User Preference to Turn Off Segment Length Requirements

[TeemuFoundation]

<p>I'm starting to enjoy TEW 2020, even though I'm still mainly fiddling with the editor. But I did some testing, and I'm getting used to the game. I'm optimistic.</p><p> </p><p>

However, something I thought about when reading people's struggles with the pre-set products. I've seen a lot of people complain about the match lengths mainly, and I also agree that the segment length requirements can be kinda harsh. And for a sandboxer, it can take away from the experience a little bit. Especially since I don't feel like "products" necessarily have these sorts of requirements for match and segment lengths, as I see it being way more contextual than strictly product-based. In "real life", I mean.</p><p> </p><p>

If you look at wrestling through the eras, all eras have had different length matches been appreciated. The Attitude Era was known for its ADHD booking, but The Rock and Triple H were still able to pull off a 30 minute time limit draw that the fans appreciated - not to mention their 60 minute Iron Man match.</p><p> </p><p>

Now, an HBK vs. Bret type 60 minute Iron Man match in the May of 2000 surely would not have worked. But, again, I feel like it's highly contextual, and up to the style, the workers, the story, you name it.</p><p> </p><p>

Having said that, I can see the strict requirements as a fun gameplay mechanic as having to work around requirements forces your creativity. So the feature isn't bad, in my opinion. And I actually quite like the pre-set products myself. In general. I actually see myself trying out a smaller company, maybe an ECW, with a strict pre-set product with all the penalties and requirements turned on. Or maybe a WCW run where the requirements are sort of like the Turner executives telling me what to do, forcing me to work around their demands.</p><p> </p><p>

However, I do think that the requirements can be a bit too much for a casual strictly for fun fantasy booking savegame. We can turn off match ratios and basically all the other requirements that stand in the way of a fantasy booking sandbox, so it'd be nice if could just get complete freedom if possible. The other requirements are a lot of fun, even for a casual run, in my opinion. It's strictly the ones that have to do with segment times that I kind of see as a problem in a sandbox. Even a sandbox run does need some restrictions to stay interesting, so I'm a fan of the pre-set products in other ways.</p>

[BrokenCycle]

Yeah that would be very good.

[Skummy]

I agree that, if possible, a "strict segment lengths" on/off toggle is a good idea, and would negate some of the criticism coming in about Product settings.

 

What I would point out, though, is that an Attitude Era promotion being able to book a match like Triple H and The Rock going 30 minutes isn't really at odds with how the system works - because that match was outside the norm, and relied on two elite level workers to carry it above fan expectations. If the product settings were tweaked to allow that product to routinely accept 30 minute matches, then you'd be able to book 30 minute Al Snow vs. Bradshaw matches with no ill effect.

 

A match that deviates from the norm - an Iron Man Match in a period more predicated on short matches, a Hardcore Match in what would normally be a straight-laced technical promotion - is necessarily a calculated risk, and you hope that the strength of the match itself is enough to counteract the penalties of being outside the norm.

 

So booking two of the best wrestlers in the world to have a match that deviates from your product is a risk you can afford to take, knowing that they will be good enough to put together a great match in spite of the penalty. But booking a match that deviates from your product between two run of the mill wrestlers will have the fans scratching their heads as to what this match is doing on their show.

 

That's how things generally work in real life and, as far as I can tell, is how the product settings tend to work in this game - though if the penalties are too severe/benefits too slight in some situations, that's obviously something open to interpretation and to discussion.

[TeemuFoundation]

I agree that, if possible, a "strict segment lengths" on/off toggle is a good idea, and would negate some of the criticism coming in about Product settings.

 

What I would point out, though, is that an Attitude Era promotion being able to book a match like Triple H and The Rock going 30 minutes isn't really at odds with how the system works - because that match was outside the norm, and relied on two elite level workers to carry it above fan expectations. If the product settings were tweaked to allow that product to routinely accept 30 minute matches, then you'd be able to book 30 minute Al Snow vs. Bradshaw matches with no ill effect.

 

A match that deviates from the norm - an Iron Man Match in a period more predicated on short matches, a Hardcore Match in what would normally be a straight-laced technical promotion - is necessarily a calculated risk, and you hope that the strength of the match itself is enough to counteract the penalties of being outside the norm.

 

So booking two of the best wrestlers in the world to have a match that deviates from your product is a risk you can afford to take, knowing that they will be good enough to put together a great match in spite of the penalty. But booking a match that deviates from your product between two run of the mill wrestlers will have the fans scratching their heads as to what this match is doing on their show.

 

That's how things generally work in real life and, as far as I can tell, is how the product settings tend to work in this game - though if the penalties are too severe/benefits too slight in some situations, that's obviously something open to interpretation and to discussion.

Yeyeye, you're right. I do agree and realize this. I phrased myself bad, I feel. What I meant was, the 30 minute match in question was particularly well received when it took place - and it followed the "product settings" in an otherwise proper manner to maintain the crowd interest. I used it as an example of context mattering. But you're right that not every penalty is meant to be avoided.

[SirMichaelJordan]

The only penalties i try to avoid are “severely”

 

But yea a full sandbox mode where you can turn penalties off would be great for folks who prefer to play that way.

[Grand Avatar]

I'd be happy with this. How is an "indie" company that uses Episodic Sport supposed to survive if they get a penalty for EVERY match that's less than 20 minutes?

 

Some of the product lengths, not to mention requirements, just make no sense.

 

I think it would've been better to include a Suggested Length for each Product and match type.

 

I.E. PG Rated Sports Entertainment and/or Family Friendly Wrestling have a Suggested Length of 8-10 minutes for Midcard or Opener matches, but an Opener could go 5-8 minutes with no penalties. An Upper Midcard match could follow the 8-10 minute format, but could also go higher to 15 minutes with no penalties if you're using two good workers with Star or at least Well Known perception. A Main Event match could fall into the 15-18 minute range, but could even go up to 20 minutes if you have Major Stars who are great workers going at it. And if you've put together a huge match featuring Mega Stars then you could do 30 minutes or maybe even more and any penalty you got would be negligible.

 

Of course, there would be other companies where length SHOULD be a bit more stringent, something like Monster Battle should struggle to go over 5 minutes (unless of course it's a very well thought out match between special performers again)

 

I think a range-based system would offer more variety and be much less limiting to our imaginations and creativity then the current restrictive It's Either This Or Nothing system in place.

[daddytorgo1]

I'd be happy with this. How is an "indie" company that uses Episodic Sport supposed to survive if they get a penalty for EVERY match that's less than 20 minutes?

 

Some of the product lengths, not to mention requirements, just make no sense.

 

I think it would've been better to include a Suggested Length for each Product and match type.

 

I.E. PG Rated Sports Entertainment and/or Family Friendly Wrestling have a Suggested Length of 8-10 minutes for Midcard or Opener matches, but an Opener could go 5-8 minutes with no penalties. An Upper Midcard match could follow the 8-10 minute format, but could also go higher to 15 minutes with no penalties if you're using two good workers with Star or at least Well Known perception. A Main Event match could fall into the 15-18 minute range, but could even go up to 20 minutes if you have Major Stars who are great workers going at it. And if you've put together a huge match featuring Mega Stars then you could do 30 minutes or maybe even more and any penalty you got would be negligible.

 

Of course, there would be other companies where length SHOULD be a bit more stringent, something like Monster Battle should struggle to go over 5 minutes (unless of course it's a very well thought out match between special performers again)

 

I think a range-based system would offer more variety and be much less limiting to our imaginations and creativity then the current restrictive It's Either This Or Nothing system in place.

 

Maybe it would make more sense to tie the rough match-length (because strict match lengths with huge penalties is so frustrating) to the Perception of the workers involved? Or some combination of perception+workrate?