DLC20 Discussion (maybe, but why not?)

As much as I think that there's probably some other factors involved as well; I wonder how much of that unpopularity is really "perceived" and not just backed up by their metrics.

Like I mentioned in the other topic, those anniversary metrics they used to drop were never meant for us but are most likely extensively used by the team to decide what to do with future DLCs. My assumption is that they saw that with each new DLC the exhibit animals of that DLC were used less than the one before it and it ending in them being phased out entirely.

Heck, that could even point to walkthrough exhibits being an attempt at revitalizing the interest in exhibits first and foremost rather than it being "a test for birds" as so many people thought it was. But as it turns out, they weren't turning the tide either or we'd still be getting them.
Exhibit animals are definitely unpopular simple because they are boring and play no different from each other so a new dlc exhibit animal is unlikely to add much play time. The sole exception to this would be the walkthroughs which I wouldnt think would be that unpopular and I think instead of play time metrics stopping them from making more it was the fact that they are probably just as hard as making a habitat animal and especially to maintain the new archetypes of exhibits it wasnt cost effective.
 
Sorry for the lack of information on my part, but will there be one more and final DLC? Or will there be more than one or none, update me, and does anyone know anything about the sequel Planet Zoo 2?
As the steamDB gives less info now, we're not going to learn much outside of the monthly streams. This stream, on the 30th, seems likely to be informative on if there's a next DLC.

Assuming late 2026 for PZ2, it might be revealed around the end of the year.
 
There´s about 4 different scenario´s in my head with how this could go:

1. They announce another DLC for later this year (aka october/november) and this is gonna be the last DLC
2. They announce another DLC for later this year (aka october/november) and this is not the last one, they will keep releasing 2 DLC's in 2026.

I think it's a given if the DLC is 6 months away they will acknowledge that it's not the end like the last two DLC's.

3. The next DLC is in june and it's the final DLC so they can wrap up PZ before the launch of JWE3 in july (?)
4. The next DLC is in june because we are getting 4 DLC's this year

For JWE3 it's unclear when it will release. Logically it would be around the release of the movie in July but they could also postpone it to november 2025.If they want to finish PZ before that or not, IDK. There's something to say for both. See how JWE3 will do first before closing the DLC income or not having resources and time to continue PZ DLC's with JWE3 & PC2 both going on.

The possibillity for 4 DLC's is really positive but unlikely, tho it seems that it could happen with the "a lot more is coming" statement. The statement from Frontier's strategy switch to Creative simulation games could definitely indicate they could want to run PC/PZ/JWE at the same time.

And then there's also the factor that 2026 may be the release of PZ2. If they plan to release PZ2 in november 2026 I think it would be likely to close PZ1 this year.
 
Plumed Basilisk
Frilled Lizard
Those two would be a waste to include as exhibit animal only if the exhibit animal are still unmoving and unresponsive as they currently are. If we have the frilled lizard, we at least need an animation with it deploying the frill, and any basilisk would need the ability to run on water. I guess the frilled lizard could be put into a walkthrough exhibit (though it would be a bit weird imo), but I think the basilisk should be put in habitats.
 
For JWE3 it's unclear when it will release. Logically it would be around the release of the movie in July but they could also postpone it to november 2025.If they want to finish PZ before that or not, IDK. There's something to say for both. See how JWE3 will do first before closing the DLC income or not having resources and time to continue PZ DLC's with JWE3 & PC2 both going on
JWE3 is being released alongside movie.
This info is coming from many sources including dude who reliably leaked JP: Rebirth plot in December, which was the most solid leak so far.
 
The sole exception to this would be the walkthroughs which I wouldnt think would be that unpopular
Yeah but that might be our bias here. I know there are quite a few people here who are a big fan of it and who see a lot of potential in the walkthroughs, but that doesn't mean that it has to be guaranteed for that to be the case for the rest of the community.

On a technical level it's really not remotely on the level of a habitat animal, so where I get that it might have been a bit more work; I don't think it's that much. But regardless, as mentioned earlier; it's unlikely that just one metric in general would have decided it.

The possibillity for 4 DLC's is really positive but unlikely, tho it seems that it could happen with the "a lot more is coming" statement. The statement from Frontier's strategy switch to Creative simulation games could definitely indicate they could want to run PC/PZ/JWE at the same time.
Frankly I feel that we've had several of similar statements like that in the past and in the end it always ended up being mostly marketing talk that I put very little value to it.
Those two would be a waste to include as exhibit animal only if the exhibit animal are still unmoving and unresponsive as they currently are. If we have the frilled lizard, we at least need an animation with it deploying the frill, and any basilisk would need the ability to run on water. I guess the frilled lizard could be put into a walkthrough exhibit (though it would be a bit weird imo), but I think the basilisk should be put in habitats.
Exhibit animals animations are "unmoving" by design (though frankly, that's no longer entirely the case since the terrapin); but they don't have to be. You don't need a walkthrough exhibit for a basilisk to run on water, you just need an animation that plays it and that's it. That can be perfectly done within a regular exhibit box.
 
Those two would be a waste to include as exhibit animal only if the exhibit animal are still unmoving and unresponsive as they currently are. If we have the frilled lizard, we at least need an animation with it deploying the frill, and any basilisk would need the ability to run on water. I guess the frilled lizard could be put into a walkthrough exhibit (though it would be a bit weird imo), but I think the basilisk should be put in habitats.
I mean all the exhibit animals move to some extent, ofcourse some more than others.
The tortoise for example has a couple animations where they walk around, so giving the frilled dragon an animation where they frill up should be more than doable.
And having an animation where a basilisk runs from a to b and then back doesnt feel impossible either to be honest.

The gripe i have with this is that both of these, and also the hooding up of cobras, are responses to being threatend, so you really should avoid seeing these.
Which is also why putting the frilled dragon into the WE so they can play their frill animation is genuinely a horrible idea. Having the guests constantly scare the lizards so much they have to frill up is pretty much animal cruelty, no animal in a zoo should be under constant fear for their life.
 
JWE3 is being released alongside movie.
This info is coming from many sources including dude who reliably leaked JP: Rebirth plot in December, which was the most solid leak so far.
But we're now close to just 2 months away from the movie and they haven't teased anything at all. Is it possible the plans changed to release later in the year? Because I really don't get their marketing strategy if it does release in July.
 
You don't need a walkthrough exhibit for a basilisk to run on water, you just need an animation that plays it and that's it.
I don't think there's enough space in the current exhibits (including walkthroughs) for a running animation to make sense, especially if you need a part of the exhibit to be flooded with water.

The gripe i have with this is that both of these, and also the hooding up of cobras, are responses to being threatend, so you really should avoid seeing these.
Not wrong. I guess the frill should appear mostly when there's an overpopulation problem or the animal escaped, but I don't think it can be done in exhibit habitats currently?
Regarding the basilisk, do they really only run on water as a fleeing tactick and not just to cross water areas faster, in the wild?
Which is also why putting the frilled dragon into the WE so they can play their frill animation is genuinely a horrible idea. Having the guests constantly scare the lizards so much they have to frill up is pretty much animal cruelty, no animal in a zoo should be under constant fear for their life.
And yeah, I don't really like the idea of making the frilled lizard a walkthrough exhibit animal, "weird" was an understatement.
 
Not wrong. I guess the frill should appear mostly when there's an overpopulation problem or the animal escaped, but I don't think it can be done in exhibit habitats currently?
Regarding the basilisk, do they really only run on water as a fleeing tactick and not just to cross water areas faster, in the wild?
Idk if they use it otherwise but the primary reason they do this is escaping predators
 
I don't think there's enough space in the current exhibits (including walkthroughs) for a running animation to make sense, especially if you need a part of the exhibit to be flooded with water.
A regular exhibit is 4m by 4m, with the it would have to run into a circle but frankly it would still make sense to me.

That all being said, it's a moot point because we're unlikely to get one either way lol.
 
But we're now close to just 2 months away from the movie and they haven't teased anything at all. Is it possible the plans changed to release later in the year? Because I really don't get their marketing strategy if it does release in July.
I dont think so. Not releasing alongside movie is suicidal financial move, which Frontier cant afford and we all know that.
 
Frankly I feel that we've had several of similar statements like that in the past and in the end it always ended up being mostly marketing talk that I put very little value to it.
Oh yes that's definitely my most delusional option :ROFLMAO:

I dont think so. Not releasing alongside movie is suicidal financial move, which Frontier cant afford and we all know that.
Well I hope so for the JWE fans! (That it will release in July).
 
I think an asian pack is likely and I do have slight hope for the racoon dog / tanuki ever since I heard about the bush dog. I certainly would love to have it.

What I would prefer more is a mixed animal pack, so that the Coati has another chance.
All in all I just hope they raise their quality standards and what they put in a pack again. The longer I have the Americas Animal pack (which I still think would have been deserved to be an all south / central americas pack), the harder it is to digest these absolute useless pieces while at the same time not even having a second sloth.
 
Heck, that could even point to walkthrough exhibits being an attempt at revitalizing the interest in exhibits first and foremost rather than it being "a test for birds" as so many people thought it was. But as it turns out, they weren't turning the tide either or we'd still be getting them.
I can see if they weren’t a test for birds, but to be honest I do think not including the animals people would be expecting the most in a “walk through exhibit” also means they won’t be popular.

Kind of a weird self fulfilling prophecy in a way.
 
Honestly adding a bit to the animation/ rig conversation. I still don’t know what to think. Part of me feels like the team is smaller, so don’t expect as much. On the other hand: the bush dog.

Maybe in the end it’s just Frontier chooses to go very hard for some animals, and it’s hard to pinpoint what animal that would be.
 
Here are some pack ideas I think could work for DLC20:

Temperate Animal Pack:
  1. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) [LC]
    ⁃ Biomes: Aquatic, Temperate
    ⁃ Continents: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa
  2. American Black Bear (Ursus americanus) [LC]
    ⁃ Biomes: Temperate, Taiga
    ⁃ Continents: North America
  3. Guanaco (Lama guanicoe) [LC]
    ⁃ Biomes: Temperate, Grassland, Desert
    ⁃ Continents: South America
  4. Short-Beaked Echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) [LC]
    ⁃ Biomes: Temperate, Grassland
    ⁃ Continents: Oceania
  5. Tanuki (Nyctereutes procyonoides) [LC]
    ⁃ Biomes: Temperate
    ⁃ Continents: Asia
  6. Black Howler Monkey (Alouatta caraya) [LC]
    ⁃ Biomes: Tropical, Temperate
    ⁃ Continents: South America
  7. Reeve’s Muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi) [LC]
    ⁃ Biomes: Temperate, Tropical
    ⁃ Continents: Asia
Arboreal Animal Pack:
  1. Goodfellow's Tree Kangaroo (Dendrolagus goodfellowi) [EN]
    ⁃ Biomes: Tropical
    ⁃ Continents: Oceania
  2. Golden Lion Tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia) [EN]
    ⁃ Biomes: Tropical
    ⁃ Continents: South America
  3. Indian Giant Squirrel (Ratufa indica) [LC]
    ⁃ Biomes: Tropical
    ⁃ Continents: Aisa
  4. Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) [LC]
    ⁃ Biomes: Temperate
    ⁃ Continents: North America
  5. European Pine Marten (Martes martes) [LC]
    ⁃ Biomes: Temperate, Taiga
    ⁃ Continents: Europe
  6. South American Coati (Nasua nasua) [LC]
    ⁃ Biomes: Tropical, Temperate
    ⁃ Continents: South America
  7. Panther Chameleon (Furcifer pardalis) [LC] - Exhibit
    ⁃ Biomes: Tropical
    ⁃ Continents: Africa
Optional instead of the Opossum/Exhibit:
  • Ringtail (Bassariscus astutus) [LC]
    ⁃ Biomes: Desert, Temperate
    ⁃ Continents: North America
  • Mantled Guereza (Colobus guereza) [LC]
    ⁃ Biomes: Tropical
    ⁃ Continents: Africa
Coastal Pack:
  1. Great White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus) [LC]
    • Biomes: Aquatic, Temperate, Tropical
    • Continents: Africa, Europe, Asia
  2. Southern Rockhopper Penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome) [VU]
    • Biomes: Aquatic, Temperate
    • Continents: South America, Antarctica, Oceania
  3. Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) [VU]
    • Biomes: Aquatic, Tundra
    • Continents: North America, Europe, Asia
  4. Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris) [EN]
    • Biomes: Aquatic, Temperate
    • Continents: North America, Asia
  5. Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) [EN]
    • Biomes: Aquatic, Tropical, Temperate
    • Continents: Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, South America
+ Scenery Items (this could include things like: boat pieces, lighthouse pieces, driftwood, anchor, dock pieces, new flexicolor rocks, coral (though these are technically animals I think PZ would treat them like decor), shells, etc.
 
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