I'm working on a TEW 2020 scenario from scratch!

[probablyoliver]

I mentioned this in the TEW 2020 release thread last week, and in the interest of transparency, I wanted to show y'all what I've been working on.

As it stands, the scenario is set to start in 2001, with a long-term goal of editing the data to be able to start from each six month period or milestone moment (say, the opening of TNA, or the start of the WWE network, or the beginning of the original brand split etc. etc.)

I'll be undertaking the creation of this scenario on my own, and it'll be being created from scratch. I think we can all agree that a common issue with a great deal of TEW mods through the years is that sometimes too many cooks spoil the broth, and that converting data from previous versions of the game can really throw everything out of whack. I don't want this mod to be just okay, I want it to be excellent, and to do that, it needs to be created from scratch.

With that, I'd like to present the data as it currently stands, presented in Google Sheets. So far about 100 workers or so are fully defined, with another 400 or so part-way there. I don't want any suggestions on who to add at this stage, but feel free to question numbers or stats or decisions I've made. At this early stage, I'm hoping to have roughly 900 or so active workers in the game-world ready to start for 2001, with an additional 600 yet to debut. I'm also hoping to have around 10-15 playable companies at launch including (but not limited to) WWE, OVW, XPW, CZW, NJPW, AJPW and NOAH.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/169SyevMvdjhRyhZZO-c5sstdf9zniA_FL2Gnzw1Hdoc/edit#gid=0

[Lineker]

WWF in 2001, not WWE, keep up.

[Naitch]

He didn't say the scenarios would be accurate.

[Nerf]

The spreadsheet isn't even public, ffs Ollie 😂

[probablyoliver]

8 minutes ago, Nerf said:

The spreadsheet isn't even public, ffs Ollie 😂

Ha! Should be public now.

[Naitch]

I have to bring up the question of Britani Knight being based in the Midlands. I know it isn't a major factor in your database, which will naturally focus more on non-UK wrestling scenes until 2010 onwards, but I presume that it will still be featured.

Pretty sure there's been discussion before about how the UK (specifically England) is actually supposed to be split up in TEW, but I'm firmly on the side that sees East Anglia as "southern" given that East England isn't an option of its own. Basically this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the five years I've been with WAW there have only been a handful of (non-camps) shows run outside of Norfolk or Suffolk. All of those have been in either Essex or Boston, which is just about where that coastline pokes inland near the East Midlands/East Anglia border. The Wrestling Weekender in North Wales, and intended summer follow up in Southport, are exceptions, but they're more based on the location of holiday camps than any other factor.

You also don't get any Midlands-based companies running anywhere in East Anglia whereas quite a few southern promotions have done Ipswich, for example, in the last few years.

Edited May 27, 2020 by Naitch

[probablyoliver]

This is the exact reason I started this thread. Thanks @Naitch

[TEOL]

12 hours ago, Ollie said:

As it stands, the scenario is set to start in 2001, with a long-term goal of editing the data to be able to start from each six month period or milestone moment (say, the opening of TNA, or the start of the WWE network, or the beginning of the original brand split etc. etc.)

Surely that isn't possible? How would you be able to start a game in 2015, say, if everyone in the database has 2001 stats?

[probablyoliver]

1 minute ago, AnTEOLnio Inoki said:

Surely that isn't possible? How would you be able to start a game in 2015, say, if everyone in the database has 2001 stats?

Well no, the plan is to edit the stats/popularity of the workers for every six months or so, whilst keeping the core of everything else the same.

[Baddar]

Stop living in the past. Make this much effort on a current day one. 

[Naitch]

10 minutes ago, Ollie said:

Well no, the plan is to edit the stats/popularity of the workers for every six months or so, whilst keeping the core of everything else the same.

I think its a great idea tbh. Once the groundwork has been done it'll be a lot easier to simply tweak everyone's stats and update information, such as title histories, as databases are released.

For example, a January 2002 update would still have Brock Lesnar in OVW with fairly low popularity but a strong look (not entirely sure what the terminology is in TEW20). By the July 2002 database, however, he will have debuted on the roster, won the 2002 King of the Ring, and need to be in a position where his WWE title match against The Rock at Summerslam looks feasible. His popularity will therefore be much higher, though his stats might not need to change as much. Then compare that to a 2019 Brock Lesnar, who would presumably have better psychology stats and the like, which would have gradually been increased over time.

[Skummy]

Random things I've spotted scrolling through:

Spoiler

• Abdullah The Butcher should be black rather than Middle Eastern
• Braun Strowman's full name is given as Braun Strowman, but shortened name as A. Schurr
• Bret Hart is set to Left The Business, when he should probably be a Retired Wrestler - he was Commissioner for the WWA in 2001, up until his stroke in 2002
• Should "Dalip Khali" be Dalip Singh, or Giant Singh? I'm not aware of him ever using the name Dalip Khali
• Should EVIL's default name perhaps be Takaaki Watanabe?
• Goldberg is set to Left The Business, when he probably should be either On Hiatus or have some sort of pre-set starting absence, as he wrestled in 2002.
• Dos Caras Jnr has "Jnr" stylised in that way, while other names such as Jimmy Snuka Jr go for "Jr". 
• Josh Matthews should be Josh Mathews, with one "t". He also should probably not be set as a Non-Wrestler, as he wrestled briefly for the XWA in 2001 and 2002 following Tough Enough.
• I think Jushin Liger should be Married, though I'm not sure on the dates there to know for sure.
• Ken Shamrock shouldn't be on Left The Business - again, "Left The Business" tends to be pretty final; in-game, it basically only happens when an already retired wrestler ages out of the game world. For people like Shamrock, Goldberg and Bret, who were just away from the business for whatever reason, "On Hiatus" or some sort of Starting Absence would be better suited. Shamrock would wrestle for TNA in 2002, and had been in talks with NJPW at various times during his UFC career, so it's not unfeasible that he'd have wrestled again prior to 2002.
• Same for Kevin Nash, Left The Business is too strict. 
• Unless you're planning on adding Sara Calaway as a worker, Mark Calaway should be Married.
• I'm not 100% sure of timing here, but Jake Roberts could be set as based in the UK - I know he lived in the UK in late 2001/early 2002, but I'm not sure specifically when he moved over.
• Patrick Clark's shortened name spells his surname as "Clarke"
• Pentagon Jr should probably be "Dark Dragon" or "Zaius" by default, to reflect that he may not necessarily be given the Pentagon gimmick
• Randy Savage is another one who perhaps shouldn't be set to Left The Business - according to Jerry Jarrett's book, he was one of the main stars intended to be a main event talent for TNA in its first year, but they never agreed a contract. While he didn't wrestle again until 2004, it's feasible that he'd have worked earlier if the terms were right.
• Rey Bourne's shortened name is "A. Rose"

 

And then I think you edited/re-sorted the sheet while I was reading it, so I lost my place

[probablyoliver]

Thanks Skum, all of those have been addressed now.

I did think 'left the business' was a little severe, and had put it in as a placeholder, but you're right to suggest they need changing.

There's going to be a bunch of name issues I think, I've gone back and forth on whether to use real names or not for people who have never been known by anything else. For Strowman, for instance, he's never been known as anything else, and where he's a direct product of WWE, it's not like he has an indy name to fall back on, so I've umm'd and ahh'd over calling him Adam Schurr or Braun Strowman.

[Naitch]

20 minutes ago, Skummy said:

I'm not 100% sure of timing here, but Jake Roberts could be set as based in the UK - I know he lived in the UK in late 2001/early 2002, but I'm not sure specifically when he moved over.

Cagematch has his first UK match listed in December '01 and last in October '04. Again its not vital but I could probably get exact dates as he lived with Ricky & Saraya Knight during this time haha.

[Skummy]

26 minutes ago, Ollie said:

Thanks Skum, all of those have been addressed now.

I did think 'left the business' was a little severe, and had put it in as a placeholder, but you're right to suggest they need changing.

There's going to be a bunch of name issues I think, I've gone back and forth on whether to use real names or not for people who have never been known by anything else. For Strowman, for instance, he's never been known as anything else, and where he's a direct product of WWE, it's not like he has an indy name to fall back on, so I've umm'd and ahh'd over calling him Adam Schurr or Braun Strowman.

I would probably go with the WWE name in cases like that, just for clarity; it saves people having to second-guess what names people might be under. If it's the only name he's ever used in wrestling, it makes sense.

Given that he's a Performance Center guy anyway, it might be worth setting him as a Dojo graduate for the WWE, so it would make more sense for him to debut there under that name anyway.

 

[Draevyn]

I'll mention that Mammoth did TEW maps for all of the areas over on GDS since Naitch mentioned the placement.

In case you haven't seen it, it's here: http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum/showthread.php?t=547186

[TEOL]

1 hour ago, Ollie said:

Well no, the plan is to edit the stats/popularity of the workers for every six months or so, whilst keeping the core of everything else the same.

Ah. So multiple databases essentially.

Sounds like it'll take ages, go back to streaming.

[TheWho87]

Ignore me, should have seen what was posted a couple of posts above.

Edited May 27, 2020 by TheWho87

[probablyoliver]

Thanks for the maps @Forked Out and @TheWho87. I already had the Americas one, but the rest will help out a lot.

I'm planning on doing a few breakdowns and updates each week or so as I work through this. I want this to be a totally transparent project, which is why I've attached the spreadsheet I'm working through. If anyone wants to chime in with suggestions or the like, you're welcome to.

One thing I did want to mention is my plans on stat distribution. As much as I love TEW, a common issue I have with many mods is how easy they can be, so I'm trying to be relatively harsh on the stats I give people. For example, it's going to be extremely rare to see anyone with a 90+ in anything other than some of the more static stats (mainly experience and physical health), and even the 80-90 range will be limited.

As it stands, I think the highest number for any of the primary skills (Brawling, Puroesu, Hardcore, Technical, Aerial, Flashiness) I've given so far is an 87, and there's less than ten workers with an 80+ in any of those six stats. Granted, this could change when it comes to actually testing the scenario, but I truly doubt it will.

Also, as early days as it is, I'm also looking for some suggestions on milestone moments over the last 20 years to aim towards. The stats I'm building now are to start January 2001, and the current early snapshots in time I'm looking at are as follows:

• January 2001- WCW and ECW's last stand
• April 2001 - post-WrestleMania X7, Steve Austin turns heel
• June 2001 - beginning of the InVasion
• December 2001 - end of the InVasion
• February 2002 - nWo debut in WWF, start of ROH
• April 2002 - post WrestleMania X8, beginning of the brand split
• June 2002 - beginning of NWA:TNA
• September 2002 - Brock Lesnar becomes WWE Champion, departure of the Rock

Of course, there will be more going forward, with a view to have two or three scenarios for each year. The start of Evolution, the Feinstein incident and it's effect on ROH, the passing of the torch to John Cena and Batista in 2005, etc. etc.

 

As for the work I'm currently doing, there's currently 595 workers with full personal details added, 380 of these have their full primary and mental skills completed. Currently I'm working on Performance and Fundamental skills for everyone who's set to debut before January 2001. I'll likely keep working purely on workers for the next few weeks. I'm hoping to have around 900 already debuted wrestlers for the first release.

[Naitch]

January and post-Mania for every year are probably solid default milestones to plan around. Beyond that:

June 2004 (Impact! on FSN)
September 2004 (IPW:UK launches)

April 2005 (ITV's Celebrity Wrestling premieres)
October 2005 (Impact! on Spike)
November 2005 (SHIMMER launches)

June 2006 (WWE ECW launches)
October 2006 (ICW launches)

May 2007 (NWA/TNA split)

October 2008 (Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling premieres)

January 2010 (Impact moves to Mondays)
February 2010 (NXT Season 1)
May 2010 (EVE launches/Impact moves back to Thursdays)
June 2010 (The Nexus debut / NXT Season 2)

May 2011 (Impact Wrestling rebrand)
August 2011 (First brand split ends)

March 2012 (PROGRESS launches)
May 2012 (NXT's new format)
September 2012 (RevPro launches)

July 2013 (Total Divas premieres)
November 2013 (LDN's WOS Wrestling pilot)
December 2013 (WWE's World title unification)

April 2014 (GFW launches)

January 2015 (Impact moves to Destination America)

January 2016 (Impact moves to Pop)
March 2016 (EVE relaunches)
July 2016 (Brand split returns)
November 2016 (ITV's WOS Wrestling pilot)

January 2017 (WWE UK & 5 Star Wrestling launch)
April 2017 (Impact/GFW's brief merger)
May/October 2017 (Billy Corgan buys the NWA)

February 2018 (5 Star on Free Sports)
May 2018 (WOS Wrestling returns)
September 2018 (All In)

January 2019 (AEW launches)
October 2019 (NWA Power debuts)

are significant dates that stand out for US and UK wrestling, although by no means exhaustive. Not all may justify their own database but hopefully it'll help you plan things out.