Having Fun with YOUR Fed!

[Chad Olson]

vx, when I look back at my old results, i shudder. I was Russo before Russo ever set foot in Titan Towers. But I was a teenager and I was having fun. Good on you for doing a mini-reset to get back on track.

Going to check out your fed now!

[Vegas]

Although I play everything- LOW, Indy, and COTG (and I will be playing and posting both LOW and Indy results- I just had a CVW show today- at least once per week each,) I am currently especially focused upon filling in my COTG color card gap years from 2125-2136.

I just played 2125 in 2 weeks at the rate of 1 show/game month and 15 matches/show. But the problem is I rarely have time to play out 15 matches at once or post results for 15 matches at once so I break my shows up into 5 matches each which should allow me to play at least 1/3 of my monthly COTG shows each night and gradually build up my COTG History and keep it all recorded here electronically in the board's title history forum.

It might seem weird to play and post just 1/3 of a show at once, but it works for me and my schedule and ultimately allows me to play the game more instead of waiting to find time to play and post all 15 matches per show.

[pikemojo]

I love this post so much.

I started playing in 2003-ish, soon after Legends Rematch came out I believe. I played quite a bit then, recorded my results in a little notebook but never posted anything on the boards. As time went on, I went in and out of playing and eventually just stopped. I still bought pretty much every set on the LOW/indy side. Still visited the website and boards nearly every day. It just began to feel like a chore to try to play the game, even though I really loved it. With such a gap in playing, I couldn't remember what had happened previously in my own fed. I couldn't remember what my plans were. But I REALLY didn't want to reboot. I hate when movie franchises or comic books do it (mostly) and I didn't want my fed to do it. But within this last year, I finally just bit the bullet and rebooted. I did a bunch of set up on the front end and got a little advice from a few people that helped me wrap my brain around what I wanted this thing to look like. I really wanted my fed to have a WCW in full swing feel, with multiple shows a week, a big roster with talent from top to bottom, an exciting cruiserweight division and a feel to any of the main shows (not counting the weekend shows) to feel like each show was important. If my fed were real, I would want it to be the type of show a fan felt like they couldn't miss.

One big hang up I had was the game year thing. I didn't want my fed to be based in a single era, though I totally get why some people would enjoy that sort of thing. I also didn't want to have the feeling that I had to keep up with my fed's in-game calendar. That would just be a recipe for disaster. Vegas gave me the idea of simply calling it Year 1, Year 2, etc. and I'm off to the races... racing at my own pace. I take my time mapping out directions for shows and angles weeks and in-game months in advance and I might take real life weeks to post a single show's results sometimes, and post multiple shows in a week other times. I like a more in depth write-up and love conversing with others about my results but, at the end of the day, I am trying to make sure that I am posting and running my fed in a way that is fun for me right now.

And, like you said, Chad, I am booking in my head before falling asleep at night or while mowing the lawn, snowblowing, etc. It's a fun brain activity even when those impromptu booking sessions don't lead anywhere.

I've also really loved seeing how so many people do such different things to have fun with the game. Maybe they just run random matches or tournaments when they have the time, rather than keeping up with a fed. Others are running their feds in near real time. It really is important for people to just have fun with it, but it's also a lot of fun to discuss with other promoters the various things that go into them having fun their way. This is such a great community that has really stayed super positive for most people for a very long time.

I was actually going to make a different post about this anyway but I'll just include my thoughts here on it. Legends Online has really saved my ability to play the game. I am legitimately thankful for that portion of the game existing. If I only have time for a single match, I can roll it, record the results and do whatever else I have to do that day/night. I also really love the PBP simulator. I enjoy rolling matches but if I had to roll every single match on a card, it would just take me way too long. I'd never get through the matches on a card. I am getting so much enjoyment out of this game because of this one tool. I don't know if I would ever really be able to find the time to pull out my physical cards, dice and charts to roll the matches out the old fashioned way, at least not in the foreseeable future. So, thank you to everyone who made it possible and continues to keep it updated and running. I can imagine that has been a huge task.

[Bazzy]

I'm religious on what happens . I never change my mind , what is rolled is the outcome no matter how frustrating it can get . Or sometimes I run a poll on here , let other promoters decide . Where certain wrestlers end up ? . Who should be in Legends heel faction "Blacklist" . Real life wrestlers that didn't play along with inside wrestling storylines . My first Legends fed is 7 years old in card results , so you must try and keep it fresh . Not to repeat things over and over again . Though I do something then do wonder let , didn't I already do that story ? . I'm like Vegas very lucky if I do 15 cards/fights/matches in a day (Yes even when they are say 0min19 long) . My work (Retail in a gas/petrol station) thinking during quiet spells , what to do in various feds or storylines next . I regret nothing I have rolled . Though looking back wish I would of done it better or different now . Like Chad said its your fed do what you want ? .

[Travis605]

Jan 4, 2021 2:05:20 GMT -5 pikemojo said:

I was actually going to make a different post about this anyway but I'll just include my thoughts here on it. Legends Online has really saved my ability to play the game. I am legitimately thankful for that portion of the game existing. If I only have time for a single match, I can roll it, record the results and do whatever else I have to do that day/night. I also really love the PBP simulator. I enjoy rolling matches but if I had to roll every single match on a card, it would just take me way too long. I'd never get through the matches on a card. I am getting so much enjoyment out of this game because of this one tool. I don't know if I would ever really be able to find the time to pull out my physical cards, dice and charts to roll the matches out the old fashioned way, at least not in the foreseeable future. So, thank you to everyone who made it possible and continues to keep it updated and running. I can imagine that has been a huge task.

I kinda did a reboot recently because I’d do the sim on some matches if I was up hiking in the park with my dog or something, but saw there’s a few bugs in tag moves, so I wanted to start over “pure”. Now I roll (albeit it’s online) because I love the decision making with charts, ag/pw, ch’s, etc. Since I’ve quit watching sports, most TV, this is now my entertainment, so I figured I better make the most of it, lol.

I still get the cards to support the game, but I don’t know if I’d still be able to play if not for online either. It’s just more crazy convenience thing. It’s been really nice here in Louisville and I love sitting outside on the patio with my dog so she can watch other dogs and people walking in the neighborhood. I can just bring my laptop out with me and play the game, even if it’s windy (something that’d be hard to do with cards)

I’m also a huge stat junky with results. I have a google sheet I use with stats, rankings, etc all in it.

[markyhitch]

Ten years ago I was hospitalised with severe H1N1 pneumonia and spent four weeks in an artificial coma on life support. I learned then never to take things for granted, even more so now with this coronavirus.

I never did think of myself as competing on the board but if people are following my fed that makes me happy. Honestly, I don't bother with storylines, just put matches together from my favourite era and the fun is rolling the dice and witnessing the action. I know I've not posted for a year now but that's because I'm hooked on Soccer Blast and The Sims 4. I've more time on my hands now that I'm unemployed and shielding.

When I do get round to playing again I'm hoping to test out some new house rules that hopefully stack the odds in favour of the better wrestlers.

[stu]

Beautifully said Chad!! Love this kind of discussion. Always will. I've done some kooky things with my fed(s), and have yet another concept that I may try out soon that'll be even kookier, but have managed to keep a GWF, a legends fed, and a bootleg fed intact for all these many years now.

And, as Chad said, it should be up to us as to what makes us happy, and if its not anyone's cup of tea....does it truly matter? No, it doesn't. It's your game, its your world....where else in life do you get free reign over all that transpires such as we do in COTG?? Do what makes YOU happy with this game, and in the end, that'll net you the most satisfaction.

I love all the responses, keep 'em coming. These kinds of discussions are what makes this gaming community great. And frankly, this community has truly come alive at a time in history when it "ain't" exactly been a bed of roses. This community is alive with creativity, and I think that's great! Let's keep it going in 2021!

[ajcostello]

I want to jump in on this awesome thread.

I think it is important... no... very important... to remind everyone here that we are all here to have fun and enjoy ourselves and the community. I've run into the wall creatively more than a few times. That sucks but I've also realized a long time ago that it's better to just stop posting results if my heart is just not in it at the moment. I've been known to take long... um... vacations... from posting fed results.

Like it's been said: we need to just do what we want and like to do.

In my own case, that's posting my fed results the way I do it. I get a little charge out of checking on the growing numbers of views they get and the small number of comments that my posts earn. I don't know exactly why that matters to me so much, other than my continuing battles with Imposter Syndrome. I'm sure some of you know exactly how I feel: like everyone who gives you praise or likes your work will someday "wake up" and realize that you're just a hack who doesn't deserve any of that praise.

But, I do enjoy knowing that some of you like reading the things I post. It won't ever keep me posting when I'm not feeling up to the task, though. We all have to maintain our own mental health and wellbeing. So...

Post what you want to post. Or don't post at all. No one here will think any less of you. We're all friends here. This is a great community to be part of no matter how much interaction you have with the rest of us. But don't ever force yourself to post anything or even interact with any of us if you don't want to... or don't feel like you can muster the energy to do so.

Please don't ever feel like any of us would pressure you into anything.

[TDalton]

Just a great post to kick this off. There's a reason I always called Chad the best promoter who doesn't play the game. Although I can't say that anymore since he's back rolling the dice.
It's difficult to maintain enthusiasm and find time for gaming as real world responsibilities creep into our lives. That's what ended my COTG promoting. I was reinvigorated by Legends, but it became more and more difficult to devote the time necessary to my NWF and even my WW(W)F bootleg projects.

The Duke of Destruction & Red Talon cards had a similar impact on me, making me reflect on the absolutely horrible booking I'd done over the first several game years of my Fed. It wasn't until after the first GalactiCon that I got my shit together. Meeting other promoters and seeing what they were doing really got thinking, and the GWF was a big part of my world for many years after. Recently, I've done a 2087 reboot and am in December, rolling toward GALACTICADE. Some of the most fun I've had with the game in years. Not posting results or doing write ups, just playing for the fun of it.

Gaming shouldn't be causing anyone undue stress. It should be relaxing and creating joy in your life. Sure those wacky results where Jake Milliman pins the #1 contender for your title are frustrating but, in the grand scheme of things, you shouldn't be losing sleep over it.

Now, if you'll all excuse me, I have a series of barbed wire match between Frank Gotch & Rhea to run.

[joebreakdown]

Great post and some fabulous responses too. It's totally true- this is your game boyz n gurlz and play it in a way that makes you happy...or don't play it at all and enjoy what others do (or don't do.) Or just collect the cards.

I still think about this game a lot and sicuss it with my partner, even know we don't play very often now. We both used to put so much effort into writing very creative and (I like to think) unique federations which were time consuming but very enjoyable. I think we both stopped writing up regulary because even though we mainly wrote out feds up to make each other 'pop,' we also wanted to make get others invested too, and when that happens lessit sometimes gets harder to maintain momentum.

I might be one of the few people on here that plays the game 'competitively.' I very rarely role a match on my own and when I do, I soon beocme bored with it. I love to discuss booking strategies and ridiculous storylines with Ms. Rana as I think she has a mind for the business 'like no other.'

I also really enjoy reaidng what everyone else is doing but comment less these days as I read so many it becomes difficult to find the time.

I will never reboot HBWA and in my mind it is still active (along with FP-Dub.) It's till stuck in teh 80s, there's a lot of mullets and dubious machismo to boot.

Wonderful topic and thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts!