Diary Preview And Questions Thread

[DarK_RaideR]

Looks like the more recent diaries are having issues getting imported in their entirety from the old forums, if that will happen at all, so people are starting new ones anyway.

Speaking of which, I'd be interested to find up to 3 other writers and explore the possibility of an alt-RW diary using the Wrestling at War mod.

[eayragt]

Okay - colour question.  Which of these default colours do you think CANNOT be used clearly on the background you use (numbered from top left colour, horizontally across):

1. Aaron Andrews vs Jay Chord
2. Aaron Andrews vs Jay Chord
3. Aaron Andrews vs Jay Chord
4. Aaron Andrews vs Jay Chord
5. Aaron Andrews vs Jay Chord
6. Aaron Andrews vs Jay Chord
7. Aaron Andrews vs Jay Chord
8. Aaron Andrews vs Jay Chord
9. Aaron Andrews vs Jay Chord
10. Aaron Andrews vs Jay Chord
11. Aaron Andrews vs Jay Chord
12. Aaron Andrews vs Jay Chord
13. Aaron Andrews vs Jay Chord
14. Aaron Andrews vs Jay Chord
15. Aaron Andrews vs Jay Chord
16. Aaron Andrews vs Jay Chord
17. Aaron Andrews vs Jay Chord
18. Aaron Andrews vs Jay Chord
19. Aaron Andrews vs Jay Chord
20. Aaron Andrews vs Jay Chord
21. Aaron Andrews vs Jay Chord
22. Aaron Andrews vs Jay Chord
23. Aaron Andrews vs Jay Chord
24. Aaron Andrews vs Jay Chord

I'm using dark theme, and I think 5, 10, 11 and 24 are unclear, and I'm concerned about using 4, 9, 19 and 20.

I post this because looking through my diary, some of the colours seem really unclear, but before I changed anything (going forward) I thought I'd ask what the community thought, so we could come across a good set on colours.  Ignoring the White/Black shade, I'm thinking 1, 2, 3 and 6 are the clearest colours?

[DarK_RaideR]

Also use dark theme, 5 and 11 are unreadable, 24 is hard to read. The rest are fine, even the purple ones.

[Wrestling Machine]

@eayragt I think 6th is great in dark mode, and still fine in light mode. Could be a good pick!

[eayragt]

2 hours ago, Puto said:

@eayragt I think 6th is great in dark mode, and still fine in light mode. Could be a good pick!

Thanks, that was my first pick for main alternative colour.

Occasionally I use more colours during conversations, so just need to sort those out.

[Dalton]

[michgcs]

@eayragt #11 is definitely hard to read for me. 5 and 24 aren't ideal but still readable

[D-Lyrium]

I'd largely agree.

Best: 1, 2, 3, 6, everything from 12-19, 21, 22, 23.
Readable but not great: 4, 10, 19, 20,  24
Unreadable: 5, 11

Not sure if 19 and 20 are suffering from being sandwiched between two bright white-ish colours though, they might be fine on their own.

 

Pro tip:

<div style="background:#262626">

Anything you put in here will be on a grey background, so it won't matter if the reader is using a light or a dark skin.

Click Source to show the HTML (your post should be empty at this point). 
Put the top <div> tag at the top of the post and the bottom </div> tag at the bottom. But a bunch of enters/returns in between to separate them.
Click Source again to return to the standard editor.
Write/paste in your show.
  
That way, you can make it look the same no matter who's reading it. Obviously, feel free to change the colour to your preference.
  
</div>

 

 

Here's what #262626 looks like, for reference. Slightly darker than the default dark skin background.

 

Link to a colour picker: https://www.w3schools.com/colors/colors_picker.asp?colorhex=000000

 

Obviously there's more you can do, but if most of your shows are just images and text and you don't want to mess around with a fully custom layout, the div trick will enable you to have a consistent background throughout.

Images work just fine too:

 

L.A. CAMPBELL vs. Some Masked Guy

World Title Match

 vs. 

 

Blablabla, filler text. Much like the match, booooourns.

Edited August 25, 2022 by D-Lyrium

[Editor6]

@eayragt I mostly agree with the others. 11's unreadable on the dark theme. I can see 5 and 24 but I wouldn't use either one. 4 and 10 are fine, but 4 is the better of those two.

[gmsubzer]

How do Diary writers play and write diaries? Do you play a few months, take notes then write the Diary? Write the Diary as you progress; like after every show; or play the game and try to write from memory? 
What has one found to be a comfortable template to keep notes with. What I'm doing so far I put an example of. Any thoughts on being more organized to make writing a little easier?

"

Jan 97

-Week 1

-Enter Game world

-Week 2

-Get turned down from training… again

 

Feb 97

-Week 1

-Creation of GLW; Great Lakes Wrestling

-Search for talent begins

(most wrestlers in the Great Lakes are too expensive!!)

*Contracts Offered

-Martin Theocott; Annoucer

-Jeb Langley; Worker

-Tribal Warrior; Worker

-Christopher Hart; Worker

-J.J. Coles; Worker

-Pecs; Worker

-Sammy Bach; Worker

-Thomas Goddard; Worker

-Tom Gilmore; Worker

-Whiskey Jack; Worker

-Jonathan Taylor; Referee

-Jean-Pierre Baptiste; Road Agent

-Week 2

-First Show: GLW First Taps is annouced for Saturday Week 3 of February 97

-GLW Great Heavyweight Championship is created

 

 

-Week 3

-First show!

-Christopher hart doesn't show up! CGC scheduled a show for the evening and I forgot to check. Oops!!

-I thought Little Bill Lebowski just no showed. Come to find out, I didn't get his commitment so I shouldn't have expected him anyway. There goes that match!

-Despite all the pre show f' ups. The show itself goes off pretty well.

Performance of the night was Jeb langley. Tribal Warrior won the title. (maybe not the best choice. But the one for now)

-Surprisingly we had a total of 55 people show up! WOOHOO!!"

[Strech]

7 hours ago, gmsubzer said:

How do Diary writers play and write diaries? Do you play a few months, take notes then write the Diary? Write the Diary as you progress; like after every show; or play the game and try to write from memory? 

 

I've completed one diary lasting 2 1/2 years, then currently am 18 months into a 2 year diary and whilst my format is pretty standardized, I'd like to have a go answering this!

Although this could be a general thread of its own, as the answers will vary and could be huge!

 

The top line tips I'll give are:

1) Set an end date.

For me diaries are projects and in real life projects are only projects if they have end dates. This can be extended for whatever reason, but having a clear end date helps you stay motivated and give the reader a clear path / clear expectations.

 

The best diary I've ever read by far was MrWolf101's ZEN and the Art of Staying Classy which had both a clear end date matched with great storytelling!

 

2) Book backwards.

I tend to map out 12 months at a ppv level, then plug in who I want to win tournaments, then title changes for my main titles, then feuds. Then my ppv plans are roughly 50% full. I'll then fill up the ppv cards for the immediate 3 months, then review every in game month or whenever an idea pops up in my head. Tour shows I book on the fly.

 

3) Don't sign or fire anyone for the first month.

This might be controversial but it's so easy to fire half your roster, bring in 15 new wrestlers, then get to your first show and then have no one to lose, or after a month you'll get bored and stop playing. After a month, you can then assess who is deadweight needing cutting, who can stay to job and then finally what your roster is missing, so you can plug the gaps purposefully.

 

Templates are a must for long term play. I'd be shocked if anyone wrote any diary over 3 in game months without them. I have a word doc open alongside the game, then copy paste the segments in their slots, then I just need to expand on the match or angle if required.

 

Feel free to drop me a pm if you want to chat / have questions, as this is extremely high level, but I'm sure the more creative storytellers on here have a different take.

As I'm missing a ton of stuff like making sure you enjoy it above all, putting yourself in the readers shoes and look to establish a clear format

Edited August 28, 2022 by Strech

[gmsubzer]

Thanks for the tips. Some of it I can use, some; doesn't apply as I want to do a local to global. So the no hiring in the first month is sort of a moot point.

I do like to book ahead, just not too far ahead as I like a little ongoing roster turnover when doing smaller feds to keep roster fresh. So I usually book in 4 month spurts. Three matches in the fued; if needed; with a screw job or tag match somewhere in between. 

As for an end date, oo boy. I don't know. I know i should have one. Just like a book, you write the climax first. (it's pretty much what has you excited for the story anywho) then you write the events that lead up to that point. But Local to global, i guess an obvious end point would be making it to Global, or to 1st in pop and the company wars. Hmmmm. So hard at the moment to decide. 

Hopefully, I can produce something that at least one person would enjoy reading and it keeps me engaged. It definetly had me a little more interested in my game to where i did 3 shows in a 2 hour span last night by playing ahead. 

[Strech]

48 minutes ago, gmsubzer said:

Thanks for the tips. Some of it I can use, some; doesn't apply as I want to do a local to global. So the no hiring in the first month is sort of a moot point.

I do like to book ahead, just not too far ahead as I like a little ongoing roster turnover when doing smaller feds to keep roster fresh. So I usually book in 4 month spurts. Three matches in the fued; if needed; with a screw job or tag match somewhere in between. 

As for an end date, oo boy. I don't know. I know i should have one. Just like a book, you write the climax first. (it's pretty much what has you excited for the story anywho) then you write the events that lead up to that point. But Local to global, i guess an obvious end point would be making it to Global, or to 1st in pop and the company wars. Hmmmm. So hard at the moment to decide. 

Hopefully, I can produce something that at least one person would enjoy reading and it keeps me engaged. It definetly had me a little more interested in my game to where i did 3 shows in a 2 hour span last night by playing ahead. 

Ahh I see L2G is a completely different kettle of fish, which is incredibly difficult to post on the forums.

 

I just mean if you post 1 in game month per real life week, you would just creep over 4 years in game for 1 year in real life.

 

So it would take huge dedication and huge respect if you did complete it!

 

But unless you post a recap of the month each week or complete the challange offline then post a restrospective of each year, the chances are the challange wont be complete,

 

Id love to be proven wrong of course! But as youre just starting out its alot to ask!

 

Best of luck though, I hope I dont sound rude, ive just spent a lot of time since 2017 reading diaries in my spare time / have seen a lot of diaries start then fall away after 6 in game months

 

But hey im just one dude on the internet, my advise is for new writers is to start small then build up to bigger projects. But some vet may respond saying just go for it, its truely up to you at the end of the day with what you wanna do!

Edited August 28, 2022 by Strech

[TCP1]

I am struggling to figure out what diary to run next. I defintiely want to use my Cverse07 mod (partially to test it in a long-running save), but because I'm keen to start writing again.

I sort of figure I've done NYCW enough for now, so am looking for an alternative. Are there any other styles, comapnies or created comapnies or backstories which people might be interested in, or can suggest? Ideally I'd avoid Japan, because it doesn't really interest me, but beyond that, I'm open to any suggestions.

Perhaps rekindling one of the long-defunct promotions like AAPW or APWF?

Edited August 31, 2022 by TCP1

[gmsubzer]

9 hours ago, TCP1 said:

I am struggling to figure out what diary to run next. I defintiely want to use my Cverse07 mod (partially to test it in a long-running save), but because I'm keen to start writing again.

I sort of figure I've done NYCW enough for now, so am looking for an alternative. Are there any other styles, comapnies or created comapnies or backstories which people might be interested in, or can suggest? Ideally I'd avoid Japan, because it doesn't really interest me, but beyond that, I'm open to any suggestions.

Perhaps rekindling one of the long-defunct promotions like AAPW or APWF?

CGC!!! I would love to see how you handle the DeColt's vs the Stones. But that is me personally. Of course, it's you're diary and I'm sure you'll get a spark on something sooner or later.

[Dawn]

On 8/27/2022 at 11:23 PM, gmsubzer said:

How do Diary writers play and write diaries? Do you play a few months, take notes then write the Diary? Write the Diary as you progress; like after every show; or play the game and try to write from memory? 
What has one found to be a comfortable template to keep notes with. What I'm doing so far I put an example of. Any thoughts on being more organized to make writing a little easier?

"

Jan 97

-Week 1

-Enter Game world

-Week 2

-Get turned down from training… again

 

Feb 97

-Week 1

-Creation of GLW; Great Lakes Wrestling

-Search for talent begins

(most wrestlers in the Great Lakes are too expensive!!)

*Contracts Offered

-Martin Theocott; Annoucer

-Jeb Langley; Worker

-Tribal Warrior; Worker

-Christopher Hart; Worker

-J.J. Coles; Worker

-Pecs; Worker

-Sammy Bach; Worker

-Thomas Goddard; Worker

-Tom Gilmore; Worker

-Whiskey Jack; Worker

-Jonathan Taylor; Referee

-Jean-Pierre Baptiste; Road Agent

-Week 2

-First Show: GLW First Taps is annouced for Saturday Week 3 of February 97

-GLW Great Heavyweight Championship is created

 

 

-Week 3

-First show!

-Christopher hart doesn't show up! CGC scheduled a show for the evening and I forgot to check. Oops!!

-I thought Little Bill Lebowski just no showed. Come to find out, I didn't get his commitment so I shouldn't have expected him anyway. There goes that match!

-Despite all the pre show f' ups. The show itself goes off pretty well.

Performance of the night was Jeb langley. Tribal Warrior won the title. (maybe not the best choice. But the one for now)

-Surprisingly we had a total of 55 people show up! WOOHOO!!"

Honestly the best piece of advice I can give you is to come up with a long overarching storyline you'll write everything else around. That's how I motivate myself to continue writing as I want to finish telling the story instead of just blindly moving forward with no longterm planning just because I like the company and/or the timeframe. That's also how I like reading my diaries, those that have an ambitious endgame put in place and are clearly building towards something.

With my own writing that does mean I hit a few forks on the road as it's almost OCD like that I want to double check everything and make sure it all lines up and makes sense overall for the story around it and the characters. Quality over anything else. Maybe that filter is too much for people since I have not really gotten comments on specific character/story likes and dislikes yet, but I'll just keep plowing through and hope I earn their trust.

As for format, I think I've come up with a simple enough format for the new forum where I place the matches under quotes and the angles are written in high detail around them and the words are colored according to the show's scheme (Raw in red, SmackDown in blue, NXT yellow etc). In these forums, it's big to put the matches under quotes since after a short amount of writing the quote needs to be expanded to be shown, so all the matches are basically under a spoiler tag which I find to be a really sweet feature. Most of the comments in there are praising the format so I assume I've done a good job with that lol.

Don't worry about the length, write as much as you're comfortable writing. But definitely feel out the game and make sure you've got something good going with that save before making a diary out of it, since most of the diaries I see dying early (including my own early ones) are ones that have no clear goal in mind.

Which is fine, as long as you're just doing it for fun. But if you have a story you want to tell, make sure you fall in love with it yourself first of all. Adding to Strech's tip of adding an end date, that is also huge as it prevents the story from getting stale for the writer.

And yeah, feel free to drop me a PM if you want to discuss this further, I'm mostly around.

Edited August 31, 2022 by Dawn

[Dawn]

On 8/28/2022 at 12:53 PM, gmsubzer said:

Thanks for the tips. Some of it I can use, some; doesn't apply as I want to do a local to global. So the no hiring in the first month is sort of a moot point.

I do like to book ahead, just not too far ahead as I like a little ongoing roster turnover when doing smaller feds to keep roster fresh. So I usually book in 4 month spurts. Three matches in the fued; if needed; with a screw job or tag match somewhere in between. 

As for an end date, oo boy. I don't know. I know i should have one. Just like a book, you write the climax first. (it's pretty much what has you excited for the story anywho) then you write the events that lead up to that point. But Local to global, i guess an obvious end point would be making it to Global, or to 1st in pop and the company wars. Hmmmm. So hard at the moment to decide. 

Hopefully, I can produce something that at least one person would enjoy reading and it keeps me engaged. It definetly had me a little more interested in my game to where i did 3 shows in a 2 hour span last night by playing ahead. 

oop I just read this addendum from you and I don't know how long term planning and my other tips would work with L2G as it's not my sort of game to personally play so I do apologize. I will definitely keep an eye out for a project of yours though no matter the nature!

[Dawn]

10 hours ago, TCP1 said:

I am struggling to figure out what diary to run next. I defintiely want to use my Cverse07 mod (partially to test it in a long-running save), but because I'm keen to start writing again.

I sort of figure I've done NYCW enough for now, so am looking for an alternative. Are there any other styles, comapnies or created comapnies or backstories which people might be interested in, or can suggest? Ideally I'd avoid Japan, because it doesn't really interest me, but beyond that, I'm open to any suggestions.

Perhaps rekindling one of the long-defunct promotions like AAPW or APWF?

Oh, give me DAVE from you any day of the week!

[John Lions]

11 hours ago, TCP1 said:

I am struggling to figure out what diary to run next. I defintiely want to use my Cverse07 mod (partially to test it in a long-running save), but because I'm keen to start writing again.

I sort of figure I've done NYCW enough for now, so am looking for an alternative. Are there any other styles, comapnies or created comapnies or backstories which people might be interested in, or can suggest? Ideally I'd avoid Japan, because it doesn't really interest me, but beyond that, I'm open to any suggestions.

Perhaps rekindling one of the long-defunct promotions like AAPW or APWF?

I'm going to throw my hat in the ring and call for a rebuild of SCCW. SCCW has such an interesting past, it's an old-school promotion that is similar to NYCW but with a southern twang to it. It's something I've always been intrigued by, but the legacy talent are too old to even move in any of the modern games. I think it'd be right up your alley, perosnally.

[Captain Kremmen]

SUPER CLASH 4

IS NOW POSTED!

MAIN EVENT!

Match To Determine The Undisputed AWA World Champion

Sgt. Slaughter (AWA World Champion) vs. Jerry Lawler (AWA World Champion)

Posted in the AWA 1989 diary in the 2020 TEW section!

[CGN91]

Just want to say you guys are doing an awesome job writing diaries. So many active diaries atm is tremendous stuff! Happy to see it.

[DarK_RaideR]

57 minutes ago, CGN91 said:

Just want to say you guys are doing an awesome job writing diaries. So many active diaries atm is tremendous stuff! Happy to see it.

I figured there would be a new round of diaries due to the transfer mess up, but it's fun to see that many of the old ones are also still going now that all the posts have been carried over.

[Old School Fan]

16 hours ago, DarK_RaideR said:

I figured there would be a new round of diaries due to the transfer mess up, but it's fun to see that many of the old ones are also still going now that all the posts have been carried over.

I'm sure glad myself that things eventually worked out as all the pages transferred over (even though I'll have to manually fix some of my earlier diary posts), as it allowed me to resume writing my diary and pick up where I left off by introducing a couple of new characters who'll play big parts in the storyline as the diary moves into June 1968.

[619]

I’m looking forward to seeing who has a go at an AEW: Anti-Elite Wrestling dynasty based on the scenario of Kenny Omega, Hangman Page and the Young Bucks walking out on the company after All Out 2022. I’d be tempted if I wasn’t so invested in my current save.
 

(I’m hoping that doesn’t break any spoiler rules as it doesn’t reference anything that happened on the show)

Edited September 5, 2022 by 619

[djskeemask]

So...I want to share my save results, but not sure where to start with a new dynasty...It is AEW run by Triple H, with Tony Khan and Mick Foley running ROH as my developmental company.