This item applies So to a colonist's genome via design update.
Softened
This modifier may do one of two things:
- TYPE A: It may blur the edges of one marking out into a gradient, regardless of the rules of the marking. This may be a partial blur on only part of the edge of the marking or it can be an entire blur. The softened edges may spread slightly outside of their general range, so Softened Choker may spread onto the shoulders or potentially even the upper arms.
- TYPE B: It may cause an additional colour to be in one marking, blurred out into another. This can cause an effect almost like countershading except restricted to one marking and follows the countershading rules, unless adjusted with Artifice.
To quote from the Countershading guide: "As long as most of it is at least close to the base coat range and the differing isn't going too far out of range, it is acceptable. It should not come from another colour range other than the base coat, unless affected by artifice." However, it may be from one of the other base coat ranges if the base coat is monochromatic (black, white, grey.) "Base coat" should remain in the same species as the colonist in question.
Dominant Soften/Very Softened
Soften can be used up to three times. They do not have to be the same type of Soften, so you may have one colour-gradient marking and two markings with edges gradiented, or even one marking with both the colour gradient as well as the edge gradient.
Example of softened choker on a monochromatic base - using countershading rules for monochromatic bases, this allows it to bear the colour of a different base. This should remain in the darker-than/lighter-than range of the base choker marking.
Example of a partial gradient edge on softened choker.
Example of dominant softened choker layered over hood, using both partial gradient edge and gradient colour.
