Hype

[asdfx3]

Anyone else think it would be a good idea to give several options for how you'd like to hype a fight? I'm not talking about how MUCH you want to hype it, but rather whether or not it will be hyped as a grudge match (Ortiz vs Liddell), new generation vs old (Hughes vs Gracie), nationalism based (first two Bushido's were Team Japan vs Team ____, UFC's USA vs Canada and World's Collide shows), or whatever. Not a huge number of options but I think a fight that has a certain twist to it should do better, but if used too often these kinds of gimmicks would anger fans who see it as a pure sport.

Anyone else think it's a good idea or just a waste of time?

[thedraem41]

I'm thinking that should be integrated on how you promote the fight itself. Like when you interview your fighters, how they feel about their oppenent and all should be the way you hype it.
So the fans would see it as a grudge match or what have you.

[TylerDrew]

ALot of real MMA pursist are against "angles" of any sort. Your right though I feel added a small gimmick to the fight like, "Country A v Country B" or "Hungry Challenger" or "Revenge", it does happen and does help fights draw.

[ACCBiggz]

The whole USA vs. Canada/ Nation vs. Nation thing I have found few people buy in to. Once you are there in the arena a lot of people chant USA or whatever, but normally its about the fighters.

Is the crowd really going to turn on GSP? Shogun? etc? For being from another country when they are exciting and the best in the world? Most people bought the UFC card for the fights not the USA/Canada build up, at least through my studies of it.

I guess it could still be an option, but the effect should be limited.

[BlizzardVeers]

Uh, this game is really one that doesn't need angles because MMA doesn't need it. It doesn't matter how much you 'hype' a MMA fight, really, if neither of the guys are well known or exciting to begin with.

Honestly, I don't give a crap what the reasoning behind the fight is as long as it's a good fight. Just because their heated rivals won't make me like the fight anymore if they're on the ground for 15 minutes and neither of them are advancing position or anything else.

I'm sure a few people buy into hype or whatever, but as a fight fan, I really don't care one way or another. I tend to get annoyed by all the talking inbetween fights myself, even as a wrestling fan. Don't really see the feature as necessary, but I don't really think it'd hurt the game to be in it either.

[Cro_Cop45]

Pride did a quasi-angle where they had a "Team Japan" of 3 fighters face a 3 fighter team in a best of series. Chute Boxe, BTT, the Gracies etc. It would always end the same, Gomi would win for Team Japan and the other two would always lose

[djthefunkchris]

I kind of like how the Mayweather vs. De La Hoya fight was promoted myself... They gave you an inside look on them as people. I think they done a 10 day look at these two guys, and got everyone to know them a little better before the fight. I had no huge desire to see the fight at all, till all the hype shown step by step was played out.

Just saying, that "seems" to be a winning combo there. I think that fight ended up alot bigger then they had planned on it being at first. I know that's not MMA, but it's not Wrestling either... And Although it's real.. It sure seemed like a play out of WWF's old playbook to me. People get to know the fighter's, and they will become alot more interested in them.

[TylerDrew]

Several MMA fights have used "angles" to produce some extra hype:

Shamrock v Ortiz II: All the die hard MMA fans knew the deal, Sharock had just been Koed by Sakuraba(Although it was somewhat debateable) who was himself older and never a good strikers and was going against Ortiz a guy still in his prime who'd already dismantled Shamrock once, still due to hype it drew amazing buys.

Any fight ever featuring Naoya Ogawa or Bob Sapp.

Sakuraba v The Gracies is a sort of "angle" that is now legendary in MMA.

Paulo Filho v Ninja Rua was marketed as a rivalry between two teams.

Sylvia v Arlovski was easily a "face" v "heel" feud if Ive ever seen one.

Randy Coutures comeback was an angle in and of itself.

So basically ALL sports have angles of sorts especially combat sports, I think it'd be borring to have the game where you go,"Ok here's the card it's good." and suceed promotion is an important part of any sports managment sim.

[thedraem41]

I definitely see your point with that, it would add to the game.

[NickC13573]

I would really love to hear like a narrowed down list of what might go in the game... I mean out of all the suggestions on this board. I wonder which ones Adam thinks are good ideas and which ones he think suck or need improving

[thedraem41]

I think a lot of the ideas have been centered around the real world. I'm also wondering if we'll get the real date format back.