The release of UFC 4 is just a couple of weeks away and one major change coming to the game involves how players are rated. Instead of numerical overall values, UFC 4 ratings are handled via a star system ranging from one to five stars.
In a post on the game’s website, EA Sports provided a breakdown on the decision behind the new ratings and what it means for players.
“UFC 4 has re-envisioned the way players will view fighter overalls. Every fighter in the game will now be given a star value of 1-5 that will serve as a representation of their overall ability in the game,” the company said.
They continued: “In addition to the overall star rating, each fighter will also have a star rating for their stand up, ground game, health, and moves. This change will allow players to quickly observe and determine a fighter’s strengths and weaknesses in specific areas, without focusing on a single numerical OVR.”
EA Sports also touched on the new attributes fighters will have this time around:
- Punch Speed / Kick Speed
- Punch Power / Kick Power
- Clinch Striking
- Ground Striking
- Cardio
- Recovery
They wrapped it up explaining how they got to where they did with ratings, mentioning that it was to encourage more fighters being used both on and offline.
“Most users when given the choice between a 92 OVR fighter and a 91 OVR fighter, would choose the 92 OVR fighter. The 92 OVR fighter may have a high Switch Stance attribute, which wouldn’t have made a significant difference in the balance of the fight. This lead to a number of mirror or repeating matches with very high OVR fighters. UFC Stars allows us to group together a number of fighters while still holding to their authentic strengths and weaknesses. It allows users to know that their fighter can compete with a range of other fighters, rather than most users choosing the higher OVR fighter.”
What do you think of how EA Sports handled the UFC 4 ratings? Let us know in the comment section below, and stick with Sports Gamers Online for more
