storylines - a pain in the ass

[boriszhukov]

I'd love to see a function that makes it easier to book storylines, when booking cards- Often enough I have had to drop storylines (especially playing mods like DoTT) because it is impossible (and very time consuming) trying to find the right angle to progress to the next level of a given storyline. Would it be possible to just pinpoint that an angle is involving a story line and make it progress by it self instead of having to spend too much time finding out that a storyline isn't progressing because you used a wrong angle of worker one should be worker for and vice versa. I think this destorys the game and i general it should be way more qucik to book a card than it is at the moment. I understand that an "auto button" would destroy the game but the timeconsuming processes in working with storylines and booking in general destroys the game for me, eventhough I think large portions of it is VERY good. :-(

[Adam Ryland]

Simply use unchained storylines instead; you get all the benefits of a normal storyline but none of the restrictions. They're there specifically for people like you who don't want to use the chained storylines, so your issue has already been addressed.

[brashleyholland]

Would it not be possible to have a "This angle will not progress the current storyline Wrestler A/B/C etc is involved it" message pop up somewhere?

As someone who doesn't really know the intricacies of how wrestling angles work, using the pre-set stories is pretty much a must to me for the time being. A feature like the above would be really useful.

[Bill Parkman]

Yeah, that's always one thing that's always kinda irked me while playing through. I'll make all these storylines and I'll start booking the card and won't find out till after I hit the "showtime!" button and get to the match that certain angles didn't meet what was needed or something will happen that didn't turn out right during the match, so anything storyline related after that point won't count.

It's just an annoyance. Not Adam's fault (I don't think).

[SGRaaize]

My problem with Unchained Storylines is that they just don't finish unless we tell them to, which is stupid.
I like evolving Unchained Storylines to One Segment Chained Storylines to solve that problem, though

[MrCanada]

My problem with Unchained Storylines is that they just don't finish unless we tell them to, which is stupid.
I like evolving Unchained Storylines to One Segment Chained Storylines to solve that problem, though

I think that leads to a good example where the unchained could be evolved to include a button that says something like "end storyline with next segment" or "end storyline next show" (which would allow multiple angles on one show) which allows you to set the next angle as the final angle and have a proper "blow off".

[Adam Ryland]

My problem with Unchained Storylines is that they just don't finish unless we tell them to, which is stupid.

I think that's a bit of a stretch - if you're booking even remotely realistically then you're almost certainly going to end at a logical point, so the only real difference is that you have to go and press End. A tiny bit more effort perhaps, but hardly "stupid" - and even if you do think that's an issue, the advantage of being able to book on the fly should more than make up for that one disadvantage.

[SGRaaize]

I know I'm being nitpicky, but a EWR like Road Agent note saying (End of Storyline) would be pretty cool for 2011/2012, Mr Ryan

[Derek B]

My problem with Unchained Storylines is that they just don't finish unless we tell them to, which is stupid.
I like evolving Unchained Storylines to One Segment Chained Storylines to solve that problem, though


There are no bonuses associated with reaching the last point of a storyline... storylines in TEW can be built in many ways, from one show building blocks with 3 parts all the way to epic storylines that are mapped out for years. The bonuses (and maluses) are built up by being in the storyline over the course of it so the end point is completely irrevelant to the game itself.

Your concept of storylines isn't the same as TEW's concept of them. Back in EWR the end of the story resulted in bonuses... but that isn't the case now as pointed out already. Having a designated end point achieves nothing in TEW terms, it's just a marker for the human player. If you evolve a chained storyline halfway through, the fans don't suddenly wonder where the rest of the story went... you just changed the storyline, and since they don't know the future, the future you are now giving them is how it was always meant to be.

:)

I know I'm being nitpicky, but a EWR like Road Agent note saying (End of Storyline) would be pretty cool for 2011/2012, Mr Ryan

And since this just came up while I was writing... if a storyline ended like it did in EWR, you'd lose all the storyline heat. Which would be terrible if you wanted to continue in a different branch fof the storyline.

[SGRaaize]

Really?
Crap, that sucks, I liked in EWR when I had a huge bonus after making a 1 year epic brawl between The Rock and Chris Jericho, with two double-turns in between

[Sartagis]

Really?
Crap, that sucks, I liked in EWR when I had a huge bonus after making a 1 year epic brawl between The Rock and Chris Jericho, with two double-turns in between
Just to clarify you still get bonuses just now they happen in the form of storyline heat DURING the storyline and aren't as exaggerated and obvious. I haven't tried any storylines yet in the demo but mayhaps they are included in the Dirt Sheet?

[Derek B]

Really?
Crap, that sucks, I liked in EWR when I had a huge bonus after making a 1 year epic brawl between The Rock and Chris Jericho, with two double-turns in between

I knew you were an EWR player, you can always tell. :)

Workers still get bonuses for being in storylines but rather than getting them at the end in one lump sum, you get them gradually throughout the storyline. So if you have two ultra charismatic and talented guys facing off every week in angles and matches, then the game might end up giving them an extra 0.1 overness per segment... after 2 segments per show for a year, that's a HUGE boost! And if their matches are constantly getting better because their overness is constantly going up, then you should be able to avoid getting repetitive booking penalties too.

The flexibility provided by storylines (both chained and unchained) is amazing for long term games in a sports entertainment environment. My old USPW game lived off the back of a James Justice vs T-Rex feud, using many entertainment/menace angles to get them to epic levels of popularity. :)

[scorpion]

I knew you were an EWR player, you can always tell. :)

Workers still get bonuses for being in storylines but rather than getting them at the end in one lump sum, you get them gradually throughout the storyline. So if you have two ultra charismatic and talented guys facing off every week in angles and matches, then the game might end up giving them an extra 0.1 overness per segment... after 2 segments per show for a year, that's a HUGE boost! And if their matches are constantly getting better because their overness is constantly going up, then you should be able to avoid getting repetitive booking penalties too.

The flexibility provided by storylines (both chained and unchained) is amazing for long term games in a sports entertainment environment. My old USPW game lived off the back of a James Justice vs T-Rex feud, using many entertainment/menace angles to get them to epic levels of popularity. :)

hehe yep.

I'm glad to see more EWR guys coming over to TEW (the point of making 05 free I believe) But they have to remember this is the 5th game released in the TEW series, that means 5 evolutions since EWR and the game has only gotten better and better.

It takes a while to get used to the change. For example, I think many of us were originally not fans of the cornellverse, but gradually we found out it was the best way to play and have come to love it.

[cappyboy]

Simply use unchained storylines instead; you get all the benefits of a normal storyline but none of the restrictions. They're there specifically for people like you who don't want to use the chained storylines, so your issue has already been addressed.

Not really, Adam. It's not necessarily a simple matter of "Oh I don't want to use these chained stories. They always mess up. I'll go unchained." Oftentimes you WANT to use the chained stories. Maybe the added structure helps keep you on track when life forces you to drift in and out of a game. Or maybe they add to the atmosphere of a period mod like the ones in DOTT do. Or like Brother Brashley and I'm guessing the OP, they give you the story structure you lack yourself and can allow you to just focus on booking. There are many reasons why just going to unchained is a poor answer.

At times, the chained stories feel like they need to work more smoothly. It's when you really badly want to use the chained stories and a segment doesn't work as you expected it would that it risks "destroying" the game in the sense the OP was describing. I find that if you can find what didn't work as planned you can usually get the right angle the next time and just hide it in the pre-show to preserve the main show's flow. But that's assumiing you can find the mis-step. That's not always possible. And when it's not found, that's when games tend to screech to a halt.

Even when it is possible to find your mental glitch, the time spent searching for it is time taken away from the immersive flow of the game. Time taken away from actual game play. Unchained stories are very useful and they have their place as well. But the fact we have them shouldn't be an excuse for not making chained storylines a smoother process.

[wrestlingfan#1]

I haven't looked much into storylines in 2010 but I know in 2008 there was a button to click to " skip this step " I only used it I think twice when I couldn't find the angle to advance it, If I recall it was one of the steps in the stolen title storyline.

[SGRaaize]

hehe yep.

I'm glad to see more EWR guys coming over to TEW (the point of making 05 free I believe) But they have to remember this is the 5th game released in the TEW series, that means 5 evolutions since EWR and the game has only gotten better and better.

It takes a while to get used to the change. For example, I think many of us were originally not fans of the cornellverse, but gradually we found out it was the best way to play and have come to love it.

I actually knew this game from before, though :P
I bought TEW 2008 and Wrespi 1 and 2 (All awesome games, btw), lost them all when my previous computer "puffed" though (Will print the information from now on)

[James Casey]

The chained storylines in the game should work perfectly - and there's a lot fewer angles this time out. It doesn't take long to adapt, and you can always run mix of chained and unchained storylines while you get used to it.

[BrokenCycle]

Unchained storylines are way better in this game for one simple reason: the revamped angle names. It really sucked in 08 when you'd open your storyline menu to see "Backstage Attack 1 vs 1" with no idea what you booked.

[BuddyGarner]

One thing I don't like about storylines is that say like a backstage attack for no reason will score high just because of high overness and menace or a promo will score high even if it's a promo about nothing and history has shown that wrestlers need motivation for the things they do.

A lot more goes into an angle than overness/sex appeal/menace/entertainment/acting/microphone/gimmick rating/momentum/storyline heat.

[d_w_w]

A lot more goes into an angle than overness/sex appeal/menace/entertainment/acting/microphone/gimmick rating/momentum/storyline heat.

... Please describe this "lot more" and provide a mechanism by which it can be quantified in the context of a text simulator.

[fredreed]

I think that some storylines are good to have but to a certain level, I mean when I watch the WWE or TNA the wwe's storylines are weak but TNA's storylines are very good to the point, more so I think storylines help keep the ratings up. Maybe some people like to use Storylines in their promotion it's up to you.

[kckid4u]

Simply use unchained storylines instead; you get all the benefits of a normal storyline but none of the restrictions. They're there specifically for people like you who don't want to use the chained storylines, so your issue has already been addressed.

Sometimes I'm surprised with Adam's "bluntness" he presents to some posts in the forum, including some of mine, :D , but I think Adam's post here more than takes care of the OPoster's problem. Simply use the unchained storylines if booking seems like too big of a headace when it comes to storylines. I can't tell you how many times I heard a voice in my head say "Thank goodness for the unchained storyline." It's really pretty simple.

[kckid4u]

TNA's storylines are very good to the point,

Yeah, until this weeks pathetic attempt to copy Brett Hart's screw job. That was about as lame as I've ever seen in wrestling. Really sad, but that's another subject. :p

[Jennie Bomb]

I think that some storylines are good to have but to a certain level, I mean when I watch the WWE or TNA the wwe's storylines are weak but TNA's storylines are very good to the point, more so I think storylines help keep the ratings up. Maybe some people like to use Storylines in their promotion it's up to you.

The bold part is where you diverge significantly from any semblence of reality.

[cappyboy]

The bold part is where you diverge significantly from any semblence of reality.

You know, I'm thinking he got a little ahead of himself and typed the wrong article. I'm thinking her meant "to A Point" rather than "to THE point". In which case I tend to agree with him. At least pre-Hogan I do.

[Mr T Jobs To Me]

And we haven't even brought up that you can create your own angles and use them to advance chained storylines as well.

[DreamGoddessLindsey]

The bold part is where you diverge significantly from any semblence of reality.

Be fair, TNA is really doing well right now, better than I expected given who all is involved. Ric Flair is working wonders with AJ Styles, and having the Hulkster on the fringe of face and heel (and the Orlando screwjob) is making TNA really enjoyable right now.

As for the topic, I think this whole storylines thing is being blown out of proportion. There's something for everyone, and it doesn't get too clunky if you don't want it too. That's a plus in my book.

[Supermercado]

I think it would be nice if you could click a button in the storyline and have it tell you what angles in the database match its requirements.

[Donners]

hehe yep.

I'm glad to see more EWR guys coming over to TEW (the point of making 05 free I believe) But they have to remember this is the 5th game released in the TEW series, that means 5 evolutions since EWR and the game has only gotten better and better.

It takes a while to get used to the change. For example, I think many of us were originally not fans of the cornellverse, but gradually we found out it was the best way to play and have come to love it.

I tried posting about TEW on other forums, and every time there were comments from people who loved EWR but don't understand TEW - and invariably at least one person is confused by the storylines.

The one thing I always wanted was a little note in the booking screen telling you what you had just booked would advance the storyline.

I just turn the damned things off, because I never know when to end unchained ones.

[brashleyholland]

The one thing I always wanted was a little note in the booking screen telling you what you had just booked would advance the storyline.



This, surely, would be a massive help and answer the issues people are having with chained storylines?

[fredreed]

I think that everyone needs th remember is that
you don't have to have storylinea running if you
don't went them.

[brashleyholland]

I think that everyone needs th remember is that
you don't have to have storylinea running if you
don't went them.

And if you do want them but find them difficult to use due to the issues mentioned in this thread? :rolleyes:

[James Casey]

I think it would be nice if you could click a button in the storyline and have it tell you what angles in the database match its requirements.

Agreed. Even with umpteen years experience playing TEW, I'm sure I'm not the only one who's booked the wrong angle from time to time. I haven't played much of the new game yet, but it does seem simpler.

I just turn the damned things off, because I never know when to end unchained ones.

Erm... When they're no longer interesting to you/drawing heat from the crowd?

Maybe I'm missing something here, but you can end them whenever. After one show, ten shows, a hundred shows.

[SuperOwens]

I think it would be nice if you could click a button in the storyline and have it tell you what angles in the database match its requirements.

Id agree with this if possible. I tend to use unchained anyway but something like this would help those who like the preset options.

Sometimes its cool for new players to have guidelines on stories, its easy for them to pick something they remember from watching wrestling and try to recreate it. The more you play the game, the better your imagination becomes and you can plan out your own stories.

[BYU 14]

I think it would be nice if you could click a button in the storyline and have it tell you what angles in the database match its requirements.

+ 2

[EaztSte]

I think it's pretty much perfect except you can't edit your storylines which any booker could do if they really wanted to. Or had to.

[jhd1]

I think it would be nice if you could click a button in the storyline and have it tell you what angles in the database match its requirements.

This would be helpful. If you write your own storyline then there is a button when creating a storyline point that tells you exactly which angles fit the criteria but unfortunately you can't see it again once the storyline is finalised (or one that was written previously). What I find most frustrating when using chained storylines is that occasionally people mix up the roles, or use catalyst instead of attacker etc. so you have to create a new angle that you'll only ever need once. I must say, though, that this is much easier to solve now clone angle is in.

[cappyboy]

The one thing I always wanted was a little note in the booking screen telling you what you had just booked would advance the storyline.



Well when it does, it's mentioned in the post-match booker notes. But what you're describing isn't a bad idea. Something that would either check angles against storylines or at the very least a function that lets you do it post-mortem so you don't have to hunt for the mis-steps and can find the right angle easier next time. Either one would be a blessing.

The Skip Next Step function is a very good thing. Especially when you're playing to advance the promotion and need to keep charging ahead. But when the storyline is also a training exercise, you really hate to use it.

[lazorbeak]

I just turn the damned things off, because I never know when to end unchained ones.

The same time you would in EWR? When you're ready to move them on to new feuds? Pretty much any time you want?

I think it's pretty much perfect except you can't edit your storylines which any booker could do if they really wanted to. Or had to.

You can switch over to unchained storylines at any time to let you do whatever you wanted to advance the storyline, so yeah, that's already in.

[praguepride]

Ummm...you have noticed the "clone angle/angle writer" buttons, right?

With the repackaging of angles into fewer categories, I've noticed that many storylines, even the default ones, aren't set up properly. But it doesn't matter. Find one you like, clone it and edit the category. Done and done.

I don't understand why it's so painful when you can create any angle of any sorts at any time during the booking process.

[jtnlange]

I never really lookad at the angles in the default this year. i guess I will have to. I have accumulated aver 7000 angles and just brought them over, but if I don't need that many maybe I should try just the default.

Trevor

[Nedew]

Theoretically you don't need any angles, as you can make them during the show on an as-and-when basis.

[EaztSte]

The same time you would in EWR? When you're ready to move them on to new feuds? Pretty much any time you want?



You can switch over to unchained storylines at any time to let you do whatever you wanted to advance the storyline, so yeah, that's already in.

Edit, not recreate. So I could change one or two of the things that require my story to advance rather than just canning what I've sometimes spent a while on.

[NWO4until01]

Ummm...you have noticed the "clone angle/angle writer" buttons, right?

With the repackaging of angles into fewer categories, I've noticed that many storylines, even the default ones, aren't set up properly. But it doesn't matter. Find one you like, clone it and edit the category. Done and done.

I don't understand why it's so painful when you can create any angle of any sorts at any time during the booking process.

As far as I'm concerned, this is the number one area of improvement in the game. Any problems with combining angles and storylines is easily fixed with the clone option by selecting something similar and tweaking it. No clicking back and forth between screens. And after a while, the user will have a good list of commonly used angles.
Theres only two things I can think of to improve it further... the categories needed a trimming, but its been excessively cut, searching for a particular angle can sometimes be harder now as the categories are less specific (although cloning and renaming our own will fix the problem over time). The other thing is roster overview to be available in the angle screen to avoid the whole close, roster, roster overview, check info, close, back into angles, etc etc.

nonetheless, a major improvement in the game, cuts down a lot of time wasting.