Mega-thread small exhibits

[DarthQuell]

Put down all y'alls ideas for how they Should work. How to Make them better. What the roster could be. Etc.

Spoiler: Our Suggestions

• Small exhibits should be modular, being able to be combined to make even larger enclosures; maybe we can house multiple species like this, maybe even more numbers
• Multiple sizes:
  • 8×4×4
  • 4×4×4
  • 4×2×1.5
  • 2×2
• Compound setups (example: we have the standard 4×4×4, but it's subdivided into 4 separate enclosures. Therefore we have 4 enclosures in 1)
• Options to use different biomes (example: blue tongue skink has the desert and temperate tags. We should have the option to choose a desert setup or a temperate setup)
• Have a much larger roster than habitat animals
• Have more idle/loop animations for the animals

 

[PnGLINNyo]

First things first, some system to combine exhibits for larger size, so that bigger exhibit animals could be housed like giant salamanders or pythons

 

[Ounze]

Okay, supposedly it's stated that they don't want exhibit mammals. That needs to change. Some mammals are way too small for an habitat, but an enclosure is just right for them. Plus, My local zoo has several aviaries that could be described as 4m x 4m x 4m. So even if they don't add a proper avian pack, no reason we can't have smaller birds in habitats.

Also, I'd love to be able to have customizable sizes for these, combine with a fossorial type. I know that ant colonies, and Naked Mole Rats aren't likely, but they'd be perfect for this.

 

[NL_Mutso]

Okay, supposedly it's stated that they don't want exhibit mammals. That needs to change. Some mammals are way too small for an habitat, but an enclosure is just right for them. Plus, My local zoo has several aviaries that could be described as 4m x 4m x 4m. So even if they don't add a proper avian pack, no reason we can't have smaller birds in habitats.

Also, I'd love to be able to have customizable sizes for these, combine with a fossorial type. I know that ant colonies, and Naked Mole Rats aren't likely, but they'd be perfect for this.

Well, they actually didn't post that
That was already debunked during beta but every now and then, some people "remember" it.

It's one of those rumours that some people spread because they translated this into your comment.

https://www.reddit.com/r/PlanetZoo/comments/d6aq1c

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/PlanetZoo/comments/d6aq1c/no_mammals_and_birds_in_exhibits/


This one triggered some people but it's just a question about the content of the base game.

 

[NL_Mutso]

• different sizes
• different shapes
• an "open" option or no-glass option so you can create an indoor habitat without dealing with the glass.

I would like to see an option to actually create the environment in an exhibit but for a long while, i don't think they will add this.

Roster, there are countless options for this.

 

[Ounze]

Well, they actually didn't post that
That was already debunked during beta but every now and then, some people "remember" it.

Whew good. Somebody on the site said that recently, don't remember who though, which was the first that I had head of it.

 

[Aramar]

I wish we could have these three sizes:

-large: 8 x 4 x 4 (so two standard exhibits joined)

-standard: 4 x 4 x 4

-small, the size of the window: 4 x 2 x 1.5 aprox

 

[Tally]

Totally support the idea of smaller and bigger sizes for exhibits!

Also, what do you guys think of an Exhibit DLC sometime down the line? I would love one eventually. There are soooo many tiny critters we need for exhibits and since they're way less work then habitat animals, I think an Exhibit DLC with maybe like 10-12 animals sounds realistic!

 

[Ounze]

Totally support the idea of smaller and bigger sizes for exhibits!

Also, what do you guys think of an Exhibit DLC sometime down the line? I would love one eventually. There are soooo many tiny critters we need for exhibits and since they're way less work then habitat animals, I think an Exhibit DLC with maybe like 10-12 animals sounds realistic!

I second this.

 

[DarthQuell]

Ok, very nice.

Sizes would be great to have smaller sizes. The only animals that the sizes kinda fit are the 2 iguanas, the yellow anaconda, and the boa constrictor.

Also, wouldn't it make sense if we had more small exhibit animals than habitat animals? They take up the majority of zoos' collections, anyway

 

[ElectricMonk]

As others have said , different sizes and shapes would be good. We also need to be able to select the biome - many species are tagged with multiple biomes but you’re stuck with whichever the Devs decided to go with. E.g. i want my bluetongues in a temperate exhibit.

 

[NL_Mutso]

Also, what do you guys think of an Exhibit DLC sometime down the line? I would love one eventually. There are soooo many tiny critters we need for exhibits and since they're way less work then habitat animals, I think an Exhibit DLC with maybe like 10-12 animals sounds realistic!

As a replacement for the 2,5-4 month released regular DLC, no.. Exhibit animals aren't that interesting (from the start) - it would require a big overhaul to make it interesting.

As an extra DLC, don't mind it.

 

[NZFanatic]

I see no need for bigger exhibits. 16m2 is huge, bigger than a standard bedroom in a house.

I often see people saying we "need" bigger ones for pythons and such, or for the iguanas, but we don't, 16m2 exceeds any and all recommendations for these animals in real life. We desperately need smaller exhibits, however, because 16m2 is obscenely large for most of the exhibit animals in the game.

I've always liked the idea of a "compound" exhibit. So the facility itself is still 4x4x4, but it's divvied up into either four tiny exhibits per side, or two longer, skinnier exhibits on two sides (so one stacked on top of the other). Of course you wouldn't be forced to use all four sides.

Alternatively, a smaller exhibit that functions similarly to the vending machines and attaches to the side of the path. Staff can still access these facilities so there shouldn't be a problem there.

 

[Ounze]

I see no need for bigger exhibits. 16m2 is huge, bigger than a standard bedroom in a house.

I often see people saying we "need" bigger ones for pythons and such, or for the iguanas, but we don't, 16m2 exceeds any and all recommendations for these animals in real life. We desperately need smaller exhibits, however, because 16m2 is obscenely large for most of the exhibit animals in the game.

See, I think we need bigger ones, but not for species like those. There is a sweet spot for some animals that most habitat would be too big, and yet exhibits are too small. Take for instance Sengis. The small, rodent like Afrotherians require a huge amount of space because they stake out a territory, and run around the outside of it.
A larger habitat size (maybe 7m x 7m or larger) would be perfect for creatures like the Kakapo, sloths, Armadillos, Kiwi, etc, (Essentially any small mammal or flightless birds, though one could make a reasonable argument for exhibit Burrowing Owls Athene cunicularia)

 

[DarthQuell]

See, I think we need bigger ones, but not for species like those. There is a sweet spot for some animals that most habitat would be too big, and yet exhibits are too small. Take for instance Sengis. The small, rodent like Afrotherians require a huge amount of space because they stake out a territory, and run around the outside of it.
A larger habitat size (maybe 7m x 7m or larger) would be perfect for creatures like the Kakapo, sloths, Armadillos, Kiwi, etc, (Essentially any small mammal or flightless birds, though one could make a reasonable argument for exhibit Burrowing Owls Athene cunicularia)

I am all for those, but for birds and larger reptiles and small, climbing mammals

 

[NZFanatic]

See, I think we need bigger ones, but not for species like those. There is a sweet spot for some animals that most habitat would be too big, and yet exhibits are too small. Take for instance Sengis. The small, rodent like Afrotherians require a huge amount of space because they stake out a territory, and run around the outside of it.
A larger habitat size (maybe 7m x 7m or larger) would be perfect for creatures like the Kakapo, sloths, Armadillos, Kiwi, etc, (Essentially any small mammal or flightless birds, though one could make a reasonable argument for exhibit Burrowing Owls Athene cunicularia)

I don't think we'll ever get mammals in exhibits, so it's kind of a moot point, and all of those other animals you mentioned would clearly be habitat animals (sloths, armadillos, and kiwi - none of these are suitable for exhibits, all of them are bigger than meerkats, fennec foxes, and prairie dogs, so why would they create a new exhibit for them when they can just go in a habitat?). As an aside, kakapo can't be kept in captivity (by New Zealand law) so they won't make it into the game anyway.

In any case 7x7x4 would be 196m3 which is an obscene amount of space for an elephant shrew. At that point they might as well just make it a habitat animal no matter how tiny it is, since that space is larger than the requirements for some habitat animals in the game.

 

[ElectricMonk]

In any case 7x7x4 would be 196m3 which is an obscene amount of space for an elephant shrew. At that point they might as well just make it a habitat animal no matter how tiny it is, since that space is larger than the requirements for some habitat animals in the game.

Whilst I somewhat agree, it’s really 7x7 since the vertical doesn’t matter, so 49m2 which is lower than anything in-game I think. I don’t actually think Frontier will add small mammal exhibits, but I’d love if they did.

 

[DarthQuell]

Ok, here's another thing: the majority if the roster in many zoos are the small exhibit animals. So, honestly, wouldn't it make sense if we had more small exhibit animals than habitat animals?

 

[Ounze]

I don't think we'll ever get mammals in exhibits, so it's kind of a moot point, and all of those other animals you mentioned would clearly be habitat animals (sloths, armadillos, and kiwi - none of these are suitable for exhibits, all of them are bigger than meerkats, fennec foxes, and prairie dogs, so why would they create a new exhibit for them when they can just go in a habitat?). As an aside, kakapo can't be kept in captivity (by New Zealand law) so they won't make it into the game anyway.

In any case 7x7x4 would be 196m3 which is an obscene amount of space for an elephant shrew. At that point they might as well just make it a habitat animal no matter how tiny it is, since that space is larger than the requirements for some habitat animals in the game.

Meerkats, and Prairie Dogs have higher social requirements. As for Fennec Fox, they have a much higher metabolism than Armadillos and Sloths. Armadillos, Sloths, and Anteaters make a group called Xenarthrans. And all of them have some of the lowest metabolic rates found amongst mammals. Hence why I would have Armadillos, Sloths, and honestly almost any other species of anteater (other than the Giant Anteater) as an exhibit animal.
It may not currently be legal, but the conservation program does hand rear chicks. In the U.S, it is illegal to keep endangered native species, and in my home state of Oregon, it is illegal to keep most native species. The Oregon Zoo can only keep black bears and cougars that can not be released back into the wild. Of course, with these types things, like the Kakapo, or other highly endangered species, I'd like to see a system for animals that can't be rehab'ed.

Keep in mind, with elephant shrews, they use the trails that they make in their territory, so the territory they need is a fraction of the space they actually need, and since they use what are essentially, fragments of habitat. 49m^2 is in that sweet spot of tiny habitat, and way to big for an exhibit as they are now.

 

[NZFanatic]

Of course, with these types things, like the Kakapo

The kakapo isn't like those types of things, though. In the US, species that can't be kept in captivity by law there can still be kept elsewhere. New Zealand species aren't the same - the kakapo, like the yellow-eyed penguin as another example, and like many of our birds, isn't allowed to be exported to any overseas collections. All hand-reared chicks are released back into the wild and are indistinguishable from wild-born birds. There has only been a single instance of a kakapo that was unable to be released to the wild, and it wasn't kept in a zoo, it became a travelling ambassador for its species. The kakapo isn't like the Himalayan brown bear or proboscis monkey in that it's just "rare" or "hard to keep", it's literally outlined in its species survival plan that captivity would be counterproductive and do more harm than good with this particular species. One day that might change, but as of now it's an absolute no-go, and Frontier won't add it because of that (every animal in the game has a captive presence except the titan beetle, IIRC).

Anyway, as to the rest - lions and koalas spend upwards of 20 hours a day sleeping. Aardvarks, giant anteaters, Chinese pangolins, and clouded leopards are nocturnal. Crocodilia, as ambush predators, spend most of the day sitting in one spot. The criteria of what makes a habitat animal isn't based on metabolism or how active the species is, otherwise the dwarf caiman would be an exhibit animal, too, most likely. The game makes allowances for behavioural traits because otherwise it wouldn't be very interesting, so nocturnal animals aren't nocturnal, and animals that you'd be lucky to see moving in a real zoo are active almost all the time. Putting an armadillo in an exhibit would be ludicrous.