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Author Topic : Suggestion to make the game less frustrating
 XiZang
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4/24/2022 2:33:02 PM reply with quote send message to XiZang Object to Post   

(Sorry, posted this in the General forum instead of here)

If I could make one improvement/change to the game it would be to always have an OH judge each day. Yesterday, there were 3, and from what I can tell there isn't another OH judge for days. When you have a lot of kennels, a lot of dogs, and 5000 judges, it's almost impossible to havve enough time to look at each judges preferences, or to find handlers. Most of the time because I actually have a life I end up only entering a few of my dogs under non-OH because I only have a few hours each day to do my show planning.

Sorry, just frustrated (speaking for all my kennels).

Jeff, if by some fluke you are reading these posts, help us!
 BarStar
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4/24/2022 3:06:02 PM reply with quote send message to BarStar Object to Post

I personally like the randomness of the current program.

If an owner handler judge is everyday, other shows are going to take a massive hit.

Making folks occasionally enter handler judges also helps alleviate the issue of the WC being tilted towards the smaller pool of non handler judges every month.

Will
 DetroitKennel
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4/24/2022 3:41:53 PM reply with quote send message to DetroitKennel Object to Post

I have to agree with barstar. Even though it’s a lot of time and work, it’s what keeps the game competitive. We all have lives, and that does make it difficult to manage multiple kennels but that’s part of the game.
And you can always sponsor more no handler shows if you want, or specialties for your breed that are no handler (a cheaper option than all breeds).
 gaylanstudio
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4/24/2022 5:05:07 PM reply with quote send message to gaylanstudio Object to Post

I can relate to everyone above!

I too have time constraints so I usually dump everyone into the OH shows. Usually just a few go to the handler ones if they are needing more points for some title or another.

That said, it's true that everyone gravitates to the OH shows - they are filled and the rest are left near empty. I don't know of any that don't get some entries though.

Now, I know this has a snowball's chance in "Havana", but here is a thought - a dog-handler familiarity factor. Over time our dogs would develop a relationship with the handlers that they see the most. They would show with greater animation and smoothness from knowing their usual handler/handlers better. Handlers would get to know the dogs they handle more often better and know how best to show them.

Another thought is that we as owner-handlers might acquire skills (or even judge relationships) to narrow the gap between the pros and owners. (Some of this perhaps could be borrowed from ShowHorse where we gained show skills in the English/Western Pleasure classes.)

Both of these thoughts would actually bring a more realistic flavour to dog-handler-judge-owner relationship.
 Comet Poodles
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4/24/2022 5:18:57 PM reply with quote send message to Comet Poodles Object to Post

this post has been edited 1 time(s)

I agree with some of what has already been said above. I think more OH shows would drastically reduce entries in other shows. As BarStar said, the past several SDWC judges have been OH judges which gets pretty predictable and boring.

For my part (and this may be difficult for those with several breeds), I have a master list of judges who place my breed in group. This makes campaigning much easier.

I also host no-handler specialties at least 5 times a month or more, and that helps a lot with finishing dogs. Granted, that costs $.

Gaylan has some creative ideas but the time for their implementation is long gone.

edit: I think El Caballo Blanco also makes a good point in the other thread about handler preference. If they were less weighted, that would be helpful. I know I don't enter if the top 3-5 handlers are taken and there is a whole list of 25 "favorite" handlers per judge. But again, I think the time to tweak that is gone :/

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Last edited by Comet Poodles on 4/24/2022 5:24:00 PM
 FlyingHigh Champions
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6/8/2022 12:41:42 PM reply with quote send message to FlyingHigh Champions Object to Post

One really simple change (I would think) to the show entry process . . .

When you've done your entries and select "Change Handler", you get the page which lists all the handlers and the judge (as a link). You can then click on that link to see the judges profile.

I know it's not a big effort to click but if you are entering a full schedule with handlers and several dogs (perhaps 30), that's a lot of clicks.

Why not display the judges profile automatically on that select handler page. I've been around long enough to know pretty much all the owner-handler judges but not the others. I think I would be more inclined to enter handler shows if this additional click was unnecessary.
 Barnsforde
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6/8/2022 5:13:02 PM reply with quote send message to Barnsforde Object to Post

this post has been edited 1 time(s)

What's frustrating me at the moment is the game seems to be running really slow.
It's not my internet or computer because facebook and my e-mails are coming up quickly.
I'm literally just ticking over at the moment, not running well enough to enter shows.

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Last edited by Barnsforde on 6/8/2022 5:14:25 PM
 Barnsforde
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6/9/2022 1:00:54 AM reply with quote send message to Barnsforde Object to Post

The game is working perfectly well now.
Basically if I can't get all my entering done first thing in the morning (I'm in UK) when everyone in USA is in bed, the game just freezes up.
Unfortunately with RL dogs to walk I can't plan my day around a game.
 gaylanstudio
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6/9/2022 5:11:51 PM reply with quote send message to gaylanstudio Object to Post

UKer:
You may be having issues if you are on around midnight Texas time. There are a bunch of batch jobs that start running then - the actual shows, session buying,selling, and various other batch updates. These will tie up the database and other resources to a certain degree. (My computer savvy is dated but I would think this could apply, also just plain physical distance.)
 Winthrop Kennels
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6/10/2022 6:08:36 AM reply with quote send message to Winthrop Kennels Object to Post

I tend to agree with Xi. I prefer the no handler shows due to the simplicity. Now at least some of that is my fault for not creating said shows.

If someone who makes shows could walk me through it I will try to change that.
 Winthrop Kennels
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6/10/2022 6:15:48 AM reply with quote send message to Winthrop Kennels Object to Post

Ok, I just created a show. The judges are random? Or did i miss something?
 Comet Poodles
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6/10/2022 7:59:41 AM reply with quote send message to Comet Poodles Object to Post

quote
posted by Winthrop Kennels
Ok, I just created a show. The judges are random? Or did i miss something?
Yes, the judges are chosen at random.
 CityofDetroit
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6/10/2022 8:10:46 AM reply with quote send message to CityofDetroit Object to Post

this post has been edited 1 time(s)

The judges are random, but if you do a specialty in your breed you can choose the show to be no handler and they are cheaper. You can always do this for days no handler shows are not available.

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Last edited by CityofDetroit on 6/10/2022 8:12:49 AM
 FlyingHigh Champions
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6/10/2022 3:11:06 PM reply with quote send message to FlyingHigh Champions Object to Post

It's not a perfectly consistent thing but I've noticed that the more expensive shows tend to get more owner-judges. Of course, $20 shows tend to get fewer entries so it's a trade-off. I'm not sure this observation is helpful, but there it is - lol.
 Irish Freedom Kennels
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6/15/2022 4:25:41 PM reply with quote send message to Irish Freedom Kennels Object to Post

quote
posted by Barnsforde
The game is working perfectly well now.
Basically if I can't get all my entering done first thing in the morning (I'm in UK) when everyone in USA is in bed, the game just freezes up.
Unfortunately with RL dogs to walk I can't plan my day around a game.

I am in Belfast and have the same problem with the game running slow. I think it’s the time difference, because if you’re anything like me, you come out to play first thing in the AM when all the people in Texas, where the game is/was? Based, I don’t now anymore, are sleeping and shows are running, sessions being bought/sold, people sessioning dogs/checking results, etc.

—Saoirse
 BarStar
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6/15/2022 5:24:45 PM reply with quote send message to BarStar Object to Post

quote
posted by Winthrop Kennels
Ok, I just created a show. The judges are random? Or did i miss something?
When you create an all breed show, the system randomly selects a judge for you.

When you create a breed specialty show, the system will still randomly select your judge. BUT, you get to choose a non handler specialty or handler specialty. By choosing a non handler specialty, all of the judges preferences are the same except the system turns off the handler preferences for that one show so handlers aren't a factor.

Regular specialties are a flat $200 sponsorship. No Handler specialties go up by $50 every time one is placed on the schedule. Once the no handlers fall off the schedule, prices go back down by $50 increments.

*******
Years ago, We could pay an add on fee to select the judge for a show. It was extremely pricey so only the richer kennels could afford use this method. Eventually, Jeff killed the feature due to tilting the balance of the game too far. I have a feeling if no handlers dominated the show schedule that the same unbalance would return.

Will
 Barnsforde
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6/20/2022 4:15:36 PM reply with quote send message to Barnsforde Object to Post

4pm USA time/10pm UK time and the game is almost impossible to play
 Easter Rising Kennel
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6/25/2022 6:48:20 PM reply with quote send message to Easter Rising Kennel Object to Post

quote
posted by gaylanstudio
I can relate to everyone above!

I too have time constraints so I usually dump everyone into the OH shows. Usually just a few go to the handler ones if they are needing more points for some title or another.

That said, it's true that everyone gravitates to the OH shows - they are filled and the rest are left near empty. I don't know of any that don't get some entries though.

Now, I know this has a snowball's chance in "Havana", but here is a thought - a dog-handler familiarity factor. Over time our dogs would develop a relationship with the handlers that they see the most. They would show with greater animation and smoothness from knowing their usual handler/handlers better. Handlers would get to know the dogs they handle more often better and know how best to show them.

Another thought is that we as owner-handlers might acquire skills (or even judge relationships) to narrow the gap between the pros and owners. (Some of this perhaps could be borrowed from ShowHorse where we gained show skills in the English/Western Pleasure classes.)

Both of these thoughts would actually bring a more realistic flavour to dog-handler-judge-owner relationship.

I totally support this idea. I’m also for adding in other random elements like injuries or illnesses where your dog would be unable to compete for a period of time and would have to see the vet for medications/treatments and of course, the owner would have to pay for that treatment.

If the aim of the game is to simulate real life, anyone who has had dogs knows that real life includes illness, injury, etc. I bet most people will read this and say “Nooooo,” but I think it would add another realistic element to the game.

—Saoirse, West Belfast
 gaylanstudio
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6/25/2022 9:28:57 PM reply with quote send message to gaylanstudio Object to Post

this post has been edited 1 time(s)

Easter,

Thank you for supporting my suggestion but, medical issues - noooo, I don't think so. It was part of the original game plan but is no longer in effect. I'm not even sure it was ever implemented.

As a dog owner having just dealt with gastrointestinal inflammation. cranial cruciate ligament injury, bladder tumour (it was relatively benign so we're good, but still a bit "leaky" ) I have enough of this kind of trauma in real life. I play the game to escape that type of reality.

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Last edited by gaylanstudio on 6/25/2022 9:30:26 PM
 DetroitKennel
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6/25/2022 10:18:39 PM reply with quote send message to DetroitKennel Object to Post

I think it was part of the plan (why vitamins are on the food scale), but was never implemented due to Gaylan’s reasoning. No one wanted the stress!
Happy to hear your dogs tumor is benign Gaylan. Still stressful to deal with though. My old gal was having “leaking” issues last year but luckily it ended up just being low estrogen levels so she’s just on an estrogen pill and that’s worked like a charm. It does seem to always be something though especially with both my pups being ten years old, so I do agree that I do prefer that illness is not a concern with my virtual dogs. They may be fake but still, the anxiety! I agree it would make the game more realistic but maybe too much so.

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