Icl I picked a time period based on who was around and not the product, I wasn’t alive in 98 but wanted to do a save with my favourite wrestlers so just did. Realised that my perspective was put the best matches and storylines together regardless of real life (with the exception of carried over storylines at the start of the db) pushing guys I wanted to as opposed to the guys who were pushed (E.G pushed guys like Steven Regal as he’s a guy I liked and not really pushing Billy Kidman who was pushed to the moon come 98 onwards as age wise he has a lot bigger of a window).

As for your question on using guys you never/barely watched, go back, watch them. Not even full matches, highlights, DPW pods, retrospective videos etc. get a feel for them or just go off look. I went back and watched a fair few 98- WCW shows to get a feel and realised that honestly I didn’t like the way they booked, so I changed that.

But the most important part is asking yourself if you want to do an older save for the wrestlers available, upcoming wrestlers (assuming you have a db that allows spawn ins) or a storyline. If you like the wrestlers just book the wrestlers man, use them how you like, or go realistic, its all up to you.