Well, my stable is now at 3 horses. After the game was not released for the kentucky derby I shut it down. The truth is there is no excuse for the delays. It is 100% TERRIBLE business. In your business model did you take time to consider, ohh we are running ads on these big races maybe we should not promise the update over and over again because we will have new members from these increased advertising? I mean that is just plain and simple common sense but it is very clear the hrf team is lacking some of it. A simple strategy would have taken these things into consideration. This game is not new. I am guessing there were many new members after last years triple crown events. So, think ahead! Do not promise your biggest fans that you will update without thinking, ohh crap, we may get really busy and make more money around the triple crown time when racing is in full bloom, maybe we should MAKE SURE we get this game released before the Derby so that our current loyal fans are happy and then the new fans will see how great of a game with have with all the new updates.
So, we wait, AGAIN, so that hrf can gather some new members and more money for themselves while leaving us loyal customers out to dry. It does not get clearer. We have been treated like the $20 hooker, not like the backbone of this game, not like the fans that have spent our hard earned money to make it possible for this game to be able to even afford to update and not slip off into nothingness. We are the providers for this game. We own the true power but management is simply ignoring that. Anyone that has been here for over a year should get some VERY special award. A handful of free horse breedings, some months of free VIP, something that pays us back for the failure to complete what has been promised over and over. That is fair. Instead, at this moment we are only offered an upgrade of the game. Is that enough incentive, especially after at least a year of failed promises.
Also, management pulls in all these new players, the retention might be ok but they go and learn how to play THIS version of the game. That is no small task as we all have done it before. So newbies learn this game and start to get a feel for it. Ohh wait, we gotta change it all up and update it now. Sorry newbies that we hold more precious than our veterans that have been paying the bills, we need to toss this update in here and you are going to have to figure how to work the game with all the new features. I see half of them running to another game. Oh yes, and the downtime of 12ish hours. Newbies, I know you are new and excited about this game but we are going to half to shut it down for 12 hours because we did not take care of the update the correct way. So just be patient with us and we will release an amazing new game that will be better than sex. All of us be damned if this new holy grail of horse simulation ends up taking 24 hours or more. All of us be damned, new and old, if this new update has any major flaws. All of us be damned if this new update does not deliver make this game more realistic than being at the racetrack. Well, I guess, All of us be damned. We cannot win.
so that I will have somewhere to see my horse other than in the "change gender/color" area. I have been waiting to breed his stablemate and to become a VIP and it appears that I still must wait as well. I do not want anything else to change. It has taken me three months to feel comfortable playing and to enjoy the game the way that it is now.
The game is not changing we just organized it to make it easier for player to navigate and have built a foundation to roll out new and enhanced features.
The new game will not make your horses go slower or faster but rather give you 2 options to view the races either through the web or our download client.
I am reading all these posts about new game features and better racing results. Clearly those individuals have NOT been reading my posts. I suggest you read the post and story written by Ronwar 3-4 weeks ago for a true insight on what we are rolling out.
Mike
Some of you have just figured out a lemon isnt the samething as an orange.
Didnt you notice one is yellow in color and the other is orange in color?
Didnt you notice there 2 different shapes, one is oval shaped and the other is round?
Didnt you notice one is sweet and the other is sour?
Its obvious none of you ever sold lemonaide when you were kids because if you have had you would have known you need to add sugar to lemonaide or nobody will buy it.
"When God makes lemonade, he opens the windows".
Or was it; "When you close the door, make God some lemonade".
Wait, that's not it.
OK, I got it, "When God gives you a door, cut open a lemon".
Words to live by my friends. Words to live by.
~~ The 5Th Earl Of Gloucester ~~
I am Baffert with on this. I have been here for over a year and I have been promised this so called update. There have been several dates promised and each time its not ready or its ready but we are testing it blah blah blah. Why is it HRF can mislead the community and I mean mislead the community, but if a member does this or say something against the game he is punished. As baffert says we are the ones who put our hard earned money into the game. I think it is highly insulting to be played in this manner. Could I promise HRF that I will pay and then I dont. Of course not I would not be allowed to be a vip. I also run a business and I know that sometimes things happen and you have to break your promise, but this is just out right wrong. If I did this I would be out of business
My guess is that Puddles expects the naysayers about the delay of the update and doesn't lose any sleep over it either. I would imagine when the update is released, there will still be complaints and gripes about it. When it comes to customers some things never change. Good things come to those who wait, so I am going to stay positive about the update and wait.
~~~To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it.~~~
I understand problems with programming and believe me you don't want the hassles with it not being ready. The consumer does't want it and the company doesn't want it. That being said, HRF is doing really bad at consoling or compensating the consumer. I have dealt with giving Disney, Deloitte and Touche, and many others,and products either late or severally flawed are not fun for either company or consumer. I just think HRF has learned a huge lesson. People will give you a little slack if they get regular updates and explanations (even if they don't understand what they mean, at least they know, you know what's wrong and that gives them confidence). Mike, you may know that most of your current base will not leave, but you have to know and expect that they are very upset.
Bill
Ceilteach Mรบchadh Cobhsaรญ
The Fighting Celt stable
Very well put.
HRF should throw us a bone to ease the pain of all the delays and broken promises. That is really the only way to ease some of the suffering for the veterans. I do not want to be mad. I am not short tempered. I also do not want to leave this game but I am tired of paying for the Mercedes and getting the Volvo.
I rather wait a little wile longer and get the game done right.
Imagine if they release it and it does not work and have to shut down a few times for 12 hours or more are you then going to complaint about that too.
I know we where promised this update a few times but shit happens in real life, the horses will look better and that's about it so I say be patient and when it does come out we will all enjoy it. My 2 cents.
Ps not trying to brown nose myself either.
Puddles says "In the meantime, while we wait out these last few days, no big deal, Iโm inviting 2 to 3 players to experience our web game"
The key here is no big deal. Does that rub anyone wrong? It is not a big deal that we have to wait again. I mean puddles said it so it must be true. Anyone else feel that it is a BIG DEAL? I do.