Isn't this one of the most important things to get right as early as possible and then it won't mean lots of different people editing their own schedules?

If we can get it sorted surely it will save a lot of work in the long run?

Totally agree with you Bosra, then there would be no need to alter the schedule until it changed slightly in real life, that way we can keep on top of authenticity.

100% agree.

Unfortunately it will never be possible to have a complete set of accurate showcases that will allow the game to simulate real life.

If you include all real life big races the game struggles to fill these races with the correct ability of horses because the games horse database is too small.

Thats why you have to be selective about which showcase races you include.
So on balance I think its a good idea that people can edit the showcase files to suit there own preferences.

Agreed but at least then the individual player has the choice to tailor their own schedule themselves. If all the races are there and are accurate this should be easily achievable. The horse database is a separate issue really.

I agree that it would be good to have main databases (showcase files) that are up-to-date. The default showcase files are hopelessly out of date and inaccurate. I must admit though, I am a complete stickler for detail - everything has to be 100% correct, up-to-date and spot on, right down to race names being grammatically correct. So, if the main file wasn't like this, I'd probably find myself rewriting it again anyway!

The only issues I could see there being, would be:

Firstly, some people maybe like to play certain races in different ways. For example, the Dewhurst is technically open to colts and fillies, and some people maybe like it that way in their schedule. However, I prefer to play this as a colts-only race, as in reality fillies never enter it. The same goes for many other 2yo and 3yo group races.

There could also be differences in opinion with age restrictions. For example, the Northumberland Plate is open to 3yo+, but I prefer to play it as a 4yo+ race, as in reality 3yos never take part.

Also, some people like to play schedules with lots of sponsors' names added, whereas I tend to use sponsors' names sparingly.

The only way to get around these potential issues would be to have two or more versions of each of the affected races in the file, one with one preference etc. I'm sure Mark had said before that there was no limit to the amount of races that could be stored in the file.

I agree with you Panther. I am also a stickler for detail etc. I nominate you with the job of helping Mark and getting the schedules 100%correct?

I'd be more than happy to. I think the problem with doing this now though, is that if the new files are added as a patch, everyone that has already started playing the game properly will find that their games no longer work, unless they back-up the current showcase file and put it back in.

One option might be to have new and up-to-date showcase files available as optional patches, so that whoever wanted to download it could do so. The only problem would be that the current default schedules wouldn't tie in with the new showcase files, so the download would also have to include a "clean slate" default schedule file, allowing the user to build their own schedules from scratch with the new showcase file.

I've already started on this.

I've updated all the English to correct prize money for 2009, and various other edits.

Panther do you fancy working together on a project to get everything ship shape in time for the game being playable?

Yeah, sounds good. And if enough people say that they would use the files maybe it's something that Mark would consider releasing as an official patch, even if only as an optional patch.

We'll need to figure out how we're going to do it though. We should probably get the flat finalised first - I had really only intended initially to rewrite the UK, Irish, French and Dubai showcase files (I have the 2010 info for the DRC) in their entirity, then just the relevant data that I required in the other showcase files. I already have all my UK and French flat data on a spreadsheet, and am halfway through inputting this into showcase files, but I guess this will now have to include duplicate versions of certain races to cater for all tastes. However, as the schedule files use race name as a reference, I'm not sure this will be so easy unless names are slightly changed? The alternative is just to make every race available as it is in real life, and if individuals (myself included) want to make slight adjustments to certain race details, then they can further modify? Also, with the French schedule, I plan to add Deauville, Maisons-Laffitte, Vichy, Toulouse and Lyon-Parilly in order that I can make every french group race available in my showcase files, so I guess this would also need to be made available. Let me know your thoughts.

Sounds good. No reason why every major race in France, Uk Ireland etc shouldn't be included. Then it would be up to the individual player to tailor their own schedules individually?

This would be great. Hope it works out.

I have created a 2010 UK showcase, I wanted the schedule to as close to the real thing as possible with the dates, prize fund etc.
The schedule has 385 races.

The schedule has 39 Group 1's
3 for 2yo Colts
2 for 2yo Fillies

3 for 3yo Colts (I have not allowed the fillies in the 2000 and Derby as fillies very rarely run in these races)
3 for 3yo Fillies
1 for 3yo Colts and Fillies

11 for 3yo+ Open
4 for 3yo+ Fillies and Mares

5 for 4yo+ Open

1 for 2yo+ Open

43 Group 2's
67 Group 3's
151 Listed
92 Heritage Handicaps

which includes 42 Fillies/Mares only races.

The only problem is there are no 2yo maiden races until mid to late May now which has had a major effect on the 2yo races at Royal Ascot as there are never any runners in these races.

Has anyone else had this happen?

Yeah the flat needs to be finalised first. I've got all prize money updated to a realistic level, now I just need to get cracking on changing the race names to suit.

Then a schedule needs to be created from a batch of these races.

Do you use MSN Messenger? Could be an easier way to communicate in gettng this done sooner rather than later.

I think, now that a Game Mods forum has been set up and other people are starting to submit new showcase and schedule files, we should probably just press on with what we have started doing, then make the files that we create available for people to download. This way, ideas can be shared and people can download and try out different file combinations and choose their favourites, which can only be a good thing. I think creating one set of files that everyone will want to use is great in theory, but probably not likely in practice.