Some Things You Might Have Not Known about HCTP

[Trigin]

heres some things you might have not known about hctp

3X SUPER-KICKS FOR SHAWN MICHEALS
1. Ground special w. "Warming Up The Band"
2. SYM front groggy one
3. None special running attack.

BRIAN HEBNER as ref


CANNOT TURN OFF CAMERA EFFECTS

In high impact moves - the camera AUTOMATICALLY kicks in with a special effect.

COMMENTARY POSSIBLY TAKEN OUT
The commentary volume option has been removed from the options menu and so have call names from CAW

DEFAULT CHAMPS
In the 98% complete build, the default champs are

ERIC BISCHOFF IS THE ONLY GENERAL MANAGER FOR RAW
By Eric's name it says RAW General Manager as opposed to RAW Co-GM.

TITLE BELT AS A WEAPON
So far THQ says that yes you'll be able to use the belt not the ring bell as a weapon

HARDCORE/ WOMENS TITLE IN AND US TITLE REPLACES EUROPEAN

PEOPLE LEFT OUT- NO CHANCE OF THEIR MUSIC & VIDS BEING IN CAW MODE
There's an assload of movesets in CAW, but I've seen only three new musical tracks added so far.
In terms of the movies, there are only a couple that aren't already associated with specific wrestlers,
and they're all ambiguous (raw intro, smackdown intro, etc)"

STABLES TO HAVE '3+' PEOPLE

TOTAL OF SIX HUMAN PLAYERS AT ONE TIME

UK/ PAL RELEASE DATE CLARIFIED
November 14 2003

WEAPONS LIST


ALT ATTIRES


A-Train
- Black tights w/ red designs

Batista
- Purple and gold wrestling trunks with purple kneepads

The Big Show
- SYM Attire- two straps w/ goatee.
- One strap attire.

Booker T.
- Black trunks with red fire designs and white 'BT' letters on front.

Brock Lesnar
- SYM Attire B- Still no elbow pads.
- 'F5 Unleashed Fury' t-shirt w/ Black warm-up pants

Bubba Ray Dudley
- 'Blood Is Thicker Than Wood' t-shirt w/ ripped purple camouflage shorts

Charlie Hass
- Blue 'Team Angle' attire. Clean-shaven.
- Silver and Maroon 'World's Greated Tag Team' attire

Chavo Guerrero Jr.
- Aqua tights with red and white design. Clean-shaven.

Chris Benoit
- Blue Toothless Aggression tights.

Chris Jericho
- Green pants with black design on them and hair is in ponytail

Christian
- Short Hair w/ red tights

D-Von Dudley
- 'Blood is Thicker Than Wood' t-shirt w/ purple camouflage pants

Edge
- SYM Attire A- Black pants w/ magenta designs with white outlines

Eddie Guerrero
- Green tights with gold and red design on them.

Eric Bischoff
- Black suite jacket, black t-shirt, belt and really dark and faded blue jeans.
- Black Karate outfit

Goldberg
- WCW wrestling attire (black trunks, not tights/shorts)
- WWE wrestling attire (shorts not trunks)

Goldust
- SYM Attire

The Hurricane
- 'Hurricane X' attire (Current attire)

Jazz
- Tiger Print Attire From SYM

John Cena
- Deep blue baggy jean shorts attire

Kane
- Half Masked w/ full length hair- 'Half Masked' ring attire
- Unmasked w/ bald head- 'Half Masked' pre UNFORGIEN attire

Kevin Nash
- SYM face model (brown hair tied back etc.) 'BIG DADDY' costume and leather pants.

Kurt Angle
- Blue 'Team Angle' attire
- Blue 'Team Angle' jumpsuit w/ warm-up pants
- SYM Attire A- Red 'A' attire

Lance Storm
- Red Trunks w/ red elbow pads

Lita
- SYM Attire. Thong: Red

Matt Hardy
- 'Version 1' attire w/ gold/purple multi coloured pants and V1 t-shirt.

Randy Orton
- SYM Attire- blue short tights with yellow lines down sides and Orton written on the back

Rey Mysterio Jr.
- Gold mask and attire

Rhyno
- SYM Attire- black wrestling attire with red/pink-ish writing on

Ric Flair
- SYM Attire A- blue trunks
- SYM Attire C- red trunks

Rico
- Leapord Skin pants and coat. - White and purple zebra pattern

Rikishi
- SYM Attire A- Says Rikishi in gold outline on his waist belt

Rob Van Dam
- SYM Attire B- Gray/green attire w/ yellow "RVD" on front
- Black and white Yin Yang attire
- Black attire w/ spine and purple highlights

The Rock
- Wrestling attire with blue and silver design on trunks.
- Just a white design on trunks, as opposed to blue and silver.
- Leather pants and vest jacket.

Rodney Mack
-NOT SEEN YET-

Sable
- Black Pants, Black wrap around top, high heels. Bra and Panties: Pink

Scott Steiner
- Black pants with white and red 'Freakzilla' designs on them.

Sean O'Haire
-NOT SEEN YET-

Shawn Michaels
- Blue jeans and red muscle t-shirt
- Survivor Series 2002 attire- 'Texas Flag' brown tights with white designs on them
- Wrestle Mania XIX attire- Red pants with black hearts that are outlined in white.

Shelton Benjamin
- Red 'Team Angle' attire
- Silver and Maroon 'World's Greated Tag Team' attire

Stacy Keibler
- Black tied top w/ black shorts
- 'I Love My Testicles' t-shirt w/ denim mini skirt. Bra and Panties: White
- White Rainbow t-shirt w/ black shorts. Bra and Panties: White.

Stephanie McMahon
- SYM Attire A- General Manager attire, but with new hair design.
- SYM Attire C- black leather wrestling attire, but with new hair design.

Steven Richards
- Blue short tights w/ 'SR' on the back.

Stone Cold Steve Austin
- Blue jeans shorts w/ bare chest
- SYM Attire A- Black wrestling attire

Tajiri
- SYM Attire

Test
- Light blue short tights attire

Torrie Wilson
- White t-shirt. Blue shorts with thin white belt. Bra and Panties: Pink.

Triple H
- Purple wrestling attire
- Red wrestling attire
- SYM Attire A- Black wrestling attire

Trish Stratus
- 100% Stratus-Faction attire- similar to SYM Attire A
- Black halter top with black shorts
- Shiny black mini skirt (Top unknown- already torn off). Black Bra and White Panites

Ultimo Dragon
- Purple attire with silver trimmings

Undertaker
- SYM Attire A- Normal Ring attire with silver writing on his pants
- Undertaker 'Let The Beatings Begin' merchandise no sleeves over his pants with red writing on.

Val Venis
-NOT SEEN YET-

Victoria
- Pink Attire

Vince McMahon
-NOT SEEN YET-

Legends
Animal
- Legion Of Doom attire

George 'The Animal' Steel
-NOT SEEN YET-

Hawk
- Legion Of Doom attire

Hillbilly Jim
-NOT SEEN YET-

Iron Sheik, The
-NOT SEEN YET-

Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka
-NOT SEEN YET-

Nikolai Volkoff
- Red U.S.S.R. t-shirt w/ helmet

Rowdy' Roddy Piper
-NOT SEEN YET-

Sgt. Slaughter
- WM-X-SEVEN Gimmick Battle Royal attire- Camouflage shirt, army hat & sunglasses

Ted 'Million Dollar Man' Dibiasse
- Black tights w/ gold dollar signs on the sides

Undertaker, Old School
- Black pants, black leather no-sleeves w/ purple gloves and purple and black boots.

Season Mode Only
Jerry Lawler
-NOT SEEN YET-

Jim Ross
-Black shirt and pants w. black cowboy hat.

Non-Playable
Brian Hebner
- SmackDown! referee blue shirt

Earl Hebner
-RAW referee black and white striped shirt

Jonathan Coachman
-NOT SEEN YET-

Entrance Attires


- Edge wears sunglasses and leather coat to the ring.
- Hurricane wears his green cape to the ring.
- John Cena wears his red/white backwards cap, Chain, New Jersey Nets #32 Julius Erving Throwback Jersey.
- Kane does NOT wear the towel out to the ring
- Ric Flair wears his robe out to the ring
- Shawn Micheal's WM XIX attire has red chest gear in his entrance
- Trish comes out in her black hat and leather coat

Superstar Specific Information

- ALL character builds for Kurt Angle are bald.
- ALL character modle for Rico are the SYM face Model w/ sideburns.
- ALL character builds for The Rock are heel ones and include a close-shaven head and new tattoo
- Bischoff is the only General Manager for RAW
- Bischoff is playable in Exhibition
- Brock's Shooting Star Press might not make it in.
- Chris Jericho has the juke and jive taunt
- Eddie Guerrero does NOT have his low-rider entrance.
- Female wrestlers, whether they've been created or are previously made, will not be able to be busted open or bleed.
- Goldberg is NOT escorted from back by security.
- Goldberg uses a mixture of his WCW and WWE entrance moves.
- Jerry Lawler and Jim Ross are playable characters that can tag with your wrestler in
season mode only. They will not be selectable in any of the exhibition match types, and may
end up computer controlled-only in season mode by the game's final release.
- John Cena does the Word Life taunt on the way to the ring
- Jonathan Coachman shows up from time to time to help direct your character.
- Kane has the same chokeslam from SYM and JBI
- Kevin Nash's entrance has the pyro!
- Kevin Nash steps over the rope in his entrance
- Legends have to be unlocked.
- Legends will not have their original entrances and will instead travel down to the
spotlight in the WrestleMania VI mini-rings. Though it is possible to change these
animations in the "Create-A-Character" menu.
- Matt Hardy Version 1.0 entrance is exactly like it is on TV, which includes Matt facts
- Rey comes out from the middle of the entrance way, and not the steps, like he does currently.
- Stacy is in a stable with, or is the manager of, Test.(Point in fact that she has an 'I Love My Testicles' t-shirt.)
- Undertaker enters the arena on his bike

[Trigin]

New Moves

* Aerial moves have a slow-mo effect and have better collision detection!
* Estimated 80-90% of the moves have been reanimated.
* If you are put on a tourbuckle, e.g. for a superplex- You can fight the opponent off!
* The aerial moves have improved but still have the odd collision errors but sometimes (in a
match with more then 2 wrestlers in) one guy can do a swan dive head but and the other
guy can do a leg drop looking like a manual tag team move.
* Nearly all moves have been made smoother.
- 5 Star Frog Splash still has the pin built in
. - 619 (separate from West Coast Pop now- and set up as a rope move, ala Big Boot.)
- Aerial Moves can be reversed!
- Bearhug shows the new submission meter
- Chick Kick (the really high kick Trish Stratus does)
- Drag superstars around the mat before putting a move on them.
- Dudley Boyz CAN use a table in do a 3D on it
- F-5 starts off looking like the fallaway slam then he puts the guy on his shoulders
- Eddie's 'Tri-fector' Triple Suplex
- Fameasser is now a reanimated running one
- Goldberg's Spear (it is a ground special animation)
- Goldberg has this torture rack/canadian backbreaker/chestbuster combo
- Goldberg has this submission that looks like a reverse figure four.
- Grab opponents off the floor by pulling them up by their necks
- Grapple and heave your opponent into the Turnbuckle.
- Lance Storm version of the Sharp-Shooter.
- Rey has this cool matrix-like hurricaranna
- Rey's 'Code Red' (Do not confuse with Billy and Chuck's Code Red move,
also known as LOD's DoomsDay Device and Dudley's 'Dudley Device')
- Rey's "dropping the dime"(springboard legdrop)
- RVD has his unique way to get on the turnbuckle- like he does in real life.
- RVD's unique spring-board moonsault
- Scott Steiner's Top Rope Samoan Drop
- Sliced Bread #2
- Steiner Recliner
- Stone Cold Stunner where the opponent falls really fast
- Sweet Chin Music- A running one - non Smackdown Special
- Sweet Chin Music- A standing one (like SYMs but with a new animation) - Smackdown Special
- Sweet Chin Music- A floor one (this has the "Tuning up the band" taunt included in it) - Smackdown Special
- Sweet Chin Music (A different version) is performed really fast
- West Coast Pop (is separate from 619 now)
- Women's Slap is new (Unknown if this is a 2nd version or a re-animation of the old one.)
- Undertaker can drag people by the neck while he drives his bike.

Entrance Themes
Artist/Band Preformed Track.
- Dudley Boys- Powerman 5000- Get Up
- Edge- Rob Zombie- Never Gonna Stop (real version)
- Evolution/Randy Orton/ Ric Flair- Motor Head version w/ lyrics
- Matt Hardy- Monster Magnet- Live For The Moment
- Triple H- Motor Head- The Game (Full version)
- WWE SmackDown theme and entrance video- Current Versions i.e. Not M. Manson

Superstars Currently w/o their Real Themes
- Eddie Guerrero- Does Not have 'Los Guerreros' theme- uses old 'Latino Heat'
- Eric Bischoff- Does Not have 'I'm Back' WWE theme- uses WWE RAW them
- Kane- Does Not have 'Finger Eleven- Slow Chemical'- uses old Kane theme
- Lance Storm- Does Not have 'Un-americans' theme- uses a FAKE theme (ala Tajiri in SYM)
- Lita- Does Not have 'BoyHitsCar- LoveFuryPassionEnergy'- uses old 'Just Feels Right' theme
- Ric Flair- Does Not have '2001: A Space Oddessy'- uses Evolution theme by MotorHead
- Rob Van Dam- Does Not have 'Breaking Point- One Of A Kind'- uses Alliance RVD theme
- Undertaker, Old School- Does Not use 'Graveyard Symphony'- unknown which song he actually uses

Superstars not sure about
- Animal and Hawk- Unknown if they will have their 'UUUHH- What A Rush' theme
- Stephanie McMahon- Unknown if she will have her 'All Grown Up' theme. - Victoria- Unkown if she will have her 'TATU- All The Things She Said' theme

Match Types


70+
"All match types from SD! SYM! Included with added extras"
Quote from Nick W. interview from Press Conference.
1. Single
2. Single w/ Manager
3. Tag- Normal Tag
4. Tag- Normal Tag w/ Manager
5. Tag- Tornado Tag
6. 6-Man Tag- Normal 6-Man Tag
7. 6-Man Tag- Tornado 6-Man Tag
8. Handicap- One on Two
9. Handicap- One on Tag
10. Handicap- One on Three
11. Royal Rumble
12. King Of The Ring- Single Tournament
13. King Of The Ring- Special Tournament
14. Hardcore- Single
15. Hardcore- Tornado Tag
16. Hardcore- Tornado 6-Man Tag
17. Hardcore- Triple Threat Tornado 6-Man Tag
18. Hardcore- Triple Threat
19. Hardcore- Fatal 4 Way
20. Hardcore- Time Limit
21. Survival Triple Threat
22. Survival- Fatal 4 Way
23. Survival- 4-Man Battle Royal
24. Survival- 5-Man Battle Royal
25. Survival- 6-Man Battle Royal
26. Cage- Single
27. Cage- Tornado Tag
28. Cage- Triple Threat
29. Cage- Fatal 4 Way
30. Cage- Single- Pin and Give Up
31. Cage- Triple Threat- Pin and Give Up
32. Cage- Fatal 4 Way- Pin and Give Up
33. Elimination- Normal Tag
34. Elimination- Tornado Tag
35. Elimination- Captain Fall Tornado 6-Man Tag
36. Elimination- Normal 6-Man Tag
37. Elimination- Tornado 6-Man Tag
38. Elimination- Table Tornado 6-Man Tag
39. Hell In A Cell- Single
40. Hell In A Cell- Tornado Tag
41. Hell In A Cell- Triple Threat
42. Hell In A Cell- Fatal 4 Way
43. Hell In A Cell- Armageddon 6-Man Hell In A Cell
44. I Quit
45. Iron Man
46. Ladder- Single
47. Ladder- Tornado Tag
48. Ladder- Triple Threat Tornado Tag
49. Ladder- Triple Threat
50. Ladder- Fatal 4 Way
51. Last Man Standing
52. Lumber Jack
53. Slobber Knocker- Time Limit
54. Slobber Knocker- No Limit
55. Slobber Knocker- Anywhere
56. Special Referee- One Referee
57. Special Referee- Two Referees
58. Street Fight
59. Submission- Single
60. Submission- Ultimate Submission
61. Table- Single
62. Table- Tornado Tag
63. Table- Triple Threat
64. Table- Fatal 4 Way
65. Table- Tornado 6-Man Tag
66. TLC- Single
67. TLC- Tornado Tag
68. TLC- Triple Threat
69. TLC- Fatal 4 Way
70. TLC- Title
71. TLC- Title Tornado Tag
72. TLC- Title Triple Threat
73. TLC- Title Fatal 4 Way
74. 3 Stages Of Hell

Here are the SmackDown Here Comes The Pain Additions: -
75. Elimination Chamber (Addition to WWE SmackDown! HCTP!)
76. First Blood (Addition to WWE SmackDown! HCTP!)
77. Bra and Panties (Addition to WWE SmackDown! HCTP!)

*Unknown if KOTR tournaments will stay in- because KOTR is now Bad Blood PPV*

Match Specific Info.
Match Specific Info.

* The 'Special' matches category in Exhibition has been renamed 'Main Event'
* Climbing, on Ladders, HIAC, Cage etc. is still the same speed as SYM
*** Bra & Panties, Elimination, First Blood, Iron Man, Ladder, Submission, Table and TLC are
the ONLY matches available at the start of the game. ALL others have to be UNLOCKED.
- Battle Royals Do Not have the 'Over The Top Rope' to eliminate opponents rule
- Bra and Panties match look to work the same as I Quit, or possibly a Submission.
- Cage Match's door CANNOT be used to exit the cage
- Elimination Chamber covers entire ring and outside, much like it's real life counterpart.
- Elimination Chamber does not allow you to bring weapons in or go outside and get them.
- Elimination Chamber internal chamber glass can be broken
- Elimination Chamber walls are climable!
- Royal Rumbles Do not allow you to get out the ring to get weapons
- Triple Threats can now go outside (and I expect Fatal Four Ways as well)

Match Interference

- Stable mates interfere in matches
- They are not necessarily disqualified by the ref. (ref didn't disquality Orton in the HHH/Goldberg match)
- They can come out pretty early on, and then get sent to the outside by the ref.
- They come in to break up pins
- They also mates come into the ring and celebrate with their team mate who won the match.

Arenas/Stages
All the arenas are better detailed
- The arenas are actually to scale this time

TV Show Arenas
Heat
Raw: Current - Announcer's table by rampway.
Raw: Old
SmackDown: Current - Includes the new SmackDown! sign on the side of the stage
SmackDown: Old
Velocity

US PPV Arenas
Jan- Royal Rumble 2003
Feb- No Way Out 2003
Mar- WrestleMania XIX
Apr- Backlash 2003
May- Judgment Day 2003
Jun- Bad Blood 2003
Jul- Vengeance 2002
Aug- Summer Slam 2002
Sept- Unforgiven 2002
Oct- No Mercy 2002
Nov- Survivor Series 2002
Dec- Armageddon 2002

UK PPV Arenas
Insurextion 2003
Rebellion 2002


Backstage Areas

1- Boiler Room
2- Concession Area
3- General Manager's Office
4- Loading Bay (set on multiple levels)
5- Locker room
6- Parking Lot
7- Times Square
8- Training Room (Gym)

[Trigin]

Weapons

* There will be more weapons- Unknown as to what or how many- rumoured number is 20.
* THQ are going to fix the tables and other weapons so they have better collision detection.
* THQ are working on being able to do moves through a table by standing at the side of them.
- Boxes (in backstage area)
- Chair (outside the ring)
- Dumbbells in the Training Room backstage area
- Forklift
- Ladder
- Metal drums
- Motor Bike
- Parked Cars (Jump off them AND break the hood clean off!)
- Shopping Trolley
- Sledge Hammer
- Tables
- Title Belt
- Trash Can
- Trash Can Lid

Graphics

- 3D Crowd
- Brand new graphics engine, I personally think they are better then RAW2 and WM XIX, the graphics just look more realistic.
- Barricade's look more like their real life counter-part
- Fully polygonal crowds in the first few rows
- The pyro wasn't that great but the entrances weren't all complete
- The clothes look real, an improvement on the 'painted on' look in previous games- this is due to better graphics.
- There is also the return of sweat!
- There are better lighting effects in entrances.

Game Play
- 6 People on screen at a time
- AI Improved, so if you get knocked to the floor, CPU will stay on you.
- Far less collision problems in a normal match, thanks to reanimated moves and reversals.
- Game play is the best of SYM with a lot of No Mercy qualities, you can have quick matches or you can have long matches
w/skill used, the new submissions can make the matches longer
- Gameplay will be more 'organic'
- Older wrestlers and bigger wrestlers like Ric Flair, Big Show, Nash etc. move a bit slower than "normal" wrestlers
- Redesign of sound, camera angles and special effects will put you right in the action with cinematic experience.
- Weight detection feature means no more Spike Dudley body slamming Big Show.
Quick Note: Spike is NOT in Here Comes The Pain.

What is 'Organic Game Play'?
'Organic Gameplay' is making sure the gameplay is different whenever you play. You never want to go into a game and see the
same thing that you did the last game you had. If the computer is using a character the AI is such that it will throw in
lots of different moves rather than just relying on the same old tired routines. It's everything from the way the
superstars sell their animations, to the way they react. Later on in the match characters will crouch over or hold their
stomach because they've taken a lot of shots to the stomach. That's great stuff, and that in a nutshell, is what we mean
by organic gameplay. E.g. storylines will consistently evolve, heel characters will cheat more, backstage environments
will be far more interactive.

Sounds

- 105 different crowd chants- but not "Holy Shit" chant!
- Crowd reaction has been fixed so now it isn't just constantly quiet through the match and then becoming loud when there is a win.
- Depending on your chosen superstar their chant will differ if they are heel or face and what kinds of chants they receive on television.
- 'Hard-hitting' in-ring sounds
- Improved Audio
- Superstar Voice-Overs from top card WWE Superstars.
- Wrestlers will now grunt and yell in agony in matches

Create A Wrestler: General

- Entrance Music and Moves are slightly longer
- Original songs, nicknames, and introductions (and even their number assignments) are the same. THQ does plan to add a few more new ones before going final.
- 32 CAW Slots per memory card
- NO CHANCE OF MISSING WRESTLERS' THEMES AND VIDEOS BEING IN GAME- PLEASE SEE CONFIRMED BY SECTION!

Create A Wrestler: Menu Layout

- Basics look the same (save for a couple organizational changes) and the interface works identically to last year's.
- Character creation is extremely similar to KYR with an identical colour picker, shade adjuster and separation of apparel.
- Load times when cycling through new outfits and skins appear to be noticeably faster



Create A Wrestler: Attributes and Ability Points

- All beginning characters are given 0 attribute points to utilize for their character, and must earn experience
in career mode to raise these attribute bars into the higher levels. To put it in wrestling terms - you have to start out like a jobber just like everyone else.
- Instead of giving your character a list of pre-set attribute points represented by the familiar diamond-like diagrams
we've seen in past Smackdowns!, Here Comes the Pain produced an easy to follow chart with five different categories:
Strength, Submission, Endurance, Technique, and Speed.
- Unique Superstar abilities featuring real-life attributes of strength, submission, technique, speed, and stamina.

Create A Wrestler: Superstar Appearance

- Figures are proportioned more realistically and the body morphing techniques sculpt the player model in a more precise way.
- Individual body parts can still be morphed on their own
- The flexible morphing tool actually tells you what kind of build your personality is receiving (thin, beefy, or buff)

Create A Wrestler: Superstar Profile and Biography

- Existing wrestlers can have their move sets and entrances altered by the player, but gamers still won't be able to edit their appearances.
- Rather than merely selecting a "face" or "heel" in your status window you can manipulate a slider bar in different
degrees to pinpoint an exact level of popularity.
- Weight classifications are now spread out amongst four different groups (Light, Light Heavy, Heavy, and Super Heavy)


Season Mode: General Information

* 10 years Of Season Mode
* Exclusive story mode with original storylines developed by WWE Staff Writers
* The Season mode will feature real WWE storylines but will now also have a number of 'original' plots written
specifically for the game
* Title Holders are carried over from Season to Season, unlike SYM where they reset.
* Woman's Season Mode!
- Build yourself up from the bottom. You start as a jobber.
- Damage taken in ambushes, regular matches, or hardcore bouts affect your health and stamina in later matches if you
wrestle more than once on the same night.
- Smackdown will keep track of every wrestler's Win/Loss/Draw record, the types of matches they wrestled, who they
beat/lost too, and how many times they've won a particular title. The match history, however, is only limited to 200
bouts per character before it starts overwriting old matches.
- THQ are promising a clearer indication of which belt you are working towards.
- You can get screwed out of a the World Championship title and the Tag Team belts. No word yet on whether or not it can
happen with other belts as well.
- You earn SmackDown! Dollars to buy things at ShopZone- but you also earn experience points at the end of matches that
can be used to upgrade different facets of your wrestler, such as strength, submission skill, endurance, technique, and speed.


How Customisable is Season Mode?

* You can use either a Created Superstar or an all ready established superstar.
1- At the beginning of Season mode, you create stables for wrestlers.
2- It's also possible to change the Raw and SmackDown rosters
3- You then determine which wrestlers are faces (good) and which are heels (bad). You CANNOT assign champions when assigning face/heels.
4- Legends don't have a special/separate season, you can use them in exhibition or choose to incorporate them into a regular season

Season Mode: Real Life Cut Scenes

* There will be less of an emphasis on cutscenes this time around, and those that do appear will have more significance.
- After selecting a wrestler you want to use you'll get a brief introduction sequence and have an equally short conversation
with the general manager of your program. If you're on Raw, then you'll speak with Eric Bischoff; if you're on the
SmackDown side, you'll have a chat with Stephanie McMahon.
- Kurt Angle has a cutscene in Story Mode involving his book 'It's True, It's True'
- Raw Roulette
- Undertaker's feud with Big Show where Taker gets two crates tied with big bows!


Season Mode: Backstage Interaction (The Locker)

- No free roaming environment, where you could literally walk around an arena to get to different portions of the story mode
- You're now presented with a locker that contains an assortment of options. - One of these options is called "move." Move
lets you visit locations around the arena so you can talk with other wrestlers. Some of these conversations can even end
up in matches. They can also affect your wrestler's superstar point level or his or her overall rating.
- In the locker area, you can access the shopzone. This area has unlockable items for sale. You can purchase these items with
SmackDown dollars, which are earned by winning and participating in matches; however, it'll take a while before you can
unlock some of the good stuff, since it tends to be quite a bit more expensive
- Click the Magazine icon in the locker to look at wrestler profiles- this includes the individual stats for other wrestlers

Play By Play/Announcing

- At present they don't even sit at the announcers tables
- Not 100% Confirmed
- You won't be able to beat them up
- POSSIBILITY OF NO COMMENTARY- PLEASE SEE CONFIRMED BY SECTION!
If Included
- JR and King announcing again- No Michael Cole or Tazz for SmackDown! brand.
- Less frequent, but more strategic commentary

New Dynamic Camera Transitions

* Dynamic camera transitions
- Camera zooms in on submission moves to show off the facial expressions
- Different camera effects for different moves
- In high impact moves - the camera automatically kicks in with a special effect.

'Matrix Effect'

- SYM Matrix Effect 1- Spin/Pan around.
- SYM Matrix Effect 2- move repeated 3-4 times
- Additional 'Matrix Effects', such as a blurred camera with a slow-mo on moves are just the above mentioned 'automatically
kicked in special effect' and 'different effects for different moves'

[Trigin]

New Submission System

- New Interactive Submission System
- The new submission system includes location specific damage.
- New 'tug of war' battling system interface. See your opponent desperately try to get to the ropes as you apply even more pressure.
- Wrestlers grab onto ropes to break a submission, not underneath it,


New 'Location Specific Damage' Feature

- Included as part of the Submission system it basically boils down to the fact that if you target someone's leg they will
hobble; if you target someone's arms they will hold their arm for the rest of the match.
- There is an on screen a silhouette for each player in the shape of a body. If someone works on your leg the silhouette will
glow green, then orange and then red. The more the body part is worked on, when a body part is red it means the body part
is damaged and it effects the way you wrestle. Thus making the 'Injured' body part weaker to submissions such as Figure
Four Leg lock, for example.
- Wrestlers show any sign of general fatigue in the way they walk. They won't recover so quickly and they hobble instead of
walk after a 10 minute match.

New Controls

- New and improved controls
- 4 different types of grapple with a corresponding moveset tailored to that specific grapple (power move set, submission
move set, quick move set and signature moveset).
- 4 available moves out of each grapple based on superstar's real life move sets.
- You do NOT have to grapple before doing basic moves and specials (like in WWE Attitude). Instead it's basically the same as
SYM but you hold down the grapple after the direction to get the extra moves<-- this confused a lot of people who thought
it was exactly like No Mercy, it's more like the Toukon Retsuden games. It depends how hard you push the buttons, etc.
- A greater emphasis seems to have been placed on softening opponents before moving into any of the powerful grapple moves.
- If you try to constantly grapple an opponent, early on in the match, then the AI will mercilessly beat you down--almost to
the point where it becomes impossible to launch any sort of offense for a good two or three minutes.


New Reversal/Countering System

- New 2 button countering system.
- In Depth Countering System
- Almost every move can be reversed into another move or countered in one way or another
- There are many variations to the reversals depending on what move you are holding.
- Reverse finishers and submissions
- When you are held in a submission hold you have the options of either reaching for the rope to break the hold or try to
fight out of it.
- There are more floor reversals, like moving out of the way of the peoples elbow or dodging Goldberg's spear.
- You will be able to counter aerial moves and finishers
- Wrestlers will no longer counter when you pick them up straight after a finisher.


New In-Dept Animations

- All of the finishing moves animated incredibly well.
- Animations show weight detection. Y2J held his back after failing to scoop slam Kevin Nash
- Damage also has an actual effect on stamina. E.g. if your torso has been badly damaged and you attempt to perform a move
that involves that area, then your wrestler will clinch that part of his or her body and take a few seconds to recover
before going on to the next move.
- Feel the pain of each move. A new reaction system so your superstars really sell to the moves put on them.
- Hair is better animated, meaning less flat hair.
- If you target someone's leg they will hobble; if you target someone's arms they will hold their arm for the rest of the
match. - New realistic animations
-The 'weapon shots' are going to be better
- Your Opponent 'Selling' your move is dependant on how much of the match has already happened. E.g. if they get hit or
thrown in the first few minutes they wont sell it but after a few minutes they sell very well- but only after around 5
minutes of playing which is more realistic e.g. they will get injured and won't get up after big moves


New Interactive Surroundings

- Drop Toe Hold opponents near the ring ropes to set them up for the 619!
- Ring ropes are leant on if you wrestler is tired and is standing next to the ropes
- Ring ropes can be jumped over, or cleared, during the Hardyz Poetry In Motion move
- Wrestlers grab onto ropes to break a submission, not underneath it,


Blood

- Blood included in normal matches- but also there is the First Blood match (be the first to make opponent bleed to win.)
- Blood is not in massive quantities
- It takes around 5-6 minutes to make people bleed in normal matches.
- Masked wrestlers will bleed
- Possibility of it dripping onto, or making blood stains on the mat.
- Realistic looking blood
- When a superstar is busted open a red flash on screen will indicate this.


Title Belts and Default Champions

* Title Celebrations in the ring, much like their real life counterpart (e.g. HBK, belt over shoulder
* You will be able to carry the belt around with you during exhibition/season matches if you are a titleholder
* THQ are promising a clearer indication of which belt you are working towards.
* You can get screwed out of a the World Championship title and the Tag Team belts. No word yet on whether or not it can
happen with other belts as well.

RAW
1- World Heavyweight Champion: Triple H
2- World Tag Team Champions: D-Von & Bubba Ray
3- Hardcore Champion: Rob Van Dam
4- Interconinental Champion: Christian
5- Women's Champion: Jazz

SMACKDOWN
6- WWE Champion: Kurt Angle
7- WWE Tag Team Champions: Haas & Benjamin
8- Cruiserweight Champion: Rey Mysterio Jr.
9- United States Champion: Eddie Guerrero


Referees

- RAW's Ref is Earl Hebner
- SmackDown's ref is Brian Hebner.
- The PPVs use Earl
- The ref has to see illegal stuff to DQ you- if he's distracted while it's happening you won't be DQ'ed

[Trigin]

SmackDown! Meter

* Your 'SmackDown meter' rises when you taunt- just like all the other games.
- The SmackDown logo still flashes by your name bar and then on screen when you do your finisher
- The SmackDown! logo that flashes by your name bar is the new fully horizontal one and says 'Press L1 Button' underneath it.
- The SmackDown logo that flashes up on the screen after you press L1 is the same as in SYM


Miscellaneous Information

- All the wrestlers are on a real life scale so no one looks out of place.
- 'Bounce-when-falling-from-a-height' feature is still in!
- Currently no problems with theme music licenses, all the current and latest themes will be added to the game.
- Different wrestlers have different energy levels to kick out etc, which is based on their stats.
- It seems to be a little bit harder to set up an opponent for certain types of finishers.
- Option of Replaying matches, ala WCW games done by THQ
- Stables have 4 members because Evolution includes Flair, Orton, HHH and Batista
- Stealing finishers is still in- see Hurricane VS Lance storm but the weight
detection means that some cannot be done. I,E, Rey Misterio cannot Show Stopper Big Show. - WWE sign is on all the turnbuckles

The 'How To Do Stuff' Section

Basic Controls: -
L1 = Perform SmackDown
L2 = Reverse strike attacks
R1= Change Focus
R2 = Reverse grapple move

Directional Pad = Move Superstar
Left Analogue Stick = Move Superstar
Right Analogue Stick = Taunt

Triangle = Run
? = Pick Up weapon
O = Grapple (short/long)
X = Strike


Game Modes

- Exhibition

- Main Event Matches

- Create

- Create An Appearance


- Create Moves


- Create An Animation


- Create A Taunt


- Create A Stable

- Season
- Extras

Season Mode Unlockables

- Characters (Legends have to be unlocked)
- Environments (Backstage Areas)
- New Sets (Event Arenas/Stages)
- Attributes to build up your character
- There might be Videos- Undecided on a Theatre Mode
- New Costumes (Alternate Attires for ready made roster and CAW clothes parts).
- 'Main Event' aka 'Special' matches have to be unlocked as they are all hidden except for Bra & Panties, Elimination, First
Blood, Iron Man, ladder, Submission, Table, TLC.

Replacement Moves

- Edge's Spear can be used for a variation of an American football tackle.
- Goldberg's Spear can be used for a variation of an American football tackle.
- The Spear can be used for a variation of an American football tackle.
- The Gore can be used for a variation of an American football tackle.

WON'T BE IN- AND WHY


Superstars

CONFIRMED- BUT THEN GOT OMITTED
Chuck Palumbo (FBI), Hulk Hogan (80's), Hollywood Hogan (nWo), Hollywood Hulk Hogan (recent),
Jeff Hardy (seen in PSW DVD footage), Johnny Stamboli (FBI), Mr America, Nunzio (FBI), Ultimate Warrior

CURRENT SUPERSTARS NOT ADDED IN TIME FOR RELEASE
Bill DeMott/Hugh Morris, Billy Gunn/Mr. Ass, Billy Kidman, Bradshaw (APA), Brian Kendrick/ Spanky,
Chris Kanyon/ Morits, Chris Nowinski, Danny Bashim, Dawn Marie, Doug Basham, Evan Stevens, Gail Kim, Garrison Chade, Hardcore Holly,
Ivory, Jackie Gayda/ Miss Jackie, Jacqueline, Jamie Noble, Joey Matthews, Linda Miles/ Shaniqua, Mark Henry,
Mark Jindrak, Maven, Michael Cole, Molly Holly/Miss Maddness, Nathan Jones, Nidia, Orlando Jordan, Paul Heyman/Paul E. Dangerously,
Rene Dupree (La Resistance), Rob Conway (La Resistance), Ron Simmons/ Faarooq (APA), Rosey (S.H.I.T.),
Scotty 2 Hotty, Shane McMahon, Shannon Moore, Sho Funaki, Spike Dudley, Sylvan Grenier (La Resistance), Tazz, Theador Long,
Tommy Dreamer, William Regal, Zach Gowen.

NO CRASH HOLLY
- He has been fired as a cut cutting measure. Crash is now Mad Mikey for the NWA.

NO DDP
- He is retired and also doesn't have a WWE Contract. Last I heard he was in LA where his wife Kimberly was looking for
acting work. (She will be the 'shot girl' behind the bar in the upcoming Seabiscuit film.)

NO JAMAL
- Was fired from WWE mainly due to the incident in which he beat up a policeman. WWE doesn't want to condone cop-beating
(ironic, given that Austin and Kane have single-handedly whooped entire police forces).

NO MICK FOLEY
Nick W. said in an interview with a computer games magazine (I think PSM2, could be wrong) that they couldn't secure the
licence to add Mick Foley.

NO SCOTT HALL
- He is currently working in an Independent Federation. He was sacked from WWE for continuously showing up 'in no state to
perform'. What was the last straw was the 2002 Insurrextion tour in which Hall had to be dropped from the schedule after
immediately going on a British-style pub-crawl. On the 'Plane Ride From Hell' he actually didn't cause much trouble -
because he was paralytic.

NO STING
- Sting was doubtful to begin with because Sting was nowhere near completing negotiations with McMahon to join WWE, and has
recently signed with and signed a contract extension with NWA/TNA

Features

NO BIG SURPRISE OR SECRET
- Simply and internet rumour- THQ have gone on record w/ IGN saying there is NONE

NO CREATE-A-BELT OR CREATE-A-PPV
- Both didn't make it passed planning stages

NO EDIT-A-WRESTLER
- Never made it past planning stages

NO FALLS COUNT ANYWHERE MATCH
- Taken out of SmackDown! Series after Just Bring It! Because of it being criticized that it was virtually the same as
Hardcore and Street Fight matches

NO ONLINE GAMEPLAY
- Interview With Nick Wlodyka from THQ Press Conference.
"Not this time round. Sorry"

NO TITLE DEFENCES IN EXHIBITION
- Interview With Nick Wlodyka from THQ Press Conference.
"No, but you will be able to carry the belt around with you"

NO VAN-TERMINATOR
- Has not been mentioned at all!

credit:IGN & L-Park