Booking WWE exactly as real life... FOR SCIENCE!

[Derek B]

Kinda makes me sad this is going to end....I love seeing this

 

It's been fun to do, but also requires more focus and attention than I tend to give the WWE when I watch. The workload has been a bit more than I thought it would be and I just don't have the energy to dedicate to it. I might try another company

 

While I realize you do have legitimate complaints about WWE's booking in real life, I think an important reason the shows tanked this week is due to them being held in Canada, where most of WWE's top stars aren't as "Popular". A few guys like native Canadian Kevin Owens (who gave you your only 'B+' segment that I can see) aren't affected, but others like Reigns and Styles and Joe and Strowman and Mahal are going to suffer for it. Even Brock is slightly less popular there. Baron Corbin's all the way into D-range over there, so he drags even Cena (who usually wouldn't have been affected) down with him.

 

Yeah, the Canada thing probably threw things off a little, I did indeed neglect that a bit.

 

Well, I've been using 205 as my Guinea pig to experiment with the match sliders after my first experiment attempt with RAW tanked. Sucks to be the Cruiserweights, but it's the only B-show I have, so it's the only show I can experiment with without causing WWE to fall to Cult.

 

Both Risqué and Modern focus require minimum of 40 on the Match Danger slider (with the default product set at 10), and minimum content risk of "Medium" to avoid any penalty. I've created a 1vs1 default match with Medium risk and call it "1vs1 modern style" to substitute all my gimmick-less matches. Modern focus also requires minimum of 25 Match Intensity to pull off.

 

I'm assuming those will have to be even higher if WWE's default Product were set higher, but I can't be sure until I try another fed.

 

Match aim requirements don't change at all, it seems, and neither do the number of pretty girls required (I think). I'm still not sure about the performance vs pop thing. I'm starting to get better grades for my main events now after hitting the right match setting levels, but that may also be due to Neville being in all of them.

 

Science! It's something I might look at in future to see what effects come up. Booking shows isn't really all that essential... all you need is one math to experiment with things so I might do a quick run at it to see if things are behaving the way they are meant to.

 

So no main eventers yet? You're lucky there, in my game John Cena (who's bizarrely still set as Figurehead even though he hasn't been booked like one since he put over Daniel Bryan) is in decline. Still pulling better ratings than 90% of the roster though, so he probably deserves to be.

 

Most of the WWE's top guys aren't actually that old, so yeah, no-one seems to be on bad decline. Unlike my own personal games, I haven't really gone through everyone to look and find out who might be on Time Decline beyond the top few names.

 

As for the figurehead thing... it's a tough spot. Cena clearly was the figurehead for a long time and even though his schedule has been reduced, he is still treated in much the same way as he was then. Any appearance is still a big deal, he's a "Free Agent" so that he can appear on whatever show they want and get the benefits of the figurehead bonus that he really does seem to provide. That said, it's arguable that he is no longer a figurehead... that any bonus he may provide is simply the effect of him actually being over enough to move teh needle. The game doesn't reflect that at all, which is something I really want to see improved for future TEW games.

 

The only other option for a WWE Figurehead would be Roman Reigns... and while he is clearly a star who has been built up as the new face of the company with many big matches, big wins and a spotlight put on him at all times... he is clearly someone who COULD be a figurehead but he is lacking in some key areas, something that his stats in this mod reflect well. And while he is overshadowed by Cena, Roman will likely never be an effective figurehead.

 

But if I'm not wrong, the penalty mostly reflects the reaction of the live crowd, right? The way B-shows are usually taped (admittedly, my only basis for comparison is the WWE, since I don't know of any other companies that do B-shows), they pretty much function as "pre-show matches" for the main shows which are usually taped/held immediately after, so logically, the crowd shouldn't be reacting to them any differently than how they react to a dark match, which doesn't get the penalties.

 

B-show aren't dark matches though.... if something is being aired by a company then the fans there know how those competitors rate compared to others within the company. So seeing the bottom of the heap, or even people that aren't on the heap, isn't going to be appeal. With pre and post show, that at least isn't aired so only the fans in attendance see the and know to have no expectations at all.

 

Also, 205 Live (for example) is taped after Smackdown... it's one of the reasons the crowd is smaller and usually dead for that show. People have already seen the stars and the real storylines, then they have an hour of undercarders they know are talented but who are being limited so painfully it hurts.

 

Anywho, that's e kinda rambling... I know I'm off point now so I'll stop.

 

He almost overcame an entire 3-man stable by himself before the Great Khali got involved. That to me's the definition of Keep Strong.

 

I can't remember now, but I'm pretty sure Orton complained equally in-game whether he was kept strong or not. It's stretching my memory and I'm too lazy to look back to see what I said before about it too. Regardless, having interference functions as a weaker Keep Strong note... not sure if it stacks with more interference (probably not) but it led to Orton being angry. One day I still hope for Promises to be a feature in the game... I always want them to be added as a way of almost creating mini Owner Goals, ensuring the happiness of your roster by fulfilling them and whatnot.

[Greylocke]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Derek B" data-cite="Derek B" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="43895" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>As for the figurehead thing... it's a tough spot. Cena clearly was the figurehead for a long time and even though his schedule has been reduced, he is still treated in much the same way as he was then. Any appearance is still a big deal, he's a "Free Agent" so that he can appear on whatever show they want and get the benefits of the figurehead bonus that he really does seem to provide. That said, it's arguable that he is no longer a figurehead... that any bonus he may provide is simply the effect of him actually being over enough to move teh needle. The game doesn't reflect that at all, which is something I really want to see improved for future TEW games.<p> </p><p> The only other option for a WWE Figurehead would be Roman Reigns... and while he is clearly a star who has been built up as the new face of the company with many big matches, big wins and a spotlight put on him at all times... he is clearly someone who COULD be a figurehead but he is lacking in some key areas, something that his stats in this mod reflect well. And while he is overshadowed by Cena, Roman will likely never be an effective figurehead.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I wouldn't say he's treated in the same way as he was. Not in terms of booking. 2006-2013 Cena would never have been outright destroyed like he was by Brock Lesnar at Summerslam. Obviously, he's still one of their biggest stars, but he's no longer <em>booked</em> or <em>protected</em> like he used to be as Figurehead (or for that matter, like Hogan and Austin used to be as Figurehead). A guy doesn't just automatically become a Figurehead in the game just because he happens to be the biggest star, he has to be selected and booked as such, and I don't think that's the case with Cena for the past 3 years.</p><p> </p><p> I'd argue that WWE doesn't have a Figurehead at the moment. In game terms, I think they <em>tried</em> setting Roman Reigns as new Figurehead for a year, realized that it doesn't work, and pulled him out, but didn't replace him with anyone. It's like after WrestleMania 6 when they tried replacing Hogan with Warrior, but he bombed so they pulled him out. Hogan was still the bigger draw than Warrior during that time, but it was Warrior who was placed in the Figurehead spot (and therefore business was down because the new Figurehead wasn't nearly as good s the old one).</p><p> </p><p> Of course, right now, booking-wise, the only person who's protected like a Figurehead should be is Brock Lesnar, but he's a heel so it won't work in the game (a mechanism that I still don't agree with, personally....considering how successful Ric Flair had been as a Figurehead historically). Still I say he's the closest, and any appearance from him on RAW or PPV makes the show feel more special.</p>

[Derek B]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Greylocke" data-cite="Greylocke" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="43895" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I wouldn't say he's treated in the same way as he was. Not in terms of booking. 2006-2013 Cena would never have been outright destroyed like he was by Brock Lesnar at Summerslam. Obviously, he's still one of their biggest stars, but he's no longer <em>booked</em> or <em>protected</em> like he used to be as Figurehead (or for that matter, like Hogan and Austin used to be as Figurehead). A guy doesn't just automatically become a Figurehead in the game just because he happens to be the biggest star, he has to be selected and booked as such, and I don't think that's the case with Cena for the past 3 years.<p> </p><p> I'd argue that WWE doesn't have a Figurehead at the moment. In game terms, I think they <em>tried</em> setting Roman Reigns as new Figurehead for a year, realized that it doesn't work, and pulled him out, but didn't replace him with anyone. It's like after WrestleMania 6 when they tried replacing Hogan with Warrior, but he bombed so they pulled him out. Hogan was still the bigger draw than Warrior during that time, but it was Warrior who was placed in the Figurehead spot (and therefore business was down because the new Figurehead wasn't nearly as good s the old one).</p><p> </p><p> Of course, right now, booking-wise, the only person who's protected like a Figurehead should be is Brock Lesnar, but he's a heel so it won't work in the game (a mechanism that I still don't agree with, personally....considering how successful Ric Flair had been as a Figurehead historically). Still I say he's the closest, and any appearance from him on RAW or PPV makes the show feel more special.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I can see the argument for the Roman situation. He was pushed super hard, whether fans wanted it or not, and has headlined the last three Wrestlemanias so I think it is indeed clear that the WWE want him to be the company figurehead. If I was going to switch the figurehead from Cena at all, I would set it to either None or to Roman.</p><p> </p><p> But with that said, just because Cena isn't as heavily protected as he once was doesn't mean that he isn't still being heavily protected. The way he's booked in TEW, his momentum never leaves the Major Positive range and even when he does lose matches he ALWAYS gets his shine back soon after. He's also charismatic enough and delivers strong enough segment grades consistently enough to get any popularity he loses right back too, so while he's no longer "#1 by a long way" he is still booked as the #1 guy.... just with other people closing in on him. That status may change if the rumoured Wrestlemania match between Roman and Cena happens, at which point it would be pretty much undeniable that Roman was the top guy in the company (assuming he wins, of course).</p><p> </p><p> As for Brock, he's a special attraction in every sense of the phrase. He shows up, does something cool (or has Heyman cut an awesome promo to make it feel like cool things are happening) then goes away for a while when he inevitable underperforms. He got squashed by Goldberg as comprehensibly as Brock killed Cena a few years back so it's not like he's invincible or even looks that way given how close Samoa Joe got to beating him on screen. Much like The Undertaker, Brock is someone who is popular enough and around infrequently enough that their appearances still feel special compared to company size.... something TEW doesn't have a way to replicate at all yet. Though maybe one day. <img alt=":)" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/smile.png.142cfa0a1cd2925c0463c1d00f499df2.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png"></p>

[Greylocke]

<p>I guess we just look at this differently. To me Cena is protected like a major babyface Main Eventer, not like Figurehead. He's no more protected than Batista used to be back when Cena himself was Figurehead. In fact, he looks weaker than Batista used to be, considering he's lost clean to more people.</p><p> </p><p>

Brock's protection on another level entirely. Yes, he got destroyed by Goldberg, but he got his win back a few months later, decisively. Cena never got the win back from Brock....or from Daniel Bryan.....and possibly not from Nakamura, either. When he got his rematch with Brock, Lesnar just kept getting back up after taking multiple finishers, still looking much stronger than Cena. And he lost clean to more guys like Kevin Owens. Even though he got his win back there, at least Owens was booked to look like he was capable of beating Cena by himself......whereas he struggled to get a win over Roman Reigns even with Jericho's help.</p><p> </p><p>

Joe only looked like a threat when he illegally got the jump on Lesnar. This is how Lesnar has been portrayed: the ONLY way to get any kind of advantage over him is to surprise him and jump him before he was ready. That as exactly what happened with Goldberg. Goldberg got the first big hit in, kept the pressure on, and won before Brock could ever recover from that initial setback. Joe failed to keep that pressure on, and all Brock needed was that one opening - one single F5 and the match is over. He's the ultimate puzzle monster in RPG: there's literally one way to (maybe) really beat him, and no other, and you can't vary your tactic even slightly. Even the Undertaker, a babyface, couldn't get a win without cheating (and when was the last time Taker needed to cheat to win?).</p><p> </p><p>

The way I look at the hierarchy:</p><p> </p><p>

Brock and Goldberg (who's not around anymore and doesn't count) are clearly on a level of their own, superior to the entire roster.</p><p>

Reigns, Taker and maybe Strowman on the next level.</p><p>

Cena, Orton, Joe, Styles, Nakamura, Owens and a few others on the next.</p><p>

Everyone else is below them.</p><p> </p><p>

The Figurehead to me is the one booked to look superior to everyone else. That used to be Cena (and maybe only Taker on that same level), but that's no longer the case.</p>

[Derek B]

 

 

 

 

From Barclay Center, New York (capacity 16,000)

Expected Attendance (with figurehead): 34,990

Actual Attendance: 16,000 (sold out)

 

PRE SHOW (matches only)

 

Match: The Miztourage (Miz, Bo, Axel) vs Jason Jordan, Hardys

Match Aim: Regular

Winner: The Miz

Loser: Jason Jordan

Open Match

11 minutes (2 minutes extra)

Rating: C+

 

Match: Neville vs Akira Tozawa © for the WWE Cruiserweight title

Match Aim: Regular

Winner: Neville

Open Match

Pinfall Win

12 minutes (2 minutes extra)

Rating: C

 

Match: The Usos vs New Day (Xavier Woods and Big E) © for the WWE Smackdown Tag Team titles

Match Aim: Regular

Winner: Jey Uso (maybe)

Loser: Big E

Open Match

Decisive Win

19 minutes (2 minutes extra)

Rating: C+

 

MAIN SHOW

 

Angle: Then, now, forever. Hype video. Overness/off screen (Braun, Brock, roman, Samoa Joe, AJ, Owens, Cena, Orton). 3 minutes.

Rating: B-

 

Match: John Cena vs Baron Corbin

Match Aim: Regular

Wnner: John Cena

Open Match

Pinfall Finish

10 minutes (+6 minutes for pre/post match)

Rating: B

 

Angle: Rocket League hype with Up up down down. Xavier, Sasha, Charlotte, Neville, AJ, Cesaro. 1 minute.

Rating: C+

 

Angle: Hype for Naomi and Natalya. Rated Overness/off screen. 1 minute.

Rating: D-

 

Match: Natalya vs Naomi © for the WW Smackdown Women's title

Match Aim: Regular

Winner: Natalya

Open Match

Submission Finish

11 minutes (+6 minutes for pre/post match)

Rating: C-

 

Minor Angle: WWE shop commercial. 1 minute. SKIPPED (added to Alexa time)

 

Angle: Alexa Bliss fearures in No Mercy promo. 1 minute.

Rating: C-

 

Angle: Hype for Enzo, Big Show, Big Cass rivalry. Rated Overness/off screen. 3 minutes.

Rating: C

 

Angle: Enzo talks. Rated Entertainment (Enzo), Overness (Show, Cass). 4 minutes.

Rating: C+

 

Match: Big Cass vs Big Show

Match Aim: Regular

Winner: Big Cass

Distraction: Enzo on Cass

Pinfall Win

10 minutes (+3 minutes for entrances)

Rating: C

 

Minor Angle: Hype for a movie.... then Cena on Tap Out gear. 1 minute.

Rating: B

 

Angle: Kurt Angle and Daniel Bryan talking. Rated Entertainment (Kurt, Bryan), Overness/off screen (Jason Jordan, Miz, Universal title scene). 2 minutes.

Rating: B

 

Angle: Rusev attacks pre match! Rated Overness (Rusev, Orton). 3 minutes

Rating: B-

 

Match: Randy Orton vs Rusev

Match Aim: Story Telling

Winner: Randy Orton

Dominate: Randy Orton

Decisive Win

1 minutes (+2 minute for pre/post match)

Rating: C

 

Angle: Hype for WWE2K18. Overness/off screen (Kurt Angle). 1 minute.

Rating: B

 

Angle: Sasha Banks walking, bumps into Bayley to share a hug. Rated Entertainment (Sasha/Bayley). 1 minute.

Rating: D

 

Match: Sasha Banks vs Alexa Bliss © for the WWE Raw Women's title

Match Aim: Regular

Winner: Sasha Banks

Open Match

Submission finish

13 minutes (+6 minutes for pre/post match)

Rating: D+

 

Angle: KFC hype... HBK, Big Show, Ziggler, The Miz, Becky, Mojo, R-Truth, Goldust. Rated Entertainment, off screen. 2 minutes. (seriously)

Rating: C

 

Angle: Hype for Finn vs Bray. Rated overness/off screen. 4 mnutes.

Rating: B-

 

Angle: Special Finn Balor entrance. Rated Overness. 5 minutes

Rating: B

 

Match: Bray Wyatt vs Finn Balor

Match Aim: Regular

Winner: Finn Balor

Pinfall Win

12 minutes (+3 minutes for pre/post match)

Rating: B

 

Angle: Announcers talk Mae Young Classic. 1 minute. SKIPPED (time added to next angle)

 

Angle: Hype for Seth/Dean vs Sheamus/Cesaro. 4 minutes

Rating: B+

 

Match: Seth Rollins/Dean Ambrose vs Sheamus/Cesaro © for the WWE Raw Tag Team titles

Match Aim: Regular

Winner: Dean Ambrose

Loser: Sheamus

Open Match

Decisive Win

18 minutes (+6 for pre/post match)

Rating: B

 

Angle: Hype for KO vs AJ with Shane as referee. 4 minutes

Rating: B-

 

Match: Kevin Owens vs AJ Styles © for the WWE United States title

Match Aim: Regular

Winner: AJ Styles

Referee: Shane McMahon

Slow Build

Pinfall Finish

22 minutes (+6 minutes for pre/post match)

Rating: B

 

Angle: John Cena doing things with kids... 1 minute.

Rating: B-

 

Angle: Hype for Jinder vs Nakamura. 5 minutes

Rating: C

 

Angle: Special entrance for Shinsuke. 5 minutes.

Rating: B-

 

Match: Jinder Mahal © vs Shinsuke Nakamura for the WWE Championship

Match Aim: Regular

Winner: Jinder Mahal

Pinfall Finish

Intereference from Singh Brothers on Shinsuke

11 minutes (+5 minutes for pre/post match)

Rating: B

 

Angle: General WWE Network hype. 1 mnute. SKIPPED and added to next angle

 

Angle: Hype for Mae Young Classic. 1 minute. SKIPPED and added to next angle

 

Angle: Hype for Universal title match. 4 minutes (now 6 minutes).

Rating: B-

 

Match: Braun Strowman vs Samoa Joe vs Roman Reigns vs Brock Lesnar © for the WWE Universal title

Match Aim: Regular

Winner: Brock Lesnar

Loser: Roman Reigns

Pinfall Finish

Keep Strong: Braun Strowman

22 minutes (+6 minutes for pre/post match)

Rating: B

 

SHOW RATING: B

 

This show increased our popularity in 26 regions.

 

So, once again we're within the 80% match ratio set for PPV events, sitting at around that exact number. Only 30 segments in total, which is around the same as a typical Smackdown,... This PPV seemed a little odd as it was particularly focused on the matches, with very little between them to continue anything that wasn't coming next. A couple of matches didn't even get a hype video, highlighting just how little backstory there was for them going into them... Cena vs Corbin opened the show without one, while Orton vs Rusev didn't merit one given that it was literally thrown together to get them on the show.

 

The pre show matches were pretty good... Usos vs New Day should have been on the main show. Those two teams have been tearing it up for a while and their match was perhaps the best match of the night, though the main event carnage was fantastic too. That should have been on the main show instead of the Orton/Rusev and Cass/Show matches, one of which was thrown together and one of which we've already seen too much of.

 

That said, overall I thought Summerslam was a good show. Not perfect but I think the high points were high enough to make this very good and I enjoyed it for what it was. In-game, I didn't spend anything on show extras though it probabliy should have had some spent on musical extras at the very least, not that I know or care about the ones we had at all. NXT was still the better overall show though... it was more compact, had great action, gave some good direction going forward and as a result was easier to watch and pay attention to. But that might just be mjy preference as a fan.

 

As for in-game things... Orton debuted a new athletic spot that improved his psychology. Jinder vs Shinsuke delivered huge with B- rated performances each, with the bonuses from their collective star quality pushing things up another level, far in excess of what I'd rate their real match. On the flip side, Seth/Dean vs Cesaro/Sheamus under-delivered in-game for what I would say was a B+ match for sure, with New Day vs Usos only getting a C+ for what should also have been closer to a B+/A rated match as they were great together. The Universal title match also only scored a B rating, for what I would say was an A in real life too... some of that might come down to the decision to keep Braun looking strong, but Roman Reigns is also looking stale (first time the game has told me that) and Joe is still far behind in popularity... Brock had an A performance, Roman was at B, Samoa Joe at B and Braun at B-... I wonder how different that result could have been if I had set it as a Wild Brawl instead of Regular and also removed the Keep Strong note...

 

The only other thing to note here is that loads of people are unhappy for being left off the show... I know a lot of the unhappy people appeared in angles on the pre show so may not have been annoyed if it weren't for that, but it might also be worth looking at lowering the prestige for the event to avoid this in future.

 

Lastly... here are the files for your own personal viewing pleasure. Asides from some of the lower level popularity mechanics being tweaked and accelerating Jinder's minions up the card more rapidly than they deserve, it makes for some interesting viewing. I'll maybe go into more detail about this later with some notes on who has improved the most and things like that, but mostly I think it has gone more or less how you would expect.

 

DATA LINK: https://www.sendspace.com/file/96zl8f (9.2Mb)