Steward-breds

[Lily Wilkins]

I don't know how I feel about Stewardbreds going forward. I voted "get rid of them" on this poll, but I am slightly more undecided than that. Honestly, I don't love the idea of a game's administrator being involved in gameplay, even on a limited scale; I think it can lead to favoritism, a feeling from players like they need to be indebted to the game's admin in order to be successful, and it creates the ability for the admin to create a superior product (such as Stewardbreds) that causes drama and in some cases can become an unfair advantage for a concentrated faction of players. I know Em enjoys collecting fancy mares and breeding though, so it's hard to be like "stop that!"

And, I do enjoy chasing the "dream" of Stewardbreds, and I have thrown quite a bit of monetary support at the game in the name of purchasing Stewardbred horses and Stewardbred horse descendants in the past. I swear, the exchange has been the best thing to ever be added to this game

[Te Akau Downs]

I Like the 3 per owner rule, stops stables hoarding as mentioned earlier

[Fern Thompson]

Absolutely everything that Lily said. Perfectly stated and very true.

[Randall Allen]

It's much easier to say "build up your stable" than to do it. I'm not trying to be snotty, but honestly, let's wipe your stables and give you 100k and see how far you get... It's not at all easy, and yes the only way to reach the top levels is to either win a steward bred or luck out with some very generous player giving you nice horses. That's it. The horses on the sales page are crap, the horses in most auctions are crap, and the good ones do go for lots of money.

Once new players move out of trial park world and into the real one, it's virtually impossible to earn enough money to get a good horse. And yeah, most players don't sell Stakes and Freak horses (if they do, they sell for millions), so steward breds really are the only way to move up.

I have to respectfully disagree with your first paragraph. I joined with a small 100,000 like everyone else. My very first year was 22 : 2-2-4 Win-9.1% OTB-36.4% and I made $30,340. I didn't even know about Trial Park, I wasn't a "new trainer of the year." I had no help from "very generous" players. I made smart claims like this one for $1,500 https://www.simhorseracing.com/horse.php?HorseID=431862 who ended up earning me $76,500 after I claimed him. I worked very hard and earned my millions from claiming races. I bought nicer things with money I earned from junky races. I raced every horse to the maximum potential. If you look up the claim game rankings, I am #1 right now. In other words, I still work as hard now as I did in my early years. I also never had nice thoroughbreds and still for the most part don't, aside from the occasional nice runner.

New players shouldn't have to read messages telling them they can't succeed. Just like in real life, with hard work and effort, anyone can succeed in the Sim. If you are a new player, don't look for excuses, try to play smart and win. I didn't have a mentor, didn't know how to play this game and was on my own for pretty much my entire career. If I can succeed with all the odds stacked against me, then anyone can, especially with the vast info from veterans who (don't have to but take time to) write articles like Regina Moore. There is also a mentor program now.

[Randell Johnson]

It's much easier to say "build up your stable" than to do it. I'm not trying to be snotty, but honestly, let's wipe your stables and give you 100k and see how far you get... It's not at all easy, and yes the only way to reach the top levels is to either win a steward bred or luck out with some very generous player giving you nice horses. That's it. The horses on the sales page are crap, the horses in most auctions are crap, and the good ones do go for lots of money.

Once new players move out of trial park world and into the real one, it's virtually impossible to earn enough money to get a good horse. And yeah, most players don't sell Stakes and Freak horses (if they do, they sell for millions), so steward breds really are the only way to move up.

I have to respectfully disagree with your first paragraph. I joined with a small 100,000 like everyone else. My very first year was 22 : 2-2-4 Win-9.1% OTB-36.4% and I made $30,340. I didn't even know about Trial Park, I wasn't a "new trainer of the year." I had no help from "very generous" players. I made smart claims like this one for $1,500 https://www.simhorseracing.com/horse.php?HorseID=431862 who ended up earning me $76,500 after I claimed him. I worked very hard and earned my millions from claiming races. I bought nicer things with money I earned from junky races. I raced every horse to the maximum potential. If you look up the claim game rankings, I am #1 right now. In other words, I still work as hard now as I did in my early years. I also never had nice thoroughbreds and still for the most part don't, aside from the occasional nice runner.

New players shouldn't have to read messages telling them they can't succeed. Just like in real life, with hard work and effort, anyone can succeed in the Sim. If you are a new player, don't look for excuses, try to play smart and win. I didn't have a mentor, didn't know how to play this game and was on my own for pretty much my entire career. If I can succeed with all the odds stacked against me, then anyone can, especially with the vast info from veterans who (don't have to but take time to) write articles like Regina Moore. There is also a mentor program now.

Piggybacking off of what Randall said, I have a similar story. I would like to put my first 5 seasons in the Sim, in probably the worst start ever to a career. I went 5 seasons of races without a win, place or show...

My stat line over my first 5 seasons was 64:0-0-0....lol

Weirdly I didn't just quit and say that it wasn't a fair game. The only reason I ever even stayed in the game was to get a Steward bred. Literally only goal, and it was a good one. After MANY YEARS of work and the exchange system (Not using real money), I was able to get a steward bred, and from there I built up... very slowly. I only got my first homebred freak thoroughbred THIS year (My 29th year in the game)! Because I finally have good mares to breed, most of them steward breds that I have worked to get. To me, the only reason I work to get money (even more than win races) is that I can't wait till the next opportunity to buy a steward bred. Because to me it's the thrill of the Steward bred that really makes this game different then other games.

Not everyone thinks that Steward breds are the end all be all, but I am fairly certain that I wouldn't be still playing this game without them. To me they are part of the system that makes the game so different and exciting.

Just my 5 cents
(And breed to Watch the Mirror)

[Xander Zone]

Abe Foreman and I started about the same time and Abe built his barn via claiming and kicking but in them races and getting great mares via the claim. He was also a pro at shopping the AJ page.

[Mr. Lord Rich]

I built my stable through mixers and TB claimers. Used the earnings to claims more fillies breed up in both mixers and TB. Every crop gets stronger and stronger. The fillies I bred retire as Formids, breed up again, the stars appear, keep breeding up and now we get a lot of hens.

To this day I am still claiming fillies. Have to be smart though. Bad sure lines in your fillies will result most likely in bad progeny.

It takes patience, but it can be done.
Rome wasn’t built in a day.

[Art K Stables]

Jarrod was the first to clue me in some things, took a long time to do anything, I went up several roads what I found out to be dead ends and just regrouped.. and regrouped, and regrouped. thought I wanted to go big but then realized I dont have that kind of energy and so you just have to do what you find is comfortable for you. some of it was just trying to distinguish the differences on what mattered here and didnt. Like in dirt route style, IRL they sometimes run sprint distances as 2yo before stretching out, dont think that works in this game, as far as I know. As for steward breds, either way is not a deal breaker for me, but the fact is I think that if steward breds never were no one would be suggesting them, and I also doubt if they never were and were then proposed, I dont think it would be as popular an idea as the current vote appears to be. Of course many here have 2020 hindsight, but as new players come in and if stewbreds were phased out they wouldnt miss them.. But again, if they come in, doesnt have much to do with how I would operate.

[Jack Meyer]

On a side note...just a reminder...Steward Breds count towards the number of total Freaks/Stakes and so on allowed in the game per year....if they go then that means those Freaks/Stakes would still be here and would be within the players breeding's each year giving the players the better horses....just an FYI

Jack

[Mr. Lord Rich]

Freaks/stakes are only a description or title.

[Laura Smith]

On a side note...just a reminder...Steward Breds count towards the number of total Freaks/Stakes and so on allowed in the game per year....if they go then that means those Freaks/Stakes would still be here and would be within the players breeding's each year giving the players the better horses....just an FYI

Jack

I think this quota theory was refuted recently.

[Rebecca Rose Hepburn]

Where did the theory about the quota come from anyways?

[Carole Hanson]

Where did the theory about the quota come from anyways?

I believe it was mentioned in an Ask Em Anything podcast maybe? Or I think someone asked to clarify it then and it was debunked, but I’m pretty sure Em mentioned it live, like in a race call or something so I don’t think it was written down anywhere (though I think there was a thread discussing it).

[Emily Mitchell]

The SIM is very different than it was when I started playing back in the 90s.

The only point I was trying to make is that for people that join any game, if it isn't fairly easy to have fun (aka win a race in this game), they usually quit. You guys that stick it out are amazing, and yes you deserve everything you've worked for I'm not disputing that. For the game as a whole, new players that join - if they have a chance to get one good horse and get to have fun - they'll be more likely to stay long term in which case they are more likely to buy game points and thus help keep this game afloat for us all. Game point purchases are essential to keep the game running. I very simply think Steward-breds should be more available to them or anyone that HAS been struggling for a long time, for the good of the game. That's all.

The hate I've received for my post, in-game messages and all, wow. I'll never express an opinion again... no worries guys. Goodbye from the forum. Happy New Year everyone.

[Rochelle Bos]

The SIM is very different than it was when I started playing back in the 90s.

The only point I was trying to make is that for people that join any game, if it isn't fairly easy to have fun (aka win a race in this game), they usually quit. You guys that stick it out are amazing, and yes you deserve everything you've worked for I'm not disputing that. For the game as a whole, new players that join - if they have a chance to get one good horse and get to have fun - they'll be more likely to stay long term in which case they are more likely to buy game points and thus help keep this game afloat for us all. Game point purchases are essential to keep the game running. I very simply think Steward-breds should be more available to them or anyone that HAS been struggling for a long time, for the good of the game. That's all.

The hate I've received for my post, in-game messages and all, wow. I'll never express an opinion again... no worries guys. Goodbye from the forum. Happy New Year everyone.

I agree with you! I got the opportunity to buy a really nice horse my first year in game, and it gave me the HUNGER to work for more of that feeling! If I went years without being competitive my enthusiasm for the game would wane and I would spend less time/money/energy on here. Stewies are a *chance* at igniting that hunger again