TBCB Update 2/25

[Jim Trunzo]

Hello, everyone,

Okay, let's see what my addled brain can remember and hopefully address:

1. A Nintendo/X-Box type product is, for the time being, out of the question. There are numerous reasons why, of course, but I won't go into them. We would LOVE to have the final product mass-marketed but it's not going to happen in the foreseeable future. A year or so ago, we worked with EA on their boxing game as consultants. They only care about graphics, action, joystick jockeys, etc. Stats and realism are of minor importance. If you can handle the buttons well enough, for example, I've seen Butterbean beat Ali. Not our thing.

2. We need your imput on whether or not to keep the betting module. It doesn't seem to fit and it's not that much fun because it can be exploited. However, we want to give you what you want. You changed our minds on including the Fight Card in the sim as well as the role-playing so we though that we would sound you out on this as well. Our feeling is that has nothing to do with a straight fight simulation and that, as a manager in the role-playing, you really shouldn't be involved with betting. Your call, however. There will be a poll attached on this matter.

3. The simulation itself is coming along beautifully. Here are some of the statistics that will now be tracked and listed on the individual fighter records as well as in "Top Ten" lists: consecutive wins; consecutive losses; successful title defenses; current ranking or rankings (if in multiple organizations), average punches thrown per fight (this will also be kept during the fight on a per round/cumulative basis); stoppages against; a breakdown of knockouts by rounds (i.e. First Rd: 4 Second Rd: 3); Jabs/Power punches; record in last 10 bouts as well as overall.

4. The Fight Card like the Autoscheduler will feature an option to set up bouts at random via the computer and according to your parameters.

On a different note:

Any scepticism mentioned on these boards is understandable and not taken personally. Tom and I know why things have happened the way they did in the past, and we realize that past problems have created a "wait and see" attitude among some of you. We are just thankful that you are giving us another chance to do things right, now that we have a strong team behind us. This is our last and best chance and will be our last and best effort. If things go well, we will continue to tweak the game, add new features, etc. If not, well . . . no negative thoughts. This is going to be the game we've always wanted it to be and that boxing fans deserve.

Let's see, anything else?

Oh, the Tournament Module will allow you to select whether or not you wish it to be a Single Elimination or Double Elimination tourney!

Okay, that's it for now!

[Jim Trunzo]

If I've neglected to touch on anything that you've previously asked, please let me know and I'll attend to it immediately. My apologies for my disorientation. I'm getting old and so I write everything down . . . and then lose my notes! LOL

[Bee]

Would the betting be optional? If anything I think it should only be in the role-playing part of the game, but maybe make it an option that can be turned on and off? Just a thought.

Oh BTW, I had a question about the size of the "universe" in the role-playing part of the game (how many boxers in each division, etc?). If you get a chance, could you give us an idea of the size? Thanks.

[Jim Trunzo]

Sure, there will be a minimum of 50 fictitional fighters in each division and usually more. Also, each "year" new fighters will become available, others will quit fighting due to age or injury, etc. You'll also have all the actual fighters at your disposal, so conceivably you could negotiate with a Lennox Lewis or Oscar de la Hoya, etc.

[Bee]

Will there be a way to control the number of minimum fighters in the divisions? For example, if I want to keep at least 100 boxers in the heavy weight division will that be possible?

[Jim Trunzo]

Frankly, I'm not sure yet. We really won't know until we play-test. My assumption is that "yes, you will be". The program should be able to simply generate the "minimum" number.

[wildhawke11]

Hello Jim
Now were talking Jim, this one is starting to sound like a Class Act, ummm now Danny please not to much rooting for Jim Boy. Play it like you always have before, and keep him on his toes :-)

To be serious, Jim unlike Title Fight 2001 when you had only a limited market here.
Due to a lot having played your last Boxing Game, i see
many more sales for the new Game, as a lot of Fans and Groups have now sprung up due to the Title Fight Game.

Also as i said before Jim, we who love Boxing go to other sites and i am sure will plug the new Game, even more so then Title Fight 2001.
Your Spot on Jim about not going for the more arcade Playstations and such. WISE MOVE i feel.

In regard to tweaking the game, great idea, maybe a small cost would be the order of the day for a major improvement.
I am sure the real boxing fans would have no objection to this, and a few more $$$$$$ for the Company to show for there efforts.

One last thing please, with Title Fight you also produced an add on archive2 disk.
Will this again happen or will most of the old timers be in the main game.
Thank you Jim and 400s
Danny

[Joe Canadian]

Regarding the betting module, I'd like to see it in the role-playing section... but as an optional feature, I'd want the ability to turn it off. As I have not played past versions of Title Fight I'm not sure how it would fit in the game, but I'd like it there so I could make that decsion. After playing it for a year I may come to the conclusion that it should be taken out completely.

Jim I'd also like to know about the following... Previously you said that as "years" go by new fighters will be added and taken away in the roleplaying part of the game. Will this work for real fighters?

For example, can I start in 1950 with only fighters from that era(and some fictional fighters). And as I move on will older fighters retire, and new fighters come in as they have in real life (ie. Tyson breaking onto the seen in the 80's). While not completely necessary, as I probably will do most of my roleplaying from present to future, I would like the option to play past to present to future in the roleplaying part of TDCB.

[Bee]

Originally posted by Jim Trunzo
Frankly, I'm not sure yet. We really won't know until we play-test. My assumption is that "yes, you will be". The program should be able to simply generate the "minimum" number.

I hope it makes it in. I think it's important for people to have some control over the size of the "universe". Some people will want a smaller group of fighters to speed up the sim, while others (like me ) want a lot of fighters to have a variety of fighting styles and skill levels to challenge your fighters even if it slows the game down.

[Bee]

Originally posted by Joe Canadian

Jim I'd also like to know about the following... Previously you said that as "years" go by new fighters will be added and taken away in the roleplaying part of the game. Will this work for real fighters?

For example, can I start in 1950 with only fighters from that era(and some fictional fighters). And as I move on will older fighters retire, and new fighters come in as they have in real life (ie. Tyson breaking onto the seen in the 80's). While not completely necessary, as I probably will do most of my roleplaying from present to future, I would like the option to play past to present to future in the roleplaying part of TDCB.

That would be great. I wonder if there will be an editor to add user created fighters to the role-playing part of the game as you go along as well? That way if a historic fighter I want included is missing, I could add them in myself (to the role-playing module).

[Pretecf]

Cannot resist explaining why I am against the betting option.

Number 1, I do not believe that those who are close to the action in a sport should be allowed to bet on it.

Number 2, it does provide an easy way to gather funds. I, for one, am too tempted to take the easy path. Yes, I save right after major battles in my adventure games so that I can start after the battle if I die later.

Number 3, I do not believe that it helps to sell the game!!! I do not want you to devote time to making portions of the game that do not add to sales. Use this alleviation of effort to release a few days (weeks?) earlier, or, if you must, improve some other portion of the simulation, or, take a break and alleviate some of the disorientation, hehe.

So, I cast a no vote, although I see that the early votes are VERY close.

[estone57]

I agree with pretecf, not being a boxing gambler I never played much with the betting. But something I did like were the odds. Even though I never bet I always want to know what the "Experts" think.Something like 7-2 wow I thought that fight would be even! I thought it added a touch of realism to the game.Also Jim, when can we see some eye candy??? Not trying to rush the game but a screenshot would be great.


ED

[Jim Trunzo]

I would love to post some screen shots but Andreas decided to go another way with his programming. Instead of building detailed screens first, he's compiling and adding all the programming lines to the sim and THEN worrying about the graphics. We sent him some rough mock-ups and thought that we would post them but he felt that they might be misleading and ask us to hold off on doing so. Right now, to the best of my understanding, he has a blank screen with a single button that says "Fight". After that, everything is text.

PS I'm getting antsy too!

[Pretecf]

Hmmm, I see that Jim and Tom are no longer in control!

There is one little problem that comes when you add talented staff.

They tend to have their own brain, what can you do?

You might put up a counter on the screenshot page. I know that I have popped into it at least twice a day for the last few weeks. Then, at least, you could throw the number at Andreas and ask if he could not spend just a little time putting together one screen for us!

Hehe, guess you expected that the extra talent would make things go quicker and smoother, eh?

[Pretecf]

Oh wait, one last thought. I suggest that on the bottom of the screenshot page you indicate the truth. How about something like...

Tom and I listed screenshots as an important priority. However, Andreas has altered the priority list at this time. If you are happy with this decision, please continue being patient. We are certain that you will be rewarded. If you are unhappy with this decision, please bring this to Andreas attention at Andreasdoesnotcare.com or reach him at his home phone outside normal work hours (to avoid even further delays) at 1-800-Andreas. {Obviously replacing the email address and telephone number with correct ones might provide just the proper amount of incentive}

Just trying to provide some motivational ideas.

[Cap]

Thanks for the info, Jim. Not much else to say. We sit and wait and hope that a completed bug-free sim is not too far off. Being as Andreas is in Germany, I guess idle threats would be wasted.

I realize the graphics aren't ready yet (started yet?), but is the text portion nearly completed? Half-way finished? One third done?

(Maybe you shouldn't give us any update unless it's a major one.)


Cap

[RANGER11JP]

Speaking of Eye Candy, since we can add the mugs of the fighters, maybe we can have a spot for some ring girls to pop up between rounds!!!

Also, I hope there is a way to unretire boxers that do decide to retire or even a possibility of the game doing it on it's own.

Keep punching away Jim and Tom!

JP

Originally posted by Jim Trunzo
I would love to post some screen shots but Andreas decided to go another way with his programming. Instead of building detailed screens first, he's compiling and adding all the programming lines to the sim and THEN worrying about the graphics. We sent him some rough mock-ups and thought that we would post them but he felt that they might be misleading and ask us to hold off on doing so. Right now, to the best of my understanding, he has a blank screen with a single button that says "Fight". After that, everything is text.

PS I'm getting antsy too!

[Jim Trunzo]

Ah, thanks for the input but Andreas is an outstanding programmer and knows the best approach to these things. His objection to our preliminary concepts were that they could be so far from the final presentation that they might be misleading. We are thrilled to have him as the lead. We design; he programs. His goal is to finish this as quickly as possible, as effectively as possible and as professionally as possible. We have complete faith in his decisions. I believe that it will be worth the wait to see what he and, Aurelio, the graphic artist come up with. It shouldn't be much longer! Hang in! When I said that we were getting antsy, I only meant that we were dying with anticipation as well and didn't mean to imply any disagreement.

[Cap]

Glad to hear you are happy with Andreas. If I sound impatient, it's only because I've been waiting for TBCB, or something like it, for a very long, long time. When you announced that you had signed on with a major player like .400SS, we were almost as thrilled as you were.

Baseball season's just around the corner, so we'll have something to distract us. I'll be playing out my season with that old relic "Old Time Baseball".

Cap

[Hootowl 9]

Originally posted by Bee
I hope it makes it in. I think it's important for people to have some control over the size of the "universe". Some people will want a smaller group of fighters to speed up the sim, while others (like me ) want a lot of fighters to have a variety of fighting styles and skill levels to challenge your fighters even if it slows the game down.

Like Bee, I want alot of fighters,even at the expense of the game being a bit slower. I have alot of old fighter cards from the Title Bout board game I would like to add. I love the thought of a guy like Primo Carnera or Bob Satterfield, or Jurgin Blin getting in that lucky punch vs the likes of a Tyson or Sonny Liston.
Ahhhh,...maybe "Two Ton" Tony Galento can be a champ after all...hehe