Leopard-spotted coats for a horse browsergame
Last quarter, one of the most frequent community requests for EquinePassion made it onto my to-do list: additional leopard patterns for the horses in the game.
The timing could hardly have been better. Having just finished another large graphics project, I was in the middle of a creative high and could focus entirely on the new coat patterns.
What initially sounded like a manageable task quickly turned into a much bigger project. In total, around 16.5 hours went into the new variants. It's moments like this that make you realize how much work goes into the continuous development of a game — especially when graphics and assets are maintained and modernized over many years.
The new leopard patterns
Over the course of the project, numerous new variants were created to bring more diversity to the Appaloosa and leopard patterns within the game.
Between realism and variety
When designing the new patterns, it was important to me to depict as many different expressions as possible. After all, in reality too, no two leopard patterns are exactly alike.
It's precisely these small differences that make breeding and collecting special coat colors interesting for many players. Every new variant expands the possibilities and helps horses feel more individual.
Looking ahead
The work was far from over with these leopard patterns. Ideas for further coat patterns and color variants had already started forming during the project.
Reworking existing graphics and developing new designs remain some of the most exciting parts of working on EquinePassion to this day. It's always fascinating to see how a game evolves visually over the years.
Conclusion
The new leopard patterns are among the more extensive graphics updates of recent times. Despite the considerable time investment, the project was worth it — the additional variants bring more variety and individuality to the horse world of EquinePassion.
Jackie