How Our Research Brings Horses to Life in Horse Reality
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Many of you know Studio Deloryan as the creator of the popular horse horse management game, Horse Reality. For those who are new, Horse Reality is a realistic horse game where players can train, care for, and breed horses, with a special focus on genetics. To make the genetics in the game realistic, we put a lot of effort into research.
When people think of research, they often imagine someone in a white coat in a lab or someone in rugged pants and boots outside doing a field study. However, research can also happen from the comfort of home, behind a computer. There are two main types: primary and secondary research. Primary research means collecting and studying data yourself. It’s what most people think of. Whereas secondary research is about using data and research that already exist. Both types require skills like gathering information, analysing it, and keeping up with new discoveries.
Research at Studio Deloryan: Bringing Realism to Horse Reality
At Studio Deloryan, we mostly do secondary research to make Horse Reality's genetics as close to real life as possible. Every coat colour, pattern, and marking in the game is based on real horse genetics. Sometimes, if the information is not fully known yet, we make the best guess using the most plausible theories. Each breed in the game is carefully created to show its unique traits. Here, we'll share more about our research process, how we organise everything, and what this means for the game.
How We Build Our Genetic Knowledge
Horse Reality's genetics are based on thorough research from different sources, such as scientific articles, horse photos, historical records, pedigrees, and expert advice. One of our challenges is making sure all this information is organised in a way that is easy for everyone on the team to find and understand. Whether it's developers updating the game, artists drawing accurate horse poses, or community managers answering player questions, having well-organised information is important for our team.
Our Data Collection Process
To gather, organise, and store our research, we use Notion. This is a tool that helps with writing, planning, and managing tasks, which makes it great for teams that handle a lot of data. Over time, we've built a big database with genetic information, horse images, breed details, and more for Horse Reality.
Scientific Information
We collect data from multiple sources to write descriptions of each gene, including how it works, what colours and patterns it affects, and which breeds carry it. We use scientific articles, books, and reliable websites to ensure the information we collect is as accurate as possible.
Visual References and Breed Data
At the time of writing, we have around 2,000 references for horse colours and patterns, including images, breed info, genetic test results, and pedigrees. Ideally, each horse has photos taken over its entire lifetime to see if, and how, colours or patterns change. Each breed also has its own dedicated page in Notion, where we keep the information about its history, traits, and pictures together. You can find a simpler version of this on the Horse Reality Wiki, which has summaries on colour genetics and breeds.
Making the Information Accessible
Our organised approach ensures that everyone on the team can quickly find information on a specific gene, coat colour, or breed. This helps with game design and development, as well as makes sure our artists have everything they need to draw each breed correctly. The detailed references show us the various ways a colour or pattern can look on a horse, including rare combinations that are hard to find.
Having a central place for all this information helps our team to answer player questions quickly too. Players often ask about the genetic basis for certain colours, why a gene is linked to a certain breed, or whether their horse’s appearance is due to a bug. With our organised system, we can quickly provide accurate answers and ensure a smooth experience for our community.
Why This Matters for Horse Reality
Accurate genetics play a big role in making Horse Reality a great game for players. Our aim is to deliver a realistic experience that allows players to explore the complexities of horse breeding and genetics. If players learn something about how it works along the way, that’s a big bonus for us! Many team members work together to make this happen, so having a well-organised system for collecting and sharing information is essential. With a dedicated team, we continuously improve the game by adding new and realistic genetic features.
Of course, there are times when we choose to take a slightly different approach. After all, Horse Reality is still a game, and it should be fun, not frustrating! If certain realistic elements make the game feel more like a chore or if there are technical limitations, we may adapt features to ensure the game stays enjoyable for everyone. Ultimately, we prioritise what’s best for our players, aiming to keep the balance between realism and fun.
If this gave you some insights or sparked your curiosity about genetics or horse breeding, we’d love for you to explore Horse Reality further. And if you’re already part of our community, we hope it gives you a better understanding of what goes on behind the scenes. We’re really happy with your support and appreciate having such a dedicated community by our side, helping us keep improving the game.
Disclaimer
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