HWO Game Development

[Tom]

Hello everyone!
I'm working on a road map for future Horse World games and I'd like some feedback from the community.
As some of you may know we've been developing a "HWO2" of sorts for some time. Nothing is ready or will come out any time soon, but I'd like to know what would be on a horse game wish list from our users.

I'd like to hear your thoughts on:

• What you like about the current game
• What you don't like about the current game
• What you would hope to see in a new game
• What you would NOT want to see in a new game
• Any other thoughts you may have

We are of course still developing the current game and don't plan to stop.

I'm also going to include a poll to see which platform you would most like to see a game on. Please choose more than one if you feel that's best.

[WILD FLICKA]

I love the reality aspect to this game and its level of variability. For example I used to be on howrse and the patterns were always the same and it was much more predictable. I'm impressed with the artwork and how you never know what you will get. I really like working on breeding new breeds from scratch and how you can improve your horses.
I would really love to see some new things:
-Searching HGP, or stats like yellow, green, red on sale horses, but more important to me would be to see all the AC/foundation horses for sale like something that would filter just those horses.
-Geldings would help reduce the amount of studs laying around
-Health issue or lost pregnancies just makes it more real and maybe a point the horses wont breed anymore, stuff going wrong will add a great challenge and then maybe the high COI horses will die and my 0 COI horses will be worth something lol.
-Breed registries would be really cool so that purebreds could be established and carry a higher recognition when they are high stats, because anyone can just breed a really good crossbred and then breed it to purebreds over time and create the amazing arabian which actually has like 10 breeds used to improve it, but if someone keeps them pure and can improve them I think players would like to notice the difference.
Feel free to ask me to clarify anything or begin discussing it.

[Hazel!]

I feel like mobile game dev is always much trickier than dev for PC or console--people expect mobile games to be either free to play or super cheap to buy, so you'd be relying on adverts and microtransactions to make any money. With PC/console, you can charge upfront for the game, and avoid the whole issue that is microtransactions altogether.

Web browser like the game is now, you're also relying on ads/microtransactions. I have no idea what the current revenue looks like, but the fact that HWO as it is now is FTP, and you can earn PT without putting money into the game probably makes for more people who are willing to try playing it. The game rn also being text and static image based probably makes it a lot cheaper (I know y'all do most of your stuff in house, so I imagine you're saving time rather than money, and not having to outsource stuff like sound and graphics engineering probs helps).

So in terms of sustainable revenue generation from a 3D graphic game, I'd say that PC/console is probs your best bet. Console is probably easiest in terms of QA and testing, because users have a limited set of hardware and settings that you'd have to account for.

I do have thought on game mechanics that I'll post later. xD

[BlackOak2]

I agree mostly with what WILD FLICKA has already said.
I also agree with Hazel!'s breakdown.

I have been looking for a good console game for a long time. I face the fact that I like playing a game that I don't have to rely on a pc of any sort, really, to play a game. Plus, as a standalone, one needs only worry about the game messing up or glitching, not about the pc, phone, tablet, etc, having a hissy fit about something not related and deciding that it doesn't like you anymore and never turns on again. Plus, there have been times I have wanted to 'return to a previous save' for a couple reasons! Hah!
Anyway, I'm a 'console chick' and I have always been. The closest console game that I've been able to play with any real enjoyment is the Gallop Racer series. HWO blows that away. So I certainly would like to see it on console at some point. Especially if it's just as developed and intricate as this game. What would the ultimate outcome on something like that be? I'm not sure if there really needs to be one. Quests on here fulfill that purpose well. On a console game like that, quests too, would fulfill that purpose. Maybe finding a missing, rare breed that can only be resurrected by breeding for certain traits and those certain traits can only be achieved once certain conditions are met within certain breeds. That could work very well. Meanwhile, there's So Much else to distract the player.
This could also work as a PC-styled standalone.

As for another HWO online... It's be nice to see movement in the horses when you're looking at their profile. Have a static position if you want them to not move at all (a little box there to click movement on and off), and then have some movements, pawing, tail flick, looking to stare at the player through the screen, maybe even bopping the woman there standing next to them, on the nose and she gives them a dirty look and then a piece of sugar. Hah! The little fun jokes do help to keep moods relaxed and offer a little laugh.

I'd also be interested in seeing some of the competitions. Maybe have an ultimate competition line that only happens rarely, that we can actually see some of these horses perform. Flat racing might be the easiest. But that's really just something interesting to add and won't really offer much enlightenment into 'why does my horse perform this way?'
Geldings (and sterilized mares), I'll vote again for that one.
Training system, I'm looking forward to that one.
Approved mares would be a great 'soon' addition as well.
And then also, I was thinking about certain genes that are breed-exclusive. Like the curly coats on the bashkir curly breed (if I have that right)... maybe apply those breed-exclusive genes to when the population limit is passed in the AC? This way it won't over-gene our basic AC horses with stuff that they really don't have anyway.

That's all that's crossing my mind right now.
Thanks Again! As Always.

[Thundering Horses]

I say a free app that is compatible for all devices

[Sarah32306]

One thing I would really love if it could be implemented is player created breeds. It would be awesome if we could register our own breeds!

It would also be really nice if the sales and stud search system had more filters like for HGP, confos, and BR's. It would also be really nice if we were able to search for our horses on our farms, since everyone is always losing their horses, and having to sift through all the pastures to find them. xD

Those are just some things that I personally would really love to see in HWO2!

[HorzeLover101]

Hello everyone!
I'm working on a road map for future Horse World games and I'd like some feedback from the community.
As some of you may know we've been developing a "HWO2" of sorts for some time. Nothing is ready or will come out any time soon, but I'd like to know what would be on a horse game wish list from our users.

I'd like to hear your thoughts on:

• What you like about the current game
• What you don't like about the current game
• What you would hope to see in a new game
• What you would NOT want to see in a new game
• Any other thoughts you may have

We are of course still developing the current game and don't plan to stop.

I'm also going to include a poll to see which platform you would most like to see a game on. Please choose more than one if you feel that's best.

What do i like about this game? One main thing i like about this game is that its not solely based PAY TO WIN. I have played many other horse games online and apps. They always pay to win. Now, I do pay for the PT in this game but i think it is reasonably priced. Some people don't make a lot in real life and its nice when a game accommodates to the WHOLE community and not just 25% of it.

What I dont like about the current game? I would say nothing but everything has its flaws. Since this game is still to be improved by years to come.... Only thing i could come up with is possibly having mods so that they can help with the community when the admins (you and lassiar) are away and busy.

What do you hope to see in the new game? Honestly I wasn't aware of HWO2. I believe if you just keep updating this current version and adding more in years to come it will exceed its expectations to where you don't need a HWO2. Now.... if you want to create HWO2 just to get the same players as on here and bring new players go for it. Creating two games is just profiting more... but then again you may loose members too. I believe continuing with HWO and upgrading it or improving is best instead of creating a totally separate game HWO2 just for new things that are implemented.

What do you not want to see in the new game? No comment. Read comment above ^^^

Other Thoughts? I liked the goat idea when it came out, as it was something fun to have around the farm. As the general public, people like more. I think be able to interact with the goat as in feeding a carrot or something would be interesting. Looking forward to see if these will be implemented in the game in the future; Gene Determination, Comp Determination, More animals (interactable), private studs, lending horse options, gelding options, Foal play (0mths to 6mths) they can gain extra conformation stats? to help in the future in comps. ETC etc etc. I have much more but too much to put on here xD

Thanks for this forum!!

[PeacefulOreo]

What I like about the current game: all of the things that we can do with our horses, it's more realistic, we can interact with many different players

What I would hope to see in a new game: a way to brand our horses (something similar to how horses are branded in the real world), a way to have certain studs can only be used by certain players (or have the mare approval button to use if we want to), a way to actually be able to create a competition (Example of what I'm trying to say: Changing the length of a race course for racing horses), to be able to buy Pony Tokens with game money (if possible), make getting premium a little less expensive on the Pony Tokens, and a way to maybe let others be able to edit a forum post (we choose who we allow to have access to edit a forum post).

What I would NOT want to see in a new game: anything that isn't something found in real life horse caring. I like this game because of it's more realistic

Those are just some of my ideas. I might edit this with new ideas and/or to remove a few of my ideas.

[Hilayla]

I prefer PC or Web. I travel a lot and my laptop is my entertainment system. I take it pretty much everywhere. Mobile is cool too, especially if it could be cross-platform with the web or pc versions.

Any other thoughts you may haveMy favorite thing about this game is the changing conformation through the generations. I LOVE this. Most games have a single, static image (or two if you count foals). Here the horses grow and change. Even their coats can change throughout the lifetime of the horse. I think this is brilliant. I'm an amateur coder and I've recently begin playing with creating evolutionary AI with neural nets and when I get past single celled organisms how to make them grow is one of things I'm just telling myself I'll worry about when I get there,

I also love the fact that it is turn based and if I can't get online for a while everything will be as I left it. No matter which platform you choose, please try to keep this a feature.

I can't really think of anything I don't like. I'm sure there is something that irritates me from time to time, but darned if I can think of it now. I'm not really a focus on the negative type person.

I would like to be able to search for horses by breed in order to find other breeders. There links in the wiki's to sales and studs but if I want to one of the 10 ponies owned by that mystery person, it's practically a lost cause.

As for new stuff. It's before coffee. I'd need to clear my mind.

[Emma1406]

Id love it if you could make girths because i dont like taking my horses up as they have no girth and it looks weird XD also, im impressed by how good this game is !
it would be great if there could be 3d animation or horses that move around but i know how hard work this is
I think just keep doing what your doing!!