Predicting the remaining dlc content

[Swjosdotschka]

Sorry to break the JWE2 discussion but I want to play devils advocate to the topic:
What if we can't guess the remaining content because there is no defined end to PZ yet and Frontiers road maps for DLCs only reach one full year?
Why does this community always assuming there is the countdown of doom running? I have yet to hear an argument for it that isn't "but Planet Coaster/ other games:!"
We are still talking about a game (niche or not), that has absolutely no direct competitor in sight. There is no reason to stop making money with it, as long as costs are lower than revenue.

 

[jcp011c]

Sorry to break the JWE2 discussion but I want to play devils advocate to the topic:
What if we can't guess the remaining content because there is no defined end to PZ yet and Frontiers road maps for DLCs only reach one full year?
Why does this community always assuming there is the countdown of doom running? I have yet to hear an argument for it that isn't "but Planet Coaster/ other games:!"
We are still talking about a game (niche or not), that has absolutely no direct competitor in sight. There is no reason to stop making money with it, as long as costs are lower than revenue.

Chiming in, that's a very good point there. We now know they will definitely be producing content "into" 2022 - that could mean one release or that could mean 3-4 next year, and possibly longer. Though of course the further out the less likely there would be new content then. I think we can expect at least one more content this year, maybe two, but at bare minimum that's two more DLC - one this year and one "into" 2022. I honestly do think we'll get somewhere between 4-6 more DLC, but....as you pointed out, what if there is no ending actually planned. What if they did release content not only for 2022 but 2023, 2024 and beyond. Personally I'm hoping we still get something in 2023 but I can't imagine something beyond that. But we don't know Frontier's plan.

Taking that into account, there are other zoo simulators are out there, but competitive, more realistic with the depth of management that Planet Zoo has, not so much at this time. I actually think Planet Coaster has direct competition than Planet Zoo does. Without a direct competitor, regardless of content Frontier would know that PZ would be the game we'd continue to play if we wanted to play a zoo game of this quality. While not having other options means that we're also subject to "whatever" they put out, there would also be confidence that sales should continue to be strong, so long as there is lack of competition. We've seen it's possible with a life simulator going on nearly 7 years now. There looks to be some competition to that on the horizon coming "soon", but so far it's not been released, and as such that developer has confidence that their game will sell simply because there is no other direct competition for their demographic to buy into. If there's not another strong zoo competitor we may not be talking just another year and a half. we may be talking another 3-4 years. Probably not, but if that were the case, I'd likely continue support.

What I do know is that I have about a dozen other zoo management games in my library, and none of them have come anywhere close to achieving what this game has in it's so far short life (or actually, what PZ achieved on full release, ha) Even if some of those have more animals than PZ, they're no longer the zoo game I play. And this coming pack isn't going to do anything to discourage me of that, that's for sure.

 

[NL_Mutso]

At a certain point I feel like we're constantly underestimating Frontier here. Diving was theorized by many to be enrichment related, digging wasn't going to happen, etc

I don't think diving was theorized as an enrichment item, can't remember that one. Digging certainly was

In the months before diving was added, there was a CM comment that it was difficult to implement or more difficult than expected. So that meant they were working on it or had been working on it at some point.
In the end we got a diving feature which still isn't working properly (escaping habitat) + the 4m limitation.
I'm not sure that people who wanted diving (most of us) didn't expect this limitation. If they are unable to lower that, we are stuck with that version of diving. Technical reason isn't the reason you'd like to hear.

Something similar with coat variations. Some got attention and some less or not at all.

I'm fine with expecting aviaries etc. but "better be in december" and similar comments are imo not the way to go. I think there's a fine line between underestimating and controlling your expectations

We are still talking about a game (niche or not), that has absolutely no direct competitor in sight. There is no reason to stop making money with it, as long as costs are lower than revenue

Outdated engine version at some point? I've heard with some other devs they don't want their staff working on products with their old engine but learn/experience with games with the newer version to improve that one (focus on the future). Or even simpler: it's more profitable to place our staff on other products/projects.

Why does this community always assuming there is the countdown of doom running? I have yet to hear an argument for it that isn't "but Planet Coaster/ other games:!"

Hehe, "countdown of doom running". Yeah, somewhat tiring to see those comments over and over. I think it has to do with experiences in gaming.
I got the same thoughts with "but TheSims4 has +6 years of DLC support" when they talk about support.

 

[NZFanatic]

Sorry to break the JWE2 discussion but I want to play devils advocate to the topic:
What if we can't guess the remaining content because there is no defined end to PZ yet and Frontiers road maps for DLCs only reach one full year?
Why does this community always assuming there is the countdown of doom running? I have yet to hear an argument for it that isn't "but Planet Coaster/ other games:!"
We are still talking about a game (niche or not), that has absolutely no direct competitor in sight. There is no reason to stop making money with it, as long as costs are lower than revenue.

I don't think it's so much about a confirmed "end date" as it is about the fact that we know content is only going to continue at least until the end of 2022. It could easily go beyond that, but currently IIRC that's as far as we can be sure about.

Edit: On that same note we also can't guess as to how many DLC's we'll get between now and then (we can assume another two this year, another four next year, but we don't really know). I mean, if the leaks Doran shared do turn out to be true, then the next pack is 4+1+180 North American Aquatic themed. So what does that mean for the next year? No more North American animals? A second North American themed pack?

 

[Antonin]

I don't think it's so much about a confirmed "end date" as it is about the fact that we know content is only going to continue at least until the end of 2022. It could easily go beyond that, but currently IIRC that's as far as we can be sure about.

Edit: On that same note we also can't guess as to how many DLC's we'll get between now and then (we can assume another two this year, another four next year, but we don't really know). I mean, if the leaks Doran shared do turn out to be true, then the next pack is 4+1+180 North American Aquatic themed. So what does that mean for the next year? No more North American animals? A second North American themed pack?

Hi, which leak are you talking about please ?
PS : okay, I’ve just seen, my gosh. I thought Sea Otter was leaked, different enough from the Otter we already have (and super ultra cute with amazing behavior). But no, it’s talking about a River Otter, very similar to the giant otter. So I hope it’s only rumors to don’t have 3 reskins.

 

[NZFanatic]

Hi, which leak are you talking about please ?
PS : okay, I’ve just seen, my gosh. I thought Sea Otter was leaked, different enough from the Otter we already have (and super ultra cute with amazing behavior). But no, it’s talking about a River Otter, very similar to the giant otter. So I hope it’s only rumors to don’t have 3 reskins.

None of those "leaked" animals are reskins.

 

[Spiderhawk]

I remember watching a video that predicted a road map that accurately predicted africa (except the scarab) suggested North America is next as another 4+1 and made a prediction that there’s would be a bird dlc with birds not requiring an aviary such as cranes etc.

I do believe North America is due to get some love. I’d like some more scenery for a NA pack but there’s many animals I still want and I really believe another animal only pack of some kind is due. If there could be a a Europe/American animal pack I would be happy with a theme pack after.
maybe the 2022 dlc could be about animal groups or biome groups such as a primate pack that could get brachiation right, big birds, animals from random regions on continents, nocturnal houses and at some point aviaries make their grand debut.
I know it’s hard to satisfy every player, there’s just so much potential and it can be difficult to wait 3 months (heck it’s better then 4 months like last year) but I do hope this game can go down as the best zoo building game of all time and frontier doesn’t move on too early.

 

[Birini]

Sept: Rainforest (Capybara, Howler Monkey)
Dec: India (Leopard, Cobra)
Mar NA (Cougar)
June: Aviaries
That’s all folks!

 

[ElectricMonk]

…
Why does this community always assuming there is the countdown of doom running? I have yet to hear an argument for it that isn't "but Planet Coaster/ other games:!"
…

Totally agree. It seems to have died down a bit, but a couple of months ago lots of posts were saying things like: “now that the game’s coming to an end..” etc. with zero evidence or even an argument as to why they thought that was true.

 

[Birini]

Totally agree. It seems to have died down a bit, but a couple of months ago lots of posts were saying things like: “now that the game’s coming to an end..” etc. with zero evidence or even an argument as to why they thought that was true.

I suspect it has a lot to do with JWE disappearing and PlanCo ending after about 3 years. I hope this goes for several more years but in the absence of guidance, the human mind looks for patterns.

 

[iloveyourzoos]

What if we can't guess the remaining content because there is no defined end to PZ yet and Frontiers road maps for DLCs only reach one full year?

Now we're talking my language! I still think they'll do each continent relatively soon, just to hedge their bets. But there are so many ways they could go after that!

I may try and give this some thought, and come up with different lists for 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 year dlc.

Just like people say about different play modes, I may come up with things that are very different if I "let my imagination run wild", compared to if I'm trying to live within assumed constraints! Since we don't know when they make decisions to build the next year's roadmap, we ought to get our suggestions in early!

Outdated engine version at some point?

Honest question here, from a complete tech dumbie. Are JWE2 or ODE on different engines? If so, we may be in trouble. But if they're using cobra as well, that oddly gives me some hope, since we assume that both of those games will be supported for a while.

 

[NZFanatic]

Honest question here, from a complete tech dumbie. Are JWE2 or ODE on different engines? If so, we may be in trouble. But if they're using cobra as well, that oddly gives me some hope, since we assume that both of those games will be supported for a while.

People have said that JWE2 uses the same engine as PZ (the new version of the Cobra Engine) but I don't know how true that is. Certainly JWE2 is using some PZ assets though, such as foliage assets, so there can't be that big of a gap between them.

 

[iloveyourzoos]

People have said that JWE2 uses the same engine as PZ (the new version of the Cobra Engine) but I don't know how true that is. Certainly JWE2 is using some PZ assets though, such as foliage assets, so there can't be that big of a gap between them.

Thanks!

 

[Swjosdotschka]

The engine is getting an update with the new DLC - that's what modders already found out. So I doubt we even need to talk about the enginge before two or three years (likely the support cycle for JWE2, which WILL have a faster end date due to universal having a say) have passed.

@NZFanatic Basically what I was trying to say ^^ But even if we can only be sure about two more comming, a positive (and in my current view also realistic) standpoint, we should discuss "what will the next 2 dlcs be" and not "what will the remaining dlcs be".

Honestly, it's also the SEA pack that gave me hope. In my opinion it's way more niche than the blunt continent dlcs. So yes, I doubt we will be done after "NA and Europe". (And if someone now is bashing europe again, saying it's not worth a dlc, welcome to my ignore list. I have enough of this poop. Europe has a large zoo history, larger than some other continents, and this game is developed in europe. Yes, europeans deserve their fair share on animals, endemic or not)

 

[Swjosdotschka]

Taking that into account, there are other zoo simulators are out there, but competitive, more realistic with the depth of management that Planet Zoo has, not so much at this time. I actually think Planet Coaster has direct competition than Planet Zoo does.

Yes, I agree. Planet Coaster has / had direct competitions, at least for players that don't care so much about unlimited creative freedom with building. And we shouldn't forget, that there is an endless need for animals with the Planet Zoo customer base.

And no, other than some Content Creators might think, Mods don't and will never fill this need for people that do more than building in this game. Never. And this is comming from someone who heavily uses mods. I will always want every animal that I have as a mod as an official Frontier animal.

 

[FoxyDee]

But even if we can only be sure about two more comming, a positive (and in my current view also realistic) standpoint, we should discuss "what will the next 2 dlcs be" and not "what will the remaining dlcs be".

Could not say it better myself. Exactly this. It kind of gets on my nerves when people talk about it like its set in stone that there will be only 2 more dlcs.

 

[NZFanatic]

Could not say it better myself. Exactly this. It kind of gets on my nerves when people talk about it like its set in stone that there will be only 2 more dlcs.

I don't know why the number two ever came into it to begin with. The last report we had was that it would continue through 2022, IIRC. So really if we were putting that as the end date, then six is the magic number, assuming we get four per year now.

In any case I don't think it matters. Speculating as to the next two, or the next six, whether you believe that's all we're getting or not, is the same thing.

 

[ElectricMonk]

And if someone now is bashing europe again, saying it's not worth a dlc, welcome to my ignore list.

If that’s directed at me, I have NEVER said that Europe does not deserve a dlc. Please do not misrepresent what my argument is.

 

[Swjosdotschka]

I don't know why the number two ever came into it to begin with. The last report we had was that it would continue through 2022, IIRC. So really if we were putting that as the end date, then six is the magic number, assuming we get four per year now.

In any case I don't think it matters. Speculating as to the next two, or the next six, whether you believe that's all we're getting or not, is the same thing.

Though it says fiscal year 2022 if IRC, which starts october 2021 and ends march 2022. So even if I doubt this is the definate end of DLCs, it's less than 6.

 

[NZFanatic]

Though it says fiscal year 2022 if IRC, which starts october 2021 and ends march 2022. So even if I doubt this is the definate end of DLCs, it's less than 6.

Good call.

I don't think that will be the end though. I've always thought that it will be at least until the end of 2022, so I guess March 2023 in this case, and in my mind that's conservative. It could very well go beyond that.