Here's a list of questions that fans likely want Ash Habib, the founder of Undisputed, to answer regarding the game's development, its shift away from realism, and the reasoning behind certain design choices:
General Game Direction & Philosophy
Why did Undisputed shift away from its original ESBC vision that prioritized realism?
- Fans felt the ESBC version was on the right track and only needed minor improvements.
Why did you cave to developers who claimed realism wouldn’t sell?
- Many fans believe realism is fun and what hardcore boxing and sports gamers want.
What was the reason behind the pivot toward a hybrid approach, similar to EA’s Fight Night?
- Fans suspect this was done to chase a casual audience rather than stay true to the hardcore boxing fanbase.
Why do you think realism and sales are mutually exclusive?
- Games like NBA 2K and FIFA have thrived on realism while maintaining mainstream appeal.
Gameplay Mechanics & Realism
Why does Undisputed have unrealistic punch reactions and inconsistent physics?
- Real boxing doesn’t feature exaggerated knockdowns or awkward physics like in the game.
Why was realistic footwork removed or watered down?
- The early versions of ESBC had better, more authentic movement.
Why are loose foot movement and head movement unrealistic and exaggerated?
- Loose footwork should be exclusive to certain fighters, and head movement should feel more grounded.
Why are punches often thrown in a robotic, awkward manner?
- Punch angles, trajectory, and variety should be more realistic.
Why do fighters recover stamina too quickly, making pacing less important?
- Real boxing requires strategic energy management.
Why doesn’t the AI fight like real-life boxers?
- Realistic AI should mimic real boxers’ styles, as seen in other sports games.
Development & Decision Making
- Who made the decision to turn Undisputed into a hybrid instead of a sim?
- Was this decision made by you, the dev team, or outside influences?
- Did investors pressure you into making the game more casual?
- Often, financial backers push for mass-market appeal over niche authenticity.
- Why didn’t you involve real boxers more deeply in gameplay development?
- Instead of consulting after the fact, why not integrate them into core mechanics?
- Why are many of the promised deep gameplay elements missing or scaled back?
- Fans were expecting sim-based mechanics that weren’t fully implemented.
- Will you ever return to a full simulation approach, or is Undisputed now permanently hybrid?
- Can hardcore boxing fans expect a return to the original vision?
Feature Implementation & Community Response
- Why do CPU-vs-CPU fights lack realistic tendencies and strategies? (Great way to see if boxers fight like themselves in real-life)
- AI fighters should fight according to their real-life habits.
- Why was clinching made limited or ineffective instead of a useful tactical tool?
- Clinching is an essential part of boxing strategy.
- Why does blocking feel generic, and why are there no diverse blocking styles?
- Blocking should have multiple variations for different fighters.
- Why do players feel like they’re being forced into a specific playstyle rather than allowing boxing strategies to unfold naturally?
- True simulation should allow different styles to be effective.
- Do you believe Undisputed is currently on track to be the definitive boxing sim?
- Or has it lost its way compared to its original vision?
Competitive & Online Play
- Why does Undisputed feel more like a button-masher than a tactical boxing game?
- Fans expected strategic depth rather than spam-friendly mechanics.
- Why do high-volume punchers dominate, while defensive boxers struggle?
- In real boxing, defensive mastery can neutralize aggression.
- Why do counterpunching and inside fighting feel underdeveloped?
- These are crucial aspects of boxing that should be more fleshed out.
- Why are there no effective ways to smother an opponent’s offense or break their rhythm?
- Boxing is about control—why isn’t ring generalship a bigger factor?
- Why does stamina regenerate too quickly, making it easier to throw constant combos?
- This removes the importance of pacing and endurance.
- Why is there no dedicated option to turn off mirror matches in online play?
- Many fans want a way to prevent duplicate fighters.
- Why does the game reward unrealistic aggression rather than strategic, well-timed offense?
- Real boxing requires patience, counters, and setups.
Career Mode & Customization
- Why is career mode so shallow compared to what was initially promised?
- Fans expected a deep experience with training camps, negotiations, and realistic progression.
- Why can’t we create truly unique fighters with different tendencies and movement styles?
- A deep creation system could allow fans to simulate real boxers and legends.
- Why doesn’t career mode have a true amateur system and a deep ranking structure?
- Building a career from the ground up should feel authentic.
- Why was the Creation Suite scaled down instead of expanded with more customization tools?
- Many boxing fans want to fill out weight classes with custom fighters.
- Why are there so few detailed training mechanics to shape a fighter’s style?
- Training should be meaningful, impacting performance and fight tendencies.
- Will promoter mode or gym/stable management ever be added?
- Boxing isn’t just about fighting—managing a career should be an in-depth feature.
Realism vs. Arcade Debate
- Why do you think realism needs to be sacrificed for accessibility?
- Other sports games (like NBA 2K and FIFA) have both depth and accessibility.
- Why not include customization options that let players tweak realism to their liking?
- Let players decide how realistic or arcadey they want their experience to be.
- Did you ever truly believe realism would sell, or was it always about chasing casual players?
- The hardcore fanbase supported Undisputed because of its promise of realism.
- Why does foot planting feel inconsistent, allowing for arcade-like movement?
- Realistic movement should reflect balance, momentum, and positioning.
- Why doesn’t Undisputed have realistic clinch battles and infighting mechanics?
- Inside fighting is a huge part of boxing, yet it feels underdeveloped.
- Why is it easier to spam unrealistic combinations than to box strategically?
- Boxing is about setting up shots, not throwing random flurries.
- Why do fighters in Undisputed all seem to throw at similar speeds?
- Punching speed should reflect individual attributes, not feel uniform.
- Why don’t real-life boxer tendencies translate properly into gameplay?
- AI and tendencies should make boxers feel unique.
- Why are knockouts and knockdowns so exaggerated instead of naturally occurring?
- Realistic knockdowns should be based on timing, placement, and stamina.
Community Engagement & Transparency
- Why haven’t you been more transparent about why the game changed direction?
- The hardcore community backed the original vision—what changed?
- Why is constructive criticism from hardcore boxing fans often ignored?
- Many loyal supporters feel like their feedback is dismissed.
- Why did you promise a sim experience and then shift to a hybrid model without telling fans?
- The marketing for Undisputed was originally centered on realism.
- Why does it feel like Undisputed is repeating EA’s mistakes instead of learning from them?
- EA’s Fight Night became too arcadey—why follow the same path?
- Do you still believe Undisputed will be the definitive boxing sim, or has that changed?
- Fans need to know if the game is still being built with realism as the core focus.
- Would you consider adding a true simulation mode with realistic settings?
- If some players want an arcadey experience, why not offer separate modes?
- Why do so many legacy features that boxing fans expect still feel incomplete or missing?
- Things like a deep career mode, realistic rankings, and strategic gameplay should be a priority.
- What is your message to the hardcore boxing sim community that supported this game from the beginning?
- Many fans feel let down—how do you plan to regain their trust?
Tendency and capability sliders would have been a game-changer for Undisputed, especially for boxer creation and realism. Their absence raises some serious questions:
Why Were Tendency & Capability Sliders Left Out?
They would have allowed players to fine-tune AI behavior.
- This could ensure that boxers fight according to their real-life styles rather than relying on preset AI patterns.
They would have enhanced boxer creation.
- Players could craft realistic custom boxers with unique fighting tendencies instead of them all fighting the same way.
They would have provided better offline depth.
- For single-player and CPU-vs-CPU matchups, sliders could adjust things like aggression, counterpunching, movement, stamina usage, clinching frequency, and defensive tendencies.
Other sports games have them.
- Games like NBA 2K and Madden use sliders to customize playstyle realism, so why wouldn’t Undisputed include them?
They could have been a perfect compromise for casual and hardcore players.
- Instead of making the game a hybrid, players could tweak realism settings to match their preferred style.
What Happened?
- Did the developers overlook the importance of sliders?
- Was it intentional to keep control away from players?
- Did they not have the technology to implement them properly?
Tendency and capability sliders would have been one of the best features to create realism, but their absence shows how Undisputed has taken a more rigid, limited approach instead of giving players full control.
Here’s the best technology and methods to achieve that:
1. Machine Learning & AI Behavior Trees
- AI Behavior Trees (BTs): Used in many modern games, behavior trees allow AI to make decisions dynamically based on tendencies.
- Machine Learning (ML) for Adaptive AI: The AI could learn from past fights, adjusting strategies based on opponent tendencies.
- Neural Networks: These can allow the AI to mimic real fighters by analyzing real-world footage and fight data.
✅ How It Helps:
- Boxers would fight according to their real-life styles.
- AI could adjust mid-fight based on how the match is going.
- Each boxer could have distinct reactions to different scenarios.
2. Sliders for Tendency & Capability Adjustments
A deep customization system should allow players to tweak:
- Aggression vs. Patience
- Counterpunching Tendency
- Punch Output & Selection
- Footwork Usage
- Defense Preference (Blocking, Head Movement, Footwork)
- Clinching Frequency
- Stamina Conservation vs. Output
- Recovery Ability
- Punching Power & Efficiency
✅ How It Helps:
- Players can customize AI to behave how they want.
- Created boxers wouldn’t fight generically but with unique styles.
- Realistic boxer behavior in CPU-vs-CPU fights.
3. Motion Capture Combined with AI Data
Instead of just using mocap, AI should be trained to replicate real boxer tendencies by:
- Analyzing real fight footage (AI-assisted data learning).
- Mapping signature movements to individual fighters.
- Capturing punch trajectory, defense, and footwork tendencies.
✅ How It Helps:
- AI would know that certain fighters prefer angles over brawling.
- Some boxers would throw more jabs than others.
- Fighters would react differently under pressure.
4. Procedural Animation & Realistic Hit Reactions
- Physics-Based Reactions: Fighters should react realistically based on tendencies, whether rolling with punches or blocking.
- Adaptive Defense Systems: A defensive boxer should instinctively avoid damage based on tendencies rather than random blocking.
✅ How It Helps:
- A fighter with great head movement wouldn’t block as much.
- A fighter with bad stamina would slow down naturally.
- More varied fights rather than robotic exchanges.
5. Fighter-Specific AI Patterns
- Each real boxer (or created boxer) should have unique AI tendencies based on:
- Style (Boxer-Puncher, Swarmer, Outboxer, etc.)
- Historical fight performances (For real fighters)
- Custom player-defined tendencies (For created boxers)
✅ How It Helps:
- Fighters wouldn’t fight the same way, even if they have similar stats.
- Some fighters would start slow and finish strong, others would gas out early.
- Realistic stamina, punch selection, and movement tendencies.
Final Thoughts:
A combination of AI Behavior Trees, Tendency Sliders, Machine Learning, and Procedural Animation would create a realistic and dynamic boxing AI where every fighter feels unique.
EA’s Fight Night never got this right because all fighters had similar AI tendencies. A truly next-gen boxing game should focus on giving players control over AI tendencies, ensuring realistic fighter behavior, CPU-vs-CPU realism, and strategic gameplay depth.
Then the big question is: Why hasn’t Undisputed implemented a true tendency and capability system yet?
With today’s technology, there’s no excuse not to have it. Here’s what Undisputed should be doing:
How Undisputed Could Implement Tendency & Capability Systems
Introduce Tendency Sliders & AI Behavior Adjustments
- Add editable sliders for:
- Aggression vs. Defense
- Punch Output (High/Low Volume)
- Power Punch Preference
- Counterpunching Frequency
- Footwork Usage
- Clinch Frequency & Effectiveness
- Defensive Style (Block, Head Movement, Distance Management)
- Stamina Management (Explosive vs. Endurance)
- Recovery & Toughness
✅ Impact:
- Boxers would finally fight like their real-life counterparts.
- Created boxers would have unique AI tendencies.
- Offline play would have endless variety.
- Add editable sliders for:
Use AI Behavior Trees & Machine Learning for Boxer-Specific AI
- AI should adapt mid-fight based on:
- Opponent’s style (Does it adjust to a counterpuncher?)
- Fight flow (Does it get more aggressive if behind on the cards?)
- Stamina (Does it pace itself, or does it fade late?)
- Real boxers should mirror their actual styles through AI decision-making.
✅ Impact:
- No more generic, robotic AI behavior.
- Fighters would adapt to different scenarios.
- More strategic fights, requiring adjustments from players.
- AI should adapt mid-fight based on:
Motion-Captured Boxer Tendencies + AI Integration
- AI should combine motion-captured styles with dynamic AI to ensure:
- Boxers use authentic stances and movements.
- Punch animations are thrown with proper angles and weight.
- Defensive specialists actually defend, and brawlers fight accordingly.
✅ Impact:
- Every boxer would feel distinct in movement, offense, and defense.
- No more cloned, copy-paste fighters.
- AI should combine motion-captured styles with dynamic AI to ensure:
Better CPU-vs-CPU AI Realism
- Right now, CPU boxers in Undisputed don’t fight strategically.
- With tendencies and capabilities, we should see:
- Counterpunchers actually waiting for openings.
- Pressure fighters cutting off the ring instead of chasing.
- Defensive fighters moving & shoulder-rolling effectively.
✅ Impact:
- Watching CPU vs. CPU fights would be like watching real boxing.
- Real boxers would fight like their real-life counterparts.
- Fans could simulate dream fights with accurate AI behavior.
Allow Fighters to Develop AI Over Time
- AI should learn from fights and adjust over a career mode.
- Example: A fighter who always gasses out in round 6 might start conserving stamina better over time.
✅ Impact:
- Fighters would feel like they grow and adapt based on experience.
- Dynamic AI ensures no two careers feel the same.
Why Hasn’t Undisputed Done This Yet?
- Did they not think AI tendencies were important?
- Are they afraid realism won’t sell?
- Are they just focusing on animations and ignoring actual gameplay depth?
With all the current AI technology, Undisputed should have already implemented tendency and capability sliders. Without them, the game lacks the depth needed for a true boxing sim.
