I can't easily see which pearl I need to click on, and even if I can, my hands aren't always steady enough to click where I intended.

I hover over them, and then use the mouse wheel to scroll to where I need it.

nope. it just makes everything else hard to manage. i don't want to be zooming in and out and in and out. i shouldn't have to. how can it possibley hurt them just to keep the option as is it?

g

mort, how come you haven't been using the drop-down menu option? i sure have!

g

I hated the string of pearls when I first started and once I found out how to change to the drop down menu I did and I have 't changed back. This will make playing the game VERY difficult and add more time to working my horses. I work full-time and have a life outside internet games - so looks likes I've flushed all the money I've spent on this game down the drain. If it's too dificult I'll be gone.

EC changes and other things that require adding new aspect to the game are part of the game evolving - but making it physically difficult to actually play is something that become a serious deal breaker.

WolfSinger

Because it requires extra clicking. Hover and scroll is easier on my hands.

i'd rather do one extra click than further ruin my eyes and give myself headaches. and if you miss the first time, that's more clicking, hard on hands (yes that's a problem for me too, though not so much with typing as with other stuff, like writing).

g

I like the string of pearls interface because I can hover my mouse over the scale and use the scroll wheel to select the amount. I hardly ever click on the scale - and I do almost all my playing from a computer - so it works well for me.

The little bit of playing I do from a tablet is rather difficult with the pearls, though - perhaps the ease of play for mobile users would give them an excuse to leave the drop down option for everybody.

I don't think I will enjoy the fact that people can switch between locations at will. As I BLUP about 60+ horses a day, it will be annoying to find that my horse who just needs forest (with training done) is suddenly in a mountain or beach EC. A minor thing, but multiply that by so many horses, and it will get very irritating.

The "string-of-pearls" interface is especially helpful for rides/training, because I can hover + scroll to see when my horse's skills max out for that particular ride, etc.

As for feeding, when you use the hover + mouse-scroll technique, wouldn't it be possible to read off of where it says "Amount: X"? I can see this being an issue on mobile devices though.

I think they can only change for 30 days after the update - after that they become locked again.

But for those 30 days I agree. I've been working my horses starting with mountain rides - then comps - then forest rides - then lessons. For compeition horses I throw beach rides in at the end. So I have to time and move my horses for each set of rides. I currently have my EC located in the forest - but I am considering moving to the beach so I have a good EC available when my comp horses reach beach rides.

I know it will be hard on boarders - but I am planning on boucing a couple of times during this period - 1 week in Forest - 1 week in Mountain and 1 week in Beach then making a final decision.

WolfSinger.

we will not be able to change them at will. it's just a temporary month-long feature so we can make our final decisions. then we will not be able to change anymore.

g

That is assuming you actually use a mouse >.> I play on my laptop which does not have an attached scroll wheel and I am rather fond of my mousepad thank you very much. I am not going to sit at a table just to use a physical mouse in order to use a scroll wheel. The more and more I use my mousepad the more and more I am finding regular mice to be much too sensitive in terms of movement I hate when i end up using the household computer because the keyboard is stiff and the mouse is so expressive. I only ever use my wireless mouse for heavier PC gaming where I actually cannot use mousepad, and I can game effectively with some games with my mousepad. Not looking forward to the silly pearls at all.

Though I suppose I should switch it now so I am semi-used to it >.>

With the changing locations: I believe people may abuse this for 30 days. Changing from locaton to location so they don't have to buy anything.
As for the string of pearls: I use the VIP auto-feed perq so that won't be an issue with feeding(except with foal games) I am also used to this feature (I've been using it my whole game) but I'll try out the old interface for today.

catmaster, I agree. I have the vip perk to preselect the amount of food, and it is worth it to ,e. I cannot stand the interface. And I am only too happy that I board my own because with everyone changing locations, it will be a real mess trying to skill/blup in the wrong locations. I mean, i think the boarding contract should be able to be canceled if the ec owner is going to switch locations to suit their needs. The boarder needs to be given some consideration as well.

I really dislike the string of pearls interface. I use a mouse, but I actually use my keyboard to type in the length of actions I want, so that will be annoying to change how I've done it for years now. Does anyone know if this change affects all servers?

Seems to me that once the changes roll out on each server, it would be on each server.

I personally *actually* use both interfaces.

I have a VIP auto-feed feature (like a lot of VIP players do) and it is amazing for AP farming.
The problem is, I'm unused to the normal pattern of the boxes now (makes BLUPping or AP farming for others difficult for me) because I moved them around to suit my needs (the EC button is now on the left-hand side and I keep forgetting that's not where it actually goes). The way mine's set up, the string-of-pearls feature pushes the button for bedding down further down the page. When I'm BLUPping, this isn't a problem because I'm always paying attention to my skills, training or doing rides, figuring out comp stuff, etc. etc. etc.. So I use the string-of-pearls; it's easier on me and allows me to easily change the amount I need to feed. Oddly enough, I /hate/ the fact that scrolling changes the amount on the interface. (And Halla-I completely agree with you; my touchpad works wonders for me). But when I'm AP farming, this is a problem because I'm trying to go as fast as possible; I switch to the old interface during that.

So if I want to keep my speed, I'm going to have to move my boxes back around, I guess.

I have always used string of pearls… so I just switched to the drop ox option to see how it felt. I went a little slower because I wasn't used to it, but I can see how both options would be difficult on mobile. So, I come with advice. If you use dropbox, just switch back and forth for the next few days so you're used to both.

Being used to it is not most people's problems. Sure for some people it might be but most people can not physically use the String of Pearls. As a lot of people are saying they can't see the amount of hours/food without having to zoom-in

Exactly.

I do not have vision problems, nor arthritic but do have muscle/nerve problems. I have Sciatica which affects my mobility but it does seem to affect the nerve ending in my fingers so holding the mouse can be hard done over long periods ( I only have a desktop computer). So the less I have to hold the mouse to click the better.

I can cope as it seems only the feed is the only area that is mandatory with this feature but it will slow me down some and I will need to take more breaks between usage..

Lets just say on touch screens, most fingers are bigger than the spot you want. and very easy to make a mistake,

When I am doing a lot of playing on my tablet I use a stylus which lets me precisely select amounts using the pearls - with my finger I often hit the wrong amount by mistake. My hands are perfectly healthy but for those with physical limitations holding a stylus may not be an option either.

It seems like the issue with the drop down under the new changes is not being able to see where your fodder is coming from - the whole two-colored pearls thing that will show how much you get for free from the EC and how much comes out of your inventory. If we keep the option to use the list, players who do won't be able to see where their fodder is coming from.

The thing is I don't care where it is coming from. Most of my horses i use for comps are in my own EC. I have automatic purchase so my inventory will always be topped off.

So the feature they are adding that requires the scale option, means absolutely nothing to me.

I don't care where it comes from either. I don't have the auto purchase option, but I maintain a large supply of fodder and every morning I purchase to maintain minimum quantities of fodder, mash and oats in my inventory.

WolfSinger

Howrse gives us enough things to remember, now I have to know this? "Color-Coding" seems like an unnecessary thing to have.

middle aged eyes -- if you have them you understand what it's like
color coding means nothing to me --- I either am in an EC that has goodies or not -- or I'm in my own, that always does (big believer in "topping off" too -- just like we do our gas tanks in our cars )

my question is WHY ? for the sake of change ? ok, change is fine -- but take away an option some of us like and need and isn't having a game impact; for the sake of change ?
is that really necessary ?