new players

[Art K Stables]

Maybe its just me, but between TonyB and another more recent player who came into this game aggressively and had lots of help, it seems that they come in strong and leave just as quickly. I had very limited help in this game because I didnt ask for it every 3 seconds and didn't too much hit the chat rooms.. those 2 previous players I helped quite a bit with several free leases and cheap priced quality horses.. I think it makes it too easy for some and the challenge quickly dissipates into being overwhelmed, and instead of just cutting down its abandoned..I know others have received lots of help and remained but for me moving forward, Ive decided to help a newbie who comes to my attention with one good deal on a horse, and otherwise with advice and answering other questions.. Let them face the challenge because it wont be so easy to walk away then and they will have earned it and will also enjoy the reward of the challenge.. Seems to me a much better result for both the newbie and for the game. A lot better than giveaways in my opinion. The purpose of this message is to ask other players to be less generous with horse flesh, more generous with advice. Save everyone lots of time in seeing who wants to play the game and who prefers begging their way to the top and leaving when its time to actually do what the game intended. But I am sure others have other thoughts. But this will be my MO moving forward.. Good luck to the newbies.. its a good long trip worth taking !

[The Harlequins]

Seconded

[The Harlequins]

If i may to jump on your thread RNB, the guys that push on to reach junior and inter have far more issues staying afloat than new players,but have shown a willingness to persevere try.

My goal will be to champ those players,

Frank

[Jack Meyer]

I agree, I help with what I can...if that includes a horse for them to make money to build their barn then I don't mind doing it....the players in question might of had some shenanigans going on behind the scenes so I don't think anything could have changed them leaving...

Jack

[Greg Czechowicz]

So as a new player around 3 weeks let me chime. One thing that may be done to help out with the possible burnout is folks need to know once you get a lot of horses the time it takes to maintain. I don't mind having a lot of horses, but I wish I didn't accept a bunch of crappier horses for a buck. Rather one decent horse than to manage 15 crappiers horses when starting out.

[Greg Czechowicz]

Another thing, my mentor has been great, and when I asked him for this he did that and he's a great mentor, but I think something like this should be done by default by mentors if possible. For example, if you are a mentor, take a look at the current auctions give your mentee some recommendations on some horses to bid on, price, etc. Also, the claiming races as well. If you see some good cheap claims, tell your mentee, to put a claim in. This also introduces them to claiming to see whats a good claim, and the auction part.

[Greg Czechowicz]

Also, maybe for new players in the first month, allow them to get rid of horses they don't want for free. I would love to get rid of some of these cheap $1 horses that arent good I bought off the sales page.

[Nini Panini]

Also, maybe for new players in the first month, allow them to get rid of horses they don't want for free. I would love to get rid of some of these cheap $1 horses that arent good I bought off the sales page.

You can send horses to Greener Pastures for free if they are over 4 years old.

If they are 4 and under, it costs $5,000. If you have some 4 and under you want to get rid of, send them to me and I’ll take them off your hands. Same goes for any new player reading this.

[Gavin Guile]

Also, maybe for new players in the first month, allow them to get rid of horses they don't want for free. I would love to get rid of some of these cheap $1 horses that arent good I bought off the sales page.

Rochelle runs a great program that helps combat this problem for new players:
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=47892&p=408711&hil ... am#p408711

[Katie Stepanian]

Another thing, my mentor has been great, and when I asked him for this he did that and he's a great mentor, but I think something like this should be done by default by mentors if possible. For example, if you are a mentor, take a look at the current auctions give your mentee some recommendations on some horses to bid on, price, etc. Also, the claiming races as well. If you see some good cheap claims, tell your mentee, to put a claim in. This also introduces them to claiming to see whats a good claim, and the auction part.

I’d hope any mentor worth their salt would assist with this, but I would say the onus is on the new player to use the tools provided whilst they’re new (recommended page on sales, which also shows horses at auction and in AJ that are productive or higher) to find suitable horses and run them past their mentor. I know I did, with my mentor. Having that conversation about what to look for, is useful and they could provide examples, but I’d prefer a mentee to showing willing in finding their own purchases. Buying crappy horses for a $1 is a mistake most newbies make, so don’t worry and as Gavin has pointed out, Rochelle does run a good programme for dealing with horses who aren’t free to AJ. It just costs you to ship to her farm

[Carolyn Eaton]

I also accept any and all pensioners at Tosca stables.

I've often wondered if some of the very successful new players that left may have gotten too much help, and then when they went to more competitive areas, they got discouraged and left.

I've gotten in the habit that instead of "gifting" the horse, I'll typically give a free lease, and if a filly, allow the new player to breed the first foal. This way if they leave, I get the horse back, rather than it fall into the AJ farm. Also if they decide it's not right for their stable, they can return it.

[Kelly Haggerty]

Also, maybe for new players in the first month, allow them to get rid of horses they don't want for free. I would love to get rid of some of these cheap $1 horses that arent good I bought off the sales page.

You can always get rid of horses for free using the pension option. Retire, pension, ship to a Kingswood facility and offer for $0 to Rochelle

[Kelly Haggerty]

I tried to explain something last season, as tactfully as I could, but it was awkward because I was also new. All the new players are going to need to make money at TP in order to stick around. It isn't good for the game for one player to dominate TP, because he/she is keeping the other new players from earning the money they will need to continue. This is another reason not to overload one new player with so many stakes horses. Last season at TP was insane- I could win open allowance and even stakes races elsewhere with horses that were only just barely good enough for TP. That seems a bit out of balance to me.

There is more that could be said here about this, but it has already been discussed with the Steward behind the scenes.

[Sarah J]

I tried to explain something last season, as tactfully as I could, but it was awkward because I was also new. All the new players are going to need to make money at TP in order to stick around. It isn't good for the game for one player to dominate TP, because he/she is keeping the other new players from earning the money they will need to continue. This is another reason not to overload one new player with so many stakes horses. Last season at TP was insane- I could win open allowance and even stakes races elsewhere with horses that were only just barely good enough for TP. That seems a bit out of balance to me.

There is more that could be said here about this, but it has already been discussed with the Steward behind the scenes.

Pardon me if I am misunderstanding..but from your previous points you are both encouraging older( ) sim players to lease out and help us noobies but then I see this point. It reads as if you are blaming older sim players for his dominance? I guess I am confused.

[Kelly Haggerty]

I am not blaming anyone for anything at all. There is a whole backstory to the player in question, and I am not being that specific. Nor am I talking about my personal experience, which involved lots of help from great players that took various forms.

What I am saying is that in general it isn't good for the game for one player to be so dominant at TP that the rest of the new player cohort goes bankrupt or requires a Chrysler-esque bailout.