Referees & Clinching in Undisputed: Game-Flow or Missing Simulation?

Why They Were Skipped

Steel City Interactive’s decision not to prioritize referees and clinching was almost certainly tied to game-flow.

Referees slow down pace: In real boxing, refs intervene constantly—breaking ties, warning fighters, deducting points. That adds realism but interrupts arcade-style “flow.”
Clinching disrupts constant punching: Clinching is tactical—it resets rhythm, conserves stamina, and smothers offense. But to a casual audience, it can feel like stalling.
Arcade lean: SCI’s removal of these mechanics suggests a pivot to uninterrupted, fast exchanges—closer to arcade fighting than a sim.
Production constraints: Beyond design, both systems are expensive. They require AI, animation, referee logic, and network stability. Cutting them simplified delivery.

👉 Bottom line: Yes—it was partly a game-flow/arcade choice and partly a production shortcut. But it removed two pillars of authentic boxing.

Developer Roles Needed for Referees & Clinching

To do this right, you need cross-discipline collaboration. Here’s the stack:

Core Engineering

Gameplay Engineer: Builds clinch states, referee commands, stamina/advantage flows.
AI Engineer: Decision-making for clinch entries/escapes, foul logic, referee personalities.
Physics/Character Controller Engineer: Stable multi-body constraints for clinches; ropes/corner interactions.
Networking Engineer: Synchronizes clinch grabs and ref breaks online (rollback/lockstep safe).

Animation & Presentation

Animator(s): Capture and polish clinch ties, pummeling loops, referee breaks.
Animation Programmer / Tech Animator: IK for arm placement, body size adaptation, layered strain loops.
Camera/Presentation Designer: Cuts and framing for ref interventions without blocking readability.
Audio Designer: Grabs, strain, ref VO, crowd responses.

Design & Systems

Boxing Systems Designer: Rulesets, stamina/foul economies, ref personalities.
Technical Designer / Scripter: Implements referee routines, foul packs, rule toggles.
UX/UI Designer + UX Researcher: Minimal prompts, foul warnings, practice tutorials.

Support & Tools

Tools/Engine Programmer: Debugger for clinch poses, ref logic, stamina/foul telemetry.
QA (Gameplay + Compliance): Stress-test edge cases: ropes, corners, size mismatches, fatigue extremes.
Producer / PM: Coordinates dependencies (animations → code → AI → networking).

Deliverable Systems

Referee Module

State Machine: Observe → Approach → Command → Enforce → Reset.
Personality Sliders: Strict/lenient, fast/slow, foul-tolerant/zero-tolerance.
Ring Navigation: Avoid boxers, squeeze through ropes, corner arbitration.
Rule Packs: Switch between sanctioning body standards.

Clinch Module

Entry/Exit Windows: Initiations, counters, ref-forced breaks.
Tie Types: Single collar, over/under, body lock.
Economy: Stamina recovery vs. time tax, damage mitigation vs. ref pressure.
Exploitation Guards: Diminishing returns, score bias against abuse.

Why It Matters

Hardcore Fans: Referees and clinching aren’t fluff—they’re the soul of authentic boxing.
Casuals: While some may see clinching as “stalling,” removing it strips depth. With proper tutorials and referee balance, both groups could coexist.
Game Identity: Without these systems, Undisputed feels like a hybrid leaning arcade. With them, it would truly live up to the “sim” promise.

1. The Casual Audience (Likely Target)

Expectations: Quick action, short matches, no interruptions.
Why it fits: Removing referees and clinches means the fight is uninterrupted—punches fly constantly, nobody has to deal with slower tactical resets.
Parallels: Feels closer to an arcade brawler like Fight Night Champion’s Champion Mode or even UFC’s stand-up only modes than to real boxing.
Appeal: Accessible for newcomers, Twitch-friendly, “fun right away” without needing deep boxing knowledge.

2. The Hardcore / Simulation Fans (Neglected)

Expectations: Authentic rules, tactical clinching, referee influence on pacing.
Why it clashes: Hardcore fans see referees and clinching as non-negotiable—these are fundamental mechanics of boxing. Taking them out signals that authenticity was not the design priority.
Impact: The lack of these systems breaks immersion for players who understand the sport at a higher level (historians, boxers, long-time sim fans).

3. The Hybrid Fan (Middle Ground)

Expectations: A mix of flash and realism, with optional toggles.
Why it matters: This group could’ve been served with modes or sliders—arcade flow for quick fun, simulation flow for depth.
SCI’s miss: Instead of offering both, they leaned toward the casual-first route, alienating the sim-first fans who form the most loyal long-term base.

The game flow SCI chose—fast, uninterrupted, constant exchanges—was clearly designed with the casual/arcade-leaning audience in mind. Hardcore/sim fans, who actually asked for referees, clinching, and tactical pacing, were sidelined.

👉 This is why there’s such tension in the community: SCI promised a simulation-first game, but the flow they delivered caters to casual accessibility, not the hardcore realism crowd.

Hiring Brief: Referee & Clinching Implementation

Project Goal: Deliver authentic referee logic and clinching systems for a simulation-first boxing game.
Context: These mechanics are missing in Undisputed due to “game-flow” prioritization. To fulfill the promise of realism, they must be built with proper cross-discipline investment.

Scope of Work

Referee System

Fully animated referee with rule-based AI.
Enforces clinch breaks, fouls, warnings, point deductions, and disqualifications.
Multiple referee “personalities” (strict, lenient, fast, slow).
Smooth pathfinding between boxers and into corners.

Clinching System

Entry/exit states (initiation, counter, ref break).
Tie-up variations: single collar, double collar, over/under, body lock.
Tactical depth: stamina recovery, damage mitigation, smothering.
Anti-exploit logic: diminishing returns, referee pressure scaling.

Team Roles

Engineering

Gameplay Engineer – Clinch states, stamina/damage logic, foul system.
AI Engineer – Decision trees for clinch/ref usage, referee personalities.
Physics Engineer – Constraints for body ties, rope interactions.
Networking Engineer – Sync clinches/ref interventions online.

Animation

Animators (2) – Motion sets: clinch entries, pummeling, ref breaks.
Technical Animator – IK, contact matching, size/stance adaptation.
Animation Programmer – State machine logic, additive layers.

Design

Systems Designer – Rule packs, referee traits, stamina/foul balance.
Technical Designer – Scripts referee commands, foul triggers.
Camera Designer – Cinematics for breaks, warnings, deductions.

Audio/Presentation

Audio Designer – Grabs, scuffs, referee VO, crowd reactions.
UX/UI Designer – Visual cues for fouls, referee commands.

Support

Tools Programmer – Debugger for clinches and referee calls.
QA Analysts – Edge cases (corner traps, size mismatches, fatigue).
Producer/PM – Milestone scheduling, dependency tracking.

RACI Chart

Task	Responsible	Accountable	Consulted	Informed
Clinch state machine	Gameplay Engineer	Lead Engineer	Systems Designer	Producer, QA
Clinch AI decisions	AI Engineer	AI Lead	Systems Designer	QA, Producer
Referee logic + fouls	AI Engineer	Lead Engineer	Designer	QA
Animations (clinch + ref)	Animators, Tech Anim	Animation Lead	Gameplay Eng	Producer
IK/contact matching	Tech Animator	Animation Lead	Physics Eng	QA
Rule pack design	Systems Designer	Design Lead	AI Engineer	Producer
Networking sync	Net Engineer	Lead Engineer	QA, Producer	Community
Debug tools	Tools Programmer	Lead Engineer	QA	Producer
Audio + referee VO	Audio Designer	Audio Lead	Writer/Director	Producer
UX tutorials & prompts	UX Designer	Design Lead	QA, Systems	Producer
QA test plan (corners, ropes)	QA Analyst	QA Lead	Engineers	Producer
Milestone tracking	Producer	Studio Director	Leads	Investors, Fans

Staffing Roadmap (12 Weeks → Vertical Slice)

Phase 1 – Foundations (Weeks 1–3)

Clinch state machine built.
Referee locomotion + command schema.
Debug tool prototype.

Phase 2 – Interactions (Weeks 4–6)

Tie-up variations animated.
Referee break logic functional.
Stamina & foul economy integrated.

Phase 3 – Balance & Online (Weeks 7–9)

Strict vs. lenient referee personalities.
Networking test for clinches & ref breaks.
Camera/audio integration.

Phase 4 – Polish (Weeks 10–12)

Edge cases: corner/rope traps, size mismatches.
Final referee VO + crowd audio.
QA matrix completion.

Why This Matters

Authenticity: Without clinching and referees, the game cannot claim “simulation.”
Longevity: Hardcore players will stick with a game that respects boxing’s tactical layers.
Accessibility: Proper tutorials + referee guidance help casual players learn instead of stall.
Market Value: Adds depth that separates a real sim from an arcade brawler.

Poe’s Think Tank

Sunday, September 14, 2025