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Newsletter 50
Welcome to the Wrestling Gamers United newsletter #50
In this issue
1) $1,000 dollars poorer
2) Which fan ideas are in?
3) Tirador gets a face lift
4) THQ. Trust them?
1) $1,000 dollars poorer
*************************
I don't think anyone on this mailing list has ever doubted my
commitment
to the Pro Wrestling X project but yesterday I did something that I
needed
to do in order to prove to myself that this is really for real. It's
pretty
easy to sit here and talk big like thousands of other cocky wannabes but
I've
been under increasing pressure to take care of some legal issues that
required
some cold hard cash. Sure, I've dished out a few bucks here and there
for web
hosting and donuts for production meetings but the bill I would have to
pay
to get things in order would be $1,000 bucks. Considering I gave up a
good
chunk of my income a few months back it felt like an even bigger chunk
of cash.
But I had to decide if I was truly serious about this project or just
playing
"look at me I'm a game developer!". So with a little push from my always
amazing wife I met with my lawyer, signed the cheque for $1,000, and
told him
to go ahead. No turning back now. In fact, I felt surprisingly happy and
excited afterwards--a good sign that I did the right thing.
In two weeks I'll be sending out a press release to announce the
results
of my well spent money.
2) Which fan ideas are in?
**************************
Everybody wants to know if the ideas they submitted will be in PWX.
Man,
I wish I could say they'll all be in but that would mean PWX would take
five
years to develop and who can wait that long? Obviously, even with all
the great
ideas I've seen I just can't include them all, at least not in the first
PWX.
Also, it's very unwise for us to publicize any groundbreaking features
in the
game for fear another developer will use those features before PWX is
released
and chip away at our competitive edge. So I'll tell you what I'm going
to do.
Next week I'll start divulging some of the ideas that made into the
design
document just so you can at least get an idea of what will be in. But I
won't
be talking about any of the truly innovative features until PWX is at
least
six months from its release date. I'm sure you understand the reasons
for
keeping certain features hush hush at least for now. And I'm sure you
also
understand that the only surprises will be good ones, not glitches or
missing
features.
3) Tirador get's a face lift
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If you've been on the message board lately you know that Darrell has
posted some new 3D models of Tirador. What I wanted to point out was
what
happened shortly after that truly reflects what gamers can expect from
PWX
down the road during production. After Darrell shared his initial
version
of Tirador some of you asked him if he could make a few changes to his
face.
The very next day Darrell had a new Tirador with reshaped eyes and mouth
much
to everyone's delight. How many other developers actually listen to fan
input
much less act on it by changing their models? Expect the same sort of
interaction as we continue production of animations, arenas, and more
models. And thanks to Darrell stepping up to the plate and taking the
fans
seriously. Ain't he swell?
On a related note. James, creator of the first arena as well as the
basement
concept art, has appeared on the board asking for ideas and direction as
he
works on more designs. I want to thank him for doing that and invite you
all to share your ideas with him and potentially see your arena in PWX.
My
personal favorite fan idea so far? It's got to be that Lucha ring by
Mauler.
4) THQ. Trust them?
*******************
If you've been to the THQ site lately you may have noticed a cute
little
survey they put up asking for fan input on the future of THQ wrestling
games.
Uhm, yeah. So now all of a sudden they're acting like they want our
input and
truly care about the quality of their product. Seems to me I was pretty
active
in trying to share our input on behalf of the WGU LAST FREAKIN YEAR and
all I
got was form letters for my trouble. Sure, it appears as though they're
trying
to cater a bit more to gamers like us by co-opting the WGU philosophy in
their
own weak little way and ultimately that's what we originally wanted them
to do.
But it's too little too late. Do they honestly think we'll back down
from
producing PWX and jump on the THQ bandwagon? Not bloody likely. They
weren't
do damn eager to listen their customers when we were all writing and
phoning
to ask why our No Mercy games we're mysteriously erasing themselves,
were they?
And did we ever get an answer to all the broken WMX8 promises? Not even
close.
So pardon me if I'm less than impressed by their feeble attempts at
redeeming
themselves in the eyes of gamers like us. With the exception of Sanders
Keel the
same people are still working there that lied to us and ignored us not
too long
ago.
By the way, in the off chance that THQ might be reading this I'd like
to say
something to them they need to hear...
Go ahead and do your best. I hope you honestly do something to improve
your
wrestling games and as a gamer I still have a glimmer of hope that
you'll do
the right thing. But as hardcore gamer who just happens to be in charge
of
producing Pro Wrestling X I feel the need to clue you in to a few
undisputable
truths. Because the only thing you have control over is your own games
and:
1) You can't stop us from making PWX.
2) You can't stop PWX from being a great game.
3) You can't stop word of mouth from making PWX a hit.
In the meantime and in-between time, that's it. Another edition of
Wrestling Gamers United.
Thank you all,
Dave Wishnowski
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