Some feedback: tedium

[stolemyname]

You should think about adding a feedback forum like Planet Zoo has so these type of posts don't get buried.

OK so with that out of the way, I do like the new game. I like the added management layers like the scientists and the MVU and the ranger stations. The scientists aren't like Planet Zoo where they have a route and when they finish their route they take a break on their own. This is just a menu, one that you visit often, and with the combination of different scientists' training levels you will eventually be able to have enough to research while others are resting. Getting to that point where you've got all that researched can be like hurry up and wait because you have other things that need to be researched. It's not that bad, but it could probably be polished. It's an added layer of management which I can appreciate. What I don't appreciate is tedium. Which brings me to my next two points.

Fuel. Constantly refueling is awful. It's the feeders from the first game all over again. This really should have been caught in testing. Someone should've said "you know, they didn't like constantly refilling feeders before, they sure won't like constantly refueling either". I know you can eventually research power stations but before that the generators are dreadful. A full tank only lasts a half an hour and it costs half a million to refill. That needs to be stretched out, at least, and cost adjusted. I understand the management point of it, but not the frequency. Because then the rangers need refueling, the helicopters, the MVU and then the rangers run out of food. C'mon man. You don't need all that. You might as well have me refilling vending machines at the staff center too. Don't get any ideas! It's unnecessary tedium. Tedium isn't fun.

The MVU. Now, I like the addition of the MVU. It separates duties and gives us more toys, but it's a bit redundant, which makes it click happy, which, after enough times, is, you guessed it, tedious. The rangers go on their route, which I like the addition of, and tell you an animal is sick. So you send out the MVU. It does it's own scan. That right there is redundant. It then drives off. If you've already got the diseases researched it should take care of it right then and there. But no, I have to tell it to drive back and dart them. I knew from playing the first game that if there's diseases to research the scenario was going to hammer me with them so I better research them right away. And sure enough, first mission with researchable diseases... It's unnecessary extra clicks. Some adjustments need to be made like you did to the feeders in the first game.

Right, then. Back to playing!

 

[Olelassen]

I 100% agree about the tedium in this game, however i experience it differently. For me fuel generators were never an issue because the small power station can be researched within the first 5 or 10 minutes of beginning and before even having to refuel once. In regards to fuel, where the tedium comes into the picture in my opinion, is from the Response Center / Medical Center fuel resupplying. It gets old fast.

Secondly there is a lot of tedium involved with the MVU. Handling injured dinosaurs often involve first sending the MVU to diagnose. If an in-field treatable illness is identified you have to ONCE AGAIN send the MVU to administer the treatment. If you off somewhere else in the park managing something, your MVU might have just have done its diagnosis and headed back to base when you figure that out. MVUs should automatically administer treatment if possible.

Now when dinosaurs are gravely injured the tedium gets even worse. This especially seems to be an issue with having carnivores or armored herbivores who fight each other for dominance. First you send the MVU to diagnose. Then you send a chopper to tranq the dino. Thirdly you send the dino to the medical facility. Then you assign scientists. Finally when it is done you have to manually send it back to its enclosure. This would not be tedius if it only happened on rare occasions. If you have a big park with lots of species this can happen at a very frequent interval. This is where the tedium comes from.


Another different kind of tedium is that you can't just jump into sandbox and play. You have to unlock everything from scratch in other modes. I am not enjoying this at all.

Wholly summarized, i would say that this game is too grindy for its own good. What i mean by that is that some grind is good, it adds a sense of progression but too much can easily ruin a game. This game at times feels like being a rat in a skinners box.

 

[stolemyname]

For me fuel generators were never an issue because the small power station can be researched within the first 5 or 10 minutes of beginning and before even having to refuel once.

You must've started out with Chaos Theory mode. If you play the campaign first they're not even researchable yet. So there's no way to get around refueling generators in the campaign. Which gets old, but you get plenty of cash in the tutorial so the cost isn't a big deal at least.

This game is set up a bit differently than the last game. This game's Chaos Theory mode is the last game's campaign. And this game's campaign is a tutorial. They basically split the campaign into two modes. There's a progression there that they don't explicitly tell you about, but probably should.

 

[Amikuq]

There is a lot of tedium this time around. I wish I could just play easy mode for all of the challenge unlocks so I wouldn't be pulling hair trying to unlock things.

 

[Starfall]

Amazing how they can turn Jurassic Park boring.

 

[Archonsod]

What's weird about the MVU problem is that they clearly saw it could be an issue with the Rangers, so gave us the Ranger station. I don't know why it didn't occur to them that a Vet station would be just as necessary. I don't mind needing to act on the serious problems where a dino needs tranq'd and taken in for treatment, but they should be capable of scanning and administering the simpler (dart) treatments without me having to issue four separate orders.

 

[Vick]

Amazing how they can turn Jurassic Park boring.

I'm enjoying the living s**t out of Chaos Theory Jurassic Park, literally can't stop playing.

Granted, this after LOTS of hours, understanding and mastering each mechanic and unlocking everything. At first it's overwhelming and tedius, true, but that's where the amazing sense of progression comes from.

Sure they need to add all the JP things from the first game that are missing, but still, i'm finding this Chaos Theory Mode utterly fantastic (so far, but even then i only really care for Jurassic Park).

 

[Jens Erik]

Hey @stolemyname! Not to worry, I see and read everything, so I also see and read everyone's feedback Regarding the Backup Generators, you should try to quickly get proper Power Stations researched (if you can), so you have a more steady supply of power for your parks. That way you won't have to refill the Backup Generators quite so often. They're meant to be a backup, as the name suggests

I also appreciate the feedback regarding the MVUs and I'll make sure to have it sent to the team.

 

[Starfall]

I'm enjoying the living s**t out of Chaos Theory Jurassic Park, literally can't stop playing.

Granted, this after LOTS of hours, understanding and mastering each mechanic and unlocking everything. At first it's overwhelming and tedius, true, but that's where the amazing sense of progression comes from.

Sure they need to add all the JP things from the first game that are missing, but still, i'm finding this Chaos Theory Mode utterly fantastic (so far, but even then i only really care for Jurassic Park).

I think it would be fun IF sandbox was unlocked from the start. Then I could take my time and enjoy it.

As it stands, I'm just rushing through to unlock everything.

 

[stolemyname]

I'm enjoying the living s**t out of Chaos Theory Jurassic Park, literally can't stop playing.

Granted, this after LOTS of hours, understanding and mastering each mechanic and unlocking everything. At first it's overwhelming and tedius, true, but that's where the amazing sense of progression comes from.

I'm enjoying it too. I like management sims and reacting to things they throw at you and learning how to do it all. It's managing chaos, and for the most part it's fun. They could just do with some refinement of all the steps. Macro great, micro not so much. And you're right about the sense of progression. If anyone is having trouble with Chaos Theory I'd recommend playing through the campaign first. It's more of a tutorial. It helps you get up to speed with the mechanics at a slower pace and gives you plenty of cash to cover for any mistakes that you need to learn from before you get thrown into Chaos Theory where it's much more hectic and less forgiving. Like how they ramped up the difficulty in the last game's island progression.

And speaking of learning in the campaign, to address Jens' reply:

Regarding the Backup Generators, you should try to quickly get proper Power Stations researched (if you can), so you have a more steady supply of power for your parks. That way you won't have to refill the Backup Generators quite so often. They're meant to be a backup, as the name suggests

The campaign never mentions the power stations. I think it was a missed opportunity in the (was it Pennsylvania map?) scenario where they introduce the science center and research not to at least show power stations in the menu there even though they were focusing on diseases and the MVU. You can start researching building upgrades then so why not that too? Basically, you go into Chaos Theory and you've only been taught how the backup generators work and end up relying solely on them.