Online Horse Sim Games

[AJones13]

Does anyone still play online horse sim games? Back in the 90s, I used to love playing the “old school” style games. Those ones you’d have to fill out forms and wait for the admins to update your pages and whatnot. These new automatic games are fun, but not the same. I used to love creating my own virtual horse barn website and keeping track of all my records and horses.

With that being said, would anyone have interest joining an “old school” style horse sim game? I’m just trying to get a feel for how many people would be interested if I were to try and start a game.

The game would be as realistic as possible with multiple ways to be successful. For example, breeding, selling, showing, training, running establishments, etc. The show system results would be highly detailed and would actually choose winners based on health, grooming, proper tack, training, etc. (and a little bit of random-ness of course). Multiple disclipines of riding would be available! Members would be encouraged to create their own farm websites if they’d like, but the game would also create automated pages for them. The village would include things like: vet and farrier offices, tack and feed shop, auction house, horse show ring, bank, barn hardware store, and more. Other features of the game would include: daily surprises and disasters, daily tasks (feeding, grooming, cleaning stalls, etc.), ability to ride/train horses, and much more.

This site would be semi-automatic but not fully like games like horseland.com for example.

Just trying to get some constructive feedback from others about what they would like to see/what they wouldn’t like to see in a new sim game.

Any constructive feedback is welcome!

[HannahsMom7]

the game would have to be free for me to want to play. that said, I do play HOWRSE but am prepared to leave if I have to start paying for it. this is more of a statistics game. I prefer that over a sim or moving game. In the sim games I see, the horses move oddly and I don’t like it. a,lso I am not interested in a ton of rules.

[AJones13]

@HannahsMom7

the game would have to be free for me to want to play. that said, I do play HOWRSE but am prepared to leave if I have to start paying for it. this is more of a statistics game. I prefer that over a sim or moving game. In the sim games I see, the horses move oddly and I don’t like it. a,lso I am not interested in a ton of rules.

Thanks so much for your response! I appreciate the feedback. I would definitely make it free, that’s a priority. And yes not a lot of rules would be good as well. I want to try to make it as realistic as possible, so you would start off with some money but then you would have to earn more through work or showing in the game. It wouldn’t really be a “sim” like you think of with The Sims. It would be more like the old style RPG games I guess would be more like what I’m thinking. Not like virtual games where you could see the horses moving and riding. Just through photos. Thanks for your help! Any other comments are appreciated

[rockonxox]

Super old school? Sure I love those. But… certain aspects have to be automatic to peak my interest and keep it. I do not want to be manually logging things like bank account, vet/farrier appointments, feed purchases, etc. I loved making my websites and tracking my own show earnings (that wasn’t a big issue although if they are tracked in a simple database that is always nice as a reference). I was an original for quite a few original 90s sim games and still love that style

[AJones13]

@rockonxox

Super old school? Sure I love those. But… certain aspects have to be automatic to peak my interest and keep it. I do not want to be manually logging things like bank account, vet/farrier appointments, feed purchases, etc. I loved making my websites and tracking my own show earnings (that wasn’t a big issue although if they are tracked in a simple database that is always nice as a reference). I was an original for quite a few original 90s sim games and still love that style

Awesome! So I was thinking the members could have the option to track their own accounts/purchases/etc. if they so choose but the game would also keep track for them as well on their “page”. But say someone wanted to create their own barn website, they could keep track there and double check with the game page if they so chose. What do you think about that? This would be the same for horse information/show results. Thank you for your comment!

[rockonxox]

Yeah, as long as the game has a database for it then members can copy that information and put it into their own format on their websites. That is how 90% of the successful games have done it

[AJones13]

@rockonxox

Yeah, as long as the game has a database for it then members can copy that information and put it into their own format on their websites. That is how 90% of the successful games have done it

Cool! Yes this is exactly what I was thinking thank you!

[furlong47]

While the nostalgia angle is nice, and you could make something that visually looks like the older games, I definitely think you’d need a modern, automatic database structure underneath to keep things running. In 2017 nobody is going to want to send info to the admin and wait a day for them to sit and edit a bunch of pages. Especially if it actually becomes really popular, I imagine you could only support a few dozen users doing it that way.

[rockonxox]

@furlong47

While the nostalgia angle is nice, and you could make something that visually looks like the older games, I definitely think you’d need a modern, automatic database structure underneath to keep things running. In 2017 nobody is going to want to send info to the admin and wait a day for them to sit and edit a bunch of pages. Especially if it actually becomes really popular, I imagine you could only support a few dozen users doing it that way.

There needs to be a database to track the basics (bank/vet/farrier whatever all is required by the game) and preferably show records. Show entries? I think that can be hand done on a message board and know a lot of games that still do things that way and are successful. The only reason I’m not in those is because in a couple the community doesn’t feel accepting to those who haven’t been there since the beginning and some limit you too much (ie: having to pick one of three paths and made me feel pigeon holed). Hand done show entries keeps it from just being a “clicker” game. Most of these games do have show randomizers that are a copy/paste so that results can be done quickly and once done are stored into a database. I would honestly not be interested if it was a game you just click buttons. There are plenty of those around.

[AJones13]

@furlong47

While the nostalgia angle is nice, and you could make something that visually looks like the older games, I definitely think you’d need a modern, automatic database structure underneath to keep things running. In 2017 nobody is going to want to send info to the admin and wait a day for them to sit and edit a bunch of pages. Especially if it actually becomes really popular, I imagine you could only support a few dozen users doing it that way.

Thanks for your opinion on this! I was curious how people felt. Personally I don’t mind waiting a day or so for the page to “update” but I can see now how people are used to automatic and that’s what they prefer. I will look into doing some things automated and maybe a few the “old school” way.

[AJones13]

@rockonxox

There needs to be a database to track the basics (bank/vet/farrier whatever all is required by the game) and preferably show records. Show entries? I think that can be hand done on a message board and know a lot of games that still do things that way and are successful. The only reason I’m not in those is because in a couple the community doesn’t feel accepting to those who haven’t been there since the beginning and some limit you too much (ie: having to pick one of three paths and made me feel pigeon holed). Hand done show entries keeps it from just being a “clicker” game. Most of these games do have show randomizers that are a copy/paste so that results can be done quickly and once done are stored into a database. I would honestly not be interested if it was a game you just click buttons. There are plenty of those around.

Thanks for your input! I’m loving all these responses I totally agree with you. The “click buttons” and done is sort of what I’m trying to steer away from especially in regards to horse shows. It would be nice if show results actually took into account tack the horse has, amount of training, grooming/daily care, ensuring they are up to date on shots and farrier, and so on with a little bit of random-ness of course. Would be more time consuming for myself, but I’m up for the challenge! Keep the ideas coming guys! I really appreciate it

[rockonxox]

@AJones13

It would be nice if show results actually took into account tack the horse has, amount of training, grooming/daily care, ensuring they are up to date on shots and farrier, and so on with a little bit of random-ness of course.

That sounds a bit more like a click button thing (tack/training/daily care). If it would be a game I had to check daily I would not play. I don’t have time for that anymore.

[AJones13]

@rockonxox

That sounds a bit more like a click button thing (tack/training/daily care). If it would be a game I had to check daily I would not play. I don’t have time for that anymore.

Thanks for your input!

[mithril]

I loved those old school sim horse games! I actually am a member of one that is still active, although I haven’t been active in years. http://www.hfshc.com

[AJones13]

@mithril

I loved those old school sim horse games! I actually am a member of one that is still active, although I haven’t been active in years. http://www.hfshc.com

That’s awesome that hfshc is still active! I love seeing old school sims still being played. If you have any inputs for things you liked/didn’t like about that game I would love to hear them!

[adultammylife]

I used to love playing online sim games when I was younger. I’m not a huge fan of waiting a day for information to be processed usually because when I prefer games where there is a lot of things to keep you busy (not so much busy work like grooming 30 horses but interesting quests or some kind of storyline). I also agree that free is a big priority. I won’t really pay for a game or I’ll just make due with the free version of a game and stop when I can’t play anymore.

[AJones13]

@adultammylife

I used to love playing online sim games when I was younger. I’m not a huge fan of waiting a day for information to be processed usually because when I prefer games where there is a lot of things to keep you busy (not so much busy work like grooming 30 horses but interesting quests or some kind of storyline). I also agree that free is a big priority. I won’t really pay for a game or I’ll just make due with the free version of a game and stop when I can’t play anymore.

Great points. Yes I totally agree about the games where you have to pay. I don’t like that because it’s not fair to me that people can buy their way through the game and get ahead of other players who may even be more active than they are. I am looking into ways to make the game automated and active for everyone! Thank you!

[Fellbutbackup]

I recently played through Phar Lap Horse Racing. Great fun. The announcer saying your horse’s name live during the race is great immersion. There’s a free to play version called Rival Stars, but I did not enjoy it.