A look back.....

[aholbert32]

https://forums.operationsports.com/f...ns-thread.html


Every once in a while, I'll go back to an old impressions thread to see what the initial reaction was to a game that has become beloved to see if the initial reaction equals the way people see the game after nostalgia hits. Here is the one for UFC Undisputed 3. I did the same thing for NFL 2k5 and it was interesting to read.

Anyway, thought some of you guys would find the initial takes on this game interesting especially in comparison to how people feel about the EA UFC series. Also its funny how much more this site cared about offline than online back then. Times have definitely changed.

Here was one of my first posts in this thread:

Yep, the CPU is still extra agressive. Same as last year. The only difference between the counter punchers and the brawlers is that the counter punchers are a little more patient to strike and much better defensively. Very disappointed that CPU is more varied.

With that said, people who were expecting a sim were bound to be disappointed. Through 2 versions of this game, THQ has made it clear that they are only interested in tuning this game for online play. In 2009 and 2010, the majority of the tweaks made by the patch was to adjust online play. They can care less about offline players.

Still from playing the Alpha and the demo, I'm gonna buy it. I made 2010 work for almost 2 yrs by using house rules and playing the hell out of event mode. I'll do the same this year.

Whats funny is I've made similar posts about EA in the past few years. Damn I miss a real event mode though and I still struggle with spelling the word aggressive.

[tomitomitomi]

Fortunately for UFC Undisputed 3 apologists, there is pretty limited amount of online gameplay since capturing footage used to be a pain. If Undisputed 3 came out now you guys would be up in arms about how unrealistic it is Here's just one video of how people actually played your darling game.

Here is Haz's homeboy raging at some pretty basic online gameplay. Does it really look all that realistic to you?

[TheUFCVeteran]

Quote: Originally Posted by tomitomitomi

Fortunately for UFC Undisputed 3 apologists, there is pretty limited amount of online gameplay since capturing footage used to be a pain. If Undisputed 3 came out now you guys would be up in arms about how unrealistic it is Here's just one video of how people actually played your darling game. Here is Haz's homeboy raging at some pretty basic online gameplay. Does it really look all that realistic to you?

Two words: Sim. Mode.

Makes the entire game 1000x better, quite literally nothing is effectively spammable (online ranked was default energy sadly, there was an update in the works to add simulation energy to ranked but it never got out the door before THQ folded).

I played online a couple of weeks ago, sure we had some brawls but we also had some technical fights too (on sim energy). In my eyes, UD3 is still the king and I don't think it'll be topped for some time - especially due to core issues that EA won't address until at least UFC 5 if they still have the license by then.

Unless UFC 4 is really responsive for 30fps or is a true 60fps, to me it will always be second fiddle (among many other things in which I believe UD3 is better than UFC 3). It's got some good concepts but it's just that my views, which would prefer a heavy focus on realistic elements and forgoing competitive balance for realism don't align with the developer's ideas, and I'm at peace with it these days. It's a shame but it is what it is. Hopefully they can continue adding a bit more realism at least, but only time will tell.

[aholbert32]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheUFCVeteran

Two words: Sim. Mode. Makes the entire game 1000x better, quite literally nothing is effectively spammable (online ranked was default energy sadly, there was an update in the works to add simulation energy to ranked but it never got out the door before THQ folded). I played online a couple of weeks ago, sure we had some brawls but we also had some technical fights too (on sim energy). In my eyes, UD3 is still the king and I don't think it'll be topped for some time - especially due to core issues that EA won't address until at least UFC 5 if they still have the license by then. Unless UFC 4 is really responsive for 30fps or is a true 60fps, to me it will always be second fiddle (among many other things in which I believe UD3 is better than UFC 3). It's got some good concepts but it's just that my views, which would prefer a heavy focus on realistic elements and forgoing competitive balance for realism doesn't align with the developer's ideas, and I'm at peace with it these days. It's a shame but it is what it is. Hopefully they can continue adding a bit more realism at least, but only time will tell.

UD3 online is still active? Were you playing with friends or randoms?

[TheUFCVeteran]

Quote: Originally Posted by aholbert32

UD3 online is still active? Were you playing with friends or randoms?

Quick match still works - I was playing with a friend. Can't find a match otherwise - doesn't help that the already minuscule playerbase is split between pre and post-patch game versions. The nice thing is that, on PS3, if you're post-patch (Lesnar 85 OVR rather than 87), you can make a new account and you'll be pre-patch.

[tomitomitomi]

How do you know for sure there's nothing spammable (I'd just use meta but whatever) if you've only played with one friend of yours? Don't you think tens of thousands of users would quickly find something that's OP?

[TheUFCVeteran]

Quote: Originally Posted by tomitomitomi

How do you know for sure there's nothing spammable (I'd just use meta but whatever) if you've only played with one friend of yours? Don't you think tens of thousands of users would quickly find something that's OP?

I've played with a few friends over the years as well as a TON of gameplay offline - I'd like to think I know the game inside out at this point. I mean that sim energy makes everything non-spammable - at least effectively spammable. If you try, you run out of stamina SUPER quickly and can get taken down and smashed. Side control power knee spam no longer works, power strike spam doesn't work, spamming in general on the feet won't work because you'll get countered and dropped, then subbed or finished eventually.

[aholbert32]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheUFCVeteran

I've played with a few friends over the years as well as a TON of gameplay offline - I'd like to think I know the game inside out at this point. I mean that sim energy makes everything non-spammable - at least effectively spammable. If you try, you run out of stamina SUPER quickly and can get taken down and smashed. Side control power knee spam no longer works, power strike spam doesn't work, spamming in general on the feet won't work because you'll get countered and dropped, then subbed or finished eventually.

To Tomi's point, its kind of hard to say given that you have primarily played offline and with friends who likely play in a realistic way similar to yourself. ****, you and I likely could play UFC 3 in a realistic/sim way because our intent when playing is to have a sim/realistic experience.

Dont get me wrong...a sim stamina setting on ranked for UFC 4 would push ranked to where people here want it. I'm just not convinced that the setting alone is a spam fix all.