Animation Revamps for Various Animals

In this video, the director of Planet Zoo told us, what in my opinion, is a terrible lie. He said that every animal will have its own "bespoke rig and bespoke set of animations". Well, that didn't really happen...
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cfqji4WnX9o


Currently, we have spotted hyenas that move like canines, springboks that move like nyalas, okapis that move like horses, and orangutans that move like gorillas just to name a few obvious and extreme examples. The director also said that the team watched hours of documentaries and other footage of animals... but if that's the case, how do you think that all antelope move the same way? Heck, I'll even link some video reference for each of the animals that I mentioned in case an animator does get notified that this post exists.

Spotted Hyena references:
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YiSL01kaTA

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsLo5CIuy_o


Springbok references (also why don't they have their iconic pronking behavior in the game?):
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qr5Sru8gGSk

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMIiB9DnRXg


Okapi references:
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6DWuOM7FaY

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmy-0Mf1o7c


Orangutan references:
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHohS6xTFJ4

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=937b2sleUpU


I hope you realize that I'm not trying to offend Frontier, just giving feedback and using evidence to back myself up. Also, for any of you saying it'll "cost too much time and money to do proper animations for the animals", I have this to say:
1. It doesn't cost money to make an animation once you have the software installed. I've done it before and I find it quite fun.
2. Frontier has over 500 people on its team. If more than 25 are animators, I'm pretty confident that they can figure out a way to have some people work on the current animals and some work on the DLC animals' animations.
3. They could do this kind of stuff after the highly prioritized DLCs are out and they have time to go back and fix things up.
 
I get that animals need to share rigs, but making new animation sets or better tweaked animations for the same sets shouldn't be that difficult. I'm not a game developer but seeing they have done those efficient tweaks for some animals shows me the same can be done for the rest. After all, they did mention they want to have equal approach to all animals in one of their dev blogs, as Jurassic World Evolution has taught them people are passionate about the species they love.
 
I get that animals need to share rigs, but making new animation sets or better tweaked animations for the same sets shouldn't be that difficult. I'm not a game developer but seeing they have done those efficient tweaks for some animals shows me the same can be done for the rest. After all, they did mention they want to have equal approach to all animals in one of their dev blogs, as Jurassic World Evolution has taught them people are passionate about the species they love.
Yes, some animals feel less unique than others. Maybe a few tweaks could help with that
 
Springbok references (also why don't they have their iconic pronking behavior in the game?):

Springbok's lack of this behavior never occured to me. It's barely in any zoo I've made but it's definately iconic.

Does make me wonder if they have figured out jumping mechanics for this game. And if they add the kangaroo in the future, they also add pronking to the springbok?
 
I get that animals need to share rigs, but making new animation sets or better tweaked animations for the same sets shouldn't be that difficult. I'm not a game developer but seeing they have done those efficient tweaks for some animals shows me the same can be done for the rest.

Sometimes I think they just add the animal with the same mechanics as another animal and they consider the proper animations as WIP.
Like adding those features in a free update, when it's fully working and not buggy.
 
Sometimes I think they just add the animal with the same mechanics as another animal and they consider the proper animations as WIP.
Like adding those features in a free update, when it's fully working and not buggy.
I really hope this is the case. It makes sense too that as long as it doesn't look too bad, placeholder animations would let animals be added earlier. Fingers crossed!
 
For all their research they also made zebras sound like horses...
You would think that for all the research they did they would've figured out that zebras don't sound like horses at all!
I think I saw this short discussion on this forum or discord but someone pointed out: Zebras also have similar sounds like horses but also the ones you mentioned. I think it's the frequency of those sounds that could make it look otherwise. Tbh, didn't pay much attention to it - but everybody has it's favorite animal
Haven't played in a while but i think most sounds you posted are in the game as well. I don't think they make these sounds constantly in RL too.

Fingers crossed!
Same here, that's the best you can hope for. Don't expect much additions to the current roster but imo iconic animations should be considered.
 
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