the "Day Dreaming ref" there was a few times durring a
few matches were I thought the ref forgot that he was at
work because when I went for a pin he would just stand there
like he is off somewhere else or thinking about that he
should do. 

Why can't you interfere in title matches in Universe
I would want to get payback on that person who interfered
in my match previously but they are protected in
"title match"  you should be allowed to interfere in any match.

I did like when you "create a show" you can change the
background on the VS. screen.


While playing a match in Universe I left the
ring using ring escape and by doing so lost
all sound except for the crowd cheering.
I didn't get the sound back until I re entered the
ring.

there were also a few little stalls and glitches in Universe
but the main thing that bugged me was the flow of it.
where everything flowed together.  I only want to do
the matches I'm involved in I don't want to do the whole
card of every show.  When I started playing universe I
did my first match and I won that match and it seemed
like I was pushed right into the next match on the
card and I was thinking "wtf? I don't care about
kofi VS. daniel bryan" so I had to quit that
and leave Universe and re enter it.
and that went on a few times I don't care
about Triple H vs. Mark Henry or Shamus Vs. John Cena
and so on.. I was beginning to think that you couldn't
pick and choose matches to do in Universe you could
only pick a starting point and do that match card then
you'll go back to the card.  It wasn't until I did this
a few times when I noticed near the end of the
Win animation that some controls pop up that will
take me back to the match Card but you seem to have
to be quick in making your choice if your not quick
you'll be pushed into the next match. 
I was thinking why didn't I notice this before?
and my answer was given to me a couple of matches
later when this control options thing didn't appear
and I was pushed into a match with the Big Show.
After Winning a match in Universe the game should
pause and give you clearly visible options.
such as press this to continue to the next match
or press this to go back to the match card.
I know you want to keep the thing moving
but not everyone wants to do every match
in Universe.

Now as for Road to Wrestlemania  I did like how it started
it was very nice visually.  RTWM does have that authentic
TV feel to it, complete with the PPV intros where it say
"And now WWE Presents.."   that was pretty good.
also RTWM has the exact thing I was mentioning above
where it pauses and gives to a button prompt (X being I'm on PS)
at things like the VS screen.  I want to continue when I want to
not be pushed along.  

I also like the cut scenes it lends it to the TV authenticity
and find that it actually keeps things moving  none of this
random running around backstage which was rather boring,
repetive and overly time consuming. 

Also the Commentary in RTWM seems to be lot better
then it is on the rest of the game.

Also I do like how the lil objective window stays on screen
so you don't forget what you have to do during the match.
although there was a few times where I didn't get an
objective window and I ended up getting a DQ when I didn't even
do anything that would be considered DQ worthy  and received
a "Objective Failed"  message. I couldn't complete the objective
if I don't know what it is. 
I redid the match and did the same as before and passed it
so I don't know why I'm failing objectives when I'm not given any.

I didn't finish Road to Wrestlemaina so that is all i have for that


Now as for online where do I start..?

I probably don't need to mention the constant Server unavailability

so I'll start with the Online menus were somewhat confusing where you
had to hit L1-R1 I don't know why it was confusing probably because
I was use to clicking an option and given a list of more options.
but you have to click the shoulder buttons now so I guess that is
ok.

One of my main problems which is related to the server
unavailability is that I create a match and I wait and wait
people join and people leave I could be waiting up to say
45 mins and then some guys join the match and start to
moan and groan about how it is a Divas match and then go
on to berate me for doing/creating a Divas match.
I tell them if you don't like it then leave, but it
doesn't matter what I say and Now true I could quit
the match and recreate but 1. I don't want to wait another 45mins
and chances are I'll get the same people back in here
and 2. I just want to play, have a good match and have fun.
If I didn't have to suffer the idiocy of the
Gender Restrictions I wouldn't have to
wait for people to join I never waited on 09
and if I didn't have the idiocy of the
Gender Restrictions people wouldn't be complaining
like they do.  But your probably wondering what
does this have to do with the Server?  Well after
waiting all that time and listening to all that chauvinistic
douchebaggery the match begins to start and its counting
down and just before it gets to 1  bang Server Unavailable..
that ladies and gentlemen sums up 90% of my online experience
on WWE'12. 

during one of the online matches
I was actually able to play with out any
server problems resulted in a DQ 
why is that important?  it was a TLC match.
you can't get DQed in a TLC match.
it was a Diva tornado tag TLC Match
things were going great until one of the opponents
got out and got a chair when they hit me with
the chair  the match resulted in a DQ.

Another time I was kicked from my own match due
to server unavailable and was sent back to the main
Online menu. I then went back to the match list and
my match was visible on the list so I tried to join it
upon trying to do that I was kicked offline and sent
right back to the main game menu.

I haven't been able to do much online due to every
time I try to do something I get Server Unavailable.

the very few times I even attempted to enter
community creations I was bumped out due to
Server Unavailability. there were a couple of times
when I actually made it on and when I tried to leave
on two separate occasions it froze up my PS3 and
I had to restart.

Now that is pretty much it..
I did want to mention a few thing though
such as what happened with the patch and the
removal of the so called "Bra Glitch" 
from what I understand it was removed because it
was "inappropriate"  or something along those lines
seriously?  I mean come on seriously? 
and I know you will push the blame off to
WWE and say things like "were a licensed product
and have to do what they tell us" and all that
but then if that is the case you can't have
your company (THQ) and its representatives
out there popin off lines such as

"We want you to play how you want to play
opposed to how we're forcing you to play"

"We want you to be happy about the game"

"Were doing this for you guys, and we want to
give you your money's worth"

(those were direct quotes from your WWE ‘12
 game designer Bryan Williams)

and yet people found away to create unique
attires and outfits. Tops, pants, shorts
you name it. People have a sense of pride and
uniqueness about their character and they actually
have fashion shows on the game where everyone
can show off their designs and styles and people are
having fun and enjoying themselves and you (THQ)
comes in and puts a stop to all that and then you
sit and wonder why the fans are mad at you?
In my opinion you are basically Shooting yourself
in the foot and you have been constantly doing it in the
last couple of years.  And the fans the true fans especially
the Diva ones are not going to stand for it.
You Drove people way with the Gender Restrictions
you created a backlash when you removed a whole bunch of stuff
like moves in SVR2010 and there was a whole host of problems
with SVR11 true it was better then 10 but still certain things
would have made it way more enjoyable. 
Now personally I think come WWE'13 you are going to have
had pushed away more players and profits are going to fall
and pretty soon all the originality and creativeness that
once was the back bone of this series will be gone and
all you'll be left with is the WWE Marks buying this series
and telling you how much of an awesome job your doing


Do I truly think it is Bigger,Badder and Better?
of course not! true it might be slightly larger
in scope were there are a few more things to do
but a lot of it is like I said "What the point?"
if you never play online then its great I guess...

The games (and the WWE) use to mean something
it use to give the middle finger to the warmed over
politically correct bullshit and use to have teeth
and balls and not be afraid of stepping on toes or
saying the wrong thing.   

Now a days especially when it comes to the games they
are built on lies, hypocrisy, BS and
and filled with sanctimonious self righteous morality
and unnecessary censorship.  It is like the game series
was handed over to the likes of Steven Richards and the
faction Right to Censor (RTC)

Personally as far as the games go I would personally
rather play SVR09 then 10-12 combined
why would I rather play a 3 year old game rather
then the newest thing? because I like to have fun and
actually play my way.  If 09 supported Divas being able to
all the matches they can now the game would have been the
best and I already think that 09 is the height of
awesomeness it peaked with that and is now going down hill

also Marcus Stephenson you told me
personally
"keep thinking that we're against you."
True Divas are allowed to do more now 
Tables matches, cage matches, TLC, etc
and I do enjoy all that but yet I don't believe
you have yet proven that you aren't against us.  

In the end..I don't think it is what was promised
I don't think it is a brave new beginning
Sadly if this is truly the future of the franchise
then I might have to leave, its a future I don't
want to be a part of. Sure it is a reboot or a retooling
whatever you want to call it.  but in my opinion
its more "Batman & Robin" then "Batman Begins" 

Also I don't know how you managed to get this
named as a Game of the Year?
the cheque involved must have had a lot of zeros on it...
because for me to indorse this as a game of the year
of any year in fact I would have to have a cheque handed
to me with more zeros then I have fingers.
and if it was voted in everyone who voted this
a game of the year deserves a swift super kick to the head.

but that is all for now.