To assess whether Steel City Interactive (SCI) can make a realistic boxing game without major challenges, given their current team size (51–200 employees) and 71 known associates (e.g., on LinkedIn), we need a structured breakdown across the following dimensions:
🧩 1. Team Size vs. Game Complexity
⚙️ Scope of a Realistic Boxing Game
A high-fidelity boxing sim like Undisputed involves:
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Deep combat systems (punch physics, movement, stamina, defense layers)
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Advanced AI (tendencies, archetypes, ring generalship)
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High-quality animation (mocap, reaction systems, combo transitions)
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Robust networking (for PvP and ranked matches)
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Presentation fidelity (TV-style cameras, commentary, walkouts)
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Career & progression systems (dynamic events, injuries, rivalries)
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Licensing management (real fighters, brands, venues)
⚖️ Can 51–200 people deliver?
Yes, but not without significant challenges, especially in areas like:
| Department | Typical Needs | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|
| Gameplay Engineers | ~10–15 | Medium |
| AI/Systems Design | ~5–10 | High |
| Animation/Mocap | ~10–15 | High |
| Network Engineering | ~3–5 | High |
| Art (3D, VFX, UI/UX) | ~20–30 | Medium |
| QA + Balance Testing | ~10–20 | High |
| Production & PM | ~5–10 | Medium |
| Community/Publishing | ~5–10 | Low |
| Licensing/Legal | ~2–3 | Low |
So, the team size is just enough — but only if well-coordinated, with minimal turnover and tight scope management.
🚧 2. Historical Precedent
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Fight Night Champion (EA) had ~150–200+ people across multiple offices.
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SCI is punching above their weight, and has already delivered a functional early access title (Undisputed) with a strong base.
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That said, they have delayed full release multiple times — a sign of internal bottlenecks, likely in AI tuning, animation polish, or online infrastructure.
🔬 3. Key Risk Factors
| Risk Category | Risk Description | Mitigation Potential |
|---|---|---|
| AI and Physics | Realistic reactions, adaptive behavior, fatigue, etc., are hard to scale. | Needs dedicated AI team + tools |
| Animation Systems | Boxing requires layered animation graphs, blending, and per-style overrides. | Requires mocap + tech anim synergy |
| Online Play | Netcode for boxing (with tight timing) is notoriously hard. | Middleware + rollback netcode may help |
| Content Pipeline | Creating 50+ unique boxers with stats, traits, styles, and VO is intensive. | Needs procedural tools, modular design |
| Fatigue & Burnout | Small teams often crunch to meet realism goals. | Healthy project management critical |
🛠 4. What Can Help Them Succeed
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Strong Modular Tooling
Systems for AI tendencies, animation layering, trait customization, etc., to reuse logic. -
Robust Internal Editors
E.g., stat editors, punch chain creators, AI trainers — to reduce programmer workload. -
Strategic Outsourcing
Delegate VO, environment art, and cinematic polish to trusted external studios. -
Community Feedback Loops
Leverage early access players to test balance, realism, and system bugs. -
Feature Lockdown Discipline
Freeze major features and polish core loop. Avoid scope creep near full release.
✅ Conclusion
Can Steel City Interactive make a realistic boxing game without major challenges?
➤ Short Answer:
No — not without major challenges, but yes, they can succeed if they tightly manage scope, use smart tooling, and stay laser-focused on polish.
➤ Strategic Recommendation:
To sustain and scale realism:
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Prioritize animation fidelity and footwork physics.
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Invest in AI depth tools (tendencies, situational behavior).
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Limit new features and polish core gameplay loop.
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Consider partnering for backend, VO, or mocap animation cleanup.
Would you like a detailed team allocation template, hiring roadmap, or a project timeline breakdown for how SCI could scale this over 6–12 months?
You said:
ChatGPT said:
Here’s the continuation — covering a more in-depth execution strategy, hiring focus, and project lifecycle breakdown Steel City Interactive (SCI) can adopt to navigate the development of a realistic boxing game with their current team size.
📅 5. 6–12 Month Execution Strategy
Phase 1: 🔍 Feature Lock & Polish Focus (0–3 months)
| Goal | Action |
|---|---|
| Lock all gameplay mechanics | Freeze new feature development, finalize punch system, footwork, dazed/get-up, etc. |
| Animation polish pass | Clean up mocap data, fix blending issues, finalize defensive/movement layers. |
| AI overhaul | Refactor AI using modular “tendency buckets” and personality profiles. |
| Footwork realism | Integrate full locomotion states (root motion, pivots, micro-steps). |
| Online stress tests | Run PvP connection tests, apply rollback/hybrid delay-based solutions. |
🔧 Deliverables: Final punch/footwork controllers, AI system v1.0, combat polish milestone
Phase 2: 🧠 AI & Systems Scaling (3–6 months)
| Goal | Action |
|---|---|
| Hire 2–4 AI & Systems Designers | Deepen boxer behavior layers, build profile editor, tune reaction logic. |
| Develop Combo Editor tool | For chaining body shots, managing punch trees, and customizing styles. |
| Crowd & ring logic | Improve audio-reactivity, crowd emotion, cutman/coach interaction. |
| Career mode scaffolding | Create modular story node system with fight scheduling, injuries, trainers. |
| Fighter archetype bundles | Populate database with realistic presets across 6–8 boxer archetypes. |
📈 Deliverables: Designer tools for punch/AI tuning, career mode graybox, full AI/tendency profiles
Phase 3: 🏟 Presentation, Meta, and Online Readiness (6–12 months)
| Goal | Action |
|---|---|
| Broadcast polish | Add ESPN-style overlays, cinematics for walkouts, replays, decision logic. |
| Meta systems complete | Finish stat growth, gym training, rivalry arcs, negotiation screens. |
| Final boxer imports | Validate all licensed fighters’ stats, animations, and ring entrances. |
| Full online test phase | Rank match queue, desync handling, user reports, ping clustering. |
| QA + community tuning | Focused balancing sprints via open/closed beta loops. |
🎯 Deliverables: Final release candidate, full feature parity, Steam/console submission
🧑💼 6. Team Composition & Priority Hiring
🔺 Critical Roles to Fill
| Role | Why |
|---|---|
| AI/Gameplay Designer (x2–3) | To lead deeper behavior modeling (risk-reward, tempo shifts, etc.). |
| Technical Animator (x1–2) | Finalize clean blending for punch→dodge→pivot transitions. |
| Netcode Engineer (x1–2) | To maintain low-lag PvP logic and custom rollback states. |
| QA + Balance Analyst (x2–4) | Dedicated to finding edge cases in boxer tendencies and stamina tuning. |
✅ Can Be Outsourced or Contracted
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VO + commentary systems
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UI polish (menus, gym overlays)
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Ring announcers and cinematic audio FX
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Environment art (arenas, gyms, crowd)
🧱 7. Technical Systems Backbone
| System | Core Tooling Required |
|---|---|
| 🎯 PunchChainManager | Unity C# system or Unreal Blueprint/C++ combo, supports per-boxer trees |
| 🧠 AI Tendency Engine | JSON/ScriptableObject or DataTables driving behavior buckets |
| 🩺 Damage/Fatigue Engine | Dynamic stamina, health, and dazed state logic |
| 🎥 Animation Graph Layers | Footwork base layer + punch override + defense override |
| 🧩 Archetype Generator | Designer-facing dashboard to create, edit, save fighter profiles |
All of these must support modular development and non-destructive layering, especially to allow updates post-launch.
📦 8. Distribution & Post-Launch Planning
✅ Must-Have Post-Release:
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Ranked + Casual matchmaking modes
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Seasonal stat balancing
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Boxer stat patches and trait rebalancing
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Community fighter creation support
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Replay + highlight exporting
💡 Bonus Features (Stretch Goals):
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Women’s boxing roster
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Create-a-gym & coach upgrade path
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Regional crowd chants & announcers
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Press conferences & narrative layers in career
🧭 Final Word
Steel City Interactive can succeed — but not without structured execution. Their core realism foundation is already solid. To cross the finish line, they must:
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Double down on AI & animation systems
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Empower designers with tooling to tune & scale behaviors
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Manage scope ruthlessly, using tight polish cycles
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Augment their team surgically, not broadly
Steel City Interactive: Realistic Boxing Game Production Roadmap
📆 Timeline & Milestones (12-Month)
Phase 1: Feature Lock & Core Polish (Months 0–3)
Lock punch, footwork, dazed, and get-up systems
Finalize core animation cleanup (blending, loops, foot planting)
Refactor AI base logic and integrate tendency engine v1.0
Run first PvP stability tests and internal QA sprints
Key Deliverables:
Combat feature freeze
AI personality engine prototype
Polished footwork & punch blend trees
Phase 2: AI, Systems, and Content Expansion (Months 3–6)
Hire 2–4 AI & Systems Designers
Implement PunchChainManager and Tendency Profile Editor
Graybox career mode (trainer nodes, injury events, rivalries)
Finalize footwork locomotion blending (root vs non-root)
Implement boxer archetype bundles
Key Deliverables:
Full designer tooling (combo editor, AI tuner)
Career system prototype
First 6 boxer archetypes implemented
Phase 3: Meta, Online, and Visual Presentation (Months 6–12)
Broadcast logic (replays, ring cams, overlays)
Final boxer imports + entrance/corner animation polish
Rank/casual match queueing & stability testing
Cinematic VO, commentary integration, and final announcers
QA-led tuning sprints with community testing waves
Key Deliverables:
Final release candidate build
Meta progression + career wrap-up
Steam/console submission ready
💼 Team Structure & Hiring Priorities
⚡ Critical Roles
| Role | Qty | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| AI/Systems Designer | 2–3 | ⭐⭐⭐ High |
| Technical Animator | 1–2 | ⭐⭐ High |
| Netcode Engineer | 1–2 | ⭐⭐⭐ Critical |
| QA & Balance Analysts | 2–4 | ⭐ Medium |
💼 Contractor Support
VO Recording & Commentary
Arena/Crowd Art
UI Polish
Cinematic Audio FX
🔧 System Architecture Backbone
PunchChainManager: Combo logic engine (modular)
AI Tendency Engine: JSON + SO/DataTable profile-driven
Fatigue & Damage System: Layered state logic with decay curves
Footwork Locomotion Layer: Dynamic blending root/on-rails
Boxer Archetype Generator: Designer-facing dashboard
📦 Post-Launch Live Ops Focus
Essential:
Ranked/casual online stability
Fighter balancing patches
Boxer/trait updates
Highlight/replay tools
Stretch Goals:
Women's boxing support
Gym builder progression system
Press narrative systems
Regional crowds and audio layers
Next Steps:
Produce Gantt chart milestone sheet
Build org chart with salary bands & responsibilities
Design tooling interface mockups for internal editors
The full production roadmap is now structured in the document titled "Steel City Interactive: Realistic Boxing Game Production Roadmap" — it includes:
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📅 Phase-by-phase milestone breakdown (0–12 months)
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🧑💼 Hiring plan and role priority levels
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🧠 Core system architecture
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📦 Post-launch support scope
Next Steps (Let me know which you'd like next):
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📊 Gantt Chart version (PDF or image)
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🧭 Org chart with team size, structure, and salary ranges
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🧰 Tool UI mockups (Combo Editor, Tendency Builder, Archetype Generator)
Steel City Interactive: Realistic Boxing Game Production Roadmap
📆 Timeline & Milestones (12-Month)
Phase 1: Feature Lock & Core Polish (Months 0–3)
-
Lock punch, footwork, dazed, and get-up systems
-
Finalize core animation cleanup (blending, loops, foot planting)
-
Refactor AI base logic and integrate tendency engine v1.0
-
Run first PvP stability tests and internal QA sprints
Key Deliverables:
-
Combat feature freeze
-
AI personality engine prototype
-
Polished footwork & punch blend trees
Phase 2: AI, Systems, and Content Expansion (Months 3–6)
-
Hire 2–4 AI & Systems Designers
-
Implement PunchChainManager and Tendency Profile Editor
-
Graybox career mode (trainer nodes, injury events, rivalries)
-
Finalize footwork locomotion blending (root vs non-root)
-
Implement boxer archetype bundles
Key Deliverables:
-
Full designer tooling (combo editor, AI tuner)
-
Career system prototype
-
First 6 boxer archetypes implemented
Phase 3: Meta, Online, and Visual Presentation (Months 6–12)
-
Broadcast logic (replays, ring cams, overlays)
-
Final boxer imports + entrance/corner animation polish
-
Rank/casual match queueing & stability testing
-
Cinematic VO, commentary integration, and final announcers
-
QA-led tuning sprints with community testing waves
Key Deliverables:
-
Final release candidate build
-
Meta progression + career wrap-up
-
Steam/console submission ready
💼 Team Structure & Hiring Priorities
⚡ Critical Roles
| Role | Qty | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| AI/Systems Designer | 2–3 | ⭐⭐⭐ High |
| Technical Animator | 1–2 | ⭐⭐ High |
| Netcode Engineer | 1–2 | ⭐⭐⭐ Critical |
| QA & Balance Analysts | 2–4 | ⭐ Medium |
💼 Contractor Support
-
VO Recording & Commentary
-
Arena/Crowd Art
-
UI Polish
-
Cinematic Audio FX
🔧 System Architecture Backbone
-
PunchChainManager: Combo logic engine (modular)
-
AI Tendency Engine: JSON + SO/DataTable profile-driven
-
Fatigue & Damage System: Layered state logic with decay curves
-
Footwork Locomotion Layer: Dynamic blending root/on-rails
-
Boxer Archetype Generator: Designer-facing dashboard
📦 Post-Launch Live Ops Focus
Essential:
-
Ranked/casual online stability
-
Fighter balancing patches
-
Boxer/trait updates
-
Highlight/replay tools
Stretch Goals:
-
Women's boxing support
-
Gym builder progression system
-
Press narrative systems
-
Regional crowds and audio layers
Next Steps:
-
Produce Gantt chart milestone sheet
-
Build org chart with salary bands & responsibilities
-
Design tooling interface mockups for internal editors
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