DLC20 Discussion (maybe, but why not?)

[AndyZoos]

And what's all this talk about a 3rd elephant? We're not getting one, they just shoved an elephant on the cover because elephants are iconic to Asia, particularly India, and we already have the Indian elephant in-game. There's no way we're getting a 3rd, random elephant subspecies.
We'd more likely get a 2nd zebra or giraffe over an elephant

There's only been two exceptions to the standard key art format that features three species of animals. The first scenery pack (Arctic; included 1 non-DLC species in the bison) and the first animal pack (SEA; featured only 1 species).

But other than that every single key art format has been the same. One species put front-and-center with two others somewhere in the background. In the case of animal species two are always silhouetted. So I'm just not sure why here, they'd go with an in-game elephant for the vibes instead of having it be another species...

Obviously, never say never, but it's far more likely that we're getting a third elephant than not TBH.

 

[DarthQuell]

and I doubt the theme for the scenery is gonna be called "India" again (since we already have an India theme in the base game).

Why not, though? The Europe pack gave us the Rustic theme. The Barnyard pack was placed under the Rustic theme, as well. So, any potential scenery would realistically be placed under the India theme tag

 

[Mr-Hyrax 2]

For an bird, I feel something obscure is unlikely, even the rhea and little penguin are well known in some places, so I feel froitner will want to add a more well-known bird, hence why I feel the bird we will get is a white stork, basic, iconic, and pretty cool.

 

[Mr-Hyrax 2]

What's the chance they go back to doing scenery packs starting with this, and how would you format the DLC if this were the case, asking for a friend .

 

[DarthQuell]

There's only been two exceptions to the standard key art format that features three species of animals. The first scenery pack (Arctic; included 1 non-DLC species in the bison) and the first animal pack (SEA; featured only 1 species).

But other than that every single key art format has been the same. One species put front-and-center with two others somewhere in the background. In the case of animal species two are always silhouetted. So I'm just not sure why here, they'd go with an in-game elephant for the vibes instead of having it be another species...

Obviously, never say never, but it's far more likely that we're getting a third elephant than not TBH.

Yeah, but just the same, you said we had 2 exceptions. This could be a 3rd exception. I mean, the Africa gave us scenery of an animal that didn't make it in-game until 2 years later.
Not saying it's impossible for a 3rd elephant, but I know that Frontier knows it wouldn't go well. Heck, yeah, the coyote was hated, but there were people that wanted it. I haven't seen any kind of requests for elephant 3

 

[DarthQuell]

What's the chance they go back to doing scenery packs starting with this, and how would you format the DLC if this were the case, asking for a friend .

Like back in the 2022 days?

India:

1. Honey badger
2. Lion-tailed macaque
3. Blackbuck
4. Gaur
5. King cobra

Not very inspirational, but that's what would go best, methinks. Most of the heavy hitters are already in-game

 

[NachoB]

What's the chance they go back to doing scenery packs starting with this, and how would you format the DLC if this were the case, asking for a friend .

They already announced it is an animal pack. Plus we already have pretty much all of Asia covered with scenery: india and East Asia from base game. Indonesia from tropical pack. I know there are other regions like Nepal that could use some specific scenery but not enough to justify a whole DLC imo

 

[Mr-Hyrax 2]

here is how I would feel froitner would do it

Honey Badger
Lion-Tailed Macque
Blackbuck
White Stork
(EX) King Cobra

edit: it is pretty much the same as quells

 

[Mr-Hyrax 2]

They already announced it is an animal pack. Plus we already have pretty much all of Asia covered with scenery: india and East Asia from base game. Indonesia from tropical pack. I know there are other regions like Nepal that could use some specific scenery but not enough to justify a whole DLC imo

yea true, maybe the next one, etheir way hope we get a king cobra

 

[Frogstrich]

Why not, though? The Europe pack gave us the Rustic theme. The Barnyard pack was placed under the Rustic theme, as well. So, any potential scenery would realistically be placed under the India theme tag

Isn't The Europe Pack's Theme Literally Just Called Europe With Base Game's Europe Theme Being Classical?

 

[DarthQuell]

Isn't The Europe Pack's Theme Literally Just Called Europe With Base Game's Europe Theme Being Classical?

Is it? I can't remember. I just remember that I'd type in Rustic and they'd all be together

 

[AndyZoos]

This however seems less like an issue to me tbh. We already had an Africa theme and so the Africa Pack's theme was called "North Africa". We already had a New World theme so they went for "Fiesta" for Americas. I'm sure that if it turns out to be India that they'll find a name that works for it.

It kinda makes me hope that we are getting an India pack even, because I think it's what this form of pack really works well for. Don't bother trying to make a full theme out of 60 to 80 pieces. Instead, use one of the base game sets and extend it so we can use it in more creative ways. The Africa Pack and the Europe pack did such a good job with that, it's a shame that a pack concept that fits it so well doesn't seem to do it more often.

This is the strongest benefit of these new pack formats. It allows for some pretty detailed theming elements that don't need a proper building set. Of course, it can go sideways real quick... The flags in the Americas pack were cool but doubling up on them in the way that they did was such a letdown. Rather than, say, giving us some new foliage or delving into some other theme ideas. Leaning into the Central American theming elements they could have given us items centered around mining (e.g., mine cars and tracks, gold nuggets, various camping pieces) that could have been used for multiple regions and theming areas if used creatively.

Makes me a bit nervous that they'd take the whole "expanding existing themes" idea a bit too literally and give us a brand new sandstone flexicolor set rather than making the existing one flexi and adding it as part of the update.

 

[Stygi]

There's only been two exceptions to the standard key art format that features three species of animals. The first scenery pack (Arctic; included 1 non-DLC species in the bison) and the first animal pack (SEA; featured only 1 species).

But other than that every single key art format has been the same. One species put front-and-center with two others somewhere in the background. In the case of animal species two are always silhouetted. So I'm just not sure why here, they'd go with an in-game elephant for the vibes instead of having it be another species...

Obviously, never say never, but it's far more likely that we're getting a third elephant than not TBH.

The art for Americas was also different with only 2 main species the coyote at the front and the rhea as a silhouette, however the art also had 3 animals on the flags.

 

[AndyZoos]

Yeah, but just the same, you said we had 2 exceptions. This could be a 3rd exception. I mean, the Africa gave us scenery of an animal that didn't make it in-game until 2 years later.
Not saying it's impossible for a 3rd elephant, but I know that Frontier knows it wouldn't go well. Heck, yeah, the coyote was hated, but there were people that wanted it. I haven't seen any kind of requests for elephant 3

I think it's pretty important to note when those exceptions were though. The fact that it was the first DLC and then their first time with a new DLC format. I would feel differently it has happened randomly a few times... But in both situations it happened once, they found a new format for the artwork, and they've stuck with it. I just don't know why they'd deviate from that when there's presumably other species that could have fit just as well (e.g, blackbuck, gaur).

It just feels like cope when all of the evidence points to a new elephant species. A key feature of the Americas pack was that there were new species that drew heavily from what Frontier had already done (e.g., flamingo, big horn sheep, coyote). So it seems perfectly reasonable to assume we might be getting a new elephant given that and the fact that their featured in the key art.

 

[AndyZoos]

The art for Americas was also different with only 2 main species the coyote at the front and the rhea as a silhouette, however the art also had 3 animals on the flags.

Yeah, I'm counting the flags in that case. I just don't think they'd deliberately feature an animal that's not included in the pack as part of the key art.

 

[NachoB]

yea true, maybe the next one, etheir way hope we get a king cobra

This is one pack i can see them skipping the scenery in favor of an exhibit animal. The flexicolour india set alone would be like a whole new building set if they add that to the free update, and then some foliage or small pieces to add detail but not 80+ pieces like with the last 3 DLCs, so we could get a cobra or python instead.

 

[DarthQuell]

I do understand your points. But:

I just don't know why they'd deviate from that when there's presumably other species that could have fit just as well (e.g, blackbuck, gaur).

See, maybe a gaur or blackbuck would feel iconic because we know what they are. But what about players who don't know much about animals and just like to build? They wouldn't recognize a bull and immediately think India. They wouldn't see a blackbuck and think India, they'd picture Africa.
An elephant, yeah it could be African. But in media, I think the Asian elephant is more recognizable. Jungle Book, Looney Tunes: Back in Action, etc.
There's honestly no way to know until the full announcement, but as of right now, I feel like it could go either way. I'm leaning towards no 3rd elephant

 

[NachoB]

It just feels like cope when all of the evidence points to a new elephant species. A key feature of the Americas pack was that there were new species that drew heavily from what Frontier had already done (e.g., flamingo, big horn sheep, coyote). So it seems perfectly reasonable to assume we might be getting a new elephant given that and the fact that their featured in the key art.

Yeah man but why the heck has to be an elephant (or some other boring clone like the coyote). For India for instance you have:

• Peafowl base for pheasants
• Crane base for cranes and storks
• Swan base for ducks
• Meerkat base for mongoose
• Buffalo base for gaur
• Gazelle / Antelopes base for blackbuck
• Deer base for chital or barasinga or what ever indian deer you want
• Dik dik base for muntjac
• Big cat base for asiatic lion
• Ocelot base for fishing cat

No one asked for a second asian elephant. No one wants that, and there are plenty of other clone options people would be happy with so why being so tone deaf with your community just for the sake of it... is annoying lol

 

[AndyZoos]

I do understand your points. But:

See, maybe a gaur or blackbuck would feel iconic because we know what they are. But what about players who don't know much about animals and just like to build? They wouldn't recognize a bull and immediately think India. They wouldn't see a blackbuck and think India, they'd picture Africa.
An elephant, yeah it could be African. But in media, I think the Asian elephant is more recognizable. Jungle Book, Looney Tunes: Back in Action, etc.
There's honestly no way to know until the full announcement, but as of right now, I feel like it could go either way. I'm leaning towards no 3rd elephant

I think once you throw the pack name on there, though, that helps everything make more sense. So it's just as likely that people would be scratching their head at the lack of an elephant in the pack than they might be at a vague antelope in the background.

My bigger point is that it's been 4+ years since they've deviated from the key art format. And the lone exception of an animal from the base game being featured in the key art was in 2019 with the very first DLC; it's just a huge stretch to assume it's happening here.

Admittedly I wouldn't mind being wrong here. I'm not clamoring for an elephant. But it feels like people are jumping to conclusions based on what they want to be true rather than what seems to be happening.

 

[Marvinb]

The thing here is that imo, this feels an odd spot in the devopment cycle for an India pack? Like, while there's still some great potential here, imo we're pretty much cleared out on iconic stuff that is Indian Subcontinent exclusive?

Like if we were going to do single nation pack, I feel Brazil or China have the foundations for a stronger pack this late in the game?

Overall, I feel like there's something we are missing here?

The super iconic stuff sure, we already got elephants, rhinos, tigers, peacocks and stuff but not much apart from that really. And imo those filler animals are equally needed for representing an area than the big names. I mean africa would also look rather empty if you only had your elephants, giraffe, lion, gorilla and zebra but no antelopes, red river hogs or baboons.