Rock n' Roll Throughout the Ages - REBOOT!
Aug 10, 2023 10:28:27 GMT -5
TeenyNorman and Dark Mauler like this
Post by Mr. Europa on Aug 10, 2023 10:28:27 GMT -5
Hi!
I started having fun with this idea a few years ago, and I fell off when my school schedule got busy. Although I'm teaching now and my summer break is about to end, I'm willing to risk history repeating itself and have a little fun with the history of RnR wrestling all over again. (What follows is mostly copy/pasted from my previous rules post, with tweaks I'm making for this second attempt)
The idea:
Simply put, I want to run a history of the storied Rock n' Roll Wrestling federation, from 1980 - 2000 and 2020 - 2040. To do this, I'll run concurrent playthroughs on 80MW and MMWGM. I'm leaving a gap between 2000 and 2020 because pretending that MMWGM picks up in 2001 just doesn't feel right, given both the parodies available in MMWGM and the massive roster overhaul that would take place seemingly overnight. Instead of simply plowing through 20 years in 80MW, skipping 20, and then picking up with MMWGM in 2020, I'll focus this story on MMWGM and use the events of the 80MW playthrough for creative flashbacks, hoping some fun parallels get drawn between past and present. Did you like Lost? Me neither. This'll be that, but better executed on a fraction of the budget.
The execution:
This will be played using the "Monthly" booking format for each game, for reasons that will become clear. Now, I've e-fedded before to varying degrees of success, and something about being in total control of outcomes made the whole experience boring. So instead of using this game's built-in mechanisms of control (i.e. "Commissioner's Decision"), I'm going to rely on the game's decisions to propel the narrative. I'm not consciously booking as much as I'm using a poorly-booked card to force my hand as a storyteller. I'm less like Vince, and more like JR on commentary wondering what the hell he's gonna do to polish this steaming turd of a card. Fun!
While I am not booking in any specific way, I will fill matches either according to available rankings or tried-and-true dice rolls. Frankly, dice rolls will determine a lot of this fed behind the scenes. When in doubt, just remember I'm trying to keep things as random as possible, while applying as much creative polish as possible. If I do decide that a certain feud needs to play out, I'll find a way to mention that out of context. As much fun as Wally Saratoga's surprise run with the Cruiserweight title in a previous MMWGM playthrough was, I also wish I spent less time watching Black Plague destroy him before and after the run. A real feud would've been nice there, and I may step out of the creative shadows to affect an outcome here or there in the future. (Mostly random, but sometimes good stories need to be told!)
This will count as my fourth playthrough for each game, and I have not yet collected every card for either game. As of the start of this experiment, I have 1684/2101 cards for 80MW and 840/1089 cards for MMWGM. I mention this here because - beyond the aforementioned chaos of rolling dice - I use the un-maxed qualities of cards to determine the pool of talent I draw from for certain matches. I still want to complete collections for each game, so I tend to focus on those cards whose stats are not yet maxed, in an effort to lock up merch cards for all members of the roster. I will indeed continue this practice in this fed, and it will mostly affect the 80MW roster, considering how wide it is compared to MMWGM. To further shave the available roster in 80MW, I'll randomly select five un-maxed cards to loan out to other companies every time I have the chance to do so. (Starting after the Tag Team Invitational in 1980) TL;DR - The cards I prioritize for this fed will be those who need experience in matches, mic spots, and skits to max out. Maxed out cards can still be played, for sure, but they will not be first choice.
I'll try to have a Mic Spot and Skit on each card, again in the interest of chasing down my whole collection. Instead of just telling you that Carolina Strutter and Grifter had an "On the Rocks" spot for the fifteenth time this year, I'll use those spots on the card to get into the story behind feuds, and maybe even some long-term rivalry stuff. They'll be a skin for the people who are really populating those spots otherwise. This is where I'll actually take the time to "polish" some of the weirder booking decisions this game throws at me.
Also, I've been using a specific method to turn the March Madness tournament into something like a MITB contract. The winner of the tournament will have one calendar year to cash in their contract, and their opportunities to do so are any time there is a match or promo to determine the next contender for the world championship. There is generally one of these per month in Monthly booking mode, and each time I come across one, I roll a 6-sided die. Only a "1" means the contract-holder will cash in; otherwise, they wait until the next month. If they haven't cashed in by March of the following year, they automatically do so during that month's opportunity. This means that most of the cash-in opportunities available to a contract-holder are actually through number one contenders' matches. Think of it like Cena being super honorable and saying "I'm cashing in, but only for the opportunity to prove that I deserve a title shot!" You'll get used to it.
Also, the women have a briefcase that is rewarded as a result of the tournament in each year's December PPV. Same rules apply; just switch March to December and you get it.
The Presentation:
This fed will trace the current era in MMWGM, using flashbacks to the RnR of the 80s and 90s as flavor. I'll post each week of the MMWGM events separately, inserting an episode dedicated to the 80MW between each month's third show and PPV. This special show will be an interview, where the host has a guest on to talk about the corresponding month 40 years ago. For example: January 2020's show will be about the entire month of January 1980, and the guest will be someone who factored heavily into that month's action. (Hint: Use the force.) This show's purpose is to provide an oral history of the first televised era of RnR Wrestling, and maybe some of the guests will be unreliable (read: contradictory) narrators. Who knows?
The Rules:
These are mainly for me, but here ya go.
1.) No cards that influence push may be applied to a wrestler in a match, except for relevant tag team managers or legitimate managers who make sense for the story (80MW). Not wanting to control outcomes, I'm not going to use Commissioner's Decision, its equivalent, or other event cards that influence push. I'm okay if Hammerhead goes on a run with Brit Buckingham or Mother Russia helping him. That makes sense. On the other hand, I'm not going to pair Drool with Party Animal as a manager just because the slot is open on the card.
2.) The die is all-knowing. I will respect all rolls of the die, even those that book the same match on multiple shows in a row. I haven't done this one before in my other dice-roll playthroughs, but I'm going to let bad show results happen as a result of the underlying chaos of this fed. If you're reading between the lines, you'll see that this will also allow for simultaneous champions. Like, a lot. The ratings may suffer, but my job is to tell a story around the events I'm given.
2A.) The dice can only do so much. In 80MW, the first wrestlers I choose for matches are those without maxed stats (I use the hearts system to organize them). If there comes a time when all such wrestlers have been used on a given show, the pool of wrestlers I choose from defaults to the "Legendary" tier, where I will roll a die to determine who gets used and try to pair them against an in-game feud. It continues down from Main Event to Opener in this fashion to fill the card. Has this previously resulted in a lot of matches between Zombie Skater and HFK? Yes, too many. Too bad.
In MMWGM, since you can upgrade the tier of a wrestler once their stats are maxed, things will work a little differently. I still default to those wrestlers and alts who are unmaxed first, but since everyone now has 4 alts, it is highly likely that a given wrestler will appear multiple times on the same card, and often at that. I'm going to go with it, and if it gets too repetitive/hard to explain in the narrative, I'll impose a new rule. Otherwise, outside of contenders and champions, PPVs will be booked like those in 80MW above: working down from Legendary, focusing on feuds where possible.
3.) Every time I can, I will send five wrestlers out to other companies (only in 80MW). (This begins after the Tag Team Invitational in year one, and will follow every year through 2000) These will also be decided by dice rolls, and the available pool to be chosen from is everyone who is eligible. You're right to worry about the randomness here; it is theoretically possible that a champion loses their belt and - before they get a chance at a rematch - they leave the company. It'll be up to me to make a story that sells the disappearance. Wish me luck.
4.) Cards that influence Mic and Pop may be played in those respective spots without limit. Since Mic Spots and Skits will be "skinned over" by stories anyway, what is happening under the surface doesn't matter all that much. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain and all that.
5.)No cheats. No real explanation here. I'm just not using them. I turned to the dark side and enabled instant money cheats in 80MW. However, I am still not using discount cheats in either game.
6.) Creation of tag teams: Tags can either be created by dice roll when determining seeding for the Tag Team Invitational or in normal matches. I used to restrict this, but I like the chaos of different people teaming up every week. If a created team in either game wins the titles or is consistently a contender or in the rankings, I will even go so far as to make them an official created team using in-game mechanics. (However, I only have a few slots available for this in each game)
Created tag teams must either have the same alignment or be a mix of Tweener/specific alignment. No created teams can consist of a face and a heel. In MMW, an example of Honorable and Heroic is okay, as is Pure Evil and Tweener.
With all this being said, when booking tag matches, I will always use existing tag teams when I can. I only create when an existing team is unavailable.
Example: In 80MW, I roll the die and get Pepe Beret for the first partner in a tag match. As long as Francois is available, I have to book him as the second partner. If Francois is not available, I roll and book someone else, perhaps even someone else's partner.
Similarly, let's say I roll Judo Jones. He has no in-game partner for me, so I roll again and get Pepe. That's a team that is totally legal for me to use. Maybe they go on a run and win the titles. I'll make a stable out of the Berets and Judo Jones and have some fun with it for a while.
7.) Money. Money earned will be used to purchase new talent or upgrade existing talent, first and foremost. I have not yet purchased all available match slots in either game, so that will become a secondary concern, should no new talent be available at a given time. Third will be the newer stipulation cards that I haven't bought yet. Always something to spend on!
Tokens earned in 80MW are always cashed in. I never use them for another purpose, and I'm probably not starting in this playthrough. In MMWGM, I will alternate between using gold tokens for cash and to promote a maxed-out wrestler. I prioritize gimmick tokens for unlocking the in-ring version of legends where possible.
8.) There are probably more that I'm forgetting here, so if you take a wrong turn in life and find yourself reading through this thread, just presume "there's a rule for that!" if you encounter a weird thing I've done.
Scoring: Every week, I will update the rankings page to track the greatest RnR wrestlers of all time, as well as the current power rankings in MMWGM. to determine power rankings, I am using a system of power points. Here's how all points will be scored across both games:
Wins: 2 points
Draws: 1 point
Losses/DQs: 0 points
Secondary Title Victory: 10 points
Secondary Title Defense: 5 points
Secondary Title Loss/DQ: 3 points
Primary Title Victory: 20 points
Primary Title Defense: 10 points
Primary Title Loss/DQ: 5 points
Battle Royale/March Madness/Ladies Night/Tournament of Queens winner: 20 points each time
Battle Royale Eliminations: 2 points each
Cruiserweight/Gentleman/Devil/Tag/Couples therapy winner: 10 points each time
Triple Threat (3 belts held simultaneously): 25 points each different time three belts are held
Dual Threat (2 belts held simultaneously): 10 points each different time two belts are held
Triple Crown (three different belts won over a career): 25 points (one time reward)
Grand Slam (all gendered belts won over a career): 50 points (one time reward)
The Champs:
And finally, here are the champs that will start out each era. They are *mostly* based on each respective previous playthrough, but 3 of my champs after 80MW were injured and that apparently carries over? Can we get that fixed?
80MW:
World - Ace of Spades
Television - Star Boy
Cruiserweight - Chet Skye
Tag - Shop of Horrors
Ladies - Princess Starbright
MMWGM:
World - Gridiron
Television - Judge Bao
Cruiserweight - Buddy Danger
Tag - Arizona Chance and Gunslinger
Ladies - The Matriarch
Ladies Tag - Forever Friendship
With that, let's see how far I can get this time around. Thanks for reading!
I started having fun with this idea a few years ago, and I fell off when my school schedule got busy. Although I'm teaching now and my summer break is about to end, I'm willing to risk history repeating itself and have a little fun with the history of RnR wrestling all over again. (What follows is mostly copy/pasted from my previous rules post, with tweaks I'm making for this second attempt)
The idea:
Simply put, I want to run a history of the storied Rock n' Roll Wrestling federation, from 1980 - 2000 and 2020 - 2040. To do this, I'll run concurrent playthroughs on 80MW and MMWGM. I'm leaving a gap between 2000 and 2020 because pretending that MMWGM picks up in 2001 just doesn't feel right, given both the parodies available in MMWGM and the massive roster overhaul that would take place seemingly overnight. Instead of simply plowing through 20 years in 80MW, skipping 20, and then picking up with MMWGM in 2020, I'll focus this story on MMWGM and use the events of the 80MW playthrough for creative flashbacks, hoping some fun parallels get drawn between past and present. Did you like Lost? Me neither. This'll be that, but better executed on a fraction of the budget.
The execution:
This will be played using the "Monthly" booking format for each game, for reasons that will become clear. Now, I've e-fedded before to varying degrees of success, and something about being in total control of outcomes made the whole experience boring. So instead of using this game's built-in mechanisms of control (i.e. "Commissioner's Decision"), I'm going to rely on the game's decisions to propel the narrative. I'm not consciously booking as much as I'm using a poorly-booked card to force my hand as a storyteller. I'm less like Vince, and more like JR on commentary wondering what the hell he's gonna do to polish this steaming turd of a card. Fun!
While I am not booking in any specific way, I will fill matches either according to available rankings or tried-and-true dice rolls. Frankly, dice rolls will determine a lot of this fed behind the scenes. When in doubt, just remember I'm trying to keep things as random as possible, while applying as much creative polish as possible. If I do decide that a certain feud needs to play out, I'll find a way to mention that out of context. As much fun as Wally Saratoga's surprise run with the Cruiserweight title in a previous MMWGM playthrough was, I also wish I spent less time watching Black Plague destroy him before and after the run. A real feud would've been nice there, and I may step out of the creative shadows to affect an outcome here or there in the future. (Mostly random, but sometimes good stories need to be told!)
This will count as my fourth playthrough for each game, and I have not yet collected every card for either game. As of the start of this experiment, I have 1684/2101 cards for 80MW and 840/1089 cards for MMWGM. I mention this here because - beyond the aforementioned chaos of rolling dice - I use the un-maxed qualities of cards to determine the pool of talent I draw from for certain matches. I still want to complete collections for each game, so I tend to focus on those cards whose stats are not yet maxed, in an effort to lock up merch cards for all members of the roster. I will indeed continue this practice in this fed, and it will mostly affect the 80MW roster, considering how wide it is compared to MMWGM. To further shave the available roster in 80MW, I'll randomly select five un-maxed cards to loan out to other companies every time I have the chance to do so. (Starting after the Tag Team Invitational in 1980) TL;DR - The cards I prioritize for this fed will be those who need experience in matches, mic spots, and skits to max out. Maxed out cards can still be played, for sure, but they will not be first choice.
I'll try to have a Mic Spot and Skit on each card, again in the interest of chasing down my whole collection. Instead of just telling you that Carolina Strutter and Grifter had an "On the Rocks" spot for the fifteenth time this year, I'll use those spots on the card to get into the story behind feuds, and maybe even some long-term rivalry stuff. They'll be a skin for the people who are really populating those spots otherwise. This is where I'll actually take the time to "polish" some of the weirder booking decisions this game throws at me.
Also, I've been using a specific method to turn the March Madness tournament into something like a MITB contract. The winner of the tournament will have one calendar year to cash in their contract, and their opportunities to do so are any time there is a match or promo to determine the next contender for the world championship. There is generally one of these per month in Monthly booking mode, and each time I come across one, I roll a 6-sided die. Only a "1" means the contract-holder will cash in; otherwise, they wait until the next month. If they haven't cashed in by March of the following year, they automatically do so during that month's opportunity. This means that most of the cash-in opportunities available to a contract-holder are actually through number one contenders' matches. Think of it like Cena being super honorable and saying "I'm cashing in, but only for the opportunity to prove that I deserve a title shot!" You'll get used to it.
Also, the women have a briefcase that is rewarded as a result of the tournament in each year's December PPV. Same rules apply; just switch March to December and you get it.
The Presentation:
This fed will trace the current era in MMWGM, using flashbacks to the RnR of the 80s and 90s as flavor. I'll post each week of the MMWGM events separately, inserting an episode dedicated to the 80MW between each month's third show and PPV. This special show will be an interview, where the host has a guest on to talk about the corresponding month 40 years ago. For example: January 2020's show will be about the entire month of January 1980, and the guest will be someone who factored heavily into that month's action. (Hint: Use the force.) This show's purpose is to provide an oral history of the first televised era of RnR Wrestling, and maybe some of the guests will be unreliable (read: contradictory) narrators. Who knows?
The Rules:
These are mainly for me, but here ya go.
1.) No cards that influence push may be applied to a wrestler in a match, except for relevant tag team managers or legitimate managers who make sense for the story (80MW). Not wanting to control outcomes, I'm not going to use Commissioner's Decision, its equivalent, or other event cards that influence push. I'm okay if Hammerhead goes on a run with Brit Buckingham or Mother Russia helping him. That makes sense. On the other hand, I'm not going to pair Drool with Party Animal as a manager just because the slot is open on the card.
2.) The die is all-knowing. I will respect all rolls of the die, even those that book the same match on multiple shows in a row. I haven't done this one before in my other dice-roll playthroughs, but I'm going to let bad show results happen as a result of the underlying chaos of this fed. If you're reading between the lines, you'll see that this will also allow for simultaneous champions. Like, a lot. The ratings may suffer, but my job is to tell a story around the events I'm given.
2A.) The dice can only do so much. In 80MW, the first wrestlers I choose for matches are those without maxed stats (I use the hearts system to organize them). If there comes a time when all such wrestlers have been used on a given show, the pool of wrestlers I choose from defaults to the "Legendary" tier, where I will roll a die to determine who gets used and try to pair them against an in-game feud. It continues down from Main Event to Opener in this fashion to fill the card. Has this previously resulted in a lot of matches between Zombie Skater and HFK? Yes, too many. Too bad.
In MMWGM, since you can upgrade the tier of a wrestler once their stats are maxed, things will work a little differently. I still default to those wrestlers and alts who are unmaxed first, but since everyone now has 4 alts, it is highly likely that a given wrestler will appear multiple times on the same card, and often at that. I'm going to go with it, and if it gets too repetitive/hard to explain in the narrative, I'll impose a new rule. Otherwise, outside of contenders and champions, PPVs will be booked like those in 80MW above: working down from Legendary, focusing on feuds where possible.
3.) Every time I can, I will send five wrestlers out to other companies (only in 80MW). (This begins after the Tag Team Invitational in year one, and will follow every year through 2000) These will also be decided by dice rolls, and the available pool to be chosen from is everyone who is eligible. You're right to worry about the randomness here; it is theoretically possible that a champion loses their belt and - before they get a chance at a rematch - they leave the company. It'll be up to me to make a story that sells the disappearance. Wish me luck.
4.) Cards that influence Mic and Pop may be played in those respective spots without limit. Since Mic Spots and Skits will be "skinned over" by stories anyway, what is happening under the surface doesn't matter all that much. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain and all that.
5.)
6.) Creation of tag teams: Tags can either be created by dice roll when determining seeding for the Tag Team Invitational or in normal matches. I used to restrict this, but I like the chaos of different people teaming up every week. If a created team in either game wins the titles or is consistently a contender or in the rankings, I will even go so far as to make them an official created team using in-game mechanics. (However, I only have a few slots available for this in each game)
Created tag teams must either have the same alignment or be a mix of Tweener/specific alignment. No created teams can consist of a face and a heel. In MMW, an example of Honorable and Heroic is okay, as is Pure Evil and Tweener.
With all this being said, when booking tag matches, I will always use existing tag teams when I can. I only create when an existing team is unavailable.
Example: In 80MW, I roll the die and get Pepe Beret for the first partner in a tag match. As long as Francois is available, I have to book him as the second partner. If Francois is not available, I roll and book someone else, perhaps even someone else's partner.
Similarly, let's say I roll Judo Jones. He has no in-game partner for me, so I roll again and get Pepe. That's a team that is totally legal for me to use. Maybe they go on a run and win the titles. I'll make a stable out of the Berets and Judo Jones and have some fun with it for a while.
7.) Money. Money earned will be used to purchase new talent or upgrade existing talent, first and foremost. I have not yet purchased all available match slots in either game, so that will become a secondary concern, should no new talent be available at a given time. Third will be the newer stipulation cards that I haven't bought yet. Always something to spend on!
Tokens earned in 80MW are always cashed in. I never use them for another purpose, and I'm probably not starting in this playthrough. In MMWGM, I will alternate between using gold tokens for cash and to promote a maxed-out wrestler. I prioritize gimmick tokens for unlocking the in-ring version of legends where possible.
8.) There are probably more that I'm forgetting here, so if you take a wrong turn in life and find yourself reading through this thread, just presume "there's a rule for that!" if you encounter a weird thing I've done.
Scoring: Every week, I will update the rankings page to track the greatest RnR wrestlers of all time, as well as the current power rankings in MMWGM. to determine power rankings, I am using a system of power points. Here's how all points will be scored across both games:
Wins: 2 points
Draws: 1 point
Losses/DQs: 0 points
Secondary Title Victory: 10 points
Secondary Title Defense: 5 points
Secondary Title Loss/DQ: 3 points
Primary Title Victory: 20 points
Primary Title Defense: 10 points
Primary Title Loss/DQ: 5 points
Battle Royale/March Madness/Ladies Night/Tournament of Queens winner: 20 points each time
Battle Royale Eliminations: 2 points each
Cruiserweight/Gentleman/Devil/Tag/Couples therapy winner: 10 points each time
Triple Threat (3 belts held simultaneously): 25 points each different time three belts are held
Dual Threat (2 belts held simultaneously): 10 points each different time two belts are held
Triple Crown (three different belts won over a career): 25 points (one time reward)
Grand Slam (all gendered belts won over a career): 50 points (one time reward)
The Champs:
And finally, here are the champs that will start out each era. They are *mostly* based on each respective previous playthrough, but 3 of my champs after 80MW were injured and that apparently carries over? Can we get that fixed?
80MW:
World - Ace of Spades
Television - Star Boy
Cruiserweight - Chet Skye
Tag - Shop of Horrors
Ladies - Princess Starbright
MMWGM:
World - Gridiron
Television - Judge Bao
Cruiserweight - Buddy Danger
Tag - Arizona Chance and Gunslinger
Ladies - The Matriarch
Ladies Tag - Forever Friendship
With that, let's see how far I can get this time around. Thanks for reading!