Howrse
3.45
RATE IT:
.: Style
Howrse is also known to some as Equideow. Equideow is the original version of the site, completely in French. It then was translated into English as Howrse, and earlier this year translated into German as well, but still keeping the name Howrse. The site is growing rapidly with 1,797,000 members on the English server, 330,900 members on the German server, and 2,658,000 users on the French server.
My first impression of Howrse is that I am completely in love with the layout. Not only is everything well-organized and easy to find, but the layout is also artistically well done. I also really like the fact that there are very few large blocks of open space, and even those pages that do have open space have a nice background.
The artwork of Howrse is fairly well done, though it could use some improvement. The main reason I feel I need to criticize the art is because they use the same image with the Thoroughbred, Arabian, and the Irish Hunter. The horses and ponies come in many different colors ranging from strawberry roan to palomino piebald, with each coat coloring only being used on the horses that actually have that coat real life. Horses and ponies also have two different images for the stages in their life; foal and adult.
Probably one of the main reasons so many people are attracted to Howrse is the ability to create your own horses for the site. With purchasing passes (the sites form of donations) you can you buy an object called the Black Pearl. This gives you the ability to create your very own coat for your use, and use by other members of the site. Your passes do not go to waste however, other users have the option of using that coat on their horse, which gives the original horse creator one pass per horse turned that coat. .: Plot
The main idea of Howrse is to become the best at one particular field of the site. You can be the Top Breeder, own the top Equestrian Center, set up the most successful horse race, or have the best horses on the site.
In order to become Best Breeder, you must really be dedicated to the site. You must be successful with breeding numerous breeds of horses and earn plenty of the sites currency, known as equus. Best Breeder is also broken down into four categories; wealth, number of horses, number of aging points, and the number of horses you care for in a particular day. Those are all pretty much self-explanatory, other than the aging point part. In order to obtain aging points you must find them throughout the site, or randomly while caring for your horses.
The top equestrian center rankings are also split into four categories; wealth, prestige, popularity, and number of horses boarded. To make your center wealthy you can charge other users boarding fee, hold racing competitions, and plant crops in your center’s pasture for later sale. Prestige is based on a few things; the cleanliness of your pasture, the staff you have employed, the bedding used, and the healthcare of your center. Popularity of your center is just that, how popular your center is based on the number of visits it gets daily. In order to board more horses, you must first assure you have enough stalls for the new horses and the staff to take care of them.
The best competitions are based on the prestige of the competition held. The prestige is based on popularity of the race, the number of times the race has been held, total earnings, and the difficulty of the race. Each user has the option of creating his/her own race by selecting certain pieces of the track and forming a race.
The best horses and ponies can be chosen based on their abilities in the following: trotting, galloping, dressage, speed, stamina, and jumping. Each breed of horse has its own strengths and weaknesses, just like real horses. Horses can become better at their specialties through selective breeding. .: Safety
When you first sign up for the site, you are asked your age, which determines whether or not you are allowed to use the forums and private messaging features of the site. Howrse abides by C.O.P.P.A. in doing so.
The forums are very well moderated. I have not seen a time where there were not at least three moderators online at a given time. On the forums all curse words are filtered out, making the forums a safe place for younger audiences. Of course the forum has its fair share of spammers, but based on what I have seen the moderators take care of problems quickly. Private messaging also has the same word filters as the forums do. There is also a feature with which you can report other users.
The only problems I see with horse as far as safety goes is with horse trading. Any user, regardless of their age, can post something like a wishlist when selling their horse in the auctions or private sales. There is no way to directly report an inappropriate message; you must mail a moderator to have things taken care of. .: Gameplay
Howrse seems to be a site that would take a lot to grow bored with. You have many different aspects of playing the site, and many things to do. Not only can you try to become the best at one part of the site, as explained in the plot section of this review, but you also have small quizzes known as Riding Levels. Completing these quizzes can give you items and also the ability to work for equus in another user’s equestrian center.
For the main part, you breed, sell, and care for your horses, but you can also race them as well. You just have to train your horse in the particular area to the best the breed can get, and then you buy tack and race them. Based on your horse’s skill and the horses you are going up against, you are given a placement and rewarded with equus.
Throughout the entire section of the game with caring for your horses, you must make sure you keep their energy level up, keep them healthy, and be sure to feed them. Just like real horses, if you do not care for your horse it will die. .: Community
The forums and private messaging are well organized, but seem to be a bit boring to me. The only discussion allowed on the forums is that related to your online horses, sales, and your equestrian center. There is really no way to get to know another user via the forums. If you wish to talk with someone outside of a topic allowed, you are forced to use private messaging.
As with any site, Howrse also has its fair share of older users who seem to know it all. I witnessed several newer players mocked for their mistakes and for asking questions. In my opinion the older users should be the ones to try their best to help out, not make fun of someone because of their lack of knowledge of a site.
4.00
My first impression of Howrse is that I am completely in love with the layout. Not only is everything well-organized and easy to find, but the layout is also artistically well done. I also really like the fact that there are very few large blocks of open space, and even those pages that do have open space have a nice background.
The artwork of Howrse is fairly well done, though it could use some improvement. The main reason I feel I need to criticize the art is because they use the same image with the Thoroughbred, Arabian, and the Irish Hunter. The horses and ponies come in many different colors ranging from strawberry roan to palomino piebald, with each coat coloring only being used on the horses that actually have that coat real life. Horses and ponies also have two different images for the stages in their life; foal and adult.
Probably one of the main reasons so many people are attracted to Howrse is the ability to create your own horses for the site. With purchasing passes (the sites form of donations) you can you buy an object called the Black Pearl. This gives you the ability to create your very own coat for your use, and use by other members of the site. Your passes do not go to waste however, other users have the option of using that coat on their horse, which gives the original horse creator one pass per horse turned that coat. .: Plot
3.00
In order to become Best Breeder, you must really be dedicated to the site. You must be successful with breeding numerous breeds of horses and earn plenty of the sites currency, known as equus. Best Breeder is also broken down into four categories; wealth, number of horses, number of aging points, and the number of horses you care for in a particular day. Those are all pretty much self-explanatory, other than the aging point part. In order to obtain aging points you must find them throughout the site, or randomly while caring for your horses.
The top equestrian center rankings are also split into four categories; wealth, prestige, popularity, and number of horses boarded. To make your center wealthy you can charge other users boarding fee, hold racing competitions, and plant crops in your center’s pasture for later sale. Prestige is based on a few things; the cleanliness of your pasture, the staff you have employed, the bedding used, and the healthcare of your center. Popularity of your center is just that, how popular your center is based on the number of visits it gets daily. In order to board more horses, you must first assure you have enough stalls for the new horses and the staff to take care of them.
The best competitions are based on the prestige of the competition held. The prestige is based on popularity of the race, the number of times the race has been held, total earnings, and the difficulty of the race. Each user has the option of creating his/her own race by selecting certain pieces of the track and forming a race.
The best horses and ponies can be chosen based on their abilities in the following: trotting, galloping, dressage, speed, stamina, and jumping. Each breed of horse has its own strengths and weaknesses, just like real horses. Horses can become better at their specialties through selective breeding. .: Safety
4.00
The forums are very well moderated. I have not seen a time where there were not at least three moderators online at a given time. On the forums all curse words are filtered out, making the forums a safe place for younger audiences. Of course the forum has its fair share of spammers, but based on what I have seen the moderators take care of problems quickly. Private messaging also has the same word filters as the forums do. There is also a feature with which you can report other users.
The only problems I see with horse as far as safety goes is with horse trading. Any user, regardless of their age, can post something like a wishlist when selling their horse in the auctions or private sales. There is no way to directly report an inappropriate message; you must mail a moderator to have things taken care of. .: Gameplay
4.00
For the main part, you breed, sell, and care for your horses, but you can also race them as well. You just have to train your horse in the particular area to the best the breed can get, and then you buy tack and race them. Based on your horse’s skill and the horses you are going up against, you are given a placement and rewarded with equus.
Throughout the entire section of the game with caring for your horses, you must make sure you keep their energy level up, keep them healthy, and be sure to feed them. Just like real horses, if you do not care for your horse it will die. .: Community
2.00
As with any site, Howrse also has its fair share of older users who seem to know it all. I witnessed several newer players mocked for their mistakes and for asking questions. In my opinion the older users should be the ones to try their best to help out, not make fun of someone because of their lack of knowledge of a site.
.: Users who like this also like:
