I propose a system that simulates genetic heredity. In reality these systems are very very complicated but we can simplify it down to single genes. I’ve been playing a pet-site game Pixel Cat’s End that has a genetics system for the cats. Something similar would give nesting for DA some more depth, and provide more gameplay features for GNR in discovering mutations and other technologies.

GENES
Alleles are represented with different letters. Two copies of each gene for each of your two chromosomes. Same of two alleles is homozygous, and two different is heterozygous.
Let’s say there is a gene that codes for the size of the dinosaur. I will assume small, average and large variants. An average dinosaur will have the Small(S) and Large (L) alleles, while the other sizes will be homozygous.
Skins could also be represented by genetics. Coel as an example currently has 3 skins; So Blue (BB), Purple (BR) and Magenta (RR). It can be expanded other things, like skin mutations; Recessive albinism (A) or no albinism (X). Or even stuff like immune system viability – in Niche: A Genetics Survival game, creatures are more likely to get sick if they inherit two of the same immune system allele, meaning there’s danger to inbreeding.

I don’t want to get too specific with this for the sake of brevity but a general application could be like so:
[Sex] [Skin] [Size] [Skin mutation] [Other mutation]
Sex: XX female and XY male
Skin: Varies depending on the dino, see coel example above
Size: Aforementioned
Skin mutation: X - dominant no mutation. A - recessive albino. B - recessive melanistic. C - recessive piebald, etc.
Other mutation: Infertility, haemophilia, beneficial stat boosts, etc.
It gets complicated where an individual possesses more than one mutation i.e AB or BC. This could be resolved by making them nonviable or making certain mutations take priority over others.
For example:
[XY] [BR] [SL] [XC] [XX] - a male, purple, average sized coel that carries the piebald mutation

DINOSAURS
I would suggest for DA to not be on the side knowing what genes their dinosaur has. In character creation, they can pick out a skin or sex (or maybe size, whatever’s planned for that) but not any of the underlying recessive mutations they might carry.
When two dinosaurs nest, their offspring randomly inherit one of each of their parents’ two alleles for their own pair. Simple enough. Having an inheritance system like this allows mutations and skins to “skip a generation” or create some interesting, realistic variety in the appearance of the offspring.

HUMANS
GNR could have an interaction with this system as well. I imagine a system where GNR can take DNA samples of tranquillised dinosaurs and use them at a computer interface to show the genetic sequence of that asset. There could be some interesting gameplay if this system is introduced for GNR to figure out what alleles code for what traits. It would s*** to be leaked from QA tho. In-game applications of the system;

• Ability to collect blood samples from a tranquilised asset to obtain a DNA sample item (DNA storage area/Genetics lab location?)
• Insert DNA into a machine to see what alleles it has
• Scifi b******* machine to synthesize offspring that can be developed into eggs for hatchery stuff; use 2 different DNA samples (circumventing selective breeding) for new combinations or the same sample to create genetic clones.
• Genetic engineering tech; synthesizing entire strings (with a lower success rate, probably) to produce superdinos or whatever they need for projects like CDA