Today I had a serious case of "thinking in the shower" 
Todays episode: Aquariums!
What is this about?
This thread is just for us to brainstorm about HOW it could be done realistically and closely to current game mechanics without seperating PZ from a potential qquarium game, it is not to discuss if it is needed and/or likely to ever come to PZ in the first place, please! This is just to create concepts of how it COULD be integrated!
I know it's less likely, but view it as an exersise of the mind and to give Frontier ideas for their 2025 support, shall we?
Also please stay away from the "whales-or-nah"-discussion as there are other threads discussing this and it is not part of a mechanic-concept! This has concepts for "big animals" which could include them but doesn't have to, can also mean sharks, big fish, turtles etc
Why I think it's worth discussing
I'll say right away that I'm not big with knowledge on aquatic life. I'd say I know a bit more then the average person, but less than anyone who's enthusiastic about their at-home aquarium. However I like watching fish when I go to the zoo and at least to me aquariums are just part of a zoo. Too specific to have their own game be interesting to noobs like me, yet missing from being in the zoos. Futhermore, I like little ponds and when there is an underwater viewing that also features fish!
Looking at the reptiles in the game I’m also very convinced that frontier would do a breathtaking job on the fish!
I know it's been discussed similarly before, but those threads were from way before the WE and frontier showing us more exhibit stuff is an option!!
Also I have a uni project to finish so naturally I made this overwhelmingly detailed thread instead
Methods I came up with so far
Longest shower ever and actually laying in bed thinking about it, so I came up with some concepts already!
(TLDRs included after every method!)
#1
The Keeper Hut Method
Remember in Zoo Tycoon 1 where animal houses like insects and birds used to be just one placeable big house and boom! Done!?
Like the Keeper Huts and Restaurants this would give us one big building that can be styled from the outside and looked at on the inside, maybe even choosing a "theme" (like deep sea, reef, river,…) that changes the contents a bit.
This approach would leave a lot to desired and reason to still get a separate Aquarium game, but wouldn’t leave us without any aquariums. Plus it could cover many types of fish without adding them to the catalogue and giving them complicated AI
It doesn’t fit the game much, but would probably be easier to make
TLDR: aquarium building being one big placeable thing, limited customization
#2
Exhibit Method
All fish are exhibits! This would obviously need at least one more type of bigger exhibit (maybe the same size as the bigger aviaries that we are hoping for?)
Many fish could most likely share animations and only special ones like octopus, sea horse, moray, jelly fish would get their own, so a lot of ground can be covered. Or water rather
To prevent the catalogue flooding there could be a separate fish catalogue and/or only limited iconic species
Ideally different species would have the ability to be put into one tank together.
This holds a chance of teaching players more about which fish can go into one aquarium together.
TLDR: fish are exhibit animals
#3
Mixture of method 1 and 2
(ecosystem exhibits)
Aquarium exhibit boxes + a variety of "themes"/"ecosystems" (for a lack of better words) to pick from rather then individual animals. There is no catalogue or individuals, but rather options on how to set up your aquarium. But much like placing an exhibit animal, the contents of the aquarium just appear.
You basically place your exhibit and then choose a content from a Dropdown!
They could also come in different sizes, resulting in different animals coming up.
Example:
1x1 + Amazon theme: piranha
4x8 + Amazon theme: arapaima and pacu
1x1 + coral reef theme: corals, sea anemones, clownfish
4x8 + coral reef theme: corals, reef shark, rays, fish
I hope the example is enough to portray what I mean!
Amount of detail:
1.The themes may go into more or less detail/variety/options as much as Frontier pleases, maybe there is different themes available to different sizes, I wouldn’t know
2.Each DLC could also unlock a new respective "theme" giving further insensitive to buy all packs haha a bit like how we had a thread about adding one bird to each existing pack
3.This could also have a exhibit type be a placeable pool in the ground to make ponds outside. Or maybe a gigantic one with a glass tunnel?!
This would essentially be more like the first method in terms of animal management, but would still leave us with the creative freedom to structure the actual aquarium build and incorporate them individually into our zoo. Still leaves the issues of animals not being individuals which doesn't go with the game so far!
TLDR: different sized exhibits where you choose a theme/ecosystem rather then individuals
#4
Full Habitat Method
Basically any body of water would turn into a habitat.
This would be the most realistic and detailed buuuuuuut…
This was obviously run into an array of problems, problems and more problems and be the least likely to make it to the game, but is the only one so far to not eliminate the possibility of aquatic mammals and others that need giant pools.
Problems:
# so so many animations and AIs needed at once
# water needs to be separated by fresh and salt
# update to all habitat animals on wether or not fish are save to swim in their waters
# how do keepers interact
# catalogs swamped with fish
# how would corals/sea anemones/barely moving sea life work
TLDR: every fish is an individual in a normal habitat - but oh no, so many problems
#5
Zoo Tycoon Method:
Only getting in the big bois!
While the first 3 methods focused on how to bring in smaller fish and the 4th tried the utopia of getting the most realistic thing, this method would just grab 8 iconic big species and a new staff gate with a little latter and plattform (like in zoo tycoon -> screenshot) and slap them in a body of water.
This would probably be closest to former DLC formats and probably what people have in mind when thinking marine pack.
Big shark, cute dolphin, wishlist staring manatee, iconic koi, magestic rays…?
I guess this in combination with method #3 would be my favorite, but both is probably too much stuff to ask for in one pack. But I guess it would be cool
TLDR: a normal Animal Pack with 8 big fully aquatic species, no smol fishies
#6
Bubbles & Fog Method
You know how we can add bubbles and fog to bodies of water via the water menu?!
Basically small fish would work the same way. A new tab for aquatic life management appears when a water is selected and you can basically stock up on fish swimming in circles or float around from there.
This would probably have to at least be paired with method #5 to be worthwhile?
I’ll admit, it would feel the most removed from feeling like an actual animal to me I guess
TLDR: small fish become just an option to spice up bodies of water like bubbles and fog
Alright!!
Thank you for reading, even if it were just the TLDR - I know it was long
Now, anyone thats into discussing game mechanics - lets!
Todays episode: Aquariums!What is this about?
This thread is just for us to brainstorm about HOW it could be done realistically and closely to current game mechanics without seperating PZ from a potential qquarium game, it is not to discuss if it is needed and/or likely to ever come to PZ in the first place, please! This is just to create concepts of how it COULD be integrated!
I know it's less likely, but view it as an exersise of the mind and to give Frontier ideas for their 2025 support, shall we?
Also please stay away from the "whales-or-nah"-discussion as there are other threads discussing this and it is not part of a mechanic-concept! This has concepts for "big animals" which could include them but doesn't have to, can also mean sharks, big fish, turtles etc
Why I think it's worth discussing
I'll say right away that I'm not big with knowledge on aquatic life. I'd say I know a bit more then the average person, but less than anyone who's enthusiastic about their at-home aquarium. However I like watching fish when I go to the zoo and at least to me aquariums are just part of a zoo. Too specific to have their own game be interesting to noobs like me, yet missing from being in the zoos. Futhermore, I like little ponds and when there is an underwater viewing that also features fish!
Looking at the reptiles in the game I’m also very convinced that frontier would do a breathtaking job on the fish!
I know it's been discussed similarly before, but those threads were from way before the WE and frontier showing us more exhibit stuff is an option!!
Also I have a uni project to finish so naturally I made this overwhelmingly detailed thread instead
Methods I came up with so far
Longest shower ever and actually laying in bed thinking about it, so I came up with some concepts already!
(TLDRs included after every method!)
#1
The Keeper Hut Method
Remember in Zoo Tycoon 1 where animal houses like insects and birds used to be just one placeable big house and boom! Done!?
Like the Keeper Huts and Restaurants this would give us one big building that can be styled from the outside and looked at on the inside, maybe even choosing a "theme" (like deep sea, reef, river,…) that changes the contents a bit.
This approach would leave a lot to desired and reason to still get a separate Aquarium game, but wouldn’t leave us without any aquariums. Plus it could cover many types of fish without adding them to the catalogue and giving them complicated AI
It doesn’t fit the game much, but would probably be easier to make
TLDR: aquarium building being one big placeable thing, limited customization
#2
Exhibit Method
All fish are exhibits! This would obviously need at least one more type of bigger exhibit (maybe the same size as the bigger aviaries that we are hoping for?)
Many fish could most likely share animations and only special ones like octopus, sea horse, moray, jelly fish would get their own, so a lot of ground can be covered. Or water rather
To prevent the catalogue flooding there could be a separate fish catalogue and/or only limited iconic species
Ideally different species would have the ability to be put into one tank together.
This holds a chance of teaching players more about which fish can go into one aquarium together.
TLDR: fish are exhibit animals
#3
Mixture of method 1 and 2
(ecosystem exhibits)
Aquarium exhibit boxes + a variety of "themes"/"ecosystems" (for a lack of better words) to pick from rather then individual animals. There is no catalogue or individuals, but rather options on how to set up your aquarium. But much like placing an exhibit animal, the contents of the aquarium just appear.
You basically place your exhibit and then choose a content from a Dropdown!
They could also come in different sizes, resulting in different animals coming up.
Example:
1x1 + Amazon theme: piranha
4x8 + Amazon theme: arapaima and pacu
1x1 + coral reef theme: corals, sea anemones, clownfish
4x8 + coral reef theme: corals, reef shark, rays, fish
I hope the example is enough to portray what I mean!
Amount of detail:
1.The themes may go into more or less detail/variety/options as much as Frontier pleases, maybe there is different themes available to different sizes, I wouldn’t know
2.Each DLC could also unlock a new respective "theme" giving further insensitive to buy all packs haha a bit like how we had a thread about adding one bird to each existing pack
3.This could also have a exhibit type be a placeable pool in the ground to make ponds outside. Or maybe a gigantic one with a glass tunnel?!
This would essentially be more like the first method in terms of animal management, but would still leave us with the creative freedom to structure the actual aquarium build and incorporate them individually into our zoo. Still leaves the issues of animals not being individuals which doesn't go with the game so far!
TLDR: different sized exhibits where you choose a theme/ecosystem rather then individuals
#4
Full Habitat Method
Basically any body of water would turn into a habitat.
This would be the most realistic and detailed buuuuuuut…
This was obviously run into an array of problems, problems and more problems and be the least likely to make it to the game, but is the only one so far to not eliminate the possibility of aquatic mammals and others that need giant pools.
Problems:
# so so many animations and AIs needed at once
# water needs to be separated by fresh and salt
# update to all habitat animals on wether or not fish are save to swim in their waters
# how do keepers interact
# catalogs swamped with fish
# how would corals/sea anemones/barely moving sea life work
TLDR: every fish is an individual in a normal habitat - but oh no, so many problems
#5
Zoo Tycoon Method:
Only getting in the big bois!
While the first 3 methods focused on how to bring in smaller fish and the 4th tried the utopia of getting the most realistic thing, this method would just grab 8 iconic big species and a new staff gate with a little latter and plattform (like in zoo tycoon -> screenshot) and slap them in a body of water.
This would probably be closest to former DLC formats and probably what people have in mind when thinking marine pack.
Big shark, cute dolphin, wishlist staring manatee, iconic koi, magestic rays…?
I guess this in combination with method #3 would be my favorite, but both is probably too much stuff to ask for in one pack. But I guess it would be cool
TLDR: a normal Animal Pack with 8 big fully aquatic species, no smol fishies
#6
Bubbles & Fog Method
You know how we can add bubbles and fog to bodies of water via the water menu?!
Basically small fish would work the same way. A new tab for aquatic life management appears when a water is selected and you can basically stock up on fish swimming in circles or float around from there.
This would probably have to at least be paired with method #5 to be worthwhile?
I’ll admit, it would feel the most removed from feeling like an actual animal to me I guess
TLDR: small fish become just an option to spice up bodies of water like bubbles and fog
Alright!!
Thank you for reading, even if it were just the TLDR - I know it was long
Now, anyone thats into discussing game mechanics - lets!
I think the CD is still stuck in there lol
. If your CD-ROM has a tiny hole, get a paper clip and stick it inside. It'll pop the tray out and you can get your disc. I believe most CD-ROMs have this...