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    Guys

    We need some help. I would like to continue to move this game forward but I need your input. I would like to discuss what we can do for you and this site that will make your gameplay experience better and more interesting. What can we do for the game? It's been quite busy lately and we need to re-organize and fine tune this. Feel free to speak your mind and let's see what we can create.

    Thanks
    Bob
    The Big Boss

  • #2
    Bob,
    I'm sure there will probably be things you or others will think of but so far you have done a great job overall and it shows in the increased participation in the game.

    The one thing I would like to see is some consistency and visibility and here's what I mean by that...

    I think it's great that you posted the entire Road to the Derby schedule at the beginning of the season so a plan could be mapped out.The only thing missing is the TC race dates and info themselves. I would like to see that same thing done with the DD Champ Q schedule and have the entire schedule posted at the beginning of the season for planning. As it is now we only have the May schedule posted. I know you have the Ascot taking a week of June so I assume there will be fewer Q races next month but at this point we don't know when they will be for the rest of the season.

    Since the desire for an auction has been mentioned in another post I will bring this up too. I know I've mentioned this to you privately but I'll post it here as well. I would like to see a regular auction schedule announced at the beginning of the season. For example...there will be X number of auctions this season and they will be on "these" dates and any info laid out such as they will be general auctions or they will be breeding stock or yearlings or whatever. That is also so that people can plan for them in advance.

    As we've also discussed I think if you programmed the auctions so that every late bid extended the bidding deadline by say :30 or a minute to give time for other late bids that would be an awesome improvement.

    Comment


    • #3
      I think there may be a place in the game for a few Filly only races. At the moment i do not see races that are just for the fillies. I am well aware that fillies get a 2lb weight releif as opposed to their colt/gelding opposition. I tend to think fillies struggle a little up against the colts. Here in Australia, if a filly is in up against the colts, she gets a 4lb (2kg) weight releif over the boys, hence in a 2yo Maiden, the boys would carry 57kg (125lb) and the fillies 55kg (121lb). So, in a 2yo Fillies only maiden, the weights would be lifted so all the fillies carry 57kg (125lb). If after that they contest a "normal" Maiden race, it reverts back to the "normal " weight scale of boys 125lb and girls go back to 121lb. It was devised by Australian authorities many years ago when a deposition of the best racing authorities, including trainers, breeders, owners and highly respected racing people felt fillies were often at a major disadvantage up against the colts and geldings. It has worked very well. But i have drifted a little off subject....back to the beginning. Races for fillies only. Its just something thats been in my head for most of my DD years. Last week we had a two runnings of the Summertime Oaks...ive always thought an "Oaks" race was for fillies only, in fact it is..here in Australia and certainly in England as well. Interestingly, fillies (Hoist the Diva and Sacy Simone) won both divisions carrying 118lb. When nominating a filly, i very often find myself thinking.." geez, i wish that race for fillies only", and i will often think a particular filly ran very well,and that it may have won if it was a filly only race. But there are lots of talented girls at the moment, and they must all take on the games very best colts and geldings every single time they contest a stakes or group, or Championship, or Triple Crown race. There are no high quality races for those fillies to enter that are for fillies only. If a trainer wants to race them against the boys all the time..thats fine, but im sure they would also populate the girls only concept as well. I have no concerns with the 118lb that fillies carry, some of the games greatest have been filllies, and they have tackled the colts and beaten them across the board. That tells me that the weight scale is fine as it is. My reference to the weight scale here in Australia was purely a " food for thought " promotion...





      Comment


      • #4
        The other thing...Jockeys.
        In a game where jockey selection is critical to results, it is difficult to fathom why the Jockey Bio's are so scant on information, and its been that way for as long as ive been playing. I totally understand that Admin dont wish to disclose to much about them, but just a little "something" would improve the game, particularly for the new players. We are told in the HELP section to " try and match your horses running style with a suitable jockey"..and there is no way to tell what a suitable jockey is. the Bio's currently tell us a jockeys age, and their fee's...thats it. I have my own idea's on what a Jockey can and cannot do, but its taken me since 2013 to figure it out, and when i did find my best rider ( C Castro) and spearheaded him to a brilliant Jockeys Premiership victory in season 23, many other trainers used him. But even back then there was very little to tell us about them. What we do know is that each rider has there own traits and abilities, and that we should be matching those to our horse. Here is what Castellano's Bio currently says.. 39/M/112 Hire fee 10%. And thats it. Here's what it should say..." Former premiership winning rider known for his great consistency. Has attained a high level of respect among his peers and continues to excel. He is a popular choice on Turf, and his uncanny knack of bringing a closer home sits very well with trainers across the board". Now, i dont know if something like that would be " to much information " in admins eyes, but its not in mine. And im not saying that Castellano has those traits, its a made up analysis...i dont use him. But something like that would be helpful. A new player, or an old one for that matter, could possibly interpret that bio to give this info..that Castellano is possibly a better TURF choice on a horse thats like to drop away early and finish off his race with strength. If you were lucky enough to get him on that day for that horse, then great..if you didnt, then bad luck. Just a few lines on each rider, giving away a few clues as to their best assets..it couldnt possibly hurt the game.
        On the subject of riders, i find it unusual that our DD Jockeys are getting old, Oisin Murphy, the Irish wizard, is our youngest rider at 26, and he's in just his 4th DD season, and highly under utilised. All other riders are well over 30, and some well over 40, and others over 50, Baze, Rosario and Velazquez. I know age is just a figure attached to them, and i do not know if it plays a role in the deterioration of a DD jockeys life..but i feel it should. If that IS the case, then 90% of our riders are right at the peak of ther powers, or well past it. There are no " up and coming " riders..apart from Murphy. And we have no apprentices at the moment, i think there should always be at least two. That could get back to a wonderful, thoughtful, and intelligent post by Rayleigh Downs regarding apprentice jockeys, back on the 26th April. Bob is requesting our thoughts on improvement for the overall betterment of the game, and will appreciate honesty and truth, these ideas of mine are delivered with that in mind...who else has genuine ideas to go forward?
        Last edited by Polaris Bloodstock; 05-27-2020, 09:52 AM.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Polaris Bloodstock View Post
          The other thing...Jockeys.
          In a game where jockey selection is critical to results, it is difficult to fathom why the Jockey Bio's are so scant on information, and its been that way for as long as ive been playing. I totally understand that Admin dont wish to disclose to much about them, but just a little "something" would improve the game, particularly for the new players. We are told in the HELP section to " try and match your horses running style with a suitable jockey"..and there is no way to tell what a suitable jockey is. the Bio's currently tell us a jockeys age, and their fee's...thats it. I have my own idea's on what a Jockey can and cannot do, but its taken me since 2013 to figure it out, and when i did find my best rider ( C Castro) and spearheaded him to a brilliant Jockeys Premiership victory in season 23, many other trainers used him. But even back then there was very little to tell us about them. What we do know is that each rider has there own traits and abilities, and that we should be matching those to our horse. Here is what Castellano's Bio currently says.. 39/M/112 Hire fee 10%. And thats it. Here's what it should say..." Former premiership winning rider known for his great consistency. Has attained a high level of respect among his peers and continues to excel. He is a popular choice on Turf, and his uncanny knack of bringing a closer home sits very well with trainers across the board". Now, i dont know if something like that would be " to much information " in admins eyes, but its not in mine. And im not saying that Castellano has those traits, its a made up analysis...i dont use him. But something like that would be helpful. A new player, or an old one for that matter, could possibly interpret that bio to give this info..that Castellano is possibly a better TURF choice on a horse thats like to drop away early and finish off his race with strength. If you were lucky enough to get him on that day for that horse, then great..if you didnt, then bad luck. Just a few lines on each rider, giving away a few clues as to their best assets..it couldnt possibly hurt the game.
          On the subject of riders, i find it unusual that our DD Jockeys are getting old, Oisin Murphy, the Irish wizard, is our youngest rider at 26, and he's in just his 4th DD season, and highly under utilised. All other riders are well over 30, and some well over 40, and others over 50, Baze, Rosario and Velazquez. I know age is just a figure attached to them, and i do not know if it plays a role in the deterioration of a DD jockeys life..but i feel it should. If that IS the case, then 90% of our riders are right at the peak of ther powers, or well past it. There are no " up and coming " riders..apart from Murphy. And we have no apprentices at the moment, i think there should always be at least two. That could get back to a wonderful, thoughtful, and intelligent post by Rayleigh Downs regarding apprentice jockeys, back on the 26th April. Bob is requesting our thoughts on improvement for the overall betterment of the game, and will appreciate honesty and truth, these ideas of mine are delivered with that in mind...who else has genuine ideas to go forward?
          Shane, I pushed for this a couple of years ago and jockey "grades" were added. It was on an A-F rating along with a small bit about if they were better on grass/dirt, routes/sprints, etc. That has since been taken down, though that seemed to happened during my small hiatus so I do not know as to why. I still think it's a good idea, and that's why I pushed for it in the first place. As an owner, you'd know the jockeys well. Almost all of them are out exercising horses in the morning (as it's how they earn mounts or build trust with their steady ones) so owners should have a solid idea about their talents imo.

          -Mike

          Comment


          • #6
            Jockey feedback ,, dont know how you will do this but an intresting one for you lol

            Comment


            • #7
              We need stake races that have some restrictions and conditions.

              For example
              stake races for those horses that have not won a stake race or even horses who have won a stake race get penalyzed with added weight for winning at the same level stake.

              Claiming Stake races for horses that have started in claimers for 50k or lower or 20k or lower etc etc..

              I would suggest creating a Turf championship in the near future for 3 year olds and up. Something to a triple crown but a turf version for 3+

              Comment


              • #8
                Ok I have to say I agree with what has been posted above and all great ideas especially the fillies only races at the big meets you have planned. Just a bit more to what Paul has said about planning ahead at present you can only add 1 race in the queue, I think it would be a great addition if you could look through the stakes races and if there was an enter or queue button on the future stakes racing page beside each individual race. So when you click on it, it would bring up the eligible horses in your stable and then you can enter or ear make that race for them instead of having to click to your main stable and start going through your horses. I know its possible as other sites have it and I have found it a very handy tool in the past. It also allows you to plan your horses season out for you. I understand I am only here a short period of time and other players have a way better understanding of what way the game works. More info on jockeys would be a great feature as well. Especially for new stables and it would help them to understand there horses better as well. As the jockeys where the biggest throne in my side when I started to play. Don't get me wrong I wouldn't want everything on a plate. But I can see how it would put players off a lot of the time. I have to say you are doing a great job so far and I am enjoying every min of it. I know it will probably take some time to get things sorted but again personally I think they would be great additions to the game and I do believe the enter and queue button would be used by a lot of the stables going forward. Espically if there is a lot of big meets coming up this season and Q races.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Just to what Greeko has said you could introduce Capped stakes races. Say 20k 50k 100k capped. which means the lesser lights have somewhere to race without worries of running into the top class horse. So if your horse has earned more than 20k it cant race in the 20k capped but will have to race in the 50k capped if your horse has won 51k it will have to move to the next level. You could have the capped stakes at 3k 5k and 7k entry or something to that effect. Then that way you wouldn't have to worry about adding weight onto good horses that have earned there right to be at the top level. Plus you could do the capped stakes races for Fillies and colts individually. Again just food for thought.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I like the idea of Jockey bio's but only if they have true meaning. As a newbie, I have taken horses in training and run them with all available jockeys and find no noticeable difference. This would ring true on the real circuit as it wouldn't matter if my horse was worked by Willie Shoemaker or John Q Smith. What is true however is that Shoemaker was well known for not giving top effort when riding new horses or for lower level barns. As a newbie trainer, Id hire John Q Smith over Shoemaker any day of the week. Point being, if there really are subtle differences in Jockey styles they should be advertised. At this point I just pull a jockey out of a hat. I'm also sporting a 2.5 % winning percentage so I'm sure there are subtleties that I need to learn. It would also be appropriate if the different level riders were paid differently. This does not mimmick real life but it might add something. Good things to know would be riders who prefer the front, riders who do better on turf, better sprinters, better distance jocks, etc.

                    Another thing which could be a programming nightmare is if horses and jockeys could grow familiar with each other. In this case each time a jockey rode the same horse, the jockey would adapt to the style of the horse. Again this would have to be pretty subtle. As example a Horse Jock combo that ran a race in 1:08.74 might improve to 1:08.72 the next time. Also a hose that wins should see an improvement in their ability, and a horse that is soundly defeated should see a loss in ability.

                    The issue, I know, is that these types of changes would improve things for veteran horsemen, but would not add revenue to the site. Gimmick races and bonus prizes are the way to do that.

                    Sorry, I just escaped the cave for a few seconds and thought I'd add the view from a veteran trainer, but a clueless gamer. I'll retreat back to the barn.

                    Candy

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I agree with all the comments about jockeys having some sort of ability "hint" notes.
                      However, for the record I disagree with having different jockeys commanding different fees but then I'm a purist and prefer the game to be as close to real life as possible and in real life they are all paid the same percentage.

                      I also like the idea of being able to que up multiple races for a horse. I've actually proposed that before. Now that someone else has too maybe it will get some consideration.

                      Some good ideas guys keep them coming.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I don't like the idea of different fees for different jockeys either. It was just an idea, not advertised as a good one.

                        Candy

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I have suggested it already Paul and tbh was just trying to get other stables views on it. Might be a bit of a programming nightmare but it is possible and have used it before on a different site. Its Great for keeping track of what horses you have ear marked for certain races and it can be a nightmare trying to keep track. At least that way you know where you are aiming. Candy Im only here myself a few weeks. I believe if you have any thoughts or ideas get them out there. At the end of the day they can only say no.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            I would especially like to champion the idea of filly only races as I think that is an absolute necessity for the improvement of the game

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Since there are fillies, then this is a no brainer. As long as it doesn't dilute the other races, but for those with 20 - 30 entries it certainly makes since.

                              Candy

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