Fight Night Round 4 Control Controversy
The Fight Night Round 4 pre-release demo has been available to those that pre-ordered for almost a week (public demo to be released 6/4/09 on the PSN). The biggest issue has been the removal of the face buttons for punching. Fight Night Round 3 allowed you a choice between using the analog stick (called TPC, Total Punch Control) or by using the face buttons of your controller.
Fight Night Round 4 has a “new and improved” TPC system that is more responsive than the original system. To the chagrin of many Fight Night fans you can no longer choose between using the TPC or the face buttons. Some fans of the Fight Night series have been more vocal then others and have gone as far as to say they are canceling their pre-orders based on this one concern.
HipHopGamerShow have taken the matter into their own hands and emailed EA directly with their concerns: Fight Night 4 Controls Are Getting Updated Says EA. The response from an EA representative wasn’t very specific:
“The team is aware of the concerns, and though we can’t make any official comment on the button issue, rest assured it is being addressed.”
This response led the HipHopGamerShow to imply that the controls would be changed and/or updated in some way to pacify the users that want use of the face buttons included in the final release. On the official Fight Night Round 4 forums a thread was created asking specifically about the HHG article. After a lengthy discussion by forum members moderator Wepeeler, who is in touch with the development team, added this to the discussion:
“I am in constant contact with EA and so far THERE ARE NO PLANS TO HAVE [FACE] BUTTONS IN THE FINAL VERSION. I asked about this specifically on Friday and the response I got was NO BUTTONS for punching, other than signature punches. I asked about a button patch in the future, and at this time, EA is not planning one.”
The debate also is being discussed at length in another thread at the official Fight Night Round 4 forum and Community Manager sk88z had this to say:
“The new TPC is the culmination of controls to satisfy both the button user and previous TPC users. You will need to practice, but once you do and find the sweet spots on the stick to throw punches, you will begin to understand what the devs had in mind. The ability to quickly throw 1-2 punches tapping the stick in the proper direction (don’t be lazy and viciously tap, time it like a punch), and then finishing it with a strong hook or uppercut to the head that still feels just right when you connect. No more having to crank back every punch yet the speed of throwing punches can be just as quick as the old button controls. The key here is to take the time master the controls and not to be lazy finding the sweet spots.”
The bottom line in this debate is whether or not Fight Night Round 4 will be successful or be taken out in the first round with a TKO. As a loyal Fight Night fan myself, I’ll play the game as the developers intended. If that means no buttons, then so be it. With the revamped TPC, punches are smoother and combinations work much quicker than Round 3’s TPC, so once you get past the learning curve, TPC works very well.
Change can be seen as a bad thing to some, but if they are unwilling to even to learn the new controls, they will be passing up on a great game. If you are one of the users who has thrown in the towel, why not take a second look at the TPC and try it out for a couple more days. The demo dropped more than a month in advance of the release date for a reason. Get past the learning curve and you just may find that the TPC rocks.
What’s your take on the issue? Give us your feedback below and participate in our Poll.
[poll id="8"]
17 Responses to “Fight Night Round 4 Control Controversy”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
May 21st, 2009 at 1:26 AM
I always used the face button punches..I was kinda piss they took it off though..But I guess I have to get used to it….
May 21st, 2009 at 8:32 AM
I became quite adept with the TPC. However, it was a pain in the ass to fight someone who just wanted to use buttons, like my brother. A win with TPC over someone using buttons is a victory in itself. I, for one, am glad they aren’t giving the option any more.
May 21st, 2009 at 9:40 AM
[...] Fight Night Round 4 Control Controversy [...]
May 21st, 2009 at 10:59 AM
Wow. Almost 50/50. BIG surprise, actually. I like the TPC a lot better than using buttons. I don’t see why this is such a big deal, though… in FNR3 I could only use TPC for online play and the majority of the time I played online. So it’s not a big deal to me. I hate the HHG… that’s all I’m going to say.
May 21st, 2009 at 11:49 AM
If it’s easy to learn, it’s ok. But if its too hardcore, or just weird, bad decision.
May 21st, 2009 at 12:02 PM
this game was gonna suck anyways.
May 21st, 2009 at 1:10 PM
I figured it was to even out the online gameplay. EA Sports loves to wear down those analog sticks. If you don’t like the controls – return it. I’m going to take it for a spin.
May 21st, 2009 at 2:40 PM
I use both TPC and Face buttons when it comes to FN, but I use the face buttons more cause of he fact that the TPC was non-responsive and inaccurate I didn’t like that fact that if I tried to throw an uppercut it would throw a hook and vice versa. I think that EA will lose a lot of it’s fan base if they don’t fix the issue do to the fact that most gamers are not willing to adjust to such a drastic change if they’ve used the face buttons since FN:2004.
May 21st, 2009 at 4:33 PM
Never played the demo so can’t really vote well.
May 21st, 2009 at 4:49 PM
No biggie.
May 21st, 2009 at 6:44 PM
The only “unresponsive” thing about TPC is when you get anxious and keep moving the right analog stick to barrage the guy with punches and end up throwing a punch or two well after you’ve stopped moving the stick.
Yes there are times when I throw an uppercut instead of a hook, but for me, those moments are rare. I love the TPC and I really hope they make minor tweaks to it to make it even better. Face button controls are a turn off to me when it comes to this game.
May 22nd, 2009 at 1:04 PM
I understand where you’re coming from Lord_Zenaku…but I look at it as just cause I don’t like it..don’t ruin it for the gamers that do. At least in the earlier games players got to choose between TPC and Face buttons, and I’ve beaten a lot of people playing with the TPC while they used face buttons cause they weren’t skilled they were button mashers who just tried to string together combos instead of landing a few good blows and moving out, and I’ve also beaten skilled people who use the buttons as well. So the “Button Masher” excuse would just be a sorry cop out for those who use that as a reason to why face buttons shouldn’t be in the game
June 5th, 2009 at 8:55 AM
ive never and i mean never left a response to anything on the internet b4 this is my first time but will not be my last. I played the demo probaly 50 fights and true its better and faster then fight night round 3 but not better then using the face buttons. Honestly this franchice has probaly some of the most loyal fans so why not have the face buttons also as usual if someone starts beating the crap out of you. you would ask how are you doing that and if they said using the tpc controls then you would train yourself to learn that just like in fight night round 3 when people didnt know to use the face buttons. Isnt boxing all about different styles?? Dont just conform with EA because how do you know without the ability to try the face buttons its just a lazy excuse from them to cover up the fact there being cheap so i say lash out and make them do it either now or threw an update espiecally with this new championship online thing you want to have the most options. And as far as the button mashers out there if you dont know how to use the face buttons properly then your days would be # because the ones that can use the tpc would beat you but to me i dont button mash but do use the face buttons so i think it would be a good challange of styles face buttons vs tpc ………….its just will we ever see that fight who knows
June 7th, 2009 at 1:49 PM
Not having the face buttons as a option it a very bad idea. I box myself, and this is just as bad as telling a boxer to change his boxing style to southpaw a month b4 a fight, when thats all he knew from the first time he stepped into the ring. Am I right?
June 9th, 2009 at 11:39 AM
they lost me as a big fan played all 3 but now because off EA i have to start learning there way. I’m a face buttom plus tpc player more the face and lost many times from tpc pleyers. So to say that the face is better is crap it depents on the players. And if EA say that there will be no more face buttom fine than i’ll stick with my UFC and fight night round 3 and real boxing….. EA is just being selfish and they my keep there game……
June 25th, 2009 at 4:28 PM
stick has more effectivness and is faster but i preffer to keep it easy to play with friends i need faced button punches
August 16th, 2009 at 11:40 PM
All i know is can they speed this up,man im ready to get it on,,im tired of reading an replying,,im ready for some button pushin,but whippins,im handing them out..This is crazy its taken this long Geshhhh..