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Better Manager Interaction

Jimbo_from_MemphoPosted on 08/09/05 at 22:06:20

The one thing that has seemed a disappoint to me has been the use of managers in TNM. Really they only seem to be there to interfere directly in matches. But managers (the good ones anyway) contributed more than that to their client's matches. I was recently watching the WWF championship match between the Iron Sheik and Bob Backlund, and Classy Freddie Blassie was barking out strategy to the Sheik.

I was wondering if there was any chance to add a strategy or tactics rating to managers, which could then be used to give their wrestler a bit of a boost in matches, much like Push does. Just a thought to make managers such as Blassie, Jimmy Hart and the Wizard more effective in the simulation.
Oliver CoppPosted on 08/10/05 at 08:56:02

I agree with you. The reason why I never did this is because it would either have to be silent interaction or generic (not specific to a particular wrestler) interaction.

The problem with manager interaction is that it per se needs to be verbal, and as far as verbiage goes, a program will only be able to go so far... and then it becomes repetitive.
Snabbit888Posted on 08/10/05 at 20:12:53

Yeah, but you could do it in a form like:

Bobby Heenan calls Rick Rude to the floor.
Bobby Heenan and Rick Rude discuss strategy.
Rick Rude gets back into the ring.

I'd be quite content with that.  I could fill in the blanks for what Heenan said later based on my booking situation.
Oliver CoppPosted on 08/10/05 at 20:31:55

Yes, you are right. The thing is just: every manager is different. Some talk strategy, some talk trash, others again do nothing but interfere, others do nothing at all, others pace up and down ringside... unlike most wrestlers who have a basic moveset, such an animal doesn't exist with managers. I'm having a hard time generalizing - except maybe for coming up with lots of flags per manager to better describe how they act.

Would that work?
Tommy BrownellPosted on 08/11/05 at 04:41:33

Manager flags would be a vast improvement at the least.  Right now they don't act very differently as it is.
Jimbo_from_MemphoPosted on 08/11/05 at 15:17:52

The flags sound like a great idea. If possible, there should also be some sort of way to measure a manager's talent or ability. As it is now, it is better to have a manager like Chyna or Tyson Tomko, but in my mind the best managers have been guys like Bobby Heenan and Jimmy Hart. Not much physical ability, but tons of instinct and savvy.

John ProulxPosted on 08/12/05 at 02:48:58

I would like to add my whole-hearted support to the idea of flags for managers. Flags could include things like "yells at ref", "pumps up crowd" (which would also be nice to see for face tag teams), "attacks opponents", "discusses strategy" (already mentioned), "distracts opponents" (which could work nicely if we could have some kind of "attractiveness" setting for female managers as well)...yeah, this has lots of potential for spicing up matches :) .
IronwolfePosted on 01/02/06 at 05:18:50

An accuracy flag would be nice too :). Out of about a dozen matches this week I had five managers pull the old "Doh!  Hit the wrong person!"  
JoeDesertratPosted on 01/02/06 at 05:41:51

Gee, if you could whip this up in the next day or so I have a card coming up in which the manager's interaction will be really important. ;)

Seriously, the flags idea is good. It doesn't have to be very extensive. Expanding the dangerous/interference scales from 1-10 to 1-20 and having flags for physical or  distractive interference (maybe numerical scales for each) and say a uses weapon/passes weapon flag?