Pippa Funnell: The Stud Farm Inheritance

Pippa Funnell: The Stud Farm Inheritance is story-driven simulation game based around horse-riding and training.

The player takes the role of Miss Estelle Beaumont whose great aunt, Patricia Beaumont, has left her a stud farm in her will. The game starts with Estell arriving in the quaint village of Appleton where she must meet with the family solicitor, Mr Scrivener, to discuss the inheritance. After a brief conversation Mr Scrivener takes Estell out to the stud farm where she meets Davy, he and his kid sister Rose live on the stud farm and, under the terms of the will, they can stay there as long as they wish. Davy takes care of the running of the farm and during the game will teach Estelle how to care for the horses as well as how to ride in both dressage and showjumping events.

The first thing Davy does is teach Estelle how to groom the far's only horse, which the player gets to name. Later he teaches Estelle how to ride in dressage and on successful completion of the dressage course Estelle's horse earns experience points which can be used to learn new skills or improve endurance, sped or jumping height. Completion of tasks also earns Estelle benefits too as she finds when she next visits Mr Scrivener. It seems that great aunt Patricia attached certain conditions to the inheritance to make sure the stud farm passed to someone who liked horses. Passing the dressage test means that the solicitor will permit the development of either a beginner's show-jumping course or a beginner's cross-country course. As the game progresses he will authorise other work to be done such as the renovation of buildings and fences on the farm, the building of more advanced courses and the purchase of better horses.

The game progresses in this manner with both the horse and Estelle gaining experience as they train and compete in horse riding events. In both the training and the competitions, if the player is unsuccessful the game allows the circuit / event to be repeated until success is achieved. The training and the competitions get harder as the game progresses. Pippa Funnell appears in the game making 'phone calls to Estelle and she also appears in the final competition.

Estelle has a mobile 'phone through which she receives information about what to do next and a journal to remind her of the current task.

The adventure story behind the game develops as Estelle gains in experience and centres on other characters who want the farm.

The game is mainly controlled by the keyboard. The arrow keys move Estelle, whether mounted or otherwise, with specific keys defined for jumping and other horse riding actions such as saluting, leading in and so on. The mouse is used for grooming the horse, cleaning the stable as well as making selections when talking to the solicitor etc.