I definitely agree with the lack of communication. And yes, that leads to the feeling that the game is given up on early. I have the same feeling and I can say that it has nothing to do with lack of DLCs. It just feels like the hype didn't play out for Frontier as expected and instead of working on its potential and fixing what is missing, it feels like they are just tiptoeinng around the mood and keep a low profile (lack of communication / roadmap, no honest "this can't be added" etc.
Also, I feel like there wasn't enough pre-planning and getting to know the player base. If diving is so difficult to implement, maybe the build was never build on the right engine. People love diving animals like penguins and otters in the game. And the way the DLCs are structured isn't really fitting for a zoo game.
Too much is copyed 1:1 from Planet Coaster (who needs a hat fantastic in a zoo?) and on the other hand we are limited too much to conservation and (careful, unpopular opinion ahead) have too little option for theming our zoo. Or even make a realistic backstage area. This game still hasn't decided if it is the zoo game it should be, or if it's a wildlife park simulator. I can drive jeeps to my carnivore enclosures, but can't use gates (like in JWE) to manage breeding and keep males and females separate or isolate ill animals that way. But that's the techniques that are needed in a zoo. Not a jeep throuh the lion habitat.
It's the lack of communication that worries, because we don't know if they are willing to re-think concepts or just give up on the game early.
That said, Frontier proved in the past that they listen to feedback a lot, so the worries can very well turn out to nonsense. I don't think so atm, but I hope so. All in all I wish there where less zoopedia facts and "look at that Screenshot!" but more "look what we are working on". Kind of like dev diaries, just a little less marketing and more honesty. (I'm getting more and more salty with the "every animal is unique" thing as time progresses,I admit. I love this game, but the honeymoon phase is long over)
Also, I feel like there wasn't enough pre-planning and getting to know the player base. If diving is so difficult to implement, maybe the build was never build on the right engine. People love diving animals like penguins and otters in the game. And the way the DLCs are structured isn't really fitting for a zoo game.
Too much is copyed 1:1 from Planet Coaster (who needs a hat fantastic in a zoo?) and on the other hand we are limited too much to conservation and (careful, unpopular opinion ahead) have too little option for theming our zoo. Or even make a realistic backstage area. This game still hasn't decided if it is the zoo game it should be, or if it's a wildlife park simulator. I can drive jeeps to my carnivore enclosures, but can't use gates (like in JWE) to manage breeding and keep males and females separate or isolate ill animals that way. But that's the techniques that are needed in a zoo. Not a jeep throuh the lion habitat.
It's the lack of communication that worries, because we don't know if they are willing to re-think concepts or just give up on the game early.
That said, Frontier proved in the past that they listen to feedback a lot, so the worries can very well turn out to nonsense. I don't think so atm, but I hope so. All in all I wish there where less zoopedia facts and "look at that Screenshot!" but more "look what we are working on". Kind of like dev diaries, just a little less marketing and more honesty. (I'm getting more and more salty with the "every animal is unique" thing as time progresses,I admit. I love this game, but the honeymoon phase is long over)
