TEW2020 Overly Aggressive Signings

[Rainmaker]

So, this is something that really doesn't qualify as being an "issue" per say but is something that is defintely of note with the latest edition. Major Companies (Medium and above) are absolutely ruthless when it comes to signing regardless of data. This makes playing as a smaller promotion nigh impossible without editing the game data to force loyalty or other gimmick ways of cheating the AI.

 

Now, this is actually reflective of our modern pro wrestling industry as WWE, AEW and just about every other semi-notable company, have gone an absolute signing frenzy, leaving the independent scene desperately trying to always catch up. However, it wasn't always like this. In the mid 2000s there was a definite lull where for years, some of the best indy wrestlers of all time were just free to lift up all the little indies around them, Impact was able to just freely have guys on handshake deals and not sweat about WWE trying to steal everyone as their hiring practice at the time was much more developmental focused rather than indy superstar focused it is as of today.

 

The problem with TEW 2020 then is that it feels impossible to recreate a sort of "down period" in hiring. This really only came enlightened to me because yesterday Mammoth released his excellent Shifting Sands mod and despite his fantastic balancing and attempts to limit this hiring frenzy within the data, it still happens regardless. I wasn't two days into a TNA save before 14 wrestlers on my roster recieved exclusive written contract offers. I went into the data myself and edited Vince McMahon's business to try to limit him and it made little to no difference with 11 contracts being offered the second time.

 

Cornellverse has somewhat always had this problem, the companies are set up to succeed so you always end up a few years in a CVerse save and the top 20 companies in the world all being at least medium sized and with international TV deals, so the signing frenzy begins.

 

It just feels like regardless of all the little tweaks, the editable hiring rules and business stats of owners. The dip and dive of industry and economy in each region. The game almost seems incapable of actually simulating a down period in wrestling. It's always just titans battling it out with extortionate contracts. This is all very odd because I don't believe/remember TEW 2016 or even 2013 had this issue.

 

Anyone got any tips or ideas about how to deal with the overzealous nature of the AI in the most recent edition?