USPW questions

[mcorey]

I have a few questions on booking pop based feds, such as USPW. I think for the most part I am doing okay, however I am not sure on a few items. One is I just can't seem to get the gimmicks correct, so I continue to get the bad gimmick note. So for USPW if I choose to turn off gimmick effects what is the impact?

 

My next question is card timings. USPW has 90 minutes of show. I continue every card by booking 13 segments (6 matches and 7 angles). All matches are 8 minutes all angles are 6 minutes. I know I could get better grades for my main and semi-main if I increase the match times, however I am reluctant because that means I have to cut time elsewhere. I also no that some of my angles could increase in score if I ran them pass the 6 minute mark. What do others do? Does anyone have a good booking flow for USPW?

 

I use a lot of Menace angles and the Face Off angle to help lower card members (in fact my Datsun v Valentine feud exploded to 90+ heat by having them appear on screen with Justice, Caulfield, Bruce, Baine, T-Rex, and Enygma), but I afraid to take time from Valentine and Datsun like people as it might slow their growth.

 

Finally when is it good to use all out and work the crowd when booking? I have not tried this but would this be a good example:

 

Segment 3- Hot angle

Segment 4- Squash Match (dominate / work crowd)

Segment 5- Hot angle

 

By reading the board I have started putting my squash match as Match 2 and somewhat consistently been getting the "well executed squash" note, however I usually only use the dominate note should I use work the crowd as well?

 

Also in USPW is there a prestige assigned to certain PPVs? I mean Wrestlemania is the WWE's biggest event, is there one in USPW? I can't seem to find this designation if there is one.

[jhd1]

I have a few questions on booking pop based feds, such as USPW. I think for the most part I am doing okay, however I am not sure on a few items. One is I just can't seem to get the gimmicks correct, so I continue to get the bad gimmick note. So for USPW if I choose to turn off gimmick effects what is the impact?

 

The main problem with gimmicks in USPW and SWF is that the ones you would assume would fit (old school face/heel) usually have too low subtlety. Try creating a gimmick with a subtletly rating around E+ instead of F and you should see a big difference in gimmick scores.

 

My next question is card timings. USPW has 90 minutes of show. I continue every card by booking 13 segments (6 matches and 7 angles). All matches are 8 minutes all angles are 6 minutes. I know I could get better grades for my main and semi-main if I increase the match times, however I am reluctant because that means I have to cut time elsewhere. I also no that some of my angles could increase in score if I ran them pass the 6 minute mark. What do others do? Does anyone have a good booking flow for USPW?

I usually have five matches on TV and seven for a PPV. Occasionally a squash will mean I have a bit more time for an extra match but typically, that is my setup. If your main event involves someone like Caulfield or Enygma (i.e. someone with some talent) then a big match (12-16 minutes) can be a big boost to your ratings once in a while. For example, I had a match between Enygma and Rushmore pull off a C+. Equally, if you've got a TV title match between Jones and Java, it doesn't need more than six minutes.

 

I use a lot of Menace angles and the Face Off angle to help lower card members (in fact my Datsun v Valentine feud exploded to 90+ heat by having them appear on screen with Justice, Caulfield, Bruce, Baine, T-Rex, and Enygma), but I afraid to take time from Valentine and Datsun like people as it might slow their growth.

 

As for the angles, it really depends what it is and who is in it. Like Self, I'm not a massive fan of the face-off angles because it rarely makes sense but I can understand why people use it. Menace angles are good for USPW, using them with a manager can help as well. For example, have Sneer (entertainment) hype The Towers of Power (menace) or hire a manager for Savage Fury.

 

Don't expect someone to rocket up your roster unless you are going to be replacing the Valentines and Datsuns - as you've found there isn't enough time to have everyone on-screen at the same time. Have them on rotation - Freddie Datsun isn't going to suffer by not having an angle one week nor is Peter Valentine. Have Sam Strong hype your debuting workers, have Bruce the Giant continually attack a lower card worker - it'll all add up.

 

Finally when is it good to use all out and work the crowd when booking? I have not tried this but would this be a good example:

 

Segment 3- Hot angle

Segment 4- Squash Match (dominate / work crowd)

Segment 5- Hot angle

 

By reading the board I have started putting my squash match as Match 2 and somewhat consistently been getting the "well executed squash" note, however I usually only use the dominate note should I use work the crowd as well?

 

I rarely use work the crowd any more except for dark matches and if I have a strong semi-main event. Your lower card just isn't over or skilled enough to pull off a really great match so they tend to create the valleys for you. However, if you are putting James Justice and Tyson Baine as the second-to-last match, you might want to consider limiting it a little by using this note.

 

If you've got Enygma in a long PPV match, slow build tends to work well, whilst all out match tends to be for shorter matches with less skilled (but not useless) workers. For example, in my last PPV Chris Caulfield and Henry Lee had a ten minute double count out that used the all out note. It scored a quite respectable C, sure it could have been better but Lee's no ring general. Bruce vs. Enygma, on the other hand, went for much longer on slow build and got a B.

 

Also in USPW is there a prestige assigned to certain PPVs? I mean Wrestlemania is the WWE's biggest event, is there one in USPW? I can't seem to find this designation if there is one.

 

No.

 

EDIT: Yep, I was wrong. See eayragt's answer for the correct answer to this question.

[eayragt]

Also in USPW is there a prestige assigned to certain PPVs? I mean Wrestlemania is the WWE's biggest event, is there one in USPW? I can't seem to find this designation if there is one.

 

Independence Day Slam and Thanksgiving Thunder are both "Above Average", unless the database has changed since the start of my game.

 

I'd think about shortening some of your squash / domination matches. You just don't need them to be eight minutes.

[jhd1]

Independence Day Slam and Thanksgiving Thunder are both "Above Average", unless the database has changed since the start of my game.

 

I'd think about shortening some of your squash / domination matches. You juts don't need them to be eight minutes.

 

I beg your pardon, eayragt is right. For both

[eayragt]

I beg your pardon, eayragt is right. For both

 

Once a year - that's good enough for me.

[mcorey]

jhd1:

If your main event involves someone like Caulfield or Enygma (i.e. someone with some talent) then a big match (12-16 minutes) can be a big boost to your ratings once in a while.

 

This is interesting do you not normally have TV show Main big matches? I normally have main events involving upper mid vs main eventers or main eventers vs main eventers. How many squashes do you book a show? Am I correct in assuming squashes should be matches 2 and 3 on a show?

 

Back to the gimmicks - so what does it mean to turn gimmick effects off?

 

Also I get some workers who are mid-card or lower like Devine and Anger who complain if they are not at a show every week. It sucks to put them in Post and Pre show slots as it costs money. When you rotate do you mean by show or match? I mean you stated Datsun does not have to have an angle every week does that mean you rotate his angles or his appearance on the show (angle and/or match) from week to week?

 

So do you recommend reducing the number of angles and matches I run to boost the overall level of the big angles and main event match?

 

Another question I am getting ready to turn Jumbo face as he and Anger have a title shot against the Towers (Sneer is conflicted). Is there a way to simulate Anger turning on his partner in mid-match (meaning Anger hits Jumbo, Rushmore covers, Towers win)? Post match angle of Sneer Corp beating down Jumbo.

 

Back to the PPV prestige - Is that listed in the Schedule page? Did not realize it was in the database, was looking all over the schedule page and could not see it.

[Remianen]

Back to the gimmicks - so what does it mean to turn gimmick effects off?

 

Just what it says. All effects of gimmicks (good or bad) are turned off. So you get neither bonuses for good gimmicks nor penalties for bad ones.

 

And event importance is shown in the Schedule section.

 

Schedule -> Choose the event -> Modify Event and look at the Importance (it's a fixed (i.e. non-drop down) entry between 'Name Postfix' and 'Status').

[jhd1]

jhd1:

 

This is interesting do you not normally have TV show Main big matches? I normally have main events involving upper mid vs main eventers or main eventers vs main eventers. How many squashes do you book a show? Am I correct in assuming squashes should be matches 2 and 3 on a show?

 

Sorry, what I meant was a main event star who also has in-ring ability. Enygma can pull of a fairly high grade with just about anybody, Bruce the Giant not so much. I had main event (Enygma) vs. midcard (Mick Muscles) pull off a higher grade than two main eventers (T-Rex and Nicky Champion). Because T-Rex has low performance skills the longer the match goes on the more his flaws are shown, Enygma on the other hand can go for much longer. That is what I meant by 'big match' but I really meant long match - again, apologies for not being clear (I'm tired!).

 

I don't use squashes too often, maybe twice a month. By squash I mean a three or four minute domination. Having the likes Ares maul Captain USA for six minutes usually happens once a night though I don't always use dominate. I think of these less as squashes and more as a one-sided beating but my wording and established terms don't always agree

 

I tend to avoid main eventers vs. main eventers on TV too often because I am (hopefully) booking USPW as more of an old-school promotion.

 

Also I get some workers who are mid-card or lower like Devine and Anger who complain if they are not at a show every week. It sucks to put them in Post and Pre show slots as it costs money. When you rotate do you mean by show or match? I mean you stated Datsun does not have to have an angle every week does that mean you rotate his angles or his appearance on the show (angle and/or match) from week to week?

 

Devine and Anger will not complain at being left out of every match (unlike your bigger names) and so their morale will not be hugely affected. Either ignore it or just lump them in the pre-show - you should be making enough to cover it (I am and at the moment I'm putting WCW to shame in terms of roster size).

 

By rotation I mean per show. For example, I might have Peter Valentine attack Jim Force one week, then in a match against Tribal Warrior the next. Doing this frees up the alternate slot so at the same time I could have Nicky Champion in match then in an angle the week after. You haven't got time to have everyone on one show, especially if people start doubling up in both matches and angles in the same night - leave that for the really big stars like Bruce and Enygma when you know the grade will be good. Alternatively, I might have a star (by which I mean upper mid- and above) in a match or angle one week then in the pre-show the next. It just allows you to use some more of your roster without dragging things down too much.

 

So do you recommend reducing the number of angles and matches I run to boost the overall level of the big angles and main event match?

 

It really depends on the grades your angles and your overall show is getting. If you are having six minute angles that get D- then cut them out and spread the time out accordingly. I like to have few angles but like you, I tend to keep them at 6 mins+.

 

Another question I am getting ready to turn Jumbo face as he and Anger have a title shot against the Towers (Sneer is conflicted). Is there a way to simulate Anger turning on his partner in mid-match (meaning Anger hits Jumbo, Rushmore covers, Towers win)? Post match angle of Sneer Corp beating down Jumbo.

 

The turn note does exactly what you want. Pre-set Jackson to turn before you book the show, in the road agent notes for the match select Turn and then have Anger attack Jumbo. During the match write-up you will notice a 'handle turns' box in the bottom left corner, that will execute the turn for you (and tell you how it went).

 

Back to the PPV prestige - Is that listed in the Schedule page? Did not realize it was in the database, was looking all over the schedule page and could not see it.

 

It is in there somewhere. I think if you click modify event it will tell you but I'm not on the TEW computer at the moment and I can't remember off-hand.