Ok, to the people of the forum who play sport management sims, has anyone ever played the Starter's Orders series? I noticed the latest version is coming out soon and features a 3D representation of the race. I have always wanted to try a horse racing sim, just not sure it is my thing. It does have a demo from a prior version that I think I'll try a little this weekend, but just wondering if anyone has played it extensively and had any thoughts.
http://www.startersorders.com/so6
I played the demo of SO4 and SO5. I also spent a LOT of time on their forum boards, trying to figure out the game mechanics, and trying to find a way to not fail. Totally.
You better like horse racing and management sims. A lot. This game is deep, obtuse, confusing, poorly documented, and almost inaccessible.
Having said that, I believe that the risk/rewards are high. But not for me. I just couldn't summon the strength to power through the learning curve. I tried twice, and even managed to get a couple of decent horses bred, and trained. I even went so far as to win a race or two.
Perhaps this was due to the limitations of the demo. When I saw this headline, it triggered a mini-want. I just bought Tropico 5 yesterday..so I game fix is taken care of, short term.
Keep us advised on this one. A mini-AAR would be excellent.
Thanks Dennis...that was my fear that it would be difficult to understand....but the list of changes for version 6 intrigued me .......seems like a lot.
Starters Orders 6 new features
This is a list of the new primary features added since SO5. This list may be updated before release.
3D RACE SEQUENCE:
•Realistic 3D courses simulated with undulations and weather effects.
•New horse and jockey models and animations.
•Slow-motion finishes.
•Fast-forward option (replaces TAB skip).
•New jockey control modes.
•Rag doll physics.
•Unannounced beta feature.
•A number of useful camera options for altering the race view. Classic view tracks the field from the (raised) side.
•Improved in race horse and jockey movements. Smoother and more realistic.
GUI/Menu improvements:
• Feature race progression help (on feature race summary screen).
•Improved full screen support.
•Jockeys may advise races to target with winning horses (in jockey feedback).
•Ring-fenced save game showcase databases. Helps stop crashes caused by changing or modding schedule or showcase data after a game has started. Games now retain the original data for their lifetime.
•Horse names databases are now separated into male and female gender specific databases.
•Horse database age/category spread code rewritten and improved. Should help avoid walk-overs and very low fields while keeping down the main horse database to a minimum.
•In game active horse database now set from within the schedule file. More horses are allocated to combined schedule games. Great care should be taken changing this.
•Emails now added to trainer game for auto entry notifications, gallop feedback, followed horses etc. You may choose to interrupt auto days by changing the settings in the DIARY screen.
•Players may now FOLLOW game horses. Click the follow button (on any horse data screen) to follow that horse. Followed horses are displayed on the players MY DATA (trainer) screen. Your staff will email you when a followed horse is declared for a race, due to race, entered in the weekly auction or leaving the game etc.
•Maximum horses per trainer now 150 (from 100). Maximum horses per owner now 300 (from 200).
•Option to specify feature race entries for horses before races open (via the Feature race history screen, via the Diary). When the race opens for entries a staff member will attempt to make the entry automatically. The head lad will email the trainer confirmation once the entry is made. It is possible to specify a race in future seasons by selecting a race that the horse will only be eligible for in that season. Eg. Entering a 2yo in a 3yo race. These entries are also listed on the horse data screen in the decs table where you also have the option of removing entry requests.
•Head lad feedback following gallops may now be given in certain circumstances.
•Previous Champion Trainers listed on Trainer ranking screen (up to 10 years).
•Previous Champion Jockeys listed on Jockey ranking screen (up to 10 years).
•Jockey AI improvements.
•Horses 'out to grass' can be returned to the main stable at any time.
•Dead Heats.
•Breeding. Auto naming of yearlings using parents name(s) where possible. The name may not be gender appropriate or desirable so you may still name 2yo's on the first day of the season.
•Going visual indicator on some tables to indicate going at a glance.
•Possible to max out stables or add blocks of 5 (rather than one at a time). It is cheaper to buy stable housings in multiples.
•New backup game options. From the load/save screen you can choose to backup a save or restore the backup.
•Full HD screen mode layout enhancements (only 1920 x 1080 mode!): Extra horse data and horse form displayed on declarations screen. Stats on horse data screen.
•Handicapping improvements including for novice, juveniles.
Silks:
• The silks database can be expanded (new silks may be released). In theory up to around 450 different silks could be added.
•Shirts and caps can now be mixed creating many new combinations. Trainers/Owners have a reserve cap colour for races where they have more than one runner.
•User mods: For those with the required art skills, silks can now be changed or new ones added by editing two small texture files (per silk) and a small silk menu icon.
Locations:
•Every stable and racecourse now has a location on the world map. Some stats/data is available for each location including feature races and trainer rankings.
•World map screen available with region zoom. Displays locations of stables and racecourses and also specific route details (such as the route from a stable to a selected racecourse.
•The GLOBE icon that was inactive in previous games now links to the main Map screen.
•Players may choose their desired stable location within the local country at start (within the MAP screen).
•Depending on the location the players stable will have a location expenses band. This higher this band number the higher wages and other local expenses may be.
Transport:
•Horse transport vehicles available for purchase in the Stable menu. You must now have sufficient transport to get your horses to and from the racecourse(s) on a given race day.
- You must buy a vehicle at the start of the game. Owned Vehicles are shown on the Stable graphic. Additional vehicles can be purchased via the STABLE menu. Some vehicles require a CAR PARK at your stables.
- There are three transport options available each having a different capacity and purchase price and you may own a total of three vehicles (of any type).
- on selecting a race for your horse your vehicle inventory is checked and re-organized by your staff. If no vehicles are free or no room on a vehicle exists you will be notified before booking.
- Clicking on the allocated vehicle icon (on the declarations menu) reveals the correct map with route and travel details and costs displayed.
- Vehicles that are replaced by higher capacity options are automatically sold by your staff and the sale price is refunded.
- Transport costs depend on distance to racecourse (see LOCATIONS new feature) and the vehicles MPG rating.
- Transport to foreign locations will incur the extra cost of air travel.
Legendary horses:
(Legendary horses in the game will not have real names. Players may edit legend names before a game begins. Players may not own or breed from legends)
•Option to include one or a number of legendary horses in your game. It is possible to have Legends running over any code (flat, hurdles or fences) irrespective of the horses specified code.
• Legends follow realistic career paths unless specified.
•Legends may be linked to specific trainer/jockey combinations and may run in specified silks.
•The player can modify the game year a legend enters the game.
Notes: For game play related reasons a legend is intended to reflect a genetic copy of a specific horse rather than any real life horse. That is to say legends are likely to perform to a similar level as their namesakes and follow a similar career path but may not always perform to the exact level and win (or take part in) the same races. A legend may dominate in one game and under perform in the next however, legends are never going to be bad horses. Bookmaker's are aware of legends and shorten odds accordingly.
Owner mode improvements:
•Evictions. It is now possible to evict one or all an owners horses from your stables (button on the selected owners or individual horse data screen). Care. This will likely have a negative impact on the Owners opinion of you! You must give the owner 7 days notice in all cases.
•AI Improvements.
Achievements:
• A number of possible achievements are available for each game mode.
•As players progress they should aim to collect as many achievement medals as possible.
•The medals are displayed next to the players name on the main trainer/home menu. Clicking on this area opens up an achievements screen containing details of all possible achievements.
Online:
•Enhancements to the kit will be carried out after release but are expected to eliminate the need to upload, download and manipulate files.
I played all of them up to and including SO 5. It's not a bad game and each version gets a bit better but it seems to focus more on the UK side of racing, which doesn't really interest me. It does have North America represented but a lot of things were out of whack. My 2 biggest complaints were entry fees/purses of most of the US races and 2 horse fields for major stakes races. The purses for the US were extremely low. The small fields in stakes races can work to your advantage but it's just not realistic.
If they put more emphasis on the flat track side I'd be more interested in buying SO 6 but right now I'm probably going to pass.
Here's a Let's Play (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_QPz0ZX1Y0). It's not in English, but gives a pretty good idea of the improvements, I think.
Quote from: tgb on May 25, 2014, 11:06:40 AM
Here's a Let's Play (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_QPz0ZX1Y0). It's not in English, but gives a pretty good idea of the improvements, I think.
Bahh! The horses now seem better represented. The stuff you can find on the interweb.
Thanks for the additional info...I prefer the US races since that is what I am familiar so if they aren't that great, probably will pass for now...especially after I figured out it is something like $35 which is a little steep for a beta on a game that I am not sure of yet.
Now I'm going to guess that most of you, like me, don't usually click on the links in threads.
I strongly encourage you to check this out. I laughed so hard I am literally crying and wiping tears off my face as I type this. I don't know what twisted mind came up with this, but it was so unexpected and hilarious that...well, just click the button... :2funny:
This is the video tgb linked above, and somehow it being in Japanese makes it even funnier.
OMG, WTF is going on here?!
I'm actually thinking it's time to buy this game now.
Ok...not sure if those mods are available to the base game.
Still pretty damn funny though! :2funny:
New video showing a race....maybe it will suck me in after all:). Heck if I bought pro cycling recently might as well add hore racing to my list of edge sport sim games for me.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uT_7eA67bL0&feature=youtu.be
Is the Grand National in the game? I did quickly go on the demo..just enjoyed having a bet, then watching the race.
Quote from: TacticalWargames on May 29, 2014, 09:31:49 AM
Is the Grand National in the game? I did quickly go on the demo..just enjoyed having a bet, then watching the race.
Appears so...preview video of it...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5PQJmujZjc
I live about five mins from Melling Road\Aintree racecourse
Full demo now released for version 6 and also the beta build released today....
http://www.startersorders.com/download/
For those horse racing fans, looks like released to steam now...I never really fully enjoyed the game myself, but maybe because I am not a horse racing fanatic.
http://store.steampowered.com/app/460230/
Just gave back (refund!!) THREE different games to free up the monies to get Starters Orders 6.
This will take me awhile, but at some point, I will master this, and report back. I have always had a very keen interest in horse sims..all the way back to Gallop Racer 2004. Good stuff!