Wednesday 29 February 2012

Quick note

Hi all,
Hope you are well.

Just a quick note to say there will be a blog of sorts on the new website, so anyone not following via facebook or twitter can still stay in touch when the new website launches. Only thing I would say on the new blog is I have a 'use it or lose it' mentality towards it. Hopefully it'll fly and be another great tool for staying in contact with the BM gamers.

Box on!
Anthony.

Tuesday 17 January 2012

Warning!!! (ok, maybe a bit strong!)

Hi all!
Hope you are well.

Please note I will be shutting this blog down in a couple of weeks and have yet to decide if I'm starting up a new one for the new website. I certainly don't want to lose any of you so please follow me over to either Twitter, Facebook or make sure to check the email you used to buy the previous game. As always any problems or questions please just  let me know.

Until next time...

Box On!
Anthony (ProBoxMan)
Email: support@pcboxing.com
Web: http://www.pcboxing.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/ProBoxMan
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/ProBoxMan

Saturday 31 December 2011

New Version Feature Spotlight #10 - Professional Boxing Manager

Professional Boxing Manager is a Knockout. Start the Count..1..2..3..4..5..6..7..8..9.. 
10..KNOCK OUT!
Like no other Boxing Management game. Made by Boxing fans, for Boxing fans since 2005. 


This is the point where I'd like us to sit crossed legged in a circle for a little chat if you don't mind!

You should know me by now. Whether you know me as Anthony, ProBoxMan, 'support@pcboxing' or whatever. You should know that this game is and always will be, my baby. I have been a hardcore boxing fan since the 1980s and remember (just) those early classic fights with the likes of Tommy Hearns, Iron Mike to British legends like Barry McGuigan, Lloyd Honeyghan and of course Big Frank. Every fight was amazing to me. So much so that I began making my own boxing board games which my friends and I would play for days on end. Yes, I was 'that guy'! The inventive fanatic. As boxing computer games begun to appear on my Commodore64 and beyond, I have played and loved pretty much all of them.

This started my desire to create my first boxing management game 'Ultimate Boxing Manager'. Although it wasn't the 'ultimate' boxing management game it was 100% my work, every single part written or designed by me. Did you play it? Remember the boxing circles? Did you beat it? It's a bit of a legend as not even I managed to become the ultimate boxing manager! I was rightfully proud when the positive reviews and feedback came in and this sparked the need for the follow-up.

January 2006 saw the launch of 'Boxing Manager - Professional Edition' and apart from the office and gym backgrounds was once again made by me. This was a more ambitious version than 'Ultimate' and was also well received until the well documented issues it had staying upright and running! This is a shame as it was a superior game to the previous effort. Being a true boxing fan, when the problems began I didn’t run and hide I thought 'what would it take to make the absolute best boxing management game. To this end I requested feedback from every player of the game for their opinion and every feedback, whether from a real professional boxing manager or casual player was treated on its merits. From this I created the blueprint for the best boxing management game.

And then here we are. This game 'Professional Boxing Manager' is the accumulation of efforts of boxing fans all around the world, the love of my family and support from my friends. I don't want to get into the personal expense this game has cost me or even the effects of lame coders and designers bailing out on me mid project had on my health. It was worth it and whether it’s a success or not, I know this game has the features the dedicated players of the game wanted. Is it the exact vision I had when I started? No. Have there been compromises? Yes. Too many unfortunately mainly caused by the weak hired help and financial constraints. The good news is that even now I already have a massive wishlist of features and ideas which simply couldn't be squeezed into this version. In fact, the team here had to constantly be 'reigned in' as the sheer amount of good ideas threatened to swamp the development. Is this a finished list? Not at all. Not by a long shot. Your feedback helped me then and it will help me now to develop, improve and strive to make YOUR game, MY baby the best boxing management game it can be. True story.

"so what's the question then?" That's simple. The question on your lips, or tweets, or facebook comment is simply "when is it coming out?" The answer? Well, that was meant to be this year but hit a few nasty snags at the end which put paid to that. Now the game is slated for release January 31st. An actual date! Happy? If so, make sure you're signed up here for the discount off your purchase.

Until next time...

Thursday 1 December 2011

New Version Feature Spotlight #9 - Professional Boxing Manager

Professional Boxing Manager is a Knockout. Start the Count..1..2..3..4..5..6..7..8..
 

9..SUPERIOR QUALITY
Incredible background data processing speed, rock solid stability with a slick & stylish int
erface. 

Basically, this game works! I cannot stress to you how important this fact is to me. The current game (coded by these hands) was very quickly found out in terms of its ability to run well on modern PCs. In fact it was the advent of Windows Vista that really caused it problems. I'm not technically able to explain in detail but I believe Vista worked in a different way to good old XP and combined with faster processors etc my simple coding was soon corrupted.
 

If you've complained about this you would have received an email from me. Not copied and pasted but written by me personally apologising for it. I'll be honest and say the game 'falling over' personally upset me. I could take a 'this game is rubbish' comment on the chin but not being able to fix the problem hurt and I REALLY tried to fix it! I even hired a third party to fix it but I guess my coding was so contrived he couldn't. He did create a backup database system which allowed for some 'rolling back' (usually to an earlier still corrupted version!) and the legendary 'THIS ERROR MESSAGE HAS BEEN COPIED TO YOUR CLIPBOARD PASTE IT INTO A SUPPORT REQUEST EMAIL' message. Oh how I loved those! :0)
 

"So what’s different this time?"
That's simple, I didn’t write it. Not a single line. Instead I hired professional coders to do the work and a fine job they did too. The result is a fantastically stable platform for a game which is literally a hundred thousand times the size of my little boxing game! The new version also has absolutely fantastic new in-game graphics, again professionally designed and brand new for this version. This also includes a new 3D office environment for you to run and build your boxing management empire.

The result? You get the pleasure of playing with a beautifully designed, solid and reliable game worthy of your time, effort and appreciation and I get to sleep at night! ;0)

Until next time...


 

Friday 14 October 2011

New Version Feature Spotlight #8 - Professional Boxing Manager

Professional Boxing Manager is a Knockout. Start the Count..1..2..3..4..5..6..7..

8..MAJOR SUPPORT
Featuring famous boxing brands from across the world helping to create an authentic experience

The core strategy behind this game was to not only make it bigger and better but also to make it much more realistic.
To aid this cause I solicited the involvement of boxing brands from the well known world famous down to new independent labels on the basis of helping create a fabulous and authentic experience making you, the boxing fans feel right at home!
 
So who's in? Yeah, like I'm ever going to reveal all of the brands involved here!
But to give you some idea of the scope of the massive and beautiful boxing game that will soon be in your hands, it includes major publications like the renowned Boxing Monthly and the awesome new Undisputed Magazine. Then there's world class equipment related brands such as Sugar Rays, AMPro and Rival to name a few. There are also great boxing forums and channels like Live Fight, Boxing Asylum, The Main Event Boxing Show, World Boxing News and many more.

 
The brands are interwoven into the fabric of the game so they can be experienced exactly how they are in the real world. For example you might get a message from an boxing equipment manufacturer offering you a glove wearing deal or you might see a boxing forum quote telling everyone how rubbish your stable is, lowering your fame.
 
Oh, So this is Advert City population me then?

No. I wish. Then I might actually be getting paid handsomely and using the funds to make me handsome! There are a couple of ads around but nothing too distracting. Also every brand appears on the ring mat in the 3d fight scene which is a pretty cool bit of screen time, no matter how majorly famous you may be.


Until next time...

Box On!
Anthony (ProBoxMan)
Email:
support@pcboxing.com
Web: http://www.pcboxing.com
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/ProBoxMan
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/ProBoxMan/

Sunday 9 October 2011

New Version Feature Spotlight #7 - Professional Boxing Manager

Professional Boxing Manager is a Knockout. Start the Count..

7..FUN GAMEPLAY
 Enjoy the thrill of achieving Amateur boxing glory and gaining recognition for your management excellence!  

Games should be fun right?
I was very conscious when making this game to ensure it doesn't feel like you are simply interfacing with a cold hard database, rather that you are making an impact on the boxing world and having fun doing it!

 
So, how is some fun to be had?
Well, fun is what you make it. What may be fun for one player may not be quite so entertaining for another! I know some players are already excited by the Amateur boxing career development aspect, whereas others would take more enjoyment from bringing back washed up a former champ. Whatever your idea of fun may be, I have devised interesting side plots to the main mission of boxing related getting, training, fighting and winning.

 
Firstly; it is my pleasure to announce...The Golden Games! That's right; since this game has Amateur boxing what it also needed was a massive World Championship Amateur Boxing knockout style Tournament! Every year the best 32 Amateurs in each weight class are drawn to compete in the Golden Games to decide who takes the gold and the glory! Maybe your hot prospect will round off a fantastic year of wins by scooping the title! Maybe after he’ll get big headed and try to dump you? Maybe he’ll add a few zeros to his contract if you tried to renegotiate? Maybe it’ll mean he starts higher in the rankings when he turns pro? Maybe you’ll have to wait to find out.
 
Secondly; if you're an awesome boxing manager you should be rewarded right? What are you expecting? Some sort of trophy? Alright then! The game is stacked with great unlock-able trophies for all manner of brilliant achievements, there's even an in-game trophy room where you can bask in their glory whenever you like! No, I will not be telling you what they all are! :0)
 
But; I want MORE fun! Give it to me now!
Whoah, easy Tiger! Ok, check this out. Guess what happens if you're the manager of the best Amateur boxers in your Country in each weight-class when the Golden games come around? That's right, by default YOU will become your own Countries International Boxing Team Manager! Neat huh? There should probably be an award trophy for that... ;0)

 
Until next time...
 

 

Friday 2 September 2011

New Version Feature Spotlight #6 - Professional Boxing Manager

Professional Boxing Manager is a Knockout. Start the Count..1..2..3..4..5..  
6..REALISTIC MANAGEMENT
Multiple
Boxing organisations, weigh-ins, contract/fight negotiations, PPV & TV deals, Corner-man mode & more!

 
Ok, I think we'd better break this one down a bit!
 
How multiple are the multiple boxing organisations? With this game we have gone from a total of 2 boxing Organisations (ORGs) to (wait for it) 69 National level PLUS 5 Continental level PLUS 2 World level which equals 76 ORGS! Each has their own licensing criteria, rules, rankings, results, website and head honchos for you to deal (or not deal) with!
 
Weigh-in now takes place before the fight. As detailed in the last update, it is up to you (or a hired expert) to ensure your boxers are properly prepared for the fight and within the correct weight limits. Failure to do so will result in massive financial penalties to pay for substitutes to take your place as well as all manner of other problems that generate from frustrating venue promoters, boxers and fans.
 
Boxer and Fight contract negotiations are now more detailed as they link into the 'rival/ally' system detailed in a previous update. This means the process is made significantly harder or easier depending on which side of their fence you're on. Negotiations with a party that is neither friend nor foe will be based on their abilities and intelligence and, of course, yours too!
 
PPV/TV deals is a feature which is still being developed. Currently this means that being skilful in your matchmaking means you may just end up on a fightbill with a world champion, get your boxer featured on screens worldwide and guess what? His star could rise as could your bank balance!
 
Corner-man mode is quite similar to the current game but with a few significant differences to take advantage of the wealth of stats each boxer now has. More details on this in a future update.
 

"Hey! You Said More!"
There is more. Even much more. I could've even used the 'much, much more' phrase if I wanted too but that would've simply blown your mind! :0)

 
The result? A realistic boxing management game placing you in the hotseat and making sure that if you don't put the effort in with determination, skill and style, then you'll be knocked out of the game quicker than your underprepared boxers!
 

Until next time...