For this installment, we sat down with THQ's SmackDown! vs. RAW Creative Manager Cory Ledesma who was later joined by familiar face and SmackDown Product Manager Devin Knudsen. Both of these guys have been around the franchise forever, and know sports entertainment and wrestling games inside and out. Here's how it went.
IGN: When setting out to make SmackDown this year, what were your primary goals when it came to your design plans?
Cory Ledesma: Our high-level goals are always to push the envelope of the wrestling genre. We play all types of wrestling games and continue to play ours, and we really want to see how far we can push it and see what we can add to it. That's always the key goal that we put on the board. We never stop trying to deliver the full WWE experience.
Anyhow, we always look at the game to see where we're lacking, so this year we wanted to focus on the fact that we didn't have any voice-overs previously. We really wanted to put that into the game, so it's what we went after.
IGN: How about in terms of gameplay? Was there anything you had wanted to put in the series before but couldn't?
Cory: Yes definitely. The match tactics we've always wanted to put in the series because we want people to be able to win their match however they want. Also, you can't really have that true wrestling feel without having all those dirty match tactics and fan favorite tactics. We really want to incorporate that into this year's matches so that whichever road you take, it feels just like it does on TV. That's our big one this year.
IGN: Obviously you've made some other major changes to the gameplay too, with things like the test of strength, chopping contests, and the reversal meter. But what our readers would really like to know is, what kind of changes have you made to the career mode? Is it longer than a year this time? And how will the storylines play out?
Cory: We really loved the format from last year's game and we got a lot of positive feedback from fans. So this year we have the same kind of format, where storylines branch and you'll experience new storylines each time you play through. The biggest change we made to storylines this year was adding voice-overs to the superstars like I mentioned earlier. Before we just had text, but now all the superstars will actually be speaking and have specific vocal roles during season mode. That's going to add a tremendous amount of presentation to our game.
As for the seasons, they'll still be one year in length but you can play back to back seasons that change each time based on your storyline decisions. Plus, all your accomplishments will carry over too.
IGN: How about the storylines themselves? Last year there were a lot of repeating plot points in the second and third seasons, is that an issue that has been addressed?
Cory: It's going to be similar to last year, but players won't run into that issue as much as they did before. But because of the nature of the game and how often our players play with it, it's really hard to keep them from running into situations that are similar no matter how many branches you create because of how often they play the game. The good news working in their favor, though, is that we'll have brand-specific storylines -- some exclusive to SmackDown! and some exclusive to RAW, plus there are multiple paths within those plots that can really make a difference. Not to mention the fact that we have a lot more storylines this year compared to last.
Another thing I'd like to mention is that you'll be able to choose what kind of persona you'd like to have. Whether your guy is going to be a dirty heel wrestler or a clean face wrestler throughout the season, it's up to you. You can do that within your storyline too, and those storylines will change based on your decision. So if a partner comes up to you and you're a total jerk to him, then you'll take a heel pass and that changes the whole storyline. With that in mind, sure you could run into the same storyline at another point, but how you handle it changes how it plays out.
IGN: How about create-a-superstar? Despite being the best character creation tool in all of videogames, it's still been rather similar the last few years; Will there be any kind of evolution for this feature?
Cory: We're really happy with Create-A-Superstar and we always get positive feedback about that mode. The biggest thing we did this year was to streamline the interface because there are so many options and so many things to do, that new users could literally end up getting lost in there. It's much easier to create a superstar this year, and the menu flow helps you support your creation throughout the whole process. It's almost like a guide in a way instead of just a tool.
We've also added a lot of new parts this year. We've updated our style so that it matches the style of the WWE. Stuff like John Cena's wristbands and visors and lots of new parts like that are in there, and we've also updated a lot of the patterns. We felt that before, some our patterns were somewhat outdated and not very useful. Now you can put camouflage patterns on almost any part, flannel, Hawaiian shirts, and things like that. You'll see what we mean when you get in there and try it.
IGN: My biggest concern has been things like intro animations and CAW generic themes. Have you guys decided to bolster that this year and will announcers call your CAW by name?
Cory: We're definitely bolstering the amount of animations you can choose from for your created wrestler's intro, but the interface aspect of that won't really be too different. But don't worry; there will definitely be a lot more animations to choose from as well as all-new special effects that you can add to your entrance.
Another really key feature is a new snapshot feature we've added so that you can take a picture of your created wrestler and use it for all the superstar select screens. You may remember that before, it was just a generic shot. We also have a list of about 50 or more names that you can select from to get the ring announcer to call your name with.
Also don't forget that we've increased the polygon count of the models this year -- we've almost doubled them -- so they're going to look fantastic. That's not just in the ring either; it's also in the created wrestler department. Better quality textures, higher detail on the muscle tone, and improved parts are just a few reasons you can expect your created wrestlers to look better than ever.
IGN: How about the create-a-wrestler password feature you guys were tossing around with Shut Your Mouth? Will players be able to trade their CAW's in an easier fashion? Or is that perhaps something we could see in the game's online feature?
Cory: That's something we've wanted to add for the longest time and it's own our wishlist, but we haven't found a good enough implementation for it. Since our created superstars are so complicated and full of enormous data, the passwords are incredibly lengthy and it just doesn't make sense. We're still looking at the possibility for future products because we totally agree that an easy creation process like that is important. So yeah, we're looking at ways to incorporate that but haven't had any results that we like just yet.
IGN: Speaking of online, this is the year you guys have finally made the big jump. Has the beta testing process started yet? And are you guys still sticking by your original philosophy of the beta test results determining whether or not the online mode will make it in the game?
Cory: Unfortunately we still can't confirm that as a feature in the game and we can't comment on the beta test because Sony Computer Entertainment is handling that aspect. But yeah, the feature is definitely being heavily considered.
IGN: Why the decision to move to new licensed music this year? Were you getting a lot of requests from fans or was it just a little something extra that you decided to throw in for your own reasons?
Cory: Music has always been an important part of the WWE, and we felt that from a presentation and value standpoint that we definitely needed to have licensed music tracks for everything. The WWE has their own soundtracks come out and sign singles to attach to pay-per-views, so we definitely wanted to attach something like that to the game. Plus, it helps sell that WWE feel when playing; that's our main goal with it.
Devin Knudsen: We also feel like all the triple-A titles leave people expecting licensed music, and SmackDown! is definitely in the triple-A realm, so it's just a logical fit to put it in there.
IGN: How about the official superstar themes, are they going to be updated and complete for every wrestler this year? Last year there were a few missing.
Cory: All the superstars should have their updated themes, but we have an alpha cut-off point that we can't add new music to should a new theme come out after it. Some music tracks might have issues beyond our control that prevent their complete or total implementation into the game, but we're always going to try to include everybody's song so that we can be as accurate as possible.
IGN: How closely does your team here in America work with Yuke's when it comes to putting this game together? Can you give us a general idea of what the process is usually like, and what the roles for both the THQ production team and Yuke's are?
Cory: We work extremely closely with Yuke's. I fly out there to Japan twice a month so that we can work hand in hand with all the designs and features. We're extremely close. It's really, truly, a joint collaboration when it comes to the design and fine-tuning and we always send our feedback and talk about the best ways to implement the things we want. Yuke's does a fantastic job and we're really happy with them. It's just a fantastic relationship.
IGN: What competing wrestling games do you admire or think has strong ideas?
Cory: Like any wrestling fan, I'm a huge supported of the Aki wrestling games -- particularly the n64 games. I thought those really pushed the envelope when they first came out and it was really exciting to play those games. They were extremely well-tuned. Unfortunately, I think the latest Aki game that came out (Def Jam) was a step back, but out of all the competitive wrestling titles out there, that's the developer whose series I admire and like to play most next to ours. I'm not a huge fan of Fire Pro, though. It definitely has some good elements and good ideas, but I've never really clicked with it enough to want to play that as much as some of the other games.
Devin: Keep in mind man, it's not just wrestling titles that we limit to us liking or influencing our work, though. We look at all sorts of titles, and anything that gets good praise of the industry or fans we take and wonder if there's something we can utilize there. Knights of the Old Republic is a good example. In that one, they had a lot of great voice-over work for their branching storylines and also used the light and dark side. We liked that idea a lot, and used it as a foundation for doing a similar thing with SmackDown! vs. RAW.
Cory: We consider this wrestling game to be a sports game somewhat and we love playing the sports games and seeing what it is that they're doing and seeing where we can fit that into our title as well.
IGN: Now's your chance to answer a question that we've been bombarded with for years on both our message boards and our mailbag. Specific features that the hardcore users have been after since the series moved to the PlayStation 2 are things like Buried Alive, Casket Matches, Two-person season modes, and title belt defenses is exhibition matches. Is there any particular reason that these specific requests have never been met and do you think they'll ever be included in the future?
Cory: I always read your message boards and love seeing all the ideas and they always go onto our gigantic wishlist here at THQ. You wouldn't believe how long it is. There are so many things that we want to get into the game and it's a hard decision choosing which things will make it in and which things are more important. It's really about what we have time for, what makes the best sense, and what the fans tell us is the most important thing to implement this year.
There are a lot of the match types that people request, but we usually try to stick with whatever is current and popular in the WWE programming at the time. So while we get a lot of casket match requests, they don't really do those but a few times per decade so we'd rather focus on the current matches that are happening and improving upon those.
One of those suggestions, though, the title belt defenses is essentially in the game. You can defend your belts against a friend or the CPU in the create-a-ppv view mode which supports all exhibition match types. So you will be able to challenge for belts in that regard.
IGN: Okay let's get serious for a moment. Our readers are crazy with the requests for a couple of characters. So to put an end to the flood of emails and message board posts once and for all, will Eugene, Mick Foley, and Mordecai make the roster?
Devin: Well Jeremy, we're pretty much feeding you the roster as we lock it up. So until we sign and seal the guys and girls we're after, we don't want to make the mistake of announcing someone who might not make it. So we can't comment on anyone other than who we've told you yet.
IGN: While we're on the subject of the roster, what can we expect this year in terms of the lineup? -- More legends? Early estimations point to a slightly smaller roster than last year too. Is there a reason for this, or can we expect the numbers to be similar to Here Comes the Pain?
Cory: The roster will definitely be around the same size, maybe a little less, but if we're lucky a little bigger. So I don't think that should be anyone's concern at all. As far as the legends go, though, you can expect around the same amount of guys we had last year -- around ten or slightly more. We'll see how it goes.
IGN: So here's the biggest question around for SmackDown fans who are already thinking about the next PlayStation. Is SmackDown vs. RAW the last PlayStation 2 game in the series before you turn your attention to the next generation? Or can we expect to see one, maybe even two more titles before the big leap?
Devin: [Laughs]
Cory: I think that would definitely be a "no comment."
Devin: We're just thinking about this game right now and how we're going to please the fans. That's what we're aiming to do, and if they like this one a whole lot, then of course, we'll base all future decisions on that.
IGN: Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule guys. We appreciate it.
Devin: No problem man, take it easy,
Cory: Sure thing, see you later.
IGN would like to thank Cory Ledesma, Devin Kundsen, Kyle Walker, THQ, and the IGN readers for their assistance in this interview. Don't forget to click on the media page below for all the latest media.