Attn: Karl Babin

Friedrich Barbarossa · Post by **Friedrich Barbarossa** » 17 years ago

--I guarantee you, when you have your dynasty and have your own apprentices...you'll feel exactly like Brianna and the rest of us old pros do.

Hehe, I like the fact that you said "when" in there, I tend to think of it in terms of "if."

"When" sounds better though...alot better.

Stormy Peak · Post by **Stormy Peak** » 17 years ago

I've already mentioned that I believe private messenging is fine - but only If one believes there is a problem to a specific horse or player.

But I think it's condesending to assume all new players are ignorant of the aspects of this game and set up a 'standardized' message notes with each sale to new players or some 'pop up box' notes that appear on our (new players) horse's information page.

There will always be players who will take this game and seriously try to play it, and others who will just 'goof' around and not give a hoot about how their horses are run, and probably even sign up and then abandon their stables. I've played sim-games before and know that. I might be new here but on one sim-horse racing game I was in the top ten of my division before selling all my horses and leaving the game.

I might not know every detail of this game (yet) but the duty of every new player should be to just go into the forums and info links and read all that they can about the sim. Those few new players that don't do that - who don't take the time to learn the game - are just not that serious about it. It's just a game to goof around in. I really doubt any 'pre-loaded' messages/notes in their stable/sales pages would help since they don't care enough to learn the basics of the game on their own.

Stormy

Steph Lonhro · Post by **Steph Lonhro** » 17 years ago

I don't think I would be insulted and I am a fairly new player my first race weekend was year 17 week 16, everyone is just trying to help out, and quite honestly I am still going through every thread I can here to try and learn more about stuff and trust me I still have a lot to learn, and I do appreciate all the advice and help I have been given from everyone here

Mandy Saunders · Post by **Mandy Saunders** » 17 years ago

That's another thing you'll grow out of: "if" versus "when"

When we were rookies, we used if.

Now we have our farms and our stakes winning broodmares who throw stakes winning foals so when someone says "if"... we correct them with "when"

It takes awhile but it will happen if you hang in there and stick with it.

Friedrich Barbarossa · Post by **Friedrich Barbarossa** » 17 years ago

-It takes awhile but it will happen if you hang in there and stick with it.

If or when?

HAHAHAHA!!!!

:ph34r:

Sorry, couldn't help myself. I'm here all week folks, be sure to tip your waitstaff....

Mandy Saunders · Post by **Mandy Saunders** » 17 years ago

I knew you'd catch that!

That's the only "if"... if you stay and stick with your stable.

It's all up to you

Brianna McKenzie · Post by **Brianna McKenzie** » 17 years ago

Breeding is an art form. You never need to be embarressed about asking for breeding advice. Heck, I received breeding advice today, which apparently I sorely needed, because I was thinking that mare was something totally different.

Anyway, there are LOTS of people in this game, who love to breed horses, and are very good at it. We WILL and can help you. Just don't ask for 10 mares all at the same time! To make our job easier, simply do a bit of homework. I mean, you can use the search function just as well as I can, so do it. Post a few ideas, just so we know you at least tried a little.

The whole "when" thing is true. Your first good horse won't even be the one you have the most success with, because you'll be too busy learning how NOT to totally mess it up. It will however, open the doors to future success and teach you lessons you'll never forget. *goes off to feed Tri Star a carrot*

Ara Davies · Post by **Ara Davies** » 17 years ago

Frankly, I agree with Stormy. This is just a game. If people want to succeed in the game, they can ask for advice, and listen to it or not. I think it's awfully condescending for people who have been playing for a longer time to either nag or want the game to nag newer players to do things the way we've decided they should be done. It's like those animal rescues who will only adopt out an animal if you fill out a 100 item questionnaire, have your entire family out to your third cousins interviewed, and insist on the right to show up at your house at any time for an "inspection". Not everyone is an animal abuser. Sure, you should be a little picky, but there's a limit. Even more so when the "animals" we're dealing with here are bits of data in a machine. If you don't want your horses to end up with people who don't treat them right, then be pickier about who you send them to. Once they're there, don't nag, let people play the game they way they want.

I have no problem with a friendly PM to a player who has private messaging enabled, or a thread here if they don't, but I do have a problem with a thread here when said player does have messaging enabled. No reason to call someone out who may not know any better, or who isn't into the game enough to care.

Send people a friendly note once, then LEAVE THEM ALONE.

S.C. Burns · Post by **S.C. Burns** » 17 years ago

Stormy Peak wrote: As far as sending 'stock' messages to new players upon the purchase of new horses...as one who does read the forums, which I think most new players do.. I kind of find that idea of being constantly reminded about something slightly insulting.

I don't want sellers again and again and again with each purchase I make telling me how the horses should be managed....New players are Not all stupid and we already KNOW about that kind of stuff.

Amen!

I know you guys are just trying to help, but jeez...I almost can't wait until the New Player status goes away. My OTB percentages may be in the toilet, but the last thing I want is yet another reminder of all the things I'm probably doing wrong.

Stephen Saratoga · Post by **Stephen Saratoga** » 17 years ago

I'm with you Ara.

Dave Shields · Post by **Dave Shields** » 17 years ago

Nice direction this post has taken... interesting.

I don't mind offering advice to other players if they ask, however, I am not always the one with the best advice. There are plenty of horses out there that I don't have a clue about and even I don't follow my own advice at times.

While I feel bad about a new player about to lose a horse, maybe that's what it takes to get their attention. And like Stormy said, it really is a game and what you put into it is what you will get out of it.

When I started, I had no clue what was going on so I spent time asking and reading and trying to learn. If I can do it, then that is proof positive it is a matter of "when" and not "if" you will make a nice stable. There is more information now than when I started and more opportunities for new players to get a foot hold.

Brianna McKenzie · Post by **Brianna McKenzie** » 17 years ago

It's my policy not to give advice unless asked for, so all you proud newbies can relax. I'm sure after reading your responses, alot more people will sit back and let you waltz up the ladder all by yourselves. After all, that's how most of us climbed it anyway.

Good Luck.

An interesting observation however, would be that making friends with other players seems to be a profitable adventure.

Nikki Everdeen · Post by **Nikki Everdeen** » 17 years ago

Generally, the only horses I offer advice for are those I bred myself. Especially with the new breeder awards system, I feel an attachment to those horses even when they aren't in my barn. I keep all of the horses I've bred on Alert, so I DO know when they run, and how well they run (or badly then run, too).

And even though I still consider myself a newbie in comparison to those who have been there a LOT longer than me (I only started at the end of Year 16), some consider me an older player, yet those who DO consider me a veteran often give me advice too. So newbies, it isn't just you. Everyone sometimes needs a friendly suggestion, just like Brianna said.

Charles Bunbury · Post by **Charles Bunbury** » 17 years ago

Maybe an on course VET should check any computer chip running for soundness?

Stormy Peak · Post by **Stormy Peak** » 17 years ago

I once again Stress the fact that new players for the most part WILL Welcome unsolicited advice when someone sees an obvious problem! But it should not be something that is put there with little 'notes' with every page we open up in our stable or in buying horses.

As far as how 'easy' it is... I'm sure that when this game was new there were no huge stables that could afford to buy million dollar yearlings left and right and breed and race. It was a more even playing ground back then.

But as a game like this grows, it does make it very hard for new players to come in and get a toe hold when all the prices on horses have been driven up due to everyone having a lot more money and older players have a bigger better selection of horses to place even into the smaller allowance races where a newbie might be racing their horses.

When I was a top player at Equinations I helped a lot of newer stables out, there's nothing wrong with that....but I also didn't tell people how to use the horses I gave them...but if I saw they were running them 'wrong'...I would sent 1 letter letting them know that I thought they risked ruining their horses by running in back to back weeks. That is the kind of advice new players need...not just advice that assumes they are dumb to begin with and 'preaches' to them with automatic pop-ups or standardized messages in sales. Give the advice when there is a necessity for it...help them out if you wish, or not if you wish.

Also, because in the owner of this game is generous about letting people earn money by writing articles...it would be hard for someone to go bust - which can happen to a newbie who even though managing their stable right, could have a string of bad luck.

I haven't found anyone in this game yet that I thought was a 'stinker'.

Everyone has been kind and generous....and that is one of the reasons I like it here.

Stormy