Just want to start by saying thanks for taking the time to answer some questions we think fans of the UFC and UFC Undisputed 3 will be excited about. So let’s just get right into it.
1. How long has UFC Undisputed 3 been in production?
We basically started right as we were wrapping up production on Undisputed 2010 and that launched in May of 2010 so it’s been a little under 2 years.
We wanted to take the time to really improve the game to the point where we felt it was worth paying another $60 rather than just putting one out to have one out every year. We’re confident that we’ve achieved that goal and we feel fans will agree once they get a chance to play.
2. Many people have already heard about the advances to UFC Undisputed 3, but talk briefly about what you think fans will be most excited by?
It’s hard to deny that the PRIDE ruleset is probably the coolest addition to the game this year. Soccer kicks, head stomps, and knees to the head on the ground make some of the ground positions a lot more dangerous than they are in the UFC so you really have to stay active on the ground or else the fight can end in the blink of an eye.
If you’re a hardcore UFC fan and are looking for more of a sports sim, then you’ll probably gravitate towards the simulation stamina option. This forces you to be conscious of every decision you make in the cage because if you just come out swinging for the fences you will gas out and get dropped or subbed quickly.
3. One of the seemingly subtle changes, but one we were very impressed with, was the new option for a simulation energy setting, which ensures this game in the fighter genre isn’t a button masher. What were the development team’s goals for improving gameplay when you went to design UFC Undisputed 3?
As with each iteration of the Undisputed franchise, our goal is to refine and improve our combat gameplay systems. For UFC Undisputed 3, we enlisted the help of our community and fans from the very start of development.
After all, we are making this game for them. We held monthly focus group sessions where we brought in some of the top Undisputed players and let them play the game and give feedback on the things they liked and didn’t as well as provided an opportunity for them to voice and offer up suggestions of things they would like to see.
Those that feel the default setting is a bit too fast tempo can try out the Simulation setting to get a feel of how a real fight would play out. My favorite setting as well, in this setting you really do have to pick your shots and be more conservative and look for openings. It’s a totally different way to play the game.
At the same time, getting in there on the default settings with your friends and just banging it out is also fun. In addition to simulation settings, we added a new Competition Setting which takes out some of the random elements such as Flash KO’s and things like Doctor Stoppages for those that want a more straight up “me-versus-you” fight.
Building upon that concept, we also included an Equalized Stats setting, which normalizes all fighter’s stats so it’s more about player skill than the statics of your fighter. Add PRIDE Fighting Championships, seven weight classes and over 150 fighters, UFC 3 will let players play the game they want to play it.
4. UFC Undisputed 3 adds PRIDE mode to the gameplay, which takes away the cage, but allows for other techniques to be used. As the development team, what are your favorite elements or gameplay situations PRIDE brings to the game?
PRIDE is something we wanted to do since UFC 2009. When we started development on UFC 2009 back in late 2006, it was about the time that the UFC purchased PRIDE and we always said “man it would be cool if we could get so-and-so into the game.”
Then guys like Nogueira and Cro Cop started coming over and it was a dream come true for us to get those guys in. For UFC 3, we wanted to pay homage to those guys back when they were in their prime and let them fight in their element, so we were very happy to get PRIDE into this year’s game.
Soccer kicks and knees to the head on the ground are probably my favorite. It gives a position like Sprawl or North/South more dominance than they do in the UFC since you’re able to knee someone in the head from those positions. There’s really nothing like rocking someone with a knee to the head from Sprawl then following it up with a soccer kick to knock them out, good times!
5. Submissions have got to be one of the more difficult systems to get right but the new system is great. What was your focus when you set out to revamp the submission system?
When we started development on UFC 3, introducing a new submission system was at the top of our list. For this new system, we knew that we wanted to convey exactly what’s happening during the submission as well as who’s winning or losing at all times. We decided to include a HUD to illustrate what’s happening under the hood of the system so it’s clearer.
We also wanted more strategy in the submission itself, as submissions in real life are like a chess game; you have to think a couple moves ahead. So we introduced this cat-and-mouse dynamic as part of the HUD where the attacker is chasing and trying to “catch” the defender while the defender tries to escape.
It takes some getting used to at first as with anything new, but once you get the hang of it, you can actually become quite good at it and good at misdirecting your opponent in order to take advantage of them (something we really wanted to achieve).
6. There are 150 fighters to choose from, but what are your favorite fighters to play in your office battles in the Octagon?
We have some really crazy battles here in the office. It’s not uncommon to see us go a full 5 rounds on Simulation with heavyweights just because we know how each other plays and counter each other often.
It depends on the division but I like Jon Jones just because he can do it all—strikes, good throws from the clinch, good top game and ground and pound, he’s a lot to handle.
I also like BJ Penn when I’m in a grappling mode, he’s got great sweeps and subs from his back and I like to tap people.
7. Each fighter has an extensive skill set with what techniques, transitions, and submissions become available in each position. That, paired with his attribute ratings make each fighter unique and very reflective of how they behave in real life. How much fun is it to develop and adjust the game based on current events in the real-life UFC?
Being MMA fans ourselves, it’s a lot fun and a dream job for us.
We work very closely with the UFC and matchmaker Joe Silva to make sure that we are accurately reflecting the UFC’s fighters. We watch a lot of fights and have an exhaustive library as reference and we take pride (no pun intended) in making each fighter fight like they do in real life.
8. Unlocking the legendary fighters will be a goal for gamers. How do you decide which past, and present, UFC greats to include in the roster?
The roster is something that we work very closely with the UFC on. We have our list of guys that we think should be in the game and we shoot that directly over to the UFC’s matchmaker Joe Silva. He’ll look it over and determine which guys should stay or go as well as offer up suggestions for guys that they are about to sign.
It’s a very back-and-forth process not only with deciding who makes the roster but adjusting each fighter’s stats and move-set as that’s something we also work with the UFC on.
9. Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg’s commentary is on point, and, even through hours of gameplay, it didn’t come off as repetitive. Bas Rutten was fun to listen to in the PRIDE mode. Can you share a little about working with the personalities?
Audio on UFC Undisputed 3 took on an unprecedented scope this year with the addition of PRIDE Mode, and this is reflected in the amount of announcers contained in the game. As with UFC Undisputed 2009 and 2010, Bruce Buffer returns as the ring announcer, with Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg handling play-by-play duties.
For PRIDE, the infamous “Screaming Lady” Lenne Hardt took center stage for Fighter Entrances, with Stephen Quadros and Bas Rutten providing play-by-play. All of the talent was a pleasure to work with, as they are all extremely passionate about their craft and all perfectionists.
The main difference between the UFC and PRIDE experience is that the UFC is treated more like a sport, while PRIDE is treated more like a spectacle. Consequently, the UFC play-by-play is more analytical, while PRIDE leans towards an entertaining and almost comedic approach at times with the signature off-topic banter that Quadros and Rutten are famous for.
All in all, both modes sound authentic and provide the consumer with two unique and different experiences and we hope the fans appreciate the efforts we’ve made to faithfully reproduce the distinct audible characteristics of both the UFC and PRIDE promotions.
10. Did you have a chance to see any of the UFC or PRIDE fighters in action or during the motion capture stage?
UFC Undisputed 3 continues to improve the realism and to do that we needed UFC fighters to help us during our motion capture shoots. We brought in Frank Mir, Nate Diaz, Matt Hughes, Kendall Grove, Sean Sherk, and a host of other UFC fighters to help us get our realistic look down.
In addition to fighter, we consult with MMA trainers like Greg Jackson, Mark Dellagrotte, Eddie Bravo and Marc Laimon to name a few.
11. Are you already working on the next UFC game? If so, is there anything you might want to share about it?
We never really stop working and are always looking for ideas on how to improve the franchise.
We can’t comment on anything just yet, but tune in to UFCUNDISPUTED.COM for the latest news as well as our forums to post your comments or suggestions as we’re always watching.
12. Give the fans something they should know about that I forgot to ask.
If you had trouble in the past in the clinch or on the ground because you weren’t sure how to escape, we’ve introduced a new control scheme this year.
The alternate control scheme allows you to perform any clinch or ground transition by simply flicking up or down on the Right Stick. This was another thing that we wanted to tackle, making the game more accessible for everyone to pick up and play. The frustration of being in a position without knowing how to get out should be easily avoidable by using this new control scheme.
Thanks again for your time. The fans of this franchise will definitely appreciate it. “Annnnnd Nooowwwwww…”