Diamond Apples behave like pre-Creation-Space coats. Notice that ordinary horse graphics have always been compatible with Helios' Rays, but pre-CS coats and DAs never have. Notice that pre-CS coats and DAs aren't compatible with the new immersive backgrounds either, so they are stuck in simple, framed boxes.

If you compare the urls for base horse image files, DA image files, and GA image files, you'll notice something interesting. I'll show you.

Here is the url for a current base graphic, taken from a light gray Arabian without a special coat: http://www.howrse.com/media/equideo/image/chevaux/normaux/arabe/gr-c-grand.png?1828806360

Here is the url for another current base graphic, taken from a dun Arabian without a special coat: http://www.howrse.com/media/equideo/image/chevaux/normaux/arabe/sbl-grand.png?1828806360

By studying the urls (rather than just looking at the pretty images) and applying simple sleuthing skills, you'll notice some interesting clues. All of the base horse graphics follow a pattern at the end that is easy to decode: http://www.howrse.com/media/equideo/image/"species"/"age"/"body type"/"color".png The base horse graphic for a light gray Arabian can be interpreted as http://www.howrse.com/media/equideo/image/"horse"/"adult"/"Arabian body type"/"light gray".png The base horse graphic for a dun Arabian can be interpreted as http://www.howrse.com/media/equideo/image/"horse"/"adult"/"Arabian body type"/"dun".png If you continue to examine the urls for the base horse images for other breeds and colors, you'll notice that the pattern holds true, but you'll see a totally different pattern when you look at the urls for DAs.

Here is the url for a DA, taken from a light gray Arabian with a DA that makes it appear to be piebald: http://static.howrse.com.s3.amazonaws.com/Creation/42188-normal.png

Here is the url for another DA, taken from a light gray Arabian with a DA that makes it appear to be identical to an ordinary dun Arabian: http://static.howrse.com.s3.amazonaws.com/Creation/8941-normal.png

The first thing that makes DA urls interesting is that they feature the domain name for a third party image hosting service. The second thing that makes them interesting is that they include the word "creation". Keep those two things in mind when you look at the url for a GA. Finally consider that the base graphic for the dun Arabian and the second DA look identical when you look at the images, but the urls are very different!

Here is the url for a GA, taken from a light gray Arabian with a GA: http://creation.howrse.com.s3.amazonaws.com/100098647-normal.png

Here is the url for the same GA as above, but taken from a cherry bay tobiano Paint Horse: http://creation.howrse.com.s3.amazonaws.com/100098647-normal.png

Do you see what I see? The url for the GA coat has a lot in common with that of a DA. It also includes the domain name of a third party image hosting service. It also has the word "creation". Isn't that interesting? Now look at the code number. People in the RC Topic have been calling that code number the "coat number" for years. Indeed, that's exactly what it is. Notice that the url is associated with the coat and not the player's horse.

Do you see that even the url for the DA has far more in common with that of a GA than with that of a base horse graphic? Do you see that even Howrse refers to both DAs and GAs as creations?

These clues suggest that DAs have been completely "disconnected" from the internal codes that control base horse graphics on this game. Yes, DAs have the same body shapes as the current ordinary horses, but that just creates the fun illusion that DAs are base graphics with interesting colors. The evidence gives me reason to believe that DAs are actually special coats. Our other special coats -- GAs, RCs, 5th Elements, Fluttershy coats, and Bewitched Pumpkins -- aren't going to change. Based on all of this, I predict that our DAs will remain untouched, too, when the base graphics change.

horse parade