Given the animals it would bring to the game, I would absolutely love this. It could have a heavy emphasis on Latin American critters, the tree kangaroo, a new Asian monkey and so on. The scenery/props would be fantastic too.
The one qualm I have with the idea is that the naming conventions Frontier has chosen to go with wouldn't quite align. If they were more in the habit of naming DLC around zoo features then I think it would make sense along with several other pack ideas we could have gotten along the way: Parks & Gardens. Night House. Play & Learn. Greenhouse. Aviary. Small Animal House. Packs like this rather than being purely biome or region focused could have busted scenery wide open.
I'm sure there's others but those stick out to me. I steered away from things that got too specific (e.g., primate house, small mammal house, world of birds, and so on). Some of these ideas remind me of Sims DLC names. Hah.
Yeah the only thing that would “make or break” a tropical house dlc is the bird selection and how they are implemented. When I say “make or break” I mostly mean in the sense of: will this be in the top 10 DLCs for me, or the easy #1?
Getting monkeys or a tree kangaroo is a no brainer and is something we have seen in game already. Likewise getting something like a red footed tortoise or African dwarf crocodiles are easy tropical reptiles to get. The thing with birds in a tropical house there is an obvious answer: tropical waterfowl. Mute swans work in game, so in that note we can easily get tropical duck species. My main thing, is to make this dlc the best it can be is we would need more than a tropical duck species.
The thing is, many of the other bird species could benefit from using the climbing structures in game. The issue being we have no basis for that yet. Likewise, as we can see with modding, we can add unique behaviors to enrichment structures alone. So, that basically asks the question of what species would be left? And would Frontier actually do it?
After going to some more zoos in recent memory, I am unfortunately doubtful we could get the roseate spoonbill or scarlet ibis. I think they can work in game, but after seeing them more in person it would require frontier to do some work. Namely they would need to be able to perch, which would require new climbing structures or enrichment items. At the Bronx zoo both the spoonbill and ibis will perch in trees, but also forage on the ground. So as I said, they
could work in game. The problem is would Frontier put in the effort for that. Now despite what everyone thought, we did get brachiation. Likewise if modders can do it, Frontier can too. I unfortunately just think it is supremely unlikely at this point. Now adding some cool “pseudo- aviary” features would be awesome for a final dlc, I just don’t think it’s likely at all.
So that leaves birds we already have in game, that mostly spend time on the ground. Which in my opinion we still have some great options for a tropical house style dlc:
- As stated before, tropical ducks would still work. So whistling ducks, Muscovy ducks, Brazilian teals, and others could get in game.
- I think a very large stork species, such as the saddle bill stork, can work.
- Likewise, I think a grey crowned crane could still work.
- Ground birds, like the Congo peafowl, red jungle fowl, elegant crested tinamou, Victoria pigeon, and wood rail can work.
So with that being said, and
TLDR: I don’t think the more popular tropical house birds can work, not because they can’t be in game, but due to Frontier having to put in some work. There are still some great options available to us, and regardless a tropical house style pack may be my favorite ever.
(though somehow I can picture making a tropical house dlc with no birds)
It probably means nothing.
