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 This game could be so great 
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Selling plater

Joined: Mon Sep 23, 2019 10:12 pm
Posts: 11
Post This game could be so great
It's so annoying the potential within this game, but yet what it takes to get there is almost unfathomable. This game sells as a near to empty shell and we are expected to realise it's true potential, but the truth is it would take thousands upon thousands of hours to achieve this, and so it never happens. Trust me when I say I have tried to create what I would like to see from this game but it's such a mountain to climb that I end up unable to finish. The truth of the matter is it shouldn't even be up to us to do this. Copyright laws are only a minor problem, one that can easily be got around by those that own this series of games. I think there's laziness that exists when it comes to presenting the game in a proper way to customers now because they've become so used to forum users just doing it for them over the years that it's expected of us now, and there seems to be very little enthusiasm left among us on here. It's all just one massive shame. I predict there won't even ever be an SO8 because I think SO7 has sunk the ship.


Sat Oct 26, 2019 2:41 am
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Handicapper

Joined: Sat Aug 25, 2018 7:30 am
Posts: 210
Post Re: This game could be so great
While I have plenty of constructive criticism to point at this game, I do understand it's a single dev who is actively updating a beta pretty much every week. There's only so much one person can do and having an active community is a good thing. Games like The Sims and Cities: Skylines have huge modding communities who expand and diversify the game with mods. The Sims is backed by EA and can still be a buggy mess at times.

Like, I said, I understand that there are some frustrations. But it might be better if you list those in particular, rather than just declaring the game is dead when it's not even out of beta yet. I won't put my list up, because it's like twenty lines and I start getting a little ranty. I do agree with you that there is potential and the AI for this game probably took years to build but other stuff, like the UI issues and the fact that certain schedules got declared "too much work to update" when it hasn't been done for years, is massively hobbling it.

And while there does seem to be some long-term users who are moving away due to their reasons, there is potential for new users to move in. If it stopped "needing some polish (on things that aren't in the scope of the beta)" when on its 7th version and if the Steam version was more actively supported and advertised. Game discovery just doesn't happen if it's not on a storefront these days, and if the store page for a game looks as barebones as the SO7, people doubt the developer's commitment. Hell, even if it was on Good Old Games, so the DRM thing wasn't a problem.


Sat Oct 26, 2019 4:19 am
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Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2011 9:50 am
Posts: 1903
Location: Torbay, England
Post Re: This game could be so great
I understand the game is now out of beta, and yet it is still impossible to mod and not user friendly even if it were - sorry, but I have to agree with the OP on this one.

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Tue Oct 29, 2019 6:01 pm
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Selling plater

Joined: Mon Sep 23, 2019 10:12 pm
Posts: 11
Post Re: This game could be so great
I don't think listing our desires for this game will do much good, I've seen that going on for a while now as an onlooker. Another problem is people ask for stupid stuff, like can we not just get the basics down first, please? before we trouble ourselves over more obscure and less important detail. All I want ultimately is a detailed schedule that maps all the races to each other in a favourable way to create exciting clashes in competitive fields. I have created this myself after a ton of work for the UK flat, but that leaves the other countries and the jumps to do, and I don't see myself going through that kind of workload again. Another thing I want is all the most recent jockey, owner, and trainer details. I understand Mark cannot use real names in some cases, but that doesn't excuse the lack of any update at all from SO6. This didn't seem like much of a job at first for me to do myself, but when you think they all have to be linked to the correct owners, yards, and then silks need to be set to the correct places too, in actual fact that is a job that would take a few days to complete. And finally, I would just like to see some more life put into the race tracks, more colourful and sharp looking because they haven't changed since SO6 - they're mostly all dull looking! Again, this is something I can and have fixed myself in some cases with advertisement boards and other detail, but as with everything in this game, completing the job to get that finished product would take weeks to complete. I just can't be arsed anymore sadly, never-ending frustration.


Tue Oct 29, 2019 11:46 pm
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Handicapper

Joined: Sat Aug 25, 2018 7:30 am
Posts: 210
Post Re: This game could be so great
In terms of difficulty of modding, I've made a Python3 script that I'm testing with my next schedule revision that automatically generates the schedule and feature race files from the line of information you enter in the command line. So ...

-n 'Missle Stakes' -m Jan -d 4 -rc Flemington -f 1m -p 170000 -r G1 -g Turf -a 3up -s FM

becomes

1,4
Flemington
Missle Stakes

<NAME>Missle Stakes<RACECOURSE>Flemington:cc_flatTurf1
<MONTH>Jan<PRIZE>170000<DISTANCE>8.0<RACECATAG>G1<AGE>3YOUP<SEX>FM

I was thinking I'd test a schedule made using it and then post it to the forums for anyone who wanted it? I made a random race generator too, that chooses the distance, class, and age (maybe even a name if I change it).

ETA: Also, it occurs to me, since we can't use Steam Workshop, it'd be cool if someone started a Github page for Starter's Orders 7 mods, then we could download and use each other's stuff and have one central place of hosting it.


Wed Oct 30, 2019 9:24 am
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Handicapper

Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2008 9:37 pm
Posts: 119
Post Re: This game could be so great
Updated!: think it's because I changed Arcadia to Santa Anita , and other track names etc - whole thing is completely Beggared now - night night SO7 :( :evil: :cry:


I haven't played for months but got an email last week saying game was now out of Beta.

Scrapped all my ancient saved games and have restarted new flat game - and was quite prepared to put a little bit of time into making a new schedule.

BUT - what's happened on the US races - I only ever put the Triple Crown and the Breeders Cup races in - and guess which races now seem to have disappeared completely from being available?! yes, just those ones I use.

Appreciate the hard work which goes into this, but totally agree with title of thread, that having to build your own game and especially having to now add feature races which should be no brainers, kind of ruins the whole thing.

Can we get the top feature races added back in please?!


Wed Oct 30, 2019 3:41 pm
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Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 5:41 pm
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Location: Newburgh, Scotland
Post Re: This game could be so great
I have to agree with the OP. It's not as if this is an indie game bought on Steam for under a tenner that is in early access. This is at least the seventh incarnation, hence the title, but more if you include Stable Masters too. I am tired of being shot down and hounded by certain posters for daring to want a completed game for my money, and also being told this and that is so easy to mod yourself. I didn't buy the game to mod it, I bought it to play it as it was advertised.


Thu Oct 31, 2019 10:24 am
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Handicapper

Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2012 6:19 pm
Posts: 104
Post Re: This game could be so great
I only post occasionally on here and haven't really played SO7 for a few months just to the jumps game being pretty shoddy. Not long started reading the forum again and just want to say what the hell has happened on here? If you say anything negative or give constructive criticism you get hounded by a select group of posters. You are allowed an opinion and just because you don't like it, that doesn't warrant you to go all personal on them.

I saw someone rate this game 12/10?! Now that's just ridiculous. The flat side of the game has clearly been the main focus for Mark and yet that still has it's flaws. I'm really disappointed to see the jumps not really progress in the last 6 months. I really do believe that the expectation is for the posters on here to produce the mods for us to use. I remember SO6 still having jockeys that had passed away and that was still the case in SO7. I haven't started a new game so I can't comment on whether that is still the case, but I sure hope not. I mean, I'm not a modder so I wouldn't have a clue, but is it really that difficult to delete a jockey out of the game?

I've only been playing since SO5 and it has so much potential, but having potential for 6 or so years? I'm losing faith in the game I have to say.

This forum has become very toxic and for outsiders joining, I wouldn't blame them in the slightest for staying away reading comments on here.


Thu Oct 31, 2019 11:06 am
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Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2007 5:15 pm
Posts: 2233
Post Re: This game could be so great
This is a forum for users to post and request mods and related discussions. If you think there is an issue with with game post in the tech support. If you have a suggestions for development post in the development forum.

Quote:
I have to agree with the OP. It's not as if this is an indie game bought on Steam for under a tenner that is in early access. This is at least the seventh incarnation, hence the title, but more if you include Stable Masters too. I am tired of being shot down and hounded by certain posters for daring to want a completed game for my money, and also being told this and that is so easy to mod yourself. I didn't buy the game to mod it, I bought it to play it as it was advertised.


If your still unhappy with the schedule and don't wish to modify it to your tastes email in for a refund.

Quote:
I remember SO6 still having jockeys that had passed away and that was still the case in SO7.


Which jockey is this? Have you read the previous posts regarding old jockeys and trainers being left in so they get attached to the correct legend(s)? This is why it was done but recently the primary jockey and trainer files were updated so please post in tech support if you think there is still an issue.

Quote:
If you say anything negative or give constructive criticism you get hounded by a select group of posters.


No one should be hounded for constructive criticism. Any toxicity comes from a very small number of members who have problems communicating and consider this forum their personal soap box. Unfortunately this is the same on any forum. The majority of people here are fine, they just don't dominate threads the way some others do. I realise it can be annoying but there is a mute option on the forum to block user(s) so you dont see their posts.


Thu Oct 31, 2019 12:26 pm
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