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**Phistar** · 07-08-2008, 02:36 AM

LAS VEGAS--Not every generation is fortunate enough to witness the birth of a new sport. Every mainstream sport in the United States (and most international sports) has roots that date back several decades. Ultimate fighting hopes to be the next new sport. One factor that bodes well for the UFC is its early presence in the console gaming market.

On the eve of the Ultimate Fighter finale we had a chance to check out the latest creation from the THQ-Yuke's team: UFC Undisputed 2009. UFC heavyweights Forrest Griffin and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (team coaches from the mixed martial arts reality show) were on hand for the unveiling and offered the play-by-play during the gameplay demonstration (which featured two Yuke's developers playing as Forrest Griffin vs. Rampage Jackson).

The first thing that stands out about UFC Undisputed 2009 is the accuracy of the game's player models. We were shown side-by-side comparisons of B.J. Penn, Anderson Silva, and a few others, along with their in-game equivalents. Each of the game's 85 fighters (across all five UFC weight divisions) uses more than 30,000 polygons, and the ones we saw looked impressive. B.J. Penn's rendition in particular drew some applause from the audience.

The presentation mimics what you might see in an actual UFC event on television, even down to the music played during the fighter intros. The prefight commentary and between-round banter follow this theme as well. THQ associate designer Wes Bunn acknowledged that the similarity to an actual UFC broadcast was important to make the experience feel authentic. That's even reflected in the absence of any visible health bars or HUD display. Instead, the definition of the player models will let you gauge the damage and fatigue of your fighter simply by looking at him.

The developers behind Undisputed are aiming to set a new standard in the way collision detection is handled in console gaming. Throughout the trailer and subsequent gameplay there was not one instance of a fist clipping through the opponent's body. THQ suggested that glancing blows--made possible with the improvements to collision detection--will also play a prominent role in-game (though the speed of the gameplay made it difficult to view firsthand). As good as the collision detection is, transitions between animations (especially in the stand-up) could be smoother, but this is likely something the development team is still tweaking.

The speed of gameplay mimics that of the Smackdown vs. Raw wrestling series (also developed by THQ and Yuke's). Bunn said one influence was the way EA presented Fight Night: Round 3. While the game would feature great visuals and a fast-paced experience, button mashers would struggle with winning consistently with this type of game.

In UFC matches, factors such as position mean just as much as hitting your opponent, and the array of standing, ground, and submission moves should allow for various combat strategies. The game will include moves from various disciplines, including Brazilian jujitsu, boxing, kickboxing, muay Thai, and wrestling. The large number of moves is handled through a context-sensitive system that selects the appropriate animation depending on the position of your fighter. For instance, your fighter will not attempt an uppercut if he is too far from his opponent to reasonably land it.

Though it isn't the first UFC game (that distinction goes to 2000's Ultimate Fighting Championship game on the Dreamcast), UFC Undisputed 2009 could be the start of the next wave of growth for the burgeoning sport. The game is due on the PS3 and Xbox 360 in the spring of 2009, and we'll be bringing you more information on it in the months ahead.

-GameSpot

http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/ufc2009undisputed/news.html?sid=6192826&mode=recent

07-08-2008, 02:36 AM	#1 (permalink)
Phistar Scream My Name! Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 5,540 vCash: 102514 Donate PSN Gamertag: phister Rep Power: 129 Awards Showcase Total Awards: 2	UFC 2009 Undisputed LAS VEGAS--Not every generation is fortunate enough to witness the birth of a new sport. Every mainstream sport in the United States (and most international sports) has roots that date back several decades. Ultimate fighting hopes to be the next new sport. One factor that bodes well for the UFC is its early presence in the console gaming market. On the eve of the Ultimate Fighter finale we had a chance to check out the latest creation from the THQ-Yuke's team: UFC Undisputed 2009. UFC heavyweights Forrest Griffin and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (team coaches from the mixed martial arts reality show) were on hand for the unveiling and offered the play-by-play during the gameplay demonstration (which featured two Yuke's developers playing as Forrest Griffin vs. Rampage Jackson). The first thing that stands out about UFC Undisputed 2009 is the accuracy of the game's player models. We were shown side-by-side comparisons of B.J. Penn, Anderson Silva, and a few others, along with their in-game equivalents. Each of the game's 85 fighters (across all five UFC weight divisions) uses more than 30,000 polygons, and the ones we saw looked impressive. B.J. Penn's rendition in particular drew some applause from the audience. The presentation mimics what you might see in an actual UFC event on television, even down to the music played during the fighter intros. The prefight commentary and between-round banter follow this theme as well. THQ associate designer Wes Bunn acknowledged that the similarity to an actual UFC broadcast was important to make the experience feel authentic. That's even reflected in the absence of any visible health bars or HUD display. Instead, the definition of the player models will let you gauge the damage and fatigue of your fighter simply by looking at him. The developers behind Undisputed are aiming to set a new standard in the way collision detection is handled in console gaming. Throughout the trailer and subsequent gameplay there was not one instance of a fist clipping through the opponent's body. THQ suggested that glancing blows--made possible with the improvements to collision detection--will also play a prominent role in-game (though the speed of the gameplay made it difficult to view firsthand). As good as the collision detection is, transitions between animations (especially in the stand-up) could be smoother, but this is likely something the development team is still tweaking. The speed of gameplay mimics that of the Smackdown vs. Raw wrestling series (also developed by THQ and Yuke's). Bunn said one influence was the way EA presented Fight Night: Round 3. While the game would feature great visuals and a fast-paced experience, button mashers would struggle with winning consistently with this type of game. In UFC matches, factors such as position mean just as much as hitting your opponent, and the array of standing, ground, and submission moves should allow for various combat strategies. The game will include moves from various disciplines, including Brazilian jujitsu, boxing, kickboxing, muay Thai, and wrestling. The large number of moves is handled through a context-sensitive system that selects the appropriate animation depending on the position of your fighter. For instance, your fighter will not attempt an uppercut if he is too far from his opponent to reasonably land it. Though it isn't the first UFC game (that distinction goes to 2000's Ultimate Fighting Championship game on the Dreamcast), UFC Undisputed 2009 could be the start of the next wave of growth for the burgeoning sport. The game is due on the PS3 and Xbox 360 in the spring of 2009, and we'll be bringing you more information on it in the months ahead. -GameSpot http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/ufc2009undisputed/news.html?sid=6192826&mode=recent __________________