***************************************************************** * AWI Character Submission Standards * ***************************************************************** Before one takes even the first step in submitting a potential character to the AWI, it is important to understand one vital fact: NOT ALL CHARACTERS WILL BE ACCEPTED. More importantly, it is necessary to understand WHY characters that are NOT accepted have been turned down. The AWI has very sharply defined standards for new characters; it is not at all difficult to create an acceptable character, *if* you pay attention to and respect these standards. COOPERATION The Promoter's task is not very easy. It can easily eat up as many man-hours every week as a "real" job, just to produce a single wrestling card -- and he doesn't get paid. Players (and players-to-be) could thus benefit from showing a little consideration for the Promoter's trouble. This principle applies to character submissions: * DO NOT SEND BINARY ATTACHMENTS OR ENCODED DOCUMENTS! If you send a uuencoded or MIME formatted character sheet, it will not even be READ, let alone approved. * Stay within the submission format described in this document as closely as possible. The Promoter will want to extract certain information from any submission, and using the expected format allows the Promoter to find the necessary criteria for evaluation that much faster. ESPECIALLY note that any submission without a sample flash *is incomplete*. * Spelling and grammar count. No one is going to get their character rejected for mixing up the "i before e" rule, but one should remember that spelling and grammar errors add up quickly to render a submission illegible. Furthermore, your character submission will be taken as an example of your future work with that character -- and the Promoter simply can't afford to spend a great deal of his time correcting mistakes. Capitalize names and the beginnings of sentences, use complete sentences with periods at the end, don't overuse exclamation points and ellipses, etc. ORIGINALITY The life's blood of an e-wrestling league is the originality of its players; repetition leads to stagnation and boredom. This principle has multiple reflections in the character submission standards. * The AWI does not use real life wrestlers as characters: no Hulk Hogan, no Steve Austin, no Raven, no Road Warriors, etc. This extends to photocopies of real life wrestlers, too -- "Bulk Brogan" will be rejected out of hand, too [1]. * The AWI does not allow "crossover" characters -- those drawn directly from another fictional source (or thinly disguised versions thereof). "Ryu & Ken, the Streetfighters" or "'The Crow' Eric Draven" just aren't going to be accepted. * It pays to read through the AWI Who's Who file [2] to get a feel for the gimmicks and personalities already in use in the AWI; though characters will not be rejected outright for similarity to an existing character, it may be a consideration for borderline cases. VERISIMILITUDE One of the most important elements that separates the AWI from other e-wrestling federations is its strong committment to a realistic atmosphere -- to creating a feeling that the cards one reads could be real television transcripts. This philosophy places certain limitations on characters. * Characters should not be based around fantasy or mythical elements -- no magic, apparent superpowers, or what have you. (Yes, we know even the big feds have used angles and gimmicks which fly in the face of this rule -- it was a mistake for them, too.) * Don't use your own name for a wrestler. To be blunt, it's a pain in the rear to have to constantly qualify statements about "John Doe the wrestler" as opposed to "John Doe the player". It's generally unhealthy to blur the line between fantasy (the AWI) and reality (anything else) more than necessary. * There's nothing wrong with expressing one's sense of humor in play, but bear in mind that there's a difference between a character who makes jokes, and a character who IS a joke. Past a certain point, unrestrained silliness stops being a chance for the league to laugh, and starts being a laugh at the league's expense. * There's a sense of parity in the AWI. Events are resolved by simulation rules, rather than being plotted by the Promoter or players; no outcome is predetermined or guaranteed. When writing a submission, you should think in terms of goals or potentials ("this character could be a champion") than absolutes ("this character is destined for championships"). * The AWI has been a member of the Summit Wrestling Alliance [3] for some time; generally speaking, events which occurred in an SWA affiliated federation will be accepted at face value (barring a violation of the above principles), and can be referenced freely "on camera". For previous work in other federations, conservative is the rule of the day: a character who claims to have won more titles than Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, and Jerry Lawler put together may be a little over the top for the AWI. ATMOSPHERE Perhaps the most difficult factor to explain in evaluating a potential new addition to the AWI is how closely that wrestler fits the AWI's genre, or "feel." Essentially, every wrestling promotion, real-life or fictional, has a unique style to its product. The mid-'80s WWF, with over-the-top confrontations between larger-than-life faces and heels, has a distinctly different feel than its '90s "Attitude" counterpart, for instance; ECW's de-emphasis of the face/heel structure and the obsessive striving for "hardcore" makes it feel a lot different from the various Tennessee regional promotions, despite a propensity for high-violence matches in both; Rey Mysterio Jr. wrestles Juventud Guerrera different in a lucha promotion in Mexico then he would on _WCW/NWO Thunder_; and so on. In much the same way, the AWI strives to achieve a specific feel of its own; as a result, wrestlers that would work in another promotion, and might even draw "monster heat" in the WWF, WCW, or ECW were they real, sometimes just don't fit the AWI. Part of this atmosphere is included in the drive for verisimilitude, but other elements of the AWI atmosphere include: * A strong face-heel dynamic. Even wrestlers who couldn't admit to playing strictly by the book (such as Jerry Straite, Kerry Masters, Steve the Insane, or Ed Carr) won't typically stoop to the straight-out deplorable tactics used by their heel counterparts. While rivalries might exist between two faces or two heels, such differences are usually forgotten when the chips or down (e.g. Masters and Greg Gardner don't seem to like each other much, but that doesn't stop them from making saves for one another); when such rivalries blossom into full-fledged feuds, it's almost always accompanied with a turn from one of the rivals. * National exposure, global focus. Remember, it's Allied Wrestling INTERNATIONAL -- this is not a league which holds cards at high schools across a single county. According to storyline, the AWI is a big budget league with a network television contract, and production values to match. (This comes with a few restrictions as well -- see below). * A dose of maturity. Generally speaking, the AWI frowns on "cheap heat". Swearing, rude gestures, and other vulgar displays of the sort which endanger that fat CBS broadcast contract aren't going to sell your concept to the league very well. Somewhere between Olympic wrestling and Degeneration X, there's a "golden mean", and you're best off sticking to it. ***************************************************************** * Standard Submission Format * ***************************************************************** The basic format for a character submission looks like this (presented as a blank form): -------------------------C-u-t---H-e-r-e------------------------- ================================================================= A W I C h a r a c t e r S u b m i s s i o n F o r m ================================================================= *Player's Name: () *Wrestler's Name: [] *Hails From: *Entrance: *Physical Description: =Height: ' " =Weight: lbs. =Build: =Hair: =Eyes: =Skin: =Attire: *Personality/Gimmick: *Wrestling Style: *Trademark Move(s): ----------------------------------------------------------------- SAMPLE FLASH ----------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------C-u-t---H-e-r-e------------------------- NAMES & PLACES [Player's Name]: This would be /your/ name, preferably a real name rather than a Net handle. (We're not prying or paranoid, it's just easier to interact with a Joe or Bob or Dave than it is a "WarL0RD" or "Galstaff"). Also, in the parentheses afterwards, include the most reliable e-mail address you can be contacted at. [Wrestler's Name]: This should be the full name and/or titles used by the ring announcer during entrances. Nicknames go in quotations (e.g. "The Awesome One" Kerry Masters). In the parentheses after the wrestler's name, you should list the wrestler's alignment, either "face" (good guy/fan favorite) or "heel" (bad guy/rulebreaker). For the purposes of AWI submissions, at least, there is no such thing as a "neutral" or "tweener" character. [Hails From]: The wrestler's place of origin or residence. True to the melodramatic nature of the ring, this can be a real location (anything from Los Angeles to Yonkers), a fictional location, or a metaphoric phrase (e.g. "the Pits of Despair"). Failing all else, you can leave this as the generic "Parts Unknown". ENTRANCE Most wrestlers in the AWI use some kind of theme music to herald their entrances into the arena. This can be just about any musical selection which seems to fit the character -- pop, rap, country/western, heavy metal, classical, whatever. Here, you can pick your own pulse-accelerating entrance theme; you may also include any special details concerning ring entrance -- fireworks, lightshows, out of the way action, etc. For what it's worth, some selections aren't good ideas -- either because of an association with a real world wrestler (such as "Thus Spake Zarathustra (Theme to 2001)" for Ric Flair), or because of a general "dogpile" popularity. A partial list of these include: AC/DC: "Big Balls", "Back in Black", "Hell's Bells", "Highway to Hell" "You Shook Me All Night Long"; ALICE IN CHAINS: "Man in the Box"; BECK: "Loser"; BLACK SABBATH: "Iron Man"; DEEP PURPLE: "Perfect Strangers"; DIAMONDHEAD: "Am I Evil"; KISS: "I Wanna Rock & Roll All Night"; LYNYRD SKYNYRD: "Freebird"; METALLICA: "Enter Sandman", "Phantom Lord"; NIRVANA: "Smells Like Teen Spirit", "Heart Shaped Box"; (ORFF) "Carmina Burana (Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi)"; QUEEN: "Princes of the Universe", "We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions"; STEPPENWOLF: "Magic Carpet Ride"; (TCHAIKOSKY) "Thus Sprach Zarathustra" (aka 2001 Theme) ... and obviously, any of the custom pieces used by WWF or WCW personalities (such as Dallas Page's "Self High Five") are right out. (Generally speaking, "I heard so-and-so use it and thought it was cool" is exactly the wrong reason to pick something.) PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION [Height/Weight]: List height in feet and inches, weight in pounds. Those of you used to the metric system may find this a pain, but it's the way wrestling handles things. [Build]: This is a general description of the wrestler's body shape, matching one of the following categories. (It's acceptable to use a range of two categories, to indicate a borderline build; for example, "large to cut" would describe a character who is big and muscular, but also carries noticeable body fat. * THIN: Very light build, edging into "skin and bones". Mostly found among managers and valets. * SLENDER: Light build, but reasonably well-muscled and very fit. The kind of body a gymnast or martial artist might have. * AVERAGE: Medium build, fair shape. A normal person who gets an acceptable amount of exercise. * DEFINED: Medium build, excellent shape. A normal *athlete*, who engages in heavy exercise regularly. * LARGE: Heavy build; overweight without being outright obese. A cinematic bouncer type, perhaps. * CUT: The classic bodybuilder's form, whether achieved through long hours in the gym or long regimens of "nutritional supplements" ... * BARREL: The classic football player's or powerlifter's build, with a heavy upper body and tree-trunk limbs. * HUGE: Almost as wide as one is tall -- a "sumoweight" build, with at least enough muscle to carry it in the ring. [Hair/Eyes/Skin]: List the wrestler's eye and hair color, as well as his usual hair style if desired; also list his skin tone (please, no blues or greens ...). [Ring Attire]: Describe what your wrestler wears, both TO the ring, and IN it (i.e. what does he discard before actually fighting). For the purposes of these descriptions, some standard terminology is listed below. * TRUNKS: Spandex briefs like those typically worn by Ric Flair or Lex Luger. * PANTS: full-leg garments like those worn by the Road Warriors. * TIGHTS: Form-fitting leggings, often worn under trunks. * BOXERS: Elastic-waist, knee-length shorts akin to those worn by professional boxers (naturally). * LEOTARD: Sleeveless, legless bodysuit, such as that worn by King Kong Bundy or (with just one strap) the Giant. * FULL LEOTARD: Leotard with complete leggings, such as typically worn by Kevin Nash or Bret Hart. * SINGLET: Leotard with shorts-length leggings, such as typically worn by Curt Henning or the Steiner Brothers. * JUMPSUIT: Full-body spandex outfit such as that worn by Bam-Bam Bigelow or La Parka. PERSONALITY/GIMMICK Include here a brief summary of the character's outlook and behavior. WRESTLING STYLE This section should include a basic description of the character's overall fighting style, including its strong points, weak areas, and common maneuvers. [Trademark Move]: This section has been provided for you to list the character's finishing move (if he uses one), as well as any other "signature moves" in his arsenal. SAMPLE FLASH All character submissions should include a sample flash (i.e. interview, prerecorded comments, or other microphone work). This can be the actual commentary intended to debut the character, or a more generic monologue, but it should give a good picture of what the character's speaking style will be. ***************************************************************** * Putting It Together * ***************************************************************** All right -- now you've got your character idea, and filled out the form. Here's an example of what a character submission might look like. ================================================================= A W I C h a r a c t e r S u b m i s s i o n F o r m ================================================================= *Player's Name: Bryant Berggren (voxel@theramp.net) *Wrestler's Name: "Dragonfire" Kien Lun [face] *Hails From: Kowloon, China *Entrance: "A Taste of Things To Come" (Mortal Kombat soundtrack); when Kien enters, he typically jogs down to the ring, accompanied by pyrotechnics that follow him in a "wave" pattern along the aisle. *Physical Description: =Height: 5' 10" =Weight: 200 lbs. =Build: Slender =Hair: Black, worn neck-length =Eyes: Dark brown =Skin: Asian =Attire: Black "lantern-pants" (the semi-bell bottoms worn by martial artists) with gold-embroidered Oriental dragons emerging from red flame patterns at the bottom, coiling upwards around each leg; green vest and headband. *Personality/Gimmick: A former Olympic gymnast (no medals, obviously) and circus acrobat, Kien Lun entered the wrestling ring as an experiment in combining his flair for showmanship and self-expression with the competition of the sporting world. One part Jackie Chan, one part Super Delfin, and one part "gymkata", he has an easygoing, friendly nature, with a strong (but subtle) sense of humor. Kien Lun doesn't back down from challenges easily, even when he probably ought to ("Sign a match with the 7' monster? Sure! Put it in a cage? OK!" etc.) -- he may be a little too obsessed with breaking the impression that "cruiserweights fight cruiserweights, and just sidekick to the REAL champions". *Wrestling Style: Agility, martial arts, agility, some technique, agility, flashy clothing, agility ... did I mention he's agile? His ringwork is a mix of simple holds, chops, and kicks sprinkled over a canvas of of flips, jumps, rolls, and other acrobatic displays; he likes to keep the match pace fast, though he knows enough "classic" holds to pin down the opponent when he needs a rest. *Trademark Move(s): "Dragonwing Deathdrop" (Finisher -- Shooting Star Hurricarana); "Neck Wrecker" (horse-vault spin on opponent's shoulder into a bulldog). ----------------------------------------------------------------- SAMPLE FLASH ----------------------------------------------------------------- {Camera fades from black into a dimly lit gymnasium, accompanied by a sound like wind blowing; we zoom in close on a set of rings where a wiry Oriental man wearing a red and white gymnastics uniform lifts himself into a pike position, holding for a few seconds, then spreads his arms as he rolls backwards into a somersault; as he's fully inverted, he quickly switches his grip, crossing his arms to catch opposite rings and twisting around to straighten himself. [Voiceover]: {accented} Training ... conditioning ... dedication ... all these qualities it requires to be a winner ... all these qualities, I strive to achieve. {He swings his body forward and upwards, releasing his left hand as he moves to the top of his arc, so that he's supporting himself straight above his right arm.} [Voice]: {slight accent} In my dreams, I fly ... {The camera wipes with a "burning" effect to scenes of the man in a wrestling ring, now wearing green "lantern pants" (a la Muta) performing a dropkick, a hurricarana, a springboard bodypress, and a moonsault on various wrestlers; this is followed with scenes of him (now wearing a black pants with a green & gold embroidered Asian dragon pattern) using an over-the-top-rope 'rana, a handspring elbow, and (missing) a springboard moonsault to the outside.} [Voice]: ... and though in the ring I may falter, I may suffer, and may even fail ... I will fly again. {The scene wipes to a shot of him leaping off the top turnbuckle to hit a preliminary wrestler with a shooting star hurricarana; the screen is then enveloped in computer-generated "flames" which fade back to the gym, where the man releases his hand, somersaulting back to the mat. He turns towards the camera view.} [Kien Lun] AWI -- "Dragonfire" Kien Lun is coming, and I promise you action! Look close, fans and competitors, for win or lose, you will be surprised! ----------------------------------------------------------------- With this submission completed, the next step is to send the completed form to the Promoter (awi@geocities.com) for the official review. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT Ideally, the Promoter tries to respond to any submission within the week -- but please, BE PATIENT. If you send off a submission on Monday, the AWI would certainly LIKE to reply by Sunday -- but this is not always going to be possible. The Promoter has selected a group of experienced players to act as a Character Review Committee; when he receives your submission, a copy will be forwarded to the CRC as soon as convenient. This band of wrestling Siskel & Eberts will then offer their opinions on the potential pros and cons of adding the character to the league; the Promoter and the CRC may discuss the character for some time (which is one of the reasons responses may be delayed), before the Promoter makes his final evaluation of the character. After this, the Promoter mails his decision back to the player. Sometimes this is an unqualified acceptance (take a bow); sometimes it is an unqualified denial (usually because the character violates one of the explicit bans mentioned above). Otherwise, the Promoter's reply will consist of a summary of the issues raised by the CRC discussion, and offer suggestions for possible improvements to make the concept work within the AWI. If a character is accepted (whether unqualified, or through the compromise and discussion process), the Promoter will send along a copy of the _RingMaster_ rules used in gameplay (if one is needed). Some players may have previous experience with these rules, and will want to send a completed set of game stats with their submission; there is nothing really wrong with this, but keep in mind that the important information (i.e. that which the Promoter will make his decision) is in the basic submission. WHAT THE PROMOTER SEES For what it's worth, the above submission should be considered "average" -- it might be good enough to get in, perhaps, but shows some definite room for improvement. For example: * As written, the concept doesn't have many hooks for hanging future angles off of. This player was fortunate enough to have inside help with the initial debut -- as it happened, he had an angle waiting for him when he entered. You may not have this kind of break, so it's often a good idea to read previous cards to get an idea of how your character idea might fit into the AWI picture. * This character is designed to emphasize ringwork over microphone play, which in e-wrestling is definitely the hard road. In this case, the character's lack of masterful verbiage has been counteracted to an extent by added production values -- which is to say, writing a good flash is not always about writing good *speech*. ***************************************************************** Footnotes [1] It should probably be noted that, with the examples of the WWF's "New Diesel & New Razor Ramon" and WCW's Renegade to compare, wrestler photocopies don't seem to go over well in the real world, either. [2] This document is available on the World Wide Web (http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Rampart/2061/aa-ww1.html). [3] The topic of interleague relations is a sticky one. This provision is NOT meant to rubberstamp the SWA leagues as "the good ones" and all others as "primitive screwheads". But the fact is, there are dozens (maybe dozens of dozens) of active e-wrestling federations, and probably that many again of inactive ones with characters now looking for work elsewhere. There is simply no way that AWI continuity could bear the weight of acknowledging ALL of these leagues; the line has to be drawn somewhere.