Fight Night Round 5 Wishlist
All in all I think what Fight Night Round 4 suffers from is lack of personality. Much like I complained in my Tiger Woods 10 article, Fight Night Round 4’s career mode lacks PERSONALITY. Why EA sports does not use their exclusive ESPN license to its full capacity is beyond me. But I can think of a couple of incredible things they can add, to make the next effort that much more amazing.
In Fight Night Round 5 I would really like to see AMPED UP presentation. In all areas. Legacy mode particularly. Make the main hub an ESPN central zone. Maybe have a digital boxing show that talks about titles exchanging hands, up and coming fighters, and retired fighters. It’s next generation, you can do it EA. I want the PPV events presentation to really stand out from Friday night fights. Have cut scenes of George Foreman and Max Kellerman talking at ringside. Give me the tale of the tape (Which UFC managed to include). Give me presentation of the whole card. Tell me about the undercard. Who’s fighting. If they are up and coming. Cut scenes of movie stars in attendance, maybe even a future challenger in street clothes who is watching your fight to scout you, or to be interviewed about an upcoming fight.
Much like a real life PPV event would be televised.
The inclusion of 24/7 would also add greatly to presentation. Imagine you are a top fighter defending the belt. A week before there could be cut scenes 24/7 style, showing you training, having a bbq with your trainers and entourage, trainers talking trash ala Freddy Roach and Floyd Mayweather Senior. This would even add presentation to PPV Fights, by showing a small clip of the 24/7 and a small trailer of the fight to pump up anticipation, perhaps bad blood brewing. Perhaps include press conferences, post fight interviews with the winner…in a text format…much like WWE Smackdown vs Raw did before they added voice. This would let me select a path to take my fighter. Let him respect his opponent or simply boast. Being interviewed center of the ring after a big fight, with the ring crowded full of people, being asked who I would like to fight next would be tremendous. If I was the number one contender, perhaps I could call out the champ. If I was the champ, maybe I could call out the other belt holders who have been ducking me. If I have all three belts, maybe the interviewer asks me if I plan on moving up in weight to face the champion from the weight division up. With all my answers having an impact on my popularity. Interview me on ESPN Sportscenter about my upcoming fight, where I have the option of giving my opponent respect, or predicting what round I knock him out in. All of which has an effect on how I am perceived.
Giving all the fighters in the game a personality, much like NBA 2k does with team chemistry would add to what I wrote above. This could depict whether a CPU fighter will duck you or take on whoever challenges them. This will depict if they will be like a Floyd Mayweather and only fight you if you bring in the big bucks via pay per view, or if they will be like a Paul Williams and fight whoever, whenever, for a stick of gum. Add boxing managers while we’re at it, like Golden Boy and Top Rank, who manage a stable of fighters, negotiate contracts, with some playing the evil Don King role and misguiding your career. Perhaps Bob Arum or someone like him would suggest you play out your career a certain way, and you are able to agree or disagree with them. Add trainers that I can hire. Freddy Roach. Evagelista Cotta. Floyd Senior. Give them training styles and personalities. Have them hype up a fight. Maybe some of the Spanish fighters can have Spanish trainers, with a voice over interpreting in the corner like they do in real fights, where first you hear the Spanish, followed by audio of a translator saying things like “he says keep your hands up, use your jab, he cannot hit you, you are too fast” all the while Spanish is in the backround. Make it possible for retired fighters to start their own Promotion Company like Oscar De La Hoya did, perhaps create a new mode for that.
Give us back the ability to earn money for our fights, but this time make it mean something. If I am a big fighter, let me negotiate my own splits for a fight like 60/40. Perhaps now that computer controlled fighters have a personality, maybe make some only willing to take the fight if that fighter gets a 60-40 split, and 10% of the PPV Proceeds. Maybe there’s a clause in the contract that calls for a rematch should they lose the belt or it is a close decision. Because let’s be honest, there are many factors that prevent fights in real life. Much like a Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight. Maybe model it after the free agent system in Madden football. Have a list of fighters that are available for you to challenge. Then have another list of fighters that would like to fight you. When you click on their name, a picture of that fighter pops up, along with a set of notes on what it will take for the fight to happen. For example, If Mayweather retires for personal reasons other than age. And in that same calendar year I gain a belt and defend it twice. And am named the pound 4 pound best fighter. Perhaps he comes out of retirement to challenge me to a fight. However, in order for him to take the fight, I would need to agree to a 65-35 split. There could be a negotiating period that he could either decline or accept. Maybe if a fighter is managed by Bob Arum for example, he would negotiate for the fighter. There is so much that can be done.
And let that money that I win mean something. You don’t have to make trunks 1 million dollars. But let us use that money to buy better training equipment. Maybe save towards building a gym that you can customize like Freddy Roaches gym that Pacquiao trains at in LA. You can name the gym; design it like create a school mode for NCAA Football. Maybe upload logos to EA SPORTS WORLD to put in the game. Then you can save up for better treadmills, speed bags and things like that. Maybe they give you the option to buy mansions and cars. With that having an influence on your popularity, but also the need to take higher paying fights because of your lavish lifestyle.
Include a robust create an entrance so I can make lavish entrances like Prince Naseem and be carried to the ring like a king. Or let me choose my entourage on the way to the ring. If a rapper accompanies me singing a song. Model it after WWE Smackdown vs Raws create an entrance would be a nice start. Let me wear my hood up on my robe. Let me decide if I snarl on the way to the ring. Let the announcers comment on how intense I look on my way to the ring as the music blares and how this is one of the biggest fights of the year. Have the announcer introduce my fighter with his record. Include a database with first names so that the announcer can say both my first and last name. Do what it takes to get Michael Buffer. And if he wants too much money to be in the game, create a character name Bichael Muffer who’s enthusiastic about the fight and who says where you’re fighting out of, if you’re holding any belts, your professional record etc etc. Allow me to wear a headband on the way to the ring like Felix Trinidad used to.
Again these are just jumbled thoughts from an avid Video Game boxing fan. And if they can include even 75% of this list it would make for an immersive and classic experience.
All in all I think what Fight Night Round 4 suffers from is lack of personality. Much like I complained in my Tiger Woods 10 article, Fight Night Round 4’s career mode lacks PERSONALITY. Why EA sports does not use their exclusive ESPN license to its full capacity is beyond me. But I can think of a couple of incredible things they can add, to make the next effort that much more amazing.
In Fight Night Round 5 I would really like to see AMPED UP presentation. In all areas. Legacy mode particularly. Make the main hub an ESPN central zone. Maybe have a digital boxing show that talks about titles exchanging hands, up and coming fighters, and retired fighters. It’s next generation, you can do it EA. I want the PPV events presentation to really stand out from Friday night fights. Have cut scenes of George Foreman and Max Kellerman talking at ringside. Give me the tale of the tape (Which UFC managed to include). Give me presentation of the whole card. Tell me about the undercard. Who’s fighting. If they are up and coming. Cut scenes of movie stars in attendance, maybe even a future challenger in street clothes who is watching your fight to scout you, or to be interviewed about an upcoming fight.
Much like a real life PPV event would be televised.
The inclusion of 24/7 would also add greatly to presentation. Imagine you are a top fighter defending the belt. A week before there could be cut scenes 24/7 style, showing you training, having a bbq with your trainers and entourage, trainers talking trash ala Freddy Roach and Floyd Mayweather Senior. This would even add presentation to PPV Fights, by showing a small clip of the 24/7 and a small trailer of the fight to pump up anticipation, perhaps bad blood brewing. Perhaps include press conferences, post fight interviews with the winner…in a text format…much like WWE Smackdown vs Raw did before they added voice. This would let me select a path to take my fighter. Let him respect his opponent or simply boast. Being interviewed center of the ring after a big fight, with the ring crowded full of people, being asked who I would like to fight next would be tremendous. If I was the number one contender, perhaps I could call out the champ. If I was the champ, maybe I could call out the other belt holders who have been ducking me. If I have all three belts, maybe the interviewer asks me if I plan on moving up in weight to face the champion from the weight division up. With all my answers having an impact on my popularity. Interview me on ESPN Sportscenter about my upcoming fight, where I have the option of giving my opponent respect, or predicting what round I knock him out in. All of which has an effect on how I am perceived.
Giving all the fighters in the game a personality, much like NBA 2k does with team chemistry would add to what I wrote above. This could depict whether a CPU fighter will duck you or take on whoever challenges them. This will depict if they will be like a Floyd Mayweather and only fight you if you bring in the big bucks via pay per view, or if they will be like a Paul Williams and fight whoever, whenever, for a stick of gum. Add boxing managers while we’re at it, like Golden Boy and Top Rank, who manage a stable of fighters, negotiate contracts, with some playing the evil Don King role and misguiding your career. Perhaps Bob Arum or someone like him would suggest you play out your career a certain way, and you are able to agree or disagree with them. Add trainers that I can hire. Freddy Roach. Evagelista Cotta. Floyd Senior. Give them training styles and personalities. Have them hype up a fight. Maybe some of the Spanish fighters can have Spanish trainers, with a voice over interpreting in the corner like they do in real fights, where first you hear the Spanish, followed by audio of a translator saying things like “he says keep your hands up, use your jab, he cannot hit you, you are too fast” all the while Spanish is in the backround. Make it possible for retired fighters to start their own Promotion Company like Oscar De La Hoya did, perhaps create a new mode for that.
Give us back the ability to earn money for our fights, but this time make it mean something. If I am a big fighter, let me negotiate my own splits for a fight like 60/40. Perhaps now that computer controlled fighters have a personality, maybe make some only willing to take the fight if that fighter gets a 60-40 split, and 10% of the PPV Proceeds. Maybe there’s a clause in the contract that calls for a rematch should they lose the belt or it is a close decision. Because let’s be honest, there are many factors that prevent fights in real life. Much like a Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight. Maybe model it after the free agent system in Madden football. Have a list of fighters that are available for you to challenge. Then have another list of fighters that would like to fight you. When you click on their name, a picture of that fighter pops up, along with a set of notes on what it will take for the fight to happen. For example, If Mayweather retires for personal reasons other than age. And in that same calendar year I gain a belt and defend it twice. And am named the pound 4 pound best fighter. Perhaps he comes out of retirement to challenge me to a fight. However, in order for him to take the fight, I would need to agree to a 65-35 split. There could be a negotiating period that he could either decline or accept. Maybe if a fighter is managed by Bob Arum for example, he would negotiate for the fighter. There is so much that can be done.
And let that money that I win mean something. You don’t have to make trunks 1 million dollars. But let us use that money to buy better training equipment. Maybe save towards building a gym that you can customize like Freddy Roaches gym that Pacquiao trains at in LA. You can name the gym; design it like create a school mode for NCAA Football. Maybe upload logos to EA SPORTS WORLD to put in the game. Then you can save up for better treadmills, speed bags and things like that. Maybe they give you the option to buy mansions and cars. With that having an influence on your popularity, but also the need to take higher paying fights because of your lavish lifestyle.
Include a robust create an entrance so I can make lavish entrances like Prince Naseem and be carried to the ring like a king. Or let me choose my entourage on the way to the ring. If a rapper accompanies me singing a song. Model it after WWE Smackdown vs Raws create an entrance would be a nice start. Let me wear my hood up on my robe. Let me decide if I snarl on the way to the ring. Let the announcers comment on how intense I look on my way to the ring as the music blares and how this is one of the biggest fights of the year. Have the announcer introduce my fighter with his record. Include a database with first names so that the announcer can say both my first and last name. Do what it takes to get Michael Buffer. And if he wants too much money to be in the game, create a character name Bichael Muffer who’s enthusiastic about the fight and who says where you’re fighting out of, if you’re holding any belts, your professional record etc etc. Allow me to wear a headband on the way to the ring like Felix Trinidad used to.
Again these are just jumbled thoughts from an avid Video Game boxing fan. And if they can include even 75% of this list it would make for an immersive and classic experience.