My view on the bardyard DLC

ajmcspursfan

A
I don’t post on the forums an awful lot, in fact I haven’t posted on It for ages. I never feel like I have had anything interesting to add to the numerous threads and discussions that take place on this platform. Over the weekend it looked likely that we would hear something about the next (and seemingly last!) DLC and I was looking forward to finding out about it all. Maybe its finally South America getting the love it needs or maybe a special world pack to end things with. But no, neither was the case and this has led me to feel the need to post.

Now I want to make very clear that I have and always will appreciate the work that goes into the updates and DLC’s. The Animal models have gotten better and better and considering the sad news that so many people at frontier have lost their jobs I can only say thank you so much for all the work that has been done. The need to post however has come from the announcement of the latest DLC.

The thing I have always loved about Planet Zoo is the ability to create realistic zoos. We have a fantastic selection of animals and that is a great thing. But for me, and I stress this is just my opinion and I know I am in the minority, considering that this seems to be the last DLC leaving us with a selection of farm animals just seems so disappointing to me. Of course, a lot of Zoos do have a farm or selection of ‘domestic’ animals but considering the gaps in the roster we still have (Primates, Arboreal animals, habitat birds for example) it seems such a misstep from my opinion.

As I haven’t been on the forums for a while, I don’t know the general feeling towards what people want and needed from the game, but I can’t see the point in farm animals over much more interesting animals. I would even argue that ‘farm’ animals can be exciting or interesting. African Pygmy Goat, Somali Wild Sheep, Kune Kune Pig, Zebu and Yak are just some examples of domesticated species that I feel have a bigger part to play in the overall story of Planet Zoo compared to the selection we have been given.

My initial anger has cooled as I have thought through it more. Say this is not the last DLC, and we get more support for a while longer then sure I can see why a barnyard DLC fits in to the overall picture of providing players with a thorough and realistic Zoo experience. But if this is the end and we get no more support after this has been released then from my own opinion it just seems such a sad and disappointing note to end on. I have always loved the build up to a new DLC, new animals and new inspiration to get building on a current or new Zoo, but this has left me just feeling very empty. Once again, I am taking nothing away from the work the now much smaller team do and I am sure the animal models will be up to the normal brilliant standard. I just felt I had to say my piece on what seems like the last DLC and how it just feels so disappointing from my own personal viewpoint.

I apologise if I have posted in the wrong place, so please place this post where it belongs if needs be.
 

Fossa

F
You are in the minority, but mostly only on this forum. Still strange as none of these hamburgers and chickennuggets are anywhere near the top 100 of the general wishlist.

Most of the people I see being very happy about this pack are women/girls, so I guess those just love cute animals.

I always disliked product/pet/labour animals in my game, I love them in real life and will protect them from nasty humans if needed, but for a zoo game they are EXTREMELY lackluster and boring, and all 7 look like clones, seems like they worked most on the free update for petting animals.

If this is the last oack, I’ve never seen a worst ending in my life, listening to a few vocal people on a forum is bizarre to begin with, and I see a lot of people with doubts, they just aren’t honest and want to be the “kind” person here... but in their heart they hate this aswell
 

NZFanatic

NZFanatic
This is pretty much exactly where I stand, though I'm far more certain it is the last DLC (so was everyone else...until it was a barnyard theme).

I can absolutely see the need for domestics. I have historically been for this theme when others have not. However, as a final DLC, it feels like a kick in the teeth when there are still big holes in the roster in terms of, you know, proper zoo animals. I can't forgive Frontier for cutting us off without a baboon in the game. Microsoft did the same thing with Zoo Tycoon 2, but at least they gave us the gelada. It's not because baboons are my favourite animal. It's not because I want to use the baboon in every zoo I build. It's just the most obvious example of an animal that people all over the world would associate with zoos that isn't in the gods-damned game.

What has this community been dying for? Monkeys above all else, followed by (reasonably) habitat-capable birds. They've done well to give us a few bones in terms of birds in the last two DLC cycles, so we can give that a tentative 'tick' off the checklist. But monkeys? I'm spitting about this. It's infuriating that we got damned farm animals instead of at least one monkey.

And the thing is, they aren't even good choices. The goat, sheep, and pig are utterly bizarre choices. African pygmy goat, kunekune or Vietnamese pot-bellied pig, any number of sheep breeds would have been smarter choices. It's weird.
 

peafowl

P
ngl i wasnt crazy abt the idea of domestic animals but if they hold the same quality as the chicken and alpaca i dont mind it at all. they are beautiful
 

Moonfox

Moonfox
Well said, and I strongly agree with you.

I was shocked, devastated and honestly angry when the Barnyard announcement dropped because there is nothing to suggest that this isn't the last pack. This game is the best zoo game ever made and to end on a purely domestic species pack - especially with this specific roster - feels like a cruel way to miss out on so many animals that the community wants. Even the messaging "highly requested animals" feels like they are trying to convince us when they know how polarising this pack is. It does feel like a kick in the teeth, a direct insult to the loyal fans to please some casual players.

After a long wait for this pack, I thought we'd get a roster that at least had a few top wishlist animals and lots of great picks for the entire community. A 5 month long wait brought zero wishlist animals for me personally, and nothing with the potential to create interesting mods or habitats. Worse still, the animals are the domestic clones of wild species we already have (I've seen plenty of excited comments of people looking forward to the "llama").

Donkey = exact clone of Somali wild ass
Pig = Wild boar, Warthog, Babirusa, Red River Hog, Peccary
Alpaca = Llama
Sheep = Dall sheep with a brown face
Goat = Ibex without horns
Chicken = The only sort of new animal, but why not choose the jungle fowl that could work as both a wild or domestic species?
Cow = water buffalo, african buffalo, and again - why not choose a Zebu that could tell a story of human conflict and resolution with wildlife in areas of India and Africa?
No exhibit animal, when there could have been a WTE budgie or lorikeet at least.

We've all been excitedly talking about small monkeys, coatis, secretary birds, baboons, blackbuck, flying birds... wildlife to add to our zoo game. We got none of them.

Yes, petting zoos exist in real zoos (honestly, a waste of space and resources in what should be a conservation facility), but this is not what Planet Zoo should end on. If this is even the second last pack, I'll get over it, but it feels like incredible wild animal choices were deliberately taken off us in favour of Barnyard Pack, on Earth Day, and I'm in my feelings about it right now. We could have at least got a rabbit and a duck instead of the alpaca and donkey.

I just have to hope that they haven't decided to end on what was always going to be a divisive and controversial pack. I'm also hoping that this roster is just what could be produced quickly and easily with a smaller staff and the work that had to be put into console release, and also that the update features are the real star on release. If the animation effort went into the new interactions, at least we all get something great for free.

I really hope we get another pack in June that does bring a bunch of top wishlist animals to the game, and then this pack won't feel like a betrayal.
 
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Villanelle

Villanelle
Good post, and I think a lot of us here would agree that if this was the last pack, it would be a very strange note to end on.

Fortunately there is no evidence that this is the last pack. As you point out, there are still huge gaps in the roster. There is also strong indication that Frontier want to continue to invest in this game, and drive further DLC sales through both PC and console. I don't expect it to last too much longer but PZ is still a bestseller for Frontier and one that its financial success is highly deoendent on at present.

If it were a choice between this pack and any pack with wild/more interesting domesticated species, I'd pick the latter. However I am one of the many who vocalised a desire for a barnyard-esque pack to come along at some point, so I am glad it's been made. I also think it will prove to be very popular among the wider customer base and reach new players, which will help drive income for the game and potentially fund further support.

All that being said, if we don't get any more birds or monkeys, it will suck balls and this pack was a doozie.
 

Fossa

F
The end? Next pack will future Unicorn, Yeti, Mermaids and Dinosaurs.

You're welcome, just like the horrid fake-dinosaur mutation dlc Jurassic Park Evolution got, this will become a hype, people has such silly taste these days.
 

RightWhale

RightWhale
I’ll say I have always wanted a pack with petting zoo/ domestic animals, but I will agree with everyone I don’t think this should be the last dlc.

Personally I think we could get another, but I know about as much as everyone else which is nothing. We will see. If this is the last dlc I completely understand the vitriol, and I was also more hoping in birds/ monkeys/ South America.

Like I said we will see, but I do get the dislike.
 

PZ82

P
I wasn't a fan of the idea of a barnyard dlc but when it got announced I found that I was actually happy with the dlc. I would have preferred a North American dlc but this will do!
 

Antimony96

Antimony96
NZFanatic said:
And the thing is, they aren't even good choices. The goat, sheep, and pig are utterly bizarre choices. African pygmy goat, kunekune or Vietnamese pot-bellied pig, any number of sheep breeds would have been smarter choices. It's weird.
Click to expand...
I think they went all-in on representing the British countryside at the expense of both the rest of the world and breeds that are better-suited to and more common in actual petting zoos. Goats are friendly in general but alpine goats are among the biggest and least friendly.
 

ajmcspursfan

A
Thank you for all the replies. I have since learnt that this is not the right place for this discussion or my view points but I wanted to just leave this with one last post.

I don’t understand the love for the pack, I really don’t. However, that is my own problem and no one else’s. This pack is just not for me but that does not mean that other people can’t enjoy it. I guess from my own view point I want this to be a pure Zoo game. A game where I can really indulge in my two biggest passions, Zoos and more importantly animals. I want to create realistic Zoos and I look forward to each DLC to continue to help me to do that. I have loved all the DLC’s so far, and yes, I know I am in the minority who love Antelope. I genuinely do, they are my favourite animals to check out on my regular Zoo trips. I appreciate the dislike for them but I do personally feel they add much more to a Zoo game then the selection of domesticated animals that are arriving in the next pack.

I do think there is a place for a farm or domesticated part of a Zoo. Not only does this bring in families (which gives the Zoo much needed funds for its conservation work) but also may spark an interest in animals for children that may go onto having a lifelong obsession with wildlife. Rare breeds are just as important, a lot of ‘native’ or domesticated species are endangered. For example, the Poitou Donkey or Flemish Rabbit. This is where the pack does seem so strange to me, if the need to go down the farm route was indeed necessary then why not use this as an opportunity to not only, please those people asking for it but to take a really unique and fresh approach to it. Dwarf Goats are often used in African village themed areas as a way to educate and the same can be said for other species.

I apologise that my post annoyed some people, that was never my intention.
 
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