Ok, so I had this Idea for a while now and I haven't found anything similar in the suggestions. (I also hope I put this in the right sub-forum ) If this is something that has already been suggested (or rejected), just let me know and I'll yeet this into the bin.

Sooo, I guess everyone knows that in explore the eyecolor is the same as the one on your main lion? But what about the Base? It's always the same muddy brown, even if your lion has a Ethereal or a Noctis Base.
My Suggestion:
Change the color of the fur in explore to the one your lion actually has. - But wait!


1. Eww.

I'm sure there are people who like having the current brown fur color in explore even if their lion has a different one, or they just don't like this suggestion for whatever reasons.
I think this feature should only be able to be bought in the Oasis for 10 or 15 with a toggleable button, in case your next king has a base that you don't want to see in explore. So people who don't like this don't get affected and people who buy this will always have the option to toggle this on and off whenever they want.
Also a personal opinion: This could be a oppournity to update the art/ fur texture of the explore UI. I think it looks a little bit outdated compared to the newer art we get.

2. 200+ Bases...

Everyone knows we have more than 200 Bases and more are always coming. I'm absolutly against the Idea of making a unique fur coloring for every single base. I don't want our dear lioden artists having bleeding fingers.
So let's add only recolors for the following color Groups:

Black Dark
Black Medium
Black Light

Cream Dark
Cream Medium
Cream Light

Golden Dark
Golden Medium
Golden Light

Red Dark
Red Medium
Red Light

These are still 12 different recolors, but it is way more realistic than demanding over 200 recolors for a suggestion. I know there are some bases that are in the same color group but look entirely different, for example: Haze and Noctis (Both are Black Dark Solid). Or maybe you have a lion with a Interstellar base but you covered the base with markings so your king looks natural?
That's what the suggested toggle button is for, you can always switch back to the standard brown.


3. Mockups!

I made a few mockups for this, but beware... they are really ugly. I also don't know if the entire UI should be colored or just the mane part?

Black Dark

 

Cream Light

Golden Medium

Red Dark

4. A different approach
Added 2023, roughly 3 years after I made this suggestion in the first place. I also still think my mockups are ugly and can be made better by the LD artists. I also made these when there weren't any or barely colors like Haliotis, Jellyfish or the upcoming Witch, so more colorful fur options make a lot of sense tbh.

What if we throw the whole 'it costs GB' and 'only 12 colors' over board and take a look from a different direction.
The explore Colors can come in an applicator called 'Explore Pelt'. But not only 12 variants, instead as the base colors we already have. There could be 1 or 2 colors added every month (if that's not too much work).
These Items would obviously be only usable on your current king, and upon your kings retirement you will get the standart fur color again and have to use a new applicator. If you don't like the color you applied on your king, there can be an Item added to the Monkey business called 'Explore Pelt Removal' for 200, just like the Pose Removal that already exists.


Idea 1:
The colors can be bought from their respective Event Shop for Event Currency.
Example: 'Explore Pelt: Augur', purchasable in September from the Harbringer Shop.

Pro: An Event only Item, that everyone can obtain by paying Event Currency.

Contra: Due to being an Event applicator, that only shows visuals for yourself, I fear these applicator will become 'Junk apps' like many Mane applicators or the may applicators for example.

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Idea 2:
The Applicators can occur as a rare explore drop, only during their event.

Pro: An Event only Item, that everyone can obtain by exploring.

Contra: I fear this might go the same way as the Lavender & Lagoon Skin apps and also become junk Items, even if it's an event only Item.

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Idea 3:
The Applicators can occur as a rare drop from the lioness claiming quest, only during their specific Events & in a random color and MAYBE only if Tier 3 of the Event shop has opened OR the Storyline (if there is any) is completed.

Pro: This would not make the Applicators immediate worthless Junk Items (I hope) and keep these apps somewhat special. Everyone has a 2 rollover cooldown for the lioness quest and so you can't just skip it by paying some GB. And you gotta work for it by claiming some girls.

Contra: Uhh, there's a very limited time frame to get the Item I guess, if that can be seen as a contra. Also, people who are willing to spend Energy Items for the claiming or have a larger territory will probably have a better chance to finish the quest the same day they get it. However, the 2-day cooldown is not skipable like I mentioned in pro. I also don't know if this version is too hard to code, especially if the variant with 'Tier 3 has to be open' or 'the storyline has to be completed' is considered.

There's still a good chance these will become junk Items, because they are only usable on a single lion in your pride, unlike all other applicators and the result can only be seen by yourself, but the 3rd Idea at least gives somewhat of a challenge to the community to get these Items.

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Not sure if these Ideas are better than just paying 10-15 to the oasis and unlock 12 colors forever just like the cub stages, but I couldn't get these out of my head.

However, after these 3 years I'm kinda on the fence with the whole suggestion myself, but I'll keep it here for everyone to see and share their opinion. And regardless of this ever being added or not, I still think the Explore Fur could cope with an update.