While I quite enjoy my item with Planet Zoo, I feel that the behavior of the animals themselves leaves a lot to be desired, even missing aspects that were present in Zoo Tycoon 2, a much older game on an older engine.
Running through different behaviors in my head, here's what I'd like to see from the animals of Planet Zoo going forward in updates.
More parent/baby interactions.
Given how heavily Frontier advertises baby animals in this game, I feel that they could be much more complex as babies. As of now, they're basically adult animals with baby models. More unique interactions such as...
All of this would make baby animals feel like far more distinct entities. Perhaps even have a feature where certain behaviors are decreased as they grow up.
More interactive animations in general
Animals don't really do much in the way of interesting behaviors. Most of the time, they walk around, lie down for a bit, eat, drink, defecate, and then die. I think that there are an infinite amount of behaviors, interactions, and animations that would make the zoo's animals feel more like living animals
All of these would add great flavor to the animals. As well, it would be a great way to showcase actual animal personality. For example, with lions, the male can be much more playful while one of the females may be more recluse and maybe the other lioness is a bit more aggressive.
More interesting/realistic social dynamics
For many of the primates (sans gorillas and orangutans), breeding groups are far more complex than 1 male and a group of females. A big example of this is with chimps and lemurs, which currently will fight if there's more than 1 male with females. I'd like to see a dynamic system of dominance in both males and females as seen in wild primates. This applies for many other animals as well.
Sidenote: Eggs
Functional eggs can totally be added into the game. As well, they'd add an interesting management aspect to the game. A nursery building can be added to keep eggs until they hatch. This building would have no negative impact on guest rating; quite the opposite as it gives guests an intimate view of your breeding programs. If this happens, of also like to see the option to remove all eggs from terrariums before they hatch. Then, the hatched young can automatically be placed in the trade center.
Running through different behaviors in my head, here's what I'd like to see from the animals of Planet Zoo going forward in updates.
More parent/baby interactions.
Given how heavily Frontier advertises baby animals in this game, I feel that they could be much more complex as babies. As of now, they're basically adult animals with baby models. More unique interactions such as...
- Mammals nursing their young
- Flamingos feeding their chicks with crop milk
- Crocodilians carrying young on their back
- Great apes giving their kids piggyback rides
- Carnivorans carrying young around by the nape
All of this would make baby animals feel like far more distinct entities. Perhaps even have a feature where certain behaviors are decreased as they grow up.
More interactive animations in general
Animals don't really do much in the way of interesting behaviors. Most of the time, they walk around, lie down for a bit, eat, drink, defecate, and then die. I think that there are an infinite amount of behaviors, interactions, and animations that would make the zoo's animals feel more like living animals
- Allopatric grooming (Not just for primates)
- Play-fighting
- Play-chasing
- Territorial behavior such as scent marking and vocalizations. The chorus thing is a good start
All of these would add great flavor to the animals. As well, it would be a great way to showcase actual animal personality. For example, with lions, the male can be much more playful while one of the females may be more recluse and maybe the other lioness is a bit more aggressive.
More interesting/realistic social dynamics
For many of the primates (sans gorillas and orangutans), breeding groups are far more complex than 1 male and a group of females. A big example of this is with chimps and lemurs, which currently will fight if there's more than 1 male with females. I'd like to see a dynamic system of dominance in both males and females as seen in wild primates. This applies for many other animals as well.
Sidenote: Eggs
Functional eggs can totally be added into the game. As well, they'd add an interesting management aspect to the game. A nursery building can be added to keep eggs until they hatch. This building would have no negative impact on guest rating; quite the opposite as it gives guests an intimate view of your breeding programs. If this happens, of also like to see the option to remove all eggs from terrariums before they hatch. Then, the hatched young can automatically be placed in the trade center.
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