Starters Orders Game Features

Starters Orders 3 - game features:

New features (since Starters Orders 2):

Improved, new look GUI with new rendering engine.

Full screen or windowed mode option.

Alternative game schedule modes at game start UK (flat), UK (flat/jumps), Australian (flat) or US (flat). Each schedule with local trainer, jockeys and racecourses/

Race audio commentary.

Improved race sequence horse movement and jockey AI and graphics:

Improved race plan code resulting in even more realistic races with improved jockey tactical AI.

Horses can get hampered by other horses or 'blocked' and stopped in their run.

Jockeys may choose to avoid blocking horses, wait for a gap or if urgent they may 'bump' their way out (possibly resulting in a stewards enquiry and if the stewards judge that the hampered horse would have won the winner may be disqualified.

More jockey animations.

Jump, hurdle and national hunt flat races now simulated (UK schedule only):

Realistic horse jumping model. Horse can jump slowly, make mistakes, fall or get brought down. Horses jumping can be affected by training.

Flat/Jumps data options from within the game to view horses data depending on the context of the current race or player selections.

Over 80 new showcase races including the Gold cup and the 4m4f Grand national.

The grand national at Aintree includes additional audio commentary, realistic fences (Beeches, the chair, Foinavon etc).

Jockey AI include abilities to judge a horses approach to an obstacle and to put horses right or take a pull.

Ragged breaks (from stalls) and better modelling for horses that miss the break.

Course undulations now accurately modelled.

Jockey AI - jockeys may search out better going.

Improved racecourses models. Undulations and fences realistically mapped. Bends simulated accurately and more realistic draw effects and also variable going.

All new jockey control mode. Take the reins and steer your mount to victory:

Player must steer their mount avoiding hampering or bumping other horses (and invoking a possible enquiry).

Players can cause their mount to stumble and fall by riding into another horse.

Players assist their horses jumping by modifying the horses approach.

Race sequence panning. Jump view to a selected horse or pan through the field. Jockey mode focuses on players mount.

Players may occasionally get reports on courses where there are ground variations (usually due to poor weather) and can instruct the jockey to prefer racing wide etc.

Improved horse (mathematical) model.

Horses may be pulled up.

In rare cases horse can clip heels and fall (both flat and jumps).

Additional jockey orders/requests. Prefer stand side, centre or far side. For use when jockeys report variable going.

Dual courses (for racecourses with turf and dirt courses) with individual course data.

Dual chase/hurdle courses (UK only) with individual course data.

Players now have the option of breeding their horses with the top performing retired horses from the previous season. A stud fee is paid to the horses owner.

Basic training options integrated into the main stable/home menu.

Wide runners simulated better and also reported in form-book along with hampered horses.

More training options. New look training screen:

Gallop trial option (for players). Gallop your chosen horses (at home) over race distances and view the entire gallop.

Buy hurdles and fences for your home gallops.

Improved training/racing head lad feedback: May recommend pacifier/gelding and recommend training based on perceived potential in a number of areas (such as jumping)

Dirt (all-weather) course variations in going and horse preferences (added slow, fast surfaces).

Improved race planning concerning feature races and realistic progression including supplemented horses and prep races.

Three difficulty levels. (effects betting, starting cash, starting horses number, max bets, quality/potential and non player trainers horse training ability )

Load/save game time improved.

Bitmap fonts. No more windows fonts problems.

Race sequence - distance remaining to finish indicator.

Clean files (deletes contents of individual game save slot) option added.

Improved pacifier and gelding effects.

Juvenile improvement model improved.

Photo finishes now more precise and 'Bobbing' finishes.

Jockeys can be ordered to miss the break

Horses physical weight and optimum racing weight reported (changes with racing, training and rest)

Extra jockey order options: Miss break, go-easy early (like go-easy but with more of a finish)

Horse deaths (through falls - flat or jumps). Very rare.

Players may enter a horse in a race that is full if their horses rating is greatest that the lowest rated runner. Lowest rated runner is withdrawn and the trainer refunded the entry fee.

Improved form-card text descriptions.

General Starters Orders features:

Over 10 000 horses and hundreds of trainers and jockeys!

Feature race history/stats screen detailing up to 50 years of past results!

All time greats (horses) table.

Detailed and daily newspaper articles.

Enhanced trainer and jockey AI.

End of season awards.

Horse temperament and paddock state indicator.

Horse handicap progression/strike rate chart.

Improved staff/finance options.

Improved help options with rollovers and tooltips.

Lower handicap categories included.

Improved racecourse database and records.

Accurate and detailed form (past performance) cards and race cards.

Export horse option. Players may export any of their own horses at any point during the game. The resulting horse file is saved to the hard drive and may be emailed to others.

Race Construction Kit. Create your own 'user defined' races with the race construction kit using previously exported horses. Great for creating leagues or simply racing your best horses against your friends horses.

Photo Finishes.

Sectional timing (Fractional timing but displayed in decimals) for every horse in every race.

Splits (position at posts) for every horse in every race.

Pacifiers. Blinkers, visors and cheek pieces available.

Geld option. Male horses may be gelded.

Replays. View past races as replays! Replay option available from formcards.

2yo Pre-Season Auction.

Top 100 horse table.

Tipsters. Tipsters can now be consulted before each race.

Multi player trainer game (local machine only). In addition to the Punter Match mode, 1-4 players may now compete in Trainer mode.

Head Lad summary. The horses Fitness and Condition are assessed by the stables head lad.

Jockey Feedback. Due to popular demand jockey feedback is now given following each race.

Apprentice Jockeys. Each trainer may hire an apprentice Jockey.

Change Trainer and Jockey names.

Massive form book detailing past performances. The last 7000 race formcards stored along with replays!

Owner/Trainer/Jockey horse racing game modes.

Train and take the reins, plan betting coups and compete in Trainers Championship table.

Multi-player Punter competition mode (on local machine)
First to a million £ wins!

Unique rhythmic Jockey control system to simulate real race riding.

Fields of up to 30 runners.

Exciting race sequence with zoom options and weather effects and overhead course 'radar' view.

Intelligent jockeys. Watch the subtle animation changes as jockeys restrain, ride, coax along and whip their mounts to obtain the best finishing position.

Detailed and realistic training methods.

Approximately 40 Racecourses (including Turf and Dirt) simulated complete with stats and course information. Draw effect and other factors influence jockey tactics such as which rail to go for and what 'pace' to ride.

Vast dynamic game world with thousands of horses.

Hundreds of jockeys and computer controlled Trainers.

Realistic race calendar featuring many UK feature races and key foreign races from: Flemington, Arlington, Tokyo and Nad al sheba etc. Race on Derby Day, Arc day and compete in many other feature races.

All major race types accurately simulated including Handicaps, Group races, selling/Claiming races, Maidens etc.

Select either furlongs/fraction odds (UK) or Metric/decimal odds (rest of the world}.

Dynamic Note book - store player notes on any horse at any point for future reference.

Advance Declarations complete with filters for browsing upcoming races.

Realistic and statistically accurate betting model and strategy.

Detailed horse stats include horses performance over every distance and going.

Dynamic race world with new 2 year old horses joining and older horses retiring every season.

Non-triers, Stewards enquiries and fines.

Detailed and accurate Racecards for every race.

Well presented and content rich menu screens with intuitive interface.

Download Starters Orders 3 today and try out the free demo. Unlock the full version using credit or debit card. Full version costs £19.99 Sterling (or equivalent in US dollars or Euros).