[.lucifer]

hi CS long time no see I return with another cat

getting involved in The Curro (Big cat ARPG by Mythz! Check it out!) has made me start thinking about how I personally might do a realistic genetics system for the different mutations we see in IRL big cats (Abundism, Golden Tigers, different Agouti colors and patterns, etc.) so I sketched up a cheetah while I thought about it.

If I end up trying to give an ARPG inspired by it a go, I think I will incorporate 3 "breeds": a speedier, cheetah-like build, a snow-leopard type build that is extremely adept at climbing and camouflage, and a heavy tiger-like build, very powerful and able to carry heavy cargo. The three breeds would be like "classes" (speed, stealth, strength), which would interact with an Exploration system and bring home different items. Through exploring, a user would collect items that could in turn be crafted together into various potions that could be used on owned cats, MYOs or breedings to change/up the chances of different genes/mutations. (Maybe a magic element system for flavor and fun?)

Anyway only time (and possible interest) will tell if I'll go through with the ARPG. if I do I will likely manage inventories and shop purchases through a discord bot to keep the boring paperwork parts to a minimum, with a google docs inventory option for those who cannot/prefer not to use discord.

[.lucifer]

I've put almost 8 hours of work into this so far and just have the basic sketches down for the different "Breeds". whoops.

While I am working on this, I figured I would put my current notes about the ARPG for these guys down below. Warning for massive text wall!

Genetics:
A, a = Agouti AA -> Dark Agouti Aa -> Melanistic aa
B, b = Black BB -> Dark Brown Bb -> Brown bb
C, cr, c = Normal CC -> Seal Ccr -> Mink crcr -> Roan crc -> Albino cc
D, d = Normal D_ -> Dilution dd (Grey/Lilac/Fawn, Cream/Merino/White)
Em, E, e = Heavy Mask EmEm, Light Mask EmE, Eme -> Normal EE, Ee -> Erythrism ee
F, f = Long Tail FF, Short Tail Ff, Bobtail ff
G, g = Normal Fangs G_, Overgrown Fangs gg
H, h = No Mane HH, Partial Mane Hh, Full mane hh
I, i = Red II -> Gold Ii -> Bananna ii
J, j = Short Ears J_, Long Ears jj
K, k = Coarse Mane K_, Silky Mane kk
L, l Normal Markings LL, Ll -> Broadened Markings ll
M, m = Normal Markings M_ -> Marbled Markings mm
O, o = Normal Claws O_, Overgrown Claws oo
P, p = Round Ears P_, Pointed Ears pp
R, r = Pheomelanin Agouti RR -> Eumelanin Agouti Rr -> White Agouti rr
S, s = Stripes SS -> Mixed Ss -> Spots ss
T, t = Normal TT -> Ticked Tt -> Sable tt
U, u = Dark Mane U_, Light Mane uu
V, v = Normal Ears V_, Tufted Ears vv
W, w = Piebald -> Normal
Z, zs, z = Normal Markings Z_ -> Sparse Markings zszs -> Normal Markings zsz -> Heavy Markings ZZ

Stripe-Based Patterns:
TT + SS + L_ + M_ = Striped
TT + SS + ll + M_ = Banded
TT + SS + L_ + mm = Sokoke
TT + SS + ll + mm = Classic
TT + Ss + L_ + M_ = Broken Stripes (zz = Mosaic)
TT + Ss + ll + M_ = Broken Bands
TT + Ss + L_ + mm = Broken Sokoke
TT + Ss + ll + mm = Ocelot (zszs = Marbled Cat)
TT + ss + L_ + M_ = Serval (zz = King Cheetah)
TT + ss + ll + M_ = Rosettes (zszs = Clouded Leopard)
TT + ss + L_ + mm = Linsang
TT + ss + ll + mm = Marbled

Ticked-Based Patterns:
Tt + Z_ / zsz = Ticked
Tt + zszs = Barless
Tt + zz = Heavy Ticking
AA + tt + Z_/zsz = Sable
AA + tt + zszs = Clear Sable
AA + tt + zz = Shaded Sable
Aa + tt + Z_/zsz = Saddle
Aa + tt + zszs = Restricted Saddle
Aa + tt + zz = Tan Points

Magically-Induced Mutations (Line Edits):
Common: Horns, Scales, Iridescence, Mammalian Ears, Mammalian Paws, Feathers
Uncommon: Mammalian Tails, Glowing Parts/Markings, Reptilian Feet, Fins
Rare: Hooves, Extra Eyes, Extra Mouths, Reptilian Tails, Avian Feet
Mythical: Wings, Skeletal Parts, Extra Heads, Extra Limbs, Other Feet, Other Tails

Elements:
None - Common
Water - Uncommon
Earth - Uncommon
Fire - Uncommon
Air - Uncommon
Life - Rare
Death - Rare
Arcane - Mythical

Hybrid Elements:
Earth/Air - Sand
Earth/Water - Crystal
Earth/Fire - Magma
Earth/Arcane - Gravity
Earth/Life - Plants
Earth/Death - Erosion

Air/Water - Ice
Air/Fire - Lightning
Air/Arcane - Sound
Air/Life - Plague
Air/Death - Poison

Water/Fire - Evaporation
Water/Arcane - Weather
Water/Life - Aging
Water/Death - Acid

Fire/Arcane - Emotion
Fire/Life - Heat
Fire/Death - Light

Arcane/Life - Creation
Arcane/Death - Destruction
Life/Death - Immortality

Items:
Items have a Type, Rarity, and Element.
Type can be Plant, Critter, Hide, Meat, Bone, or Mineral
Rarity can be Common, Uncommon, Rare or Mythical
Element can be None, Water, Earth, Fire, Air, Life, Death, or Arcane, same as cat elements.

Plants:


Critters:


Hides:


Meats:


Bones:


Minerals:


Exploration:
There is one explore area for each element:
Non-Element - Plains
Water - Coast
Earth - Cave
Air - Mountain
Fire - Desert
Life - Jungle
Death - Bog
Arcane - Crystal Cavern

Each area produces items of the corresponding element. Cats going exploring will find the most success with terrain matching their own element.
Cats can bring back up to 5 items.
1 item - 15%
2 items - 20%
3 items - 35%
4 items - 20%
5 items - 10%

Each item dropped has a 1/2 chance to be from either category per cat breed:
Saddlebred (Cheetah) - Foraging - Plants/Critters
Warmblood (Snow Leopard) - Scavenging - Minerals/Bones
Draft (Tiger) - Hunting - Hides/Meats

Each item dropped has a set chance to be any given rarity:
Common: 50%
Uncommon: 30%
Rare: 15%
Mythical: 5%

Depending on the cat's elemental matchup to the terrain, it may receive a penalty to it's item chances (both number and rarity).


Alchemy:
To create a potion, players must first create an Alchemical Base.
Alchemical Bases come in three varieties: Standard, Advanced, and Spectral.

A Standard Alchemical Base requires three ingredients. Each ingredient used needs to be a different Type (Plant, Critter, Hide, Meat, Bone, Mineral). The Element and Rarity of the ingredients does not matter.

An Advanced Alchemical Base requires six ingredients, one of each Type. The Element and Rarity of the ingredients does not matter.

Finally, a Spectral Alchemical Base requires six ingredients, one of each Type like in the Advanced Alchemical Base. However, for a Spectral Alchemical base, these six ingredients should all be the same Element.

Alchemical Bases can be crafted separately and stored in the user's inventory or the ingredients for the Alchemical Base can be added directly to the crafting request when crafting a potion.

Gene Altering Reagents:
A - Lupine (Common Air Plant)
B - Skink Tail (Common None Critter)
C - Lichen (Uncommon Life Plant)
D - Obsidian (Uncommon Death Mineral)
E - Guppy (Common Water Critter)
F - Labradorite (Rare Arcane Mineral)
G - Chantrelle (Common Fire Plant)
H - Pampas Grass (Uncommon Air Plant)
I - Robin Feathers (Common Fire Critter)
J - Blackberry (Common Earth Plant)
K - Diamond (Mythic None Mineral)
L - Cattail (Common Water Plant)
M - Jasper (Uncommon Fire Mineral)
N - Aquamarine (Common Water Mineral)
O - Okapi Hide (Mythic Life Hide)
P - Yarrow (Rare Air Plant)
R - Cinnabar Moth (Uncommon Fire Critter)
S - Cornflower (Uncommon Arcane Plant)
T - Lotus (Mythic Water Plant)
U - Black Widow (Uncommon Death Critter)
V - Fox Fur (Rare None Hide)
W - Pyrite (Common Death Mineral)
Z - Opal (Mythic Arcane Mineral)

Potions:
Random Gene Potion
Base: Standard
Ingredients: x3 of any one Gene Altering Reagent
Usage: Randomly rerolls the alleles of a specific Locus. This potion can only be used on Cub Genos.

Gene Select Potion
Base: Advanced
Ingredients: x5 of any one Gene Altering Reagent
Usage: Allows the user to select a new pair of alleles of a specific Locus. This potion can only be used on Cub Genos.

Random Mutation Potion
Base: Spectral (Arcane)
Ingredients: x3 Mythic Rarity Ingredients
Usage: When used, this potion causes a cat to develop a random magical mutation. This potion can only be used on Cub Genos.

Mutation Select Potion
Base: Spectral (Arcane)
Ingredients: x5 Mythic Rarity Ingredients
Usage: When used, this potion causes a cat to develop a magical mutation of the owner's choosing. This potion can only be used on Cub Genos.

Element Potion
Base: Spectral*
*This potion's Spectral Base must correspond to the desired element of the potion.
Ingredients: x1 Fellstone (Uncommon Arcane Mineral) + 4 Ingredients of the desired element type in the corresponding rarity of the element (None Element = Common Ingredients, Fire/Water/Air/Earth = Uncommon, Life/Death = Rare, Arcane = Mythical)
Usage: Used to change a cat's magic type into the specified element. Cats that take this potion will have their element over-ridden; Hybrid Elements can only be created through alchemizing a Hybrid Element Potion.

Hybrid Element Potion
Base: Spectral*
*This potion requires a special Spectral Base created by combining six Mythic-rarity ingredients: each ingredient should be one each Type (Plant, Critter, Hide, Meat, Bone, Mineral) and non-Arcane Element (Air, Water, Fire, Earth, Life, and Death)
Ingredients: x1 Fellstone
Usage: Hybrid Element Potions will add a randomized second element to the cat's first element, or in the case of Non-Elemental cats, assign two random elements to it, giving the cat a hybrid element.

Breeds:
Speed Breed (cheetah) = Saddlebred (S)
Stealth Breed (snep) = Warmblood (W)
Strength Breed (tiger) = Draft (D)

Lineart used is determined by the highest % of each breed present in the cat. In cases of equal %, it can be artist or player choice. Children always inherit 50% each of the breeds from their sire and dam, ex.

100% S x 100% W = 50% S 50% W (can use Saddlebred or Warmblood lines)
50/50 S/W x 100 D = 50 D 25 S 25 W (uses Draft lines)
50/25/25 D/S/W x 100% S = 62.5% S, 25% D, 12.5% W (Uses Saddlebred lines)

If a cat has at least 90% of one breed type, it will be rounded up to 100% and once again considered a purebred of that breed.

If the % of any breed reaches 6.25% or lower (four generations removed from the breed in question), that % will be removed from the negligible breed and reallocated to the highest breed%.