Wrestlers' Real Names

[TeemuFoundation]

Just out of curiosity, where would you draw the line when determining what to call people in a TEW mod? The Undertaker or Mark Calaway? Triple H or Paul Levesque? Bryan Danielson or Daniel Bryan? El Generico or Rami Sebei?

 

Would you prefer calling people by their most famous names, or calling them by their real names and creating multiple alter egos, or something else?

 

I'm struggling with this since I'm neurotic about consistency - but it feels stupid creating a worker called "Mark Calaway" since no one calls him "Mark Calaway". Even in non-kayfabe news stories, it's always "The Undertaker".

[Big Roguey]

Just out of curiosity, where would you draw the line when determining what to call people in a TEW mod? The Undertaker or Mark Calaway? Triple H or Paul Levesque? Bryan Danielson or Daniel Bryan? El Generico or Rami Sebei?

 

Would you prefer calling people by their most famous names, or calling them by their real names and creating multiple alter egos, or something else?

 

I'm struggling with this since I'm neurotic about consistency - but it feels stupid creating a worker called "Mark Calaway" since no one calls him "Mark Calaway". Even in non-kayfabe news stories, it's always "The Undertaker".

 

I'd say most famous names. People like El Generico, The Undertaker and Triple H are mainly known as that so that's what most people will search in the database when looking for them.

[Derek B]

You should always go for stage names in a mod. Most people have no idea about real names so it's pointless to add them as it just makes it harder for a player to navigate the mod and find who they want. And if you worry about "TNA would never be allowed to use The Undertaker" then you're just going to make the mod look worse when Mark Calloway shows up in TNA for some reason. TEW requires some suspension of disbelief, the only time you might not want to use a worker's most popular stage name is if you are making a historical mod, where it would be more appropriate to use their name from that time period instead.

 

So in direct response for your examples... The Undertaker, Triple H, El Generico and then whichever you like for Daniel Bryan/Bryan Danielson as they're both pretty well known. I'd lean towards Daniel Bryan now though, since it's where he made it big.

[Mattywood]

You should always go for stage names in a mod. Most people have no idea about real names so it's pointless to add them as it just makes it harder for a player to navigate the mod and find who they want. And if you worry about "TNA would never be allowed to use The Undertaker" then you're just going to make the mod look worse when Mark Calloway shows up in TNA for some reason. TEW requires some suspension of disbelief, the only time you might not want to use a worker's most popular stage name is if you are making a historical mod, where it would be more appropriate to use their name from that time period instead.

 

So in direct response for your examples... The Undertaker, Triple H, El Generico and then whichever you like for Daniel Bryan/Bryan Danielson as they're both pretty well known. I'd lean towards Daniel Bryan now though, since it's where he made it big.

 

So using this logic as a template, while making my mod that's set to start in 1988, I'd put Undertaker in as Mean Mark Callous since he hadn't started using Undertaker yet? And maybe set that alter ego to where it can't be selected till he turns the appropriate age?(from a historical standpoint)

[Remianen]

I'd say most famous names. People like El Generico, The Undertaker and Triple H are mainly known as that so that's what most people will search in the database when looking for them.

 

I think it depends on your audience.

 

If your mod is intended for the 'wrestling is WWE' types, use the most famous name. However, with the ability to set alter egos and personas by promotion, I would only do that with workers who likely own their persona. Shawn Michaels, for example, owns Shawn Michaels (not sure about 'The Heartbreak Kid' part), as evinced by the lawsuit they filed against the porn star (Sean Michaels). But I'm a stickler for accuracy so I'd prefer their real names used...unless their stage name has essentially become their real name (Shawn Michaels, Chris Jericho, Jaguar Yokota, Lioness Asuka, etc). The problem arises with people with multiple personas (Mick Foley, Lisa Marie Varon, Melissa Anderson, Jay Reso, Jamie Szantyr, etc). For WWE-centric audiences, Seth Rollins has always been Seth Rollins so his previous work wouldn't be acknowledged. Scotty Goldman would be the name for another worker, despite his bonafides.

 

I'd use the name that your intended audience would be most likely to know a worker by. In Matt's example, many people have no idea who Mean Mark was (or his Heart Punch finisher), having only been introduced to him after he switched companies. Isaac Yankem DDS as another example (those people only know Glenn Jacobs as Kane). In a historical mod, people would have to look for The Prototype or Leviathan or Jean-Paul Lafitte rather than their more well known names.

[soxfan93]

Jean-Paul Lafitte

 

Not sure if Jean-Paul Levesque or Jean-Pierre Lafitte.

[Dr. Hook]

Jean-Pierre Lafitte.

 

Didn't he work a pirate gimmick?

 

[20LEgend]

I'd keep WWE specific alter egos to the alter egos, other than who I consider 'lifers' like HHH and Taker who I'd call The Undertaker and Triple H in the mod, guys like Dolph Ziggler I'd call Nick Nemeth in the mod with the alter ego of Ziggler, where as El Generico owns his own character so he'd have that as his default entry.

 

I look at it as what they'd call themselves outside of WWE if they left - but as Derek said though, seeing Mark Calloway in TNA is pretty much as unlikely as The Undertaker being in TNA, same as Triple H. But those two would be the exceptions for me, that I can think of.

 

That's because as a player I'd hate to see "Brodus Clay" in TNA, I like to keep it believable that I'm simulating what would happen and not playing as a game with RW mods.

 

I also will know most indie guys names from indies so it's easy to find Tyler Black, Claudio Castagnoli, Matt Sydel etc. so it would bother me to see "Evan Bourne" in the database or "Antonio Cesaro" when that's what alter-egos are for if they're promotion exclusive.

 

I wouldn't use real names for most people, for example Jay Reso isn't needed as he'd go by Christian Cage as he did in TNA and on the indies, unless it is the stage name too Bryan Danielson, Bobby Roode etc.

 

So it's just the most popular non-promotion specific stage name, CM Punk would be CM Punk, Ben Satterly (I think) would be PAC, with Adrian Neville as a WWE/NXT alter-ego, and Bryan Danielson would be Bryan Danielson with Daniel Bryan as an alter-ego. It's difficult for anyone for that reason, and I understand the other view, but as shown my rambling, incoherant post I like it how I like it and it niggles me any other way - I think this is the way Mr. Canada does it.

[Mattywood]

I'd keep WWE specific alter egos to the alter egos, other than who I consider 'lifers' like HHH and Taker who I'd call The Undertaker and Triple H in the mod, guys like Dolph Ziggler I'd call Nick Nemeth in the mod with the alter ego of Ziggler, where as El Generico owns his own character so he'd have that as his default entry.

 

I look at it as what they'd call themselves outside of WWE if they left - but as Derek said though, seeing Mark Calloway in TNA is pretty much as unlikely as The Undertaker being in TNA, same as Triple H. But those two would be the exceptions for me, that I can think of.

 

That's because as a player I'd hate to see "Brodus Clay" in TNA, I like to keep it believable that I'm simulating what would happen and not playing as a game with RW mods.

 

I also will know most indie guys names from indies so it's easy to find Tyler Black, Claudio Castagnoli, Matt Sydel etc. so it would bother me to see "Evan Bourne" in the database or "Antonio Cesaro" when that's what alter-egos are for if they're promotion exclusive.

 

I wouldn't use real names for most people, for example Jay Reso isn't needed as he'd go by Christian Cage as he did in TNA and on the indies, unless it is the stage name too Bryan Danielson, Bobby Roode etc.

 

So it's just the most popular non-promotion specific stage name, CM Punk would be CM Punk, Ben Satterly (I think) would be PAC, with Adrian Neville as a WWE/NXT alter-ego, and Bryan Danielson would be Bryan Danielson with Daniel Bryan as an alter-ego. It's difficult for anyone for that reason, and I understand the other view, but as shown my rambling, incoherant post I like it how I like it and it niggles me any other way - I think this is the way Mr. Canada does it.

 

What would you name Mark Calaway in a mod based in February 1988? One of the members here(now I'm trying to remember who, lol) brought up the point that no one knew him as Mean Mark Callous in Feb 1988, but he wasn't known as Undertaker yet at that time. :-/

[20LEgend]

What would you name Mark Calaway in a mod based in February 1988? One of the members here(now I'm trying to remember who, lol) brought up the point that no one knew him as Mean Mark Callous in Feb 1988, but he wasn't known as Undertaker yet at that time. :-/

 

I think I'd go with Mark Callaway/Mean Mark Callous at that time with a WWF alter-ego of The Undertaker. I think in current RW it's past the point that it's an issue at all, but I'd go with the name he went by at that point rather than The Undertaker in 1988, because if the person playing can't find him, and won't google, then I think it's a fun challenge to actually find people rather than go: "there's The Undertaker, I'll sign him because I know he'll be good". Part of why I like fog of war is, if you don't know someone it's pretty cool to take a risk or follow their career (more so in the cornell verse as in RW I have youtube ). Some people will just want The Undertaker, but I'd rather have to find the person, so it's difficult.

[Derek B]

I'd keep WWE specific alter egos to the alter egos, other than who I consider 'lifers' like HHH and Taker who I'd call The Undertaker and Triple H in the mod, guys like Dolph Ziggler I'd call Nick Nemeth in the mod with the alter ego of Ziggler, where as El Generico owns his own character so he'd have that as his default entry.

 

I look at it as what they'd call themselves outside of WWE if they left - but as Derek said though, seeing Mark Calloway in TNA is pretty much as unlikely as The Undertaker being in TNA, same as Triple H. But those two would be the exceptions for me, that I can think of.

 

That's because as a player I'd hate to see "Brodus Clay" in TNA, I like to keep it believable that I'm simulating what would happen and not playing as a game with RW mods.

 

I also will know most indie guys names from indies so it's easy to find Tyler Black, Claudio Castagnoli, Matt Sydel etc. so it would bother me to see "Evan Bourne" in the database or "Antonio Cesaro" when that's what alter-egos are for if they're promotion exclusive.

 

I wouldn't use real names for most people, for example Jay Reso isn't needed as he'd go by Christian Cage as he did in TNA and on the indies, unless it is the stage name too Bryan Danielson, Bobby Roode etc.

 

So it's just the most popular non-promotion specific stage name, CM Punk would be CM Punk, Ben Satterly (I think) would be PAC, with Adrian Neville as a WWE/NXT alter-ego, and Bryan Danielson would be Bryan Danielson with Daniel Bryan as an alter-ego. It's difficult for anyone for that reason, and I understand the other view, but as shown my rambling, incoherant post I like it how I like it and it niggles me any other way - I think this is the way Mr. Canada does it.

 

See, setting up a mod like that makes it unplayable to me. The only name I know PAC by... is PAC. Put it this way.... 99% of people who watch wrestling only know the stage names of a worker, leaving only the 1% of smarks knowing the real name. In TEW, there is a higher percentage of smarks playing but more people still only know the stage names so they are the best way for a mod to be set up. If you want to simulate the WWE legal department then that is going to make for a terrible game, the same way that WWE Universe mode is nowhere near as good as TEW.

 

For me, the best real world mods for any game were Adam Ryland's for EWR. Why? Because I could find whoever I wanted to find with no hassle. If I have to go to google to find the real name of a worker I want to hire because a mod maker decided that generic indy worker X that I've never even heard of because I don't happen to live wherever his local indy runs.... well, that's time where I'm not playing the game. That's useless information, that's clutter and that's hassle. And those are all reasons to not play a mod for me.

 

As I've said before. The only time a mod should maybe use the most well known stage name is for a historical mod, when a worker might actually be working under a different name at the time and it is accurate. Setting other names for people just makes it worse for gameplay, and gameplay is the most important part of making a mod. The harder anyone makes it to get into a mod, the more reading I have to do just to find something that should be readily available, the less enjoyment I get from it. I once spent half an hour in a real world mod trying to find Armanda Alejandro Estrada. Why? Because I wanted to hire him and some mod maker had given him his indy name that only the smarkiest smarks and Puerto Rican indy wrestling fans MIGHT have known.

 

Gameplay over absolute accuracy should win every time.

[20LEgend]

See, setting up a mod like that makes it unplayable to me. The only name I know PAC by... is PAC. Put it this way.... 99% of people who watch wrestling only know the stage names of a worker, leaving only the 1% of smarks knowing the real name. In TEW, there is a higher percentage of smarks playing but more people still only know the stage names so they are the best way for a mod to be set up. If you want to simulate the WWE legal department then that is going to make for a terrible game, the same way that WWE Universe mode is nowhere near as good as TEW.

 

You do realise I said PAC should be called PAC, it seems you responded to my post as if I was saying he should have his real name, which I didn't. I'm not sure maybe you did understand but disagree You seem to have responded as if I suggest real names should be used, I didn't. I only know the real names because of the RW 'modding' I've done/am doing, so I agree that would be stupid.

 

It's not about simulating a legal team, it's about having appropriate characters to the promotion for me - I wanna see guys on the indies go by their indie names, people don't complain about Mr. Canada's data or call it unplayable, but this is exactly how he has it set up. WWE names are set as alter egos, and guys have their stage name outside of WWE as their default name.

 

Daniel Bryan as his default name would really, really bug me or Low-Ki as Kaval, it's also much easier to update a mod if the names are set with alter-egos.

 

Also, I don't understand the underlined bit.

[YoungNoble]

I'd keep WWE specific alter egos to the alter egos, other than who I consider 'lifers' like HHH and Taker who I'd call The Undertaker and Triple H in the mod, guys like Dolph Ziggler I'd call Nick Nemeth in the mod with the alter ego of Ziggler, where as El Generico owns his own character so he'd have that as his default entry.

 

I look at it as what they'd call themselves outside of WWE if they left - but as Derek said though, seeing Mark Calloway in TNA is pretty much as unlikely as The Undertaker being in TNA, same as Triple H. But those two would be the exceptions for me, that I can think of.

 

That's because as a player I'd hate to see "Brodus Clay" in TNA, I like to keep it believable that I'm simulating what would happen and not playing as a game with RW mods.

 

I also will know most indie guys names from indies so it's easy to find Tyler Black, Claudio Castagnoli, Matt Sydel etc. so it would bother me to see "Evan Bourne" in the database or "Antonio Cesaro" when that's what alter-egos are for if they're promotion exclusive.

 

I wouldn't use real names for most people, for example Jay Reso isn't needed as he'd go by Christian Cage as he did in TNA and on the indies, unless it is the stage name too Bryan Danielson, Bobby Roode etc.

 

So it's just the most popular non-promotion specific stage name, CM Punk would be CM Punk, Ben Satterly (I think) would be PAC, with Adrian Neville as a WWE/NXT alter-ego, and Bryan Danielson would be Bryan Danielson with Daniel Bryan as an alter-ego. It's difficult for anyone for that reason, and I understand the other view, but as shown my rambling, incoherant post I like it how I like it and it niggles me any other way - I think this is the way Mr. Canada does it.

 

I agree with this.