What is your playstyle?

[WCGreyghost]

I'm maybe a little obsessive with details, and it takes me a lot of real time to advance the game calendar.  I usually spend at least an hour, often 90 minutes or longer booking a typical 2 hour TV show.  Advancing the game week to the next TV show takes another hour or two.  Booking a PPV is likely to take 2-3 hours.

I pair up everybody that is eligible to work house shows, looking for chemistry, and after a few rounds, it have to check to see if I have already checked a particular combination.

I read most of the news items, usually then looking at featured workers to see if I want them, check out cards from major competitors, sometimes browse available talent to fill holes, etc.

If I have a child company or two, then I deal with all of that stuff, spending even more time.

I've had many hours of entertainment playing this way, but the down side is I rarely play out a save longer than a year of game time.

How much time do you spend booking cards and advancing to the the next show?  Same style every game or do you change it up?

 

 

 

[Hawk1665]

I mostly stick to hardcore wrestling products be they in Japan or abroad. I don't like doing angles that much so most western style products are out. Maybe that'll change in IX. So that rules out house shows and things not related to a touring/small scale schedule. 

I write down most of my events even though I don't do a diary (another thing I might do in IX) to keep track of what I'm doing. Here's the last show I ran in 2020 for instance:

Seattle Wrestling Association
Kings of Cascadia 17
September 5th, 2022
300 Paid

1. Three Way Dance: JOJI defeated Drop Kix & Mark Smart at 15'53 when JOJI pinned Smart with the Joji Miracle Explosion (61)
2. Clark Smallbone & Perry Longstaff defeated Alistair Shufflebottom & Zel Quinn at 15'30 when Longstaff pinned Quinn with a Missile Dropkick (45)
3. Dreadnaught, Wolfie Tagg & Kalder Tagg defeated Shiva, Charlie Corner & Nathanial Casino at 16'46 when Dreadnaught pinned Shiva with the Dread Bomb (49)
4. Big Poppa Swoll, LA Star #1 & #2 defeated Babau, Moroi & Ray Cavalero at 20'48 when Swoll pinned Cavalero with a Flying Splash (68)
5. Three Way Tag: Warren Technique & Jack Pryde defeated Remmy Skye & Kid Fantastic & Cheech Kong & Leftie Wilkes at 20'44 when Technique submitted Kid Fantastic with an STF (62)

Overall: 62

So, it does take me a little bit of time to write it out and make sure I'm not doing the same matches over and over. 

[Clairo]

I'm more of a long-term player and have adapted a system that's been working great for me since 2016. A lot of the "work" I do is done outside of the game. I start by writing down a rough outline in a word doc, just some plans that come to mind and stuff that I definitely want to get to eventually. It's basically a well of story beats, character ideas, key moments, things like that. It's very stream of consciousness and I add to it whenever I think of something new.

Then there's the more detailed outlines, where I lay out specifically what I want to achieve with certain workers. This could be week-to-week, maybe a PPV cycle, a year, or even an entire career. I also continuously add to this, and it eventually turns into somewhat of a profile. Not every single one is detailed mind you, some are pretty much just one liners.

The actual booking is also done outside of the game, so my time spent on the booking screen is minimal. I write out the shows in advance, in a recap style. I don't write out full promos or anything like that, it's done in a very basic "Gunther cuts a promo on Damian Priest, who comes out and a brawl breaks out" type of way. Ingame, they're all basic freestyle angles that I don't bother naming, except on PPVs so it looks a bit neater. Depending on how creative I'm feeling at the moment, I write out a couple months worth of shows at a time and then adjust on the fly when things don't go as planned or I change my mind (which happens quite often, so the game doesn't feel too stale). Because of this, I usually also almost always have something to do for everyone, even if it's just wrestling on the pre or B-show. 

This system allows me to advance quite fast once I get to playing, and it's not unusual for me to breeze through multiple WWE type (so with weekly shows) months during a single session. I'm interested in seeing how IX will change my approach. 

[Shooltra]

I'm long-term. To look at TCW in the default database, it took Jay Chord a long time to win the World Title. Why? Because for Total Mayhem 25, I thought The Elite vs The Syndicate would work well as a Total Mayhem and that it would put Jay over if to become champion, he got to take over The Elite Syndicate so he had to wait until Total Mayhem 26 but it also gives me the opportunity to then build Wolf Hawkins in a long redemption arc as I know the next Total Mayhem has to be Aaron Andrews vs Jay Chord. 

As for how it works, I first look at my Season Finale for the next year and see what stories are worth telling so that I have a goal in mind. Then, I work from there ( I don't fill in the next year, only the Season Finale for the current year ) and fill in every PPV. Then, I figure out what the story beats I need to hit are ( For example, I will say Wolf Hawkins becomes more of a tyrant. Doc assures he is a worthy contender for Aaron ). Then, I will put in a quick resume of what happens in the month ( So, week 1, Doc has a face-to-face with Andrews but Wolf shuts him up. Week 2, Doc and Wolf get the win in a tag. Week 3, Wolf brushes Doc's victory aside but Aaron says Doc is a real challenger. Week 4, Doc beats up Aaron with the Syndicate and Wolf shakes hands. ). And to end it, I will have for each show a breakdown of what story I want to keep going between Hour 1 and Hour 2 ( So, for Week 4, I would go with Hour 1 which establishes Aaron and Doc as friends and in Hour 2, Doc betrays Aaron ). It's some work but it helps me with making the shows feel like a breeze and in the end, it forces me to have a tighter narrative.

I also have some limitations I put on myself. I never give bonuses, I never have talents that are unrated on angles, I don't use house shows for chemistry, the only times when I can hire talents that are not unemployed are if they show up in the Hidden Gems tab or if they showed up on the news. For Rival Bids, I can only go for it if they are not being used well ( losses or just not used at all ) and if I play a smaller company such as TCW, I give myself the added challenge that I can only bid if the talents have a bad momentum.

[Self]

I have two types of play sessions with TEW. One where I actually play the game and press the buttons. And another where I plan things out on a spreadsheet or word document. In my private games, I typically alternate between these. When I actually book the card in TEW, it's fairly quick, because I know where I'm headed, and I will already have the main matches/angles planned out. I open my document, follow the instructions, and then it's just a case of filling the remaining time with small angles and maybe an undercard match.

The planning sessions can go from quick to in-depth depending on the size of the promotion. For small indy games I'll have notepad open where I'll list 3-5 matches for the next few months of shows. Just a general direction. For television promotions I'll have a whole spreadsheet, plotting out three months of weaving storylines, leading up to some big event. For diary projects I go further, with multiple spreadsheets tracking stories, roster usage, live event loops, etc, and scripts for each show. 

For promotions, I like playing underdogs. Either small indy promotions who have to watch their budget, or smaller TV companies (modern TNA level) who have to worry about losing talent to the big boys. I like having to scramble. Losing talent then getting to shop around for their replacement. 

I like a lean roster where everyone has a place. However, I won't make special efforts to use everyone, so if you go too many shows without being useful, you'll be cut. I keep most of the lower end guys on short contracts to facilitate this, and I try not to hire without purpose. 

I don't really pay attention to what the other companies are doing. Unless they steal my talent. Then I check up on them from time to time in the hopes that their careers are going well.

I have come to actively enjoy penalties and negative chemistry. I think a lot of players see penalties as "I did something wrong. I'm not supposed to do that" but they aren't really that bad, and I won't let something like poor chemistry get in the way of a good story. I'll turn a 100% Heel babyface for a short run. I'll let a terrible tag team work together for 6 months to build to a split. As long as the main event is good, the show rating will be good (based on my typical product settings) so the undercard can be filled with experimentation and 'wrong' choices.

[Peria]

I'm very particular, I prefer longer games with multiple years planned out in advance but only for specific major workers I want to build around. This doesn't mean I Tony Khan myself and never pivot, actually I set my plans up with the hopes that I do have to pivot, because that is what makes the game world interesting. I eventually become undefeatable with way too much money, so I have to limit and restrict myself in signings and such. I prefer a more "this makes sense, this is realistic" approach for any company I play. When I was in my NJPW save, I never really tried to lock down any gaijin and when they wanted (WWE/WCW) wanted to sign them back I'd often let them go. Basically, I try and make the game world feel as lived in as possible, and that is what helps me extend my period of playtime.

[Zero]

Great topic.   I only play long-term saves.  The key for me is planning.  I open a word document, and create a table that has 36 or 48 rows and two columns.  Label them all for each month.  Label the big events (Mania, Summer Slam) on them and decide "What do I want to main event".  Then book backwards.  Sometimes I book forward.  For example, I know in my WCW (85-2019) save, that Pete Dunne vs. Walter will main event every other Starrcade from 2019-2024).  No idea what the story will be besides the current one (Best friends turned against each other).  That will lay the groundwork for the next five years.

For booking television.  It is mostly in my head.  I follow a format (pretty much 1999-2004 Monday Night Raw)  Here is my format

1. Segment 
2. match
3.  segment
4. match
5.  match
6. Segment
7. Segment
8. Match
9. Segment
10. Match
11. Segment
12. Semi Main Event
13. Segment 
14. Segment
15. Main Event 

For Pay Per Views it is straight: OPENING SEGMENT, MATCH, MATCH, MATCH, Segment, MATCH, MATCH, MATCH, Segment, MATCH, MATCH, MATCH etc

 

[MikeSc]

I'm sort of middle ground between progress and middle ground.

1. I go through the roster and figure out based on personalities/Psych/Star Power/wrestling style/Creative who is staying and who is going.  This is on paper.  I keep this handy for the first roughly 6 months of booking.

2. If the promotion is national already, I plot out where the main PPV is going to end up if I rotate.  For TCW it is the May PPV of the final week, so I count out a rotation that leaves me in the Mid South at #5 major show of May.  Then I build the rest.  This calendar year thing is going to make that more complicated.  Also on paper, always somewhere I can read it.

3. I plan out my major story ideas based on who I start with.  For example, in 2022, Aaron Andrews has become the #5 most popular babyface in TCW.  With his merch sale bonus he is still #5.  I didn't love the initial set-up of November for KoK given that is a 6 month run to the big match.  I flipped that over to February.  So this year's KoK, Aaron and Mighty Mo meet in a babyface showdown (with Aaron having been preparing to turn heel for a month or so).  Mighty Mo goes over clean in that match, only to have Andrews interfere in the big match and cost him the KoK win against Jay (who has a max of 100 pop).  Mo can't do much about Andrews while he's got Jay on the horizon in 3 months, but Aaron figures into that storyline prominently by interfering.  While feuding with Atom Smasher, who just got done feuding with Killer Shark about his constant interference in Wolf Hawkins matches.  While this is all going on, Spencer Spade is going to lose the tag titles (while turning babyface) and partner Huey Cannonball (capped out at 72) will draft Joss Thompson to attack him for his first big money feud.  Spencer will take a month to go over Huey, then Joss will enter the picture as the heavy.  This will start Spencer's rise through the babyface ranks to win next year's KoK and start the big time rivalry with Jay.  In the meantime, Atom Smasher, Mikey Lau and Mighty Mo will form an equal opportunity stable to hold down the top of the card.

4. Once I know all that, I'll plot the rest of my main event feuds.  Then move on and do the first step again for major players on the midcard, then the second.  The goal is to have at least 2 money matches on each PPV for midcard and main event.

5. For actual show booking, I have pre-booking bonuses and requirements on.  I pre-book as many main eventers as possible each A show to get my biggest bonus.  I have a spreadsheet with wins and losses.  I've found that if you get somebody to White Hot, if you givethem two wins in the next two weeks they never take a hit on momentum.  Pop can be an issue if you aren't careful (once over 90, losses HURT), but people gain pop back at White Hot.  And you can have midcarders or Stars go down once a month in between PPVs with very few problems.  All of my roster besides new guys have White Hot momentum.

6. I'm super slow with title changes.  I had to call an audible and put Mighty Mo in as the champ when Tommy Cornell started physically declining right as he was in his title feud with Wolf Hawkins.  Don't love transitional champs.  Will have to do something where both Bradford Peverell/Joffy Laine and Ant Man/Ernest Youngman have title defenses on the 2 non-blowoff PPV matches of feuds as champs because they are moving up the card too fast.  I suppose having other tools in the toolbox doesn't hurt.

7. I just recently started getting the idea of going deep into characters.  Matt Dell (aldous Blackfriar) is a Lightweight guy with a lot of brawling.  His gimmick set-up suggests to me this sore of mystic Raven type character.  So he's a guy who claims to have some kind of mystic knowledge in the ring and relies a lot on counters as a wrestler.  I have him working with technical guys to get that skill up.  He's also hired Titan as muscle and sent him after a few people.  Might help out. :)

 

[Goliathus]

I am more of a freeform booker, as in I don't really have a detailed plan except a general idea of some plans that I plan to do. I only have a very brief outline and just book show-to-show until I get to the climax of each plan. I usually have some ideas to follow-up with my current plans and I just keep going from there.

I usually start with some big plans for several guys in my roster but I have a hard time sticking with it sometimes. I usually open my new company and do all the hiring, so EVERYONE in my locker room are guys I liked, or most of them are, and it's hard for me to not want to push everyone even though it doesn't make sense this way. It's easier if I play an established company cuz there are bound to be guys I like and dislike on the roster.

My most common play style is to sim a couple years into the future then I make a new company and play. The sims is to provide me with some extra randomness every time I play the game. I am a big fan of roguelite and roguelike and I prefer to play in a world that had shit happened instead of the default year start. I also like exploring the new regens and looking for gems there. Fresh new generated characters just reel me in in a different way. A part of me like random regens for some reason, like they don't exist in any other world but mine, and I can imagine all sort of things with them. I am the same way in other sport games in which I have more interest in virtual characters than the real-life players in any sort of season modes.

I also don't min-max and I match the "AI booking rate" of my size instead of spamming shows and etc for maximum gains. I like the natural progression over some hardcore speedrun approach of playing. I am very chill in single player games.

[ubernoobDXA]

I play the neurotic playstyle. 

I use a booking sheet to keep track of my roster and shows.  I try to book from major show to major show (RR -> Mania -> SS -> RR) in chunks and work backwards from there.  I write stuff in my notebook that I have next to me when I play games of any type (seriously I handwrote my rosters out for CFB25 and color coded them with a highlighter to have a quick visual of what I need in recruiting.)

I book to the size of the company generally and try to play semi-'realistically.'  So if I'm an indie, I do a show or two a month.  If I'm at the point of trying to grow and get my first TV show I'll do a 30-60 minute show that I film in blocks of 2-4 episodes at a time.  If I'm WWE, I drop RAW to 2 hours and go from there.  If I'm in Japan running a touring company, I run Touring shows with an event at the end - I don't try to game the system like I see people (mostly on reddit) talk about doing.

I  basically use it as a creative outlet and keep a journal for all of my saves even if I don't post them (which I haven't at all this year, maybe with IX I will) but I write everything out.   It feels good and it helps the brain/memory anyways.

Edited July 26 by ubernoobDXA