I really included this on the survey for fun just because I know a few players in particular request it on every single survey, haha. What I did not anticipate is the overwhelming number of responses that did wants cats and also went back to the comments section to reiternate to me how much they wanted cats.

Soo, I kind of feel like we should talk about it, so I'm making this thread so that we can discuss it. Although, truly, no promises, this is not a decision anyone on the staff wants to take lightly and we didn't actually think the suggestion would be so popular. But, let's talk about it!

It would be a lot of work to add cats, but less work than you probably think. So it IS possible, buuttt.

My concerns are the following:

#1 it would be more information for the server to handle, and it would be more things happening internally. Our server should be able to handle this, but it's worth noting anyway. I think it would have to come with a massive clean up of old accounts and old horses/dogs (which should happen anyway, but it's a lot of work for a small organizational payoff right now, but if we were to add cats, it would be more necessary).

#2 it would be a pretty major deviation from the genre. Although, to be fair, I think only the old HL-style games have horses AND dogs. Most of the them these days are one or the other. So really, there's nothing stopping us from doing whatever we want. But we did just get new art that does not involve cats (although, yes, this could be fixed) and since our name is HORSE Phenomena, I think we're already at a marketing disadvantage because we don't have an inclusive name, haha.

#3 I don't know a goddamn thing about cat genetics, so if we all collectively decide that we want genetics and cats, that might be a problem.

#4 is kind of an expansion on #2, but HP is meant to be a specific type of old-school game, and I don't want to lose touch with that. That's our whole schtick. And I don't want to add things that would alienate players who really do want an old school horse and dog SIM game experience. But we are our own game, we're not HL despite the similarities, and we've been our own game for a whole decade, so I don't think we should be beholden to old industry standards just for the hell of it. So if truly you all want this, then YOU are HP's playerbase and you should get to decide how you want to play, you know?

Soo, tell me this:

Do you want cats? Why or why not?

Yes, because cats....you'd get a whole lot more money thrown your way. xDD

If you didn't, I'll still be playing this game for all eternity but I'd love the opportunity to breed cats simply because I've never found any other game involving cats that was 1) active, 2) I could understand, and 3) wasn't meant for 8 year olds. ._.

Would I breed them if they were added? Yes, because cats are awesome.

Do I need them? No, I have way too many animals as is. :P

Do I NEED them? No. Do I want them? YES! If you opened up a similar game to HP but for CATS, I'd be there in a heartbeat, but I wouldn't be heartbroken if they aren't added here due to the reasons you listed.

Cats! 

I think it could bring a new dynamic to the game, and like Panthera said, you can't really find a game this style where cats are a thing! I personally would love to add some cats as another fun thing to suck up my time :D Authentically speaking, who doesn't have at least one barn cat for keeping those pests away! hehe I don't see why not. 

EDIT: I am also in agreement that they aren't NEEDED, I won't leave the game if we don't get them (:

Two words: Animal Phenomena

Edit: I had tried to play A.P., but with the way it is set up for play, I lost interest very quickly. If it were like H.P., I'd play more, and breed cats. 

I'm gonna agree with the notion, I dont need them but i want them!

-  I know I was told to explain why... but the guys above did an awesome job and I dont want to keep repeating :D

You have been City'd xD

I don't like it for all the reasons Sam mentions, and like Kuwait said: Animal Phenomena. Apparently it needs work, but I don't play it, so I dunno. Don't get me wrong, I love cats in rl, but I barely know anything about them (pretty sure that applies to most HPers, too) and so training and breeding for points only isn't appealing. Even if cat genetics were added, I still wouldn't care about them (are there even any books or other resources about cat genetics out there, or are there just specific breeds and breeders just breed them?). This is HORSE Phenomena, we already have dogs, and mythical canine/equine creatures... if we start adding whatever people wanted, we may as well become Animal Phenomena 2.0.

I like it with horses and dogs and don't feel it needs cats too.

Most of my interest comes from wild cats more than domestic and I know we're trying to lean away from the wild species so the appeal is definitely lessened on my end. xD I could take them or leave them. It isn't going to bother me either way.

I also feel like if we added cats, a re-branding would be in order. Even having dogs here makes the current name feel inaccurate. Horse Phenomena becomes Animal Phenomena etc. It just feels more fitting at that point. I understand the reasons why that's not ideal and potentially problematic though.

Hey Tana! I thought you had left us for good since you said you were quitting!?  

As for the cats - As much as I like the idea and think it would be fun to add them, I don't think they should be a full option like Horses and Dogs are. Maybe more of a Token animal, so that we aren't Animal Phenomnea. That being said - I don't think we need them, but they would be fun! 

i want cats but i dont need them

i would have a million cats (maybe not that many but you get the idea)

i would have private show cats

have you been to a cat show, they are crazy and all over the place AMAZING XD

with that being said I'd be happy with the cat token (hello barn cat) that could be used as like a super small point boost or something along those lines? like a happy horse gets more points? i dont know. I just woke up. 

Sam . 

We spoke about this a bit in the chat room. So, I wanted to bring it back to this thread so that it could be discussed more. 

1. I am cool with cats coming! I think it would be a fun addition! 
Do I NEED them? No. Would it be fun? Yes! 

2. If you need help assessing inactive accounts/dogs/horses and clearing those out for the cats. I am happy to help in any way needed to help make that process easier for you and the HP staff! 

3. This is what we talked about in the chat : 
- What if Cats were a cash shop item? A seasonal item? Something that can only be bought using HPB or HPP (can't remember the acronym at the moment.. need coffee...) or they were only for upgraded accounts? Some way to make them where it would benefit you/ be worth the additional work that is put into them. 

4. We also mentioned having them as a cash shop item where it would be like "Dr. Kitty" that is something you buy and it keeps you from having to pay the vet/farrier bill for a month or it's interactive text wise. Ya know like when you click on Vet/Farrier and at the top of the page it pops up "Oh no, Sea Biscuit had a hot spot, your vet bill is $500" or whatever. This is where Dr. Kitty would come in "Oh no, Sea Biscuit has collic! Dr. Kitty has saved the day with ... (insert solution here) " 

Just my thoughts. I think Halloween Themed/Seasonal Cash Shop Item would be neat. "Witchy Cat" , "Bat Cat " etc. But, I am also a Fall/Halloween freak so :P 


I do want to add though, playing Devil's Advocate here : 
I can see the issues with branding, marketing, staying true to the nostalgia of the game, and the server's capability to deal with the new influx. Because, if we add cats then what else will want to be added? HP has always been Horses and Dogs. So, it's a question of : Do we expand it just for fun or do we say no to keep it with the old times/nostalgia. 

It's a difficult decision and I 1000% support you (Sam) and the HP squad either way! I am perfectly fine with keeping things how they are. 

I think having a token cat from the cash shop, with some kind of benefit, sounds gimicky/really kiddish. At least in the sense of a doctor cat, or something. 

The problem with just having seasonal cats would be you'd still have to program everything in, wouldn't you? The shows, the cattery (?) to board them at, etc, etc. If you're going to bother doing that, why not just go all the way? 

The Cattery LOL Sorry- that cracked me up! Because what exactly is a Stable called for Cats ... ? Would it be a Kennel like the dogs? 

I agree - I see where Dr. Cat could become rather kiddish. 

You make good points, Jaya! 

Id be ok with adding cats. And Sat catteries are the cat word for kennel.

Honestly with marketing, you already steered away from the HORSE part.

Im sure theres an easy wikipedia cat list to add the kitties.

Or just take the dogs away and dont add cats and have HORSEphenomena only.

It is a Cattery. That is the proper term.

And Rats are kept in a Rattery (also proper term). 

I like the idea of 'companion animal' cats from the cash shop. 

I think the main thing people are afraid of is change. Most of us were on HL. This is the kind of reaction HL got when they added dogs. The difference between HL and HP is that HL was more concerned with money, where as Sam is more concerned with the game and keeping things similar to how they are now. There will be no massive change. Things will stay close to the same, even if we add in cats or genetics. 

I’m not overly concerned with the horse part of the name. I always associate cats more so than dogs when it comes to horses. I think it would be different if you were adding actual random animals into the game. 

I would LOVE to have Cats added!
Either as animals you can train and breed, without genetics being involved, or some sort of "Barn Cat".

With the Barn Cat route, you don't necessarialy have to go through re-branding or getting new art added in, since in RL most barn cats are off hiding, sleeping, or hunting most of the day anyway. Unless they're the super friendly ones who have to be involved with everything on the farm. xD So, they can be a hidden gem found on the inside of the game. :)

Mentioned this in a different chat, but offering it here for others to see too...

This would be an Upgrade Perk & Cash Shop Item To Buy.
This would be an optional thing once a player reaches say 50mill player points (or some number that's not super hard to reach)....they can adopt a Barn Cat.
Maybe we can have a few options to pick kinda how Trig's little Avi's look but different colors. Then once picked, the Barn Cat's picture would show up on the Stable/Kennel page. and during a later feature have some random event pop up to where players lost feed due to mice infestation unless a Barn Cat was protecting their stables/kennel. That way, they aren't technically a whole new part of the gameplay, but a nice perk if you wanted to choose it to have around. It'll also provide some little art icon to the Stable page. :)

I vote no. It’s horse phenomena. I prefer just the dogs and horses.