HGG Community Forums

So, some genes require a license to be able to breed or purchase intact horses (mares/stallions). You do not need a license to purchase spayed mares or geldings.

1) EDIT. You will not be able to breed Axiom Red, Axiom Blue, Axiom Green, or Axiom Wrong Warp horses without a license. Axiom Nexus is an open gene that you should be able to purchase and breed intact horses.

2) Yes, you can offer hbs to some one to make a real money purchase for you. Typically, you will create a post either in the Help Me Out category or general discussion identifying the genes you want, and the price you are willing to pay. The exchange rate is frequently around 100,000 hbs per $1 USD (so a $7.50 purchase would cost 750,000 hbs), but if many people are making requests or the real world economy is rough, purchases may cost more hbs. There are two ways to purchase/have purchased for you a license:
2a) Random Gene Sales. Twice a month (from the 1st to the 15th and the 15th until the end of the month), various genes will randomly* go on sale. These genes can be viewed in the side bar to the right of the screen or on the "Buy Rare Genes" menu option. Right now, for example Pearl, Sabino 2, Chinchilla, Rainbow Riot Nacre, Phantom Autumn, and Dun Factor Promoter 1 are on sale. (Of those, Chinchilla, Nacre, and Autumn require a license - the others are rare or impossible to get via horse creation.) Purchasing from the Random Gene Sale will give you a license AND a copy of the gene, which can be added to any gene tested, unbred, foundation horse. The horse can be used for breeding and can pass on its genetics (including copies of that purchased gene. Selling or auctioning the horse transfers the license. If the horse dies of old age, you retain the license indefinitely.
2b) License only purchase. On the "Buy Rare Genes" page, there is a boxed link that will take you License only purchase. At any time and for a reduced price, you can purchase just the license. The gene will not be added to any horse, but you can purchase intact horses bred by other players once you have the gene license. Since none of the Axiom genes are currently on sale via the Random Gene Sale**, this currently the only way to get a Axiom license. EDIT - Whippoorwill is absolutely right that Axiom Nexus is open and does not require a license.

* As with all things in life, there are some exceptions. Not all genes can randomly populate the list. Phantom genes are available seasonally. For example, Phantom Shamrocks will be available in March, while Phantom Bats is only available in October. I believe the Ice genes are only available in December.

** For the past several years, there has been a special event in December where all genes will go on sale for at least one 24-hour period as a holiday extravaganza and to assist people with shopping for the gift exchange.

1. The Nexus (X) gene is open, so no special license required to buy or breed them. The other axiom genes (R,G,B, W) all require a license, without which you won't be able to buy unaltered horses or breed your own. However you can have as many spayed mares or geldings with the gene as you wish :)

2. Yes! Just post in the Help Me Out or H2J Discussion section what you're looking to get. The rate of exchange is around 150k hbs per $1 in real money, I believe, though it is sometimes a little higher. If someone buys your license they will post a payment pony for the amount you owe in the thread or by private message for you to buy.

3. I may not explain this bit too well but I'll give it a go :p The Nexus/Axiom genes make little sparkly stars all over your horse's coat when heterozygous or turns it into a galaxy when homozygous. Depending on which variant the horse has and other Fantasy genes (watercolor, ink spot, toner, etc.) present will determine the final color of the coat. Wrong Warp (W) works a little differently as it will turn any white into pitch black. I'll post some examples below.

HET. X/- (all het. Nexus/Axiom, except W, express the same)

Etoile

Hom. X/X

Dapper Dan Man

Hom. G/G

8722517

Hom. R/R

9026809

Hom. B/B

G4BluAxB1050

Het. W/-

8592384

Hom. W/W

9655085

Yes! Your show herd funds all your activities. They will bring in winnings from shows as well as daily points. It's best if you have something on the order of 4 or 5 show ponies for every breeding stock.