~ Official Release ~ May 2001 "End of an Era"

[Big Mikey]

an update would be sweet. Also take a look at everyones drug stuff. Seems everyone is way too high for roids hard drugs or other stuff.

[shawnbill5000]

Also if you do update it could you take a look at the guys who havn't debuted yet. I mean Okada isn't in the data I think. Former IWGP champs get no love I swear. But on the flip side good luck and thanks in advanced for the effort.

[Devine_Limits]

Does this mod have a update of all the current wrestlers of 2014?

[Stennick]

I'm sure plenty of them are there but honestly most of them don't debut for another five, six, seven years into the game if you notice someone missing you can always import them.

[Genadi]

Is anyone updating this? I have made the changes listed above. I am about to start a game and update if I notice anything. I can upload a newer version if anyone is interested.

 

Do it

[YoungNoble]

Do it

 

He lives?!?!?!?

[Genadi]

He lives?!?!?!?

 

:o

[FollowTheBuzzards619]

If you still update the mod at all, do you think you could provide a list of all the angles and also possibly fix the "auto-name" function? I've...not been able to get used to this particular mod, but I wanted a change from 2014 as its NEAR IMPOSSIBLE to book a divas match without it being awful thanks to WWE's neglect on certain divisions.

[The Final Countdown]

If you still update the mod at all, do you think you could provide a list of all the angles and also possibly fix the "auto-name" function? I've...not been able to get used to this particular mod, but I wanted a change from 2014 as its NEAR IMPOSSIBLE to book a divas match without it being awful thanks to WWE's neglect on certain divisions.

You'd probably be better off deleting the angles in the mod and importing the angles pack from another mod that has them set up the way you want.

[Gabriel]

I'll just add things as I come across them here.

 

Ladies Choice should be set to work in Canada only.

 

It appears that Gedo is set to work only in the British Isles, which is a mistake, as he should most definitely be working in Japan.

 

Lazz is set to work in Britain and Europe, but should only be available for America.

 

Altar Boy Luke has his name mis-spelled as "Alter" ... also, AJPW's World's Strongest Tag Team Tournament title is listed as a singles belt and should be tag.

 

EDIT: Path Finder's base picture seems to be Marcos of Ring of Honor fame.

[thilonash76]

Am I doing something wrong trying to unzip this? Its saying I need a database password when I try to unzip the file? any help?

[Juce]

Does anyone have the blank backgrounds used for the Promotion Logos, Title Belts, and Workers? It appears to be 3 different ones. Anyways I would like these so I can make some of my own graphics on these backgrounds.

 

EDIT: OK I ONLY NEED THE BACKGROUND THE TITLE PICTURES ARE ON.

[Rawisericho]

Am I doing something wrong trying to unzip this? Its saying I need a database password when I try to unzip the file? any help?

 

This. Bump. It downloads as a Microsoft Access file.

[Teh_Showtime]

This. Bump. It downloads as a Microsoft Access file.

 

The access file is the database itself. Create a blank database in the game and copy the downloaded access file into that new database folder

[MrCanada]

Over the last month or two, I've slowly but surely been revamping Genadi's data. Was wondering if anyone has any interest in it.

 

My main reason for doing it is I've always loved the idea/challenge of a hypothetical scenario where Shane McMahon buying WCW was real. While there have been datas that have done "What if WCW went on?" type scenarios before, very few did so with the challenge of WCW not having access to the major stars. People seem to gloss over that Goldberg, Nash, Hall, ect, were all getting paid 6+ figures to sit around and do nothing for a year or more by Time Warner. Contracts they were not going to break.

 

That said, I started screwing around with Genadi's data to try and bring it up to a level I like. Most changes are cosmetic, though I think eventually I will be screwing with the stats of workers. A problem with a lot of historical data is the "fast forwarding" effect, where people want AJ Styles to be the AJ Styles of today, not the AJ Styles putting on only okay matches with some cool/innovative spots.

 

That said, also some changes have been made to simply make the data work a little better, from a "cannon" point of view. A bit of revisionist history on somethings, but it is what it is.

 

Changes To The Data:

 

No User Characters

I've really moved away from the idea of user characters. Much more fun to just play as an in-game character. If you decide to play as WCW, its best to just be Shane McMahon anyway so you dont have to answer to an owner. Bischoff, Russo, Sapolsky are all good fits too. Or add your own character. Doesnt really matter.

 

Data Tweaks, Worker Names, Sizes, & Alter Egos

Renamed workers based on the time period. Ron Killings in K-Krush is an example. Also got rid of names WWF would have copywrites too (Dudleys) which in some cases means fast forwarding or rewinding time to find an appropriate name. Also redid alter egos & sizes for all workers. Very few future gimmicks are in the data to allow it to be semi-open to interpretation, but some are included as alter egos with 0%, to make them easier to use (The Hurricane, Umaga, as examples). You'd be surprised how long this takes.

 

For data tweaks, I wish I would have kept track of them all. Mostly just small tweaks here and there. Ones that stick out is I made BG James better on the mic, and Lance Storm better in the ring. But lots of small changes. This is going to be my next big project.

 

Moves & Moveset Overhaul

I literally deleted all moves & movesets and started to put them all back in from scratch. The original data suffers from conversion issues I think, where there are moves in 10-different ways (Power Bomb/Powerbomb for example). Also movesets for a vast majority of workers was outdated either behind or ahead in time.

 

The change has allowed me to simplify moves too. Instead of every worker having their own version of a move in the data, there are a lot more generic moves. There is no "Stone Cold Stunner" and then also "Stunner." Some exceptions are made based on personal preference (very few), but it allows for a cleaner data and better understanding for people who may not be super familiar with workers and can now actually figure out what a move is by the more technical names. You'd be surprised how long this takes.

 

Image Overhaul

Workers, Promotions, Dojos, PPV Carriers, TV Networks, Events, TV Shows, ect. You name it, I've redone the image for it. Most logos now are more simply done, just on black background. I prefer the cleaner look. Worker images were also reworked to be consistent. Where the old data has no real consistent naming technique, I've gone through with a system to allow it easier to swap out for your own pictures, easier for organization, and also easier for...

 

Agers

Redone agers to be more effective/consistent/easier to understand. The idea of agers for me is to better show generic changes over time for workers, not gimmick changes. Agers are uses to represent obvious visual changes in age & physical characteristics. I wish the agers system allowed you to set people to bald though. You'd be surprised how long this takes.

 

Worker Relationships

Mainly fixed issues and removed lots of relationships that dont really matter from a gameplay point of view. Also used present day knowledge to add relationships that make more sense.

 

Narratives

Nobody cares who won the Grammys. Narratives have been redone. Mainly removing a lot of them, especially ones with no real rhyme or reason to exist. I think the fun of going back in time is the future turning out different then it did in real life. What if John Cena never succeeds and Lance Cade becomes the face of wrestling? Stuff like that is what makes it fun to me. The only really specific narratives are now ones closer to the start of the game date. Also, Playboy popularity boosts!

 

Future Promotions

Yet-to-open promotions are now true to the real world. Currently included are, 1PW, 3PW, Chikara, EVOLVE, FWA, FIP, HUSTLE, MLW, OMEGA, PWG, ROH, SHIMMER, TNA, WWA, Wrestle-1, XWF. I'm going to probably add more soon.

 

TNA Not So NWA, NWA Zero-One?

Since you cant have TNA set to be in the NWA alliance as a debuting promotion, I made the choice to not give it the NWA titles. Instead, I decided to set the two major NWA belts (World Heavyweight & World Tag) to Zero One. With it as a new promotion at the time, this bit of revisionist history allow the NWA belts to stay alive.

 

Toryumon

Absent from the data, I added the precursor to Dragon Gate. Still a work in progress, but at a point it is playable and satisfying, though maybe not 100% true to life. A big issue is with the idea of Toryumon Japan & Mexico. I dont really want to add the Mexican promotion since it was so sporadic and more random shows, so I've thus far just integrated it into one big promotion. Also included a Narrative to prompt you to rename it to Dragon Gate when the time is right if so desired. Much like the "Get The 'F' Out!" Narrative.

 

Border City Wrestling

Originally in the data as a promotion set to open, I added them. In reality, BCW had been open for years and was a landing spot for a decent amount of veteran talent as well as the known breeding ground for future stars (Sabin, Shelley, Williams, ect).

 

Memphis Championship Wrestling

Also included in the data is the WWF developmental territory MCW. What lots forget is that Bryan Danielson, Brian Kendrick, & all developmental talents that ended up in HWA by June/July actually started in MCW where William Regal trained them. So yes, American Dragon & Spanky have WWF developmental deals like they did in real life at this time.

 

Family Feud McMahon's

Shane & Vince have a family feud relationship. Why? Maybe Vince cheated on Linda and Shane got angry? Maybe Vince is just an ass? Maybe Shane is an ass? It doesnt matter. Maybe fleshing out a backstory matters to some, but for me, in this version of history, Vince & Shane had actually been at odds for months/years, and purchasing WCW was Shane's way to give it to the old man. Shane/Stephanie still have a normal relationship.

 

World Wrestling Federation

Not much has changed here. The roster is slightly more correct (No Right to Censor). Linda McMahon is out of the data all together. Vince is owner, Stephanie is booker. WWF Jakked/Metal now also exists, taped on Mondays.

 

World Championship Wrestling

The big change. WCW is alive with its "Invasion" Roster (aka wrestlers who accepted buyouts and WWF was interested in.) Allignment & gimmicks are largely based on their last WCW appearences.

 

Few liberties are taken. Fit Finlay, Jerry Lawler, Mike Tenay, & Rob Van Dam are on the roster. Tenay & Lawler replace what should be Scott Hudson & Arn Anderson, so I dont think anyone will complain. Finlay is added as a road agent (to make 3 agents & 3 referees), he had left WCW in 2000 and joined WWF shortly after it bought WCW, so it was a decent enough fit. RVD is added because, lets be fair, anyone playing as WCW basically needs to sign him anyway as there are not many over & talented workers available. It also means RVD can be used on the first Nitro as a surprise/debut, while the player signs new workers for the 2nd week (Jeff Jarrett, Rey Misterio Jr. & BG James are probably the best free agents). Also, Kaz Hayashi is not included (call it the RVD tax), in reality he was originally brought over to WWF, but granted a release shortly after to go home to Japan. He's already in AJPW as a bit of a fast forward.

 

Nitro, airs on Monday on Showtime in the US & Much Music in Canada. WCW has no 2nd show, though Saturday Night & Thunder are in the data just without networks. Also, maybe WCW Velocity? I made a logo for it. Nitro/Velocity is a nice combo.

 

Shane McMahon is the owner, while Johnny Ace (aka John Laurinaitis) serves as the booker.

 

The Heartland Wrestling Association also serves as WCW's developmental territory. While in reality, it was affiliated with WWF at this point, it didnt actually have any full-time workers assigned there and was not a full-fledged developmental territory. All workers from Genadi's original data, and most associate with HWA, were actually in MCW at this time (Haas Bros, 3 Minute Warning, ect).

 

The logo is the WWF/WCW logo. With updated events/tv's to reflect that.

 

Whats to come?

-Updating the injury file. Does one exist with better/more common/realistic injuries? Sick of stuff like "pregnant paws"

 

-Lots of data tweaks.

 

-Adding new future & past workers. I wont go overboard and waste time adding a bunch of workers set to debut in 2010+ or even 2005+, there are still a decent amount of workers missing who show up from 2001-2004 who I feel are important enough to add. Most Dragon Gate guys are missing outside of the original bunch for example.

 

-Possibly using Naratives to keep WCW kicking in the first year or so. Popularity boosts mainly, but to me the fun of playing this isnt just trying to keep WCW alive, but making it until 2002 when the landscape started to really shift (Lesnar, Cena, Batista, ROH, TNA, MLW, ect). I feel the first year, especially playing as WCW, should be about trying to do cool things with the limited roster (See if you can make Mark Jindrak a star!), not having to sign Road Warrior Animal just to get some popularity.

 

- The Benoit Issue. I personally dont like having him in the data. I included a Narrative on the day of the murder-suicide, but I always remove him & Woman with the in-game editor on the first day. Not sure if I should just leave it that way, or remove him all together.

[Bonafide_Bluffa]

Over the last month or two, I've slowly but surely been revamping Genadi's data. Was wondering if anyone has any interest in it.

 

My main reason for doing it is I've always loved the idea/challenge of a hypothetical scenario where Shane McMahon buying WCW was real. While there have been datas that have done "What if WCW went on?" type scenarios before, very few did so with the challenge of WCW not having access to the major stars. People seem to gloss over that Goldberg, Nash, Hall, ect, were all getting paid 6+ figures to sit around and do nothing for a year or more by Time Warner. Contracts they were not going to break.

 

That said, I started screwing around with Genadi's data to try and bring it up to a level I like. Most changes are cosmetic, though I think eventually I will be screwing with the stats of workers. A problem with a lot of historical data is the "fast forwarding" effect, where people want AJ Styles to be the AJ Styles of today, not the AJ Styles putting on only okay matches with some cool/innovative spots.

 

That said, also some changes have been made to simply make the data work a little better, from a "cannon" point of view. A bit of revisionist history on somethings, but it is what it is.

 

Changes To The Data:

 

Data Tweaks, Worker Names, Sizes, & Alter Egos

Renamed workers based on the time period. Ron Killings in K-Krush is an example. Also got rid of names WWF would have copywrites too (Dudleys) which in some cases means fast forwarding or rewinding time to find an appropriate name. Also redid alter egos & sizes for all workers. Very few future gimmicks are in the data to allow it to be semi-open to interpretation, but some are included as alter egos with 0%, to make them easier to use (The Hurricane, Umaga, as examples). You'd be surprised how long this takes.

 

For data tweaks, I wish I would have kept track of them all. Mostly just small tweaks here and there. Ones that stick out is I made BG James better on the mic, and Lance Storm better in the ring. But lots of small changes. This is going to be my next big project.

 

Moves & Moveset Overhaul

I literally deleted all moves & movesets and started to put them all back in from scratch. The original data suffers from conversion issues I think, where there are moves in 10-different ways (Power Bomb/Powerbomb for example). Also movesets for a vast majority of workers was outdated either behind or ahead in time.

 

The change has allowed me to simplify moves too. Instead of every worker having their own version of a move in the data, there are a lot more generic moves. There is no "Stone Cold Stunner" and then also "Stunner." Some exceptions are made based on personal preference (very few), but it allows for a cleaner data and better understanding for people who may not be super familiar with workers and can now actually figure out what a move is by the more technical names. You'd be surprised how long this takes.

 

Image Overhaul

Workers, Promotions, Dojos, PPV Carriers, TV Networks, Events, TV Shows, ect. You name it, I've redone the image for it. Most logos now are more simply done, just on black background. I prefer the cleaner look. Worker images were also reworked to be consistent. Where the old data has no real consistent naming technique, I've gone through with a system to allow it easier to swap out for your own pictures, easier for organization, and also easier for...

 

Agers

Redone agers to be more effective/consistent/easier to understand. The idea of agers for me is to better show generic changes over time for workers, not gimmick changes. Agers are uses to represent obvious visual changes in age & physical characteristics. I wish the agers system allowed you to set people to bald though. You'd be surprised how long this takes.

 

Worker Relationships

Mainly fixed issues and removed lots of relationships that dont really matter from a gameplay point of view. Also used present day knowledge to add relationships that make more sense.

 

Narratives

Nobody cares who won the Grammys. Narratives have been redone. Mainly removing a lot of them, especially ones with no real rhyme or reason to exist. I think the fun of going back in time is the future turning out different then it did in real life. What if John Cena never succeeds and Lance Cade becomes the face of wrestling? Stuff like that is what makes it fun to me. The only really specific narratives are now ones closer to the start of the game date. Also, Playboy popularity boosts!

 

Future Promotions

Yet-to-open promotions are now true to the real world. Currently included are, 1PW, 3PW, Chikara, EVOLVE, FWA, FIP, HUSTLE, MLW, OMEGA, PWG, ROH, SHIMMER, TNA, WWA, Wrestle-1, XWF. I'm going to probably add more soon.

 

TNA Not So NWA, NWA Zero-One?

Since you cant have TNA set to be in the NWA alliance as a debuting promotion, I made the choice to not give it the NWA titles. Instead, I decided to set the two major NWA belts (World Heavyweight & World Tag) to Zero One. With it as a new promotion at the time, this bit of revisionist history allow the NWA belts to stay alive.

 

Toryumon

Absent from the data, I added the precursor to Dragon Gate. Still a work in progress, but at a point it is playable and satisfying, though maybe not 100% true to life. A big issue is with the idea of Toryumon Japan & Mexico. I dont really want to add the Mexican promotion since it was so sporadic and more random shows, so I've thus far just integrated it into one big promotion. Also included a Narrative to prompt you to rename it to Dragon Gate when the time is right if so desired. Much like the "Get The 'F' Out!" Narrative.

 

Border City Wrestling

Originally in the data as a promotion set to open, I added them. In reality, BCW had been open for years and was a landing spot for a decent amount of veteran talent as well as the known breeding ground for future stars (Sabin, Shelley, Williams, ect).

 

Memphis Championship Wrestling

Also included in the data is the WWF developmental territory MCW. What lots forget is that Bryan Danielson, Brian Kendrick, & all developmental talents that ended up in HWA by June/July actually started in MCW where William Regal trained them. So yes, American Dragon & Spanky have WWF developmental deals like they did in real life at this time.

 

Family Feud McMahon's

Shane & Vince have a family feud relationship. Why? Maybe Vince cheated on Linda and Shane got angry? Maybe Vince is just an ass? Maybe Shane is an ass? It doesnt matter. Maybe fleshing out a backstory matters to some, but for me, in this version of history, Vince & Shane had actually been at odds for months/years, and purchasing WCW was Shane's way to give it to the old man. Shane/Stephanie still have a normal relationship.

 

World Wrestling Federation

Not much has changed here. The roster is slightly more correct (No Right to Censor). Linda McMahon is out of the data all together. Vince is owner, Stephanie is booker. WWF Jakked/Metal now also exists, taped on Mondays.

 

World Championship Wrestling

The big change. WCW is alive with its "Invasion" Roster (aka wrestlers who accepted buyouts and WWF was interested in.) Allignment & gimmicks are largely based on their last WCW appearences.

 

Few liberties are taken. Fit Finlay, Jerry Lawler, Mike Tenay, & Rob Van Dam are on the roster. Tenay & Lawler replace what should be Scott Hudson & Arn Anderson, so I dont think anyone will complain. Finlay is added as a road agent (to make 3 agents & 3 referees), he had left WCW in 2000 and joined WWF shortly after it bought WCW, so it was a decent enough fit. RVD is added because, lets be fair, anyone playing as WCW basically needs to sign him anyway as there are not many over & talented workers available. It also means RVD can be used on the first Nitro as a surprise/debut, while the player signs new workers for the 2nd week (Jeff Jarrett & BG James are probably the best free agents).

 

Oh yea, Nitro. Nitro, now simply WCW Nitro, airs on Monday on Showtime in the US & Much Music in Canada. WCW has no 2nd show, though Saturday Night & Thunder are in the data just without networks. Also, maybe WCW Velocity? I made a logo for it. Nitro/Velocity is a nice combo.

 

Shane McMahon is the owner, while Johnny Ace (aka John Laurinaitis) serves as the booker.

 

The Heartland Wrestling Association also serves as WCW's developmental territory. While in reality, it was affiliated with WWF at this point, it didnt actually have any full-time workers assigned there and was not a full-fledged developmental territory. All workers from Genadi's original data, and most associate with HWA, were actually in MCW at this time (Haas Bros, 3 Minute Warning, ect).

 

The logo is the WWF/WCW logo. With updated events/tv's to reflect that.

 

Whats to come?

-Updating the injury file. Does one exist with better/more common/realistic injuries? Sick of stuff like "pregnant paws"

 

-Lots of data tweaks.

 

-Adding new future & past workers. I wont go overboard and waste time adding a bunch of workers set to debut in 2010+ or even 2005+, there are still a decent amount of workers missing who show up from 2001-2004 who I feel are important enough to add. Most Dragon Gate guys are missing outside of the original bunch for example.

 

-Possibly using Naratives to keep WCW kicking in the first year or so. Popularity boosts mainly, but to me the fun of playing this isnt just trying to keep WCW alive, but making it until 2002 when the landscape started to really shift (Lesnar, Cena, Batista, ROH, TNA, MLW, ect). I feel the first year, especially playing as WCW, should be about trying to do cool things with the limited roster (See if you can make Mark Jindrak a star!), not having to sign Road Warrior Animal just to get some popularity.

 

- The Benoit Issue. I personally dont like having him in the data. I included a Narrative on the day of the murder-suicide, but I always remove him & Woman with the in-game editor on the first day. Not sure if I should just leave it that way, or remove him all together.

 

i'd be interested in playing if you kept benoit in.

[Stennick]

I never have him in any of my data. I'm all for taking Benoit out I absoultely can't stand the sight of the guy. Playing a game for entertainment and fun isn't fun for me when I run across his name or face.

 

I'm curious on why you went with Showtime. 2001 was the start of the "cable boom" with so many channels. Any reason you didn't go with say F/X or the E channel or something lower level like that?

 

I'd be all for playing it as long as Benoit's not in it.

[moafnsteel]

Over the last month or two, I've slowly but surely been revamping Genadi's data. Was wondering if anyone has any interest in it.

 

My main reason for doing it is I've always loved the idea/challenge of a hypothetical scenario where Shane McMahon buying WCW was real. While there have been datas that have done "What if WCW went on?" type scenarios before, very few did so with the challenge of WCW not having access to the major stars. People seem to gloss over that Goldberg, Nash, Hall, ect, were all getting paid 6+ figures to sit around and do nothing for a year or more by Time Warner. Contracts they were not going to break.

 

That said, I started screwing around with Genadi's data to try and bring it up to a level I like. Most changes are cosmetic, though I think eventually I will be screwing with the stats of workers. A problem with a lot of historical data is the "fast forwarding" effect, where people want AJ Styles to be the AJ Styles of today, not the AJ Styles putting on only okay matches with some cool/innovative spots.

 

That said, also some changes have been made to simply make the data work a little better, from a "cannon" point of view. A bit of revisionist history on somethings, but it is what it is.

 

Changes To The Data:

 

No User Characters

I've really moved away from the idea of user characters. Much more fun to just play as an in-game character. If you decide to play as WCW, its best to just be Shane McMahon anyway so you dont have to answer to an owner. Bischoff, Russo, Sapolsky are all good fits too. Or add your own character. Doesnt really matter.

 

Data Tweaks, Worker Names, Sizes, & Alter Egos

Renamed workers based on the time period. Ron Killings in K-Krush is an example. Also got rid of names WWF would have copywrites too (Dudleys) which in some cases means fast forwarding or rewinding time to find an appropriate name. Also redid alter egos & sizes for all workers. Very few future gimmicks are in the data to allow it to be semi-open to interpretation, but some are included as alter egos with 0%, to make them easier to use (The Hurricane, Umaga, as examples). You'd be surprised how long this takes.

 

For data tweaks, I wish I would have kept track of them all. Mostly just small tweaks here and there. Ones that stick out is I made BG James better on the mic, and Lance Storm better in the ring. But lots of small changes. This is going to be my next big project.

 

Moves & Moveset Overhaul

I literally deleted all moves & movesets and started to put them all back in from scratch. The original data suffers from conversion issues I think, where there are moves in 10-different ways (Power Bomb/Powerbomb for example). Also movesets for a vast majority of workers was outdated either behind or ahead in time.

 

The change has allowed me to simplify moves too. Instead of every worker having their own version of a move in the data, there are a lot more generic moves. There is no "Stone Cold Stunner" and then also "Stunner." Some exceptions are made based on personal preference (very few), but it allows for a cleaner data and better understanding for people who may not be super familiar with workers and can now actually figure out what a move is by the more technical names. You'd be surprised how long this takes.

 

Image Overhaul

Workers, Promotions, Dojos, PPV Carriers, TV Networks, Events, TV Shows, ect. You name it, I've redone the image for it. Most logos now are more simply done, just on black background. I prefer the cleaner look. Worker images were also reworked to be consistent. Where the old data has no real consistent naming technique, I've gone through with a system to allow it easier to swap out for your own pictures, easier for organization, and also easier for...

 

Agers

Redone agers to be more effective/consistent/easier to understand. The idea of agers for me is to better show generic changes over time for workers, not gimmick changes. Agers are uses to represent obvious visual changes in age & physical characteristics. I wish the agers system allowed you to set people to bald though. You'd be surprised how long this takes.

 

Worker Relationships

Mainly fixed issues and removed lots of relationships that dont really matter from a gameplay point of view. Also used present day knowledge to add relationships that make more sense.

 

Narratives

Nobody cares who won the Grammys. Narratives have been redone. Mainly removing a lot of them, especially ones with no real rhyme or reason to exist. I think the fun of going back in time is the future turning out different then it did in real life. What if John Cena never succeeds and Lance Cade becomes the face of wrestling? Stuff like that is what makes it fun to me. The only really specific narratives are now ones closer to the start of the game date. Also, Playboy popularity boosts!

 

Future Promotions

Yet-to-open promotions are now true to the real world. Currently included are, 1PW, 3PW, Chikara, EVOLVE, FWA, FIP, HUSTLE, MLW, OMEGA, PWG, ROH, SHIMMER, TNA, WWA, Wrestle-1, XWF. I'm going to probably add more soon.

 

TNA Not So NWA, NWA Zero-One?

Since you cant have TNA set to be in the NWA alliance as a debuting promotion, I made the choice to not give it the NWA titles. Instead, I decided to set the two major NWA belts (World Heavyweight & World Tag) to Zero One. With it as a new promotion at the time, this bit of revisionist history allow the NWA belts to stay alive.

 

Toryumon

Absent from the data, I added the precursor to Dragon Gate. Still a work in progress, but at a point it is playable and satisfying, though maybe not 100% true to life. A big issue is with the idea of Toryumon Japan & Mexico. I dont really want to add the Mexican promotion since it was so sporadic and more random shows, so I've thus far just integrated it into one big promotion. Also included a Narrative to prompt you to rename it to Dragon Gate when the time is right if so desired. Much like the "Get The 'F' Out!" Narrative.

 

Border City Wrestling

Originally in the data as a promotion set to open, I added them. In reality, BCW had been open for years and was a landing spot for a decent amount of veteran talent as well as the known breeding ground for future stars (Sabin, Shelley, Williams, ect).

 

Memphis Championship Wrestling

Also included in the data is the WWF developmental territory MCW. What lots forget is that Bryan Danielson, Brian Kendrick, & all developmental talents that ended up in HWA by June/July actually started in MCW where William Regal trained them. So yes, American Dragon & Spanky have WWF developmental deals like they did in real life at this time.

 

Family Feud McMahon's

Shane & Vince have a family feud relationship. Why? Maybe Vince cheated on Linda and Shane got angry? Maybe Vince is just an ass? Maybe Shane is an ass? It doesnt matter. Maybe fleshing out a backstory matters to some, but for me, in this version of history, Vince & Shane had actually been at odds for months/years, and purchasing WCW was Shane's way to give it to the old man. Shane/Stephanie still have a normal relationship.

 

World Wrestling Federation

Not much has changed here. The roster is slightly more correct (No Right to Censor). Linda McMahon is out of the data all together. Vince is owner, Stephanie is booker. WWF Jakked/Metal now also exists, taped on Mondays.

 

World Championship Wrestling

The big change. WCW is alive with its "Invasion" Roster (aka wrestlers who accepted buyouts and WWF was interested in.) Allignment & gimmicks are largely based on their last WCW appearences.

 

Few liberties are taken. Fit Finlay, Jerry Lawler, Mike Tenay, & Rob Van Dam are on the roster. Tenay & Lawler replace what should be Scott Hudson & Arn Anderson, so I dont think anyone will complain. Finlay is added as a road agent (to make 3 agents & 3 referees), he had left WCW in 2000 and joined WWF shortly after it bought WCW, so it was a decent enough fit. RVD is added because, lets be fair, anyone playing as WCW basically needs to sign him anyway as there are not many over & talented workers available. It also means RVD can be used on the first Nitro as a surprise/debut, while the player signs new workers for the 2nd week (Jeff Jarrett & BG James are probably the best free agents). Also, Kaz Hayashi is not included (call it the RVD tax), in reality he was originally brought over to WWF, but granted a release shortly after to go home to Japan. He's already in AJPW as a bit of a fast forward.

 

Nitro, airs on Monday on Showtime in the US & Much Music in Canada. WCW has no 2nd show, though Saturday Night & Thunder are in the data just without networks. Also, maybe WCW Velocity? I made a logo for it. Nitro/Velocity is a nice combo.

 

Shane McMahon is the owner, while Johnny Ace (aka John Laurinaitis) serves as the booker.

 

The Heartland Wrestling Association also serves as WCW's developmental territory. While in reality, it was affiliated with WWF at this point, it didnt actually have any full-time workers assigned there and was not a full-fledged developmental territory. All workers from Genadi's original data, and most associate with HWA, were actually in MCW at this time (Haas Bros, 3 Minute Warning, ect).

 

The logo is the WWF/WCW logo. With updated events/tv's to reflect that.

 

Whats to come?

-Updating the injury file. Does one exist with better/more common/realistic injuries? Sick of stuff like "pregnant paws"

 

-Lots of data tweaks.

 

-Adding new future & past workers. I wont go overboard and waste time adding a bunch of workers set to debut in 2010+ or even 2005+, there are still a decent amount of workers missing who show up from 2001-2004 who I feel are important enough to add. Most Dragon Gate guys are missing outside of the original bunch for example.

 

-Possibly using Naratives to keep WCW kicking in the first year or so. Popularity boosts mainly, but to me the fun of playing this isnt just trying to keep WCW alive, but making it until 2002 when the landscape started to really shift (Lesnar, Cena, Batista, ROH, TNA, MLW, ect). I feel the first year, especially playing as WCW, should be about trying to do cool things with the limited roster (See if you can make Mark Jindrak a star!), not having to sign Road Warrior Animal just to get some popularity.

 

- The Benoit Issue. I personally dont like having him in the data. I included a Narrative on the day of the murder-suicide, but I always remove him & Woman with the in-game editor on the first day. Not sure if I should just leave it that way, or remove him all together.

I would definitely be interested. I loved your real world mod and the work you put into that one. Its funny before my last laptop crashed I was actually making Shane McMahon the owner of WCW but I was not making all the tweaks you were. I love the idea of WCW staying alive in that capacity. I can careless about Beniot I was never a fan of him even before the murder-suicide.

[MrCanada]

I never have him in any of my data. I'm all for taking Benoit out I absoultely can't stand the sight of the guy. Playing a game for entertainment and fun isn't fun for me when I run across his name or face.

 

I'm curious on why you went with Showtime. 2001 was the start of the "cable boom" with so many channels. Any reason you didn't go with say F/X or the E channel or something lower level like that?

 

I'd be all for playing it as long as Benoit's not in it.

 

I may be wrong, but I could have sworn that there was actually a half decent rumor of WCW and/or ECW going to Showtime before what actually happened, happened. So thats what I did. I'm open to better suggestions, I dont really kno American TV networks. I did go through and basically redo lots of TV networks & PPV carriers, but I didnt add many.

[Big Mikey]

I'd be interested in playing. Always wanted to do a what if Shane buying WCW was actually real type thing. As far as Benoit I'd say keep him in. Anyone not wanting Benoit in there can easily release him or just release two data sets, one with him in and one with him not.

[Uncrewed]

I say keep Benoit in, If you don't want Benoit in then when you download it you can remove him manually.

[Stennick]

I say keep Benoit in, If you don't want Benoit in then when you download it you can remove him manually.

 

Technically you could just as easily import him from another other place.

 

As to the tv network stuff it all depends. On Showtime you could do some interesting presentations and wouldn't have the same restrictions as Vince. You could almost out attitude the attitude era but when TNA did this it came off as low rent and raunchy. Interesting idea

 

F/X would be a viable cable station that isn't owned by Turner or Viacom so it would fit. Depending on how realistic you wanted to be and it sounded like you wanted to be realistic FX didn't have a ton of really big cable hit shows. The Shield debuts in 2002 for them and that was their first big hit show. So WCW would not only be an option but it would be a lot less likely to be canclled on F/X drawing the ratings they were drawing on TNT and TBS to where as Showtime likely would never keep it running forever.

 

Just my three cents

[Big Mikey]

Technically you could just as easily import him from another other place.

 

That would take a lot more work then just deleting him from the data. It would involve any player downloading another mod all to just import a guy. Which then if Mr.Canada has made edits to other wrestlers could make Benoit overpowered or under powered as he would no longer be scaled correctly.

[Stennick]

I mean not to get into a debate on this thing but I would say the chances that any player playing this mod doesn't have another real world DB downloaded is probably next to zero. Anyway I would be interested in playing it when its done or if its done.

[TracyBrooksFan]

Would love this mod.