What is Relative Genetics?
Whether you are an experienced, serious dog breeder within the Sims Kennel Club, or are simply curious about real world canine genetics applied to sim dogs, this page will hopefully help to describe to you what the term I use called relative genetics vs. realistic genetics and rookie genetics vs. EA genetics within the Sims 3 RP community. Let me start off by describing my interpretation of all the other types of genetics found in the SKC.
EA Genetics
Electronic Arts Inc. is the software company that published and distributed every installment of The Sims™ franchise. Maxis is the subsidiary of EA that created The Sims™. The team of developers incorporated a rather unrealistic but still notable code for recycling coat layers, temperaments, and conformation from the dog's sire and dam in-game. Unfortunately, the default version of these randomly selected variables are almost absolutely ineffective when trying to create a believable, somewhat realistic progeny, especially in the uniformity of coat color and pattern. The only time EA genetics seem fesible is when both parents are nearly identical. Adamant SKC and other canine RP communities frown upon this sort of lineage as it is not appealing to the eye and shows a grave lack of effort on behalf of the breeder.
Rookie Genetics
A term I created for the sake of simplicity. These are the people who make an effort to bring their puppies into CAS to edit their coats and/or conformation. These are usually people who have a strong drive and passion for their dogs but have not yet acquired the eye or the skill required for more advanced coats and conformation. Much of the time, the resulting puppies linger in the community awaiting sale for some time without good marketing techniques. Rookies are sometimes very persevering and are actively striving to advance in their skills, others are content with the way they have been doing things in the past. There is no strong understanding of realistic dog genetics, in place, common sense and the desired look - whether it be reasonable or not - dictate the final outcome of their pups.
Realistic Genetics
If you have spent any time looking around the community, you will probably have come across many sites with stamps that read "I USE REALISTIC GENETICS". This is a heavy statement and takes extremely careful monitoring and extensive research to perfect. Many people use these stamps as a way of declaring their prowess in the CAS menu as a quick way to state "I edit my puppies coats", but most do not put an immense amount of research into their breed (or more complicated yet, if they focus on multiple breeds) real world counterpart genetics. People who are claiming to actually be delivering on realistic genetics should have done the painstaking amount of work to be able to describe each of the following bulletins with scientific accuracy.
Relative Genetics
This is the term I use (afterwards to realize it was the former name of a genealogy and DNA testing center) to help describe those who are between Rookie and Realistic Genetics. I myself fall in this category and strongly believe that most of the serious or long-term role players apply this to their dogs. Most breeders under this category have some knowledge on real world genetics but do not take it to the extreme equal to religion, as in the former style. I like to think of Realistic Genetics as math and Relative Genetics as art. There is no in-between in math, it is black and white. You get what you get and you have to follow the rules. Art is a liberated interpretation of, in this case, an ideal visual concept. Breeders of Relative Genetics try to make their dogs as realistic as possible, and also carefully mold 2nd gen+ offspring to have a mix of the sire and dam in both color and conformation.
Let me take a moment to hopefully make this easier to see. I breed German Shepherds and know some of their genetics so I feel comfortable enough use them as example. German shepherds can come in 4 accepted genotypes (Sable, Black & Tan, Bi-Color, Black). If I was to breed a Black German shepherd to a Bi-Color, every single puppy would be a Bi-Color without exception. If I bred that same Black German shepherd to a Black & Tan, every single puppy would be a Black & Tan without exception. If I bred that same Black German shepherd to a Sable, every single puppy would be a Sable without exception. Is there something wrong with that black GSD? No. This happens because Black is a recessive gene, the only possible way to get a black puppy is to breed to a black. Black, then, would be the only color of every single puppy of the litter without exception. This is realistic genetics. This is the black and white that breeders who choose to go about their role play must do without exception. And this, too, is where the difference in Relative Genetics is perfectly foreseeable.
Breeders, in this way, can see what the parents look like and mentally create an image of the logical variations by appearance in coats that could be present, or should be available in order to add some change of pace. In my opinion, this is why Relative Genetics should be known and accepted as the better fit for the overused "Realistic Genetics" phrase.
EA Genetics
Electronic Arts Inc. is the software company that published and distributed every installment of The Sims™ franchise. Maxis is the subsidiary of EA that created The Sims™. The team of developers incorporated a rather unrealistic but still notable code for recycling coat layers, temperaments, and conformation from the dog's sire and dam in-game. Unfortunately, the default version of these randomly selected variables are almost absolutely ineffective when trying to create a believable, somewhat realistic progeny, especially in the uniformity of coat color and pattern. The only time EA genetics seem fesible is when both parents are nearly identical. Adamant SKC and other canine RP communities frown upon this sort of lineage as it is not appealing to the eye and shows a grave lack of effort on behalf of the breeder.
Rookie Genetics
A term I created for the sake of simplicity. These are the people who make an effort to bring their puppies into CAS to edit their coats and/or conformation. These are usually people who have a strong drive and passion for their dogs but have not yet acquired the eye or the skill required for more advanced coats and conformation. Much of the time, the resulting puppies linger in the community awaiting sale for some time without good marketing techniques. Rookies are sometimes very persevering and are actively striving to advance in their skills, others are content with the way they have been doing things in the past. There is no strong understanding of realistic dog genetics, in place, common sense and the desired look - whether it be reasonable or not - dictate the final outcome of their pups.
Realistic Genetics
If you have spent any time looking around the community, you will probably have come across many sites with stamps that read "I USE REALISTIC GENETICS". This is a heavy statement and takes extremely careful monitoring and extensive research to perfect. Many people use these stamps as a way of declaring their prowess in the CAS menu as a quick way to state "I edit my puppies coats", but most do not put an immense amount of research into their breed (or more complicated yet, if they focus on multiple breeds) real world counterpart genetics. People who are claiming to actually be delivering on realistic genetics should have done the painstaking amount of work to be able to describe each of the following bulletins with scientific accuracy.
- What are the two jobs of colour genes?
- What is a Phenotype? Gene? Hetero/Homozygous? Pigmentation? Melanin? Allele? Locus? Dominant/Recessive/Expressed Gene? Mutation?
- What happens when various genes are added to Eumelanin and Phaeomelanin? What areas does this affect on the dog?
- How do you use a Punnet square correctly and what does it do?
- How has evolution and natural selection created mutations and changed the species?
- Describe all 28 of the Locii: A, B, D, E, G, H, I, K, M, S, and T for the affected pigmentation caused by the Locus.
- They would also be able to look at a picture of a dog and be able to write down all of its possible color-related expressed genetic codes.
Relative Genetics
This is the term I use (afterwards to realize it was the former name of a genealogy and DNA testing center) to help describe those who are between Rookie and Realistic Genetics. I myself fall in this category and strongly believe that most of the serious or long-term role players apply this to their dogs. Most breeders under this category have some knowledge on real world genetics but do not take it to the extreme equal to religion, as in the former style. I like to think of Realistic Genetics as math and Relative Genetics as art. There is no in-between in math, it is black and white. You get what you get and you have to follow the rules. Art is a liberated interpretation of, in this case, an ideal visual concept. Breeders of Relative Genetics try to make their dogs as realistic as possible, and also carefully mold 2nd gen+ offspring to have a mix of the sire and dam in both color and conformation.
Let me take a moment to hopefully make this easier to see. I breed German Shepherds and know some of their genetics so I feel comfortable enough use them as example. German shepherds can come in 4 accepted genotypes (Sable, Black & Tan, Bi-Color, Black). If I was to breed a Black German shepherd to a Bi-Color, every single puppy would be a Bi-Color without exception. If I bred that same Black German shepherd to a Black & Tan, every single puppy would be a Black & Tan without exception. If I bred that same Black German shepherd to a Sable, every single puppy would be a Sable without exception. Is there something wrong with that black GSD? No. This happens because Black is a recessive gene, the only possible way to get a black puppy is to breed to a black. Black, then, would be the only color of every single puppy of the litter without exception. This is realistic genetics. This is the black and white that breeders who choose to go about their role play must do without exception. And this, too, is where the difference in Relative Genetics is perfectly foreseeable.
Breeders, in this way, can see what the parents look like and mentally create an image of the logical variations by appearance in coats that could be present, or should be available in order to add some change of pace. In my opinion, this is why Relative Genetics should be known and accepted as the better fit for the overused "Realistic Genetics" phrase.
I created this stamp for the purpose of being copied and used on sites where people feel the way I do about this topic.
However, since this concept is very new, so much so that only a few have ever seen this page,
it is my hope that anyone who uses this stamp will link it back to this page so that others may have the opportunity to see what you have today.
Sincerely,
Jacobe
However, since this concept is very new, so much so that only a few have ever seen this page,
it is my hope that anyone who uses this stamp will link it back to this page so that others may have the opportunity to see what you have today.
Sincerely,
Jacobe