"Wrestling is an art form. I don't worry about those who don't get it;
I worry about satisfying those who do."
- Paul Heyman

From day one, there's always been 2 sides to my wrestling work. As entertaining as the career aspects may be, they're only ever a prelude to the inevitable management game! Federation Wrestling evolved into Federation Booker, Wrestling MPire paved the way for Booking MPire, and now Wrestling Encore must pass the torch to Booking Encore. A legacy of clumsy game titles aside, this process can always be relied upon to take a concept to the next level - so get ready for a wrestling experience that might just steal the title from its all-conquering predecessor...

In The Pipeline
The game has practically caught up with Booking MPire already. Another feature which is unique to this half of the series - the production process - has been successfully implemented. It's the same old system from the previous game, which offers 15 show enhancements for you to work on (and then pay for) with each passing week. It's the same old selection too - ranging from bureaucratic money savers to visible arena enhancements. I feel lazy saying that, but there's a definite "if it ain't broke don't fix it" philosophy going on with this remake - and I'm not going to reinvent the wheel just for the sake of it! There are one or two tiny adjustments though. The business productions, for instance, now cost $100 per head - instead of one inexplicable lump sum that may not be in tune with the size of your roster. Some of the effects have been made clearer and more significant too. The screen also enjoys slightly improved presentation. The price now sits neatly beneath each production's name tag, instead of awkwardly sitting over the top of the picture. What you have and haven't built is also clearer at a glance, as a subtle red or green outline accompanies the icon...

Enemy Lines
Speaking of presentation, another little adjustment is that you can now view the relationships of your wrestlers at the selection screen. By simply holding down the TAB key, the game will plot a pink line towards friends and an orange one towards enemies - leaving you in no doubt as to who your characters are currently involved with! It's handy for making sure the right elements are in place for hot matches and meaningful storylines. The "Title Histories" have also made a welcome return to the database - logging each new world title reign, complete with the holder and date for you to look back on...

War Of Words
Although you have more assistance when it comes to storylines, you may not need it because the promos are nowhere near as fussy as they used to be. Instead of stressing about whether each character is in the right situation, you're now free to perform most storylines without being criticised for bad logic. Apart from glaringly obvious things like claiming to be a champion when they're not, the game will assume that you know what you're doing and will let you get on with the show. There are plenty of new ones to help you do it too. A particularly handy one involves a rule summary from the perspective of the wrestlers - where they argue about the stipulations of the match! It's just a glorified way of reminding yourself what you've already set up, but it's good to see the wrestlers talking accurately about the match at hand...

Meet Your Match
The wrestlers have got a lot to say backstage too. After each match, any significant occurrences might be brought up in special post-match meetings - such as feuding or teaming based on an interference, or turning Face/Heel based on the way they wrestled. It's handy for setting up angles automatically without the need for promos or manipulation. Hundreds of general meetings have also been piling in with each passing day - ranging from updated classics to brand new ideas. One key change for this version is that you can now have multiple encounters each week. Instead of giving you one preset wrestler to speak to, the game scans the whole roster and grants a meeting to anybody that requires one. The result is that you end up speaking to a nice handful of employees each night, and can exercise much more control over your roster...

Courting Controversy
One "meeting" you don't want to be having too often is that with a judge! Yes, the court cases from Popscene and Popcorn have finally turned up in a wrestling game. They didn't quite suit the solo nature of Wrestling Encore, but there are plenty of disputes in a booker's life. Among the many possibilities are the hiring and firing of employees, compensating for injuries, and even accusations of drug-pushing when you prescribe steroids and painkillers! But beneath those wrestling-based arguments, it's the same old process from the Popscene series - whereby each character makes their case before the judge randomly delivers a verdict. It's a welcome break from the demands of booking though, and adds plenty of spice to your schedule (not to mention an extra chance to rest your roster)...

Attack Of The Tacks
Since Booking Encore lifts features from practically every game that came before it, its progress was always going to be somewhat predictable. However, it has managed to throw a few last-minute curveballs - one of which is the introduction of thumbtacks as a weapon! If the "Canadian Destroyer" was the most requested move, then this was the most requested gimmick - and now both are present and correct. Fans of the 2D series will be interested to know that the feature is surprisingly similar to what we had in those games. A mess of tacks spill out whenever the item is on the floor, and then they're instantly scooped up into a tight bag once taken in hand. I had assumed that illusion was too hard to implement in 3D, but I took a shot and managed to create and program the entire thing within an hour! The only bad news is that the feature is too deeply implemented to be thrown back to Wrestling Encore. It would involve replacing all 17 character models, which would be more like re-releasing the entire game than uploading a patch...

Let's Get Ready To Stumble
One breakthrough that will be available for Wrestling Encore is the addition of "stumbling" variations of the falling animations. Instead of falling flat on their face or back, a wrestler may now drop onto one knee and then quickly get back up again. That may not sound like much, but it's great news for those that are weary of the constant falling over. Now it only happens half the time! The rest of the time, the wrestlers are soon back on their feet and ready for action (albeit in a tired state). It factors into practically every area of the game - not least move failures, which are more unpredictable than ever now that either wrestler could be back on their feet. All in all, it's done wonders for the game balancing and produces plenty of back-and-forth action...

The Greatest Show On Earth
In other news, a great "Reverse Suplex" is the final chapter in the recent barrage of new moves. I've never really liked that move, but it enjoys a satisfyingly realistic animation in this game - and looks especially good falling onto an item! Now that the game has taken such solid shape, I've finally been able to play it as much as I'm making it - and my findings are very positive. I always forget how superior these booking instalments can be, but there's no doubt that this really is better than Wrestling Encore. The improved in-ring possibilities and enhanced artificial intelligence has made the matches a joy to play (instead of the chore that they could be in Booking MPire). Entertaining matches are just waiting to unfold for any booker that takes a shred of interest in the proceedings, and the results of your hard work are played out perfectly in the match analysis and news reports. All the fun of booking without the headache-inducing paperwork! Look out for a March release and then you can kiss the rest of 2006 goodbye...

Show Me The Money
Although the game continues to make great progress, I'm afraid it's in bureaucratic ways that don't exactly lend themselves to screenshots! Following on from the improved nightly ratings, there's now a modified financial report to go with it. It's the same old cocktail of "Gate Receipts" and "Merchandise Sales" set against "Salaries" and "Production Costs", but the improved presentation from Wrestling Encore makes it all much easier to appreciate...

The People's Champion
The attendance that produces that income has also been implemented. Each night you construct your ideal arena, before a little cut-scene reveals how many people have turned up. Same old story from Booking MPire, but the process does seem a lot smoother this time - complete with improved camera work and presentation. The introduction of hall venues has also changed things a little. Instead of seeing the same 3-layer crowd at every show, the attendance figure is now used to trim it down to just 1 or 2 layers. That ensures there's a noticeable difference between playing to hundreds of people and the 5'000 capacity that a hall has. The hall settings are also used to mark a difference between TV shows and PPV's. To make the major events feel as special as they are, they're now the only times that you're allowed to break out a stadium setting - while having to make do with various halls throughout the month...

Best Of The Best
As you'd expect, the above attendances are governed by how popular your product is - and nowhere is that more obvious than in the weekly TV ratings! Far from a statistical gimmick, it's actually the aim of the game to become (and remain) the number one TV show on the air. And, as in real life, it's not just wrestling that's vying for the top spot. Whereas the original game had just 10 preset shows drifting up and down the list, this version follows in Popcorn's footsteps with 20 shows evolving behind the scenes - only 10 of which make it onto the weekly list. That makes it a little more realistic as shows appear and disappear from the list (including your own!). The feature is also accompanied by the chart icons that Popscene and co introduced - which, combined with the improved presentation of all other charts, makes for a very welcome part of the game...

Headline Acts
After being reminded of where all the shows stand, you're then taken into the same old news reports from Wrestling Encore to find out what else is happening. It may look and feel the same, but days on end had to be spent tearing out the events and adjusting them for the perspective of a booker! A by-product of that is that there are much such events in this version. The managerial games are what this feature was designed for, and you'll appreciate that when every little detail about your wrestlers' lives is reported for your consideration. You can also find plenty of warnings and advice about the way you're running your business...

Sale Of The Century
As surely as the news events needed to be turned around, the contract negotiations have had to receive similar treatment. As the booker, you're now trying to acquire talent for the lowest price instead trying to negotiate the highest pay cheque for yourself! Wrestling Encore's various advancements remain intact though, such as the option to pay in one lump sum instead on a weekly basis (or a combination of the two). There's better AI on the computer's side of the negotiations too, which makes things much tougher for a hustler! The characters now remember whether or not you've approached them that week, and they won't respond kindly to being dragged into negotiations again. The selling side of things has also made a return to this game. As before, you can unload any unwanted wrestlers by offering them to rival promotions or releasing them back to the independent circuit. Rivals promotions can even approach you to acquire a particularly valuable wrestler - at which point the meeting becomes a game in itself, as you see how far you can make them jack up the price before they lose their patience!

New Tricks For Old Dogs
To relieve the boredom of constantly programming booking features, I've taken to drawing up some brand new moves every now and then - most of which are the more unique and powerful manoeuvres that I didn't have time to make during Wrestling Encore's production! It all kicked off with the most requested of them all - the Canadian Destroyer popularized by Petey Williams on the independent circuit. It's such a welcome addition to the list of finishers that I even uploaded a video clip of the animation to satisfy your curiosity until you see it in action! We've also seen the addition of an equally impressive Pump Handle Slam, which can even be used to drop an opponent out of the ring. Meanwhile, the more agile wrestlers can make use of a decent Michinoku Driver and a more energetic Tornado DTT...

Out Of The Closet
And it's not just new moves that Booking Encore promises to contribute to the series. Subscribers to the mailing list will be well aware that I'm in the process of churning out an official game for 1PW - the British affiliate of NWA-TNA, which has access to all manner of major names from legends like Bret Hart and Jeff Jarrett to the hottest newcomers such as AJ Styles and Low Ki. Plenty of new and improved costumes are being drawn up accordingly - ranging from D'Lo Brown's new red & yellow leotard to the Blue Meanie's unique fashion sense! Most of which should have been tossed into Booking Encore's wardrobe by the time it's released. While honing my musical skills, I also came across a handful of new theme tunes that are worth using too - so look our for plenty of new content in the finished game. And before the complaints fly in, yes it will all be made available for Wrestling Encore owners in the form of a patch...

When World's Collide
Speaking of other promotions, one of Booking Encore's most exciting developments is the return of  inter-promotional contests! As you may know, they're a different experience when it comes to the booking game. Instead playing your one insignificant match, you now preside over a whole card of  "Champion Vs Champion" matches - followed by an optional 4-on-4 war if your computer's up to it! It's always difficult to squeeze such novelty events into the game, but the process is smoother than ever this time and has been tested to perfection. One minor change that will be welcomed by many is that you can assume control any wrestler on your team by using the TAB key. So, although you're the booker stood at ringside by default, you can always play the match directly if that's what you'd prefer. You might need to if you want to win, because the effects of inter-promotional matches are more keenly felt than ever before! As the post-match reports point out, each win boosts your promotion's popularity while damaging that of your rival...

And Finally...
Other miscellaneous nuggets of progress include the fact that promos have been re-implemented in terms of booking - with greater effects on allegiance and relationships (not to mention entertainment!). You'll be pleased to know that the categorized selection has returned too, so that inflated 80+ selection should be easier to browse. And speaking of entertainment, the match analysis continues to be perfected. A new twist in this game is that "Chemistry" only applies when a Face and Heel are actually focused on each other - so you can't take it for granted quite so often. A similar thing applies with "Heat" too, so you have to make sure that rivals spend more time with each other in busy matches. All in all, everything is looking and working better than ever before - so it's definitely going to be a good 2006 for fans of the original game!

Mother Booker
Making these management games is easy compared to thinking up names for them! Leave "wrestling" in the title and you risk confusing people that have the original game. Start talking about "booking" and you confuse all but the most savvy of wrestling fans (hence the dubious write-up's I receive at sites like Download.com). But book we must, because changing it to anything else would be like changing the name of Rocky VI (even though they have?!). So allow me to confirm the title you were using before Wrestling Encore was even released. Now that the the logo is in place, the project is official and can finally proceed under its own identity...

Playing God
Of course, all that really matters is the gameplay - and that's where this game is on much surer ground. The wrestling engine has already been tried & tested in Wrestling Encore, so fans of that instalment have nothing to fear. However, there are some minor adjustments on the agenda. The whole point of these booking games is that you stop being a competitor and become an omnipotent force that steers the matches to a satisfactory conclusion. The best tool at your disposal is that TAB key that allows you to assume control of any character that isn't pulling their weight, and you'll be pleased to know that the system is already better than ever. The process is now accompanied by an overhead label that points out who you've taken control of, which obviously keeps confusion to a minimum and allows you to concentrate on playing the match...

Seeing Stars
The most significant difference between this and the wrestling instalment is that the matches are now analysed in terms of "entertainment". As a booker, you must put the right wrestlers in the right environment - and make them perform an exciting match - in order to extract the highest possible score. Fans of my previous booking games will be pleased to see that the display has remained intact (if it ain't broke...), but plenty of fine-tuning has taken place behind the scenes to make sure it functions more accurately than ever. For the uninitiated, matches in my world are a cocktail of "Potential" (the average popularity of the participants), "Heat" (whether or not there's animosity between opponents), "Chemistry" (whether the good vs evil dynamic is present), and "Closeness" (whether or not the match is being evenly fought). It's through that gauntlet of factors that the in-ring action is filtered. Every move, attack, and development chalks up more points for the match - up until the audience grows restless and starts praying for a conclusion! And you'll know when that's the case, because the crowd are more vocal than ever - complete with a volume and tone that's precisely linked to what they see in the ring...

Critical Acclaim
As you'd expect, the new and improved aftermath screen has provided the perfect place to report that final verdict. The entertainment and content ratings have now been slipped into the magazine's opening paragraph, which even comments on the match's qualities as best it can ("Steve Austin emerged victorious in a disappointing match"). Those hoping for the kind of verbose analysis that we saw in Popscene and Popcorn will have to make do with that, because an unpredictable wrestling match isn't quite so easy to describe! Plus, there are too many other details to acknowledge on this screen - such as the effect the match has had on each wrestler's profile. Naturally, there are more such incidents in the booking game than any other. In addition to status and injuries, we also find out whether the workers were happy with the repercussions of the outcome. If not, you may be dismayed to find that they've stormed out of the arena!

The Show Stealer
The improved presentation continues right through until the end of the show. In previous games, we had to make do with a quick reminder of the show's overall qualities on a cluttered finance screen. Now a whole other magazine page is dedicated to listing each match that took place, which results in a more coherent verdict. The effect that has on your promotion's status is then clearly broken down, before you proceed to the separate finance screen. You can even bring up a quick version of the page at the calendar screen if you'd like to be reminded of what has taken place so far! That's the good news. The bad news, as far as some of you are concerned, is that you no longer know what rating you're heading for until the moment of truth. This prevents players from obsessing about sculpting the perfect score, and makes things more unpredictable. On the flipside, that does make the revealing moment a little more exciting...

Paper Trail
Yet another presentation improvement is that those nightly ratings are clear to see on your calendar's history. Instead of a win or loss icon (which is irrelevant now), your legacy is a mini version of the rating stars. The icing on the cake is that these values are even used to plot a cool little chart! It weaves from one rating to the next, and leaves you with a graphical indicator of how consistent your shows have been...

Command & Conquer
In order to help you get your managerial work done, the standard options have doubled since the wrestling game. Instead of playing one preset match, there are up to 8 of them to construct and perform as you wish (much like a series of Exhibitions). Instead of customizing and training your star character, you have access to the whole roster so that you can sculpt them into the perfect cast for your show. Meanwhile, all the "studying" options remain intact - allowing you to scout new talent and keep tabs on your own. In fact, the booking games allow you to watch "video footage" of such wrestlers (which is a glorified CPU match that has no consequences)! When the time comes, you'll then be able to use that information to decide who to buy and who to sell... 

The Saga Continues
In just 2 weeks, Booking Encore has already shown that it's up to the challenge of taking the concept in some exciting new directions. There are still months left for the game to bring its improved presentation and gameplay to the remaining features. The promotion's finances are sure to be clearer than ever thanks to Wrestling Encore's improved display. The contract negotiations are guaranteed to be smoother and more sophisticated than ever. Meanwhile, the selection of meetings and news events is set to expand in both quantity and quality - giving your career more twists and turns than ever. And that's just the dog work of bringing the game up to speed with Booking MPire! Once the game reaches that level, it'll be free to forge its own identity with brand new features...