Summer Updates

[Tom]

Some of the difficulty in breeding is that the formula isn't just [breed a] x [breed b] = [breed c]. The horses have to produce offspring that are within the new breed genetically so trying the same stallion over and over without good results probably means that stallion has poor genetic compatibly with the new breed you are trying for.

[Nessein]

My main problem is actually with studs from inactive players that will no longer be aged.

If you are an active player with a secondary account to store your studs, you could still get a huge amount of breedings with this new functionality. 10 breedings per 'turn, 24 turns per horse year, 240 studdings per year. If you breed between the age of 10 and 20 you can already have 2400 breedings, and you could start breeding even earlier. But studs from inactive players now have 10 breedings, and once those run out they are no longer usable unless that player returns. This could become a huge issue for breeding more 'higher level/more complex' breeds and breeds that have more difficult requirements.

I think the active player base is simply not big enough to maintain a large pool of different breeds, and this new rule will actually add to this problem. I fear that this will lead to more people only breeding ' lower level/less complex' breeds or breeds that have already been improved. Right now I already feel like half of the horses are 0/5 20 hh appaloosa champagne arabians, which is fine, but I think this new rule will lower the variety even more.

(sorry if my writing is not clear, English isn't my first language. )

[CrownRoyalEquestrian]

Yep. Already ran into huge problems. 3 of my go to studs for an already fragile breed now have the error 'this stallion doesn't have enough energy to breed'. This breed only has 2 pages of studs. I can't imagine how bad this is going to get.

[Raven]

As an active breeder, I don't really like the breeding change. I understand the problem with immortal stallions, but many of us still prefer having fresh stallions every week... and retire to another account the older stallions and put them for stud for other players.
I fear this change will decrease the number of available studs and will hurt the rare breeds too...

[Milana]

I fully agree with nessein!

[meganamber]

This update is definitely not my favorite, but I can see why you implemented it. It is making breeding harder for me, but that's ok, I can deal with it. Thanks for all the hard work you guys have done!

[Scythian]

Some of the difficulty in breeding is that the formula isn't just [breed a] x [breed b] = [breed c]. The horses have to produce offspring that are within the new breed genetically so trying the same stallion over and over without good results probably means that stallion has poor genetic compatibly with the new breed you are trying for.

Well, yes. That's why I modified Yuletide Dancer's ad, emphasizing that his good general qualities as a horse can (and have) produced good crossbred or grade offspring He's only 3/5 for Sorraia. One mare did indeed expend her entire reproductive career not producing a Sorraia by him -- the aptly named "Tin of Sorrows." But his Sorraia son, Yuletide Witch, came from the sixth mating from Possessed Witch! (And he was the only one of her offspring the owner saw fit to keep and breed.)

Thing is, Yuletide Dancer was probably the least expensive stallion of that cross (Tarpan x West African Barb). His half-brother Sorran was a better prospect for a Sorraia BUT now Sorran's future is limited since at the moment he is in an inactive account. Worse yet, he is the only stallion of that cross now posted publicly.

As for my efforts to produce a Lipizzaner from World +9 (name given by previous owner; I never changed it), she evaluates 5/5 for that breed. To the best of my recollection, I have bred her to, ironically, nine different stallions; the only stallion I used more than once was Hank of Bumblebee, who sired both her Lipizzaner foals -- the foal from their 3rd mating was a grade, so I moved on. Her most recent breeding was with mustang 5* who also analyzes 5/5 for Lipi. Grade. I gave up. (Trying to portray "utter chagrin".) She's going to age out.

I'm in profound sympathy with other breeders, having attempted and failed at seemingly simple breeds like Norman Cob. I own a great many breed books, I study them and analyze potential mates, cross 5/5 with 5/5 whenever I can, and still ... well, Baladis are my comfort. And that's one breed where I have succeeded with too tall x too short.

Side note, Nessein's observation "Right now I already feel like half of the horses are 0/5 20 hh appaloosa champagne arabians, which is fine, but I think this new rule will lower the variety even more." is all too accurate. Meh.

Going to mow the lawn now.

[Maddie.Boo]

I think it would be more convenient for breeding to take 5% of the energy instead of 10%. Now, this is a personal opinion. I'm having a little trouble getting over the whole studding thing, but other than that the update is pretty cool.

One question:
When the stud is out of energy, will in be removed from the market? Not sure if that has been answered yet.

[Xant’hippe]

...

One question:
When the stud is out of energy, will in be removed from the market? Not sure if that has been answered yet.

I just made a short survey of Stallions for Breeding and several of them have less than 10% energy. Not sure if there is any way for Admin to screen those out.

[utopie]

haven't read everything but immortal stallion ARE realistic! this may sound like nonsense but with artificial insemination using frozen semen, being dead doesn't prevent a stud from beeing used for reproduction.
I'm involved in the preservation of some endangered breeds (horses and goats) and frozen samples from studs no longer alive have been kept and is made available to breeders.