The Evolution (?) of WWE Games Moves Animations

[Andy Badwool]

One week from the next gen release of WWE 2K15, let's take a look at how moves and animations have evolved (?) through the WWE Games series...

After comparing the character models with last week's video, we now look at the animation of several finishers / signature moves.

 

 

Moves included in the video:
- Eddie Guerrero: Frog Splash
- Lita: Moonsault
- Edge: Spear
- Shawn Michaels: Sweet Chin Music
- Rey Mysterio: 619
- Rob Van Dam: Rolling Thunder
- Chris Jericho: Lionsault
- JBL: Clothesline From Hell
- JBL: JBL Powerbomb
- Goldberg: Spear
- Undertaker: The Last Ride Powerbomb
- Hulk Hogan: Atomic Leg Drop
- The Rock Punches
- The Rock: Sharpshooter
- The Rock: Rock Bottom
- The Rock: Spinebuster
- The Rock: The People's Elbow

Games included in the video:
- WWE SmackDown! Here Comes The Pain
- WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw
- WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007
- WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009
- WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011
- WWE '12
- WWE '13
- WWE 2K14
- WWE 2K15

 

Special thanks to:

- AurochSpirit for the SVR 2007 Finishers clips

- Nic Virtue for The Rock's SD! vs. Raw clips

- Smacktalks for the WWE 2K15 Rolling Thunder clip

[OverTheEdge]

While a lot of those comparisons are great, I can't help but feel a good handful of them aren't entirely fair. For ones such as Lita's Moonsault and Bradshaw's Powerbomb, etc., it's comparing an animation specifically made for that person's version of the move to a generic one, that had already existed, being put in its place--that's not really any secret. Granted, them being too lazy to include a proper version of whatever move doesn't mean it shouldn't count, but when there are so many good comparisons to be made, it kind of cheapens the argument to take such easy shots like those.

 

Still, that was a fun video and great concept to put together. One on entrances would sure be interesting.

[huh]

it seems like you purposely chose the moves that look worse now than in previous games

Edited November 13, 2014 by godflow

[BrotchMrToast]

Honestly, to me, The Last Ride, Edge's and Goldberg's spear all look better in the current games. Of course, that's just my opinion.

Good video otherwise.

[Andy Badwool]

Granted, them being too lazy to include a proper version of whatever move doesn't mean it shouldn't count.

 

Yeah exactly, it should still count.

 

Thanks for your comment!

 

it seems like you purposely chose the moves that look worse now than in previous games

 

I'll give you a cookie if you can find one that looks better now than in previous games xD

[BrotchMrToast]

it seems like you purposely chose the moves that look worse now than in previous games

I'll give you a cookie if you can find one that looks better now than in previous games xD

Are we solely talking about Finishers? If so: Chokeslam, RKO, Stunner (2k15), FU

Just to name a few

[OverTheEdge]

 

 

it seems like you purposely chose the moves that look worse now than in previous games

I'll give you a cookie if you can find one that looks better now than in previous games xD

Are we solely talking about Finishers? If so: Chokeslam, RKO, Stunner (2k15), FU

Just to name a few

 

 

To add to your list:  Edge's Spear and Downward Spiral--if not nearly all of his moves, the Tombstone, Big Show's Chokeslam, GTS, Mandible Claw, Double Arm DDT, Orton's Backbreaker, Nash's Jackknife, Attitude Adjustment, Trouble in Paradise, World's Strongest Slam, Swagger's Ankle Lock, the Money Shot, Impaler DDT, and the list goes on.

 

I suppose it all comes down to personal opinion, but if you are making these trying to push the agenda that all old animations are better while all of the new ones suck after all--which I can't help but think after that last post you made--then that bias shows even more with the selected moves shown.

[fufu ÷]

For every good move they added, they also added a bad one. It's always been the way. The one thing a lot of the newer animations lack is impact, which is something all the older ones had plenty of.

[Andy Badwool]

 

 

 

it seems like you purposely chose the moves that look worse now than in previous games

I'll give you a cookie if you can find one that looks better now than in previous games xD

Are we solely talking about Finishers? If so: Chokeslam, RKO, Stunner (2k15), FU

Just to name a few

 

 

To add to your list:  Edge's Spear and Downward Spiral--if not nearly all of his moves, the Tombstone, Big Show's Chokeslam, GTS, Mandible Claw, Double Arm DDT, Orton's Backbreaker, Nash's Jackknife, Attitude Adjustment, Trouble in Paradise, World's Strongest Slam, Swagger's Ankle Lock, the Money Shot, Impaler DDT, and the list goes on.

 

I suppose it all comes down to personal opinion, but if you are making these trying to push the agenda that all old animations are better while all of the new ones suck after all--which I can't help but think after that last post you made--then that bias shows even more with the selected moves shown.

 

 

Yeah the moves you mentioned might have slightly improved compared to the old ones but, with the exception of the Trouble In Paradise (which took them 5 years to fix, anyway) none of those looked particularly bad in their older version either.

 

For example the F-U had several versions through the years, all good looking.

Can't say about the 2K15 Stunner as this video was in development before 2K15 released and I didn't get a chance to see it, but either way, the Stunner always looked good throughout the series.

Same goes for the rest. They were just animated differently but not necessarily worse.

 

While... The change for the worse in the moves shown in the video is apperent, lacking character personality, proper animation design (for the no-warping/running moves) or lacking the moves all-together as it's the case for Hogan, Lita, etc.

 

PS: You can't really count Swagger's Ankle Lock unless you consider an improvement a proper Ankle Lock re-introduced (arguably still looking worse than the old SVR games) instead of the Michael Cole one they gave him one year...

 

Anyways, no need to pick apart the video, yes, the moves were picked to show how some of the most characteristic and popular moves were butchered for no apparent reason... And the no-warping + breaking moves system is not a justification, as they could still implement accurate running animation for the People's Elbow, the 619, etc. with a bit of effort - they're not locked to use the default one.

Edited November 13, 2014 by Andy Badwool

[OverTheEdge]

Oh, I wasn't at all trying to pick apart the video. Sorry if it came across that way. Like I said before, and still stand by, it's definitely a fun concept and quite nicely put together. No knock on you or what you did there at all, just a difference of opinion when it comes to the actual comparison of the moves.

[FrickinAwesome]

For every good move they added, they also added a bad one. It's always been the way. The one thing a lot of the newer animations lack is impact, which is something all the older ones had plenty of.

That, I believe, is because of the extreme safety precautions they take during Mo-capping. It still irritates the shit out of me that two years in a row, they added a knee drop that didn't connect with the opponent at all. Talk about making it too realistic.

[the King Lives]

@AndyBadwool it's funny you mention the old trouble in paradise cause for some reason I actually like the one with the kick. It just worked well with cole's commentary: gut kick (cole: "kofi!") tip (cole: "TROUBLE-IN-PARADISE!")

If u use the one w/o the gut kick, cole says nothing lol

[Andy Badwool]

@AndyBadwool it's funny you mention the old trouble in paradise cause for some reason I actually like the one with the kick. It just worked well with cole's commentary: gut kick (cole: "kofi!") tip (cole: "TROUBLE-IN-PARADISE!")

If u use the one w/o the gut kick, cole says nothing lol

 

Lol. SVR2011 commentary was epic. "DOLPH!" - "TRIPLE H! Goes behind!" lol

[the King Lives]

 

@AndyBadwool it's funny you mention the old trouble in paradise cause for some reason I actually like the one with the kick. It just worked well with cole's commentary: gut kick (cole: "kofi!") tip (cole: "TROUBLE-IN-PARADISE!")

If u use the one w/o the gut kick, cole says nothing lol

 

Lol. SVR2011 commentary was epic. "DOLPH!" - "TRIPLE H! Goes behind!" lol

 

my memories of the SVR11 commentary is overshadowed by the repetitive "Smoke and Mirrors V1" Theme playing over and over in the menus LOL It made me so glad when his gimmick changed to the undashing version LOL