I assume that a sequel will keep the existing animal models, maybe with some updates to the Lion for example. But it wouldn't take much effort for them to port over all the existing assets, which would present as a major selling point for a sequel: the current 200+ species, with an additional 20, 30 (or whatever number) flying or aquatic species, on top of reworks to the path and terrain system as well as performance improvements. Honestly, I'd think a sequel would come with new construction pieces, gameplay changes, and so on, but I'd personally be pretty content with just a more polished version of the current game plus aquatic and aviary species, the majority of which would probably be DLC
DLC20 Discussion (maybe, but why not?)
- Thread starter DarthQuell
- Start date
I doubt that a sequel will have all of the current content. They have to save some heavy-hitters for DLC. It's part of their strategy as a company ("nurture").
So they won't give away everything for free. What they're doing now for PC2 isn't a sign that they want to do that in the future... It's a sign that they screwed up at launch with that specific game and want to make it right before pushing on DLC. Hopefully they've learned from this mistake and a Planet Zoo sequel can run while PC2 walked.
My current thinking is that we'll get a decent chunk of the current roster (say, 70% or so) with a focus on essential/common zoo animals and some that make great use of features the new game offers (for example polar bears might land it because they're super common in zoos). Others I'd expect get cut due to a lack of popularity (e.g., saiga and proboscis monkey come to mind immediately) or to save for future DLC (e.g., Tasmanian devils are great but people can still build comfortably for Australia without them and could drive a DLC in the future; siamang is good but the gibbon is generally preferred so you don't need both at launch).
Now, here's how they might be able to justify this. If they re-work the exhibit system such that it will allow for multiple sizes and, say, new animal types (e.g., small mammals) alongside the addition of aviaries... That opens things up. Because they would be adding new species to the roster for these situations, right? Not sure how many that would be, but that could pick up some of the initial slack. So the base game could have, say, 150-200 species (125-150 species from the current roster and 25-50 new exhibit and aviary species).
And when you think about DLCs that works too. Because you'd need slots for those two habitat-styles as well. So you might see animal packs with one "old favorite" habitat animal, three new-new habitat species, two aviary birds, and an exhibit species. Maybe not exactly that format and I'd need to think hard on the specific rosters but... You see the idea. There's a way to do it while leaving people feeling like the base game is still not starting from scratch and leaving something for DLC.
For the scenery too, assuming they implement the same new building features that PC2 has? A large chunk of the base game and early DLC scenery is going to be obsolete because of scaling, enhanced flexicolor, etc. So I'd almost rather they don't just blanket update everything and add it to the game. But if the new DLC model puts more of a focus on the animals (like they've done in the latest round of DLCs with 7 habitat species and ~60 scenery pieces) then there's no reason they couldn't give us the bulk of what we have in-game. Scaling is a gamechanger in that regard...
Honestly for the sequel I think if they do add DLC they should really focus on roster diversity.
I’m sorry but waiting years in between certain birds or mammals, or maybe never getting another exhibit animal, is a huge bummer. If every DLC cycle I have to wait to maybe get one bird, which may or may not be a duck, it gets depressing very fast when I don’t get what I am hoping for.
Now I couldn’t imagine if I have to do that all over again. Personally, I’m hoping modders crack the animal noise issue. I am busy with school again. But I’ve been debating finally getting some of great cakes flying birds and the new signs that come with it. Maybe that way I can get into building again. Making a cute local zoo based in my home state does sound fun.
I’m sorry but waiting years in between certain birds or mammals, or maybe never getting another exhibit animal, is a huge bummer. If every DLC cycle I have to wait to maybe get one bird, which may or may not be a duck, it gets depressing very fast when I don’t get what I am hoping for.
Now I couldn’t imagine if I have to do that all over again. Personally, I’m hoping modders crack the animal noise issue. I am busy with school again. But I’ve been debating finally getting some of great cakes flying birds and the new signs that come with it. Maybe that way I can get into building again. Making a cute local zoo based in my home state does sound fun.
It'll be interesting to see how they deal with that. And maybe that's what justifies them keeping the roster close to what it is now. I still really think they'll cut a number of them to be sure they can drive certain DLCs. But it won't be all of them.
And I feel like, again, adding new elements (flighted birds/aviaries, tweaks to the exhibit system) would be enough to keep things interesting. Yeah, it's a waiting game but... That's going to happen regardless if you are only interested in specific species or types of animals.
Who knows what approach they take with DLC for a sequel, though. They might change the whole thing around and surprise us with a new system or pattern... I think they might have to if they expand the types of animals they're including.
Honestly my dream system would be raising the max animals in a pack from 8 (12 if they are a texture swap like the butterflies), to 10. Maybe something like this:
But this way it’s almost possible everyone could get a bit of something.
- Habitat animal
- Habitat animal
- Habitat animal
- Habitat animal
- Habitat bird/reptile
- Habitat bird/reptile
- Aviary bird
- Aviary bird
- Exhibit
- Exhibit
But this way it’s almost possible everyone could get a bit of something.
1. I completely agree with your assessment americas seems like a pack that was unplanned and designed to bridge the gap and support planet coaster 2 in its launch
2. lets not forget that the reason they are adding planet coaster 1 themes back to 2 is because there was so much controversy around planet coaster 2 missing key content from planet coaster 1 I have no doubt that these free updates where not planned and were a direct response to market pressure.
3. every animal released between africa and eurasia is of good enough quality that they could be added to a sequel with minimal edits and the few that suck in barnyard zookeeper and americas could easily be altered along with the rest of the roaster which only have a handful that would need complete reworks. The biggest problems I see with a complete ports of all animals are the exhibit species because I have no doubt that they will see a rework and the influence it will have on the ability for pz2 to sell dlc when we are already struggling to find key marketable species.
I will wait till JWE3 releases to make my final decision but presently I can see both a world were PZ2 releases with all current animals and one where it does not instead providing them in dlc not free updates. I will however not be buying the sequel till every animal from PZ1 is ingame as I am a strong believer a sequel should always be a step forward never a step back.
Do it. The birds are so good. Make sure you get their enrichment blueprints from the Steam workshop - the deets are in GreatCakes' file pages.
There are also a tonne of non-flying ducks and other waterfowl. Really beautifully executed. I love the cormorants in particular and they dive.
Yeah after seeing owls in the wild I was thinking about making a local zoo again. I’ll see when I have time. In clinics I may be working around 12 hours a day.
