Opening Segments

[soxfan93]

The topic of this thread is simple. What do you book in the opening segment of the average television show? A hot match? A hot angle? Do you use a signature open like Raw or Dynamite?

 

How do you like to start your show?

 

I've used all three but I'm not sure if one is better than others, or if the use of a signature is the worst but best for immersion purposes, etc. I'm curious to hear your opinions.

[shawn_waters]

Yeah, I’ll generally start the show with a huge angle featuring at least one of my top guys. It’s very Monday night Raw but that’s what I grew up on. Then I’ll follow it with a strong opening match that’s generally more work rate than it is story telling. When I play with the “three ring circus” match settings I often even open with a huge match to bookend the show with two of my three rings.

[Vinsmoker]

Per > Pop:

-Usually a opening match(Technical Masterclass, if the product requires it)

 

Pop > Per:

-Opening segment, usually relate to the closing segment of the previous week/event

 

Pop = Per:

-Once again a match, but a shorter one

[Self]

I like to bookend my TV shows with one story, so it's typically a promo/angle to set the stakes of the main event. Typically, the inciting incident (if there is one) will have happened weeks before, but this angle just reminds the viewers who is fighting and what the ramifications could be.

[Teh_Showtime]

The only companies I play with TV are TCW/SWF, so naturally I have to make the opener a hot segment since there is opposition on at the same time. The only real difference is that with TCW I’m more likely to start with a feature match that leads into a big angle, as opposed to a 10 minute talking segment.

 

Greg Gauge having lengthy TV title defenses have become my go to recently, or a Syndicate tag of some kind.

[Jomosensual]

For tv shows I either start with a match, a big announcement(tournament, new title, etc) or set up for the main event. I don't really have a reason for it other than trying to vary how I do things

 

For PPVs I always start with a title match of some kind, usually the tag titles. I do this to get the show off to a hot start and set the mood before diving into some of the more undercard stuff. Feel like that's the best approach since when I'm watching wrestling I'm more forgiving towards stuff being bad if I've seen something good already on the show. So should match 3 flop then it's just match 3 flopping instead of an overall cold start.

[Poet Justice]

I like to come up with a recurring segment like a pre-game show or a cold open to get the crowd hyped. Although a hot match with work the crowd road agent notes has always been a staple for me.

[kito333]

My current game I am making it a rule to defend my TV Title to open the show. I think it would be a neat concept to know that if you tune in every week you know you get a title match right out the game.

[thadian]

I usually start with a main event angle that leads to the last match of the night, sometimes with a follow through angle in between - someone getting attacked, looking for a friend or partner, etc. I follow it with a "Steal the Show" match, then "calm the crowd" or "comedy" as both seem to have a similar effect.

[Tweek It]

TV shows I try to stick to the era I'm playing as well as PPVs. I usually look up the theme to the ppv and either keep it exact or find a song that matches the idea for the ppv and make a video featuring the main eventers for the night.

[LloydCross]

What does Signature Open mean?

 

I've been opening with matches a lot lately with VWA just because I've loaded my roster with good workers and that's a good way to help get some of the better midcard guys over. The main exceptions have been if I've booked a Spectacle or Technical Masterclass that isn't the main event. Then the easiest way to work it into the show is to book it as segment 2, so I like to start with an Angle in that case.

 

In general I don't like having it be the same thing every time, so I have deliberately tried to alternate between the two at times as well.

[thadian]

What does Signature Open mean?

 

I've been opening with matches a lot lately with VWA just because I've loaded my roster with good workers and that's a good way to help get some of the better midcard guys over. The main exceptions have been if I've booked a Spectacle or Technical Masterclass that isn't the main event. Then the easiest way to work it into the show is to book it as segment 2, so I like to start with an Angle in that case.

 

In general I don't like having it be the same thing every time, so I have deliberately tried to alternate between the two at times as well.

 

Comedy, Spectacle, Epic, and Technical - for me, anyway - perform best when I use "Calm the crowd" then a hot angle first.

[bigtplaystew]

I always start with a promo and end with a match. And I rarely have back to back matches without a promo. Only if I need to cool off the crowd. The only exception is my season finale, which is a four hour show generally with very few matches that are very long. I like to keep promos to a minimum and focus on giving my elite talent a ton of time on that show so I usually start and end with matches but have promos in between to break it up for the crowd.

 

I start with angles because as someone from the "Tri State" region of this game world, its how I grew up watching wrestling but there is a strategic benefit. I need to have at least two matches I can bank on and one of them will be the last match. But the longer the show goes theres more that can screw things up. It takes time to get the crowd heat management / perect crowd theory down so you could easily botch that while youre learning (this took me YEARS to learn properly so I respect this is no small task for some but very common sense easy for others). Plus theres injuries, bad psychology and selling, bad manager work, all kinds of stuff can gunk all that up your matches. Promos are much lower risk. Having a promo with reliable workers in segment one makes segment 2 an EXCELLENT low risk place to put a match you need to bank on.

[LloydCross]

Comedy, Spectacle, Epic, and Technical - for me, anyway - perform best when I use "Calm the crowd" then a hot angle first.

 

From purely a crowd heat mechanics perspective

• Comedy doesn't really belong in that group. It's basically the same as Calm the Crowd.
  
• Calm the Crowd/Comedy/Eye Candy + hot angle creates the same circumstances mechanically as just starting the show with a hot angle
  

 

If the Spectacle/Masterclass isn't my main event and the show isn't so long I'd have to do so anyway, I generally don't bother trying to heat the crowd and cool it down again just for the sake of putting that match later in the show.