*Official* WWE '12 Discussion Thread!

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US Release Date: November 22, 2011
UK Release Date: November 25, 2011

For years WWE SmackDown vs. Raw has been the Sports Entertainment simulation series from THQ and Yuke's Yokohama. It's been a fun ride, but as with any franchise, fans have complained about annual aspects over and over again. Turns out the developers were listening, killed the series, and are planning on fixing things with WWE '12.

The stiff animations, the characters warping into place for certain moves, the confusing right analog stick controls for grapples -- WWE '12 is addressing all of that and feels good so far. That's pretty damn exciting.

THQ and Yuke's didn't just change the name, they changed the game's DNA. There's a new animation system, new blending methods, something called "Predator Technology" -- basically, they went under the game's hood and ripped out all the old stuff that people hated and plugged in brand new parts to try and make the most fluid wrestling game around.

When John Cena's suplexing an opponent, a third Superstar can punch Cena and break up the move. You can do that for any move -- even Finishers and mini-games like the Royal Rumble eliminations. When you're slammed to the mat at the beginning of a bout, you're going to sell the move and get up at the same time so that the match keeps a fast-paced feel. When you're getting up from any move, you're going to have a window to strike before you're even to your feet. The goal is to have a game that feels like anything can happen from any position and eradicate that stiffness and clunkiness that has always been a calling card of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw.

People don't warp to the center of the ring for a 5-Knuckle Shuffle and similar moves anymore; the move happens where it happens. The ropes no longer stay awkwardly still during matches; you slam someone and the ring reacts. The tired fonts and menus of old have been ditched for a new setup. Visually, new shaders and tech have been introduced to make the game look better than ever. There's definition to the character's faces instead of the blur there was last year, and depth of field has been introduced to give the brand new arenas weight and realism.

The game, according to THQ, has been taken apart and put back together, and from the little I've seen, I believe them -- though the changes aren't monumental when you stare at a still image, they shine in motion.

The days of analog stick grapples are over. Now, everything's going back to the face buttons of your favorite controller. Grapple, strike, pin and Finisher are all right there for the taking. There are no strong and weak grapples -- the moves you're pulling off are dependent on how worn down the opponent is.

That's all well and good, but there are specific things THQ has peppered in that affect the gameplay. First, there's limb targeting in WWE '12. You can attack the head, arms or legs, and while this obviously puts you in a good place for certain finishers, it also really twists the match in whatever direction you want it to go. If you're up against a lightning quick high flier, you can work the legs so the opponent can't get around as quickly and can't zip up the turnbuckles. Work the head, and the opponent is going to be a groggy mess. All this plays into how easy it'll be to get an opponent to tap in the new "Breaking Point" submission system where players tap buttons in a tug of war mini-game.

Epic brawls are going to look like the epic brawls you see on TV -- both in terms of the new camera angle that's more pulled back and the gameplay speed I talked about earlier -- but they get even more like Monday Night Raw when you add in the new Wake Up Taunts in WWE '12. Basically, you know how Randy Orton pounds the ground before he goes to hit his Finisher on TV? That can happen in the game now. You knock your opponent down with your Finisher primed, hit the taunt button, and you'll get a celebration that ends with the opponent getting to his feet in the perfect setup for your big move. The opponent gets a chance at reversing it, but it really brings together that TV style presentation THQ's been working on for the last few years.

The last few WWE SmackDown vs. Raw games incorporated a barely visible halo around the Superstars feet to keep players in-tune with how they're doing in a match and not distract from the presentation. As of now, WWE '12 features a big meter with a name on it at the bottom of the screen showing how close you are to building a Signature or Finisher (you can store two Finishers).

WWE '12 also adds Dynamic Comebacks, which are those tried and true combos you see folks like Cena throw out that take them from the edge of defeat to clearing the ring. If you reach a certain amount of damage, you'll be able to have a shot to use this one-time combo. Pull it off, and you get two Finishers.

For the first time, THQ says that the computer is going to remember what you've been doing and what it's been doing. (i.e. if it picks up a chair, it's not going to drop it -- it's going to hit you with it.)

Balancing the difficulty isn't just a focus when it comes to the man versus machine matches. THQ found that people figured out how to master the pinning system pretty quickly in SVR 11, so it's been redone in WWE '12. It's still a metered system (hold a button to fill a meter and release it when it gets to a window on the meter), but the window moves around this time at random -- it won't always be in the same spot. Similarly, the window size varies on how beat up you are, and if you're pinned after the opponent hits his Finisher, the meter might not pop up to the two-count so you'd only have one shot at it.

All that, and there's still more to say. Unless your opponent is really hurting, expect to get just one ground grapple in. The right stick repositions opponents. Animations change based on weight classes. There are new "attach points" for moves so that hands and legs lock to certain points in certain moves and don't clip through bodies. Justin Roberts is here as the ring announcer, King and Cole are confirmed, and Alberto Del Rio's entrance comes complete with Ricardo Rodriguez.


Screenshots:

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Videos:

Spoiler:

Roster:

RAW

Alberto Del Rio
Alex Riley
Big Show
CM Punk
David Otunga
Dolph Ziggler
Drew McIntyre
Evan Bourne
Husky Harris
Jack Swagger
John Cena
John Morrison
Kofi Kingston
Mason Ryan
Michael McGillicutty
Rey Mysterio
R-Truth
Santino Marella
The Miz
Triple H
Zack Ryder

Smackdown

Christian
Cody Rhodes
Daniel Bryan
Ezekiel Jackson
Goldust
Heath Slater
Justin Gabriel
Kane
Mark Henry
Randy Orton
Sheamus
Sin Cara
Ted DiBiase
Tyson Kidd
Undertaker
Wade Barrett
William Regal
Yoshi Tatsu

Divas

Beth Phoenix
Eve
Kelly Kelly
Layla
Maryse
Michelle McCool
Natalya

Legend/Other

Animal
Arn Anderson
Ax
Booker T
Eddie Guerrero
Edge
Hawk
Jerry Lawler
Kevin Nash
Ricky Steamboat
Smash
Steve Austin
The Rock (Pre-order Bonus from Amazon and Toys R Us)
Vader
Vince McMahon

Free Agent

Chavo Guerrero
Vladimir Kozlov

Confirmed Arenas:

Raw
Smackdown

Official Info:

*Total reboot of SvR series.
*Game is going to be released on PS3, X360 and WII.
*This year' s game is said to be "Bigger, Badder, Better".
*We will see 4 superstars in action at E3: John Cena, The Miz, Randy Orton and Alberto Del Rio.
*It was confirmed that we are going to see some WWE Legends in the game.
*Game' s DNA has been changed: new animation system and new blending methods.
*Ability to attack a opponent who perfoms ANY move - game is much more fluid.
*When a move is performed in the beginning of a match, the superstar who took beating will sell this move but will get up at the same time so that matches are much faster now and more unpredictable.
*When you are on the ground and your opponent aproaches, there will be a chance for you to strike him while still being on the mat.
*When a signature/finisher like 5-Knuckle Shuffle is performed, it will be done in exact place of ring your opponent is in the moment you started your move. No more teleporting to the center of the ring so that animation could work.
*When you or your opponent get slammed to the mat - the ring will react so it and ropes will bounce.
*Revamped menu looks.
*Game looks much better this year with new shaders and better technology. Depth of field will be used.
*IGN: "The days of analog stick grapples are over. Now, everything's going back to the face buttons of your favorite controller. Grapple, strike, pin and Finisher are all right there for the taking. There are no strong and weak grapples -- the moves you're pulling off are dependent on how worn down the opponent is."
*There is a limb targeting system implemented to the game - you can strike head to make your opponent groggy, body to make their stamina go down and their legs to slow them down.
*"Breaking Point" - new submission system in which two opponents tap buttons in a mini-game.
*New camera angle.
*Wake Up Taunts.
*Momentum meter is back as a meter with a name on it on the bottom of your screen.
*You can store two finishers.
*Dynamic Comebacks - combination of strike moves which you can use only once in whole match. Using it will give you two finishers.
*Better AI - now your opponent will learn the way you play this game and will come with a fine reversal.
*New pinning system. IGN: "It's still a metered system (hold a button to fill a meter and release it when it gets to a window on the meter), but the window moves around this time at random -- it won't always be in the same spot. Similarly, the window size varies on how beat up you are, and if you're pinned after the opponent hits his Finisher, the meter might not pop up to the two-count so you'd only have one shot at it."
*Justin Roberts, King and Cole are confirmed.
*Alberto Del Rio' s entrance will feature Ricardo Rodriguez.
*There are new "attach points" thanks to which arms and legs will not clip through bodies.
*Animations of moves depend on weight classes.
*IGN: "Unless your opponent is really hurting, expect to get just one ground grapple in. The right stick repositions opponents."
*THQ stated that they didn' t like what they got from RtWM last year, so they "went back to the drawing board a bit on that one". They also stated that they heard people' s problems with online play (lags etc.).
*Some submissions will let you to climb to the rope to get the rope break.
*RtWM will be back with new storylines.
*There were some changes done to Momentum system and Stamina system is back.
*WWE Universe 2.0 – the well known “WWE Universe” mode from SvR 2011 is back, but better then it was before. It will be easier and more beliveable with more action, rivalries, alliances, matches and action which will evolve dramatically.
*There is a “yet to be revealed” creation capability.
*Story Designer is back, but no info about it was released.
*Each Superstar/Diva/CAW will have 12 attributes this year: Strike Power, Grapple Power, Submission, Strike Defense, Grapple Defense, Speed, Agility, Adrenaline, Recovery, Toughness, Charisma, Tag Team.
*In-Ring introduction of Superstars and Divas confirmed for Title Matches.
*We will have both adrenaline and momentum meters in the final product, but their looks from E3 will be changed.
*Graphics are improved in every way: models, shadows, lighting and effects.
*Sound is still disappointing (crowd, commentary, effects), but entrance themes have reverb now.
*To perform the wake-up taunt you have to press “UP” on the D-Pad.
*If you perform your finisher right after doing your signature move it will be more powerfull.
*Operation Sports: “In a grapple situation, you press RB and a face button (on 360) to target a body part. The Y button is for the head, X or B is for the arms and A is for the legs. Each attack affects the body in different ways as well.”
*Alberto Del Rio’ s entrance contains his car.
*Gaming Ring: “(...)the kip up ability has now been replaced with something called a dramatic comeback in which when you reach a certain damage level, lets say orange from previous Smackdown games, you will have a prompt pop up and while you are on the ground you hit the Y button which activates a flashing bar that is integrated into your momentum bar and then when you hit your dramatic comeback this is done by running and press Y button. For example John Cena has his two running shoulder blocks and his spin out power bomb and you instantly earn a signature for the Five Knuckle Shuffle and then a finisher for the Attitude Adjustment. While all of this happens prompts pop up and its a war between who can time it the best, it works very much like tag team hot tag.”
*More than 60 new moves. Two running strikes from now on and better, upgraded movesets.
*Adrenaline meter is something like Stamina meter from previous SvR games. You will lose your adrenaline the fastest if you will be running a lot.
*Running attacks are much easier to reverse.
*Left Bumper button is the action button this year. You will get out/in the ring with it, interact with environment, climb the turnbuckle etc.
*Weapon Wheel is in almost every match type.
*You can’ t use finishers to break other’ s moves.
*Transparency for Create a Wrestler mode is back.
*LaBelle Lock and Cattle Mutilation are in.
*For what it's worth, Zack Ryder's broski of the week sign is in the game, which MAY confirm him.
*Blood is back in the game, although it will be off in options.
*Limitations for Diva's is the same as last year.
*The game is still 60 frame per seconds.
*Weapon physics are still in.
*They recorded some heel commentary lines for Micheal Cole.
*No new weapons.
*The whole roster will be revealed in August.
*There will be two top rope moves in the moveset.
*While in the match, titantrons will work like in real life - they will show what' s going on in the ring, last year it was just show logo.
*Two running strikes is back in.
*Randy Orton will have an ALT attire with him having a beard.
*Everyone has a wake up taunt.
*Diva's will NOT be in 6 man matches again.
*Flailing arms during run off Irish Whip fixed.
*Reach animation before signatures/finishers removed.
*WWE Titles size increased.
*Added a TON of call names this year.
*Different servers for online. Byebye Gamespy.
*Big plans for DLC.
*70 unlockables including superstars, divas, legends, alt attires, arenas, championships
*The difficulties will be increased. Quote, "Normal will be more like Legendary."
*Exit themes are in!
*No triple tag matches*
*Replays are still in.
*New ref model.
*Custom Skin tones are NOT in.
*Attribute levels do not determine Grapple Reach speed in WWE '12. Instead this speed is determined by the weight class of the Superstars. Each weight class has a corresponding Grapple Reach speed. As an example, Cruiserweights will have a faster reach speed than Heavyweights.
*Can mute sound in options menu.
*The commentary team for WWE '12 is Michael Cole and Jerry "The King" Lawler.
*Not only we will obviously update many of the arenas to match the WWE's PPV schedule, but we are also introducing some new, never before seen arenas that will be unlockable in Road To WrestleMania.
*Undertakers music is the original, not Aint No Grave.
*In WWE '12 an outside Superstar or Diva will be able to interrupt single moves (2 person moves) and double-team moves (3 person moves).
*Free roaming arenas will NOT be in.
*Added cutscenes in universe.
*No shining wizards back in.
*AI of Managers and all around AI improved.
*New animations will be including in create a storyline.
*Confirmed: Mini-trons, Side-trons, Curve-trons, banner movies are all in during entrances.
*More pinning combos are in.
*The Comeback Moment is an ability that can be assigned to any Superstar, Created *Superstar or Diva. Once the ability has been assigned, you will have the ability to go into Create-A-Moveset and select your Comeback Moment combo.
*Animated blood and sweat system.
*WWE created an opening movie for the game similar to raw or smackdown's but themed for WWE '12 and the game has it's own theme song.
*There are two separate pre-order bonuses - the first being The Rock in his current attire (tattoos etc). That will be available from Amazon, Toys R Us and Gamestop
*The second pre-order bonus being from Gamestop where you get an in-game t-shirt and suit attire for the Miz.
*Running Springboard confirmed.
*Running Apron attacks fixed.
*Some character specific reversals.
*A.I punishes you for taunting.
*32 layers on ps3.
*New crowd sounds.
*Updated music and trons. (We still don't know who they're for though)
*Added over 100 hometowns.
*Lots of updated moves! (If someone could make a list of them all, I'll add them.)
*Reanimated GTS, AA, 619...
*Can do a wake up taunt on the apron.
*Create an Arena! - 50 Slots - CANT be used online.
*"Name stitching" for call names. (like Raw2)
*You can change attributes for in game superstars again.
*Sin Cara's match lighting is on 1vs1 matches and CAN'T turn it off.
*50 Caw slots.
*Created arenas can be used in Create-A-Story as well as Universe. They can also be uploaded to Community Creations.
*The name stitching can use up to 4 audio names.
*Double team moves can now be performed outside of the ring.
*Attribute editor is in.
*Before a title match, the ref announces the superstars in the ring.
*Regal Plex is in, with pin option.
*Ring escape ability can only be used 3 times per match.
*No reanimated Glam slam.
*New 450 splash.
*Reanimated Celtic Cross.
*Managers have been overhauled and improved on.
*You can perform Wake Up taunts on the top turnbuckle.
*New Future Shock DDT.
*New Air Bourne.
*Ziggler and Alex Riley has their Downstait themes.
*Doomsday device is in.
*Call names has 47 PAGES.
*Goldberg is NOT in.
*No Create a Championship.
*40 Man Royal Rumble is in!
*Miz's entrance in the vids ARE his final entrance.
*Universe will not break up tag teams.
*Cody Rhodes’ Alabama Slam is in.
*A new Breaking Point Sleeper Hold (with falling down animation) for Dolph Ziggler.
*A new ground grapple Elbow Drop w/ hair taunt for Dolph Ziggler.
*A new (but weird) looking Super Kick-like running strike (Dolph has it).
*Sin Cara’s Avalanche Back Flip Bottom.
*Sin Cara’s La Mistica Armbar.
*A new Cena-like Belly-to-Belly.
*A new Book End for Booker T.
*A new Brain Buster for Arn Anderson.
*A new Double Axe Handle combination signature for Demolition.
*Demolition Decapitation for Demolition.
*Doomsday Device for L.O.D.
*A new jumping Brogue Kick for Sheamus.
*A new Double Axe Handle running strike for Sheamus.
*A new jumping Clothesline running strike for Kofi Kingston.
*A new running hesitation jumping Knee Strike for Evan Bourne.
*Two new Dropkick to Knee weak strikes.
*Zack Ryder’s corner sitting Broski Boot w/taunt.
*Daniel Bryan’s LeBell Lock.
*Daniel Bryan’s Cattle Mutilation.
*Wade Barrett’s side kick to the gut (strong strike w/ knockdown).
*A new Butterfly Suplex.
*A new ground grapple Jumping Leg Drop (no running off the ropes but it can be a finisher).
*A new Showstopper-like Chokeslam.
*Undertaker’s Jumping Lariat running strike.
*Miz’s Snap DDT to a kneeling opponent.
*A new Battering Ram Headbutt strong strike w/ knockdown for Vladimir Kozlov.
*A new ground running Senton for Husky Harris.
*New basic punches for Kane.
*R-Truth’s Suplex Stunner.
*A new strong strike Haymaker (basic punch w/ knockdown, but looks good).
*House of Pain (Mason Ryan’s finisher / Uranage slam).
*McGillicutter for Michael McGillicutty.
*Weight detection is in. (Rey Mysterio can't pick up Big Show)
*Laycool entrance is not in.
*CAN defend titles in exhibition.
*Fan Axxcess is back in.
*23 Championships will be in the game.
*Titles can be vacated in Exhibition.
*Exhibition mode and Universe mode do not tie in together.
(NEW INFORMATION WILL BE BOLDED)