[BETA] 2001 - Here Comes The Money [Real World Mod]

[MrCanada]

2001 - Here Comes The Money

TL;DR This is a mod based in the real world of 2001. It takes the purchase of WCW from WWF and spins it a bit, with Shane McMahon instead being tasked with running WCW without the typical family feud type fantasy scenarios.

I have forever been obsessed with the demise of WCW and the subsequent "What If" scenarios people try speculate about on the internet. However, nearly all speculation is useless as most people ignore or don't know the facts. What are the facts? (I could write an essay here, but wont) WCW was worthless as a company for anyone but WWF. No network with appropriate money was willing to air it. Its biggest names had large clause-ridden contracts that were unsustainable for any company to pick up. So the WWF and what happened was more or less the only option. Further, WWF keeping WCW alive was also basically a non-starter as WWF had a exclusivity agreement with Viacom for its US-based TV shows, and Viacom was unwilling to air a WCW program in any time slot except Saturday night from 11pm-1am. WWF could not just re-brand another show, it would breach its contracts.

So that being said, there were really only a handful of ways the WWF purchase of WCW could have gone different then what we saw. This is one of those scenarios!

In 2001, Vince McMahon was showing no signs of ever stepping aside as the brain of the WWF. His daughter Stephanie quickly becoming his right hand, his son Shane wanted to begin to formulate his own legacy. When WCW went up for sale, Shane saw his opportunity. Shane approached his father with an idea. What if he were to purchase WCW and start his own legacy? Vince, finally seeing examples of his own hungry, younger self in his son, gave Shane his blessing. And with that, Shane McMahon now owns WCW.

So what does that mean? The world played out exactly as we saw it up until WrestleMania x7. Where after defeating his father in a match, Shane McMahon grabbed a microphone and told the audience to stay tuned for the Big Bang of WCW, and left WWF as an employee.

Information

Companies (32)

USA (19): All Pro Wrestling, Combat Zone Wrestling, Heartland Wrestling Association, International Wrestling Association, IPW Hardcore, IWA Mid-South, Jersey All Pro Wrestling, Memphis Championship Wrestling, NWA Florida, NWA Wildside, Ohio Valley Wrestling, Steel Domain Wrestling, Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling, Ultimate Pro Wrestling, USA Pro Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Council, World Wrestling Federation, Xtreme Pro Wrestling

Canada (2): Border City Wrestling, Extreme Canadian Championship Wrestling

British Isles (1): Frontier Wrestling Alliance

Japan (10): All Japan Pro Wrestling, All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling, Big Japan Pro Wrestling, Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling, Michinoku Pro Wrestling, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, Osaka Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling NOAH, Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE, Toryumon

• THIS IS A BETA and therefore very incomplete. I'm not really looking for any feedback at this point besides glaring issues. I just felt like releasing what I have to the public as it is playable for at least a few years. I've actually made 3-4 mods for this time period but always end up abandoning them or losing them through PC issues, so I just wanted it out there.
• This mod is as realistic as possible for May 1, 2001. Except WCW is alive! Its roster is largely based on the contracts WWF had acquired with the purchase of WCW, as these were the affordable deals and the stars willing to accept buyouts of their massive AOL Time Warner contracts. Agents/announcers/referees associated with the Invasion were actually signed separate to the WWF/WCW deal. Sharmell & Torrie Wilson were actually signed by WWF as free agents too (off the top of my head), but the roster WCW has here is the roster I felt made sense. The WCW roster sucks, which is realistic. Hint: Sign Rob Van Dam.
• User Characters? There are currently no user characters in the game. You are to play as Shane McMahon himself. Feel free to add your own or play as anyone else, but that's on you.
• Mexico will at some point be addressed. When? I don't know. Its a large undertaking to do it justice and at this point I'd rather flesh out the USA & Japan.
• Its suggested you use the first month in-game, if playing as WCW, to build a roster up until the Big Bang special and then bring Nitro back in the second month, but do as you wish.
• "I think so-and-so is very underrated" This is very much the idea. I find 90% of historical mods greatly overrate wrestlers based on who they become and not who they were. I very much subscribe to the butterfly effect. With the simple premise of this mod, everything is really up in the air, let alone the things that will happen during gameplay. Does AJ Styles have a better chance at being great then Adam Jacobs? Yes, but its very possible the inverse could become true. If you do have an opinion, feel free to share, but expect to be ignored 99% of the time.
• Stats are very "round" meaning most are multiple of 5s. 20, 25, 30, ect. I really don't care if so-and-so is a 25 and someone else is a 30 and someone thinks that's wrong. The idea is more so to get a "feel" for the worker with their stats. I didn't meticulously balance this with excel spreadsheets, and I wont. I'm an adult with a job and family and do this for fun.
• I'm taking a few liberties with reality. This mod is meant to be as realistic as possible. The big difference is the future. Who knows how stuff would have played out had anything changed. That said, a few things, namely wrestlers and where they may have learned to wrestle, I'm taking some liberties with. A big one right now is the WCW Power Plant is open and a handful of realistic (to me at least) wrestlers are set to graduate from there. As the data grows you'll likely see a few examples of liberties with graduates being made.
• "I'd like to help, how can I?" Graphics. Logos, banners, events, wrestlers pictures. Feel free to share anything you may want. I wouldn't mind other people doing legwork on Agers so feel free to add some. Only rules are any and all graphics need simple black backgrounds. All worker pictures need to not be cuts at all and instead on natural or neutral backgrounds. No KyKy!
• Credits: I stole and borrowed a lot of worker graphics. So if you are offended, I apologize, but I honestly cant credit everyone as who knows where stuff comes from. nGo was a big source. The data itself was based on Johnal881's work which I believe is based on Fleisch's 2002 mod, but I've more or less redone everything.

What's Next

• Rounding out the data is always on the menu. I subscribe to the idea the data will never be done, as it won't. There's always going to be something to add. My focus lately has been just adding odds and and ends and going over what I have and rounding it out.
• Prepare for the future: Agers and to-debut workers are also mixed with my current focus. I dont intend to go TOO crazy with this. 99% of TEW games only last a couple years at best, so adding 500 workers to-debut in 2005 onwards is a bit of waste of time, but I will add some. I do intend to add a goo deal of workers up to about 2005 right now as the cutoff.
• Mexico: needs to get done. I dislike Mexico when modding. Its very much been a fairly isolated area compared to Japan. A few notable workers come out of Mexico obviously, but if you actually look at history, not many for how big Mexico is. The same can arguably be said about Japan, but Japan at least leans on gaijin while Mexico never really does. Recent years this has changed, but again, from 2001-2015 Alberto Del Rio and thats about it is all Mexico really gave the rest of the world (outside NJPW excursions).
• Multiple Versions: Weirdly, without thinking about it. I've basically been just making a May 2001 real world data without thinking I was, besides WCW existing as its own company. That said, my intention is to at some point release a few other versions of this data. Likely when I feel its more complete. Two versions for sure I'll likely put out at some point is a simple May 2001 Real World Data that best simulates the wrestling world at that time (basically all the WCW guys in WWF in a big stable). And I may also release a version of the data where Shane / Vince have the often done fantasy family feud. The only big difference besides a few relationship changes is maybe a few more wrestlers being in WCW like Jeff Jarrett.
• When is the next update? No idea! I may just drop data in randomly as I feel like it. Like a lot of us, I'm an adult with a life now and sometimes I end up with lots of time to do TEW, sometimes I don't. Sometimes I have time but don't want to touch it. So I'll update it as I see fit, which is completely random.

Lastly...

I made the MCD real world data like... 3 TEWs ago? That was fairly successful and like to think I started a trend back then about Data-use and sharing. Modify and use this data however you want. I don't even care if you give me credit. The only thing I require is if you modify this data, use it as a base for something else, and release it, I ask you apply this same rules and let anyone modify and release mods of your mod as well. More mods are better for everyone, so share and be merry.

I think that's it. Enjoy the BETA. Its a BETA.

DATA

GRAPHICS

 

Some Ramblings / FAQ if its needed

I didn't what to bog down the main post, but here's some random thoughts and history that may help educate a few people, but at least give context and understanding to the time period.

Why No Goldberg, Hogan, Ect?

They had MASSIVE unsustainable contracts that had wage matching and creative control and limited dates. WCW could only afford this because WCW never really made a dime of profit and only existed because Ted Turner was willing to let it run at a loss. Had a "new" WCW under any ownership purchased the contracts out right from WCW, the new company would bankrupt within a year as no TV deal or any sort of financing could afford these contracts. This is further why WWF didnt purchase these contracts from AOL Time Warner. To take this logic further. Imagine you are Stone Cold making $500,000 a year. Then you see Hulk Hogan show up making $2,500,000 with creative control. What are the chances Austin just walks out? This is ultimately why the invasion failed. Hogan, Nash, Goldberg, among others, sat at home getting paid by AOL. These deals then either expired, or the buyouts of the deals became financially smart which is when wrestlers began showing up with WWF a year or two later. The only way WWF could have really done a successful Invasion with the "big stars" would have been to somehow wait a year while still keeping WCW relevant.

Why didn't WWF just make SmackDown! into Nitro or get a WCW TV show to continue it?

They tried! They wanted to put on a WCW show and even had names and ideas. However, in the USA, WWF had an exclusivity agreement with Viacom for all new programming. Viacom did not want any new wrestling programming, and actually didnt want WCW programming at all according to research and wouldn't allow WWF to completley rebrand one of its exsisting shows. They threw WWE a bone and offered them a Saturday Night Timeslot of 11pm for 2 hours. Meaning a WCW show would have been Saturday night from 11pm-1am on SpikeTV. WWF didnt think that would be viable and especially after the Booker T/Bagwell match didn't think it would work. This time slot did still become wrestling eventually, with Velocity & Confidential.

Where are all the wrestlers? What happened to wrestling in the 2000's?

One thing I find absolutely amazing about this time period is all the wrestlers disappeared. Well, not literally, but it seems regardless of what would have or could have happened with WCW and ECW and the wrestling world at this time, so many wrestlers had naturally aged out of the business at this time or because of what happened, left. 2001 I think by coincidence was going to be a big massive paradigm shift in wresting regardless of what happened just because the amount of wrestler turn over that was seemingly happening and going to happen. If you look at WCW & ECW results from the 2000's to 2001s, its a small group of wrestlers of which many never really took off. Say what you will about none of the WCW stars invading WWF, there just wasnt that many. So many guys were on their last legs already and WCW had basically been Jarrett/Steiner/Booker/New Blood holding it down for a year. Luger, Savage, Nash, Steiner & so many more never really had big long runs anywhere after 2001 and really only had a year or two of usefulness left at best. ECW, known for all its originals, had this weird roster of Bilvis Weasley and CW Anderson types. A lot of wrestlers from the 90's and 80's had begun to really show their age, and it just to me leads to this weird scenario where there actually isn't THAT much talent availible. If you look at the wrestling world for the next handful of years after this, WWF/WWE is mainly the guys already in the company/developmental and a few from the WCW purchase, and the next wave of wrestlers who came in were guys like Heidenreich, Snitsky, Orlando Jordan, Luther Reigns & Diva Search models. Its actually kind of mind numbing too see the wrestling landscape from 2001-2010. ROH & TNA obviously start changing the wrestling world in that time, but the amount of Mordecai, Brent Albright, Eugene, Spirit Squad that WAS mainstream wrestling for the better part of that decade is just... Wow. To add to the rant, early TNA is something to look back on. For all the X-Division greatness there's Rainbow Express, The Harris Brothers, Brian Lawler, Glenn Gilbertti, The Hot Shots, The Flying Elvises, The Dupss, and really just a lot of not great stuff.

Its easy to forget how long ago 2001 was & workrate/small wrestlers were not marketable

We take for granted just how great wrestling has been and is the last 5-10 years. The sad truth is people like Rey Mysterio, Eddie Guerrero & Chris Benoit did a lot in this decade to help make smaller workers appealing. CM Punk & Bryan Danielson among others helped in the start of this decade and now we have great wrestling where you don't have to be Heidenreich. I know a lot of people will do this anyway, and ultimately it will work, but just signing up a lot of these small wrestlers and pushing them to the moon in 2001 WCW shouldn't work and wouldn't have worked, regardless of how skilled they are. This is why someone like Billy Gunn is this massive monster in AEW today but was average around this time (well still on the bigger side but I digress). It's also just amazing that 2001 was over 20-years ago. The amount of wrestling and storylines that have happened since the Invasion is actually amazing. The entire Reign of Terror of Triple H, Lesnar coming in and leaving, and coming back. Cena almost failing, then rapping, then Jesus & B2, then Super Cena, a rap album... Its crazy to me. To look at WWE PPV's from 2010 and see The Hart Dynasty vs. Chris Jericho & The Miz and just being confused some of these things even happened. I mention this to remind people just how much has happened and changed in this time. And why 2001 AJ Styles is really such a different creature then 2015 AJ for example. And too see someone like AJ's mic skills in early TNA vs what they are now, let alone how he's changed as a performer. What would have Paul London been had he not gone to WWE and had a similar arc to AJ? Or had AJ gone to WWE on a developmental deal in 2001 like he was offered, would he have just been a Mexicool type after thought.

[IDOL]

I always liked your approach to modding, so its nice to have you back - especially doing this time period!

[Warhawk8492]

This mod has so much potential, hats off to you Mr.Canada!

[MrCanada]

Merry Christmas! I think I said I may upload a new BETA by Christmas and I think I did it by an hour.

I don't know whats all changed. A handful of new promotions (IPW Hardcore, NWA Florida & Steel Domain Wrestling for sure) some new workers and tweaks. I did a bunch of Hall of Fame stuff because... I felt like it? It is a decent update as far as size, I just dont record stuff. As well I added a decent amount of "to debut" workers and companies but obviously intend to add more. More tweaking and fleshing out broadcasters properly (I may wait and steal from Idolized upcoming 2004 mod. He's a good dude he does good work, check his stuff out). I also tweaked companies and tries to have it so most had proper roster sized to avoid hiring blitzes which I think improves the realism.

I did a 22-year sim (left the game running while I did Christmas Eve family stuff) and was pretty happy with how it sims. Obviously there's some "WTF?" stuff (Multi-time WWF Champion Chaz!), but that happens in every mod.

That said, whats next? More tweaking. I tend to just update what I feel like as thats what makes modding fun. I do want to / need to tackle Mexico to make it playable at least, though I'm kind of dreading that. So expect the next update to me mostly just big worker adds. To debuts especially.

DATA 0.2

GRAPHICS 0.2

[MrCanada]

Surprise Christmas Day Special:

May 2001 Real World Mod: DATA

Use the Graphics above.

This is just the data as it is, but with WCW shut down and workers moved into WWF in a WCW stable (and HWA which is preemptively a developmental company for WWF). Its really only made to work if the player plays in-control of WWF, since all the WCW titles and such are just active in WCW and the stable will get messed around.

This is basically as close to a reality/real world May 2001 mod as I know is out there.