Have you been beaten by the AI?

[Skywalker1976]

I was wondering who has been beaten or at least seriously challenged by the AI in single games. In which games and circumstances have you lost against AI companies or could not overtake them?

 

I love the game but lately feel that I need to help with house rules or even take control of AI companies (e.g. make sure the right workers get hired) in order to feel challenged. Sometimes I feel that if you follow certain strategies you will rarely be really challenged and can easily beat the AI in most games.

[Jaysin]

USPW in my current SWF game is super predator like. The second my contracts come up they're outbidding me. I have to offer outrageous contracts to keep my people. Luckily I'm making enough money to counteract it, but it's making it take forever to save up to buy a broadcaster.

[Jon The GOAT]

I was wondering who has been beaten or at least seriously challenged by the AI in single games. In which games and circumstances have you lost against AI companies or could not overtake them?

 

I love the game but lately feel that I need to help with house rules or even take control of AI companies (e.g. make sure the right workers get hired) in order to feel challenged. Sometimes I feel that if you follow certain strategies you will rarely be really challenged and can easily beat the AI in most games.

 

Once you figure out how the game works, its EXTREMELY easy to game it, I feel like for the most part you have to go out of you way to not game / to play realistic if you don't want it become real easy mode. Marat Khoklov is an easy example of this. To win any of the starting national battles, all you have to do is sign Marat Khoklov. AI should be smart enough to know that they'll get shoved to cult if they let the UC take Khoklov but they won't bother challenging. Buddy Garner too, if you're in Japan.

 

That is all to say, I 100% agree with you that you have to set house rules and deliberately avoid things that are a bit too game-y.

 

I feel somewhat challenged in my RTG game, a company popped up that is regional and is getting C- in ratings to my E+ so I'm losing the regional battles and struggling to grow more than .1% per month (tanked industry/economy helps). But this is mostly because I'm not really going out of my way to sign guys that would carry me (Spencer Spade/Scythe are available right now, as an example, and would probably propel me past C- without much trouble if I sacrificed a handful of the 100$ contracts I have because I like 8 match cards), and its not like I'm losing pop or money. So it's mostly just slowing me down and they're pretty much bound to go bankrupt.

 

The game's a bit too sandboxy for it to ever be a big challenge imo (this isn't to criticize those who do struggle, but I'm sure you'll find it to be that way too when you get to know enough of the mechanics).

[Zero]

I hate being at war with WCW. They will outbid me on almost every worker. I sign all my talent to long term deals when I can (and will edit their contract instead of releasing them when I get rid of them).

 

But WCW is brutal and New Japan is near impossible to compete with in a pure match contest. I lose national battles all the time to WCW and NJPW.

[Matt_Black]

This happens to me a lot. When I run AAA or QAW and hit Cult (which is a lot easier to do with the latter than the former) and then try to sign someone to a written, there's a good chance USPW will swoop in. "Dude, you guys don't even use the women you do have that much!" (Theoretically, NOTBPW would do this do, but I've figured out how to reliably take them out of the equation every single time). Same deal with OLLIE and SOTBPW.

[NewZealandfan]

ECW is the only challenge I've still haven't been able to go to the next level without completely moving it away from what it is supposed to be it's almost impossible.

[Skywalker1976]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Jon The GOAT" data-cite="Jon The GOAT" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="45735" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Once you figure out how the game works, its EXTREMELY easy to game it, I feel like for the most part you have to go out of you way to not game / to play realistic if you don't want it become real easy mode. Marat Khoklov is an easy example of this. To win any of the starting national battles, all you have to do is sign Marat Khoklov. AI should be smart enough to know that they'll get shoved to cult if they let the UC take Khoklov but they won't bother challenging. Buddy Garner too, if you're in Japan. </div></blockquote><p> </p><p> That is basically how I feel, if on the same level I think once you know how the game works you will always outplay the AI (and I do not even consider myself a master of the game, I just follow a few ground rules)</p><p> </p><p> Now don't get me wrong I would not want to play a game which I would fail at everytime but I would like the AI to challenge me a bit more. Also to create more situations like the Monday Night Wars, in which a competitor (WCW) all of a sudden overtakes you - I personally have not seen it. For me the most challenging situations are workers getting injured or backstage problems or when I give myself house rules.</p>

[D16NJD16]

Never. The game is very deep, but extremely easy for a veteran player.

[Skywalker1976]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="D16NJD16" data-cite="D16NJD16" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="45735" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Never. The game is very deep, but extremely easy for a veteran player.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I wonder what could be done to make the AI more competetive without having to rewrite the programme. I have noticed that the AI seems very slow in building momentun and popularity for their workers. Most workers in AI feds really only go up or down in momentum 1 or 2 points if at all. In my mind this is a huge disadvantage as it seems building popularity for human players moves much quicker.</p>

[Nobby_McDonald]

<p>In this game, I'm slowly grinding my way up to WWE.</p><p> </p><p>

In Football Manager, I'm often beaten by the AI.</p>

[Zero]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Skywalker1976" data-cite="Skywalker1976" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="45735" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I wonder what could be done to make the AI more competetive without having to rewrite the programme. I have noticed that the AI seems very slow in building momentun and popularity for their workers. Most workers in AI feds really only go up or down in momentum 1 or 2 points if at all. In my mind this is a huge disadvantage as it seems building popularity for human players moves much quicker.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I would like to see the AI build superstars easier. Especially at the nationa level</p>

[DAVEFAN95]

<p>Personally, I think the reason it is easy at national level is that the national battles is very simple to manipulate. As Jon said, get Khoklov, you're Golden. I think ot should be changed and ages ago, I put a suggestion in how it could be changed for the better, it wasnt perfect but I think it simulated a battle better as well as making it a little more unpredictable. </p><p> </p><p>

At Regional level it can be hard, but only if you limit yourself. However, most times the big companies leave lower level guys go that you can sign without too much problems and make them top dog to carry you. Not sure if that could be stopped other than simply making former lower level national level guys only want to work for the top indy promotions or promotions that fit their style unless there are no other options. EG If Spade left, he'd might to NYCW cause it would accentuate his strengths more than CZCW. However, if lets say Gregory Grace left RAW, he would be okay with signing for DIW seems there are very little opportunities in the Aussie scene.</p>

[soxfan93]

I think that, technically, we've all been beaten by the AI in one sense or another, whether it be the most infuriating one for me, the ability to re-sign freelance workers, or something else entirely. There are some things the AI can do that we can't.

[Tterrag]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="DAVEFAN95" data-cite="DAVEFAN95" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="45735" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Personally, I think the reason it is easy at national level is that the national battles is very simple to manipulate. As Jon said, get Khoklov, you're Golden.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Old, but the thing with Khoklov is he's old, expensive, and even when not in time decline he is completely worthless in the ring. So those off-set the star power; you're stuck with a millstone around your neck, winning the national battle or not.</p><p> </p><p> I haven't been beaten as in like, outright losing NBs or being driven out of business yet, but I have noticed the AI running better shows than I can and getting workers more over faster. Like PGHW getting constant A shows with two or three A matches in my observer game vs. me hardly ever breaking B+, or NOTBPW getting Brooke Tyler to C popularity within a couple months of the start and always getting at least one A-ranked match. It'd be nice to be able to see what they're doing in more detail rather than just a list of segments. I think they're doing better than me business-wise too, as I'm barely turning a profit and often coming out of months at a loss.</p>

[Jon The GOAT]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Tterrag" data-cite="Tterrag" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="45735" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Old, but the thing with Khoklov is he's old, expensive, and even when not in time decline he is completely worthless in the ring. So those off-set the star power; you're stuck with a millstone around your neck, winning the national battle or not.<p> </p><p> I haven't been beaten as in like, outright losing NBs or being driven out of business yet, but I have noticed the AI running better shows than I can and getting workers more over faster. Like PGHW getting constant A shows with two or three A matches in my observer game vs. me hardly ever breaking B+, or NOTBPW getting Brooke Tyler to C popularity within a couple months of the start and always getting at least one A-ranked match. It'd be nice to be able to see what they're doing in more detail rather than just a list of segments. I think they're doing better than me business-wise too, as I'm barely turning a profit and often coming out of months at a loss.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Wholly disagree. I had Khoklov killing it in my TCW game, and even if he'd be on TD and the millstone you claim he is, he gives you enough breath and space to build up the long term guys into being star powers by the time you no longer need him (you could totally go with a year long contract). And this is TCW, the place where, next to NOTBPW, he should the most useless. That's not considering the amount of versatile roles a guy like Khoklov can have, being a bodyguard, being used in the manner of Strowman or Lesnar (unbelievable physical feats), being paired up with a better performer as a tag team. Khoklov is amazing. I'd be shocked if you can't make great use of him.</p>

[Tterrag]

<p>I've been playing a PGHW game, so angles are kind of out aside from maybe a minute-long overness/menace-based "looms ominously over someone" angle. And he doesn't seem to have the stamina or ring skills for anything other than ten minute squashes of my undercard. I was thinking on building up to a showdown with Musashibo eventually, play off his claim to fame being his fights with Kikkawa, but I'm not sure he has the in ring ability to pull it off. </p><p> </p><p>

At least I can get basically anyone I want for him in talent trades, and I plan to use him to tip some national battles in my preferred companies' favour.</p>

[Peria]

<p>Once you start making money, the game is basically too easy. The AI never utilizes their talent properly, and they don't lockdown talent easily enough after you can offer written deals.</p><p> </p><p>

In my CV97 game they have a 56 year old Sam Strong as champion. Everything is bad, and he is beyond useful as an in-ring worker. Meanwhile their under 35 main eventers don't even have a title reign under their belt.</p>

[Jon The GOAT]

I've been playing a PGHW game, so angles are kind of out aside from maybe a minute-long overness/menace-based "looms ominously over someone" angle. And he doesn't seem to have the stamina or ring skills for anything other than ten minute squashes of my undercard. I was thinking on building up to a showdown with Musashibo eventually, play off his claim to fame being his fights with Kikkawa, but I'm not sure he has the in ring ability to pull it off.

 

At least I can get basically anyone I want for him in talent trades, and I plan to use him to tip some national battles in my preferred companies' favour.

 

The fact that his presence alone, without being utilized at all in any capacity aside from being present on your roster, basically sends your opponent to cult just highlights how OP he is. Even as PGHW where he should be virtually useless.

 

Although, to be honest, I think he could work well enough in PGHW with some creative booking. If Bad Luck Fale can have a long life in NJPW, then Khoklov can as well with careful booking. Beating him should be an accomplishment, he tends to finish most of his matches quickly, whereas losing takes a matter of ingenuity on the part of his opponents. He could easily fall short in an Elite Series because of a count out, or a Rage DQ that sees him go far but fall just short of winning it while still looking good.

[Tterrag]

Don't PGHW's fans hate dirty finishes like that? Interesting ideas though.

[Teh_Showtime]

<p>I’ve actually just picked up Marat for my PGHW game and for the most part his matches will be well below his overness either way (he can probably manage a B/B+ with the tip top guys and C+ is about his average peak). It might be worth it to take the DQ penalty, though in my case I use him as a one or two match per month guy so that’s an auto excuse for him not to be in the Elite Series.</p><p> </p><p>

Match ratings aren’t everything though, and even in PGHW you are afforded one “major” angle per show without the crowd crapping over non wrestling segments. His beast like nature makes him a prime candidate for post match brawls to build to singles matches. Those would probably score in the A* range on the regular and help get his opponent a lot more over.</p>

[DatIsraeliGuy]

I mean, WCW outbid me when I play WWF and USPW and SWF do when I’m TCW, but regarding booking and ratings not really, after 3-4 months it’s quite easy.

[sabataged]

<p>I have a long term TCW game going. I am in year 4. I have 9 developmental companies. 3 in the US and 1 in every other region. I sign almost every new worker to a 2 year deal. If they complain they are ready to be called up prior to the 2 years I release them. If the 2 year ends then I let them go. </p><p> </p><p>

I have my own Enormous Broadcasting company. I find when the workers leave my developemental companies they are solid workers with basics/psychology usually in the 70s and their overness is like 50's. They easily find new jobs. Also since they are better workers it is helping out all of the other companies to get better.</p><p> </p><p>

I also have a self established rule that every year after Total Mayhem I must cut 10 workers from my main roster and call up 10 new people. The first couple years this wasnt a big deal but like last year I had to cut about 7 guys with above 85 popularity. SWF picked up most of them. </p><p> </p><p>

I started the gave using 2005 Cverse. Right now I have 6 companies at National and another 5 at Cult. Overall everyone seems to be benefiting from me making better workers for everyone.</p>

[D16NJD16]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Skywalker1976" data-cite="Skywalker1976" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="45735" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I wonder what could be done to make the AI more competetive without having to rewrite the programme.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Well, there you go.</p>