Much Needed Animal Behaviors

[cactusmilk]

Hello! I don't know if anyone from the teams will actually see this, but if you do, thank you for creating this wonderful game, its basically a childhood wish come true

Please consider adding more complex animal behaviors such as herding, predator & prey dynamics, animals being able to at least partially substain themselves on plants&hunting, birds laying eggs, nursing, etc etc. I understand that some of these behaviors were left out because the game is meant to be a zoo and not wildlife simulator, but considering how much of it is focused on animal welfare and conservation (and even releasing into the wild), it should be taken into account that some of the best zoos are reservations, which provide animals adequate space and freedom to behave like animals - and not be 100% dependent on keepers. In a game that prides itself on realism and complexity, these behaviors are sorely missing. Another reason, I think, is that the game has to be "appropriate for all ages"...but let us be honest, the game is very complex and is mostly suited for older children, adolescenent, and adults. The demographic can most certainly see things such as hunting, eating, and nursing. Even in much more "childish" and much older games like Zoo Tycoon 2 these features were all implemented.

The game has so so many great aspects, but as it stands now this lack of animal complexity and realisism is the only thing making me not want to buy more DLCs, and making me play the game less.... This issue will not be fixed by simply adding more animals (which behave the same) or more items...One of the best parts of zoo simulators is getting attached to the animals, taking care of them, and watching and observing them. Something that, unfortunately, seems almost like a secondary and overlooked aspect of the game

I'm by no means the only one who really wants these implementations, or whose lost interest in the game in their absence. I think if you were to relese these additions even as a DLC - lets say, a reservation & animal behaviors dlc it would be a big success. I would certainly buy it, and it would make me much more interested in the long-term!

 

[Tyrian]

Personally I wouldn't need predator and prey behavior.
But I would be much more interested in more mother child relations. I.e.: Children follow their mothers around or mothers are cleaning, nursing, caring for their children. Siblings playing together. You get the idea.

 

[Przemo]

Personally I wouldn't need predator and prey behavior.
But I would be much more interested in more mother child relations. I.e.: Children follow their mothers around or mothers are cleaning, nursing, caring for their children. Siblings playing together. You get the idea.

I don't know about you, but at my place toddlers follow their mothers/fathers.
I also noticed that mother-child animations occur frequently, just wait a while.
And regarding the herd, the animals keep to themselves in flocks, even though you can see it when it's feeding/sleeping time. Only individual animals that want to satisfy their needs don't stick in a group.

 

[NachoB]

Personally I wouldn't need predator and prey behavior.
But I would be much more interested in more mother child relations. I.e.: Children follow their mothers around or mothers are cleaning, nursing, caring for their children. Siblings playing together. You get the idea.

There are some interactions, but i think babies should stay close to their mother and their siblings for longer periods of times and then explore a little. There are some playful animations but i haven't seen cats bathing their cubs for instance, or anteaters carrying their babies on their backs (which i really want). But the main interaction missing for mammals is nursing.
I think the herding behaviour had been adjusted so it occurs a bit more frequently but i would love to see large herds sticking together for longer so i can be all jurassic parky and be able to be awe because "THEY MOVE IN HERDS".

I'm on the fence about hunters prey interactions but i would like at least some stalking behaviour for carnivores.

Also more climbing and staying longer in objects they climb... and a sleeping log please :3

 

[jcp011c]

I’d love to see more interaction with species that get an interspecies bonus. Otters playing with orangutans, for example

 

[DarthQuell]

Jurassic World Evolution 2 has better animal interactions than Planet Zoo; the dinosaurs feel more alive than the animals, unfortunately.


Something that they do in JWE2 that I'd like in PZ is random interactions: sometimes, as the dinos are passing by, they'll randomly interact with each other and do some little dance or nuzzle each other or something.

Hunting

• I'd like this behavior tweaked a bit; instead of having the predator go on a killing spree, it should kinda coexist with other animals, and kill only if it's uncomfortable, hungry, or territorial (y'all get it, right?)
• Predators should have, at the very least, a stalking behavior, especially cats
• If it's a pack hunter, like hyenas, dogs and lionesses, then they should work together and herd their prey into a corner and them attack

Herding

• For animals that can have multiple males in mixed groups, every so often males should wrestle/fight each other for dominance
• Herds should stick together, especially in larger exhibits, and sleep together as well. In ZT2, I remember how some animals would follow their leader; that would be a great implementation.

Specialized behaviors

• Animal choruses are fine, just add more species to it
• Sunbathing; reptiles, like Crocs, should randomly sit on sunny areas and sunbathe. Also, lemurs could do it, too, in groups
• Playing in water; water loving animals should splash water at each other. Elephants, hippos, maybe even some primates

 

[Doran]

Why would i need hunting mechanics in zoo game?

 

[DarthQuell]

They're already in the game

 

[FoxyDee]

Personally I wouldn't need predator and prey behavior.
But I would be much more interested in more mother child relations. I.e.: Children follow their mothers around or mothers are cleaning, nursing, caring for their children. Siblings playing together. You get the idea.

+1. I would rather to keep the game a zoo simulator, so I dont really need prey behaviour. But I would love nursing, egg laying when applicable (I know Frontier said it wont happen) and more social interactions and animations in general. Also primate and anteater mothers carrying their cubs around would be awesome.

They're already in the game

They are, but it is nothing complicated, it is just there to not mix predators and prey together, but it is very simple “predator jumps and prey dies”. It basically says “look what happens when you do this Bobby, dont do this again, okay?”
I would rather keep it that way to be honest. There are many behaviours that occurs in zoos that I would like to see rather than that.

 

[NZFanatic]

some of the best zoos

None of the best zoos allow predators to hunt prey - the very practice is illegal in most countries. Also, any zoo where you see animals eating naturally-grown grass or whatever definitely supplement those animals' diet with other things too that you don't see.

 

[Swjosdotschka]

None of the best zoos allow predators to hunt prey - the very practice is illegal in most countries. Also, any zoo where you see animals eating naturally-grown grass or whatever definitely supplement those animals' diet with other things too that you don't see.

I have yet to see a habitat of a grazing animal with grass in it. Isn't it all eaten up in a few weeks anyway?

I also agree that no zoo game needs complex predator and prey behaviour. If anyone wants to turm PZ into a wildlife simulator, there is a mod for it. I'd rather see more behaviour that is actually found in zoos.

 

[SalamAnders]

For animals that can have multiple males in mixed groups, every so often males should wrestle/fight each other for dominance

Don't they already do this?

 

[NZFanatic]

Don't they already do this?

I think DQ is talking about "fights that don't result in injury", which I would agree is definitely needed.

 

[NZFanatic]

I have yet to see a habitat of a grazing animal with grass in it. Isn't it all eaten up in a few weeks anyway?

Orana Park has all their hoofstock in grassed paddocks that they graze in and they don't have that problem, but they also feed them hay and fruit/veges so they don't eat all the grass at once.

 

[Pinguin]

Can Frontier add anteaters carrying children ? Please. I seen it in zoo, it is not realistic now.

 

[TuchA]

Can Frontier add anteaters carrying children ? Please. I seen it in zoo, it is not realistic now.

Anteaters, primates, lemurs, koalas...

Herding

• For animals that can have multiple males in mixed groups, every so often males should wrestle/fight each other for dominance
• Herds should stick together, especially in larger exhibits, and sleep together as well. In ZT2, I remember how some animals would follow their leader; that would be a great implementation.

I think DQ is talking about "fights that don't result in injury", which I would agree is definitely needed.

I don't know about you, but I had 2 male chimpanzees in the enclosure (and 4 females) they were constantly fighting for dominance. However, they were not always with injury. But I got rid of one male because the window about it was popping up too often.

Regarding the second point. In my case, animals show this trait. They stick together. As @Przemo wrote it, "Only individual animals that want to satisfy their needs don't stick in a group.". Not only ungulates, but wolves (dogs in general), lionesses, (sometimes capybaras, meerkats, otters).... they do it. I've even noticed it recently in penguins, hippos and seals (including California Sea Lion).
For example, there are 5 seals swimming, and the other two are with children.
Or 5 African Wild Dogs are in a burrow with an alpha female and children, and two males (usually an alpha male with another male) are walking around the enclosure near the entrance to the burrow. The alpha female goes somewhere, then most of the animals follows her.
Just as the cubs follow their mother (Here it is practically all mammals).

I would like to have more developed animal animations. Although I don't know if it will give the result, because I have never seen a binturong hanging from its tail, for example, and supposedly there is such an animation, maybe I looked too briefly.... I'm afraid that with such animations it may be similar, they will rarely appear (possibly never).

 

[Swjosdotschka]

Orana Park has all their hoofstock in grassed paddocks that they graze in and they don't have that problem, but they also feed them hay and fruit/veges so they don't eat all the grass at once.

Interesting, hm. I know Leipzig has a problem to maintain their grass in their hoofstock enclosure, but more because of the hooves causing a lot of damage. When the zoo had to close due to covid they kept the animals inside for weeks, so that the grass can grow again.

 

[NZFanatic]

Interesting, hm. I know Leipzig has a problem to maintain their grass in their hoofstock enclosure, but more because of the hooves causing a lot of damage. When the zoo had to close due to covid they kept the animals inside for weeks, so that the grass can grow again.

Yeah, you know, I'm not even 100% how they maintain it. Every so often one of the paddocks is empty with the animals either in a different paddock or off-display and they have sprinklers regularly watering during the hot months but they never seem to go barren.

 

[peafowl]

Animals showing interest for guests, animals interacting with other species of animals

 

[NZFanatic]

Animals showing interest for guests, animals interacting with other species of animals

Interspecies interaction is one of my biggest wants. Show me a baby elephant chasing around the ostriches!