[HYPE] Chronicles 1998 Redux

[NotStratusfied]

Hi everyone!

I've decided that I'll be working on reviving Fleisch's abandoned 1998 mod: Chronicles 1998! Within this thread I'll be answering a few questions people might have and lay out my plans for the mod. To make it an easier read, I'll be putting everything in collapsible quote boxes to avoid massive walls of text.

Why are you reviving this mod rather than starting a new year?

Quote

Well there are a few reasons for this, starting with my belief that 1998 was the heart of the Attitude Era. It's probably my favorite era in wrestling and an era I love fantasy booking due to how star-studded it is and how close it is to the Ruthless Aggression Era. While Fleisch already made some pretty great progress on this mod, I think it's a shame how little attention the Attitude Era has gotten in TEW2020. I believe taking this decently-playable mod and trying to take it to the next level is the best way to go about bringing the Attitude Era back to TEW. Fleisch has graciously allowed me to continue his mod and even call it "Chronicles 1998 Redux," so I think this is a great opportunity to have an active 1998 mod again. Lastly, and I think most importantly, I believe a 1998 mod is a great base for other mods around the time period and could spark other people to make mods for other years in the late 90s/early 00s. I'm fully aware that in TEW2016 there were a lot of mods around this time period, however none of them were ever made freeware and likely never will be. This mod is, and always will be freeware for people to do whatever they want with. As long as you give proper credit to Fleisch and everyone else who worked on the 1992/1998 mods, go wild.

How will you add onto or expand the mod?

Quote

Firstly, every bit of data I'll be using is freeware. Chronicles 1998, the base of this mod, has always been freeware. I'll also be importing data as needed from Chronicles 1992, another freeware mod that 1998 is actually based off of. Other than that, I won't be importing data from anywhere else without written permission from the modmakers. I have no interest in seeing this mod get removed, so I'm taking no chances.

What are your plans for the future?

Quote

I've separated this into both short term and long term goals.

In the short term:

• I intend to put out a database that's largely similar to Fleisch's last update with some minor changes based on things I caught while going through the database.
• Some changes I intend on making include worker popularities, expanding 1998's indy scene (I've already been working on ECCW's roster), and fixing worker stats.
• I want to collect feedback from players on what they'd like to see added or changed. As I only have one set of eyes, I can't catch everything. I think feedback for a project like this is invaluable.

In the long term:

• My main long term goal is turning this mod into something that can be played into modern day, if the player so chooses.
• I also want this mod to become a great base to use for any late 90s/early 2000s mods. Fleisch's 1992 mod is already an incredibly good and deep base to use. I'd argue it's a no-brainer to use Fleisch's 1992 mod as a base if you're making an early 90s mod, but as years go by it becomes increasingly more difficult to keep the database accurate in terms of popularities, movesets, stats, and workers. I think making this mod active again could spark a revitalization in late 90s/early 2000s modding.

So what now?

I'm really looking for any feedback people may have on the original mod. Things you think need improvement, things that should be added/removed, or things you'd like to see expanded upon! I've already gotten to editing some stuff and adding some missing workers on the indie scene, but I'm planning to make a list of things to do before releasing the first Chronicles 98 Redux DB.

 

VERSION 1 RELEASE:

1998 Redux Database (Last Updated: May 8th, 2024)

Picture pack from Fleisch's 1992 mod (these mods share the same pack)

 

Clean VirusTotal Scan of database

Edited May 8 by NotStratusfied
Fixed download link to data

[Jaysin]

Good luck! I have a couple of mods in the works and it's an exhausting endeavor 

[NotStratusfied]

4 hours ago, Jaysin said:

Good luck! I have a couple of mods in the works and it's an exhausting endeavor 

Thanks I appreciate it! I work too many hours for building my own mod from the ground up to be feasible, but I've been enjoying tweaking this so far!

[JCStensland]

Good luck, didn't know Fleisch wasn't gonna update this one. I'm currently going through WCW and the undercard/jobbers are already a pain in the ass because they don't have a gimmick assigned. I can't wait for the inevitable headache the nWo/Kliq are gonna give me because of their backstage b------- lol.

[ForeverRyder24]

Fix The Data Link 

[Jaysin]

3 hours ago, ForeverRyder24 said:

Fix The Data Link 

Try asking nicely instead of being a demanding child.

[NotStratusfied]

On 3/15/2024 at 10:28 AM, JCStensland said:

I'm currently going through WCW and the undercard/jobbers are already a pain in the ass because they don't have a gimmick assigned. I can't wait for the inevitable headache the nWo/Kliq are gonna give me because of their backstage b------- lol.

Thanks for bringing this up! Checking on WCW gimmicks now and fixing all of the "random" gimmick ratings and statuses. Should give WCW more of a stable start in the mod.

[NotStratusfied]

9 hours ago, ForeverRyder24 said:

Fix The Data Link 

Should be fixed now. Keep in mind this is the base Chronicles 98 that's available on BeTheBooker's website. None of my fixes/changes are added to it yet.

[HarryFandango86]

Nice! Good news. I’ve hoped for a mod starting in the attitude era. Good luck with your modding! 

[NotStratusfied]

Just as an update so far, I've been working on a few QOL things that I hope to release sometime over the next few weeks.

• Working off feedback from this thread, I've been working on giving WCW workers more specific gimmicks. A lot of the "Old School Face/Heel" gimmicks are being replaced with things that more accurately describe the worker.
• I've gone through WWF and WCW contracts, editing some contract lengths and editing most contract start dates so they're accurate.
  • For example, Ric Flair's WCW start date is now set to 1993, but his contract length has been reduced to 3 months. He was sued by WCW in April 1998 and nearly showed up at WWF Unforgiven later that month, so this will give the player the opportunity to book that if they choose.
• Every single gimmick status/rating and last turn date in WWF and WCW were previously set to random, this has been fixed for the majority of both rosters giving the player more stability at the start of games.
• Certain workers who really weren't very popular in 1998 have had their popularities reduced, as they were unchanged from Fleisch's 1992 base.
• Work has been started on giving workers more accurate skills and attributes. Some workers still had their 1992 skills, so I'm working on fixing the notable ones first then going for others.

Edited March 19 by NotStratusfied

[Blessed]

On 3/17/2024 at 10:39 AM, ForeverRyder24 said:

Fix The Data Link 

People wonder why so many mods get abandoned, then leave comments like this 

 

Anyway best of luck OP. Would be fantastic to see a 98 mod!

[NotStratusfied]

Just wanted to update those interested on this! This is still being worked on, just ran into a busier April than usual. I still intend to get a first release out in the near future!

[NotStratusfied]

Version 1 of 1998 Redux has been released! The links in the first post have been updated with the new DB as well as a new VirusTotal scan of the archive.

Major Updates:

Quote

- WWF/WCW prestige and momentum adjusted
- WWF & WCW gimmick statuses/ratings no longer random
- WWF & WCW contracts now show their contract start date for most wrestlers
- Made a number of "Old School Face/Heel" gimmicks more specific for WCW (still a work in progress for certain workers)
- Adjustments made to prominent wrestlers who still had 1992 stats
- ECCW skeleton roster added
- Sean Waltman made a free agent (fired from WCW in late 1997)
- Ric Flair's contract reduced to 3 months due to WCW suing him in April 1998. As he nearly showed up to Unforgiven 1998, I wanted to give WWF players an opportunity to book that if they choose. (WCW still has the ability to re-sign him)
- More wrestlers are angry/irritated about the Montreal Screwjob in WWF

Minor Updates:

Quote

- Tully Blanchard popularity nerfed
- Ahmed Johnson & Nation of Domination relationships adjusted
- Bruno Sammartino is now against hardcore wrestling products
- Began importing some post-2021 debuts from the 1992 mod (Trick Williams, Tank Ledger, etc.)
- WCW Slamboree corrected to happen in May instead of April
- WWF bio edited

A bit of a smaller update than I wanted, but I have more planned for the future! Really wanted to get this out because it has important changes to worker gimmicks and contracts that significantly change the starting experience while playing WWF or WCW.

I think what I want to do is update the GFX to have more Attitude Era worker pictures, but not sure whether I want to create my own or if someone would be willing to let me use some of their pictures.

Edited May 8 by NotStratusfied

[Jaysin]

Looks like I know what I'm doing when the family goes to bed.

[NotStratusfied]

1 hour ago, Jaysin said:

Looks like I know what I'm doing when the family goes to bed.

Definitely leave any feedback you have here! I think my main focus in the next update will be updating graphics to give it more of an Attitude Era feel, but if you notice anything that seems off definitely let me know

[RaptorMcFly]

Just a brief thing I found, I thought Mero was a heel after November 97

[NotStratusfied]

1 hour ago, RaptorMcFly said:

Just a brief thing I found, I thought Mero was a heel after November 97

I believe he was more of a tweener starting to turn heel in early 1998 with his jealousy gimmick. Wikipedia and TheSmackdownHotel say he went fully heel vs Sable at Over the Edge 1998, so I just left him as a babyface.

[raspymorten]

7 hours ago, NotStratusfied said:

I believe he was more of a tweener starting to turn heel in early 1998 with his jealousy gimmick. Wikipedia and TheSmackdownHotel say he went fully heel vs Sable at Over the Edge 1998, so I just left him as a babyface.

Yeah, he was pretty heel in the feud with Brandi, but in the leadup to Mania him and Sable were feuding with Goldust and Luna, who were absolutely the heels there.

[NotStratusfied]

I was given permission to use pictures from Asaemon's AMP Picture Pack in this mod, so starting to make some changes on that front. I'm mainly focusing on pictures for notable stars that I feel are outdated for 1998 and replacing them with more timely pictures from AMP. Sometimes I'll also just replace pictures with higher res ones or pictures I feel fit the Attitude Era aesthetic better. Here's what I've done so far, feel free to leave any feedback:

 

OLD VERSION:

      

 

NEW VERSION:

     

[Johnny Fenoli]

Keep up the grind on the mod!

Thanks for working on it! I know everyone appreciates it.

 

One of the biggest issues with the mod in it's current state, and in previous, is the carryover of some popularities from the original 1992 mod. 

For example the first thing I did after loading up the mod is look at who was rated between 60-69 in USA popularity. 

Some obvious names that had gone down in popularity from 92 to 98:

Gary Hart

Hillbilly Jim

Jack Briscoe

Lord Alfred

Missy

Bockwinkel

Nikita

Humperdink

Stan Hansen

Wahoo

As it stands these people are all rated the same as Scott Hall and Owen Hart.  If any of them would have walked out on RAW in 1998, there would have been crickets. 

I assume there may also be some stats that also need to be nerfed for guys who weren't at the same level they were in 1992. 

 

Thanks again for working on it, I hope you get everything running where it should be.

[NotStratusfied]

On 5/10/2024 at 8:27 PM, Johnny Fenoli said:

Keep up the grind on the mod!

Thanks for working on it! I know everyone appreciates it.

Thanks so much for the feedback! I've taken a look into all the names you've mentioned and nerfed their popularities! On top of that, there are around 50 more workers that I've also went ahead and nerfed. Mostly retired workers that hadn't appeared in a major company in years or formerly popular wrestlers that stayed on the indies for the rest of their career.

In the previous update, I did some skill adjustments across WWF and WCW, but didn't notice anything particularly egregious. Will definitely have to look at free agents and indie performers though.

Edited May 13 by NotStratusfied