The Roman Reigns Effect

[niall2015]

We've all heard about the disaster of Roman Reigns' push (some of us were also unfortunate enough to watch it) but have you ever had any experiences of trying to push someone to the top, but no matter how hard you try it just isnt working.

 

I played a modern day WWE save before and had a particular problem with the Young Bucks. They had charisma and they could work so I put them in a stable called the New Age, led by the WWE Champion, CM Punk, alongside Intercontinental Champion, Kevin Owens and Womens Champion, AJ Lee. The goal of the group was to have the Bucks dominate the tag division, before the group ousted Punk and AJ and became a trio, led by Kevin Owens.

 

Well things took a turn for the worst when I brought the Dudley Boyz back to win the Titles and then put the Young Bucks over at Summerslam 2013. They didnt want to do it, even after I protected them and kept them strong, both were still furious. So their low morale caused them to stink the joint out, giving me the lowest rated match of the card. They went on a tear of the Tag Division, defeating the Usos, the Ascension, the Rhodes brothers, the Wyatts, every team basically. So we get to Summerslam the next year, when the group was due to turn on Punk, Owens has reached a pop of 81, and the Bucks have gone from pop: 20 to 57.

 

Ultimately the plans were scrapped because I couldnt have CM Punk, my number one guy and WWE Champion, losing to a team that were midcard at best, Owens turned on the group and recruited the Wolves who had recently signed to go 3 on 3 with them, before the Young Bucks slowly faded into midcard obscurity, to job to the Wolves for a few months

[TeemuFoundation]

Back in my day, when this feature was added to TEW, it was called The Billy Gunn Effect.

 

You whippersnappers with your Roman Reignses, Young Buckses and hoola-hoops.

[niall2015]

I grew up during the RA era. You have no idea how surprised I was when I found out the guy from Billy and Chuck was planned to be a main event star 😂

[d12345]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="TeemuFoundation" data-cite="TeemuFoundation" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="40944" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Back in my day, when this feature was added to TEW, it was called The Billy Gunn Effect. <img alt=":p" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/tongue.png.ceb643b2956793497cef30b0e944be28.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p> </p><p> You whippersnappers with your Roman Reignses, Young Buckses and hoola-hoops.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Billy Gunn's situation wasn't as bad as Reigns.</p><p> </p><p> Now if Billy Gunn had been in the finals for 3 Rumble's in a row and headlined 2 Wrestlemanias and been a 2 time World champ that the show was focused around during those main event rumors. Then maybe...</p>

[Jaysin]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="niall2015" data-cite="niall2015" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="40944" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I grew up during the RA era. You have no idea how surprised I was when I found out the guy from Billy and Chuck was planned to be a main event star </div></blockquote><p> </p><p> In Billy's defense, he was a good worker, had good psychology, athletic as heck, and had the look of a star....</p><p> </p><p> Except he had no charisma and his average at best mic skills were made to look worse than they really were because of that. </p><p> </p><p> I think that's why him and Road Dogg were so good together. Billy got to be the ring worker and Road Dogg was able to talk.</p><p> </p><p> As for an on topic, using the Cverse 2005 mod as DaVE(renamed WCW with Gil Thomas owning it), I signed Hell's Bouncer(as Scourge) and paired him with Nemesis in a protege and mentor sort of relationship. My plan was to use Nemesis to build Scourge up into a huge name and retire Nemesis before going on a tear winning the world title. Scourge refused to rise above the midcard. His popularity just would not improve despite being in high rated matches and angles for a year straight. It almost broke my heart having to scrap that storyline.</p>

[Tom Bombadil]

I've yet to master the art of getting people over from OP/ET level, so every game I have a handful of awesome guys from other regions that usually never manage to reach the midcard.

[Jaysin]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Tom Bombadil" data-cite="Tom Bombadil" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="40944" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I've yet to master the art of getting people over from OP/ET level, so every game I have a handful of awesome guys from other regions that usually never manage to reach the midcard.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Manually set them as lower mid card workers and have them win against Openers and Enhancement Talents for awhile.</p>

[K-Nection]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="niall2015" data-cite="niall2015" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="40944" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I grew up during the RA era. You have no idea how surprised I was when I found out the guy from Billy and Chuck was planned to be a main event star <span class="ipsEmoji">😂</span></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Oh you didn't know.....</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> You take Billy Gunn from then and time travel him now and he would have been a 4 time World Champ. That was just too talented a roster back then.</p>

[phoxy]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Jaysin" data-cite="Jaysin" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="40944" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>In Billy's defense, he was a good worker, had good psychology, athletic as heck, and had the look of a star....<p> </p><p> Except he had no charisma and his average at best mic skills were made to look worse than they really were because of that. </p><p> </p><p> I think that's why him and Road Dogg were so good together. Billy got to be the ring worker and Road Dogg was able to talk.</p><p> </p><p> As for an on topic, using the Cverse 2005 mod as DaVE(renamed WCW with Gil Thomas owning it), I signed Hell's Bouncer(as Scourge) and paired him with Nemesis in a protege and mentor sort of relationship. My plan was to use Nemesis to build Scourge up into a huge name and retire Nemesis before going on a tear winning the world title. Scourge refused to rise above the midcard. His popularity just would not improve despite being in high rated matches and angles for a year straight. It almost broke my heart having to scrap that storyline.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Yup, I loved, loved, loved Billy Gunn and Road Dogg as the New Age Outlaws and in DX. Then there was Billy's solo push, and the "I promise not to 'Billy Gunn' this King of the Ring title." Edge promo. *shudder* </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> Back on topic, I always hate when I pick up a nice young prospect and try to get them over, only to meet the midcard ceiling. I had a similar problem with a couple of workers that I paired up as a tag team, and made my tag champions. I planned on having one of them turn heel and walk out of a match costing them the belts after becoming increasingly embarrassed and frustrated with her partner (lots of inadvertent humiliation angles), and then have the newly turned heel get into a solo feud, where the heel (who was much larger and stronger than her partner) would destroy the other woman in angles, but the face would win matches despite interference from her rival, until it culminated in a blow-off where the plucky babyface overcame her opponent in a huge match at my company's season finale ppv. But the babyface skyrocketed to ME status and outgrew the title pretty quick, while the soon-to-be heel capped just at the cusp of the upper midcard, totally ruining that storyline, because I couldn't bring myself to book and main eventer with so much potential to be repeatedly dominated by an aging midcarder. <img alt=":rolleyes:" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/rolleyes.png.4b097f4fbbe99ce5bcd5efbc1b773ed6.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p>

[Teh_Showtime]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="K-Nection" data-cite="K-Nection" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="40944" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Oh you didn't know.....<p> </p><p> </p><p> You take Billy Gunn from then and time travel him now and he would have been a 4 time World Champ. That was just too talented a roster back then.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Dolph Ziggler is better in every way (except height) and he is treated like a joke so I highly dobut it. There's a reason he was a perennial tag wrestler, he just wasn't interesting at all.</p>

[IWWROCKS]

Off topic but Lex Luger's WWF run could be quite comparable to Reigns, except with Luger they were persuaded not to pull the trigger on a WWF Title run

[Oyaji]

<p>Yeah, Reigns is way more like Luger than Billy. Except Luger had shown he can be a top guy in WCW and was way better in the ring (in NWA/WCW at least).</p><p> </p><p>

Billy did get annihilated by both Rocky and Edge on the mic though. You were swimming with sharks once you got above the midcard back then.</p>

[Rayelek]

Had a C-Verse game that got into 2023. Bret Heartbreak was on a tear and getting good ratings in the midcard and had all the star quality in the world, plus excellent tag team chemistry with a guy on my NBT list (Haranobu Kobayashi) so I started building him to be champion of my Regional level company. He won the title in 2020, 3 years after his debut, but never quite hit it big and has settled back into the midcard. He is a Triple Crown champion though, needing just my fall tournament for the Grand Slam and every title in the company. And he's still just 24 years old, and the company is now Cult level, so once I'm on tv, it's possible that he'll catch fire and get over and run the show again.

[drcat123]

<p>before you start a mod go to roster go to mass edit set potential to excellent. Random really does screw over people. After all it is your game shouldn't you control who you push or not</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>

It is actually a combo of john cena effect (2 years of him pushed down our throats) and daniel bryan effect. WWE could of brought bryan back in a non wrestling role. Of course wwe was trying to get the crowd of reigns side. WWE has done so much bad booking with reigns is terrible. Reigns could of been the guy so easy too. The whole crowd was cheering reigns to throw out batista. If reigns would of won that rumble. It would of launched him. When he got hurt wwe should of kept him off TV period. He could of made a huge comeback instead of doing lame promos. Reigns could have so many more catchphrases by now. Reign of terror, Reign of Reigns, etc. WWE cares more about there stock and sponsers than the product.</p>

[SirMichaelJordan]

<p>I am not sure if I would call Roman's situation not being over. He gets a reaction, more reaction then billy ever got as a singles.</p><p> </p><p>

Reigns reaction isn't the reaction a face should get but if we are going by that logic then Cena would not be over. </p><p> </p><p>

In one breath fans say there isn't a heel/face divide but in the same breath say Roman is not over because he gets boo'd as a face.</p>

[Bigpapa42]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="drcat123" data-cite="drcat123" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="40944" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>before you start a mod go to roster go to mass edit set potential to excellent. Random really does screw over people. After all it is your game shouldn't you control who you push or not</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Depends entirely on how you want to play. Doing the above - or even setting the potential for a large number of young talents - will result in an unbalanced game-world after a period of time. Having too many really talented workers seems like an odd problem to have.... but its still a problem. Work-rated based promotions will blow up and if you are competing against one, its really aggravating. </p><p> </p><p> While running into someone who you can't push as much as you'd like is frustrating, its entirely realistic. It happens. Loads of talent that companies have been high on but who couldn't deliver in the ring, or who never connected with the fans effectively. I mean, it famously happened with Rocky Maivia and that could have derailed his career. So its entirely true to real wrestling for that dynamic to exist and prevent you from doing whatever you damn well please. Its why historical mods are simulations, rather than emulations.</p>

[Remianen]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Teh_Showtime" data-cite="Teh_Showtime" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="40944" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Dolph Ziggler is better in every way (except height) and he is treated like a joke so I highly dobut it. There's a reason he was a perennial tag wrestler, he just wasn't interesting at all.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Actually, K-Nection is right. You have to remember the time being referred to. When you have Rock, Austin, Triple H, Shawn Michaels (or was that the 'lost my smile' period?), and the like on the roster, you have to be able to stand out. That depth of talent doesn't exist in the company today. So yeah, he could've easily been a 4-time champ by now, especially with the likes of Heyman, Lana, Zeb, and such (in other words, people who can mitigate his lack of pure entertainment skills) around. And remember, until about fifteen months or so ago, there were TWO world titles (and KANE actually had multiple runs with one of them). And prior to that, at one point, there were THREE world titles....and Big Show and Mark Henry got to hold one! You don't think Billy Gunn with a manager would be more interesting than MARK HENRY?</p><p> </p><p> I've run into situations where workers have petered out as the promotion grew. Like, one game, Danielle Sweetheart was a main eventer for QAW at game start but by Cult, she couldn't rise above upper midcarder. In the most egregious cases, I just bust the cap and keep it movin' though.</p>

[drcat123]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Bigpapa42" data-cite="Bigpapa42" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="40944" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Depends entirely on how you want to play. Doing the above - or even setting the potential for a large number of young talents - will result in an unbalanced game-world after a period of time. Having too many really talented workers seems like an odd problem to have.... but its still a problem. Work-rated based promotions will blow up and if you are competing against one, its really aggravating. <p> </p><p> While running into someone who you can't push as much as you'd like is frustrating, its entirely realistic. It happens. Loads of talent that companies have been high on but who couldn't deliver in the ring, or who never connected with the fans effectively. I mean, it famously happened with Rocky Maivia and that could have derailed his career. So its entirely true to real wrestling for that dynamic to exist and prevent you from doing whatever you damn well please. Its why historical mods are simulations, rather than emulations.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Depends entirely on how you want to play</p><p> </p><p> sums of tew series</p>

[drcat123]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="SirMichaelJordan" data-cite="SirMichaelJordan" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="40944" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I am not sure if I would call Roman's situation not being over. He gets a reaction, more reaction then billy ever got as a singles.<p> </p><p> Reigns reaction isn't the reaction a face should get but if we are going by that logic then Cena would not be over. </p><p> </p><p> In one breath fans say there isn't a heel/face divide but in the same breath say Roman is not over because he gets boo'd as a face.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> He gets boo'd because of bad booking. Look at most of wwe's roster. They have pushed then killed then pushed then killed so many times. They are even doing it to brock now. Why did the wyatts beat him up only for wwe to end it? The fact vince wants stroman over is number 1 reason he needs to leave the company.</p>

[drcat123]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Teh_Showtime" data-cite="Teh_Showtime" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="40944" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Dolph Ziggler is better in every way (except height) and he is treated like a joke so I highly dobut it. There's a reason he was a perennial tag wrestler, he just wasn't interesting at all.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Dolph made his bed this time. WWE does not like old people who they booked forever without alot of success. Dolph is a awesome worker who reigned with wwe last year. He could be a world champion in TNA, LUCHA underground or japan now. He rather be a pointless midcarder in wwe. So no matter how much I like him I know he choose the money over success</p>

[Rone Rivendale]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="drcat123" data-cite="drcat123" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="40944" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Dolph made his bed this time. WWE does not like old people who they booked forever without alot of success. Dolph is a awesome worker who reigned with wwe last year. He could be a world champion in TNA, LUCHA underground or japan now. He rather be a pointless midcarder in wwe. So no matter how much I like him I know he choose the money over success</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I get and agree with your point, but Dolph in LU? <img alt=":p" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/tongue.png.ceb643b2956793497cef30b0e944be28.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p>

[K-Nection]

<p>hmmm....maybe if Daniel Bryan became Reign's mouth piece. Roman just stands there Brock Lesnar style while Daniel panders to the crowd. It might work and it will still give Daniel something to do....</p><p> </p><p>

Reigns booked smart is likable but what they are doing is just not working. I actually heard a shoot interview where Mick Foley said the guy is extremely witty but he thinks creative is holding the guy back scripting his promos.</p><p> </p><p>

Now going back to Reigns and Daniel they might have the opportunity to play off each other if done correctly.</p>

[ColossusPT]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Remianen" data-cite="Remianen" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="40944" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Actually, K-Nection is right. You have to remember the time being referred to. When you have Rock, Austin, Triple H, Shawn Michaels (or was that the 'lost my smile' period?), and the like on the roster, you have to be able to stand out. That depth of talent doesn't exist in the company today. So yeah, he could've easily been a 4-time champ by now, especially with the likes of Heyman, Lana, Zeb, and such (in other words, people who can mitigate his lack of pure entertainment skills) around. And remember, until about fifteen months or so ago, there were TWO world titles (and KANE actually had multiple runs with one of them). And prior to that, at one point, there were THREE world titles....and Big Show and Mark Henry got to hold one! <strong>You don't think Billy Gunn with a manager would be more interesting than MARK HENRY?</strong><p><strong> </strong></p><p> I've run into situations where workers have petered out as the promotion grew. Like, one game, Danielle Sweetheart was a main eventer for QAW at game start but by Cult, she couldn't rise above upper midcarder. In the most egregious cases, I just bust the cap and keep it movin' though.</p></div></blockquote><p> No. Mark Henry in ECW and Hall of Pain Mark Henry were two of he best characters in WWE at the time</p>

[shawn michaels]

<p>So if I go to the editor during game and increase someone's pop past the cap, will they be able to get more over, or will they just end up returning to said cap?</p><p> </p><p>

I Had a very frustrating save once. I was running WWE and Kurt Angle was in TNA. Despite this fact i started advertising for the Angle invitational to come soon. After a few vignettes it turned out that the Angle in question was Eric Angle. He had a major push on the making and was getting over, even winning a midcard title. Then...his pop capped at 51....i got him to 51 from 0 and he capped... I was annoyed as hell. <img alt="" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/biggrin.png.929299b4c121f473b0026f3d6e74d189.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p>

[TheZies]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="SirMichaelJordan" data-cite="SirMichaelJordan" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="40944" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I am not sure if I would call Roman's situation not being over. He gets a reaction, more reaction then billy ever got as a singles.<p> </p><p> Reigns reaction isn't the reaction a face should get but if we are going by that logic then Cena would not be over. </p><p> </p><p> In one breath fans say there isn't a heel/face divide but in the same breath say Roman is not over because he gets boo'd as a face.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Yeah, it's not really not being "popular." If i built him in TEW, I'd assume his momentum would be super low with a bad gimmick that is also stale. And most of his segments would be "entertainment" which doesn't play to his strengths.</p>