SWF In 2013

Gedger · December 20, 2012

I am having problems with the development workers. Since week one ALL workers in RIPW send me emails that they want to get a callup, cause they dont get anything from development. They increased their skills heavily after the first month, so they are really getting skill points of development, but they keep annoying me with that weekly emails.

Is there anything to do to keep them more happy in development, cuase i think workers like Scythe or Ekuma really need some performance training before they could get a callup.

Ockbald · December 21, 2012

On my fist month I followed my gut and made the show all about Jack Bruce pursuit of the title, with Rich Money calling him out and using Remo as his muscle.

Eventually Remo got the title from Freley and now Jack Bruce is all alone trying to reach Remo but has to go through this huge list of Heels.

This storyline alone got me a crap load of "As" be it in Angles or in matches and made SWF international while bumping down USPW.

Other storyline of note is Hungry Hernandez; Mainstream Hernandez is hungry at stardom so he keeps calling out Marat who never shows up.

I can't wait to see the PPV bout between the two.

Ben_91 · December 21, 2012

I'm going to split the Bumfholes up as they begin feuding as Randy has an affection for Dawn while Zimmy is more worried about propelling their careers upwards. The Platinum Blondes constantly try to harrass Dawn to be their manager but she has feelings for Randy. Randy always puts Dawn as his first priority and winning second and this costs the Bumfholes many matches over the coming months while she's at ringside. Zimmy constantly tries to get his brother to get rid of Dawn and gets very angry when his brother ignores him.

Dawn is on the wrong side of authorites and the Bumfholes get punished for it, eventually leading to Randy being destroyed by Marat on PPV and Zimmy abducting Dawn with two henchmen after Randy is taken away in an ambulance. Zimmy is placed in a 2-on-1 handicap match against The Platinum Blondes and Randy interferes, attacking his brother but it's not long until he is attacked by the Platinum Blondes. The Platinum Blondes are revealed to be Zimmy's henchmen and Randy is handcuffed and beaten down. Zimmy plays footage of him and an unconscious Dawn getting married in a car in las vegas. This eventually leads to a match at the Supreme Challenge where Randy is fighting for Dawn's freedom against his brother.

Once the feud is over Dawn will go on to keep managing Randy to singles success whilst Zimmy will join the Platinum Blondes as a stable and align themselves with a Main Event heel.

Sorta going down the Trish-Y2J-Christian feud from 2003/4 and a little bit of HHH/Stephanie.

James Casey · December 21, 2012

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Gedger" data-cite="Gedger" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="34914" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div> Is there anything to do to keep them more happy in development, cuase i think workers like Scythe or Ekuma really need some performance training before they could get a callup.</div></blockquote> Assuming the system hasn't changed drastically since 2010, all development talents start with General focus. Change their focus to performance or whatever, and they should settle down for a bit. Ultimately, you're unlikely to find room for everyone on the roster, so don't be afraid to can someone like Scythe or Ekuma who's never likely to amount to more than a one-dimensional undercarder, as much as it may pain me to say it.

Gedger · December 21, 2012

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="James Casey" data-cite="James Casey" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="34914" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Assuming the system hasn't changed drastically since 2010, all development talents start with General focus. Change their focus to performance or whatever, and they should settle down for a bit. Ultimately, you're unlikely to find room for everyone on the roster, so don't be afraid to can someone like Scythe or Ekuma who's never likely to amount to more than a one-dimensional undercarder, as much as it may pain me to say it.</div></blockquote> their focus is changed to performance training. But i think there is something wrong with the development...cause all development workers are bitching from day 1 and even if you call them up immediately they will start with morale issues cause "being Stuck in development"

Rayelek · December 21, 2012

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Gedger" data-cite="Gedger" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="34914" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>their focus is changed to performance training. But i think there is something wrong with the development...cause all development workers are bitching from day 1 and even if you call them up immediately they will start with morale issues cause "being Stuck in development"</div></blockquote> It varies based upon how ready they are. If they got a crappy destiny stat and aren't going to develop anymore, then they'll want to be called up right away. In my first couple of SWF games, the only people who wanted to be called up were the few who had no areas that "can be dramatically improved".

3rdStringPG · December 21, 2012

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Rayelek" data-cite="Rayelek" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="34914" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>It varies based upon how ready they are. If they got a crappy destiny stat and aren't going to develop anymore, then they'll want to be called up right away. In my first couple of SWF games, the only people who wanted to be called up were the few who had no areas that "can be dramatically improved".</div></blockquote> Spencer Spade, Lenny Brown and Kristen Pearce. Looks like it's only those three who complain regularly. <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="34914" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Ultimately, you're unlikely to find room for everyone on the roster, so don't be afraid to can someone like Scythe or Ekuma who's never likely to amount to more than a one-dimensional undercarder, as much as it may pain me to say it.</div></blockquote> Or Bear Bekowski. That guy's been in developmental forever. At least Atlas is now on USPW's main roster. No big loss for the SWF, but hey, he's (theoretically) on TV now.

Bigpapa42 · December 28, 2012

The Basics of the Supreme Wrestling Federation

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Logos/Promotions/SWF_alt5.jpg

Doing this by request. Hopefully a few folks will find this helpful and this might spurn some discussion of how different people approach the SWF and its characters.

The SWF does bear some similarities to the real giant of American pro wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment. From the sports entertainment product to the mega-stars they built to helping end the territories to the powerful owner, it’s easy to see why many view the SWF simply as the C-verse version of the WWE. Yet the differences are just as strong, if not stronger. They greatest aspect of the CornellVerse (in my opinion) is that the canon only gives us so much and its left up to us to fill in the remaining blanks. If you dig, you get a whole of information about the SWF.

So what do we actually “know” about the Supreme Wrestling Federation?

the history: we have a pretty detailed history of the SWF that is canon. Between the game and the CV website, there is a lot of detail about the major stars, big moments, and so on. And perhaps just as importantly, how the promotion transitioned from old stars to new ones, time and again. Perhaps Adam Ryland did not intent it as such, but a great deal of insight into the SWF can be gained by looking at those kind of details.
Richard Eisen: in many ways, the boss is the SWF as he has been the one constant since the beginning. The parallels to Vincent Kennedy McMahon seem obvious. Yet the differences are probably stronger if you really look. McMahon is a promoter through and through (if there’s money to be made, he’s willing), a natural showman, and has repeatedly attempted to expand beyond the scope of professional wrestling. There is no indication that Eisen has any such ambitions. He has rarely been an on-screen character (as stated in his bio) and seems more of a pure businessman than a promoter (and there is a difference there). There is no indication that the SWF focuses on using wrestling outsiders (celebrities, for the most pat) as both the WWE does and WCW did. Something that has always struck me about him (and the history of Supreme) is his focus on moving forward – stars are discarded for new stars and when someone leaves, they do not return. And a difference that one can see – thought this might be more for gameplay reasons that to reflect Eisen’s personality – is how streamlined the SWF roster always is compared to the bloat of the WWE roster at almost any point in the company’s history.
the exact product: it’s fairly mainstream, traditional, and risqué yet has some comedy elements. There is almost endless interpretation here. It seems common for people to pick a particular era of the WWE and have the SWF basically be that. The Attitude Era jumps out for obvious reasons, given the level of risqué. However, high levels of risqué does not necessarily mean that you have constant penis jokes, porn star gimmicks, and Divas showing their “puppies” every week as the Attitude Era had. It can be that, but it can also be more suggestive that an outright offensive. There is some campiness to the SWF product, not just based on their product but the characters they feature. You have a very talented wrestler (who is nearly a main eventer) who wrestles in a lobster costume, a “king of the jungle” with loin-cloth and all, and so on. Another point to remember… World Championship Wrestling presented a very Sports Entertainment product from the start of the Bischoff era to the last day of the promotion (though it was never overtly risqué, due to network restrictions) so don’t limit yourself to the WWE vision.
popularity is king: talent matters in the world of Supreme, but not quite as much as pure overness. Although this can be interpreted in a number of different ways, it really comes down to the fact that your fans want to see the wrestlers they love. Whether that’s in the ring or in angles, give the fans what they want and the grades will follow.
the talent: the SWF starts with a fairly diverse roster – there are some very popular workers, some strong midcard talents, and some solid prospects (especially when you include the guys in RIPW). Yet some people will look at the starting roster and panic… Why? Well, a lot of the top talent are on the long side of 35 years old. A number of them don’t really have the pure in-ring skills to carry a main event match by themselves, a group which includes the reigning world champion. Some never quite deliver like you expect they should – I’m looking at you, Mr. Jack Bruce. The truth here is that how you perceive the starting roster is likely going to have a significant effect on how you approach your SWF game.

The Big Papa Approach

My “vision” of the Supreme Wrestling Federation has evolved over the years. My first real take was my Generation Supreme diary from TEW 2008, which was based almost entirely on the SE product of the WWE and my apparent desire to sign up every talented wrestler available in the C-verse. My take has changed quite significantly in the years since and I figured I would share it a bit. I try to respect the SWF I perceive as being presented to us. This isn’t the “right” way to run Supreme but rather, simply, my way.

Please note that some of this comes from an unlikely-to-happen future SWF diary that I put some thought into on the previous version and again on the new version. As well, some of this is based on assumption as I haven’t really started a proper game with the SWF yet on TEW 2013.

the promotion: while I used try to change Supreme into what I thought they should be, I know try to continue on with them as I perceive them to be. That might seem like a small differentiation but it’s actually quite significant. That means I’m not looking to massively overhaul the roster in the first few months. I look to gradually evolve it but focus on building internally. That doesn’t mean I won’t sign any talent that comes available but rather than I will be picky about whom I do, mostly focusing on brining through new talent via the “SWF system”.
the product: I can’t really point to any given promotion during a given period and say “this” because my “vision” of the SWF is more diverse than that. It takes elements. To start with, my take on the SWF version of Sports Entertainment is that it’s about spectacle and grandeur, with the real focus being on characters and “moments”. Eisen-Verse and I are similar in that regard.

A key element is not trying to use my main eventers in the ring that frequently. In a way, it’s like WCW in the mid 90s where the midcard (and cruiserweights) carried the wrestling workload on TV. Pretty near every top star (save Marat, you lazy Russian) is going to be featured on every episode of Supreme TV, but the majority will be in angles. A main match between main event talents is not going to be on TV very often and it certainly won’t feature a clean finish except on rare situations. A tag match with four main eventers would be quite common, as would a main eventer going over (as expected) a talented upper midcard talent. So much as guys like Benoit, Jericho, and Guerrero carried a lot of the in-ring load on Nitro, so will the likes of Lobster Warrior, Squeeky McClean, and even the mighty Angry Gilmore. It can be tempting to spam certain main eventers – such as Christian Faith if he isn’t in decline – but I try to avoid booking for grades (see below).

I also very intentionally try to move away from the concepts that we know as “Sports Entertainment” because of the WWE, TNA, and even WCW. When you stop and realize that we perceive as being “SE” is really just the WWE’s contemporary version of it, things open up. I move away from the idea of the “magic camera” that captures all those backstage moments where, in kayfabe terms, a camera should not be. I run with the idea that the backstage has never really been opened up to the public the way that the Attitude Era did for us, so it remains a sacrosanct place that fans rarely get a glimpse into, even in kayfabe storytelling.

The vision I adhere to is rather minimalist. Recognizing that overuse of anything reduces its impact, I avoid overusing things like attack and brawling angles. When I wrote Gen S, the promotion was chaos – attacks and confrontations all the time. Now, I go relatively old school – attacks and brawls and other such misbehaviours are “punished” with fines and even suspensions. There are consequences for actions. That is perhaps the greatest things I try to ensure – that each event (angle, promo, even match) has a purpose and that there is some consequence for it.

Other variances from what we current see is trying to use more backstage interviews (with an interviewer, something TNA still does) rather than all in-ring promos and avoiding the use stereotypical authority figures (heavily heavily overused at this point, in my opinion). You can do things like feature regular “host” segments – “Let’s Talk Money” with Rich Money or “A Moment of Greed” with John Greed. Or bring in game show elements. How about a weekly “challenge” segment where a randomly-selected worker has to go through some weird, insane “challenge” inspired by those odd Japanese game shows? Or a “The Supreme Wheel” that workers are chosen to spin (find a reason) and where they can win anything from an open title shot contract to a match with Marat. Random shenanigans.
grades: booking without any regard for grades at all isn’t really possible, not unless you really want to fall to Cult and have to rebuild. With that said, I try to avoid booking with too much regard for grades. I shoot for the B I need to stay at National and anything above that is just a bonus. In 2013, the SWF is in a three-way national war with TCW and USPW, so you do have to take that into account. However, it the tests I’ve run, USPW seems to struggle to put on B shows with any consistency so they tend to finish last in the national battle.

On previous versions (not so much yet on 2013), I see people saying they avoid using certain workers because they don’t deliver quite high enough grades off the start. Talents like Marat Khoklov, Remo, Steve Frehley, Eric Eisen, and even Jack Bruce. So they avoid using them, fire them, or even send them to development. None of those are “wrong” but I feel like that’s missing the point of the SWF. All of those are perfectly usable talents. Sure, keeping the belt on Frehley for any length of time might require a lit bit of protective booking but it’s very doable. And it’s fundamentally Supreme to have those kind of talents.

Quite honestly, I do need to spend some time booking the SWF in 2013 before I can give too much advice. But even with the addition of Recent Fortunes shouldn’t alter my approach that much. On a typical TV booking, I tend to rely on the ME moreso for angles (which should be more effectively in 2013) with the UMC and MC moreso for the matches. Having Remo go over Gilmore or Frehley go over McClean should deliver the goods but you can only do that so much – you don’t want to bleed your UMC of all momentum. Use Openers and Enhancement Talents sparingly as fans just don’t care that much about them.
the talent: I have to key points I want to make here. The first is that TCW is quite loaded with talent and really doesn’t need much for additions. The second is that spending some time putting thought into the actual characters tends to pay off in terms of game enjoyment.

So first off, the guys you have. I am of the opinion that you really don’t need to add anyone at all. I felt that way with the 2010 roster and I definitely feel that way looking at the 2013 roster. Rogue (formerly Jack Giedroyc) and Valiant both seem to be on the cusp of being main eventers, especially with their current alliances and Valiant really does look like a future world champion. Beyond obvious options like Angry Gilmore (even the AI turns him into a top star now) and Lobster Warrior (in the costume, dammit), you have guys like Brandon James, Jungle Lord, John Greed, Captain Atomic, Squeeky McClean, James Prudence, and both Bumfhole’s have the talent to main event – they all just need the overness. The likes of Dubois, Davids, Huntington, and Retro need a bit more development but any of them can be groomed. If you aren’t in a rush to revamp the roster, you can gradually slide guys like Vengeance, Khoklov, Bruce, and even Faith down a slight bit while moving James, Gilmore, and Valiant up, then moving a few of your midcarders up a bit… There is no absolute need to raid TCW or rush through guys like Spencer Spade, KC Glenn, or the Keith twins…

On the second point, I personally always find it much more enjoyable to push a character I have fleshed out to some degree. This is where diary-writing is great, because it forces you to do that. But even without a diary, you can still put the effort in. I find I connect much more with a given character, and the project as a whole, if I do so.

Take someone like Angry Gilmore. In past games, I have based him on variations of Stone Cold Steve Austin, young Shawn Michaels, and CM Punk. His skill set and character biography leave a lot of room for interpretation and that can significantly alter what you choose to do with him in terms of storylines, alliances, feuds, etc. Derek_B’s posts on Steve Frehley and Remo in this thread are fantastic glimpses of the kind of character detail you can fill in, even with a non-diary game.

Personally, a lot of my C-verse characterizations start as variations of “real” wrestlers, but gradually get layers and pieces added so they essentially stand on their own. Once you have sorted out what a Jack Bruce promo would be, or a Steve Frehley match, or an Angry Gilmore storyline, I feel the game takes on a greater depth.

Inspiration for “finding” a character can come from anywhere. A new render or an approach someone used in their diary… even just random inspiration. I’ll use Robbie Retro as an example. Going back to my Gen S project, I always wanted to make something of Retro – good star quality, fun character and he just seemed very “Supreme”. But I could never really “fill him in” as a character. I tried and tried, but he always just ended up feeling like a weak variation on Disco Inferno and I never did much with him. Someone posted an alt of him with a more serious look and it fell into place… What I would always do in 2010 (and will likely do something similar in 2013) is have him “put on the shelf” early in the game by some kind of attack, spend a few months in development while “recovering”, then have him debut as a tough thug based a bit on early John Cena using that alt. In makes sense in character terms because the new character has evolved from his fun-loving retro self due to the assault he suffered. In 2010, I would end up having Shady K and Knuckles being his backup. Since I couldn’t find a take on the disco Robbie I liked, I changed it up and it works for me.
key signings: no one. You really don’t need to sign anyone at all. This is all personal preference, of course, as there is no “wrong” approach on this. But I tend to go after too many prospects, far more than I can really make use of, and that creates a mess. This is compounded by the workers who I manage to “steal” in a game, whether from TCW, USPW, NOTBPW, CGC, etc.

Knowing that I can find ways to talk myself into signing almost anyone, I try to cap it by only signing those I have very specific uses for. Not just character ideas but actual story arcs already planned out. In 2010, I would sign Hell’s Bouncer and put him in development, with the intent that he would eventually debut as a replacement for Vengeance (perhaps a very direct replacement) – though Scythe now can do that and it looks like he develops very well. If I sign the Keith brothers, it’s not because “I will find a use for someone with such talent” but because I want to team them together as a core tag team. When I sign Bulldozer Brandon Smith, it’s because I have a specific character and arc planned for him that will cover the next 2 to 2.5 years. With the exception of a few “let’s see if these guys develop” signings for developmental, most of my new signings at the start of a game need to have a direct purpose. That keeps things a bit more limited.

As for stealing talent, that is going to vary game by game (unless you decide to “force” things) so it’s hard to have quite as of an set approach. But I really do look at the same thing. If someone is coming available and I might be able to steal them, what am I going to do with them? Am I trying to sign Rocky Golden cuz I like him and losing him hurts TCW, or because I have a specific reason and use for him? And be honest about what you are getting – Golden brings quite a lot to the table for the SWF, but what about one of The Machines, or Koshiro Ino, or Johnny Bloodstone? You can make them work in Supreme, obviously, but are they genuinely giving you something you don’t already have in another worker already on the roster? Think about it.
developmental: the Supreme Wrestling Federation starts with a child promotion, which has some quality talent. Some new additions (hi Spencer) and some long-timers (really, Bear?). I typically throw around a bit of the Eisen largess to open another promotion, a bit bigger and on a touring schedule, so that I don’t bloat the roster of RIPW too badly. Even if I limit myself on the signings, there is still going to be handful of prospects coming in. Don’t forget to sign a few trainers to add to the mix as well.
Frodo McJobbins: umm… who? What, you don’t know Frodo? It’s a ridiculously-goofy alter ego I created for Air Attack Weasel on a number of 2010 games, putting him under a random mask. He was (and still is) a guy I almost always sign. Why? Selling. Same with Bob Casey. They don’t have fantastic Performance skills as a whole (both have only mediocre Psychology) but Selling is somewhat lacking in a few wrestlers on the SWF roster (and the same is true of TCW and USPW and…). So I bring in these guys as pure jobbers who will be used almost exclusively in dark matches losing to workers who need a bit of polish in that regard. Even guys who have pretty good Selling (C+ or B-) can always get better. So if someone like Frehley, Remo, or Big Money isn’t in a match on Supreme TV, they are going to be squashing Frodo McJobbins in the dark.
planning: I use this point almost every time I’m talking about my own booking strategies, but I like to plan in advance. This is true of both diary and non-diary games. I use a spreadsheet and lay out some key story arcs. Starting a game in January of 2013, I would want to know from the start what my main event of The Supreme Challenge in June is going to be, and would likely have a vague idea of the next Supreme Challenge would have for a main event as well.
make it your own!: there are endless ideas out there for a promotion like Supreme. Whether it’s taking suggestions from in here, stealing from a diary, adapting storylines from “real” wrestling, or even taking stories from the “real world” news, the options are endless. The only real limit is your imagination. Be creative. Flex those mental muscles and have some fun with it.

Story Ideas

Sigilistic asked me specifically for some story suggestions. I was a bit hesitant at first, since again, there is a minor possibility of a future project. So rather than lay out the stories I will likely use, I came up with a few random ideas… These are not particularly fleshed out so be warned…

I had previously mentioned using the special attraction Marat Khoklov by hyping his “legit” history with INSPIRE. He’s the Russian SMASHING Machine, an unbeatable monster who has never been pinned in the SWF. Or maybe even never slammed. Make a special match for him to use – the Russian Pit match – that you use on each PPV for him to face someone new. There are endless ways to approach it – whether the angry Russian is simply anti-American and wants to prove the dominance of Russian science, or there is some devious trickster behind the monster (hi there John Greed!). Hell, steal from the WWF and have someone “sponsor” Khoklov and put up a $100k (or $1m or $5m) challenge for anyone who can slam him in a match.

Now where to go with it? Having Khoklov smashing midcarders on PPV should get a decent grade if you pick carefully (and build with a storyline) but why not take advantage of this? Again, endless options. Maybe you want to get Lobster Warrior out from under the mask. So he faces Khoklov on back-to-back pay per views and loses. You get a series of serious vignettes from Warrior, promising he can do this. To get the third match, he puts his career on the line and manages to topple the monster! You now have him unmasked as The Warrior (or whatever) and he is now a main event level star. Or both Bumfhole brothers go after the Russian, losing to him on alternating PPVs for awhile, slowing creating tension between them – this could lead to one of them going over the big guy, or simply have one turn on the other brother and feud them. Khoklov can be the catalyst for another major, long-term without ever having to lose. Maybe Emma Chase makes Valiant defeat the Russian monster before he gets a shot at his former partner...
let’s say you’ve always preferred “Big Cat Brandon” to “Big Money” Brandon James. You don’t want to main event him and you would prefer to use Emma Chase for other things. So what do? Well, a big cat is king of the jungle… and you have a lord of the jungle on the roster… I smell FEUD! Things can kick off any which way – random tag match goes wrong – and the feud is running. Jungle Lord makes the heel James bring forth his “animal instincts”, eventually leading to a King of the Jungle blowoff match – the possibilities on that are delicious – and after James loses, Chase disowns him. Face turn and face paint. Big Cat and Jungle Lord team up as an upper midcard tag team. Maybe even form a stable with Lobster Warrior – the guy in a lobster costume, the guy in a loin cloth (and too much oil), and the 340-pound guy who pretends he’s a kitty cat.
occult meets radioactive accident. After failing to regain the world title, Vengeance brings back some of his mysterious machinations, including the epic pre-match lighting storm (stealing from Eisen-verses alt of Vengeance from his diary). But when that lighting accidentally hits Captain Atomic before match, something goes wrong and the Radioactive Wrecking Machine now has the unstoppability (is that even a word?) that Vengeance is famed for. The Captain goes on a winning stream with his new found power, including a clean pinfall win over Vengeance. That spurs Vengeance to bring in his son/clone/young brother/third cousin twice removed… WRATH! Who is Scythe (after a spell in development) under one of the many awesome Skull DeBone’s alt pics. This feud could stretch out well over a year if you book it slowly, and potentially turn both Atomic and Scythe into top-level players.

Eisen-verse · December 28, 2012

Well, Damn, PA....

That was an amazing view of the SWF through the eyes of the man/writer I will ALWAYS attribute the company naturally.

Some really good stuff in there. A powerful read for anyone interested in jumping on the SWF-ride.

Just wanted to swing in and say 'great job man'.

juggaloninjalee · December 28, 2012

The SWF and everyones enthusiasm for it really has me wanting to run SWF my way. Lots of good stuff in this thread and Eisens current diary.

Characters I love...

Rich Money

Big Cat Brandon

Captain Atomic (Nevada Nuclear)

Vengeance

Christian Faith

Remo Richardson

There is a lot I am not a fan of in SWF but that only gives me more options to change over the long term. I've always viewed Angry Gilmore as more of a Christopher Daniels type.

Again though a lot of ways to run SWF. I like the idea of running a strong tag team division. Having some attitude type characters (not the sexual innuendo ones) like Knuckles for example. Reminds me of Crush as a biker. Stables were my favorite thing about the Attitude Era. SWF has lots of stable possibilities.

Also what if like in the TEW13 hype thread Jack Bruce became Jackie Bruce and left SWF for a womens promotion? That could be interesting to see how his career ends up outside of the SWF. Maybe he gets fired due to some discrimination. You could even work it into a storyline before sending him out of SWF.

Sigilistic · December 28, 2012

Thank you so much, BigPapa. That was wonderful. Definitely something to consider in my SWF game going forward.

Here's what I've done for my game, in March 2013 so far.

I admit, I do a fair bit of database tinkering pre-game, mostly just to season to taste. I edit the tv show to start at two hours, the PPVs (save SC) to be three hours, I revise the injury files to delete the goofy stuff, things like that.

But one thing I did with SWF was revised their event schedule. I'm a big fan of booking on a three-month cycle, ala the WWF/E Big Four format. So I rearrange the PPVs so that every three months there's a big PPV: Welcome To The Jungle is our Royal Rumble equivalent, leads to a title shot at Supreme Challenge; Supreme Challenge, grandest stage yadda yadda; Awesome Impact, our SummerSlam analogue, basically the second most important card of the year; and Christmas Clash, for all your Survivor Series needs.

I'm not an enormous fan of just mirroring WWE's style, but I do like that calendar set-up. It's easier for me to think and plan three months ahead, with ideas for further than that, than to fret about booking a whole year in advance. I had a tendency of starting a game and then getting paralyzed with indecision. Do I spend hours and hours to book storylines and barely get to play the game, or just play them game shooting from the hip only to have my lack of planning bite me later on. Three months, though? That's manageable.

I'm using a three-tier talent system in my game. I have a well-stocked development fed that I try to keep stacked with people I find promising or interesting.

Then I have a "B" brand, Uprising, that I use to take those development workers who are polished but unknown and introduce them to the world. Then, of course, there's the main roster.

Like you, BP, I try to restrain my urge to hire everyone. In my game, I splurged and brought in a dozen promising wrestlers to fill out my Uprising brand and/or to replace wrestlers I'd promoted from development. Now, unless Rocky Golden or some other can't miss prospect comes on the market, I'm focused on building talent. I like your advice though about having a plan for someone, even Golden, before you hire them.

I'm a huge fan of main event tag team or six-, eight- or ten-man matches. A great way to load a main event with your stars, further several storylines, and generate a lot of heat for the heels or faces, whoever needs it more. Most of those matches have Sports Entertainment finishes though. Satisfying endings are for PPV.

Here's my take on the starting storylines, what I've done so far.

In the Gilmore, Eisen feud, I decided that SWF FINALLY acknowledged Angry and Jessie's marriage onscreen after he won the North American title, in one of those emotional hugs in the middle of the ring sort of angles. She's been managing her hubby ever since, and luckily they have good chemistry there. Anyway, I called up Kristen Pearce and who should she cast her lot with but her brother-in-law's nemesis, Eisen. Though they aren't wrestling, Kristen and Jessie's feud is every bit as heated as Eric and Angry's is. I plan to blow it off in a stretcher match, an idea which I believe someone mentioned on this thread. My goal is to keep the strap on Angry and use him in a building capacity, where he works with a wide variety of tomorrow's stars before dropping the belt to one of our Next Big Things.

In the Frehley/Faith/Vengeance/Remo feud, what began as a four-way for the gold has exploded into two equally intense rivalries: Vengeance and Frehley are battling for the gold while Remo is seeking a more elusive prize, to retire Faith from the business. For real. Faith is in terminal decline and while I might resign him if the price is right, I'm hedging my bets by having him give Remo the big rub. If Faith does re-up, I may try and establish him as a nostalgia act. Frehley's contract is up in August. Since he's likely still too conservative for our product, my plan is for him to drop the strap to Remo at Supreme Challenge and then for Remo to send him on his way for good. Basically, 2013 will be the Year Of The Dark Destroyer is what I'm saying. Retiring Faith, sending Frehley out of the company, winning the world championship...not a bad year.

The Thrill of the Chase storyline...that threw me for a loop at first. Given that it's a two-year-old storyline, my inclination is for the feud to blow off in March in some suitably grand fashion and then have them all move on to new feuds. I really struggle for good ideas for where to take that feud and ways to keep it fresh.

Ockbald · December 28, 2012

I actually hijacked that Four Way to the gold and made it all about Rich Money vs. Jack Bruce after Rich Money stole the title from Steve.

For some reason in my game Jack Bruce always produces insanely huge grades, he is ready brother.

Now I'm seeing a reign of terror with Jack as he produces incredible matches while being 100 over all across America, Mexico and Canada.

juggaloninjalee · December 28, 2012

If a guy like Rocky Golden, Rick Law, Ricky Dale Johnson, or Tommy Cornell hits the open free agent market you have to sign them as SWF. They are too valuable to a promotion like that.

If they come to SWF you can always run an Invasion type of angle. Or some kind of angle how they are public enemy #1 due to things they have said and done in the past while working out West for that one promotion.

Rocky Golden would be the best hire SWF could make in my opinion. He would be in the main event from the start of his contract. So many options too for how to use him. He could come in as muscle for someone. He could be a secret tag partner of someone. He could be heel or face. He could be a secret opponent for someone. The ways to use him are endless.

Bigpapa42 · December 28, 2012

Thanks E-V. Enjoying the new SWF diary, BTW.

The Thrill of the Chase storyline...that threw me for a loop at first. Given that it's a two-year-old storyline, my inclination is for the feud to blow off in March in some suitably grand fashion and then have them all move on to new feuds. I really struggle for good ideas for where to take that feud and ways to keep it fresh.

Glad you enjoyed, Sig. I make frequent use of 6 and 8 man tags as well, though usually kinda carefully. I don't like my top stars losing very often, even if they aren't the ones taking the pin, I'm not yet certain if its going to matter more or less in 2013.

As for the Thrill of the Chase storyline, its probably my favorite. Its a vicious long-term blood feud that features two key players in Supreme - one a multi-time world champion and the other a champion-in-waiting... yet those two are not the central pieces. Its the kind of feud that can and should move Rogue and Valiant out of the midcard and into the main event scene. Involving Emma Chase, Brandon James, and especially Jack Bruce makes those almost certain.

Where to take it depends on entirely on where you want to go with those involved. Personally, I would want to ensure Rogue and Valiant end up as main event level players and position Valiant for the world title. If I didn't have specific plans for Jack Bruce, I might consider a jealousy-related heel turn after a couple of months, which would give a couple of months of feud between Bruce and Valiant, with Valiant going over. Then Valiant focuses on finishing off his feud with Rogue. That can finally have some kind of satisfying conclusion, which propels Valiant into a feud with then-world champion Brandon James. You could drag that all out for 18 months quite easily, with the end result of Valiant having the SWF World title.

If a guy like Rocky Golden, Rick Law, Ricky Dale Johnson, or Tommy Cornell hits the open free agent market you have to sign them as SWF. They are too valuable to a promotion like that.

You can certainly find uses for them. But that's not quite the same as having something specific that is going to fit with the other plans you have. And while they have some value to the SWF, I don't think its as automatic as it seems for all of them. Cornell won't happen. As for the others...?

Golden would be pretty much automatic for me. RDJ? Probably not. Good talent and overness to be a main eventer. But he's 42 with some physical damage, so there's a good chance he's on decline - that is the only way the TCW doesn't fight to keep him. So if I don't have a great idea in mind for RDJ, is it really worth paying him $70k a month plus creative control and a bunch of other stuff? Not to me. As much as I love me some Rick Law, he's a good (not great) heavyweight who really isn't any better than a number of workers you already have, has UMC-level popularity at best and has never been a true star for TCW (no world title, no main event run). Is he worth giving a monster contract to with a ton of extras? Ehh... I would especially hesitate as several SWF stars have wage matching in their current deals, which means that if you sign someone new to a monster contract, they get a deal with matching wage... So you're adding a lot more than just the existing contract.

Devilb0y · December 28, 2012

You can certainly find uses for them. But that's not quite the same as having something specific that is going to fit with the other plans you have. And while they have some value to the SWF, I don't think its as automatic as it seems for all of them. Cornell won't happen. As for the others...?

Golden would be pretty much automatic for me. RDJ? Probably not. Good talent and overness to be a main eventer. But he's 42 with some physical damage, so there's a good chance he's on decline - that is the only way the TCW doesn't fight to keep him. So if I don't have a great idea in mind for RDJ, is it really worth paying him $70k a month plus creative control and a bunch of other stuff? Not to me. As much as I love me some Rick Law, he's a good (not great) heavyweight who really isn't any better than a number of workers you already have, has UMC-level popularity at best and has never been a true star for TCW (no world title, no main event run). Is he worth giving a monster contract to with a ton of extras? Ehh... I would especially hesitate as several SWF stars have wage matching in their current deals, which means that if you sign someone new to a monster contract, they get a deal with matching wage... So you're adding a lot more than just the existing contract.

I would say the likes of Rick Law are becoming increasingly more valuable given what they can do for your backstage environment, which is pretty bad at SWF. A high-quality worker with a personality as positive as Law's are worth their weight in gold this time around, or so it seems.

3rdStringPG · December 28, 2012

I would say the likes of Rick Law are becoming increasingly more valuable given what they can do for your backstage environment, which is pretty bad at SWF. A high-quality worker with a personality as positive as Law's are worth their weight in gold this time around, or so it seems.

Still not as bad as TCW, though...

I was able to get my backstage rating up to the early 80s as of February by relaxing the backstage rules, demoting Everest to RIPW and hiring some lesser-known workers (Chloe Dean and Edward Cornell, to name a few) with positive personalities. Big Smack Scott's still on the main roster, though, but since I have a "three strikes you're out" policy for soft drugs and steroids, it shouldn't be much longer before I give him the heave-ho. I've ran several test games in TEW '10 and '13 where he'd strike out in less than half a year...

But I certainly agree, if Rick Law comes up, then by all means sign him to an SWF contract. Good (though not great) worker, not bad on the mic, but most valued as a positive locker room presence.

Jaded · December 28, 2012

Still not as bad as TCW, though...

I was able to get my backstage rating up to the early 80s as of February by relaxing the backstage rules, demoting Everest to RIPW and hiring some lesser-known workers (Chloe Dean and Edward Cornell, to name a few) with positive personalities. Big Smack Scott's still on the main roster, though, but since I have a "three strikes you're out" policy for soft drugs and steroids, it shouldn't be much longer before I give him the heave-ho. I've ran several test games in TEW '10 and '13 where he'd strike out in less than half a year...

But I certainly agree, if Rick Law comes up, then by all means sign him to an SWF contract. Good (though not great) worker, not bad on the mic, but most valued as a positive locker room presence.

Say it ain't so - your version of BSS is one of my favourite dynasty characters for ages!

BlueStar · December 28, 2012

This one even gives me ideas for my 0x4 Euro fed...

Bigpapa42 · December 29, 2012

I would say the likes of Rick Law are becoming increasingly more valuable given what they can do for your backstage environment, which is pretty bad at SWF. A high-quality worker with a personality as positive as Law's are worth their weight in gold this time around, or so it seems.

That's true. But I still think it comes down to what its going to cost to sign Law. Not that money is lacking for Supreme, but if you have to give him a massive wage, remember that several workers will get raises to match. More concerning to me, do you really want to give him creative control, guaranteed world title run, and guaranteed main event status? I don't know that he would require those but it would not surprise me, especially as TCW is going to be very keen to keep him.

And just discovered this is all rather moot anyway... Edited Law's contract and he won't sign with Supreme due to the risque nature of the product.

The backstage definitely is a concern. The game I started used default user talents and it started at 59% (about 10% higher than TCW) and it jumped to 67% just by changing the backstage rules a bit. Can max it out to 72% that way. One positive about the most negative personalities is that a couple are lower card guys who are pretty expendable (Everest and yes, Big Smack Scott). The Smacker is guaranteed to give you drug violations so he's easy to get rid of, as is DuBois, who is obviously more talented but whom I have been unable to get to change his drug habit in some testing.

Eisen-verse · December 29, 2012

Speaking of drug testing, what level do people typically use? Medium? High? Extreme? The basis is set at medium; however, I'm wondering if I should strengthen that. That said, it will cost much more to move up.

Gnrfan · December 29, 2012

Speaking of drug testing, what level do people typically use? Medium? High? Extreme? The basis is set at medium; however, I'm wondering if I should strengthen that. That said, it will cost much more to move up.

Have to say great right up Big Papa and EV... i'm loving your dynasty.

I leave the drug testing at medium, i tried putting it up and lets just say i had trouble with the usual suspects.

I'm playing as SWF and one thing i am yet to do is put on a big main event Face on Face. If i was to go with Frehley vs Faith would the match struggle due to the Face/Heel divide? How do people deal with this?

Devilb0y · December 29, 2012

Have to say great right up Big Papa and EV... i'm loving your dynasty.

I leave the drug testing at medium, i tried putting it up and lets just say i had trouble with the usual suspects.

I'm playing as SWF and one thing i am yet to do is put on a big main event Face on Face. If i was to go with Frehley vs Faith would the match struggle due to the Face/Heel divide? How do people deal with this?

Momentum seems like the key. It'll get a ding but nothing it can't recover from, particularly with someone like Faith involved.

Sigilistic · December 30, 2012

So I think Marc Dubois is pretty much doomed in SWF. Every single game I've run, Eisen has given me a goal forbidding me from hiring/rehiring anyone with legal troubles. Granted, I could disregard it and only take a slight ding on my performance, but it really seems that Dubois is on borrowed time, great destiny or not.

HHUK · December 30, 2012

So I think Marc Dubois is pretty much doomed in SWF. Every single game I've run, Eisen has given me a goal forbidding me from hiring/rehiring anyone with legal troubles. Granted, I could disregard it and only take a slight ding on my performance, but it really seems that Dubois is on borrowed time, great destiny or not.

In about 2 months, I've only had Dubois not cause a backstage incident once. He's going to be a nightmare to manage in the long run.

My approach with him so far is to have him gain momentum in tag matches then use him as a jobber for my main eventers. It seems to work quite well but I don't think he'll stay here for a year.

Eisen-verse · December 30, 2012

So I think Marc Dubois is pretty much doomed in SWF. Every single game I've run, Eisen has given me a goal forbidding me from hiring/rehiring anyone with legal troubles. Granted, I could disregard it and only take a slight ding on my performance, but it really seems that Dubois is on borrowed time, great destiny or not.

I've found this too. It makes it impossible to bring him back. Then again, I also have the owner goal not to hire any wrestler above 42; so, I guess that's just the challenge of the game.

That said, I hope to keep DuBois around long enough to possibly work on my "B" show (if I can secure one). I'll probably give him a tempered sense of success as I'm not sure how long I can count on him.

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