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.
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Referees slow down pace: In real boxing, refs intervene constantly—breaking ties, warning fighters, deducting points. That adds realism but interrupts arcade-style “flow.”
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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.
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Arcade lean: SCI’s removal of these mechanics suggests a pivot to uninterrupted, fast exchanges—closer to arcade fighting than a sim.
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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
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Gameplay Engineer: Builds clinch states, referee commands, stamina/advantage flows.
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AI Engineer: Decision-making for clinch entries/escapes, foul logic, referee personalities.
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Physics/Character Controller Engineer: Stable multi-body constraints for clinches; ropes/corner interactions.
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Networking Engineer: Synchronizes clinch grabs and ref breaks online (rollback/lockstep safe).
Animation & Presentation
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Animator(s): Capture and polish clinch ties, pummeling loops, referee breaks.
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Animation Programmer / Tech Animator: IK for arm placement, body size adaptation, layered strain loops.
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Camera/Presentation Designer: Cuts and framing for ref interventions without blocking readability.
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Audio Designer: Grabs, strain, ref VO, crowd responses.
Design & Systems
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Boxing Systems Designer: Rulesets, stamina/foul economies, ref personalities.
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Technical Designer / Scripter: Implements referee routines, foul packs, rule toggles.
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UX/UI Designer + UX Researcher: Minimal prompts, foul warnings, practice tutorials.
Support & Tools
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Tools/Engine Programmer: Debugger for clinch poses, ref logic, stamina/foul telemetry.
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QA (Gameplay + Compliance): Stress-test edge cases: ropes, corners, size mismatches, fatigue extremes.
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Producer / PM: Coordinates dependencies (animations → code → AI → networking).
Deliverable Systems
Referee Module
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State Machine: Observe → Approach → Command → Enforce → Reset.
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Personality Sliders: Strict/lenient, fast/slow, foul-tolerant/zero-tolerance.
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Ring Navigation: Avoid boxers, squeeze through ropes, corner arbitration.
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Rule Packs: Switch between sanctioning body standards.
Clinch Module
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Entry/Exit Windows: Initiations, counters, ref-forced breaks.
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Tie Types: Single collar, over/under, body lock.
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Economy: Stamina recovery vs. time tax, damage mitigation vs. ref pressure.
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Exploitation Guards: Diminishing returns, score bias against abuse.
Why It Matters
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Hardcore Fans: Referees and clinching aren’t fluff—they’re the soul of authentic boxing.
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Casuals: While some may see clinching as “stalling,” removing it strips depth. With proper tutorials and referee balance, both groups could coexist.
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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)
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Expectations: Quick action, short matches, no interruptions.
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Why it fits: Removing referees and clinches means the fight is uninterrupted—punches fly constantly, nobody has to deal with slower tactical resets.
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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.
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Appeal: Accessible for newcomers, Twitch-friendly, “fun right away” without needing deep boxing knowledge.
2. The Hardcore / Simulation Fans (Neglected)
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Expectations: Authentic rules, tactical clinching, referee influence on pacing.
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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.
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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)
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Expectations: A mix of flash and realism, with optional toggles.
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Why it matters: This group could’ve been served with modes or sliders—arcade flow for quick fun, simulation flow for depth.
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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
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Fully animated referee with rule-based AI.
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Enforces clinch breaks, fouls, warnings, point deductions, and disqualifications.
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Multiple referee “personalities” (strict, lenient, fast, slow).
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Smooth pathfinding between boxers and into corners.
Clinching System
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Entry/exit states (initiation, counter, ref break).
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Tie-up variations: single collar, double collar, over/under, body lock.
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Tactical depth: stamina recovery, damage mitigation, smothering.
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Anti-exploit logic: diminishing returns, referee pressure scaling.
Team Roles
Engineering
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Gameplay Engineer – Clinch states, stamina/damage logic, foul system.
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AI Engineer – Decision trees for clinch/ref usage, referee personalities.
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Physics Engineer – Constraints for body ties, rope interactions.
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Networking Engineer – Sync clinches/ref interventions online.
Animation
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Animators (2) – Motion sets: clinch entries, pummeling, ref breaks.
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Technical Animator – IK, contact matching, size/stance adaptation.
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Animation Programmer – State machine logic, additive layers.
Design
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Systems Designer – Rule packs, referee traits, stamina/foul balance.
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Technical Designer – Scripts referee commands, foul triggers.
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Camera Designer – Cinematics for breaks, warnings, deductions.
Audio/Presentation
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Audio Designer – Grabs, scuffs, referee VO, crowd reactions.
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UX/UI Designer – Visual cues for fouls, referee commands.
Support
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Tools Programmer – Debugger for clinches and referee calls.
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QA Analysts – Edge cases (corner traps, size mismatches, fatigue).
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Producer/PM – Milestone scheduling, dependency tracking.
RACI Chart
Task | Responsible | Accountable | Consulted | Informed |
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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)
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Clinch state machine built.
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Referee locomotion + command schema.
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Debug tool prototype.
Phase 2 – Interactions (Weeks 4–6)
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Tie-up variations animated.
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Referee break logic functional.
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Stamina & foul economy integrated.
Phase 3 – Balance & Online (Weeks 7–9)
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Strict vs. lenient referee personalities.
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Networking test for clinches & ref breaks.
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Camera/audio integration.
Phase 4 – Polish (Weeks 10–12)
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Edge cases: corner/rope traps, size mismatches.
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Final referee VO + crowd audio.
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QA matrix completion.
Why This Matters
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Authenticity: Without clinching and referees, the game cannot claim “simulation.”
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Longevity: Hardcore players will stick with a game that respects boxing’s tactical layers.
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Accessibility: Proper tutorials + referee guidance help casual players learn instead of stall.
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Market Value: Adds depth that separates a real sim from an arcade brawler.