Summer Updates

[Tom]

Yes, HWO is still under active development and as new problems arrive we will work to fix them. Please keep letting us know what you think about the changes and about any issues you discover so we can look into them.

[CrownRoyalEquestrian]

We are making it so you won't be able to keep horses forever and still use them. Taking energy to breed is the first step to stop people keeping horses forever without aging them.

Yeah the problem is though, sure the most popular breeds with the biggest numbers are going to be fine and this is going to be a GREAT thing. But, for instance, there are 2 pages of Norfolk Trotter studs (and I'm lucky that I like a rare breed that has that many studs, let alone ones with amazing, high HGP)... I can see that whole 2 pages disappearing really, really quick. And it sucks. Nobody is pouring time into new breeds. Probably because even if you have everything right - you're chances are so slim.

[Qim]

I agree with aforementioned opinions regarding breeding energy; tis going to be very problematic. Seems odd to start implementing features in the wrong end, i.e imposing restrictions where the game is already restricted due to fundamental mechanics not being in place, like not being able to control who's taking advantage of the available stallions. This feature makes sense only when it's possible to acquire horses without having to be bothered with the creation recipes for any given breed beyond those found at the AC, given that most breeds have a relatively small population as it is.
This is going to force players to withdraw valuable stallions from the market, and make the gameplay increasingly isolated and frustrating.

Increasing the maximum number of horses on the other hand, a major plus, thank you! Still, what's more important -- being able to toss horses with offspring that you no longer need, 'cause that limit will be reached before you know it, and you're back where you started, just saying

A solid foundation with seamless gameplay is what's going to keep players, attract new ones, and encourage us to support the development financially. Ya, rant complete.

[Argent]

Seems odd to start implementing features in the wrong end, i.e imposing restrictions where the game is already restricted due to fundamental mechanics not being in place, like not being able to control who's taking advantage of the available stallions.

I agree with this. Breeding energy should not, in my opinion, have been added before private breeding was. I expect most people will pull their studs from the market because they have no way of saving breedings for themselves and their co-breeders while also keeping a stallion listed. Studs fees will also probably increase.

[Julijohn99]

I agree with this. Breeding energy should not, in my opinion, have been added before private breeding was. I expect most people will pull their studs from the market because they have no way of saving breedings for themselves and their co-breeders while also keeping a stallion listed. Studs fees will also probably increase.

I've already done exactly this, because I've purchased several older horses with genes I'd like to introduce to my own stock. With no way of approving mares or limiting the number of studdings available publicly, I'm not comfortable offering them to other people, who may use all available in a day before I can breed him myself, on a horse that could very well pass the next. I recognize that non-immortal studs are more realistic, but it's still somewhat inconvenient for me when I'm trying to replicate a color pattern, and it takes several tries with the same stud to attain.

I had a thought about the concept of stud listings though, as someone else inquired whether or not horses with no energy would be removed from the stud list. What if a stud advertisement was single-use only, and instead of a single advertisement remaining listed indefinitely, we have the option of listing multiple single-use slots for public or approved mares? Then we would have more control over how much energy can be used for a stud, and also still allow public slots if desired, or narrow the availability by only allowing approved mares to breed.

[QuesthavenFarms]

I like these changes.
Having forever studs is fine and dandy, but at some point the game must move forward. I don't keep forever studs because they've got good stats or that they throw good foals, the forever studs I have access to and use are simply for completing quests. It may make it a bit tougher to accomplish some of these goals... That's not really a big deal. Our community is small still, it'll come in time.

I have a side suggestion, now that energy will be used for studs, if the player is inactive and the stud can no longer be used, can they disappear from the stud market list? Some of those lists are quite extensive and if half of those are posted from inactive players and have been completely used up... it would take finding a stud available (not just a stud that is acceptable to personal goals) to perhaps ridiculous time-wasted lengths.

I also like the addition of increased horses and personally like the amount set for purchase of it.

I had the thought last night that the market both stud and sale should refresh at the 1st of the month. So your listing can only be a month long. Just an idea. Or timers on ads like the timers on offers. Also wish there was some way to clean or clear out the comps that dont run for example gelding comps or rare breeds for mare under 4 LOL.

[BlackOak2]

I had the thought last night that the market both stud and sale should refresh at the 1st of the month. So your listing can only be a month long. Just an idea. Or timers on ads like the timers on offers. Also wish there was some way to clean or clear out the comps that dont run for example gelding comps or rare breeds for mare under 4 LOL.

I really like adding timers to these, this may solve a lot of the odd-and-end issues we come across, like the random horse that can't be purchased, and now with energy usage, the studs that will inevitably still be posted with no availability to breed. Maybe the month long timers could also work for comps?

[WILD FLICKA]

I think the breeding change is making another step towards the game being even more realistic.

[Xant’hippe]

I really like the new stuff! Just one thing isn't quite clear for me, If I use someone else's s stallion from the studs market I'll make that person's horse loose some energy? Thanks

Yes, it's the stallion that loses the energy. It's the mare's farm that has time pass, 20 minutes for each breeding unless you have the "Time Saver" (then it's 15 min.).

[Xant’hippe]

Well that... might make the more fragile breeds even more fragile. I agree, it's realistic and could encourage breed growth by pushing stallions to turn over to a newer and hopefully better generation. But the 'barely hanging on' breeds and the ones not yet improved could suffer. The Norfolk Trotter is quickly fading out some for instance. And I can't create a new breed no matter how hard I try, so now I'm even more concerned I'll never get to the American Saddlebred... heck I can't even get to the first ingredient/breed needed for the American Saddlebred. I hope someday that'll get much easier. That if you do everything right and the foal comes out 4/5 or 5/5 for the new breed - they'll just BE the new breed. It's so frustrating, the constant fails, and getting such good evals anyway for the breed you were aiming for out of the 'foal fail'.

Agree with this. Even trying to express/explicate some of what I've experienced as a breeder has really eaten up too much of my time today! (I know it's getting tough when mowing the lawn seems like a better thing. )

Examples from my own experiences as Scythian / Xant’hippe; stallions have been moved between these accounts:

-- I had posted Yuletide Dancer, a (Tarpan x West African Barb) stallion, at a relatively modest price, never more than $300 and often less. In over 60 attempts by various breeders and several mares, one of those matings produced a Sorraia. And Sorraia is needed to create Andalusian which in turn is necessary to a great many others. Eventually I rewrote his stud ad, warning of this.

-- In view of how difficult some of those fundamental steps can be, my own attempts at creating new breeds fall into two categories: first, Baladis. That works for me more often than not. Special thanks to those who breed better-quality Arabians and North African Barbs.

-- Second, a few complex breeds: American Saddlebred, Morgan, and Lipizzaner (see next paragraph). For these I usually start with the final breed recipe (e.g. [Arabian x Frederiksborg] x [Andalusian x Spanish Barb] for Lipizzaner) or maybe one or two steps before that. This doesn't get me Breed Quest credit, but I don't care about that aspect. I have hoped to increase breed diversity and quality.

-- In 12 matings, my (Arabian x Frederiksborg) mare World +9 produced 10 grades and 2 Lipizzaners -- and I suspect I have been as fortunate as most in this. Of the two successes, I sold the filly and she became a broodmare; the stallion, World's Bliss, is on my farm. But he's no longer available for public breeding, even though he would contribute outcross value.

-- For now, I have no stallions posted for public breeding. I would consider making a few of them available on a very limited basis (in view of the rarity of Canadian Pacers and Narragansett Pacers, for example. And World's Bliss, who is young). At the moment, we don't yet have the Approved Mares option, so coordinating my online times with those of a mare's owner to arrange a breeding seems difficult. In general I visit each account about 6 days out of 7. I'd consider buying a mare through Private Sale, breeding her on my farm, and selling her back privately. I would not, however, blame any mare's owner who did not want to do that.

-- Related to the previous topics, I "sold" my only success in breeding a first-gen Morgan, a pretty good colt, to a trainer. This would have brought him up to breeding age and given him a chance at a decent public show record. But shortly after the sale, the player apparently left the game, without telling me or giving me a chance to buy him back -- they haven't been online here for over four months. Will I ever be able to get my colt back?

Trying to take a long-term view, I have had mostly positive experiences with HWO. Sometimes, though ... it runs the emoticon gamut (ha! finally used them all).

Best wishes to all, and thanks again, as always, to Tom and Larissa.