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Unlike modern animals, qigo have between one and five alleles for all genes, all of which are partially expressed, depending on how many copies are active. They do not have any recessive traits, and all individuals are capable of producing offspring with any trait, depending on the other parent. An active allele is indicated by a mark in the allele slot on the Geno Card. During breeding, each slot has a 50% chance to be inherited from either parent. For first generation qigo, each slot will be determined by a random number generator as active or inactive, to ensure a fair distribution of rare traits.
For example, in Type category, there are two allele slots. If none of them are marked, the qigo will have a Draft Type body, with stout limbs and thick joints. If both are marked, the qigo will have a Race Type body, with a long spine and slender limbs. If either one is marked, but not the other, the qigo will have a Standard Type body.
OO Draft
OX Standard
XO Standard
XX Race
Since there is only one configuration each for Draft and Race types, but two possible configurations for Standard types, a Standard type body will be twice as common. Two draft types bred together will always produce a draft type, but a draft type bred to a race type can produce any configuration.
OO Draft x XX Race =
OO Draft (both from parent 1)
OX Standard (first from parent 1, second from parent 2)
XO Standard (first from parent 2, second from parent 1)
XX Race (both from parent 2)
OO Draft x OX Standard =
OO Draft (both from parent a)
OX Standard (first from parent a, second from parent b)
OO Draft (first from parent b, second from parent a)
OX Standard (both from parent b)
OX Standard x XO Standard =
OX Standard (both from parent a)
OO Draft (first from parent a, second from parent b)
XX Race (first from parent b, second from parent a)
XO Standard (both from parent b)
In multiple copy genes, the placement of the active alleles does not matter, only the number. Interactive genes can be thought of as a series of single allele genes that work together to produce a phenotype. Each gene can only be active or inactive, but each unique combination of active genes produces a different result.
For example, White Marking Erasure has two different alleles; Roan and Spots.
Roan: No
Spots: No
Phenotype: Solid white with no erasure
Roan: Yes
Spots: No
Phenotype: Roan
Roan: No
Spots: Yes
Phenotype: Appaloosa/Dalmation Spots
Roan: Yes
Spots: Yes
Phenotype: Dapples
Color is determined by its own set of two allele interactive genes. Temperature refers to Warm or Cold, and Time refers to Day or Night. Roughly speaking, the temperature genes determine how warm or cool the color is and the time genes determine whether the color shifts towards yellow or blue. Each two allele gene has three potential outcomes, creating a set of nine different color ranges.
Warm/Warm/Day/Night Reds to Oranges
Warm/Warm/Day/Day Oranges to Yellows
Warm/Cold/Day/Day Yellows to Greens
Cold/Cold/Day/Day Greens to Cyans
Cold/Cold/Day/Night Cyans to Blues
Cold/Cold/Night/Night Blues to Purples
Warm/Cold/Night/Night Purples to Pinks
Warm/Warm/Night/Night Pinks to Reds
Warm/Cold/Day/Night Neutrals in the ground color. Same as ground color for markings.
In addition to the ground color, each marking has its own set of heritable color genes and an indicator of whether it should be darker or lighter than the ground color. (We will be judging by eye, not by an exact light/dark slider, so please keep the overall aesthetic effect in mind.) As long as a color within the general range is used, the exact hue or saturation does not matter. You are always welcome to reduce the saturation to zero and substitute white, grey, or black, at the appropriate level of lightness or darkness. There is a lot of interpretive room in color choice to ensure that every qigo can have a harmonious and pleasing appearance within its genetic constraints.
Tortoiseshell is a single allele gene that produces patches of a second ground color, complete with its own set of color genes. The tortie color does not affect other markings, except where the marking color is Warm/Cold/Day/Night and must be the same as the ground color. In those instances, the marking color takes on the hue of the tortie ground color in areas where the tortie color is active.
In less technical terms, think of a tortie cat, with patches of both orange and grey. In the orange areas, the stripes are dark orange. In the grey areas, the stripes are black.
All qigo are allowed one small glowing marking of any shape and any color. For bred qigo, we encourage players to using markings inspired by the parents, but the rune marking isn't specifically heritable and can be used to balance out the design.