New Animals Based on Region

narwhal

N
So I don't know how everyone plays, but the way I like to do it is by building areas for specific biotopes (regions) This exercise really lets one see gaps in the animal roster quite easily and by thinking of specific regions it would be fun to build find potential areas we don't have any animals from

So here we go on this world travelling list

First the Arctic, this years winter pack gave 4 really great species, but I contend we are still missing 6 really important arctic species (perhaps next years Christmas pack?) some animals particularly the 2 birds could be cut for just a single DLC
  • Musk Ox
  • Arctic Fox
  • Atlantic Puffin
  • Snowy Owl (Aviary)
  • Walrus
  • Harbor Seal
This brings some much loved pinnipeds into the game without all the trouble of a marine pack. The Snowy Owl would be awesome, but without an aviary I am not sure it belongs in the game, unlike a lot of larger eagles in vultures I have never seen a captive one in an open air enclosure, and so any owl species really needs an aviary to work, fortunately they don't move much so it wouldn't be too different than the small exhibit animals

Next, North America sort of general species, like the bison and grizzly bears already in game. I contend 5 species are missing which could be a dlc pack
  • Moose
  • Bald Eagle
  • Great Horned Owl (Aviary)
  • American Black Bear
  • Rocky Mountain Elk
Again without an aviary the great horned owl really shouldn't be in game. The bald eagle however should work as most in zoos in North American zoos are rescues, and cannot fly so can be kept open air, giving them stuff the perch on and spend most of their time would be all that is really necessary

North America: Southwest Deserts currently 4 exhibit species, but their are 4 standard animals I think are missing, perfect for a pack
  • Javelina
  • Coyote
  • Greater Roadrunner
  • White-nosed Coati
North America: Florida Swamps 5 species... perfect for a pack
  • American Alligator
  • Roseate Spoonbill
  • Cottonmouth (Exhibit)
  • Florida Panther
  • North American River Otter
We now go south to Latin American Rainforest which we have a single standard animal, but plenty of exhibit species

  • Jaguar
  • Capybara
  • White-faced Capuchin
  • Scarlet Ibis
  • Brown-throated Sloth (Exhibit/Aviary)
  • Scarlet Macaw (Aviary?)
  • Blue-and-Gold Macaw (Aviary?)
  • Green-and-Black Poison Frog (Exhibit)
  • Blue Poison Frog (Exhibit)
To break down this list, 4 standard species for sure, the macaws I would question as many zoos keep them open air on perches, so they could just be standard animals, but would also work in a theoretical aviary. Since sloths do very little, and the exhibits are pretty roomy, I would suggest making them an exhibit animal or possibly for the aviary if it is included. I also included 2 of the most famous poison frogs which I was surprised were not in the game, they should basically be free since my guess is they would take maybe an afternoon to make by duplicating a different poison frogs code and doing a quick reskin.

South America: Pampas would be an awesome 4-pack of animals
  • Maned Wolf
  • Greater Rhea
  • Southern Screamer
  • Giant Anteater
South America: Andes Mountains is the last of the new world species I think are missing
  • Spectacled Bear
  • Guanaco
  • Andean Condor
  • Jame’s Flamingo
I really think large vultures and eagles should be standard animals do to them often being kept in open air exhibits, often I have seen African vultures in savannah exhibits with antelope so to allow that to be replicated they should be full animals not in an aviary

Now we get to Africa, most of the basic species are present like elephants and lions, but we are missing quite a few savannah birds found at almost every large African savannah exhibit
  • Blue Wildebeest
  • Eastern Black Rhinoceros
  • Gray-crowned Crane
  • Marabou Stork
  • Helmeted Guineafowl
  • Shoebill
  • Secretary Bird
  • Egyptian Goose
With more widespread species there are also more specific ecoregions like the Sahara, which I was shocked to see had zero animals for our zoos, the most basic Sahara animals would be...
  • Dromedary Camel
  • Scimitar-horned Oryx
  • Dama Gazelle
  • Fennec Fox
  • Lappet-faced vulture
Of all the regions the Congo has a pretty complete list of animals, gorilla, chimps, okapi. I could really only think of two needed animals, though a pack could add some of the pan-African birds from the general Africa list like the crowned crane, marabou stork, and shoebill
  • Red River Hog
  • Black-and White Colobus
Southern Africa is the final region since we have some of its specialties like springbok, gemsbok, and black wildebeest
  • Southern White Rhinoceros
  • Meerkat
  • Kori Bustard
  • Southern Ground Hornbill
  • African Penguin
This adds penguins in along with meerkats, which should be probably the smallest standard animal.

Madagascar is another region that could use a small DLC pack
  • Coquerel’s Sifaka
  • Fossa
  • Radiated Tortoise
  • Panther Chameleon (Exhibit)
  • Madagascar Tree Boa (Exhibit)
Finally we reach Asia. India is one of the more filled rosters of animals but a few very popular species are missing
  • Chital Deer
  • Blackbuck
  • Guar
  • Sarus Crane
  • King Cobra (Exhibit)
  • Great Hornbill (Aviary)
Hornbills would really require an aviary, but they are much more active than owls, hoping about and the like.

Asia: Mountains this sort of combines Himalayan animals and Chinese Mountain Species like the Panda (perhaps a Chinese new year pack?)
  • Golden Takin
  • Markhor
  • Himalayan Monal
  • Mangshan Pitviper (Exhibit)
  • Golden Snub-nosed Monkey
  • Golden Pheasant
With the Japanese Macaque I would love to have a Japanese pack
  • Japanese Serow
  • Japanese Crane
  • Giant Japanese Salamander
  • Steller’s Sea Eagle
Finally for the last group of animals from Asia, the most under represented region, Indonesia. We have Orangutan and Komodo Dragons, from islands full of popular zoo animals
  • Clouded Leopard
  • Babirusa
  • Victoria-Crowned Pigeon
  • Great Argus
  • Asian Small-clawed Otter
  • Rhinoceros Hornbill (Aviary)
  • Sunda Slow Loris (Exhibit)
  • Reticulated Python (Exhibit)
The final region is Oceania which besides the Saltie and a few exhibit reptiles is strangely absent, the basic list is
  • Red Kangaroo
  • Dingo
  • Emu
  • Koala
  • Tasmanian Devil
  • Short-beaked Echidna
  • Platypus
  • Brown Kiwi
  • Frilled Dragon (Exhibit)
  • Perentie
  • Laughing Kookaburra (Exhibit/Aviary)
  • Black Swan
I would probably have 2 packs, the outback for the Kangaroo, Dingo, Emu, Perentie, and Kookaburra; and a Strange Oceania Pack with the Koala, Tasmanian Devil, Kiwi, Platypus, and Echidna. That does leave out the swan, which is a popular zoo animal, but most people would rather have those two packs.
 

narwhal

N
Marine animals can also be broken up in a similar manner so that if/when we get fish it is not one overly expensive pack
Popular Aquatic Animals to make up the initial marine animals in game
  • Leafy Seadragon (Exhibit)
  • Giant Pacific Octopus (Exhibit)
  • Japanese giant spider crab (Exhibit)
  • Bottlenose Dolphin
  • California Sea Lion
  • Sand Tiger Shark
  • Smalltooth Sawfish
  • Crownnose Ray
  • Scalloped Hammerhead
  • Southern Sea Otter
  • West Indian Manatee
This can be followed by a Coral Reef Pack
  • Blacktip Reef Shark
  • Greater Barracuda
  • Giant Trevally
  • Red Lionfish (Exhibit)
  • Zebra Moray Eel (Exhibit)
  • Green Moray Eel (Exhibit)
  • Green Sea Turtle

And an Amazon River Pack
  • Giant Arapaima
  • Silver Arowana
  • Red-tail Catfish
  • Black Pacu
  • Red-bellied Piranha (Exhibit)
  • Electric Eel (Exhibit)

Maybe for another winter pack we can get an Antarctica Pack as well
  • Leopard Seal
  • King Penguin
  • Imperial Shag
  • Emperor Penguin

Finally I think we should get an extinct animal DLC called Second Chance or something to that effect, to make it more realistic the idea is they have to be animals that where kept in captivity before their extinction or went extinct at a zoo. It can highlight some very famous and maybe more obscure species that disappeared recently
  • Thylacine
  • Quagga
  • Schomburgk’s Deer
  • Dodo
  • Passenger Pigeon (Aviary)
  • Yangtze River Dolphin
 

narwhal

N
Ivash said:
Looks like a great list! Out of curiosity, why did you not include any animals native to Europe?
Click to expand...
I did think about Europe, but really could not think of too many species that are not arctic, my experience is primarily with North American Zoos which don't focus on European Animas very much. If I was to try and make a list it would probably be
  • Red Deer
  • Wisent
  • Spanish Lynx or Eurasian Lynx
  • Spanish Ibex
  • Mufflon

yoav_r said:
This list is awesome! Great job man.
I'd add the addax and Arabian Oryx to the sahara.
Click to expand...
I would actually rather have addax than dama gazelle now that you mention it
 

Kaan

Kaan
your list is really great! :)
Marine DLC packages can be this way:
This list is quoted. a friend had shared and I liked it very much.
maybe you can plan some new Marine dlc packs for planet zoo with new buildings, tour rides, aquarium exhibits, new animal food and enrichment, and tank walls, plus some new marine animals as well.
1.) Marine World DLC Pack: Submarine tour, new foliage like kelp and coral, tank walls, marine shows, marine park building sets, new animal food like squid, jellyfish, and seaweed, and 9 new animals. 5 main animals: Leatherback sea turtle, Orca, Bottlenose dolphin, California sea lion, Sea otter, and West Indian Manatee. 4 exhibit animals: Lionfish, Giant Pacific Octopus, Common seahorse, and Jellyfish.
2.) Polar Sea DLC Pack: Inuit themed building sets and scenery, new animal enrichment like ice floes, new food for animals like krill, and 7 new animals. 7 animals: Pacific walrus, Narwhal, Beluga, Humpback whale, Antarctic minke whale, Southern elephant seal, and Emperor penguin.
3.) Deep Sea DLC Pack: New animal enrichment like thermal vents, new scenery, and 8 new animals. 4 main animals: Oarfish, Sperm whale, Coelacanth, and Giant squid. 4 exhibit animals: Giant spider crabs, Chambered nautilus, Anglerfish, and Firefly squid.
4.) Sharks & Rays DLC Pack: new food for animals like chum and plankton, new tank walls including a shark tunnel, and 9 new animals. 6 main animals: Manta ray, Hammerhead shark, Whale shark, Spotted eagle ray, Tiger Shark, and Great white shark. 3 exhibit animals: Epaulette shark, Cownose ray, and Bonnethead shark.
5.) Open Sea DLC Pack: Atlantis themed building sets and scenery, and 11 new animals. 6 main animals: Short-finned pilot whale, Green sea turtle, Blue whale, Pacific white-sided dolphin, Gray whale, and Pacific sailfish. 5 exhibit animals: Clownfish, Horseshoe crabs, Leafy seadragon, Blue tang, and Cuttlefish.
indeed, when I first saw this list, I thought it was a list that Frontier had planned. these would be really great! :)
no matter how much the fee, I'm ready to buy if they take out packages like this. :)
but there could certainly be a lot more animals.
 
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Grayyy

Grayyy
Why soooo many seperate packs about the same continent? I'd rather have one big, good expansion for a continent then several smaller packs
 

NZFanatic

NZFanatic
Grayyy said:
Why soooo many seperate packs about the same continent? I'd rather have one big, good expansion for a continent then several smaller packs
Click to expand...

Because the aim of the game nowadays for game developers is to churn out small content packs to keep a steady flow of income. EA/Maxis seems to be the only studio still doing proper expansion packs, and even then they still churn out a ton of 'stuff packs' and 'game packs' with limited-to-no new gameplay features. The Arctic DLC is probably a good indicator of what to expect from DLC in the future, though I (and I suspect others) desperately still hope for at least a little more.
 

NZFanatic

NZFanatic
As an aside, I think expecting another Arctic-themed DLC is probably getting your hopes up too high. While I won't write off the possibility due to the Christmas season coming every year, I can imagine that as far as Frontier is concerned that they have ticked the box and that's that.

Additionally, we have no idea how they will handle future exhibit animals. The community at large seems to be desperate for more variety as well as more animals. We need bigger and smaller exhibits to realistically keep some of the animals we already have (I mean, a green iguana requires ample space, which we have, but a tarantula certainly doesn't, nor do beetles, or cockroaches, and if we go larger it opens the door to animals like the green anaconda or some of the mid-sized monitor lizards).

Part of me suspects we'll get exhibit animal DLC's separate from habitat animal DLC's. The more optimistic part of me thinks these exhibit DLC's will have more content that the habitat DLC's. So habitat DLC's would come with building sets, scenarios/campaigns, and four/five new animals, and exhibit packs would come with maybe 6-8 new animals and new ways to decorate exhibits, as well as potentially new types of exhibits.
 
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