Backstage Politics

[jean-vic]

I'm currently playing the Montreal Aftermath mod by Genadi, and have just got past the Royal Rumble '98. Everything was going smoothly until Shawn Michaels and Triple H decided they were going to make everyone in the locker room hate Owen Hart. In the space of two weeks, my backstage rating plummeted from 100% to 42%. I currently have Owen Hart in a program with Triple H, and booked Owen to be injured on Raw following a beating from DX. I've given Owen a month off, and that has restored my rating to 100%.

 

My plans for Owen were to have him return in February and cost Triple H the European title (punishment for Trips' politicking) and then have him go on to beat him at Mania. Then, Owen was going to help Austin retain against HBK at Unforgiven, leading to a feud between the real life enemies which Owen would win (punishment for HBK). My only concern now is that the backstage rating will tank again when Owen returns. I have hired six new wrestlers who are said to be positive influences, but if they aren't enough to counter the toxic atmosphere around Owen, I may be forced to release him and gift a great performer to WCW.

 

Any ideas on how to turn it around, or is Owen heading the same way as his brother?

[Russelrules44]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="jean-vic" data-cite="jean-vic" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="42359" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I'm currently playing the Montreal Aftermath mod by Genadi, and have just got past the Royal Rumble '98. Everything was going smoothly until Shawn Michaels and Triple H decided they were going to make everyone in the locker room hate Owen Hart. In the space of two weeks, my backstage rating plummeted from 100% to 42%. I currently have Owen Hart in a program with Triple H, and booked Owen to be injured on Raw following a beating from DX. I've given Owen a month off, and that has restored my rating to 100%. <p> </p><p> My plans for Owen were to have him return in February and cost Triple H the European title (punishment for Trips' politicking) and then have him go on to beat him at Mania. Then, Owen was going to help Austin retain against HBK at Unforgiven, leading to a feud between the real life enemies which Owen would win (punishment for HBK). My only concern now is that the backstage rating will tank again when Owen returns. I have hired six new wrestlers who are said to be positive influences, but if they aren't enough to counter the toxic atmosphere around Owen, I may be forced to release him and gift a great performer to WCW. </p><p> </p><p> Any ideas on how to turn it around, or is Owen heading the same way as his brother?</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> As far as I know, you should try to abuse the meddle button as much as possible and pray for a miracle.</p><p> </p><p> If that doesn't work, then I don't know what to tell you.</p>

[lois lily]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Russelrules44" data-cite="Russelrules44" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="42359" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>As far as I know, you should try to abuse the meddle button as much as possible and pray for a miracle.<p> </p><p> If that doesn't work, then I don't know what to tell you.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Just out of interest, where is the meddle button?!</p>

[HighDefOverDose]

It's in locker room controls before you book an event/tv show, it's in the same place as clear the air, pull rib and public firing

[jean-vic]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Russelrules44" data-cite="Russelrules44" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="42359" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>As far as I know, you should try to abuse the meddle button as much as possible and pray for a miracle.<p> </p><p> If that doesn't work, then I don't know what to tell you.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I can't meddle while Owen is on holiday, but I'll give it a go when he gets back. Hopefully it's more successful than when I tried it to improve relationships with Sable. Strong Dislike so easily became Hatred.....</p>

[Romans_Brass_Shovel]

Maybe try giving Michaels a month off to see if it's just him. If so, have him lose to a bunch of your upper Midcard guys to build up his replacements to can him for being a douche.

[DarEatWorld]

Meddling with people who are a negative influence anyway is sorta like trying tell your socks apart while you're blindfolded too - be warned!

[Alucidus]

<p>My answer for dealing with Shawn being "difficult" in May 96 was to do a comprehensive drug test on him then shove him in rehab when he popped. This is really only a temporary answer since he'll probably keep doing stuff when he gets back, but it will keep WCW away from him (and they might not hire him anyway due to not wanting to anger Bret) will keep him as a part of your National Battle score, and since sending workers to rehab has a high chance of improving their behavior he might actually be chill enough to not dogpile on Owen when he gets out (don't bet on that though).</p><p> </p><p>

In the interim, try to make the best of the relationship system to improve the backstage area. Hire a lot of road agents. Hire workers who have positive pre-existing relationships with each other by the bushel if you can. Release any disposable worker who get tainted against Owen. Or ship them down to development (if you created a developmental territory) for awhile if they're young and you don't want to outright release them.</p><p> </p><p>

The storm can be weathered. Just know that the WWF might not be big enough for Shawn and Owen and there is a pretty good chance that even if you release Owen Shawn will just start on somebody else.</p>

[D16NJD16]

The whole "So and So" turned the locker room against So and So seems really overdone and poorly implemented in TEW 2016. In reality, the locker room would turn on the wrestlers who are perceived as troublemakers & "locker room cancers". And even in that case, such a thing happening is extremely rare.

[HighDefOverDose]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Alucidus" data-cite="Alucidus" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="42359" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>My answer for dealing with Shawn being "difficult" in May 96 was to do a comprehensive drug test on him then shove him in rehab when he popped.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Can you drug test individuals?</p><p> </p><p> Also does anyone find it funny when the worker is happy you've sent them to rehab but his friends get annoyed? "Why are you trying to improve my friends health? You're going to add years on to the end of his life, you dick" Or do you think they'll find the person boring if they're sober? Ha.</p>

[DoubleA012]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="HighDefOverDose" data-cite="HighDefOverDose" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="42359" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Can you drug test individuals?<p> </p><p> Also does anyone find it funny when the worker is happy you've sent them to rehab but his friends get annoyed? "Why are you trying to improve my friends health? You're going to add years on to the end of his life, you dick" Or do you think they'll find the person boring if they're sober? Ha.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I think it was more designed as a "Hey you just screwed my buddy out of "X" months of work." Makes them also fearful by association, so they are negative because they could feel like "will I be next?" "Am I in the dog house for associating with him?". Also, drug addict or not, if the guy is your friend, the guy is your friend and you like being around him, so having your boss suspend him for "X" months would naturally piss you off as your friend just got screwed over and now you cant hang out with them for awhile.</p><p> </p><p> Imagine school back in the day, you and your friends get in a little tussle and your friend gets in school suspension or something. You're pissed at the authority figure (principal, hall monitor, etc.) who punished your friend not the action that caused it!</p>

[CQI13]

I would go after Shawn and Triple H - no reason to punish Owen for something he had no part in.

[Alucidus]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="HighDefOverDose" data-cite="HighDefOverDose" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="42359" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Can you drug test individuals?<p> </p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Yes.</p><p> </p><p> Edit: I took the opportunity to check the database out a little bit. Shawn is probably way too far gone to rehabilitate. If he gets his way and Owen leaves he'll probably just start on Vader or the Rock. Do the rehab thing if you can. Otherwise get the title off of him as soon as you can and wash your hands of him afterwards. If you're running as booker Vince will almost definitely be a roadblock as he is loyal to Shawn. In that case if you find he somehow passes the drug test send him on an endless vacation until his contract lapses. You'd be really hard-pressed to win the National Battle at this point anyway. Just focus on weathering the storm, making money, trying to not to get fired (if you're the booker) and building up your own stars. Shawn doesn't have CC so job him out a little if you can. </p><p> </p><p> It kinda stinks in this version of TEW 16 that the greatest wrestler of his generation is practically unusable. But I guess it's true to life.</p>

[jean-vic]

Thanks for the responses. I have been wondering whether I should follow in the footsteps of history and edit him out with a back injury after Mania, but I don't really want to cheat. It doesn't help that HBK is my favourite wrestler, but it's easier to say that now we have reformed Shawn to ease the guilt of liking dick Shawn. I wanted to book an Attitude Era that featured him, but the game is making it very hard to do that. I am making good ground on WCW in the National Battle at this point, so I am pleased with how I'm booking WWF, but I'm not sure how long I can sustain HBK's attitude in good conscience.

[Henderson]

I agree that the turning of the locker room is a bit overdone. It should really be limited to how many people are going to turn on a worker, especially a worker that might show loyalty, compassionate, optimistic, humble, or any positive traits. In my game, Hulk Hogan turned Gordon Solie against Ric Flair. That isn't gonna happen.

 

I think if someone is already friends with a person turning against people, then they have a higher probability of turning against another worker.

 

If that doesn't make sense, here's an example;

 

Hulk Hogan is friends with Brian Knobbs. You're alerted that Hogan is turning people against Flair. Since Knobbs is friends with Hogan, he has a higher chance at having a negative relationship with Flair.

 

Just because Hogan's turning people, it shouldn't mean Rey Mysterio Jr now has a hatred relationship with Ric Flair (unless it's an extreme and rare event). Also, Rey is a lot more positive, so he should be able to recognize Hogan just being full of it and ignore it.

 

What could really be interesting is if their attempts backfired, just like dirty tricks and meddling can backfire for the player. Hogan could attempt to turn the locker room, but instead gets heat on himself for trying to start trouble.

 

It'd be really nice if this could be fixed on a patch, or if some of those things could even be added in. Not sure how difficult it would be to do it.

[jean-vic]

I agree that the turning of the locker room is a bit overdone. It should really be limited to how many people are going to turn on a worker, especially a worker that might show loyalty, compassionate, optimistic, humble, or any positive traits. In my game, Hulk Hogan turned Gordon Solie against Ric Flair. That isn't gonna happen.

 

I think if someone is already friends with a person turning against people, then they have a higher probability of turning against another worker.

 

If that doesn't make sense, here's an example;

 

Hulk Hogan is friends with Brian Knobbs. You're alerted that Hogan is turning people against Flair. Since Knobbs is friends with Hogan, he has a higher chance at having a negative relationship with Flair.

 

Just because Hogan's turning people, it shouldn't mean Rey Mysterio Jr now has a hatred relationship with Ric Flair (unless it's an extreme and rare event). Also, Rey is a lot more positive, so he should be able to recognize Hogan just being full of it and ignore it.

 

What could really be interesting is if their attempts backfired, just like dirty tricks and meddling can backfire for the player. Hogan could attempt to turn the locker room, but instead gets heat on himself for trying to start trouble.

 

It'd be really nice if this could be fixed on a patch, or if some of those things could even be added in. Not sure how difficult it would be to do it.

 

I agree completely. As difficult as it is for the player to affect worker relationships, it should be as difficult for the AI characters. A worker's personality should definitely play a part. HBK could probably turn Triple H and Chyna against Owen. He could probably turn a few other negative folks, but Owen's positive personality traits should make it more difficult, if not backfiring on the instigator.

 

As you said, how difficult this is to accomplish in a patch, I don't know. If it's reported to Adam, he could probably give an answer.

[The Nickman]

Gee whiz, some fantastic suggestions in the last two posts!!

[HarryFandango86]

<p>I had the same problem between Dusty Rhodes and JR, Dusty turned a lot of people against JR and my backstage morale plummeted.</p><p>

I sent JR away on holiday and things were fine but my commentary team sucks, so I decide I really need JR around. </p><p>

Dusty though is an A* guy and a great speaker, so he's like a general manager kinda role, I did finish a storyline he was in though and sent him away for a good 6 months and been working to meddle in relationships between JR and others which has worked quite well, after being persistent with it. </p><p>

I've also done a brand split, and they'll be on different shows once dusty returns, it's just event shows they'll be together. </p><p>

Tricky one, I really need both of them around but I'm trying my best to work it.. Before making any drastic decisions regarding letting anyone go over this. </p><p>

I think it does pay to have as many positive influences backstage as possible though.</p>

[TheBigBad1013]

<p>I'm having issues with this myself but since I'm playing as WCW in late 97 I figured it might just be a WCW thing.</p><p> </p><p>

Basically Kevin Nash turned the entire locker room against Roddy Piper. Now first I figured okay, Nash dislikes Piper so it makes sense that guys like Hall and Waltman would be influenced by Nash, maybe even some of the young guys, given Nash's position as a main eventer.</p><p> </p><p>

But then came Sting.</p><p> </p><p>

And DDP.</p><p> </p><p>

And Ric Flair.</p><p> </p><p>

Flair has tension with Nash, yet he is influenced by Nash into disliking Piper? Sting and DDP are two of my most positive locker room guys, but they too are influenced by Nash, as well as a sea of other people.</p><p> </p><p>

Overall I like the idea of adding more politics and backstage scheming into the mix to make it more realistic, but right now it feels overdone to the point that it doesn't really feel realistic to me.</p><p> </p><p>

I mean, I figured Nash would cause me some grief (along with a few others), which would be totally realistic and I'm all for that, but like I said it the current system just seems to be going a bit too far with it.</p>

[D16NJD16]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Henderson" data-cite="Henderson" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="42359" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I agree that the turning of the locker room is a bit overdone. It should really be limited to how many people are going to turn on a worker, especially a worker that might show loyalty, compassionate, optimistic, humble, or any positive traits. In my game, Hulk Hogan turned Gordon Solie against Ric Flair. That isn't gonna happen.<p> </p><p> I think if someone is already friends with a person turning against people, then they have a higher probability of turning against another worker.</p><p> </p><p> If that doesn't make sense, here's an example;</p><p> </p><p> Hulk Hogan is friends with Brian Knobbs. You're alerted that Hogan is turning people against Flair. Since Knobbs is friends with Hogan, he has a higher chance at having a negative relationship with Flair.</p><p> </p><p> Just because Hogan's turning people, it shouldn't mean Rey Mysterio Jr now has a hatred relationship with Ric Flair (unless it's an extreme and rare event). Also, Rey is a lot more positive, so he should be able to recognize Hogan just being full of it and ignore it.</p><p> </p><p> What could really be interesting is if their attempts backfired, just like dirty tricks and meddling can backfire for the player. Hogan could attempt to turn the locker room, but instead gets heat on himself for trying to start trouble.</p><p> </p><p> It'd be really nice if this could be fixed on a patch, or if some of those things could even be added in. Not sure how difficult it would be to do it.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Yep. A good idea for a feature, but needs alot of tweaking before its ready for primetime.</p>

[leviwatson16]

since reading this i've ironically had the same issue, but in a different time/different people.

 

I've revived WCW in 2016. A month in, i've got Punk in & he's WCW Champion. Angle is also on the roster, but they have a strong dislike of each other. In the space of 3 weeks Punk has managed to turn Johnny Mundo, Todd Sinclair, Goldberg, Adam Cole, Cody Rhodes, Aldo Rose, Shane Helms, Raven AND Jay Lethal against Kurt.

 

My issue is, Punk's my guy. Not been a show/event he hasn't drawn the highest ratings. I also know through playing 2 other saves on the same database that Angle retires quite soon into saves, so i can't really cast Punk out for someone who'll leave in a few months anyway. But i also don't want to chuck Angle in the bin, because of how he's been treated by others at no fault of his own. He's still pulling in B-/B matches himself, which, with my next best stars on the roster behind them two being EC3/Barrett/Mundo, i can't afford to chuck away a good face.

 

I like the feature. It's a great curveball to be thrown, until you're getting pitched by about 7 different fielders at once.