Newsletter 20

Hello and welcome to the WGU newsletter #20!

Lot's of news today so let's get right to it shall we?

In this issue
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1) Game Progress.
2) Interviews.
3) Thank you

1) Game Progress
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Let's begin with the most meaningful happening from this past week, the first production meeting of the WGU design team. It was the first time all of the Vancouver based animators and programmers met and everything went smoothly. My only regret is that I wish we had more time to talk before the meeting wrapped up.

We began the meeting by discussing the current state of the company. Yes, the WGU is in the process of incorporating into a "real" company complete with share holders, investors, and all that other messy stuff. I told the guys that I am currently in talks with various investors and I'm intent on raising enough money to pay everyone a full time salary for the duration of the project so they can all quit their jobs and dedicate every waking hour of their life to the game. As it stands now we should have the money in the bank by the end of August to begin production. Provided I don't have to sign over my soul to the investors to get the money. So far so good.

We also discussed what would happen in a worst case scenario in which all of the investors get hit by a bus and we have no money.

But that's not going to happen so let's not jinx it by talking about it...

...let's just say I'm willing to give the team an unprecedented incentive to stay in such an event. $$$

The good news is I received a call from another new investor yesterday asking me how much I needed. Now that's what I like to see.

I know you're all dying to know exactly what we discussed at the meeting regarding game engine, modes, etc. In that respect, the meeting went even better than I expected. We went through a long list of match modes, edit modes, and tons of other things fans wanted to have in the game and after each item was discussed the answer from the team was, "we can do that." What things am I talking about? Oh, I'm going to make you wait for that info until the new WGU site launches in late August. The things the WGU team say they can pull off in this game are going to make wrestling gamers dehydrated from drooling.

These guys are talented, smart, and willing to put their reputations on the line by publicly taking credit for their work on this game. I'm serious, WGU fans are going to know each of these people by name before the game is done. Just wait until you see the animations, art work, and arenas they've already completed. Simply stunning.

And speaking of artwork, the team was also introduced via a letter handed out at the meeting from our creative team in Los Angeles headed up by professional writer and pro wrestling know-it-all, Alek Talevich. Alek has assembled a small team of artists who will be contributing character designs to the game. We got a sneak peak at a bad-ass Lucha drawn up by an extraordinary artist named Jessica Schreiber. Her work is a sign of great things to come and you will all get to see it on the new WGU site, I promise.

Some other issues regarding which indie feds and wrestlers are already involved in the game were discussed and the guys seemed genuinely impressed with the people we've been talking to. However, if you think you can just walk up to one of the WGU guys and ask him about it you're out of luck. Everyone at the meeting signed a non-disclosure agreement which essentially prevents them from heading over to the message boards and spilling their guts. Such agreements are standard practice and one of their purposes is to keep such tentative deals confidential until the contracts are signed. Trust me, you wouldn't want us to blow some of the deals we're working on.

All in all, it was an informative and encouraging meeting. Bottom line...

Wrestling Gamers United=Full Steam Ahead.

2) Interviews.
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Two interviews were conducted with the WGU this week for two different websites. Some good questions were asked by the interviewers and I'm sure WGU fans will want to check out the answers to questions about such things as create-an-entrance. Both websites tell me they will have the interviews posted sometime within the next week.

The first website to get an interview is also one of the first ever fan sites created solely to follow the WGU project. Check it out at...

http://www.WrestlingGamesUnited.com

The second interview was conducted with John Olken of WGcentral who also asked some good questions about our project and the wrestling game industry in general.

http://www.WGCentral.com

Both of the guys running these sites are genuinely concerned with the future of wrestling games are are 100% behind the WGU project. Please show them your support by visiting their sites.

3) Thank you
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Without a doubt, the biggest thank you this week goes out to the guys and girls on the WGU teams in Los Angeles and Vancouver. Some of the guys at the meeting drove over two hours from out of town to attend. They were all up to the task of creating this game for us and genuinely excited about the opportunity to prove themselves and earn the respect of the gamers around the world. I can't state strongly enough how happy I am to have found such a great bunch of guys to bring this baby to life. If anyone deserves to get stinking rich and famous from this project, they will.

The same goes for the Alek's team in L.A. which includes the obviously talented Jessica Schreiber who's initial designs have me grinning ear to ear.

A million thanks to all of you.

Let's make a game.

In the meantime and in between time, that's it. Another edition of Wrestling Gamers United.

Thanks for your time and support,

Dave W.
Dave@WrestlingGamersUnited.com
ICQ# 140047363