How do you keep games interesting long-term?

[SomeDude]

Just wondering, I've managed to get a few games go past the 5 year mark, and one game that got around 8 years, but I'm interested in how do you guys manage to get past that mark, or if you all even try to get past it?

[d12345]

Instead of starting a new game I will play as a new character from a different promotion or move my character to a different promotion. Truly committing to the game mode

[khriztian]

Developing new talents is always long term enjoyment for me.

[TheChef]

For me, it's the long-term that actually makes the game fun. I love to plan storylines in advance, sometimes even years in advance, and see how (or if) they develop. Bringing in new talent and trying to get them over. Waiting for contracts to expire to get those dream matches I've been anticipating. Just growing the company in general. Every new TEW game, I usually start with TCW, play a couple of years to get a feel for the new mechanics and workers, then restart with my own company from scratch. It takes several years to build a new company into one of the world's biggest. Then, it's world domination!

 

There are times when I get into a slump though, it can be difficult to play this game every day for months or years on end, so I'll get to a season finale, then take a break for a while before coming back and starting fresh with all new storylines and feuds.

[Soft]

Funnily enough I was just thinking about starting a thread like this because just yesterday I had a really furfilling long term booking moment that finally finds its end.

 

Developing talent is one big point, but the long term storytelling aspect is even bigger for me.

 

I book AWA with the 1985 mod and I'm now in year 1992. I decided pretty early on that Randy Savage was my figurehead and so I booked him as the unbeatable superman the world deserved.

 

Magnum T.A. was one of my other main guys I wanted to build around, so I thought how can i squeeze the absolute most out of this rivalry. Simple: keep Randy heel for about two years, giving Magnum the go-ahead just to have the double turn and then the start of Randy's figurehead run in 1987.

 

They are now about to headline my biggest event for the fifth time, the score is tied 2-2 and it's billed as the last encounter.

 

So stories like this keep me going but always take rookies or at least quite young characters, so I'm also invested in my own character and how their career is going to play out (in this case HBK)

 

And if I get bored, I randomly choose workers of unimportant popularity and build them up to at least well known.

 

Also introducing tournaments is always a good way to change things up.

[CzarKyle]

I've figured that having certain goals set ahead of time keeps me driving towards that next year. I have my book broken down into month, year, 5 yr, and a loosely considered championship linage I'd like to see happen for certain belts. It changes frequently, but....you know...the card is always subject to change.

[Self]

<p>Having trouble with this myself. I'm three years into a CGC 1997 game, and it's feeling a bit repetitive. My goal is to play it fairly 'canon', with as-similar-as-possible title lineages, and make it to 2018 when the company is meant to die. Which means a lot of DeColt storylines...</p><p> </p><p>

Generally, I think roster turnover is a great thing. I'm mostly pushing guys 35 or older to the top, because it'll force me into a position to have to replace them in a few years when they start losing a step. If I push 24 year old Eddie Chandler to the top now, I know I'll get bored of him. 37 year old Rocky Constantino however only has 3-5 years of main eventing in him, before I need/get to push someone new for 2002. I also regularly cycle my undercard. I don't need every wrestler I like to live on my roster forever. They can have six months, go somewhere else, then come back later. I had a lot of fun with the teenage tag team Youth Energy, and am looking forward to bringing them back in a couple of years when they've had some life experience. </p><p> </p><p>

Company goals are also good. CGC start with TV in only two areas, so the grind to break into other markets keeps me clicking. Saskatchewan down. Next step Manitoba! </p><p> </p><p>

I also find that the rhythm that comes from annual events helps me. When you have a Royal Rumble happening every year, it takes the edge off of having to come up with new stories all of the time. June/July is when CGC have their G-1 ripoff. I pick 7-10 guys and let an online fixture generator schedule the matches for me. Creates a different challenge to book. Almost like playing a different promotion. And seeing the evolution of your promotion in the winners of these annual events is fun. </p><p> </p><p>

I do want to wildly mix it up though. Something wacky for the year 2000 to throw a curve ball into the format.</p>

[SomeDude]

Hey everyone, I've decided to take a lot of your advice and mainly focus on developing workers. There are a few obvious ones I've selected who range in age enough that I should have a constant supply of new Stars as people age.

 

Slightly related to creating future stars, is anyone else here hoping they decide to have Will Beaumont go somewhere else once TEW202X releases in the far future? His potential is misused by RAW.

[Zero]

I currently have three long term games

 

WWF 1985-2002

WCCW 1970-72

WWF 1980-1984

 

The best advice (some are repeats)

 

-Set up yearly tournaments. For example, in April I have a tag team tournament, July-October a G1 Type Tournament.

 

-Plan from benchmark PPV to benchmark PPV with rough drafts of future plans. I plan from Wrestle Mania to Summer Slam. Then Summer Slam to Wrestle Mania

 

-Rotate your main event talent out of the promotion. If you have no plans for someone, edit their contract so that they leave.

 

-If need be, edit your competition to be more difficult.

[Kijar]

Lots of quality advice here.

 

I'll add rolling with the punches, constantly changing things up, but never going over the hump with indulging yourself. It can ruin a game quickly if you have everything you want.

[Bad Collin]

For me it's about not trying to book too many shows a month. I am running TCW at the moment and have two weekly TV shows and 1 PPV a month, anymore than that and I just feel like the game is not moving on.

[akkarin]

I often like to select no winner in title matches, tournaments and other stuff and just roll with the dices. So my road agent decides that Kross should win the Royal Rumble? Off to Wrestlemania he goes to face the current World Champion! Keith Lee becomes the King of the Ring? Time for a new gimmick!

[sgtsly]

I often like to select no winner in title matches, tournaments and other stuff and just roll with the dices. So my road agent decides that Kross should win the Royal Rumble? Off to Wrestlemania he goes to face the current World Champion! Keith Lee becomes the King of the Ring? Time for a new gimmick!

 

I'd say 75% of the time I let the Road Agent pick the winner, just to see how things play out and it can often mix it up and help lead to future angles/rivalries/feuds.

 

I'll definitely have ideas for stuff and will choose the winners when it fits with the storyline, but as akkarin said, if some random wrestler happens to win a tournament or battle royal, cool, let's see what we can do there.

 

And the idea of development is always big for me. I always play with a fed I create and have a Dojo or PC tied to it, so I'm regularly getting some new talent and trying to build them, or finding young talent in the field and bringing them in to see what they can do.

[SomeDude]

So another quick question, specifically in regards to workers generated by the game.

 

When someone new graduates from a PC/Dojo, how do you end up creating a story around them? Do you just keep the organic bio and come up with your own head-canon for the character as you move them up the card or do you create your own bio and story for them immediately after they graduate?

[Zero]

So another quick question, specifically in regards to workers generated by the game.

 

When someone new graduates from a PC/Dojo, how do you end up creating a story around them? Do you just keep the organic bio and come up with your own head-canon for the character as you move them up the card or do you create your own bio and story for them immediately after they graduate?

 

I take all my graduates and put them into my developmental company and have them all in tag teams. I like to debut them on the main roster as a team so they have some history.

 

Or

 

I put them all in a stable in the DV company and have them all debut like Nexus or the Corre. See how they do, then break them up piece by piece.

[Self]

So another quick question, specifically in regards to workers generated by the game.

 

When someone new graduates from a PC/Dojo, how do you end up creating a story around them? Do you just keep the organic bio and come up with your own head-canon for the character as you move them up the card or do you create your own bio and story for them immediately after they graduate?

 

I'm fine with organic bios, and use attributes to be the best way to figure out who/what a worker should be on my shows. I'll keep it simple. Happy babyfaces. Mean heels. Job guys putting over veterans, while they learn the ropes. Walking before trying to run. Thee aren't grandiose characters. They're just wannabe wrestlers begging for a place on the card. They're lucky I know their names.

 

(Obviously I don't know their real names. I use the name generator to change those immediately)

 

I let stories emerge from there. Do they work well as someone's tag partner?Or have chemistry with a manager? Has a role opened up on the babyface side of the roster? Does their picture look good with members of a stable? More often than not, my dojo graduates get a few months of experience, and then I let them go their own way. If they become something useful, I'll bring them back with a new coat of paint, once my fans forget the awkward rookie years of Bobby Mugs or Tim Wrist. Occassionally I'll get a prodigy who I'll stick with. I have one now (heavyweight, Noted Comedy Performer attribute) with a Construction Worker gimmick. I don't need to write anything more than that. His story will tell itself as the game continues.

[neslo024]

So another quick question, specifically in regards to workers generated by the game.

 

When someone new graduates from a PC/Dojo, how do you end up creating a story around them? Do you just keep the organic bio and come up with your own head-canon for the character as you move them up the card or do you create your own bio and story for them immediately after they graduate?

 

Firstly, I don't sign any that are negative backstage unless they're generational type talent. I usually have them work dark matches and maybe on a B show. I try to have a lot of working agreements so when they get to 18-20 experience I send them on an excursion for a year or two to let them refine their skills. I don't usually play long enough to see the longterm payoffs but love watching their skills shoot up in touring companies.

[KyleCamelot]

I'm actually the opposite, in that I hire negative influences all the time. I feel like it's the only way to actually keep the game world active, since, if you don't just feed them bonuses, people will actually leave your company on their own (besides poaching from bigger companies.)

[eayragt]

I'm actually the opposite, in that I hire negative influences all the time. I feel like it's the only way to actually keep the game world active, since, if you don't just feed them bonuses, people will actually leave your company on their own (besides poaching from bigger companies.)

 

Ah yes, that's a big one for me keeping things interesting - never pay any bonuses. Live with the consequences of upsetting people, rather than paying them off.

[Zero]

Ah yes, that's a big one for me keeping things interesting - never pay any bonuses. Live with the consequences of upsetting people, rather than paying them off.

 

I'm going to incorporate this to make my games more interesting. I usually pay them off since I have the funds, but this would make things way more interesting for the game world.

[neslo024]

I'm actually the opposite, in that I hire negative influences all the time. I feel like it's the only way to actually keep the game world active, since, if you don't just feed them bonuses, people will actually leave your company on their own (besides poaching from bigger companies.)

 

I'll hire established workers that are negative influences but rarely if ever sign generated ones that are. They aren't usually worth it imo.

[Makhai]

I'll hire established workers that are negative influences but rarely if ever sign generated ones that are. They aren't usually worth it imo.

 

This is interesting because the young ones are usually fairly easy to reform if you can keep your lockerroom morale sky-high. The more established ones are gonna be a bigger problem usually because they're over. At least in my experience.

[The Lariat]

This is interesting because the young ones are usually fairly easy to reform if you can keep your lockerroom morale sky-high. The more established ones are gonna be a bigger problem usually because they're over. At least in my experience.

 

I didn’t know you could reform their personalities like that. Definitely something to keep in mind with my own graduates.

 

For me, I sign younger talents and send them on excursions, usually for 2-3 years in promotions I think would fit their skills. For example, high fliers usually go to Dragon Gate to hone their skills, Brawlers to All Japan, Technical wrestlers to NOAH. I’ll occasionally switch it up to develop other skills but I usually stick to that formula. Women’s wrestlers alternate between Stardom and TJPW, since the others won’t negotiate with me.

 

So in retaliation, I try and sign their workers and compete with them. Petty, yes, but it give the feeling of a war without the official declaration, since their popularity trumps my developmental brand. It’s a slow build, but I’m patient. And signed Japanese legends to bolster my fed.

[CQI13]

You can get rid of people who are not meeting expectations every 6 months.

[BigINMoldova]

<p>I think that one of things TEW 2020 did great was adding things to keep you interested in a long-term save.</p><p> </p><p>

So I have a TCW save that's in August 2022 at the moment and there's a few things keeping me around. </p><p> </p><p>

The Hall Of Immortals is one. Andrews, Greg Gauge, Jay Chord and Hawkins are all very close to making the Hall Of Immortals but it's still debatable if they all make it.</p><p> </p><p>

Hawkins is already in time decline at 36 and he's now a mid-carder essentially. I'm really curious as to how the rest of his career plays out.</p><p> </p><p>

Besides that, Title prestige is interesting. Currently The TCW World Heavyweight title is the most prestigious in the world but it's at 92 and I believe the 2CW World Heavyweight Title is at 91. So I'm slowly trying to build that up as well as the prestige of the TCW Television and International titles because those aren't nearly as prestigious.</p>