Northwest Racing Circuit

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to touch base with everyone about the future of the residency that will correspond with the new "e" game. Noooo...we are not going away, but there will be some changes that need to be addressed and I just wanted to bring it to the light.

The Div Challenge and TOTM will cease to exist in it's current state, at least in the beginning, as our program will likely not work with the new "raceout" files. Without going into the details as you may or may not know, race "weeks" will cease to exist in the new game and it's replaced simply by the date the race is ran.

That right there kills the program I use that processes the data. This program existed prior to my taking over the residency from Mike (bullfrogmb) a few years back as it was something Coker I believe created for him and Coker is no longer around.

While I am computer/web savvy, i'm not the type of programmer that can create something for what we need. I've been trying to create a new program for 2 years and have had little success and now that development stopped once I realized the changes coming with the new game.

So where does that leave us...well as I said these 2 contests will likely be on hold pending further development. I will in the mean time come up with replacement contests so that the same prizes (credits/horses) are available to be won.

I have been involved in the new game development/testing for some time now and Mike is aware of my concerns. I can only assume other residencies will have similar issues. He's hinted at making some sort of universal application through the site itself that residency owners can access and tweak to there own needs, but that of course is way down the list for him.

Does anyone who participates in other residencies know how they generate there TOTM or similar contests. I know a few have a similar contest, but I have never asked how they process it. I can only image that will the program may be different, that it still generates from the raceout file.

That's all for now and maybe (with Mike's approval) I can treat the residency to some screenshots of the new game from time to time.

All I can say for now is that it looks better and has A LOT more options. To be honest, i'm overwhelmed with some of the options available.

Thanks,
Will

Exciting, yet anxious times ahead it seems.

Thanks for posting this Will, had an inking you may be one of the "e" testers, but did not want to just hit you with a "SO, what's it like?" request.

I commend anyone who can create programs that aid in working out contests and making web pages and such ... I struggle with a excel sheet , but even with the initial problems, I have great faith in you being able to fill any contest gaps that may arise from not being able to get a calculation program to assist in your update chores.

Hoping the rebuilt game can restore the initial feelings for every simmer like when they first found Mike's game, however long ago it was for each individual, and maybe the strength in residency game play can also 'bounce' back like in days of yore.

Certainly hope Mike allows you to share some of those screenshots ... just enough to get the juices flowing!

Thanks for the info Will. As a player who has been around for a long time, I am not that excited about "a new game". I hate to say it but everytime something is changed it never seems to quite live up to the hype. I am still very disappointed that the silks were never added to the new viewer. The subject is not even mentioned anymore. Why? who knows. That, in my opinion would have really put some excitement back in the game. Watching a race with the old Coker viewer was sooooo cool with most of the horses having silks-after awhile you knew who you were running against. Now I can't even get the new viewer to run on my current 'puter at all. I am back to watching the old straight line viewer.

Anyhow I am trying to keep an open mind on the new game. I'm hoping it will make the game more fun. I guess time will tell. I really hope that something is changed to make more players join a res and stick with it. Also would be nice if some changes were made to make new players not have such a hard time figuring out the game. Over the years I have told many about the sim but most join and come to the same conclusion: If you don't want to spend a lot of money you cant really compete. Hard to argue with that when you try and get some of the top sires and they are gone by Monday morning to the big dollar spenders.

If nothing else is should be interesting . Rich

Not only am I old but I am not computer savy. I have some - probably dumb questions. Is this going to be a totally different game? I mean, Mike said some players have moved some of their stables over - what if you don't want to move your stables? Do you get new ones? Do your old stables just die or does this old game keep going? Will claims show up more than once a week? Is it going to be hard to adjust - I am pretty slow?

Let me talk to Mike and see what I can give...I'm sure it's not locked up like Fort Knox, but I don't want to say anything that he doesn't want released.

But I will say...and this is not meant to sound good or bad, but it is what it is...it's definitely more "involved".

Will

Just spoke with Mike and his response when asked about sharing new game items was "...have no problem you spilling just about anything you've seen.. just ask them not to send me a bunch of questions until I start opening it up to everyone..."

So with that, please honor his request and keep questions here and not other places (like main sim MB) and don't follow up with him asking why it's not like X, Y, Z.

I'll answer as best I can as I truly don't know all aspects yet and in fact, there are many aspects not even available yet. I'll post screen shots if you wish as well.

Will

I am a bit anxious about the new game. As mentioned above sometimes when things are changed for the "better" they just fall to crap. I am positive whatever Mike brings out will be a good product though. But, I heard mention of every day racing? I am assuming this will be on reduced race cards? I liked the race week idea because it gave time to enter races... you could pick an evening with a couple of free hours and get your entries done for the week. If this functionality remains then the racing everyday idea might be interesting but how empty are the fields going to be if we can barely fill them now? I am also hoping that the new game brings some value to sim money, it's such a wasted aspect of the game imo.