Ginny_3: that was not critism and either was it rude.just opinion.

On other hand:
Yep have been saving passes and hops for the promo. HOw could I just let Onyx slip trough without me trying to grab him <- obcessed with shiny and black horsies.

I have been, Ginny_3 . Have 34 passes so far

Sigh. I'm stretched so thin as it is... unfortunately, Onyx is a Big, sad, no for me.

Yep, I've got my own little stash I just hope it will be enough to get Onyx - he's beautiful

I just came across a fantastic page that a player made. It has the V1 and V2 graphics of most colors for every breed. This is a great resource for anyone who feels the need to complain about new graphics. I encourage those players to take a look at the V2 graphics (almost every breed was identical) and then come back and tell us how these V4 graphics will take away the individuality and breed-accuracy of the coats. There has obviously been great progress made in coat design, and I don't think we have anything to complain about. Maybe we are all becoming accustomed to the amazing animations and graphics in movies and video games these days.... but we can't expect that from the howrse graphic designers. The new howrse graphics are actually nice upgrades and I think we all should acknowledge the hard work that it has clearly taken.

On a side note, it was great nostalgia seeing V1 Connemaras, especially the Strawberry Roan! I hadn't seen any since I stopped playing on my old account which was in the V1 or V2 option era. Keep up the good work howrse, I know that you have good intentions!

Impressive, most Impressive. I have 5 passes and 4 Hops But I have several horses that are ready to be sent to Heaven...

I haven't saved any, busy with RC's ... Spent far to many passes on them but I will have Onyx, there is no way that I would let that one slip away. I will just have to buy enough to complete the promo. Last horse parade I only had to spend 20 so hoping that happens again.

Hope I won't have to spend all my passes. I also have 12 HOPS so I'm hoping that'll help

Same here. I don't have any passes left from buying the Treasure Chest, but I do have 72 Diamonds and a HOP saved up. Hopefully my wilds will do me well.

*sigh*

I don't know why people get so riled when people say something like "The coats are ugly" and decide that they need to retort to such a comment with something like "Well, you should respect the artists' feelings; they put a lot of effort into these coats! Rudeness is uncalled for!" And by the same token, I'm not certain why people respond to the latter comment with something along the lines of "But they are just really hideous", simply furthering the cycle.

Are the coats anatomically incorrect in some places? Yes. Are they weirdly disproportionate for no logical reason (unless it is to fit the visible tack, which in my mind is a moronic reason)? Yes. Are some of them poorly rendered, somewhat sickly looking, and not very attractive? Yes.

That, to me, is not being rude. I don't know if that stems from having grown up as an artist listening to people comment on my work and hearing things like "That's incredible; I could never make something that amazing" at the same time as I heard things like "That's not very well done; you could definitely improve this area a lot."
Constructive criticism is necessary. While yes, I do agree that some of the comments in here are bordering on (or have crossed) the line that marks the extremely finite area between "helpful" and "obnoxious", I have read a few things that I feel that, if taken into account, could help the artists better create coats next time around.

With proper research and time, I think that artwork that is pleasing to the general public, while perhaps not as a whole but as a much greater majority, is possible.

Perhaps you like all the new coats. Good for you. But there's nothing to be gained from wandering around demanding everyone act like everything is peachy and that no one can air their complaints about their coats for fear that the artists will be insulted. For goodness sakes. They have backbones.

I don't like many of the coats. That's a statement of fact. I find a few of them downright ugly. But a lot of the foals are adorable and a few coats are actually very well done. But some of the breeds, like the QH, are just so bizarrely proportioned it makes my eyes hurt.

Who knows? Maybe I'll just end up leaving them as foals or putting some beautiful GA coats on them all. I'm sure I'll get by. It's not the end of the world, so I hope no one is taking it as such...

Just my two cents... or perhaps my dollar's worth, given how long this actually turned out to be...

Falling Slowly: Salute to you my friend. Truer words havent been spoken in long time in this forum I agree to 100%

The problem I have with some of these coats is not in the artwork, per se, although if these artists are being paid for their renderings, they need to rework a few of them or discount their price dramatically.

The issue I have is the fact - not opinion, FACT - that breed standards have not been applied to many of these coats. We are on the internet - looking up breed standards is as fast as clicking a mouse. I would expect, if I commissioned a graphic of an Arabian, that the artist would be aware of the standard of the breed, ie LONG mane and tail, for one. As a matter of fact, cutting either one is grounds for disqualification in any show ring. Same applies to the Friesian, Lusi, Paso, and PSH.

While the quarterhorse can have a varied body type due to the differences between halter horses, hunters, and the western type, ALL the types do not look a day away from death, as the new graphic does. I don't know what the heck the artist was trying to render with that graphic but it sure the heck was not any variety of quarterhorse.

When I am being paid for my expertise, be it art or something else, my job is to provide the employer with what he has asked for. If he isn't happy with it, he has every right to criticize the product I am giving him. It's not "rude" - it's business.

While I recognize this is a game, it does not take any measurable extra effort to do some very simple little things to inject just a smidge of realism. Following breed standards in your graphics for one. Making sure your comps follow the rules of the real world comps - yes, western pleasure, I am thinking of you. There has NEVER been, and NEVER will be, a penalty assessed in a western pleasure competition anywhere in the world. Period. Yet, in their infinite wisdom (or not), Howrse applies a penalty in that comp. For what? Headset too low? Peanut rolling? Ticking an invisible jump? Yet the trail comp - yep, no penalties. A comp that DOES apply penalties in real life.

These are the things that gall me about this game. So, so, so simple to get it right and yet it's ignored just because they can.

I think I just fell in love! I think it's time for me to start breeding Curly Horses! I adore the current Curly coats, but I love the new versions even more.

I completely agree with Falling Slowly and Miss Blue. I don't see how it's at all helpful to the artist to act like the coats are fine when clearly a lot of people are unhappy with them? I'm not a professional artist, but when I draw for other people, it's really important to me that people like the result. That doesn't mean I want people to spare my feelings, just the opposite! I like when people tell me their honest opinion, that's how I improve.

Like everyone else, I like some of the coats (Curlies, Knabs) and really dislike others (Gypsy Vanners, Friesians, Quarter Horses), and overall I would say I'm disappointed.

On another note, my friend and I both think that the new Shetland foal looks like a sheep (not necessarily in a bad way, sheep are cute)

Is there somewhere that has the entirety of what the V4 graphics are going to look like?

Actually, instead of that, does anyone have pictures of foal AND adult Gypsy Vanners? That's the main breed I breed, but I've heard that apparently the adults' new coat looks terrible...

So true! I'm not a professional artist either, but when I have been asked to do some art work, the most important thing is that the "employer" is happy. That should be valid also in Howrse (as players keep the game going on)...

Besides, I just can't believe that there's only one artist behind these new coats. Well maybe there's one person drawing them, but surely there must be a team that talks about graphics before they are published? I mean, that would be the normal way how things are done nowadays.

Haha - I've been here through all the coat changes - version 1,2,3 and now 4. And you know what - people said the same things every single time. At the end of the day we'll all put up, enjoy, or whatever depending on our views, which breeds we like, then when its time for version 5, the whole debate will start again. Personally I just go with the flow. In real life some horses are truly beautiful and (this will upset you) some are not.

Maybe that's one reason why the discussion stays the same - Howrse never listens..

But yeah, in real life horses look different, too. But I would like to think that we talk about individuals if call them beautiful or not so beautiful - seems a bit cruel if the hole breed is damned.

Well I think Howrse does listen but the truth is you can never make everyone happy. If you read through this forum you will find all sorts of different views and that is because everyone is different. Most people, for instance seem to love the old coat for lusis, canadians, PSH. I can see what they mean but since I noticed that they have a mane on both sides of the neck they are just annoying.

It is also a fact that every happy person tells usually one other but every unhappy person tells about 10 (I used to work in Insurance) so the yes/no balance can be misleading. I just enjoy watching it all unfold

Actually that was what I was trying to say via sarcasm - no matter what happens in the game, someone always feels that Howrse didn't listen. Oh well, it seems that you can't say anything here without getting schooled... and no, I didn't now mean that I would go in to some corner and cry

Also true, that people tell more easily if they have something negative in their mind, but you should remember that the receiver has his part, too. Negative messages get more attention and stay in your mind longer. Understandable, because you can usually learn something new from the negative comments - positive comments just tell you that everything is fine as it is

Does anyone have a picture of the new paint horse coat? I am breeding paint horses and I love their beauty but if I don't like the coat I would have to use golden apples and hamony packs to cover them

Hang on - does this mean someone is agreeing with me? Eeek - not sure how to handle that

I think you might need to lie down and eat cookies and watch the TV.

Good idea 10coconut.