Winter DLC Speculation

[MarcB096]

what do you think about the foliage?

Didn't see much of the new foliage....the new pine and the new flower seem to be quite cool

 

[biggest_dreamer]

I've always found the flamigo/crane/peafowl argument weird because even in zoos where they contained in aviaries they simply don't fly, so why should they need to be converted into "aviary animals" in the game? There isn't an aviary in the world big enough to allow for a flamingo to fully take flight. In the wild they only tend to fly to escape predators or to migrate.

I’m aware of at least one zoo (Atlanta) that has peafowl in a mixed aviary, so it would be nice to be able to recreate that. But if anything that’s just more reason why aviary species shouldn’t be forced to be some third type of enclosure, not a reason to switch our existing birds into something else.

 

[premierfong]

I think we might get snow owls to match the season, OR puffin could be some sort of a cold winter aquatics pack.

 

[premierfong]

Taiga would actually work well for winter, might finally get a takin

man i want takin so bad, its supposed to be rank as high as raccoon on the meta wishlist.

 

[Captain Callum]

I think we might get snow owls to match the season, OR puffin could be some sort of a cold winter aquatics pack.

I would love snowy owls , one of my favourite birds. Puffin hmm more of a summer bird as my local ones turn up in may I would never think of winter and puffins. Unless the Atlantic puffins turn up somewhere else in winter although they turn all scruffy and black then

 

[Swiftie_Midnights_]

I know I'm probably not the right one to have an opinion on this, but if the Twilight pack were a person, I would feel bad for them. I get the excitement for something new always and I also understand that this pack is not for everyone. But seeing it reduced to just "the filler pack before we get birds" it's kind of frustrating.
Plus: While I do get why everyone thinks next pack will be the bird pack and I kind of think so myself, it still could entirely be that that will +not+ be the case. Maybe it's somewhere down the line but not the winter pack, who knows? They wouldn't even really fit for winter, so maybe they'll come next summer, when sales for DLCs are usually lower than during the holidays, were more or less everything sells well.

And last but not least, I know I'm in the minority here in the forums (but saw @Colehunter35 feeling similar), but birds are not for everyone and I still think that it might very well be that Frontier will not market a full on birds DLC. And yes, I know some of you bird lovers compare it with us having mammals all the time, yadda yadda. I still think that's not the same and a full on bird pack would be compareable with a full on primate pack- Primates are divers as well and still, even that I'm a primate lover, I know enough people that aren't.
Mixed packs usually have one animal for everyone and therefor maximise the sales. And to be quite honest, when we look at how devided the community is over this pack, it's the perfect example! All mammals we have in this pack are fairly small. For me? A dream pack! But a lot of people are asking for at least one bigger animal and are missing it. That's what happens when a pack is "too focused".

In summary: I think ya'll are getting your birds one way or another. But personally I'd be happier and more relaxed if we could at least discuss some other option for the winter DLC and kind of be ready for the idea that birds might come a few month later. Before teh forum full on blows up in two month. I'd love to have a relaxed end of the year with you guys and the way the community is currently absolutely set on birds in two month, this might not end well.

Yea I definitely gets your point. Like I'm not birds person like I love eagles,owls,puffins,penguins and kiwi I'm not a birds lover if we would get fully aviary pack I would be happy for everyone who really want it but overall for me it wouldn't be my fav dlc cause I'm mammals and reptiles lover so just think how amazing would be like dlc with few mammal (Rodent,Primate,marsupial,hoofstock,cat,dog) and also one or two reptiles like I really would like to see in the game African spurred tortoise and maybe another tortoise or crocodile or even lizard then a few birds like few flying like eagle,owl,puffin and also few ground bird like emu,kiwi and I'm think also the Secretary Bird and maybe also some fully aquatic animals? if we will ever get like manatee, fishes,shark and for the last insect for the exhibit I'm think it would be the best dlc that we dreamed on like this pack would be probably for everyone like if someone want like me mammals great if someone want birds get it! and like that! cause everyone in the community want a different animals because this probably always would be positive reactions and negative reaction but if would be dlc that include every type of animal probably then wouldn't be a lot of negative. I know probably we would never get dlc like that but still I just try to show my point that everyone have a different interest.

 

[Swiftie_Midnights_]

I would love snowy owls , one of my favourite birds. Puffin hmm more of a summer bird as my local ones turn up in may I would never think of winter and puffins. Unless the Atlantic puffins turn up somewhere else in winter although they turn all scruffy and black then

yea that's right puffins active from I'm think april - end of august like I was in iceland before month and I saw some puffins but if I was there now I wouldn't see any.

 

[FoxyDee]

I know I'm probably not the right one to have an opinion on this, but if the Twilight pack were a person, I would feel bad for them. I get the excitement for something new always and I also understand that this pack is not for everyone. But seeing it reduced to just "the filler pack before we get birds" it's kind of frustrating.
Plus: While I do get why everyone thinks next pack will be the bird pack and I kind of think so myself, it still could entirely be that that will +not+ be the case. Maybe it's somewhere down the line but not the winter pack, who knows? They wouldn't even really fit for winter, so maybe they'll come next summer, when sales for DLCs are usually lower than during the holidays, were more or less everything sells well.

I agree completely with Swjos here. Even if the pack quite surprised me and the animal picks were not so high on my wishlist, I would never call this pack "just filler pack, because they probably work on something bigger for December". That really undervalue the work that was put into this pack. The Twillight pack is just as good quality as any other, its just that the animal picks and scenery might not be everyones cut of tea. I even saw several people to refer to as " small animals easy to make"...like...how does animal being small has anything to do with the work needed for the model and animations? It requires just about the same amount of work as for the large animals...

And even if I think the chances of recieving a bird pack at least doubled with this new exhibit, I do not think its guaranteed that it will be the next pack, if any. Is it more possible than before? Yea. But is it guaranteed it is going to be the next pack? No, nothing is really guaranteed. Of course, when they intoruce a new animal feature, like the burrows, underwater feeders, the brachiating frame or in this case, the new exhibit, Frontier always made these available in free updates. Lets just say it opens the doors for future animals, but that does not mean it has to be right in the next pack.

 

[SalamAnders]

Mixed packs usually have one animal for everyone

The twilight pack is among the least diverse packs we have seen. All 5 animals being mammals. 3/5 belonging to the same order, which is the order already being the best represented in the game. These 3 besides being from three different families even covers a lot of the same niches.

All mammals we have in this pack are fairly small

They are all mammals, and this even more explain the lack of diversity in this pack.

Yet you are saying a bird pack might be a bad idea because it wouldn't be diverse enough, while defending one of the least diverse packs so far.
Birds are a more diverse group than mammals. Especially since the game only have touched a few orders and families within this group of animals. Birds as a group should be compared to mammals, not to an order or a family within mammals. That just doesn't make sense.

No, birds might not be for everyone. But they are for enough people to justify it. It is not like they are mythical creatures or something absurd.

And I really don't think most of the packs so far has been for everyone. And that is fine.

Sorry if I sound frustrated, and I don't mean any of this personal.

I just don't get why some people seem to think mammals have to always be in a pack otherwise it can't be justified. Or otherwise it wouldn't be diverse enough.

 

[DarthQuell]

I'm quite excited for this pack (well, the animals). I'm actually very happy the red fox is making it, for many reasons: a big one is that it's a great animal for NA and European zoos. Also, it's my sister's favorite animal,.and she was.very happy about it.

The wombat,. I love for more Australian inclusions.

The skunk is a surprise and a welcome.one. I'm very.curious to see what they'd be like in-game.

The raccoon is a mischievous dude that is also quite useful for a local fauna zoo.

And don't even get me started on the fruit bats. Now y'all know I'm a huge voice for more exhibits, but I've never liked them more than habitat animals; well,.this is the 1st time I'm more excited for the Exhibit than the.habitatd

 

[NZFanatic]

Lets just say it opens the doors for future animals, but that does not mean it has to be right in the next pack.

This is exactly what I've been saying since the announcement.

Everyone is getting swept away by the unpromised birds. I want to fill my zoos with birds as much as (most of) everyone else, but man, everyone needs to take a breath and temper their expectations. Nothing is guaranteed; the only thing we can be sure about is that the new exhibit makes bats possible, because it's a nocturnal-style building (it's not an aviary!).

 

[DarthQuell]

I just don't get why some people seem to think mammals have to always be in a pack otherwise it can't be justified. Or otherwise it wouldn't be diverse enough.

O don't think it's that. In my opinion, mammals are way more diverse than birds, at least with the in-game mechanics;

Birds won't get burrowing. Birds won't get brachiation. So far, birds are the most boring in-game animals: they just walk and.swim. No flying at all. If there was a tiny bit of flying, even if it's just to get up a tree, then they'd be.heavily improved. But as it is, I find them boring in-game (although beautiful).

Now, if having WE means we get to have aviaries,.then that's a huge improvement. Plus, I doubt that the WE animals are gonna be on loops, because it seems you can sorta customize the inside (i mean,.you're adding a path. Looped.animals can't consider guests, but free flying, although in a WE, could)

 

[jcp011c]

Alright if we really are expecting the likes of a bird pack to use these new walkthrough exhibits and maybe just maybe some bigger birds, why not mention aviary dlc ideas. Likely this would be an animal pack that which may include more than one exhibit to branch out to the world of birds, sticking with the usual 8. So everyone , what's your dream aviary pack?

• Bald Eagle
• Snowy Owl
• Kookaburra
• Roseate Spoonbill
• Rainbow Lorikeet
• Scarlet Macaw
• Southern Ground Hornbill
• Mallard duck

I know this is pages back but I'm behind. If we're using non-habitat potential birds - which would be like the Red Crown Crane; herons, ibises, storks and the like as well as waterfowl like Pelicans and Swans - my 8 would be:

Bald Eagle
Snowy Owl
Toco Toucan
Hyacinth Macaw (I know the Scarlet is more popular but personally love the Hyacinth more)
African Grey Parrot
Kookaburra
Sulpher Crested Cockatoo
Rhinoceros Hornbill

Although I would very heavily lean into include wading and more-ground oriented birds into regular packs. These 8 would be my starting point for what would be in the walk through exhibits that would likely not be including as habitat animals.

 

[Captain Callum]

I know this is pages back but I'm behind. If we're using non-habitat potential birds - which would be like the Red Crown Crane; herons, ibises, storks and the like as well as waterfowl like Pelicans and Swans - my 8 would be:

Bald Eagle
Snowy Owl
Toco Toucan
Hyacinth Macaw (I know the Scarlet is more popular but personally love the Hyacinth more)
African Grey Parrot
Kookaburra
Sulpher Crested Cockatoo
Rhinoceros Hornbill

Although I would very heavily lean into include wading and more-ground oriented birds into regular packs. These 8 would be my starting point for what would be in the walk through exhibits that would likely not be including as habitat animals.

Oh finally some ideas yeah trying to fit in more 'open top' avaries could actually work along with some smaller prefab cages for the smaller ones. My other idea was to include a few birds in the usual biome packs to please everyone

 

[SalamAnders]

mammals are way more diverse than birds, at least with the in-game mechanics;

But that is only because the mechanics haven't been added yet. They could do a lot of new enrichment for birds. Mating behaviors. Nest building similar similar to the beaver enrichment perhaps.
And when it comes to sounds they can do so much more with birds than they can with mammals.
And with the educator's now holding animals birds also make more sense than most mammals.

Birds won't get burrowing

It does makes sense for some birds. Also some that could function as habitat animals. And honestly I don't think burrowing behavior add that much to the game.

 

[DarthQuell]

But that is only because the mechanics haven't been added yet. They could do a lot of new enrichment for birds. Mating behaviors. Nest building similar similar to the beaver enrichment perhaps.
And when it comes to sounds they can do so much more with birds than they can with mammals.
And with the educator's now holding animals birds also make more sense than most mammals.

I agree with this. What I was trying to say is that, maybe the reason why many don't like birds is because, compared to in-game mammals, they're relatively boring.

Of course, if an aviary DLC and accompanying update add new bird behaviors, then I'm sure they'd be far.more.popular

It does makes sense for some birds. Also some that could function as habitat animals. And honestly I don't think burrowing behavior add that much to the game

Yes, but not the way it is currently; which birds live in burrows (besides burrowing owls?)...

Also, the burrowing doesn't add much, but it's still more than anything birds do

 

[SalamAnders]

I agree with this. What I was trying to say is that, maybe the reason why many don't like birds is because, compared to in-game mammals, they're relatively boring

Which is why birds deserve some more attention from Frontier. Flying mechanics is not the only way to do this.

Yes, but not the way it is currently; which birds live in burrows (besides burrowing owls?)...

Some penguins do, to give an example of something we know can be done in the game.

 

[Captain Callum]

which birds live in burrows (besides burrowing owls?)...

In game would be the African penguin

 

[Swjosdotschka]

The twilight pack is among the least diverse packs we have seen. All 5 animals being mammals. 3/5 belonging to the same order, which is the order already being the best represented in the game. These 3 besides being from three different families even covers a lot of the same niches.

That is exactly what I was saying. The pack divided the community because the animals are "too similar". and it was probably not Frontiers best move. It's one of my favourite packs regarding animals and yet I see it.
I'm sorry it frustrates you, but we will forever be on different opinions with that. I'd just appreciate if you realise I don't make my points because I'm not interested in birds, but because I think the exact same way about line-ups that make me incredibly happy or would make me incredibly happy.

I coquet with my disinterest in birds. I really do. But I'm really tired of being pigeonholded here. (Lol, now that's a funny coinsidence the german saying "jemanden in eine Schublade stecken" translates this way).
And the good news is: It does not matter what I'd think about a bird pack. Even if the current animal roster reads like a love letter to me, Frontier doesn't actually care what I want or don't want.

 

[SalamAnders]

Let's imagine a 4+1 bird pack. And focus the choices on mechanics and Ambient additions, with some of the mechanics already being in the game. Only flying in exhibit.

-Little blue penguin. Can dive and burrow.
-A Pelican. Swims on top of water, with only it feeds below the surface. Somewhat new behavior I guess. Possibly funny eating animation.
-Helmeted Guinea Fowl. Amazing sounds to bring life.
-Lyrebird. Could mimic sounds from around your zoo or something like that.
- (exhibit) Basically any bird too small for habitat as our first flying bird.


To me that is more diverse than a lot of the full mammals (+exhibit) packs we have seen so far, and I suppose most of this isn't super complicated to do.