Abstract: An animal-breeding mechanic enables the generation of an offspring virtual animal in an online game system by combining features of a male virtual animal and a female virtual animal. Multiple candidates for the offspring virtual animal may be generated, and a selection or identification can then be made from the multiple candidates. Relevant features may include a base color and optional pattern markings with a corresponding pattern color. Additional game aspects may include options for enhancing the likelihood of generating a successful offspring, decreasing the time for generating the offspring, and nurturing the offspring to maturity. Parameterized color values for a specific virtual animal may be substituted into source artwork to generate a variety of distinctive displays.

Abstract: An animal-breeding mechanic enables the generation of an offspring virtual animal in an online game system by combining features of a male virtual animal and a female virtual animal. Relevant features may include a base color and optional pattern markings with a corresponding pattern color. Additional game aspects may include options for enhancing the likelihood of generating a successful offspring, decreasing the time for generating the offspring, and nurturing the offspring to maturity. Parameter representations for color features enable substituting color values for a specific virtual animal into source artwork to generate a variety of distinctive displays.

Abstract: An online game includes a mechanic for combining visual display parameters of virtual objects including virtual animals. In some embodiments features of a first virtual object and a second virtual object are combined to generate a third virtual object, where these features may include a base color and optional pattern markings with a corresponding pattern color. Additional game aspects may include generating multiple candidates for the third virtual object and selecting or identifying the third virtual object from the multiple candidates. Additional game aspects may also include options for enhancing the likelihood of successfully generating a third virtual object. Parameterized color values for a specific virtual object may be substituted into source artwork to generate a variety of distinctive displays.

Abstract: An animal-breeding mechanic enables the generation of an offspring virtual animal in an online game system by combining features of a male virtual animal and a female virtual animal. Multiple candidates for the offspring virtual animal may be generated, and a selection or identification can then be made from the multiple candidates. Relevant features may include a base color and optional pattern markings with a corresponding pattern color. Additional game aspects may include options for enhancing the likelihood of generating a successful offspring, decreasing the time for generating the offspring, and nurturing the offspring to maturity. Parameterized color values for a specific virtual animal may be substituted into source artwork to generate a variety of distinctive displays.