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

[ScotKen]

Ah, 2001 in to 2002...just a shame you're starting from scratch and not wanting to import. Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeecause. I've created a fair number of UK and European workers and promotions previously. May even have created more for the 02 mod I was working on. 

[probablyoliver]

Right. Time for an update!

As it stands, there's currently 1,125 workers in the database. Of these, 646 are set to debut prior to the game's start date of January 2001. There's then an additional 138 set to debut between Jan 2001 and Dec 2003. My plan is to make sure that everyone who's set to debut before the end of 2003 is included in the initial release, this will give people enough workers to ensure a long-term game is possible without stagnating.

I'm not yet finished adding workers in, and I'm still planning on adding at least another 250 workers who had already debuted by the games start date.

A lot of these 646 workers still don't have stats (250 by my count), but that's my next task. I'm taking a little break from adding people to instead focus on the stats of those already added.

After that, I'll be working on worker popularity, before moving onto Companies and everything else. This is still incredibly early days in this project, I don't foresee an actual release until much later in the year.

 

There's a couple of areas I'm going to be looking for some input on, as I've um'd and ah'd over what to do with them since I started. I'd love some feedback as to what people think is the best way to go about things. I don't think there's a right or wrong answer per se, but I'm more than happy to be told why I'm wrong!

Firstly, Active Areas. The game's file itself states 'A worker's active areas inform the game what companies are allowed to approach the worker. Larger companies can get around these blocks, but it stops lower level workers from ending up working abroad in an unrealistic manor'. Now I'm not sure whether to be totally harsh on this, in the sense that most workers won't just up sticks and move to a different continent for work, thus keeping most workers only active in their native country (with exceptions, of course), or whether to be more lenient, and have anyone who's at least somewhat likely to appear around the globe active in whatever areas they're likely to work in.

Secondly, Potential. Now the game itself doesn't say much in regards to how these values work, other than it's a little RNG that's decided when you first start the game, and so I'm not sure whether to use it as an all-time value or a year specific thing. As an example, if I was to go with an all-time value, someone like Ric Flair would have his Primary Skills potential set to 'Excellent', but if I'm working it on the basis of being 2001-centric, his potential would actually be 'Low' or even 'Very Low' because he's already reached his peak in terms of talent.

 

For those who wish to peruse the data so far (and who are too lazy to scroll to the top of this page, you can find the spreadsheet HERE. Again, I'm open to suggestions and corrections on anything you either think or know I've got wrong.  

[Gabriel]

In my own work, for active areas I keep it to the areas where the worker has worked (excluding foreign shows for companies like WWE) and places where they are headed to work within a calendar year if it would impact potential simulations.

As for potentials, I always just set them all as random to ensure that no two games are identical. Some older workers may stay relevant longer, and some younger workers who people hire assuming that they are a sure-thing may plateau well below their expectations. I like that as it forces the player to really put an effort into developing those talents like a Prince Devitt, whose initial stats may be better than most debuting workers, but could easily wind up being a bust in any given game depending on how they are developed by the player and/or AI companies.

[METALMAN]

It's good you have all their sexual preferences listed. That for me is one of the most important aspects of any wrestling sim.

Edited June 7, 2020 by metalman

[IDOL]

For Active Areas I look at their career on cagematch (where it lists the promotions they worked) and activate those areas

[C-MIL]

Wrestlingdata has it listed by country too.

https://www.wrestlingdata.com/index.php?befehl=bios&wrestler=31122&bild=0&details=7

[KJE]

On 27/05/2020 at 04:44, Ollie said:

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.

For instances like this, you can have Braun Strowman as the default character and create an alter ego called Adam Schurr, with the setting "Use this for All But WWE."

[probablyoliver]

Thanks all for the suggestions. @Gabriel I have considered using Random for everyone's potential, I'm using it for all the Maturity/Retired stats, so it's not out of the realm of possibilities. If anyone has any strong opinions on that either way, I'd love to hear them.

@iDOL and @C-MIL, I've been using both cagematch and wrestlingdata for a few bits, I'll certainly use them for active areas too.

Finally, @KJE, the name issue is one I'll be going back and forth on. Honestly, I think I'm likely to settle on having Braun Strowman be Braun Strowman, and the same goes for anyone else who's gone through the WWE system. They've never been known as anything else, I don't think it makes sense to have them use their real names when there's no precedent for anything else. Also, a lot of those guys aren't set to debut until, like, ten years in the future, so it's an issue I've certainly got time to consider. I like the idea @Skummy suggested, having them listed as direct graduates of a WWE dojo, that way it's very unlikely they'll go anywhere else when they do debut.

[Adam]

On the the name thing: If you think about it, the way it functions in game is that the default name should be a name they can use in any promotion, so Alter Egos are the best use of people going through the copywrited WWE system.

If Adam Scherr left WWE tomorrow it is highly unlikely he could compete on the indies, or AEW or anywhere else, as "Braun Strowman". But if you make his default name "Adam Scherr" and have "Braun Strowman" as a WWE-only 100% use Alter Ego then this is simulated. Obviously it doesn't legislate for names people come up with once they leave the WWE bubble but we can't read minds into the future.

That said, I suppose doing the opposite would also work in terms of ease of finding a worker in the database - Braun Strowman as the default name and "Adam Scherr" as a 100% use "All But WWE" Alter Ego.

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

I think just from a gameplay standpoint, I'd prefer that someone like Strowman be in the game under that name. It's always annoying when you're looking for someone and can't find them because they're listed under a real name you don't recognize. 

[ScotKen]

4 hours ago, Mx. Canadian Destroyer said:

I think just from a gameplay standpoint, I'd prefer that someone like Strowman be in the game under that name. It's always annoying when you're looking for someone and can't find them because they're listed under a real name you don't recognize. 

That's where Google comes in. That said, some do take it to extremes. 

[Gabriel]

I typically list workers under whatever name they would use outside of WWE. If there isn't one, I use their real name. TEW 20 makes this so much easier too, because I believe if you search under workers for say "Strowman" and he's listed as Adam Schurr, it will still show up.