Points, Ghost and Magpie: The genes that took years to come
In a video uploaded September 13th, 2012, a ton of genes were teased. All of these genes ended up being available on site launch, with two notable exceptions: the tertiary genes Ghost and Points
Ghost was teased as a gene that created a skull marking on the head of a dragon, a gradient down the neck of a dragon and a few splotches of color on a dragon's wings with a slight gradient
Image from the Flight Rising Wiki of the version of Ghost presented in the September 2012 preview video
Ghost would not release until February 12th, 2018. The release gene creates skeletal markings all over the body of a dragon and lacks gradients.
Then on May 13th, 2026, the tertiary gene Magpie released. The gene is likely a redesign of the wing gradients of 2012's version of ghost. They're very similar, but not 1 to 1.
The fact this post released on the same day magpie dropped is coincidence. This was scheduled almost a week in advance and of course magpie dropped about 10 minutes before this post was scheduled to go up.
Points was teased as a gene that added fades to the points of a dragon - those being the muzzle, ears, top of wings, tail and the bottom of the legs. Similar points of coloration are found in real animals, notably in siamese cats
Image from the Flight Rising Wiki of the version of Points presented in the September 2012 preview video
Points finally released on October 10th, 2022, over ten years since it was teased. In the final version, the color coverage on all areas was extended.
Quite honestly, we don't know. It is worth noting that in the beginning, genes had be recolored by hand. Now, (most) genes are colored using a recolor engine and a base template with sections marking where each color should go.
Image of the template for Lionfish on Imperial Hatchlings from a February 22rd, 2023 gene fixing livestream.
Since the colors had to be done by hand and gradients can be finicky, even in a good art program, the decision may have been made that it wasn't worth the effort at the time, since the original plan was to have them obtainable using features outside of the marketplaces, which weren't implemented at the time (notably Ghost was supposed to obtainable from Baldwin's Bubbling Brew). In the end, both ending up being purchasable in the treasure marketplace
Undel on when Ghost and Points would be released
Today, the wait for ghost and points is still joked about by those who remember and all players now have access to these genes.
