Quick poll

[Tim Matthews]

Looks like there's too much money in the game. Hypothetically, which would you prefer as a way of reducing the total amount of sim money?

[Mr. Lord Rich]

Purse cuts effects everyone equally. Tithes do not.

[Tim Matthews]

Purse cuts effects everyone equally. Tithes do not.

Why does it have to affect everyone equally?

Who is better off in this scenario: Player A who has $19 million after tything $1 million, or Player B who has $1 million after tything $20k?

[Gwayne's World]

Also noticed the San German, which was a Grade One is now a Grade Two.

[Tim Matthews]

Also noticed the San German, which was a Grade One is now a Grade Two.

Lots of instances like this.

To me, it's more fun to run in a $4 million race than a $1.5 million race. But maybe that's just me!

[Mr. Lord Rich]

Purse cuts effects everyone equally. Tithes do not.

Why does it have to affect everyone equally?

Who is better off in this scenario: Player A who has $19 million after tything $1 million, or Player B who has $1 million after tything $20k?

Age old argument, you have your opinion, I have mine. Player B decided to spend their money on nonsense and affects less is based on % tithe. Player A decides to save up for something nice, gets penalized more based on a % tithe.

[Tim Matthews]

Purse cuts effects everyone equally. Tithes do not.

Why does it have to affect everyone equally?

Who is better off in this scenario: Player A who has $19 million after tything $1 million, or Player B who has $1 million after tything $20k?

Age old argument, you have your opinion, I have mine. Player B decided to spend their money on nonsense and affects less is based on % tithe. Player A decides to save up for something nice, gets penalized more based on a % tithe.

Purse cuts penalize people for having stakes horses. Why should I be penalized because I worked hard to get a horse good enough to run in the big races?

[Ronnie Dee]

At Saratoga (RL race track) MSW races have purses around $100K.
In the Sim, MSW races have purses of $25K.

This summer at Saratoga the purses of the 2 big 3YO dirt stakes races are as follows.
Saratoga Stakes purse [ratio to MSW purses] : corresponding Sim race purse [ratio to MSW purses}
Travers $1.25M [12.5] : Midsummer Classic $1M [40]
Alabama $600K [6] : Midsummer Oaks $750K [30]

If you look at the other Saratoga stakes races and the corresponding Sim stakes races, the ratios are substantially higher for the Sim races. Essentially, the Sim subsidizes purses in stakes races at the expense of the purses in MSW races.

[Brian Leavitt]

C. Fancy sim cat and goat shows

Sim hobby farms!

[Mr. Lord Rich]

Why does it have to affect everyone equally?

Who is better off in this scenario: Player A who has $19 million after tything $1 million, or Player B who has $1 million after tything $20k?

Age old argument, you have your opinion, I have mine. Player B decided to spend their money on nonsense and affects less is based on % tithe. Player A decides to save up for something nice, gets penalized more based on a % tithe.

Purse cuts penalize people for having stakes horses. Why should I be penalized because I worked hard to get a horse good enough to run in the big races?

I have stakes horses, I race in the big races, I’m not complaining

[Tim Matthews]

If you look at the other Saratoga stakes races and the corresponding Sim stakes races, the ratios are substantially higher for the Sim races. Essentially, the Sim subsidizes purses in stakes races at the expense of the purses in MSW races.

I see what you're saying, but the SIM has a tradition of low-purse maidens all across the world. The SIM is different from real life in many ways.

I have stakes horses, I race in the big races, I’m not complaining

And there's plenty of rich players who wouldn't complain about a tithe.

[Ronnie Dee]

Traditionally, tithing is based on income -- usually 10% of total income. In tithing, all income is considered. In the Sim, this would include purses, breeder's awards, stud fees earned from stallions, farm income, etc.

In the distant past, I proposed that jockeys be paid 10% of the purse money earned by their mounts. I prefer my proposal to Tim's. But I am very pleased that Tim is no longer talking about taxing based on a player's Sim bankroll.

[Tim Matthews]

In the distant past, I proposed that jockeys be paid 10% of the purse money earned by their mounts. I prefer my proposal to Tim's. But I am very pleased that Tim is no longer talking about taxing based on a player's Sim bankroll.

That actually is exactly what I'm talking about, it's just called a tithe because someone (Cleo?) proposed we avoid the word "taxes."

A 10% jockey fee is exactly the same as a 10% purse cut, so I'm not in favor of that. But jockey compensation is an interesting thought. Maybe a flat fee per race, like $100 or $500 or something.

[Nini Panini]

In the distant past, I proposed that jockeys be paid 10% of the purse money earned by their mounts. I prefer my proposal to Tim's. But I am very pleased that Tim is no longer talking about taxing based on a player's Sim bankroll.

That actually is exactly what I'm talking about, it's just called a tithe because someone (Cleo?) proposed we avoid the word "taxes."

A 10% jockey fee is exactly the same as a 10% purse cut, so I'm not in favor of that. But jockey compensation is an interesting thought. Maybe a flat fee per race, like $100 or $500 or something.

10% compared to the cuts we’ve had would be a complete gift. I believe 10% is also fairly reflective of what jockeys get in real life, so I’d be 100% behind this move.

We can even combine the two, as there’s always a jockey rate in real life, too.

[Tammy Stawicki]

To me the biggest issue with "too much money" in the sim is when players have millions upon millions not lots of players having a little money. So I'm fine with any way to take money out that targets those that won't be that affected. Cutting larger purses is a way to do that, I only feel so much sympathy for those having to run for "only" $1.5 million in a race. As would some form of wealth tithe targeted to larger bank accounts. Though I'm guessing wealth tithe will always be controversial and seen as a way to "punish" the successful. So limiting purses on some of the larger races seems the easier way to selectively extract money from wealthier players. Sure people will be cranky for a while but eventually, those will just be the purses. I'd much rather see big races have their purses cut than things that are going to make it that much harder for newer players to build up a nice stable like universal added fees, or cuts to smaller purse races.