How do you book?

[The Nickman]

I take a good half an hour or more for each show. I see the game as a marathon not a sprint, and maybe it sounds weird, I don’t like to know what’s going to happen on a show, until I book it to happen...maybe I have an idea of main event matches for events and especially mania that will happen but getting there, I don’t know what happens. Like last night I had no idea cactus jack would help the undertaker and assault ric flair. It was a real surprise. It all gets me more immersed in the world I am playing.

Hahaha that sounds like such a cool way of booking.

 

I think that’s how I’d like to book, just no planning, booking a show from start to finish and just enjoying the show as it unfolds and use pre-booking to set up matches that are confirmed for PPVs.

[Dalton]

On the fly like a lot of people. The reason why is because I'll set things up that go months, maybe even a year or two and something happens. I've had people get injured, leave, not perform well.. and even darkhorse workers come out of the blue to really catch me off guard

 

Welcome to the world of professional wrestling

[Tom Bombadil]

<p>It'll vary a bit based on what self-imposed rules and fed size I'm running, but generally:</p><p> </p><p>

-Try to have a vague idea of what the top feud or two are going in the next few months</p><p>

-Plan out the next PPV's matches, trying to get all the key players and titles on the card.</p><p>

-Plan out the TV so that every storyline generally has something happening at least once a week.</p><p>

-That usually takes up 50-75% of my TV shows. Oftentimes I'll think of another segment or two that would make sense, in addition to those that I came up with in advance.</p><p>

-Whatever's left of the show, I tend to go into "gamer mode" and just throw together filler-y matches and angles with whoever's left. I'll usually pick people one each from a variety of categories, like the tabs on creative, or people I've gone the longest without using.</p><p> </p><p>

I keep telling myself I'm going to start doing fancy things with Excel but it just seems like a lot of busy work when I'm actually about to do it. For now it's still Notepad.</p>

[noknuckles]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="D-Lyrium" data-cite="D-Lyrium" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="49365" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>All of the this.<p> </p><p> If I'm in "diary mode", 80-90% of the time spent booking cards is spent in Evernote. By the time I get to the show in TEW, most of it is already planned out, so it doesn't take that long. The actual process of creating segments in TEW is pretty quick for me. I'll almost always know which road agent notes I want, too. 90% of my angles are freestyle, especially in 2020 because the default angles don't seem to have been updated and most are still rated on Overness. </p><p> </p><p> Even if I'm playing a game that I don't think will ever make it to a diary, but is in a company that's fairly story-driven (SWF, USPW, 21CW), I still usually use Evernote to keep track of ideas, and can sometimes take a while to come up with the actual show in my head.</p><p> </p><p> If I'm playing a game purely for fun though... yeah, 5-10 minutes and we're done, even quicker now in 2020. Obviously the longer the show physically is, the longer it takes because you have to book more segments, but I don't very often play companies with 3+hr shows, so...</p><p> </p><p> I book starting with the main event in "main event first" mode or whatever the option is called (less time spent rearranging everything after, but that's just personal preference). I'll usually know what the main event is going to be, and a few storyline matches, but other than that I just go with the flow and book stuff.</p><p> </p><p> But like FIN said, the actual time the process takes depends a lot on what the purpose of the save game is.</p><p> </p><p> Testing, mucking about, just having fun? 5-10 minutes on the TEW booking screen.</p><p> </p><p> Diary or storyline-driven game? 5-10 minutes on the TEW booking screen, untold hours in Evernote planning it all. <img alt=":D" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/biggrin.png.929299b4c121f473b0026f3d6e74d189.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Yeah, I go diary-mode, mostly because my ideas are so dumb that I just HAVE to put it down on paper. 5-10 minutes clicking the buttons on the TEW screen, but it takes me around 1.5 hours to book a show</p><p> </p><p> I book on the fly. I know the result of one match in my next PPV and that's about it. On each show, I think of an opening and an ending. Then once I know what image I want to end the show on, I'll start at the beginning again and just book forward. In a certain sense, I'm "experiencing" the show as I'm writing it</p>

[The Nickman]

<p>What’s everybody’s process for booking matches on week to week tv? Like, how do you decide “oh, I want a tag match here or a three on three with these workers there”? How do you decide who faces who each and every week?</p><p> </p><p>

Do you plan out the card in advance in regards to matches or do you just try to book from start to finish as the show goes along?</p>

[Front Office Widget]

I create a rankings system, give everyone +1 for a win, -1 for a loss, set up the shows a month at a time (with some long term considerations), and treat it like a kayfabe sport. I plug in promos from the top guys hyping up their upcoming matches in between the matches. Systematic and boring for a lot of people, probably, but I've always enjoyed doing things this way as kayfabe sport is what I'm going for.

[cwamaniac]

I like to try and book in different mindsets

 

For almost all my files I always book Main Events first, followed by my opener, then figurehead match if they aren’t in one of those two, I suppose my booking is rather plain in that regards at least, I’m always pursuing the 5 star match in my tv events while keeping the story’s fresh, for the hopeful ppv to get 5 stars as well

 

Certain characters I treat very differently for example if I see a wrestler as a jobber it’s rare for them to change my mind, if they cause me issues the day of an event, I won’t forget and will punish them either immediately or down the line, example Logan Wolfsbaine has a match with my figurehead pre booked for my ppv a Scaffold Match, he decided to say on the day of the event he couldn’t do it and there was no way he was beating the figurehead

 

So I had said figurehead “apologize” to the crowd prematch for not being able to deliver on the promise of the scaffold match as Logan decided to be a coward who instead lost a Tables match that night, after that Logan never even sniffed the Main Event scene as he became unreliable in the eyes of my character

[Steelo]

I do it on the fly with main events usually pre-planned and angles that keep continuity with the previous show. I book from the pre-show up to the main event and the lower card to mid card is usually booked with whatever I feel is right for that show at the time.

 

I run the show without closing out and going back to get a better rating so if I mess up I deal with the consequences.

 

It takes me about 5-10 minutes to book a TV show and I auto book any B shows. For big events I limit the roster to upper mid carders and main eventers (or whatever the equivalent is in 2020) and tend to take anywhere from 10-20 minutes booking those as I put a little more thought into them.

[MikeSc]

I put my workers into categories. I've got my stars and major stars who rarely lose except to each other. And then immediately get a couple of wins over lower card guys. I take my well-known guys and do everything I can to keep them at warm momentum. Recognisable guys tend to have chilled momentum due to the fact that there are just not enough wins to go around. Trying to find ways to work around that.

 

When it comes to moving wrestlers up I tend to go 2 wins ,1 loss to a bigger name just to keep them from getting an attitude, 1 win, 1 loss, that sort of thing. After a few shows you tend to get a feel for where a wrestler fits on your roster due to match performance and I try and just leave them in that category.

 

As far as using the notes, I will use cooling and working the crowd in a performance-based fed. I found a good method of opening matches -> steal the show -> storytelling -> cool -> work -> storytelling. Steal the show tends to get the crowd buzzing pretty good even on a low rating and the midcard main event guys match a lot of times gets a slightly better rating than the main itself.

 

As far as angles go, I am much more a performance >>> popularity guy in real life and that affects how I look at the game. I love a guy who can cut a good promo and good angles that advance stories are awesome. Only problem is that most of the time in your real life wrestling you get as many garbage angles and promos as you do good ones that make you want to watch. I am a big-time WCW guy due to loving in-ring action, but their ability to kill feuds with horrible booking ideas is legendary. I think TCW may be something I look at trying to take on as it seems to be the in-game WCW. Also, I am a big AJPW guy. So telling the story through the match is something I really love.

 

I have recently taken on APW and am trying to figure out how to make new stars yesterday since their setup when starting is pretty much garbage. I did go out and hire a bunch of 30 or 40 per show Aussie guys with good charisma and star quality to try and get over as well as spamming guys like SubUrban Legend and Chuck to get them where they can do more good right away. I feel like using APW will force me to get better at using guys in angles effectively given how they have 3 over wrestlers (who are barely over enough to move the needle on your overall pop) in a fed that is 70/30 pop to performance.

[Vatechfan24]

I smash the autobooker button a few times and get annoyed when it fails to fill in the full show, then i add a bunch of random angles. done

 

Real talk, how's this working out for you? You like it this way?

[edenborn]

For better or worse, I straitjacket my booking to only what the AI is capable of doing.

 

What I've found is that if I put together shows however I want, I'll later look to see what my AI competitors are booking and I'll feel like I've taken unreasonable advantage. I want to feel like I'm competing on a level playing field. Otherwise, the game is too easy. I get bored and restart.

 

In practice, that means I'm often trying to squeeze my creativity into a very small box. With TEW 2016, that's taken the form of limiting the number of matches and angles, to keeping the participants in an angle down to no more than the AI would include, to always ending the show with a match instead of a main event angle, etc.

 

Those strictures can sometimes force interesting, creative booking -- they can even hurry the process because I don't have an unlimited set of options for how to advance a storyline. Make the best of what you've got.

 

As for strategy, though it's a tried and true formula, I really enjoy building up a monster heel, having many weeks of domination and menace, building up to my babyface champ beating them on PPV. Then that monster becomes a gatekeeper to bring other babyfaces up to main event level (where they often turn heel and feud with the champ.)

[BrokenCycle]

For better or worse, I straitjacket my booking to only what the AI is capable of doing.

 

What I've found is that if I put together shows however I want, I'll later look to see what my AI competitors are booking and I'll feel like I've taken unreasonable advantage. I want to feel like I'm competing on a level playing field. Otherwise, the game is too easy. I get bored and restart.

 

In practice, that means I'm often trying to squeeze my creativity into a very small box. With TEW 2016, that's taken the form of limiting the number of matches and angles, to keeping the participants in an angle down to no more than the AI would include, to always ending the show with a match instead of a main event angle, etc.

 

Those strictures can sometimes force interesting, creative booking -- they can even hurry the process because I don't have an unlimited set of options for how to advance a storyline. Make the best of what you've got.

 

As for strategy, though it's a tried and true formula, I really enjoy building up a monster heel, having many weeks of domination and menace, building up to my babyface champ beating them on PPV. Then that monster becomes a gatekeeper to bring other babyfaces up to main event level (where they often turn heel and feud with the champ.)

 

This is the weirdest post on this entire forum.

[edenborn]

This is the weirdest post on this entire forum.

Thank you.

[lr10540]

It usually takes me at least 20 minutes per show. If I want to go super realistic and book based around 5 commercial breaks an hour (roughly every 12 minutes or so) and having a main event talent appear at the top of the hour to simulate viewers not wanting to switch to a new show, then it takes slightly longer.

 

I book starting with my main event, then my storylines, then whoever I want to push for future storyline involvement and lastly whoever hasn't be on a show in a while. My storyline guys get the priority in terms of booking strength. If I have a main event/uppercard guy not in a major story, he's on job duty.

[NextGame]

Real talk, how's this working out for you? You like it this way?

 

It worked out after a couple of years in 2016, as the cream naturally rises to the top. 2020's autobooker doesnt seem as competent but only have 3 months to play with.

[Remianen]

Getting my first save under way and I notice a couple things I do that might be different.

 

 

I create an entire set of matches where I reduce the non-wrestling match time to 1 minute, mainly because it's redundant. The things covered by non-wrestling match time are angles I already book (i.e. hype angles before matches that allow for the ring to be serviced, entrances, etc). In my mind, anything that happens outside of 'bell to bell' is an angle so that's how I book it.

 

I love me some stables. Great way to bring up young talent by pairing them with more established names in a way that makes sense. So I start creating new stables within the first week of the save, with plot points that explain and support their formation.

 

Authority figures that take a dislike to some bright young prospect. It's a way to justify having a particular young worker appear on (nearly) every show. Either the authority punishes them by putting them in gauntlet matches or handicap matches or they have to fight someone particularly nasty who is further up the card. Like in my first save, Black Diamond is going to fall afoul of Commissioner Bomb and after several gauntlet matches and a few handicap matches, is going to eventually be placed in a match against Emma May, who will hurt her really bad. Then I can run sympathy angles replaying the incident.

[LloydCross]

I took way to long in 2016 and possibly still do in 2020 based on people saying they used to do shows in 5 minutes, but it feels faster now.

 

I set up most of my stuff with pre-booking. The time I spend on the actual show screen is relatively small in comparison. For the show I add my segments in the order I want them and occasionally stop when I realize I want a segment I hadn't pre-booked and add that.

 

I did a bit less pre-booking in 2016 and moving segments around wasn't exactly the fastest thing in the world then either. In 2020 it's harder to move stuff, but I'm mostly only adding 3 or 4 new segments per show that I didn't either have pre-booked or add directly into the spot I wanted it.

[The Nickman]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="LloydCross" data-cite="LloydCross" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="49365" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I took way to long in 2016 and possibly still do in 2020 based on people saying they used to do shows in 5 minutes, but it feels faster now.<p> </p><p> I set up most of my stuff with pre-booking. The time I spend on the actual show screen is relatively small in comparison. For the show I add my segments in the order I want them and occasionally stop when I realize I want a segment I hadn't pre-booked and add that.</p><p> </p><p> I did a bit less pre-booking in 2016 and moving segments around wasn't exactly the fastest thing in the world then either. In 2020 it's harder to move stuff, but I'm mostly only adding 3 or 4 new segments per show that I didn't either have pre-booked or add directly into the spot I wanted it.</p></div></blockquote><p> It still takes me a good twenty minutes to half an hour to book a show in TEW2020, although I do generally find booking a lot quicker and more intuitive, with the obvious exception of moving segments.</p><p> </p><p> I still dream of the day where I can just hit autobooker to do the “heavy lifting” for me on TV Shows, where all I have to do is add road agent notes and a few key angles and matches and the card is ready to go.</p><p> </p><p> That’s the dream. Then all I need to focus on is the PPVs and the storylines leading up to the PPVs and old Joe Autobook can do the rest.</p><p> </p><p> It’s particularly necessary for any WWF/E mod where you have to book eight TV shows a month.</p>

[cmbell27]

Using the No-Style Style and I book by the seat of my pants.

[scmurph01]

Use the Autobooker to fill the show and then tweek the matches/angles to get the show how I want it.

[cool name]

So I’m playing as Evolve. I’m using proper booking that my product calls for it. The regional results at the end of the month has had me last while others like gcw, czw and 3 other promotions finished way ahead of me. They all had a avg show rating of at least 75.

 

What can I do to my show ratings up? My feuds are hot to.

[Slash-LN]

<p>First of all I things down in a note book so I know exactly who I am focusing on. </p><p>

In booking a two hour show I have six matches and four angles. The angles are to build to my ppv matches and the TV matches are to continue to build the workers I want to push that aren't in a ppv match. Sometimes I will combine people and do 3 v 3 or 4 v 4 matches. Right now I'm adding all the matches to the booking screen first and then adding the angles and putting them in the proper places. </p><p> </p><p>

My notebook looks like this </p><p> </p><p>

Alex Wright vs Billy Kidman (US Title Nitro)</p><p>

Daffney vs Mariko Yoshida (Women's Title Nitro)</p><p>

Rampage vs Tito Ortiz (Nitro)</p><p>

Haas Brothers vs FBI (Nitro)</p><p> </p><p>

CIMA l Masato Tanaka</p><p>

Torrie l Monty Brown</p><p>

Rhino</p><p>

Tamina Snuka</p><p> </p><p>

So that would be my Nitro brand. The workers on the left are faces and the workers on the right are heels. </p><p> </p><p>

Angles are 5 minutes and generally are just promos and the occasional attack. I don't really do anything too fancy. Matches are 15 minutes (17 with entrances). My shows total 122 minutes. </p><p> </p><p>

In TEW 16 I generally ran 8 minute matches. So it looked like this </p><p> </p><p>

Angle-5 minutes</p><p>

Match-8 minutes (10 after entrances)</p><p>

Angle-5 minutes</p><p>

Match-8 minutes</p><p>

Angle-5 minutes</p><p>

Match-8 minutes</p><p>

Angle-5 minutes</p><p>

Match-8 minutes</p><p> </p><p>

8 segments equaled a one hour block and I'd repeat this a second time. It allowed me to work on advancing plenty of workers and I knew exactly what I was going to do.</p>