Re: WWE 2K17 Universe Mode
Hey guys - just wanted to pop in and share what I've been doing with my universe mode. I don't have the energy to share blow-by-blow, show-by-show like some of the community, but I thought some of you might be interested - perhaps especially the older wrestling fans.
I decided with this year's iteration to do a retro universe and with all of the amazing community creations and throwback options in-game this year it's been easier to set this up than it has been in the past. I'm also indebted to a number of great history of wrestling blogs and sites for information for when my memory of specifics fails.
I've started in 1985 and am basically playing, year by year, through four eras with WWF/WWE and NWA/WCW: the golden age (85-89), new generation (90-95), attitude (96-00), and invasion (01-05). To organize this I'm starting the first era with one house show for WWF and NWA and am using Saturday Night's Main Event and Clash of Champions as the PPV's. I'm adding specific brand PPV's when they occur (e.g. King of the Ring 86, Survivor Series 87, Royal Rumble 88, Halloween Havoc 89). I also add wrestlers to the rosters when they actually debut - and switch their brands as they move between organizations. And then remove wrestlers as they retire. The early NWA/WCW is really a blend between Georgia, Mid-South etc. - but it's very satisfying, and practical, to have them all in one place.
Another organizational idea I've used is I've split the 'year' (which is a little more difficult to manage because the game uses a year geared towards ending at Wrestlemania) into two parts: the first part of the year leading to Summerslam and The Great American Bash, and the second part of the year leading to Wrestlemania and Starrcade. The purist in me initially balked at this, knowing the PPV events were specifically scheduled differently to compete (Survivor Series vs Starrcade for instance), but it has made running the universe much easier.
From there I've done the reading and generally choose 4 or 5 big programs/rivals for each brand for the first part of the year, and then again for the second part of the year. I started playing every week, but recently have decided to just run the last house show of the month and then the PPV, while simming through the first part of each month. As an aside, due to too often crashes, I have rivalries off and only use entrances occasionally. I've also included my own created wrestler and am insinuating him into the history of wrestling - which is much more satisfying for me than playing in career mode. So I'm getting to enjoy the career mode and the best of what the universe mode has to offer.
I've just finished 85 and my Starrcade card was:
LOD vs Dibiase/Williams
Lawler vs J. Garvin vs Zbysko vs Rude ($10,000 Ladder Match)
Magnum TA vs Tully Blanchard (Hell in a Cell - to recreate their famous "I Quit" match)
Ole and Arn Anderson vs Midnight Express (extreme - to recreate Midnight Express' street fight)
The Russians (Ivan and Nikita Koloff) vs Rock n Roll Express (cage match for title)
Von Erichs & Kamala vs Freebirds (elimination tag - Kamala was the 'mystery partner' as he just returned from WWF)
Rhodes vs Flair for the title
While Wrestlemania was:
Mr T/Hogan w/Snuka vs Piper/Orndorff w/ Orton
JYD vs Valentine for IC
US Express vs Sheik/Volkoff for tag titles
Andre vs Studd - last man standing
Hart Foundation & King Kong Bundy vs Bulldogs & Sgt Slaughter
Tito Santana vs Brutus Beefcake (falls anywhere)
I'm looking forward to 86 (and especially 87 and 88 with the influx of talent) as Randy Savage and Jake the Snake really start to heat up the WWF side of things. My main booking programs for 86 are:
WWF
-early (end at Summerslam)
Steamboat vs Jake the Snake
Andre/Hogan vs Studd/Bundy
Valentine vs Tito for IC
US Express vs Sheik/Volkoff (end Aug - Windham leaves)
-late (end at Wrestlemania)
Hogan vs Orndorff (SNME Cage!)
Dream Team vs Bulldogs
Savage vs Tito for IC
JYD vs Funk
WCW
- early (ending Great American Bash)
Flair vs Rhodes (love me some Four Horsemen!)
Russians vs Rock n Roll Express
Dibiase/Williams vs Freebirds
Gordy vs Lawler
- late (ending Starrcade)
Tully vs Rhodes
Flair vs Windham
Midnight Express vs Rock n Roll Express
LOD vs Freebirds
Nikita vs Magnum TA (Magnum injured right before Starrcade, Nikita turns face and fights Flair at Starrcade)
There's been quite a lot of reading and Youtube viewing to set these up and I'm ready to go through the rest of the 80's. I haven't been totally slavish to history and am comfortable with an 'alt history' approach, but I use the actual storylines as often as I can, even if it means running somewhat loose with the dates when I need them to move. When playing I've really focused on making each match high-quality rather than just on getting the win, which has resulted in some really satisfying endings.
Anyway, thought I'd share and perhaps give some ideas to others. I appreciate the work you guys put into your respective universes and if you're a creator of content and reading this - thank you for your efforts and for sharing your talents with the community so we can all play this game our way and enjoy ourselves.
Hey guys - just wanted to pop in and share what I've been doing with my universe mode. I don't have the energy to share blow-by-blow, show-by-show like some of the community, but I thought some of you might be interested - perhaps especially the older wrestling fans.
I decided with this year's iteration to do a retro universe and with all of the amazing community creations and throwback options in-game this year it's been easier to set this up than it has been in the past. I'm also indebted to a number of great history of wrestling blogs and sites for information for when my memory of specifics fails.
I've started in 1985 and am basically playing, year by year, through four eras with WWF/WWE and NWA/WCW: the golden age (85-89), new generation (90-95), attitude (96-00), and invasion (01-05). To organize this I'm starting the first era with one house show for WWF and NWA and am using Saturday Night's Main Event and Clash of Champions as the PPV's. I'm adding specific brand PPV's when they occur (e.g. King of the Ring 86, Survivor Series 87, Royal Rumble 88, Halloween Havoc 89). I also add wrestlers to the rosters when they actually debut - and switch their brands as they move between organizations. And then remove wrestlers as they retire. The early NWA/WCW is really a blend between Georgia, Mid-South etc. - but it's very satisfying, and practical, to have them all in one place.
Another organizational idea I've used is I've split the 'year' (which is a little more difficult to manage because the game uses a year geared towards ending at Wrestlemania) into two parts: the first part of the year leading to Summerslam and The Great American Bash, and the second part of the year leading to Wrestlemania and Starrcade. The purist in me initially balked at this, knowing the PPV events were specifically scheduled differently to compete (Survivor Series vs Starrcade for instance), but it has made running the universe much easier.
From there I've done the reading and generally choose 4 or 5 big programs/rivals for each brand for the first part of the year, and then again for the second part of the year. I started playing every week, but recently have decided to just run the last house show of the month and then the PPV, while simming through the first part of each month. As an aside, due to too often crashes, I have rivalries off and only use entrances occasionally. I've also included my own created wrestler and am insinuating him into the history of wrestling - which is much more satisfying for me than playing in career mode. So I'm getting to enjoy the career mode and the best of what the universe mode has to offer.
I've just finished 85 and my Starrcade card was:
LOD vs Dibiase/Williams
Lawler vs J. Garvin vs Zbysko vs Rude ($10,000 Ladder Match)
Magnum TA vs Tully Blanchard (Hell in a Cell - to recreate their famous "I Quit" match)
Ole and Arn Anderson vs Midnight Express (extreme - to recreate Midnight Express' street fight)
The Russians (Ivan and Nikita Koloff) vs Rock n Roll Express (cage match for title)
Von Erichs & Kamala vs Freebirds (elimination tag - Kamala was the 'mystery partner' as he just returned from WWF)
Rhodes vs Flair for the title
While Wrestlemania was:
Mr T/Hogan w/Snuka vs Piper/Orndorff w/ Orton
JYD vs Valentine for IC
US Express vs Sheik/Volkoff for tag titles
Andre vs Studd - last man standing
Hart Foundation & King Kong Bundy vs Bulldogs & Sgt Slaughter
Tito Santana vs Brutus Beefcake (falls anywhere)
I'm looking forward to 86 (and especially 87 and 88 with the influx of talent) as Randy Savage and Jake the Snake really start to heat up the WWF side of things. My main booking programs for 86 are:
WWF
-early (end at Summerslam)
Steamboat vs Jake the Snake
Andre/Hogan vs Studd/Bundy
Valentine vs Tito for IC
US Express vs Sheik/Volkoff (end Aug - Windham leaves)
-late (end at Wrestlemania)
Hogan vs Orndorff (SNME Cage!)
Dream Team vs Bulldogs
Savage vs Tito for IC
JYD vs Funk
WCW
- early (ending Great American Bash)
Flair vs Rhodes (love me some Four Horsemen!)
Russians vs Rock n Roll Express
Dibiase/Williams vs Freebirds
Gordy vs Lawler
- late (ending Starrcade)
Tully vs Rhodes
Flair vs Windham
Midnight Express vs Rock n Roll Express
LOD vs Freebirds
Nikita vs Magnum TA (Magnum injured right before Starrcade, Nikita turns face and fights Flair at Starrcade)
There's been quite a lot of reading and Youtube viewing to set these up and I'm ready to go through the rest of the 80's. I haven't been totally slavish to history and am comfortable with an 'alt history' approach, but I use the actual storylines as often as I can, even if it means running somewhat loose with the dates when I need them to move. When playing I've really focused on making each match high-quality rather than just on getting the win, which has resulted in some really satisfying endings.
Anyway, thought I'd share and perhaps give some ideas to others. I appreciate the work you guys put into your respective universes and if you're a creator of content and reading this - thank you for your efforts and for sharing your talents with the community so we can all play this game our way and enjoy ourselves.
Guess you're gonna make me go out and make a purchase for the Xbox One eh?
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