General / Off-Topic Planet Safari- next up.
- Thread starter Dante80
- Start date
Whilst it's true that their next new project is an entirely new game, there is also clearly a team left that is focussed on Planet coaster. And making a safari type expansion really wouldn't be a huge undertaking now they have PC to base it on. We can't know when or exactly how it will connect with PC, but it seems like something that will happen purely because it's a popular idea and they already have the groundwork done in PC (terrain, guests, pathing etc).
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WingardiumLevicoaster
Volunteer Moderator
While popular, it is not my dream game/expansion. Not a big zoo fan and much rather manage rides than animals
But I understand why people like it, and welcome it for others. :rex::face:While popular, it is not my dream game/expansion. Not a big zoo fan and much rather manage rides than animals
To be honest I feel the same way really. I liked RCT3 'Wild' as it added to the core game, but I'm much keener to see a waterpark expansion. Overall, way more theme parks have water park areas than have zoos!
I do think the idea of Planet Coaster and Planet Safari being totally standalone OR combined has a lot of potential though. It seems like it should be possible for them to sell both games separately to appeal to different gamers, and also have them able to work together for those that want both. I suppose though, following the same logic, with the awesome ingredients PC has such as the guests, paths, terraforming... it could be used as a platform to build any number of tycoon type games on.
While popular, it is not my dream game/expansion. Not a big zoo fan and much rather manage rides than animals
I agree with you -sort of. I would never play a Zoo Tycoon style game, because on its own it is boring. I liked the idea of RCT3 Wild! but it did not work very well for me, at the time (many years ago) the Wild expansion ran very poorly on my computer so I uninstalled it and never went back (I only played Soaked)
However, if frontier manages to make a Wild expansion for PC, it could be amazing if done right especially with modern graphics. I can not wait to see a full on safari with track rides going through the animals enclosures :] I know with the possibility of UGC that a new version of Wild could be amazing!
It's also worth adding to the above - Wild & Soaked effectively broke RCT3. As soon as the expansions came out, it was possible to effectively have unlimited cash just by building a huge pool or 'perfect' animal enclosure. Not a big deal for me personally as I'm more of a creator than player, but I do also like to play through the scenarios.
Then again, since RCT2, I think it's fair to say that no company has really focussed on playability as much as they could/should. It all became about creativity, which I'm 100% happy about. But commercially, I can see it would be good to make the games more 'tycoon' again. Perhaps an expansion that achieves that would be good!
@Deuce - I have posted many many threads suggesting ways to make PC more like RCT1 in terms of puzzle and strategy. Its a big part of why many people have quit this game
https://forums.planetcoaster.com/sh...-Career-and-Staff-Management-with-Facilities?
https://forums.planetcoaster.com/showthread.php/20381-A-true-Career-mode?
I agree pools did bring in lots of cash, and that could be fixed by making them worth less profit wise. But like you said, pools are more about creativity, and scenarios should not allow players to build large pools (maybe if they add pools, they will only be allowed in certain scenarios)
https://forums.planetcoaster.com/sh...-Career-and-Staff-Management-with-Facilities?
https://forums.planetcoaster.com/showthread.php/20381-A-true-Career-mode?
I agree pools did bring in lots of cash, and that could be fixed by making them worth less profit wise. But like you said, pools are more about creativity, and scenarios should not allow players to build large pools (maybe if they add pools, they will only be allowed in certain scenarios)
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@Deuce - I have posted many many threads suggesting ways to make PC more like RCT1 in terms of puzzle and strategy. Its a big part of why many people have quit this game
https://forums.planetcoaster.com/sh...-Career-and-Staff-Management-with-Facilities?
https://forums.planetcoaster.com/showthread.php/20381-A-true-Career-mode?
I agree pools did bring in lots of cash, and that could be fixed by making them worth less profit wise. But like you said, pools are more about creativity, and scenarios should not allow players to build large pools (maybe if they add pools, they will only be allowed in certain scenarios)
Well I guess all these things evolve slowly. To be fair the theme park genre is actually quite new compared to most other genres of game out there. I think it's fair to say Frontier have basically nailed the creativity thing - other than advances in hardware there isn't much else they could have done more/better. But at the root of great games, there is always one great person that just 'gets it'. Sid meier's is a good example, as of course is Chris Sawyer. Frontier do have David Braben, who very clearly does have the ability to make a hugely playable game as he created Elite - but realistically he's now charged with running a multi million pound business so it must be difficult to really think through every aspect of a tycoon game as well.
I think Planet Coaster is a masterpiece in most ways. It's the pinnacle of what other games in the genre have aimed at for years AND in many ways it's more than any of us expected when it was first announced (no one even thought to ask for voxel terrain..). But I am forced to agree that as a game, it doesn't quite work. Excellent theme park design software, average game. So I suppose we all have to wait for PC2 and fingers crossed they find a creative genius to hire that can make a game 'a game'.
But in the meantime, I still love what we have now! The creative potential is staggering. Have many people really quit PC? I think that now the PC vs RCTW hype has died down we have more time to talk about PC's shortcomings, but the community of players seems as active as ever to me. And the workshop... My god - the sheer quantity of amazing creations is also staggering.
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Bull Frog's Theme Park came out in 1994, 23 years ago, and SimCity was out in 89. I would not consider that a new genre
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Me either - but read what I said... 'compared to most other genres'.
My point was that other tycoon genres have an easy 15 years on theme park games. As does the whole FPS/kill kill kill/Space alien/racing/simulator stuff. When Bullfrog dropped Theme Park (I played it straight away) it was a momentous occasion and I remember even then, as a 12 year old, wondering why no one had done it before.
23 years may seem like a long time for sure. But given it takes about 2 years to make a game, and those that do would want a lifespan of at least a few years before making another, the actual number of generations of game in this genre is pretty low. I suppose Theme park was gen one, RCT 1+2 was gen 2, then RCT3... So PC is gen 4? To put that into perspective, Playstation arrived years after Theme Park and was on gen 4 way before PC released.
I think we have a couple more generations of games in this genre before we can expect to see the perfect title.
The first first person shooter was wolfenstein in 1992, only 2 years before TP and 4 years after SC
Open world games like GTA are a newer genre and can take many years to develop
PC is more like gen 6 or 7 if you include other games like NL2 or TPS
GTA is gen 3 or 4 (if you go by console generation)
Open world games like GTA are a newer genre and can take many years to develop
PC is more like gen 6 or 7 if you include other games like NL2 or TPS
GTA is gen 3 or 4 (if you go by console generation)
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Really? Wow time compresses as you get older [blah]
But right back as a kid on my dad's ZX spectrum there were other games he had gathering dust that were effectively first generation of existing genre's. Sorry for my mistake about FPS games specifically - but are you telling me that them park games isn't a new genre compared to most other mainstream genre's that have been established over the years?
Did you catch my edit?
PC is more like gen 6 or 7 if you include other games like NL2 or TPS
GTA is gen 3 or 4 (if you go by console generation)
I'm not sure what you consider a "new" genre... like horror survival started with Resident evil in 1996? thats newer than Sim games too
RTS became popular in 93/94... but sure it "sort of" existed before then... or how about games like LittleBigPlanet or SuperMarioMaker, those are surely new? I mean we had platformers before but not a "make your own" style of platformer
PC is more like gen 6 or 7 if you include other games like NL2 or TPS
GTA is gen 3 or 4 (if you go by console generation)
I'm not sure what you consider a "new" genre... like horror survival started with Resident evil in 1996? thats newer than Sim games too
RTS became popular in 93/94... but sure it "sort of" existed before then... or how about games like LittleBigPlanet or SuperMarioMaker, those are surely new? I mean we had platformers before but not a "make your own" style of platformer
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sorry I did miss it. I'm not sure though if micro genre titles like that equal a new generation though. More just a new idea really.
I think my logic holds though. FPS games have been through so many generations of development and have ended up as MMO blasters keeping pace with real world fears such as terrorism etc. Theme park games are still falling short of their main purpose, making a real theme park experience. I can't think of a single theme park that can be 100% recreated in any theme park game. There is always a missing ride type or some other limitation. That's why I'm saying that it's gonna take another couple of generations - the creative/content side is nearly there, but on top of that the gameplay side needs working on too.
Of course you can say FPS have evolved more there are many many many more FPS games. However, I personally dislike MOST of the FPS games made today like CoD because they have NOT evolved the genre at all, CoD plays just like Halflife or Unreal from the 90s
If you count every theme park game, Theme Park (94), Rct 1 2 and 3, Theme Park World, NoLimits 1 & 2, RCTW, RCTMobile(Ugh I shouldnt count that) TPS, etc. but it still shows the genre has evolved with EACH and EVERY iteration
I do not think of theme park games as a new genre, even with PC being different cuz of the workshop. Its an old genre and its too bad that the older games like TP94 and RCT1 have some cool features that are missing from PC
If you count every theme park game, Theme Park (94), Rct 1 2 and 3, Theme Park World, NoLimits 1 & 2, RCTW, RCTMobile(Ugh I shouldnt count that) TPS, etc. but it still shows the genre has evolved with EACH and EVERY iteration
I do not think of theme park games as a new genre, even with PC being different cuz of the workshop. Its an old genre and its too bad that the older games like TP94 and RCT1 have some cool features that are missing from PC
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I don't believe theme park or zoo games are a new genre either. There does seem to be a lack of interest in making these games. Usually there is a revival after failure of a leading game series to produce a good sequel in good time.
Once they were released, Zoo Tycoon 1 & 2 and Roller Coaster Tycoon 1, 2 & 3 were always on top of their genres, with little competition. Space sims had the same issue. For example, the X-series was one of the last remaining franchises in the genre and due to X: Reunion flopping, it took the entire X-series with it. There were no more games and interest in the genre grew. 2 years later, Elite: Dangerous, Star Citizen and No-Man's Sky appeared all at once. It raised the bar for these kind of games.
Now Planet Coaster took over the role of RCT due to the failures that are RCTW and RCTMobile. Unfortunately, there are missing features in PC and this can not be entirely helped by mods. If there were more competition and fans, perhaps there would be more development on it. PC is not a perfect game, but it's a good game. I'll take a good game over none any time. That's why I'm still hoping Planet Safari will take over the role of Zoo Tycoon. There haven't been any good Zoo games out there for a while and there seems to be no interest in making any.
Still hoping, and quietly awaiting the future...
We are getting something though, in case you didn't hear about this either:
[video=youtube;NWagBjDMwTU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWagBjDMwTU[/video]
Check the channel out for more info.
Joël
Volunteer Moderator
Planet Safari is a registered trademark by Frontier Developments Plc. It's not hard to find it, since it's registered in the U.K. Intellectual Property Office: https://trademarks.ipo.gov.uk/ipo-tmcase/page/Results/4/EU014471171
It is likely that Frontier registered this name so that it can't be used by other companies in the event that Planet Coaster would become be a successful title (which it has since the release in 2016).