DLC18 discussion and predictions

[PlanetSoyJak]

I'm sorry, but if the keyart is poor for a mountains DLC, it's even worse for any kind of celebration or anniversary pack lol. It has flags and the vague shape of a tent, that's all that hints towards that theme.

This whole discussion makes me wonder how we'd pick apart the keyart of other packs if they were used as teasers.

Arctic- I would say a Cold themed arctic pack because Polar Bear is there
South America - I would say South America because its a jagaur and tropical theme
Australia - I would say Australia pack too due to the Koala
Aquatic- I would say Coastal pack
Southeast Asia - I would say like Indonesia Pack
Africa - I would say North Africa Pack
North America - I would say its Temperate pack because of moose and beaver
Europe - I would say its a Europe pack because it shows a ton of architecture of European Fashion
Wetlands - I wouldn't call it anything lol, I'll probably wait until a youtuber calls it something and makes sense.
Conservation - I would say the 'Steppes pack'
Twilight - I would call it the Halloween pack literally
Grasslands - I would call it the Grasslands pack due to the maned wolf and emu cover
Tropical- I would also call it Tropical pack due to how it looks
Arid - I would call it the "Desert Pack"
Oceania- I would call it the "Island Pack"
Eurasia- I would call it the "Temperate Pack"
Barnyard- I would call it the "Farm Pack"

 

[Mjmannella]

I'm sorry, but if the keyart is poor for a mountains DLC, it's even worse for any kind of celebration or anniversary pack lol. It has flags and the vague shape of a tent, that's all that hints towards that theme.

This whole discussion makes me wonder how we'd pick apart the keyart of other packs if they were used as teasers.

If you don't think it's a case for either Highlands or a grab-bag, what do you think the rest of the pack's animals will be?

 

[Marvinb]

I'm sorry, but if the keyart is poor for a mountains DLC, it's even worse for any kind of celebration or anniversary pack lol. It has flags and the vague shape of a tent, that's all that hints towards that theme.

This whole discussion makes me wonder how we'd pick apart the keyart of other packs if they were used as teasers.

I think for the majority of them its pretty obvious. Mabye not the exact name like i think for conservation, arid and tropcial you would settle on endangered animals, desert and rainforests rather than the names they actually have.
Eurasia and oceania are the only ones where i think you would get the theme wrong, as i think you would probably conclude on forests/temperate and islands for them.

 

[Chuditch]

If you don't think it's a case for either Highlands or a grab-bag, what do you think the rest of the pack's animals will be?

I still think its highlands to be clear - yes, there is no mountain in the background, and yes, some of the scenery is a bit weird, but it's still got the strongest support from what we see in the keyart (three animals highly requested for a highlands pack, Pallas cat as the headliner, the cool blue colour palette, alpine-looking foliage etc). What I mean is that some people think the lack of an actual mountain in the keyart makes this a poor keyart to use for a highlands pack, but then go ahead convince themselves it's some kind of celebration or anniversary pack, which it would be even worse for.

If I made the keyart for a celebrations pack, I would have much brighter, more festive colours, celebration scenery front at centre, and the most highly requested animals (secretary bird, baboon, tree kangaroo, coati etc) front-and-centre to demonstrate the pack's worldwide grab-bag themeing and properly celebrate the game's community - yes, the Pallas cat and markhor were definitely much requested animals, but they're far from baboon or secretary bird tier. Secretary bird would probably be what I would choose as the headliner myself, it's arguably the most requested animal overall and also an animal striking enough to grab the attention of the general public.

I definitely wouldn't choose the keyart to have only animals that are associated with highlands (two from the same region), the Pallas cat as the headlinder animal, celebrations scenery kept vague and a cold blue colour palette.

 

[Chuditch]

Eurasia and oceania are the only ones where i think you would get the theme wrong, as i think you would probably conclude on forests/temperate and islands for them.

I actually do have a sneaking suspicion that the Oceania Pack was originally meant to be called the Islands Pack, following the trend Arid set of making a biome/landform pack but only including animals native to a particular continent, but it was changed following the backlash Arid got for its name.

 

[PlanetSoyJak]

I actually do have a sneaking suspicion that the Oceania Pack was originally meant to be called the Islands Pack, following the trend Arid set of making a biome/landform pack but only including animals native to a particular continent, but it was changed following the backlash Arid got for its name.

I'm thinking this next pack is gonna be another Arid Situation with only Asian Mountain/Highland Animals if it is a Highland pack.

 

[Marvinb]

I actually do have a sneaking suspicion that the Oceania Pack was originally meant to be called the Islands Pack, following the trend Arid set of making a biome/landform pack but only including animals native to a particular continent, but it was changed following the backlash Arid got for its name.

Maybe? Although i think qoukka but mostly penguin would be kinda strange choices for an islands pack

 

[Chuditch]

Maybe? Although i think qoukka but mostly penguin would be kinda strange choices for an islands pack

Quokkas are heavily associated with Rottnest Island and little penguins are an important animal for New Zealand + in Australia they mostly breed and come ashore on islands (espeically nowadays where they get devoured by foxes and cats on the mainland). To me they all fit the island theming if it's not solely animals that are endemic to islands.

 

[SanRazo]

I'm sorry, but if the keyart is poor for a mountains DLC, it's even worse for any kind of celebration or anniversary pack lol. It has flags and the vague shape of a tent, that's all that hints towards that theme.

This whole discussion makes me wonder how we'd pick apart the keyart of other packs if they were used as teasers.

Exactly this it’s almost surely mountains. A Pallas cat is just a weird pick for a celebration headliner. And all mountainous animals?? Come on guys

 

[Marvinb]

Quokkas are heavily associated with Rottnest Island and little penguins are an important animal for New Zealand + in Australia they mostly breed and come ashore on islands nowadays. To me they all fit the island theming if it's not solely animals that are endemic to islands.

Yeah i know. Still, doing an islands pack but half of the animals arent even islands exclusive just seems kinda bizarre to me.

 

[DarthQuell]

Maybe? Although i think qoukka but mostly penguin would be kinda strange choices for an islands pack

Quokkas are heavily associated with Rottnest Island and little penguins are an important animal for New Zealand + in Australia they mostly breed and come ashore on islands nowadays. To me they all fit the island themeing if it's not solely animals that are endemic to islands.

I see both arguments. Besides the animals, the pack screams islands. You.coild argue that the penguin and kiwi can be iconic island animals (I mean, Surf's Up is about surfboarding penguins on a tropical island), but the animal choices are clearly Oceania
But knowing the eccentric way Frontier makes its rosters, they could've done with just putting the Oceania animals in the 1st place and combine them with island pieces

Exactly this it’s almost surely mountains. A Pallas cat is just a weird pick for a celebration headliner. And all mountainous animals?? Come on guys

Yeah, I'd feel the baboon would fit that role more. But would people be attracted to a baboon (which can be used to insult) or to a Palla's cat (which reminds them of their pet Tabby the tabby)

 

[SanRazo]

I see both arguments. Besides the animals, the pack screams islands. You.coild argue that the penguin and kiwi can be iconic island animals (I mean, Surf's Up is about surfboarding penguins on a tropical island), but the animal choices are clearly Oceania
But knowing the eccentric way Frontier makes its rosters, they could've done with just putting the Oceania animals in the 1st place and combine them with island pieces

Yeah, I'd feel the baboon would fit that role more. But would people be attracted to a baboon (which can be used to insult) or to a Palla's cat (which reminds them of their pet Tabby the tabby)

If this was hypothetically a celebration pack they’d definitely vary the animals shown and show more of the fan favorites. (A secretary bird, coati, etc)

 

[Marvinb]

Exactly this it’s almost surely mountains. A Pallas cat is just a weird pick for a celebration headliner. And all mountainous animals?? Come on guys

Idk i can see it. If you want to appeal to a wide playerbase going with a cute cat is probably among the best choices you have. There sure are animals that represent the whole final pack better imo like the baboon or secretary, but idk if those are as appealing to a general audience as "hey, thats a cute lil chonker"

Also there have been odd choices for headliner before. Eurasia with the wisent is a pretty good example, it was neither the most requeste or popular, the most recognizeable, or best at representing the theme. So i think sometimes the devs just chose whatever they feel like at the time

 

[CThree16]

I think you guys are less generous to the general public than you should be lol. Somewhat peculiar animals headline all the time- they don’t need to stick the cat as the headliner every time to draw in general audiences. Heck, the last pack of wild animals was headlined by an animal I didn’t know existed before I learned about this game. A buyer on Steam could definitely handle a secretary bird or a walrus if this really was a grab bag pack.

 

[SanRazo]

Idk i can see it. If you want to appeal to a wide playerbase going with a cute cat is probably among the best choices you have. There sure are animals that represent the whole final pack better imo like the baboon or secretary, but idk if those are as appealing to a general audience as "hey, thats a cute lil chonker"

I just personally don’t feel like a Pallas cat would’ve even been in a celebratory ending pack though. It screams popular mountain animal picked for the theme and appeal within that theme. If it was an anniversary pack or zookeeper’s pack we would’ve hypothetically had more focus on the top 10 animals the community has wanted.

 

[Fan de planet zoo]

Pack d'animaux des hautes terres
Chat de Pallas
Hamadrya Babouin
Markhor
elk
Oie à tête barrée
Volière
monal de l'Himalaya
Vautour fauve

 

[AlexSea]

If this is a celebration/finale pack, then why are the three teased animals all associated with mountains? You'd think if it was something other than a mountains pack the teased animals would be more diverse.
Hamadryas Baboon - Sarawat Mountains
Pallas's Cat - South Siberian Mountains
Markhor - Karakoram Mountains

 

[TheNamesJonas]

Wait, what the heck would a celebration themed pack even be thematically any way? Like each animal being based on different packs or events?

 

[Chuditch]

Wait, what the heck would a celebration themed pack even be thematically any way? Like each animal being based on different packs or events?

Theoretically it’d just be a Zookeeper’s Collection pack under a different name, aside from a few new scenery pieces maybe. Grab-bag pack of highly requested animals from around the world.

 

[CThree16]

Theoretically it’d just be a Zookeeper’s Collection pack under a different name, aside from a few new scenery pieces maybe. Grab-bag pack of highly requested animals from around the world.

This is not a particularly grab-baggy set of animals. It’s almost like there’s a clear, obvious theme that we’re overthinking because we’d rather doompost and stare at flags.