So no post in a while... I have missed writing so much but life was getting on top of me last week. However, I'm 100% back to daily writing again on the blog so let's head into the latest outrage at SSO by the community. SSO decided to introduce an automatic chat banning system. This means that if someone says certain filtered words (e.g. swear words) or spams the chat, they will get some form of sanction. This will either be a warning or a straight out banning from the game which may be anywhere between 3 and 10 days (as far as I've seen). So what's the issue with this filter? Surely it's good that the chat is now a safer environment for everyone, right? Well I think wrong. I do agree in an automatic system for spammers because they're annoying and if you spam it's clearly something you do on purpose for attention but not for filtered words. Here's my issue: a word or phrase either will or will not get picked up by SSO's software as an offensive word or phrase. If it goes get flagged up, it will get filtered and the player will be blocked? Where is the sense in this? They haven't done any harm anyway as no one was able to see their offensive language. If they can say it and the filter doesn't pick it up then it won't get flagged up to chat ban them.
Also, that's not to mention the fact that SSO have managed to block plenty of players without any cause as the software is still in early stages. They should have done more testing before deciding to release a feature into the game that will cause so many issues for their customers. Overall, I think that this was a bad idea by SSO, despite good intentions. It has ruined the experience of the game for a lot of people and I hope that they sort it out soon. What is your opinion on this?
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I was going to do the quests today but there's a rant which requires my attention. Today SSO have announced that they're trialing a new "In Game Chat Safety" feature.
What is it? ★ It means that non-star riders, people on a non-fee paying trial and ex-paying star riders cannot do the following things: ★ Type on, or open, chat ★ Create clubs ★ Update club information ★ Send mail to friends Why? ★ To stop people just creating newb accounts to break rules with no consequences ★ To be able to track players using their payment details (only given out to the police) What's the issue? Well, here's my issue. I think that it's just another money grab to encourage people to get to be star riders. Where's the one big hole in the whole thing? Well, ex-paying star riders have validated their accounts as not being just there to break rules by paying in the past, also SSO would be able to track who they are in the real world from this. However, they are not allowed to even update the club calendar for 'safety'. They cannot talk with their friends for 'safety'. Where is the logic? Seriously, I get they want to make the game safer but this will not help. It is discouraging newer players also from wanting to continue playing as they're not experiencing the social aspect of the game from the start. It completely changes the atmosphere of the game all because SSO want more money and they haven't even made a good job of hiding it. Good job SSO, good job I was looking through some of the posts that I have written about Mistfall today and was quite shocked: I have never done a review of the foxes. It’s shocking because of the amount of time that I spend teasing my friends about their own ‘oversized orange rats’ so it’s about time I spoke on here about these little devils. When I tried the fox out on my sisters account, I found that it was quite similar to the running squirrel that we got (for free). It could stand on some stuff but mostly glitched through objects. It would move it’s head and chase its tail when you were stationary. Quite a sweet little beast, but I think that the price was too much. 450 sc for a running pet? That’s 100sc more than a horse (which is worth a lot more). I think it was over priced by miles. Personally, more than 150sc for a pet is a little bit ridiculous. Think of all of the different things you could have got instead. I like the fox but bearing in mind it’s still very glitchy, I hate the price.
Yesterday, SSO released an article telling us about lots of exciting things coming in game. It’s always nice to see that we haven’t been forgotten about and to be told things that are coming up! The article covered the following things: - New thing at Halloween & Christmas - Animations - Clothes - Hairstyles - Running pets - Horses - New area So I’m going to break each one down and talk about it. This is going to be quite a wordy post because SSO have given us only a few photos, so get yourself a hot drink, warm blanket and settle down to read. SSO have said that they’ll be adding new features to the holiday celebrating, but also keeping some old ones. I think that this is cool because I love tradition, but I don’t look forward to Christmas and Halloween quests anymore, as there is nothing exciting about them. We should get to see the new things happening at Halloween soon and SSO have left us with the little teaser of “For instance, we know there’s a rumour circulating that a mummy has been sighted on the island of Jorvik… “. I hope that it will be like Galloper Thomas was last year because that really was awesome! New animations. I don’t really like the current animations at all because they make taking photos really hard. I’d like to be able to customise the animations a little more but I doubt that will happen. So, I hope the new animations will be more realistic and make the whole experience of the game better. Of course, new clothes. There was a time when SSO released new clothes every week and because of that, new clothes don’t excite me anymore. Their weekly release have pretty much made new clothes an expected thing that is bound to happen with each update - even though it doesn’t anymore. Oh well, they might be nice. NEW HAIR! I am quite excited about this because we haven’t had new hairstyles of a very long time. I am hoping for a messy bun or a half up half down hair style, or French/ Dutch braids. Anything really that is a bit more “on trend” than the current hairstyles that sit in the horse salons. I like the idea of running pets but I’m not sure if they’re for me. I don’t really use my squirrel pet and they’ll probably be very expensive. But a very wise man (aka Professor Dumbledore) once said “don’t count your owls until they are delivered” so I will wait and see if I like them first! Apparently SSO will be releasing a horse that everyone has wanted. The only horses I currently want are Shetland ponies, but I don’t think they’re that popular to come out (due to being a pony). So, I guess, that it may be something that I have never heard of before? I hope that it doesn’t have a plastic look. New area? Well, I would have been excited but right now I’m actually quite sad. It’s had its name changed to “Mistfall” and now looks covered in mist. The mist really ruined Dino valley and I think it will ruin Mistfall too. I just hope that there isn’t mist everywhere. SSO are back to their old name changing tricks, May to Maya, Firfall to Mistfall. And no, I don’t think it’s because “players glitches in”. Here are some pictures: As I said, if there’s mist everywhere, like in Dino Valley, I think that it will be ruined. All of these pictures have mist in so we may be out of luck. However, if the mist is only in some places, maybe confined to the woods, it will be ok. Also, it will be released in 3 parts. I’m not sure how I feel about this. If they release the parts quickly, I don’t mind. However, if it takes 3 years to bring out the one area, I will not like it. I hope that the parts aren’t too small as well, but I think they’ll be about GHV size. I’m going to write a mail to SSO support about there not being mist everywhere and I’d urge everyone else to as well if they agree with me! What do you think about the new area?
It's the time again where people levitate to my blog to see me ranting about the new horses, and don't worry - you won't be disappointed. So today SSO released new arabians, pinto colours. They're found in Crescent Moon, Fort Pinta and Silverglade Equestrian centre. So here's each horse and my opinion on it! I'm never really a fan of blonde manes, but I do like the colours used at the top of the socks and on the edge of the "patches". The nose looks so pretty! It's not too bd, but it's still too plasticy for me to like it, ew. Ok, what even is this. It looks like someone using contour and not blending it. Literally, SSO use a blend tool. The colouring is annoying, the weird shaded stripes are annoying and it looks like something out of a child's cartoon. It's just horrible, in my opinion. I really really really hate it and I wish wish wish wish wish wish SSO didn't make horses like it. This is my favourite out of the three. Although I hate the dark lines, I like the colouring and I do quite like the legs, I think they're cute. The face is the real winner for me. I love the nose and the eyes and the way it all comes together. It's still too plasticy for my liking but it tends to be less noticeable with darker colours. Ok so, I didn't like any of the horses enough to buy them, so what did I buy? Um well... Welcome to the family Fara! I prefer the old arabs 100 times more than the new ones. I've had my eye on this one for a while and today she came to join the Silentland family. She's currently level 4 and I love her so much. My goal is to start buying horses again and training them. I'll only buy arabs, lippis and iceys most likely as they're the only ones that I like. Maybe the odd Andy and Sports. Anyway, it looks so nice, having a good day and I hope you are as well!
WARNING! MASSIVE RANT COMING UP!
Servers. Cupcake Valley Server. Cupcake Valley server is CLOSED and it's annoying. So many Frosties are stuck on the wrong server, and yes they moved and yes it's their fault (mostly) but no, they don't deserve to be stuck on the wrong server for months and people who just started the game on Unicorn Forest simply can't get to Cupcake Valley to join FR and it's just so so so so so so so so so so so so so annoying. Today, Air Star opened which is cool but it's not Cupcake Valley. I know multiple players who have stopped playing due to being trapped away from their friends - the only source of entertainment in game. And why? Well, due to lag SSO has made a limit on the amount of players per server. As players move, this does not create space because we're over the limit still. Say there are 7274 players on the server when they make the "no more than 5000" rule. It takes a lot of people to move before the servers are again open. Now say that 2000 of those accounts are inactive and the players don't use them. It's going to take a long time for them to move. So what do I want? I either simply want them to open the server regardless of spaces or I want them to move everyone who hasn't logged on their accounts for over 3 months to another server. If they became active again, then CV would have enough space for them to move back anyway. Go to hell new area, all I want is CV opened. Well, I was right in thinking that the new horses were a Mustang, Hanoverian and a Sports Friesian. I'm just sitting in the car, writing this on my phone because I have been kayaking. I won't get the chance to actually see the horses tonight which is annoying because I won't be able to talk about them after seeing them in game. However, I can write about them based on what I've seen on social media, including YouTube (which is where the photos coming are from). Well, I'm guessing you're reading this to see what I think so, without further a do, let's hop into it! Hanoverian- It's well known among my club that I hate Hanoverians. I loved the colouring (the mix of gold, on the face, and brown is just to die for) and the tiny little white patch on his head was also just so cute. I also love his legs and the mane and take but, the lack of detail? It's simply so plasticky that it's ruined! It looks like a bit of cheese. It’s really sad actually. I love the colours, I love the shape, I love the IRL breed but the lack of detail has ruined it on SSO! Friesian sports horse - I’m a bad person and I can’t actually see much difference in all of the different sports horses. I quite like the horse. The socks are cute and, apart from the tail being a bit shiny, it’s a lovely horse! I really really love the shading on the socks, they look so smart. Mustang - The one issues with grey horses recently on SSO, is their muscles are too defined and too dark which looks very unnatural. I like the legs, especially the way the black blends to brown, and I like the mane but the tail seems to be a bit too brown/ blonde and they don’t match at all. I don’t think any are for me but they aren’t that bad considering some of the recent horses that SSO have released. I just want the detailed, matt horses back so bad! I think it’s a decent update as SSO will be starting work on the area of the year so do expect the updates to get smaller as they aren’t really what they’re focussing on right now. Ah well, it’s been a long day - good night! This was written by my fabulous friend Caitlin Lightlake. She also has a blog which is well worth a read, if you want to read it - click here.
Hello everyone! For Li's older readers you may remember my guest blog from a while back, theorising about the new Jorvik city area, before it was released. Well I am back!! This time to talk about fishing... the word/ sound/ image that every player dreads to hear. They are the inconvenience of life, the last quests that sit in your log for years gathering dust. I myself am 100% anti-fish, and even at level 20 I have only just started to crack down on these miserable dailies. Perhaps we should campaign for a ban on Jorvik fishing, or the removal of the dreaded "Good try! But the fish got away...". Even if fishing is the most hated sport in Jorvik, it still has some large XP rewards which are helpful when you are so very determined to get to the much wanted level 20. I just hope that SSO don't decide to introduce more fishing in Epona. Thank you for reading! Cait x In many ways, I love the orienteering race. However, it annoys me a LOT that there’s a leaderboard for it when it’s luck that you get the right race. Surely, regardless of your speed and skill, some of the random checkpoints are closer to the start than others. I understand that they need to change places else the race would become boring and pointless. But, I then think that since the race isn’t fair their shouldn’t be a leaderboard for it - like there’s no leaderboard for the Hermit’s race. What do you think?
Oh yes, I know people have been wondering where the Li rant on the Hanoverian but here it is. Before I start, let’s have a look at the horse. Well, it looks quite like a Lippi but in fairness, there isn’t THAT MUCH differentiation between some horse breeds so fair is fair. But the white one is so plastic - it lacks so much detail. Honestly, it looks like a children’s cartoon character, not the horses on the beautiful game I started playing. The brown one isn’t as bad but it’s still quite plastic. Many players are annoyed at this new horse and have been having little rants on social media or giving feedback to SSO, asking for more detailed horses. SSO have been deleting people’s comments on their post if they’re negative towards the new horse but at least it means the team has seen them so hopefully they’ll look at it and change it before it enters the game on Wednesday. I think they should else few people are going to buy them. There’s nothing special about them that makes me want to buy them, they look so similar to other horses. I wish SSO had spent more time on this breed to make it their own.
What do you think about them? Today I finally got to do the first part of the new quests. I got up to (SPOILERS) the part where you’re about to collect the dog but I got a bit too tired. I found them quite boring so far but hopefully they’ll pick up.
However, I want to write today about the best bug ever in SSO. Yesterday, you could remove your gloves and your hat for all to see. I think it was amazing because in real life you don’t ALWAYS wear gloves and although you always (should) wear a hat, few people actually wear appropriate hard hats on SSO anyway. I really hope that SSO add this back at some point because I know so many people were excited about it over IG and then they just go and remove it anyway? Logic right there SSO. If you’re players like it then you keep it because surprise, surprise, without them you have no game. Would you like the no gloves and no hat to stay? Just a little thought from a sleepy me. I love FR. I'm glad that I was given the chance to own it and that me and the club have managed to make it work - together. Yes, learning to own a club comes with mistakes but every mistake got me to where I am today with the club and so, I don't regret a single one. So, just a shout out to the haters, you know nothing about FR so enjoy your life, I'll enjoy mine with FR. THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT!
Meet Phil the filter. One of the biggest annoyances on SSO. Sometimes he's useful and stops people from swearing but honestly, I still see people getting around the filter by using ^ or * or I etc etc. It doesn't let you say buy a horse without it getting ####### out. When ever someone sends me a paragraph, normally at least one thing will be ###### out. But recently I saw that even Star Stable its self, wasn't above that wrath of Phil...
Meet Phil the filter. The biggest bane of everyone's life on SSO. He is always there, getting in the way. There's a reason for him of course, to stop you from swearing or saying other bad things to each other. However, he doesn't even allow you to say "buy a horse" and it's a horse game... So many things get ########## out even though they aren't rude and I found that even the name "starstable" wasn't above Phil's anger.
Hi there! Today I want to talk about the top few thing that annoys me as an owner on Star stable online…
When people copy our name, ideas and uniform. Oh my God, this happened just today. Sure, there are coincidences. If happen to come across the name Frosty Roses Inc. and you really like it, then go ahead, make a club! However, if you just take the name FR and add something on because we are a large club and you want your club to be large as well, then that is not ok. Get original ok? Again, coincidences with the uniform happen. If you are looking for a uniform and you find this nice set and choose it and it happens to be the same as ours, then sure, awesome, have it. But quite honestly, at least once a week I see a new club wearing FR uniform so it can’t always be coincidence. If you look at the photo below, you’ll see a club with the same uniform and the same name… Still coincidence…? And then we get the clubs who copy our ideas. No, we aren’t the only club to have an application system. However, we are the only club I know who holds regular open events and has a shortlist. No, we aren’t the only club to have theme weeks. But the second we run a theme week, I then notice them happening on our server? And when you have a website word for word the same as ours (oh, and I do report people for this) then is that really as coincidence? I might not be able to physically stop you from using this, and sometimes it may be a mistake. But, it often isn’t so grow up people of SSO. Grow up and get original. Sååå brand new Haflingers, awesome - right? I was very excited for them but looking at them now… not so much. Yes, there is a reason that this can be found under “moans”! Well first let’s take a look at them. Yes, here they are. I mean they look quite fluffy and their body is quite cute but oh my God they look plastic. There’s just not enough detail on them for my taste. They lack depth and variation of colour so for large patches there is the same colour which gives them a “plastic” look. I’m sorry but I hate their colourings because of that. Not much to say about from: I don’t like their colours, the colours do not match with the mane and tail and they look plastic.
Some people have been calling out to the community “SSO worked hard on these, don’t hate”. Well this blog is for me to voice my opinions about it. And it’s a lovely game so of course I mainly say good stuff. However, I feel as if I should be able to say bad stuff without getting hated on. I am grateful that this game exists and I’m grateful for most of the content but I have the right to have an opinion and not like and not feel grateful for certain content! Also, this allows SSO to take feedback from the players about what they didn’t like to make the game better (although they don’t read this blog). I do think that these were rushed and I await better colours and textures. However, I think the reason they were rushed is that there are signs that story quests are coming… More will be posted tomorrow! I can finally do the Madison quests because the glitch has been fixed! I’m going to do them tomorrow however since I want to do them in the light and I have a headache now. Today I want to have a bit of a moan based on a few incidents that have bee happening in FR. As the owner, I get a lot of people coming to me about drama, things that have upset them and this is obviously 100% okay as that’s kind of my role of owner. However, recently lots of people have been upset about outfit stealing so I want to talk about that to try and see if I can stop it happening.
First things first. Unlike stealing someones art piece, it is not legal to take someone’s outfit idea on Star Stable. They have no legal ground against you, true. However, if someone took one of you unedited Instagram photos of Star Stable and posted it without credit, how would you feel? Fun fact, in that situation you would have no legal grounds against them because you do not own that photo. But does that make it right? No. Of course it doesn’t. You put time into that photo, and the same applies for outfits. It can take a very long time to find the perfect outfit and looks good together. You spend 30 minutes running across the map for clothes and piecing it together. You go to stand at Steve’s with your friends before logging off. You can back on to find, to your horror, that one of those friends is being complemented on your outfit. They took 3 minutes to make it because all they had to do it get the clothes, not actually design it. That is creative work that you have taken. So yes, they have no legal grounds against you but that doesn’t make it right. Inspiration is okay and coincidences do happen, but when someone hangs out with someone and half an hour later has the same outfit? I think that’s just called copying and please let’s refrain from doing it! Good night! Jorvik City! It looks so beautiful. If you haven’t already watch the trailer, if you have it’s time for a refresh! So what do we know:
1. You get a bus from Fort Pinta. 2. There is a statue of Aideen. 3. There are several eating places. 4. There is a town square. 5. There are quests, possibly to do with the fountain. 6. There is a kind of kitchen? 7. There is a shop for antiques (possibly the museum) 8. There is some kind of florist 9. Trams are the main form of travel 10. Jollister is a shop that is ‘opening soon’ There is furniture in the windows, could it sell things for our home stables? 11. There is a Dark Core quests - new main story line quests! It looks really good but I am disappointed that you most likely won’t be able to take your horse. Also, I hope that it is only open for higher levels, maybe 13 plus. I can’t wait for more main line story quests but if I’m honest I can’t get that excited for Jorvik City. The cities are not what I play SSO for, it is the horses ad the landscape. I feel like South Hoof was to balance that out. I feel like this won’t be a part of the map, it will be like the mall, disconnected from the rest of the game. Well, it might be better then first looks. What did you think? I was watching this little video when I got home on Friday. I have a cold coming on and my throat is burning so I need to get to bed. But this really cheered me up! I am starting to do my dailies in game since I always seem to be low on Jorvik Shillings, his is actually a very good idea since it is something useful that I can do while talking to the club. I thought that I want some of the bugs in game! Like the one where the horses was facing up and the rider was between the legs, or the one when everything had no colour. I just think that they are really cool variations to the game. Just a quick reminder to players, please to not purposely exploit any bugs. Sometimes it happens by accident, for example I was taking photos of Epona before it came out from the GED site and I literally fell in Epona. I just called for a pick up and contacted support explaining. But the people lag in, find a bug to go fast, it isn’t okay and can disrupt others game experience.. If you aren’t in the mood for a negative post, the don’t read this.
I have had enough. Enough of being under valued. Enough of just being told that something that I spend hours doing is awful. I feel like people just let me do all the work, hours of work, and the don’t give me the full credit. I feel like so many people don’t want me to co owner FR anymore. I try not the write negative posts, but tonight I’ve had enough. Writing has always been my way of expressing things and this is my place to do just that. So many people think I am so strong. So strong that they don’t realise, don’t remember, that I have feelings. I hurt too. I try to be positive all the time and it works. But actually it only means that when you have had enough it feels even worst as I feel like I’m going again my own philosophy. And no, I don’t want to tell you wants up. The people who have hurt me and made me feel down are my friends and they didn’t mean to. I don’t want to talk about them behind their backs as if they are bad people, because they aren’t. They just didn’t think about my emotions when they said things and now I’m upset. But I’m one of those people who would rather put themselves in pain then others. I’m not trying to make myself sound amazing - I’m not - but that’s true. I couldn’t intentionally hurt those people. I lied. I want to just write a post about how unfair life is, how upset I am, just to relieve my own feelings. But then I just make more people feel upset and then I lose a friend and make myself feel upset again. So it honestly isn’t worth it. I feel like so many people think I’m not ‘tactful’. Online people read things differently and I type things with smiles to genuinely put a lighter mood to things. Apparently people think this is sarcasm. If you are one of those people mistaking that then that’s your own fault. I can’t predict how you will read something, I can only write it how I would read it and hope the right meaning comes across. All I want is for people to stop just saying comments, comments that many are true but they are not tactful. And they hurt when I have done an hours work and people just moan moan moan. If I didn’t enjoy it, I wouldn’t do it. That is why I don’t like to pay much attention to what people say about my blog. This is the place where I’m not judged. Maybe you are judging me just for writing this? Well actually I don’t want attention. I’d rather no one read this. But I want to put it up to the chance that someone MIGHT read it. My blog is where I can write whatever the hell I want (within reason) and people cannot stop me. My thoughts, my feelings, my stories, my comics, my ideas. Mine. I just want to be me. |
Li Silentland
Hello!Welcome to my little space on the large internet where I can share my thoughts, views and fanfics! I am you 'normal' teenaged girl, who loves writing, gaming and horses. I've played Star Stable online since 1st June 2014 and I am currently a level 20 player on Cupcake Valley where I hang about with Frosty Roses and my 18 pixel horses! Disclaimer: All images and anything else to do with this blog are taken in the game Star Stable Online produced by Star Stable Entertainment AB. I have nothing to do with Star Stable and own none of their graphics. But I can tell you it is a great game and you should play it!
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