Game Survey! (please take)

[Shelly]

I have some questions about the ideal SIM game. If you could take a few moments to fill this out, I'd greatly appreciate it!

When questions ask "on a scale of three", please use this ranking scale: 1; not at all, 2; in-between, 3; for sure.

1. On a scale of three, how important is automatic features to you? Please list the automatic features you like to see in SIM games.
2. Would speed aging and/or "Insta-birthing" draw you to a game more, or less?
3. On a scale of three, how important is a point/title scale to you? Do you prefer that to other methods, such as number of wins/top places?
4. Do you think Active Member Incentives and Gelding Incentives actually work? Why or why not?
5. Would you participate in a more realistic game, or less?
6. Do you prefer games open to both dogs and horses, or just horses?
7. If the option was there, would you register cattle, cats, and other farm animals? Would this draw you to a game more or less? What farm animals (besides horses and dogs) would you register and show/compete with?
8. Do you prefer a game based on a one year time table, or do you prefer games with their own "years", where one year may equal two or three months? How long is your ideal "year"?
9. What features draw you to a SIM game? What turns you away?
10. Do you have any additional thoughts you'd like to share?

[restless]

1. On a scale of three, how important is automatic features to you? Please list the automatic features you like to see in SIM games.
2 - Automated Show results! Collecting them is so time consuming. And a bank if there's a lot of money transactions is nice. I also like auto programs like Stretch Drive or a custom one, because random shows aren't very fair. A horse whose creation took days of research and planning maybe shouldn't have as much chance of winning as the one that's only a name and breed.

2. Would speed aging and/or "Insta-birthing" draw you to a game more, or less?
More. I do not like games that age by real time.

3. On a scale of three, how important is a point/title scale to you? Do you prefer that to other methods, such as number of wins/top places?
3 - I do prefer a points & title scale over number of wins. It gives clear goals to work towards and in general the closer I get to a new title the more shows I want to enter.

4. Do you think Active Member Incentives and Gelding Incentives actually work? Why or why not?
I dunno, never really been a part of a game that had them, except automated/semi-automated games where the gelding incentive was better showing ability. I do think better showing is great for geldings, but only if there's a money scale or sire/dam awards in place.
I have no comment on the member incentives, but I doubt they would hold me to a game if the actual gameplay was lacking.

5. Would you participate in a more realistic game, or less?
More realistic where showing's concerned, less realistic time scale. Feed, tacking, stabling, etc. depends on the advantage given. If the only 'advantage' is not having your horse taken away by the HS, I'd rather not do it. If there were different foods that gave different effects, for example, like keeping a race horse fitter or a broodmare healtier, I'd be more interested in giving it a try. But would also think something like that would be better automated so it's easier to regulate.

6. Do you prefer games open to both dogs and horses, or just horses?
Both, if dogs and horses are treated equally, but don't mind just one or the other.

7. If the option was there, would you register cattle, cats, and other farm animals? Would this draw you to a game more or less? What farm animals (besides horses and dogs) would you register and show/compete with?
Yes, it would draw me more. I'd register cats, show & dairy cattle, layer chickens, pygmy pigs and diary goats probably. If there were a slaughter house feature of some kind, I might register meat animals too, cause that might be interesting.

8. Do you prefer a game based on a one year time table, or do you prefer games with their own "years", where one year may equal two or three months? How long is your ideal "year"?
Well, I've already made it clear I don't like real time. I love AllSim because you can age however and whenever you want. I'd prefer a showing/breeding based year, but two months or max three months can work well for me too. If it's a specialized game where I wouldn't be tempted to overload myself on stock, such as a strictly Thoroughbred race/halter game, I have played happily on a one month time scale.

9. What features draw you to a SIM game? What turns you away?
Beautiful websites, not just forum based, non random shows, not run on real time, ease of importing and (when needed) exporting of stock, and of course active members with an active show schedule. I don't need much more inovation than this, hehe.
As I said many times before, anything ran on real time drives me quickly away, even if everything else looks good. I like seeing my generations of homebreds rise to the top, trying to perfect my lines is the main thing that keeps me wanting to play.

10. Do you have any additional thoughts you'd like to share?
Hi Shelly, it's nice seeing you again!
My only additional thought would be to not forbid crosses and uncommon breeds. If it's a discipline based game make sure you cover all possiblities and allow for the possibility of an addition (like Akhal-Tekes to a race game if someone wants to raise them). Even with single breed based games it'd be nice to have an appendix for crosses, as most real life stud books have appendixes for crosses, even if the other breed parent isn't allowed (you will allow outside breedings, right? ).

Good luck with whatever you're doing! ^^