Appearance Traits and Overlays
Appearance Traits and Overlays
Appearance traits are visual features that change how a pet looks. Some are inherited, some come from bases, and some are mutation-like overlays.
[h2]Examples</h2]
Appearance traits may include:
- Tail changes such as short tail.
- Ear changes such as small ears or big ears.
- Nose changes such as cleft nose.
- Fur changes such as curly fur.
- Eye changes such as heterochromia.
- Glow or bioluminescent effects.
- Age-related visual cues such as subtle elder greying where supported.
[h2]Cosmetic vs. Mechanical</h2]
Many appearance traits are cosmetic. They change how the pet looks without directly changing survival.
Some traits, however, may connect to survival rules if they affect heat, cold, water dependency, pregnancy, sickness, or other gameplay systems. The page for that mutation or system should explain when the trait matters.
[h2]Bases and Breeding</h2]
Base art is part of pet appearance. A pet's equipped base may be used for breeding appearance rules.
Read Base Swapper.
[h2]Elder Visuals</h2]
Elder pets may show a subtle greyed or aged visual effect where supported. This is an age cue, not necessarily a new inheritable pelt color.
[h2]Related Pages</h2]
[b]Echo Note - Bases and overlays</b]
Bases, overlays, mutations, cosmetics, and elder visual cues can all affect appearance, but they do not all mean the same thing mechanically. Keep display art separate from survival rules unless a system explicitly connects them.
~Echo