Hot takes for planet zoo

[Doran]

My hot take based on bornean elephant:
Frontier is definitely going to cut over half of the roster in sequel, pack it again in DLCs and people still will try to justify their decisions. Frontier found gold mine full of people with low standards and is going to milk them dry lol.

At this point I just know one of the first PZ2 DLCs is going to be Amazon Animal Pack featuring capybara, giant otter, caiman, few fish and some sort of bird.

 

[Doran]

Weird thing is that its still supposed to be the ussuri dhole, which is the northern one. Its specificly refered to as such in the zoopedia. But the design then is pretty clearly supposed to be a tropical subspecies

It really depends on how you look at taxonomy. It has been suggested there are just 3 subspecies: mainland, sumatran and tien-shan. In game one would be then mainland dhole, which is called ussuri dhole due to it being nominate subspecies. Frontier seemingly use this taxonomy since there is no Indonesia in regions listed for animal.

Then there is classic 10 subspecies concept, according to which ussuri dhole is most likely extinct.

 

[NZFanatic]

Frontier found gold mine full of people with low standards and is going to milk them dry lol.

I want the blackbuck. What do you suggest I do?

 

[Doran]

I want the blackbuck. What do you suggest I do?

Buy the pack.

 

[NZFanatic]

Buy the pack.

Exactly.

But your post implied Frontier is getting away with animals like the pygmy elephant because the fanbase keeps buying them. My point was that they package them with animals people do want.

I can't avoid paying for the elephant because I want the blackbuck (and raccoon dog, macaque, etc). Yet this is still "rewarding" Frontier's choice.

 

[SanRazo]

Exactly.

But your post implied Frontier is getting away with animals like the pygmy elephant because the fanbase keeps buying them. My point was that they package them with animals people do want.

I can't avoid paying for the elephant because I want the blackbuck (and raccoon dog, macaque, etc). Yet this is still "rewarding" Frontier's choice.

It sucks cause this is the only thing we can do is be vocal about it in feedback on the forums and social media. But when we do that we get hit with toxic positivity. At the end of the day we just have to realize other people just like those animals and frontier as a company that wants to maximize profit, is going to supply that demand.

 

[Mjmannella]

I want the blackbuck. What do you suggest I do?

Leave a review and hope for the best I suppose

 

[Iben]

But when we do that we get hit with toxic positivity.

Do we really? Because if you ask me, I'd say that in 90% of all cases we're pretty much in agreement with each other here? Sure, we might not always 100% agree with each other when it comes to the details, but I'd say for the most part the feedback that gets given is pretty much universally agreed upon.

Like, take the elephant. 99% of the people here aren't a fan of the inclusion, myself as well, and the feedback on it has been overwhelmingly been similar? I don't see the toxic positivity on that front tbh. There's just, like you said yourself, a bunch of people who like an animal we don't?

What I do get both sides on is the fact that these last few DLCs have (unexpectedly) been divisive and that results in friction between the two sides. It isn't fun to see other people enjoy a pack that you really don't and don't understand why they do; but on the other hand there's also something to be said about the fact that we often end up with a lot of negativity with every new pack and that that bums people out as well, especially when you do enjoy what the new pack is going to bring.

Honestly, it's my main reason why I hope we're at most getting one more DLC and frankly would just want it to end here; just to give ourselves the breathing room again. We can use a break from it.

 

[Milurian]

What I do get both sides on is the fact that these last few DLCs have (unexpectedly) been divisive and that results in friction between the two sides. It isn't fun to see other people enjoy a pack that you really don't and don't understand why they do; but on the other hand there's also something to be said about the fact that we often end up with a lot of negativity with every new pack and that that bums people out as well, especially when you do enjoy what the new pack is going to bring.

Honestly, it's my main reason why I hope we're at most getting one more DLC and frankly would just want it to end here; just to give ourselves the breathing room again. We can use a break from it.

Im starting to think the polarisation created by these packs is well and truly intended both to just cause more discussion but also because they are just adjusting packs to see what is the bare minimum to sell a pack.

As others have pointed out people are buying packs for very specific animals usually the same one so it stands to reason frontier would adjust packs so that all they need is that one animal and to minimise risk to future packs they are picking easy divisive and generally not initially requested animals to fill the gaps.

 

[NZFanatic]

Do we really?

Not always, but there is undoubtedly reactive toxic positivity a lot of the time. It's been this way since 2019.

That said the criticisms can also be toxic so it's not like it's a one way street.

 

[SuzieSky]

The elephant seems to focus most of the negative responses. We get more people nitpicking other animals in packs without such an obvious weak point.

 

[NZFanatic]

The elephant seems to focus most of the negative responses. We get more people nitpicking other animals in packs without such an obvious weak point.

IMO the elephant doesn't deserve this level of nitpicking anyway.

Most of us can agree that we think it's a bad choice, but as far as models and textures go it's quite good. Really, it doesn't matter what it looks like if none of us want it anyway, so trying to find flaws doesn't serve any real purpose beyond, you know, twisting the knife.

 

[Milurian]

The elephant seems to focus most of the negative responses. We get more people nitpicking other animals in packs without such an obvious weak point.

Its because for the most part everyone agrees the rest of the animals are good reasonable choices but im sure without the elephant there would be more focused arguments on whether or not the pack is too ungulate heavy or not or if we really needed another canid but the actual animals themselves wouldnt be the issue more what they represent.

 

[SanRazo]

Do we really? Because if you ask me, I'd say that in 90% of all cases we're pretty much in agreement with each other here? Sure, we might not always 100% agree with each other when it comes to the details, but I'd say for the most part the feedback that gets given is pretty much universally agreed upon.

Like, take the elephant. 99% of the people here aren't a fan of the inclusion, myself as well, and the feedback on it has been overwhelmingly been similar? I don't see the toxic positivity on that front tbh. There's just, like you said yourself, a bunch of people who like an animal we don't?

What I do get both sides on is the fact that these last few DLCs have (unexpectedly) been divisive and that results in friction between the two sides. It isn't fun to see other people enjoy a pack that you really don't and don't understand why they do; but on the other hand there's also something to be said about the fact that we often end up with a lot of negativity with every new pack and that that bums people out as well, especially when you do enjoy what the new pack is going to bring.

Honestly, it's my main reason why I hope we're at most getting one more DLC and frankly would just want it to end here; just to give ourselves the breathing room again. We can use a break from it.

I’m usually in the positive camp. Besides the lack of a coati I loved the Americas pack and honestly sure the coyote isn’t my favorite but I enjoy every inclusion in the pack and take the good for the bad. Same with this pack, overall it’s a great pack, it’s literally just the elephant that makes it not one of my all time favorites. And again that’s fine for people to like things that they like, but being told I have to be ok with something cause the rest of the pack or support something because of the rest of the pack is starting to get grating, especially when frontier is obviously intentionally leaving things out for a sequel. I partially agree with you that hopefully support ends soon (if a sequel is coming next year) so we have a break in between and there’s less animals that I’m inevitably going to have to pay for twice in the sequel (a whole different can of worms there)

 

[Iben]

Not always, but there is undoubtedly reactive toxic positivity a lot of the time. It's been this way since 2019.

IDK, the majority of feedback that is addressed is overwhelmingly agreed upon by the community, so whilst I fully agree with you that there is some; most of the time it's just people who disagree with the common opinion and I don't really consider that to be toxic.

Im starting to think the polarisation created by these packs is well and truly intended both to just cause more discussion but also because they are just adjusting packs to see what is the bare minimum to sell a pack.

I genuinely don't think that's the case. Not only because we're just past the time that the obvious ABC animals are gone and that these packs were going to be divisive anyway; but also because Frontier was in very bad financial weather. It doesn't sound right that now would be the time to be experimenting, especially when it's quite likely PZ's support got extended due to the lack of other paid content.

And again that’s fine for people to like things that they like, but being told I have to be ok with something cause the rest of the pack or support something because of the rest of the pack is starting to get grating, especially when frontier is obviously intentionally leaving things out for a sequel.

Yeah no, I get that. But I also don't think that feedback is addressed to people like you.

I think there's only a very select group of people who are constantly upset and negative about everything where I personally think "hey buddy, if all you do is get worked up about this game, why are you still here?" (*) and I feel like that's a sentiment that's being shared by more and more people and they're more vocal about it than before. It's just not healthy or fun anymore, not for the individual but also not for the community because then people who feel what you feel here get in the crossfire when they're not supposed to.

But that certainly shouldn't stop you from being vocal about your own feedback, I don't think anyone here considers you to be part of that small group.

* But I'm just me, and just because I think that, that shouldn't mean that people have to stop. I'm just going to put more people on the ignore list lol

 

[SanRazo]

IDK, the majority of feedback that is addressed is overwhelmingly agreed upon by the community, so whilst I fully agree with you that there is some; most of the time it's just people who disagree with the common opinion and I don't really consider that to be toxic.


I genuinely don't think that's the case. Not only because we're just past the time that the obvious ABC animals are gone and that these packs were going to be divisive anyway; but also because Frontier was in very bad financial weather. It doesn't sound right that now would be the time to be experimenting, especially when it's quite likely PZ's support got extended due to the lack of other paid content.


Yeah no, I get that. But I also don't think that feedback is addressed to people like you.

I think there's only a very select group of people who are constantly upset and negative about everything where I personally think "hey buddy, if all you do is get worked up about this game, why are you still here?" (*) and I feel like that's a sentiment that's being shared by more and more people and they're more vocal about it than before. It's just not healthy or fun anymore, not for the individual but also not for the community because then people who feel what you feel here get in the crossfire when they're not supposed to.

But that certainly shouldn't stop you from being vocal about your own feedback, I don't think anyone here considers you to be part of that small group.

* But I'm just me, and just because I think that, that shouldn't mean that people have to stop. I'm just going to put more people on the ignore list lol

Gotcha I understand where you’re coming from. I agree those individuals confuse me as well.

 

[Bughs]

As I pointed out the dhole came in the south east asia animal pack so for it to make any sense at all in the pack it would need to be based on the south east asian subspecies which are not fluffy it had nothing to do with the fur.

OOOH Right! I am sorry I was having 2am brain and didn't get you first time.
But yep, I am happy the dhole is in the game but if I knew he's gonna be the short solid brown fur version, I would rather wait for different themed pack they could appear ^^"
Or would be cool if we could have the fluffy variants in the shop and just use both or one of it based on our prefference...
...also winter and summer variant for arctic fox when we are at it.

 

[PlanetJameson]

It seems like PZ model makers have a particular problem with neck fur on animals,
considering how Pallas Cat was made
View attachment 432926View attachment 432928
and how they chose the solid color short fur version of Dhole rather than picking the unique colorful fluffy cutie
View attachment 432929View attachment 432930


So I guess the lack of neck fur is the main problem why certain animals like Racoon Dog don't look quite right.

I would actually use the Dhole if it was the fluffier two-toned variety.

 

[Bughs]

Do you think the negativity would be lower if the region packs had at least 10-15 animals to add? 20 if they added also a bunch of exhibit animals?
Or would it still not be enough to fill everything important?
I think Frontier should not think "South America part2" or "Europe 2" would be a bad choice of a DLC, like why not get back and fill what was missing last time?
With it's fear to go back to the same region we will soon have DLC names like "Northwest middle america" "Below Alpine area"

 

[Bughs]

I would actually use the Dhole if it was the fluffier two-toned variety.

Yeah, me too... I was squealing happily when we were about to get dholes especially as I had a big dhole phase, and then it was from 100 to 0 to know it's not the fluff one...
And when I added them to my zoo to see them, I got them with the overbite bug. It killed all the appeal XD