A Guess: The + in 50+ might stand for sub-species

[Swjosdotschka]

A sceenshot from the IGN video revealed that we might get not only the african elephant but also the indian elephant. That brought me to an assumption in the Indian Rhino topic. I don't want it to get lost there and discuss it openly with you, so here I quote myself:

If we have african and indian elephant, I begin to believe that 50+ means "50 species + additional sub spiecies."
They would only have to do animations for one species, if they integrate two (or more) different elephant sub-spiecies, wich means less work. So that could be totally an exciting option and might also be the reason why the orang isn't really walking like an orang but like a gorilla. Geekism stated, that the hand-holding would be different with an orang and he thought it was just a mistake by frontier, but this really could be a reason behind this.

So I assume (and it's just that by now, an assumption), that we'll get different apes, diffrerent rhinos, different elephants. The Lemur could very easily be used to include other Lemur species as well.

If my guesses here are right, then booooiii this will be a game full of great animals. And I can still wish for my Barbary lion.

Edit: Another proof of my theory are the different tortoises.

Now, we have had a lot of sub-spiecies in Zoo Tycoon the complete animal collection, aka the game that must not be named. We all know that a lot of people weren't happy with the game, one reason being that we had X sub-species but a general lack of different species because of that. I do not think Frontier will make this mistake again.

If my assumption is right, it would also explain why they sometime chose rarer sub-species instead of more popular ones.

Please note: english is unfortunately not my native language nor do I have the chance to speak it as regulary as I'd like. That's why I might get biological terms incorrect. Please, by all means, feel free to correct me.

 

[Greekgods]

There are a lot of animals though where you could just re use most of the animation and moving mechanism (or with little changes). Basically all the big cats can be build of the same model. Also al the antelope, equines, ... I think the different subspecies is more so that we can build different ecosystems from around the world and have a good amount of (big) animals to fill it. So like they started out writing down the different biomes, made a long list of all the animals for each biome and then probably went to focus on species that have different subspecies across the biomes to have a similar, giving them potentially more time to add an extra animal.

 

[Mopmil]

African and Indian elephants are not sub species.

 

[Swjosdotschka]

African and Indian elephants are not sub species.

As I stated, english is not my native language so I might get biological terms wrong. You would help me more if you teach me the right word, instead of just pointing at my mistake.

 

[NikolaP]

Both Indian elephant as well as okapi are basically confirmed to be in the game.

50+ is just a number. There are dozens of reasons to think that Planet Zoo will have waaaaay more species then that.

PS: English is not mine origins language too, but I think you speak/write very well. I believe your mistake here have nothing with language but knowledge. And I don't think to offend you with this, cause I understaind you very well cause I also often like to say african elephant are sub-specie or grizzly bear are sub-specie etc. and I know they are not, but it's easier for me to sort them like that, simply as that. Cause I really can't bother to see the difference between African bush elephant and African forest elephant e.g. like I can between African and Asian. I'm aware that probably there is some kind of difference though between all sub-species but I don't have to be so detailed.

 

[WLeonhart]

Your English is better than mine, and I'm a native speaker.

There are a lot of animals though where you could just re use most of the animation and moving mechanism (or with little changes). Basically all the big cats can be build of the same model. Also al the antelope, equines, ... I think the different subspecies is more so that we can build different ecosystems from around the world and have a good amount of (big) animals to fill it. So like they started out writing down the different biomes, made a long list of all the animals for each biome and then probably went to focus on species that have different subspecies across the biomes to have a similar, giving them potentially more time to add an extra animal.

I agree with this. Some people don't want there to be animals that are too similar to existing animals--I disagree, it makes it much more fun to build regionally-divided zoos. IMO anyway.

 

[Altered Ego]

I have no problems with a wide variety of species and subspecies. But if, for example, I have a choice between Koala, Dingo and Emu OR ten different species from the order of Crocodilia, I prefer the former. I think variants are predestined for themed DLCs.

 

[DTV Enternainment]

As Long there are not to many of them like a big count of Jaguars, who even not Count as Subspecies in the Zoopedia its ok Every Animal should maybe have ehen they have variations on then Differend subspecies but not Subs whoare almost the same because they all live on the Same continent

 

[Swjosdotschka]

Is there no way to group elephants in general? Well, then I make one up now.

I think frontier only needs to animate all trunk-critters once, so if they are talking about 50+ animals it might very well be, that they mean "elephant, giraffee, zebra" but not "asian elephant, bush elephant, grasland elephant".
Actually, IF we have sub species I prefer them to be in the main game, not a dlc. It would feel like paying double if there was an asian dlc and we get just slightly different african species or whatever.

I read the wiki-article closer now and the famly name of elephants is obviously Elephantidae. Even me animal nerd feels weird to say this in a zoo game forum I'll keep it to trunk-critters.

 

[Mopmil]

Is there no way to group elephants in general? Well, then I make one up now.

I think frontier only needs to animate all trunk-critters once, so if they are talking about 50+ animals it might very well be, that they mean "elephant, giraffee, zebra" but not "asian elephant, bush elephant, grasland elephant".
Actually, IF we have sub species I prefer them to be in the main game, not a dlc. It would feel like paying double if there was an asian dlc and we get just slightly different african species or whatever.

I read the wiki-article closer now and the famly name of elephants is obviously Elephantidae. Even me animal nerd feels weird to say this in a zoo game forum I'll keep it to trunk-critters.

It was confirmed many months ago that animals will share the same rig. So far the game has no sub species. Of course there will be multiple similar animals in the game.

 

[Hosscatt]

I want so much choice and so many animals in this. I would love to see subspecies(especially critically endangered ones) of many animals. Like others not at the cost of individual species, but I would still love to just have as many animals as possible.
Having read about the current plans to artificially breed the white rhino im kinda hoping they sneak these guys in there.

 

[Swjosdotschka]

Of course there will be multiple similar animals in the game.

And what made you so sure about that before we had the leak with the indian elephant? I can't remember a source that said "oh, of course we will have different elphant species".
And so far the game has no sub-species that we know of - the last part of the scentence is important here.

To be clear: I don't want to count every giraffe species or sub-species or elephant species toward the 50 as well. It's just that frontier keeps emphasizing that we'll have maaaany more than 50 and is also emphasizing the "+". I'm just speculating what the plus means and why they just don't give out an actual numbre, like "between 50 and 55", if they are not sure yet if some of the animals will make it in time for the release. I guess the vague answer to the numbre has a logical reason that might have to do with not counting species that are very similar.

Again, I still don't think they count similar species towards individual species and the 50 animals without the plus. There was a backslash when the ultimate animal collection had basically what--- ten groups of animals with x sub species all not very different from one another? I would be really surprised if they do the same mistake again.

 

[Lizard]

African and Indian elephants are not sub species.

You're right about the African elephant, but the Indian elephant is a subspecies of Asian elephant, so you're wrong on that one.

 

[WLeonhart]

IMO "many more than 50" is code for "we have more than 50, and are making as many more as possible before release." And I imagine the ones they're working on at the last minute are probably terrarium animals and "similars" (like Masai giraffes when we have Reticulated giraffes). That's just my personal opinion/guess, as someone who's worked on dev teams. If we get some animals that are very similar to ones we already have, I consider them extras, personally.

 

[EternalAbyss]

IMO "many more than 50" is code for "we have more than 50, and are making as many more as possible before release." And I imagine the ones they're working on at the last minute are probably terrarium animals and "similars" (like Masai giraffes when we have Reticulated giraffes). That's just my personal opinion/guess, as someone who's worked on dev teams. If we get some animals that are very similar to ones we already have, I consider them extras, personally.

Lol that was my take on it as well!! It's so exciting, like i've said sooo many times haha!

 

[Mopmil]

You're right about the African elephant, but the Indian elephant is a subspecies of Asian elephant, so you're wrong on that one.

I meant they are not sub species of eachother

 

[Mopmil]

And what made you so sure about that before we had the leak with the indian elephant? I can't remember a source that said "oh, of course we will have different elphant species".
And so far the game has no sub-species that we know of - the last part of the scentence is important here.

To be clear: I don't want to count every giraffe species or sub-species or elephant species toward the 50 as well. It's just that frontier keeps emphasizing that we'll have maaaany more than 50 and is also emphasizing the "+". I'm just speculating what the plus means and why they just don't give out an actual numbre, like "between 50 and 55", if they are not sure yet if some of the animals will make it in time for the release. I guess the vague answer to the numbre has a logical reason that might have to do with not counting species that are very similar.

Again, I still don't think they count similar species towards individual species and the 50 animals without the plus. There was a backslash when the ultimate animal collection had basically what--- ten groups of animals with x sub species all not very different from one another? I would be really surprised if they do the same mistake again.

The game has currently no sub species. African and Indian elephants are as related to each other as Timber Wolves are to Painted Dogs. And it's not possible to make the assumption that sub species will not count in the one type of animal on the list as there are currently no sub species. I assume that you are meaning 'genus' and not 'sub-species'. And if that's the case it is obvious/ expected that there will be multiple animals within the genus.

 

[Swjosdotschka]

Dear goddess... Mopmil, would you please care to read my posts before you answer to them? Thank you. I already corrected myself with the sub-species thing. And it's as okay to make the assumption that different species of very similar animals will not be count towards the 50 as is the assumption that it will. Because both of us are making that: assumptions. Every assumption is possible.

 

[Nicholas LionRider]

My assumption (and this is just an assumption) is that they basically chose subspecies based on what animals would be found commonly in zoos. Asian Elephants and Indian Rhinos are rather popular animals in modern zoos on top of their more common African counterparts. You can basically look at Zoo Tycoon 2 and assume nearly every animal in that game and most of the popular expansion animals will be included in some form. There hasn't really been an animal that has strayed from this assumption so far. This is gonna be the ultimate "zoo builder" game so its not much of a stretch to assume fans would want to build their local zoos as accurately as possible. In order to do this they need to cover as many common zoo animals as possible. As mentioned before by Greekgods, if they can reuse animations it makes additional animals far more likely. Animals like Nile Crocodiles, Blue Wildebeest, Black and White Rhinos, etc. are smart guesses as to additional animals that wouldn't be hard to implement. While they don't want to be the Zoo Tycoon Ultimate animal collection with 8 types of elephants (6 of which were all some variant of Asian Elephant) distinctive animals that are commonly accepted as different from their existing counterpart will likely be included. Rhinos I could see having the most variants with 3 (Black, White, and Indian) which isn't crazy as all three are common in zoos, all endangered, and all in Zoo Tycoon 2.

 

[Masteradstriker]

My assumption (and this is just an assumption) is that they basically chose subspecies based on what animals would be found commonly in zoos. Asian Elephants and Indian Rhinos are rather popular animals in modern zoos on top of their more common African counterparts. You can basically look at Zoo Tycoon 2 and assume nearly every animal in that game and most of the popular expansion animals will be included in some form. There hasn't really been an animal that has strayed from this assumption so far. This is gonna be the ultimate "zoo builder" game so its not much of a stretch to assume fans would want to build their local zoos as accurately as possible. In order to do this they need to cover as many common zoo animals as possible. As mentioned before by Greekgods, if they can reuse animations it makes additional animals far more likely. Animals like Nile Crocodiles, Blue Wildebeest, Black and White Rhinos, etc. are smart guesses as to additional animals that wouldn't be hard to implement. While they don't want to be the Zoo Tycoon Ultimate animal collection with 8 types of elephants (6 of which were all some variant of Asian Elephant) distinctive animals that are commonly accepted as different from their existing counterpart will likely be included. Rhinos I could see having the most variants with 3 (Black, White, and Indian) which isn't crazy as all three are common in zoos, all endangered, and all in Zoo Tycoon 2.

Actually, it's the Javan Rhino which is in ZT and ZT2. It's a neat addition, but I personally found it silly. No zoo in this world today has a captive Javan Rhino. There's only like less than 50 left in Ujung Kulon, a national park in Banten, Indonesia.