looking for an old sheila rant

[Uriah]

could anyone point me to the one she did on champion reigns and her view of protecting them? It was a great read that newer promoters should take a look at.

[Big Bri]

You might want to check the new "Open Source Content Archive" that LWPD is creating. I think you can find it in the Fan-Made section towards the bottom of the main threads listing.

[Uriah]

Thanks for the heads up Bri. I did check in there, and found allot of good stuff from the past , but not that particular one. This one was a short essay on not just protecting the title as in champ advantage but the way you might book the champ to bring prestige to the belt. If I remember right it came up in a argument over the total number of reigns vs length of one reign.One of the promoters out there was having Thantos at 80 times champ. Sheilas post must have been good if I remember as much as I do, and I think it should be on the open source if it can be found.

[Uriah]

LOL, well it took me a long time of searching at random times ,but I found it! The problem was that it wasn't Sheila I was looking for, it was Ringsyde.Anyway, I think it has some of the best suggestions in it ,especially the part about booking your champion near the end .Here it is,

ringsyde
Guest
Re: Any tips?
« Reply #3 on Jan 13, 2005, 1:38am »
Here are a few tipsf or you:
- Forget about playing catch-up. I always hate to read people mention that they are "caught up" in fed years. This game's success comes from the fact that it's a living, breathing entity that can be molded to the user's interests. In my mind, if you have to catch up to play current editions, you are already short changing yourself, and you're placing how current your storylines are ahead of how good they are. We're not on a schedule here, people!

-HAVE FUN!!! He who takes down every stat is more of a results guy, not an experience guy. Let the dice, the characters and the imagination set an atmosphere that's enjoyable enough that stats are secondary. The experience is what counts here.

-Stop taking down stats for a while. I used to keep track of every win, loss, win with a finisher, DQ, manager interference, etc. just to create the most realistic rankings report. I got so wrapped up in that that the game became less fun. SO, I shuffled my roster, had a chaotic event that shifted faces and heels around, and I didn't write down a single stat for a month. The storylines became the focus and the monotany of the same guys being ranked in the same places gave way to fresher rankings and better feuds.

-Mix things up. If you read other areas on this board, you get the sense that most think it's a cardinal sin to have a rookie walk in and challenge the champ. I think that this type of thing has to happen from time to time to prevent a stale system. Have unification bouts. Pit the primary and secondary champ against the tag champs with the stipulation that the guy who gets the pinfall takes WHATEVER belt the loser held. Create a card where no ranked contender wrestles. The variety of matches and wrestlers will create opportunities for ideas to grow and the game to be fresher.

Just a final note: I only read the books that come with game editions to find out about finishers. I want the feds I run to be exclusively mine, and the experience to be different from what is laid out in each edition. Aside from making the game more enjoyable, this kills the need to catch up and stay current. In my mind (and literally), no law exists that says Wolf and Brute can't be tag champs about to defend against Godsend and Endgame. Yes, I realize a sense of history exists in this game. But why not create a little of your own history?


In a way it depends how often the title is defended, and the purpose the belt has in the overall frame of the promotion. After all, it's possible for Thunder to be booked in such a way that he actually wins more matches & is presented more effectively in the course of his 6 title reigns, than he does in going one year undefeated.

Personally I have always believed that less is more. If the main title is changing hands on an accelerated basis, it's a reflection of poor booking, at least according to my own creative goals.

Any title only has as much value as the DIFFICULTY it takes to become a Champion. If it's not an extremely great challenge (which is reflective in frequent title changes) than the status is not something to really be esteemed.

I have some general rules that I use when booking my Galaxian Champion, which can't be separated from the feds overall structure:

1. Plan your schedule: first have an outline for how many cards you will run a game year. Personally I go with 24 (two cards a month)

2. Separate the status of the different Champions with-in your fed: Lesser Champs (IP) defend once a month, the Galaxian Champion defends every TWO months. By doing this, you restrict the supply of title shots, making them of greater value.

3. Focus on establishing 'why' one wants to be Champion: my booking emphasizes cut-throat competition. An IP title shot is extremely hard to come by, while a Galaxian title shot is the proverbial once in a lifetime opportunity. The entire schedule of each game year focuses on the pursuit of moving up the slippery ladder of success.

4. Make each & every one of the Champions scheduled appearances important: the Galaxian Champion is above & beyond the rest of the competition. That isn't just lip service, but must be established by how they are used. If the Champ is just another guy who wrestles but just happens to have a belt, than in my mind there's a problem.

While the contenders are battling non-stop to get to the top, the Champ has to wrestle only ONCE every 8 weeks. When the Champ does a live interview, partakes in an angle, or does chose to appear for a rare tag, six man or non-title match, the arenas are always jam packed & the tension is running high!

5. Consistency: each & EVERY Champion must abide by these rules. It's not a matter of choice, it's a matter of being responsible for maintaining the prestige of their position. I envision the Champion as having attained a level of royalty with-in his profession. He has non-stop media appearances, charity engagements, promotional responsibilities, etc. to maintain. He lives the life of Riley, and his schedule reflects this. More importantly, he's EARNED it, which is the point of why everyone wants to be Champ in the first place.

My experience has been that if over the long haul, you maintain divisions between the role of challengers to Champions, maintain the distinction between lesser & higher level Champions, & perpetually book each Champion as someone who's appearances are rare & in demand, that your title history will reflect that of a monumental accomplishment.

An elite few have held my Galaxian title, while many true legends have not attained the elusive top spot, which in my mind is as it should be. Most of my best stories are built around the pursuit of future Champions striving to 'get' to the top. Looking back, I wouldn't have it any other way!

[johnandryan]

what a great read Uriah - thank you for posting this!

[toasterboy]

Thanks for posting this!! LOVE IT!

[Justin Case]

many truths come for this people. Nailed it!