Several suggestions have been posted already requesting new colors on existing species. Personally I feel that there is more than enough variation in the current genetics but wouldn't mind different colors.

Right now we can alter colors with skins but you have to admit the rainbow potion is inaccessible for mass use. Say for example you don't like the flat, boring, dragon colors. It's quite an undertaking to reskin every dragon you own to a more interesting pattern.

My solution is to add breeds. Player created breeds even.

Think of it like adding a prefix, that would be their breed. It would still be the same species, have the same genetics, just show different art based on the color genetics.

Instead of using the default images, the special breeds would use the alternate skin stored in for that gene combination. Automatic skins, always based on that species (either a recolor or custom art that doesn't vary much from from the general idea,) used instead of the default images.

However even breeds would require a lot of work and I would rather have Angel working on new species than recoloring everything multiple times to appeal to everyone's varying tastes, so I suggest make breeds a player-created thing.
We would have to do the art ourselves and upload it, perhaps a system could be made to ease this along where we could "fill in" categories and finally upload the completed breed for approval.

A species could be given a breed with a rare potion, probably more expensive than a rainbow potion.
If two creatures of the same breed have a baby together, that baby would always inherit their breed. "Mixed breeds" wouldn't exist. They would always inherit the default species "breed" and revert back to the normal images. Only by breeding two of the same breed would you be able to get anything but the default breed.

The same rules used for skins would apply to breeds. There could also be a potion to remove the breed, just like with skins.

This looks like it has the potential to be very complicated. But I think with the right team set up to help with it, and strict organisation and a system put in before it gets too much work (so, make sure everything is working and everyone knows their job before its implemented as an item) I think this could be doable. 

It would need a dedicated team to help moderate it, but I think it can be done.

So, support.

I asked by PM whether it was possible to donate a set of images for a new unicorn coloration or marking and was told no, the pets are designed such that all pet types have the same genes (with different labels/images) and in order to add a new color or marking they would have to have enough images to add it for all pet types. :(

This isn't that though, breeds would use the same genes as the master species. Just it would direct the code to load up an alternate image, much like a skin, and replace the marking name, exactly like a skin.

A breed would simply uses different skins for the same genes in order to bypass exactly what Angel told you.

It doesn't change any genes, add any new markings to the default species, or anything like that.

No support- too confusing and who would color the new skins?

Who would color the new skins?

Users who want to have a unique breed. People who dislike the current colors. Anyone who is willing to do skins. I, for one, would. No one would have to, but like skins the feature would exist for those who wanted it.

What confuses you? Perhaps I can explain it better because it's really very simple.

it sounds like it work like the special gene creatures on leayph or the Alternate breeds on khimeros.

though i would prefer a designated team take care of this even if its "staffed" by regular users. if thats done support.

Oh, it would definitely be moderated, just like skins are now. It would have to be, because I guarantee you if this site succeeds and has a large user base someone is going to make inappropriate... things.

Not to mention they would have the same standards as skin so require quality-control and someone making sure they are based on the species they are a breed of.

All the community would do is provide the art. The foundation for uploading it would be done in code. And moderators would make sure the art is acceptable.


I know a lot of sites that allow user-made images to be used, once they are large enough, have a couple of "art mods" that do nothing but confirm/deny these things. I assume some day if the skins or this ever get busy enough something like that can be done here.

I thinkkkkk I remember seeing this come up before, and I believe Angel said they don't want to do that because they want to be able to release their own breeds in the future and don't want to have to worry about clashing with someone else's.

Was it for breeds or species? I remember seeing it for species but this isn't the same thing.

A breed is the same species, always, same general appearance. A kirin or pegasus, for example, isn't a breed of a unicorn, they are their own species, so artwork of them wouldn't be accepted as a unicorn breed.

I support~

Just bumping, seeing if anyone has any more thoughts or input.

Total support. I mean on Wajas and on Felisfire people had breeds that they habitually bred and traded within their groups. I mean I could have a heard of appaloosas running around and that would be fantastic.

I would personally love more variation and the new markings would be great. I support this.

I read through and now I think I get it. So, you'd replace a gene with a new gene (ex. "Blue" becomes "Purple") and that gene would have a different picture than the normal one. My only question would be about breeding a pet from that breed with a pet not from that breed. Would there be a chance that it could be pure, or would it always be pure, or always be impure? To sum it up: this is creating new color genes?

Nah, the gene are not replaced. No genes are being created or renamed.

All it does is replace the displayed image and "rename" the color names, like a skin does. For example Daria's "color" is "Mythic Sparrowhawk Roc" because that is what I named the skin.
To keep things simple, a breed should probably only be inherited if both parents are the breed. Mixed breeds would not exist.

The technical end of things, worded as simply as I can...
Right now the code chooses which image to display based on species and the two marking genes. If it sees the pet is a "roc," it's dominant red/yellow (a3) and bird of prey (b1) it displays the image found in"/resources/pets/roc/a3_b1.png"

If the breeds were done, it could see the breed "parrot" (as an example,) the species "roc," and those two color genes and it would, instead, fetch the image found in"/resources/pets/roc/parrot/a3_b1.png" or something. The actual art could be anything the user wanted as long as it made at least some sense, but let's say it was named "Scarlet Macaw" The color then, like when a skin is used, would be renamed "Scarlet Macaw."

The genes would still be the same, the image would be different.