Horse racing sims? - Page 2

TCY Junkie · 10-28-2013, 03:12 PM

One thing I really liked at the auction in the racing breed was seeing the dam's offspring racing records.

jbergey22 · 10-28-2013, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TCY Junkie

One thing I really liked at the auction in the racing breed was seeing the dam's offspring racing records.

So it sounds like racing breed is better than SO5? Ill check it out.

I guess I played SO4 and had a good time playing it but I certainly seen some flaws such as I entered a high stakes race with only 2 other horses so I was guaranteed to make 600k just by showing up. Little flaws like that I seen once in awhile.

TCY Junkie · 10-28-2013, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbergey22

Has anyone played the 5th version of this? Is it much different than the 4th?

I have it but haven't played it in a long time, there were some improvements but not really excited about it. I really liked the second version as it involved breeding and no other game really lets you breed your horses with horses you want, but the original games horses aren't competitive and after a while I lost interest.

TCY Junkie · 10-28-2013, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbergey22

So it sounds like racing breed is better than SO5? Ill check it out.

I guess I played SO4 and had a good time playing it but I certainly seen some flaws such as I entered a high stakes race with only 2 other horses so I was guaranteed to make 600k just by showing up. Little flaws like that I seen once in awhile.

The racing breed is no longer for sale, one of the few mentions of it is on orlworld. I asked the moderator post it there years ago.

Well I could keep myself from entering those type races, haha. But it's just not as realistic as I want it to be.

path12 · 10-28-2013, 04:19 PM

You would become my favorite FOFC'er ever if we got a good new racing game.

Can't get Racing Breed to run since upgrading, and have tried the demo of Starters Orders a bunch of times but can't get there with it.

path12 · 10-28-2013, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TCY Junkie

One thing I really liked at the auction in the racing breed was seeing the dam's offspring racing records.

Right? Especially after a couple years I'd note the dams of some nice youngsters and specifically look for their offspring in the auctions.

weegeebored · 10-28-2013, 10:20 PM

Thanks for the input; keep it coming. Nearly everything that has been mentioned so far is in the design already. PurdueBrad's recent post (and Arles earlier one) summed up the basic features pretty well. Auctions will definitely be included (Note taken about the dam's offspring records). Claiming races to buy/sell horses as well. Other major race types also -- MSW, MCL, ALW, Graded and Non-graded stakes. All three surface types (dirt, turf, AW) with track variations based on real par times. Multiple difficulty levels that are likely based on the number/quality of the horses at the start, starting bankroll amount, and the amount of information that can be seen via ratings (easy -- lots; hard -- much less). A basic financial model. A graphical display of the horses in training/racing. Possibly 3D, but don't hold me to that. A betting option with WPS, Exacta, Trifecta, and Pick 3 wagers. (If there's demand, Superfecta and other Pick X bets.) An easy-to-use interface (easier said than done). A fairly large horse database to prevent too much name resuse and to help eliminate the three horse (or less) stakes race.

Multiplayer is not likely in v1. One idea that we're thinking about is kind of a party hotseat betting game. Something on the order of selecting the number of races on a card, printing out the PPs for those races, and then players making virtual bets to see who has the most virtual money at the end of the card. We used to do this when we played Omniplay. Everyone would put $5 in a pool and the person who won the most virtual money would take the pool.

A couple of people mentioned the create-a-jockey mode. I am not exactly sure how that fits with this game. The first version won't have an arcade mode so there won't be a MyPlayer (MyJockey) mode a la NBA2K. Do people just want a simple RPG mode, like creating an apprentice jockey using X number of points to apply to different categories and then see him/her improve through experience?

The simulation engine is the most important part so we will work hard on getting that right. But having "the extras" can make a good game great, so hopefully we can incorporate all of the suggestions.

TCY Junkie · 10-28-2013, 11:35 PM

I mentioned taking an expert to the auction, if I recall correctly in winning post you could select someone and they'd recommend 3 to 5 horses. Might be easier and be more interesting to have that in the game instead of getting info on each horse from an expert.

TCY Junkie · 12-07-2013, 10:04 PM

Any updates?

weegeebored · 12-08-2013, 08:20 AM

We are still working on bits and pieces of the design, and most importantly, the race engine. I've gotten a bit sidetracked with some things (a handicapping program and I'm playing keyboards again), but I am not the main coder on this project. The other person is working hard at it. Assessing things again now, we are probably a couple of months away from an alpha version. Thanks for asking.

TCY Junkie · 04-11-2014, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by weegeebored

We are still working on bits and pieces of the design, and most importantly, the race engine. I've gotten a bit sidetracked with some things (a handicapping program and I'm playing keyboards again), but I am not the main coder on this project. The other person is working hard at it. Assessing things again now, we are probably a couple of months away from an alpha version. Thanks for asking.

Update, thanks?

weegeebored · 04-13-2014, 10:21 AM

A little bit further along, but I underestimated the difficulty of getting the race engine to work well. That's going to be the hardest part, and then getting the interface to be fluid and intuitive. I hate games (or apps in general) where the interface sucks. Fortunately I have a friend who is a very experienced UX principal, so hopefully I can get him to offer suggestions. Implementing them might be another story.

SlyBelle1 · 05-30-2014, 04:58 AM

I know some folks were interested in horse racing, just saw that Starter's Orders 6 has released its first beta and also has a demo available for version 6. Appears the main new feature is 3D races.....

Starters Orders – Free horse racing game demo

QuikSand · 05-31-2014, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SlyBelle1

Appears the main new feature is 3D races.....

How unbelievably tone deaf.

weegeebored · 05-31-2014, 08:29 AM

I may pick this up just to gauge the playability, but from a consumer's POV I'm not impressed with the 3D I saw in the demos. The horse animation looks a bit off to me, a little unnatural. For my money, in this type of game the 3D is needed for being the jockey and "riding", but I'm more about the breeding/training aspect anyway. If anyone buys it I hope they will post a review.

Criticisms aside, I wish I could write code like that!

SlyBelle1 · 05-31-2014, 09:30 AM

I did end up buying it since was always interested in getting a horse racing sim.....but....I am clueless when it comes to horse racing so going to be awhile before I can comment on the game itself. Right now I find the user interface confusing and trying to understand all the horse racing lingo.

They have a beta forum setup you can browse to see what others think....seems like a fair number of concerns....but it is a beta so not sure what everyone expected.

Strategic Designs Ltd., forums - View forum - Starters Orders 6 BETA technical support forum

weegeebored · 05-31-2014, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuikSand

How unbelievably tone deaf.

After reading the US tracks thread on their forum I get what you mean. There is a serious need for a really good US horseracing sim.

PilotMan · 06-30-2016, 08:16 PM

No idea if it's any good, but Starters Orders 6 is on Steam as of yesterday.

thesloppy · 06-30-2016, 08:22 PM

The underlying engine is pretty much the same as always, for better or worse. You still eventually run into premiere races with only 1 or 2 other horses running. SO could actually be a pretty good game if he'd just fix the handful of seemingly simple issues that have plagued the series forever, but the effort seems to always get pointed somewhere else.

EagleFan · 06-30-2016, 08:25 PM

lol, I was just coming here to post this. Just saw it myself.

PilotMan · 06-30-2016, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thesloppy

The underlying engine is pretty much the same as always, for better or worse. You still eventually run into premiere races with only 1 or 2 other horses running. SO could actually be a pretty good game if he'd just fix the handful of seemingly simple issues that have plagued the series forever, but the effort seems to always get pointed somewhere else.

Is it worth $25?

thesloppy · 06-30-2016, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PilotMan

Is it worth $25?

Depends entirely on your expectations, if you can look past the fact that it doesn't always fill/schedule races correctly than it can be lots of fun, but if you're expecting a super thorough sim you'll probably end up disappointed and frustrated.

There's a demo:

Download « Starters Orders – Free horse racing game demo

10-28-2013, 04:19 PM	#55
path12 Coordinator Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Seattle, WA	You would become my favorite FOFC'er ever if we got a good new racing game. Can't get Racing Breed to run since upgrading, and have tried the demo of Starters Orders a bunch of times but can't get there with it. __________________ We have always been at war with Eastasia.

10-28-2013, 11:35 PM	#58
TCY Junkie College Prospect Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: TX	I mentioned taking an expert to the auction, if I recall correctly in winning post you could select someone and they'd recommend 3 to 5 horses. Might be easier and be more interesting to have that in the game instead of getting info on each horse from an expert. __________________ I try to open things I probably have no chance of opening. Last edited by TCY Junkie : 10-28-2013 at 11:36 PM.

12-07-2013, 10:04 PM	#59
TCY Junkie College Prospect Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: TX	Any updates? __________________ I try to open things I probably have no chance of opening.

06-30-2016, 08:16 PM	#68
PilotMan Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Seven miles up	No idea if it's any good, but Starters Orders 6 is on Steam as of yesterday. __________________ He's just like if Snow White was competitive, horny, and capable of beating the shit out of anyone that called her Pops. Like Steam? Join the FOFC Steam group here: http://steamcommunity.com/groups/FOFConSteam

06-30-2016, 08:22 PM	#69
thesloppy Pro Starter Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: PDX	The underlying engine is pretty much the same as always, for better or worse. You still eventually run into premiere races with only 1 or 2 other horses running. SO could actually be a pretty good game if he'd just fix the handful of seemingly simple issues that have plagued the series forever, but the effort seems to always get pointed somewhere else. __________________ Last edited by thesloppy : Today at 05:35 PM. Last edited by thesloppy : 06-30-2016 at 08:22 PM.

10-28-2013, 10:20 PM	#57
weegeebored High School Varsity Join Date: Sep 2006	Thanks for the input; keep it coming. Nearly everything that has been mentioned so far is in the design already. PurdueBrad's recent post (and Arles earlier one) summed up the basic features pretty well. Auctions will definitely be included (Note taken about the dam's offspring records). Claiming races to buy/sell horses as well. Other major race types also -- MSW, MCL, ALW, Graded and Non-graded stakes. All three surface types (dirt, turf, AW) with track variations based on real par times. Multiple difficulty levels that are likely based on the number/quality of the horses at the start, starting bankroll amount, and the amount of information that can be seen via ratings (easy -- lots; hard -- much less). A basic financial model. A graphical display of the horses in training/racing. Possibly 3D, but don't hold me to that. A betting option with WPS, Exacta, Trifecta, and Pick 3 wagers. (If there's demand, Superfecta and other Pick X bets.) An easy-to-use interface (easier said than done). A fairly large horse database to prevent too much name resuse and to help eliminate the three horse (or less) stakes race. Multiplayer is not likely in v1. One idea that we're thinking about is kind of a party hotseat betting game. Something on the order of selecting the number of races on a card, printing out the PPs for those races, and then players making virtual bets to see who has the most virtual money at the end of the card. We used to do this when we played Omniplay. Everyone would put $5 in a pool and the person who won the most virtual money would take the pool. A couple of people mentioned the create-a-jockey mode. I am not exactly sure how that fits with this game. The first version won't have an arcade mode so there won't be a MyPlayer (MyJockey) mode a la NBA2K. Do people just want a simple RPG mode, like creating an apprentice jockey using X number of points to apply to different categories and then see him/her improve through experience? The simulation engine is the most important part so we will work hard on getting that right. But having "the extras" can make a good game great, so hopefully we can incorporate all of the suggestions.

12-08-2013, 08:20 AM	#60
weegeebored High School Varsity Join Date: Sep 2006	We are still working on bits and pieces of the design, and most importantly, the race engine. I've gotten a bit sidetracked with some things (a handicapping program and I'm playing keyboards again), but I am not the main coder on this project. The other person is working hard at it. Assessing things again now, we are probably a couple of months away from an alpha version. Thanks for asking.

04-13-2014, 10:21 AM	#62
weegeebored High School Varsity Join Date: Sep 2006	A little bit further along, but I underestimated the difficulty of getting the race engine to work well. That's going to be the hardest part, and then getting the interface to be fluid and intuitive. I hate games (or apps in general) where the interface sucks. Fortunately I have a friend who is a very experienced UX principal, so hopefully I can get him to offer suggestions. Implementing them might be another story.

05-30-2014, 04:58 AM	#63
SlyBelle1 High School Varsity Join Date: Apr 2005	I know some folks were interested in horse racing, just saw that Starter's Orders 6 has released its first beta and also has a demo available for version 6. Appears the main new feature is 3D races..... Starters Orders – Free horse racing game demo

05-31-2014, 08:29 AM	#65
weegeebored High School Varsity Join Date: Sep 2006	I may pick this up just to gauge the playability, but from a consumer's POV I'm not impressed with the 3D I saw in the demos. The horse animation looks a bit off to me, a little unnatural. For my money, in this type of game the 3D is needed for being the jockey and "riding", but I'm more about the breeding/training aspect anyway. If anyone buys it I hope they will post a review. Criticisms aside, I wish I could write code like that!

05-31-2014, 09:30 AM	#66
SlyBelle1 High School Varsity Join Date: Apr 2005	I did end up buying it since was always interested in getting a horse racing sim.....but....I am clueless when it comes to horse racing so going to be awhile before I can comment on the game itself. Right now I find the user interface confusing and trying to understand all the horse racing lingo. They have a beta forum setup you can browse to see what others think....seems like a fair number of concerns....but it is a beta so not sure what everyone expected. Strategic Designs Ltd., forums - View forum - Starters Orders 6 BETA technical support forum

06-30-2016, 08:25 PM	#70
EagleFan Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Mays Landing, NJ USA	lol, I was just coming here to post this. Just saw it myself. __________________ The EagleFan YouTube Channel - Reactions Soarin' & Scratchin' YouTube Channel - We react to music, videos, TV, we talk, we are planning some field trips Soarin' & Soothin' - Meditation, Relaxation, and Sleep Aid; mental health is important

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