Developmental (When To Call Up)

[benjacko]

Playing my SWF game on the 70's mod and have a few people in my created New England Wrestling developmental but unsure how to know if anyone is ready to be called up.

 

Should I wait for their skills to hit their peaks, call them up if I need spots filling on the main SWF roster or come up with ways to bring them up i.e storyline wise?

 

Would it be worthwhile giving them a few dark matches to check if they're ready?

 

I have a few tag teams I'd like to call up but struggling to know if they've developed enough or not.

[Rayelek]

I usually will bounce people up from development to work as jobbers for a show, but the time when I "officially" call them up is usually once they reach a skill threshold (B- Performance or Entertainment, typically).

[Blake Trask]

If they're capping out, I wait a little bit to see if that's the case, then call them up - IF they're at the point where I can say 'prospect', if they still suck I leave them there and let their contracts expire.

 

If you have slots on the main roster needing feeling and the fact they aren't fully developed means they won't step adequately into those shoes, I would look more towards new signings rather than call ups. If they CAN fill those shoes, at least to a certain extent, bring them in. If you have a storyline for them, definitely do it if it's a storyline that needs their immediate involvement - a couple of my ex-dev guys treaded water for some time before I hooked them up with a storyline.

 

I'm notg sure about calling up/sending back down, I have an inkling that it can tank morale/momentum.

[The Masked Orange]

See, I use development in two ways. First is as development, training people that have got very little chance of debuting with those skill levels.

 

But mostly I use it as a time-bider, people wait in dev so I don't have to give them shows, then when there is a gap they get a call up. If it's been 1/2 years and no call up then fair play, I'll release you and let you get on with your career.

 

I think it's more realistic and sensible to call people up when they are needed rather then when they cap, in real life do you think every FCW wrestler is gonna get a debut as soon as they cap? There's gotta be a reason.

 

To take this off-topic a bit, one of the things that get me about the dynasties is that you get 6 new wrestlers debuting within the first few months of the dynasty, fair enough if you don't have a dev. But if you're SWF it makes much more sense to have a gradual shift rather then a full-on invasion of new talent (Albeit, not helped by SWF not having enough workers to start with).

[jhd1]

See, I use development in two ways. First is as development, training people that have got very little chance of debuting with those skill levels.

 

But mostly I use it as a time-bider, people wait in dev so I don't have to give them shows, then when there is a gap they get a call up. If it's been 1/2 years and no call up then fair play, I'll release you and let you get on with your career.

 

I think it's more realistic and sensible to call people up when they are needed rather then when they cap, in real life do you think every FCW wrestler is gonna get a debut as soon as they cap? There's gotta be a reason.

 

I do this too. I have a few workers I have specific plans for, the rest are there because I want to use them at some point but either they aren't good enough, or I don't know quite how to use them or a combination of both. Either I come up with a storyline or they get set free. For the most part it's fairly obvious when someone's time in dev isn't doing them any more good simply by looking at the numbers behind the stats, then it's a case of deciding whether you want them to stick around.

 

To take this off-topic a bit, one of the things that get me about the dynasties is that you get 6 new wrestlers debuting within the first few months of the dynasty, fair enough if you don't have a dev. But if you're SWF it makes much more sense to have a gradual shift rather then a full-on invasion of new talent (Albeit, not helped by SWF not having enough workers to start with).

 

I try to do this in my own diaries (i.e. introduce gradually), but the one major stumbling block for that is the immediacy you hit Global when your required number of workers shoots up.

[Lex Star]

I do this too. I have a few workers I have specific plans for, the rest are there because I want to use them at some point but either they aren't good enough, or I don't know quite how to use them or a combination of both. Either I come up with a storyline or they get set free. For the most part it's fairly obvious when someone's time in dev isn't doing them any more good simply by looking at the numbers behind the stats, then it's a case of deciding whether you want them to stick around.

 

 

 

I try to do this in my own diaries (i.e. introduce gradually), but the one major stumbling block for that is the immediacy you hit Global when your required number of workers shoots up.

 

That's why I always play with penalties for small rosters turned off.

 

If I was doing a dynasty of SWF, I'd mainly debut chunk of people, if I was debuting a stable together, or something.

 

If I wasn't I'd probably debut one or two people every few months.

 

Obviously, if doing a dynasty for a smaller promotion, which you can't get written contracts for, you'd probably need to debut more people often to replace people that get stolen.

 

I'm tempted to do a dynasty for a Small promotion, due to the possibility of people growing too big and not re-signing or being stolen, would make it kinda fun to have to change storylines on the fly.

[jhd1]

That's why I always play with penalties for small rosters turned off.

 

If I was doing a dynasty of SWF, I'd mainly debut chunk of people, if I was debuting a stable together, or something.

 

If I wasn't I'd probably debut one or two people every few months.

 

The only thing I turn off is owner goals, mainly because my games never last long enough to get sacked because of them so sticking to them is just as pointless!

 

I'm just coming up to April in my diary save (although the posted shows are just entering March) and I don't think I've done too badly. I think I have only debuted two singles wrestlers, one of which was hired specifically for a storyline. I have also debuted Atlas as a bodyguard, but he's useless and came from dev so he doesn't count

 

That said, I can understand the urge to shape a company to your vision, especially in the Cverse where I find its openness to interpretation tempers the effect somewhat. I'll happily admit to being put off when RW diaries have the WWE sign everybody from ROH and SHIMMER, mind.

[LoNdOn]

The only thing I turn off is owner goals, mainly because my games never last long enough to get sacked because of them so sticking to them is just as pointless!

 

I'm just coming up to April in my diary save (although the posted shows are just entering March) and I don't think I've done too badly. I think I have only debuted two singles wrestlers, one of which was hired specifically for a storyline. I have also debuted Atlas as a bodyguard, but he's useless and came from dev so he doesn't count

 

That said, I can understand the urge to shape a company to your vision, especially in the Cverse where I find its openness to interpretation tempers the effect somewhat. I'll happily admit to being put off when RW diaries have the WWE sign everybody from ROH and SHIMMER, mind.

 

I share these sentiments. What I do is hire the people I want to use a) when their stats improve, or b) when inspiration strikes. What I don't want to do is bring in all the indy darlings and just have them portrayed as the indy darlings. I want to develop characters for them so they feel like a product of the company I happen to be running.

[Bigpapa42]

I have actually significantly reduced the number of guys I bring into development, as opposed to how I used to do things. I really only look at guys I have serious plans for and ideas that I want to play out. I used to sign up anyone who had potential and/or I might find some use for. I kept ending up with huge rosters, both on my main promotion and the child promotion. So I have cut back. Its not like its just 2-3 developmental workers now, but its much more manageable.

 

I don't really look for them to "peak", because there are too many factors there. Someone might have B+ in all the Performance skills except C+ in Psychology... so do I leave them there longer and hope that one stat (a damned important one) goes up? What if they are already great in-ring workers but their Entertainment skills could still use some work? I look for them to hit a useable level in certain areas, which depends on how I intend to use them. But moreso, I look for a point where I have some use for them.

[Scorpio3060]

One of the things I have been doing lately is using development has a way for my new workers to gain popularity. I will set up my dev promotion in my home region, then when i sign foreign workers, I will send them down to gain notoriety in the places that I run shows.

 

For example, Matt Kieth, Greg Gauge and Champaign Lover are all great workers, nobody in Canada knows who they are. This makes it difficult for them to be used by CGC. If I send them to dev for a few months, they can join my promotion with a more useful popularity. As a bonus, it gives my other workers a chance to improve by working with talented wrestlers.

[Candyman]

The trick I use to prevent myself from bloating my roster is I'll pick a certain number of wrestlers(usually either however many are on the default roster to start or Auto Push's recommended level), and I'll always stick to that - and no firing people(unless they earn it with bad behavior). So that means I only hire somebody when I have an expiring contract that I don't renew or somebody retires. Of course, the number has to be raised when I grow in size, and there will be a hiring spree then.

 

If I have a developmental territory, the same rule applies there. I bring in somebody new when a contract expires or I call somebody up(which I can only do when somebody leaves the main roster). Or, of course, if I send somebody else down from the main roster.

 

I'll make exceptions, of course, if a storyline calls for it or somebody is available that won't be the next time I have a roster opening(ie, a big name leaving another company and will surely sign with somebody else soon), but I try to stay as close as possible. It's the only way to stop myself from going out and signing half the Cornellverse.

[Remianen]

The trick I use to prevent myself from bloating my roster is I'll pick a certain number of wrestlers(usually either however many are on the default roster to start or Auto Push's recommended level), and I'll always stick to that - and no firing people(unless they earn it with bad behavior). So that means I only hire somebody when I have an expiring contract that I don't renew or somebody retires. Of course, the number has to be raised when I grow in size, and there will be a hiring spree then.

 

If I have a developmental territory, the same rule applies there. I bring in somebody new when a contract expires or I call somebody up(which I can only do when somebody leaves the main roster). Or, of course, if I send somebody else down from the main roster.

 

I'll make exceptions, of course, if a storyline calls for it or somebody is available that won't be the next time I have a roster opening(ie, a big name leaving another company and will surely sign with somebody else soon), but I try to stay as close as possible. It's the only way to stop myself from going out and signing half the Cornellverse.

 

I wish I could do this. But I am convinced that a worker will not improve if they're not on my roster. It's not exactly true but it's not far from the truth. Working once a month is never as good as working once a week (especially if you're working for AAA).

 

I call people up when I have a concrete plan for them. I send people down when they grossly disappoint me (right Ashley & Christina?) and replace them only when I have concrete plans for their replacements.

[Sons of Kohral]

I usually bloat my development roster, but for a very good reason. It seems that most workers don't get the opportunity to grow their stats. Therefore, I usually sign guys who usually wouldn't get picked up by any promotion and throw them in development (as SWF I usually make one company specifically for this reason) and then when their contract is up I let them get released (If I have no plans for them). This way, the indy promotions always have decently trained workers to fill their ranks with.

[Rick Savant]

This way, the indy promotions always have decently trained workers to fill their ranks with.

 

Neat idea. But wouldn't that mean the roster spots they would be giving to other wrestlers (who presumably need to develop too) would be taken up by your dev guys? Wouldn't there just be different underdeveloped wrestlers clogging up the game world? I guess the guys who those feds would normally employ might be older...

 

But as for Dev strats, if you're willing to micro manage: I didn't make any feds specifically to be a developmental territory in the Montreal Screwjob Mod I'm playing but I was able to get 6 promotions to agree to be child promotions to my version of WCW. Only one of them is touring, so the guys stay there while on tour, and in the off months I just look at each of my child promotions and write down when their shows are schedualed. I then manually move my dev guys from promotion to promotion to coincide with their shows to make up for how few shows each individual promotion runs.