Planet Zoo 2 Roster Game

[bird-watcher-91]

Animal #40 - North Island Brown Kiwi
View attachment 413157
Which category does it fit into?

• Essential for Planet Zoo 2 Base Game
• Save for PZ2 DLCs/Deluxe
• Doesn’t need to make it but sure
• Can be left out entirel

The North Island brown kiwi is a rare sight at least in American zoos.

I’ve personally petted a juvenile for a behind-the-scenes tour at Zoo Miami. They are stinking cute.

I fall under the camp of “Doesn’t Need to Make It But Sure”. I like them and find them interesting but I can’t see myself featuring them in my zoos unless it’s in a nocturnal house.

 

[bird-watcher-91]

First animal up (also choosing these at complete random):

Markhor
View attachment 405482
Which category does it fit into?

• Essential for Planet Zoo 2 Base Game
• Save for PZ2 DLCs/Deluxe
• Doesn’t need to make it but sure
• Can be left out entirely

I’ve only seen this species once in person at the L.A. Zoo.

I’m in the “Doesn’t Need to Be Included But Sure” camp. I don’t see myself regularly using this species in my zoos except for like a Holarctic or Asian-themed zoo.

 

[bird-watcher-91]

I consider false pandas panda bears to be one of 4 really "essential" bears for a zoo game roster, though it ends up sharing a slot with sloth bears. But ultimately I don't feel strongly about them either way. Cool if they're in, cool if they aren't.

I’m with you on this one.

Yes, they’re popular with a lot of people. They generate money for zoos when they do feature them.

I don’t see myself using them in any of my zoos except for a Holarctic or Asian-themed zoo.

 

[Fossa]

Seeing all these bird-watcher rules, only makes me dislike realism rules even more, some peopke only limit their games only to the zoos they visit or which are in their country, and they want this game be 100% based on their local zoo, a zoo that they can visit at any time...

They never want to create something more exotic or more fun? I will never understand this type of preferences

 

[SanRazo]

CONTROVERSIAL HOT TAKE: DON’T include aquariums in Planet Zoo games. Here’s why:

While aquariums can sometimes host birds and even some land animals, aquariums are their own entity. Frontier should make a Planet Aquarium franchise if people are that keen on it. Aquariums have much different setup (like accounting for filtration, salinity, recycling, etc.). It can feature the characters from Planet Zoo but running an aquarium. They can reuse the models of the crocodilians, otters, penguins, and seals and sea lions into this franchise. Also, game logistics-wise, I would imagine the animation and rigging system for making sure every fish and marine mammal is unique and true to life would be a massive undertaking. Marine life far outweighs terrestrial life, so the animal roster would be well over Planet Zoo’s roster easily just by the popular tropical fresh and saltwater fish alone. Hell, the “Goodwin Aquarium” can be loosely based off of the Monterey Bay Aquarium or the Georgia Aquarium.

Not every zoo has aquariums, and those that do…well, it doesn’t always work out well. It’s ambitious and tricky to pull off. An example of a zoo that does a poor job, in my opinion, of being both a zoo and aquarium: Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. They have two separate aquariums on their grounds and their animal variety outside of the marine life is abysmal.

Henry Doorly seems to be one that found a balance. One could argue that Brookfield falls into this category but their collection is primarily terrestrial with some feature aquatics.

Now, nearly every zoo I’ve visited hosts birds. Aviaries ARE part of the zoo experience.

While there are such institutions that exist that feature primarily birds like Sylvan Heights Bird Park, Loro Parque, Vogelkop Avifauna, and Weltvogelpark Walsrode, bird parks aren’t mainstream enough like aquariums.

I’m not against having seals, sea lions, penguins, and the walrus in Planet Zoo; I’m tired of reading or hearing content creators chanting for more aquarium creatures in the game.

Something Else to Add in the Game: Expabdable Habitats

As I think RedPandaReggie stated in his Reptile Animal Pack, this feature is much needed, especially with such potential inclusions as the northern green anaconda, and Burmese and reticulated pythons in the further PZ2.

Having a larger, expandable habitats could open the door of housing multiple species like different species of poison dart frogs mixing together and/or housed with boas like I’ve seen several times.

Bad take imo planet aquarium is way too niche, especially considering Frontier’s financial struggles this is not a game that would sell well at all. Aquariums belong in zoos plenty of them do them well. Adding it to a sequel is a sure fire way to distinguish it from the original

 

[TheKingofallFrogs]

With the inclusion of the Saiga, I think they said they don’t care about realism at all, and they should not, games are made to escape the boring reality.

I still hope I get my favorite Leopard Seal one day

Huh, I swore saiga antelope were in captivity. Oh well.

 

[Marvinb]

Huh, I swore saiga antelope were in captivity. Oh well.

If you count one zoo in kazakhstan as in captivity, than yeah they are.
Although historicaly they were in a whole bunch of zoos throughout europe and na with a couple in asia.

 

[bird-watcher-91]

Seeing all these bird-watcher rules, only makes me dislike realism rules even more, some peopke only limit their games only to the zoos they visit or which are in their country, and they want this game be 100% based on their local zoo, a zoo that they can visit at any time...

They never want to create something more exotic or more fun? I will never understand this type of preferences

I understand where you're coming from, and it’s great that YOU diverse and creative approach to the game.

However, I think it's important to remember that different players have different preferences, and those preferences can shape the way they engage with a game.

For me personally, I want to see animals that I can realistically see in a zoo setting. How I see it - zoos are places to educate and inform; conserve, preserve, and act as a haven for threatened species; and to bring people closer to animals they don’t have the financial resources to go on ecotourism tours and safaris.

For others, like yourself, the appeal of creating more exotic or fantastical environments might be what makes the game enjoyable. The beauty of a game like this is that it can cater to both playstyles. You might prefer a more imaginative approach, and that’s perfectly valid. But for others, working within the constraints of real-world locations and species could feel more rewarding, especially if they're passionate about conservation or learning about animals in a realistic setting.

Everyone’s approach to creativity is different, and that's what makes gaming so diverse. It's great to have different perspectives, and ideally, these different preferences can coexist and inspire others to try new things.

You do YOU

 

[RightWhale]

Animal #40 - North Island Brown Kiwi
View attachment 413157
Which category does it fit into?

• Essential for Planet Zoo 2 Base Game
• Save for PZ2 DLCs/Deluxe
• Doesn’t need to make it but sure
• Can be left out entirel

Yes it is an oddball animal, but both as a bird and for island representation it is essential. Atoeast in my eyes. Oceania needs all it can get. Likewise I was also a big kiwi fan so I would rather not wait again.

 

[Fossa]

I understand where you're coming from, and it’s great that YOU diverse and creative approach to the game.

However, I think it's important to remember that different players have different preferences, and those preferences can shape the way they engage with a game.

For me personally, I want to see animals that I can realistically see in a zoo setting. How I see it - zoos are places to educate and inform; conserve, preserve, and act as a haven for threatened species; and to bring people closer to animals they don’t have the financial resources to go on ecotourism tours and safaris.

For others, like yourself, the appeal of creating more exotic or fantastical environments might be what makes the game enjoyable. The beauty of a game like this is that it can cater to both playstyles. You might prefer a more imaginative approach, and that’s perfectly valid. But for others, working within the constraints of real-world locations and species could feel more rewarding, especially if they're passionate about conservation or learning about animals in a realistic setting.

Everyone’s approach to creativity is different, and that's what makes gaming so diverse. It's great to have different perspectives, and ideally, these different preferences can coexist and inspire others to try new things.

You do YOU

Yes, but in my perfect vision of planet zoo 2, most groups will get what theywant, it’s just the people that crave for particular clones and 20 tiger species that will suffer terribly by my rules.

By realist rules, many people will suffer, some Americans only want animals that are in American zoos in this game, in those cases half the planets players will suffer terribly, I’m the lesser evil of the two.

Players, even realist will endure and survive the inclusion of a leopard seal, shoebill, proboscis monkey, pronghorn, indri, saiga and some others that are not or rarely in zoos, but will they endure a game with no Australian animals because American realist have no use for them in their 100% realistic American zoo?

 

[CharlieXGaming]

Spoiler: North Island Brown Kiwi Placement

Essential but I can see how one could argue for it to be saved for a pack. It stands out from other birds and if PZ2 focuses on birds in general (as we'll probably get flying birds as the selling point) its important to highlight as many different types of birds possible even the ground ones.

 

[CharlieXGaming]

Animal #41 - Nyala

Which category does it fit into?

• Essential for Planet Zoo 2 Base Game
• Save for PZ2 DLCs/Deluxe
• Doesn’t need to make it but sure
• Can be left out entirely

 

[Stygi]

Animal #41 - Nyala
View attachment 413810
Which category does it fit into?

• Essential for Planet Zoo 2 Base Game
• Save for PZ2 DLCs/Deluxe
• Doesn’t need to make it but sure
• Can be left out entirely

Save for dlc not the most needed African antelope and requires a major overhaul

 

[USzoofan42]

Animal #41 - Nyala
View attachment 413810
Which category does it fit into?

• Essential for Planet Zoo 2 Base Game
• Save for PZ2 DLCs/Deluxe
• Doesn’t need to make it but sure
• Can be left out entirely

Essential, I prefer kudu but we will have the kids complaining about this being a dlc animal

 

[Marvinb]

Save for dlc not the most needed African antelope and requires a major overhaul

+1 pretty much

 

[Eletan888]

Animal #41 - Nyala
View attachment 413810
Which category does it fit into?

• Essential for Planet Zoo 2 Base Game
• Save for PZ2 DLCs/Deluxe
• Doesn’t need to make it but sure
• Can be left out entirely

Essential! One of my favorite African antelopes! Would love them to get a better model and have their max group sized increased in a sequel though.

 

[SanRazo]

deluxe

 

[zom03]

The Nyala is another animal right on the line between Essential and Save for DLC for me. It’s a nice-looking antelope, and might as well be included base-game, but it’s just not a tip-top priority inclusion on my personal list.

I’ll say Essential as my official answer if only to keep as many extraneous ungulates out of the hypothetical DLC as possible.

 

[Birb（｡･ө･｡）]

Essential, less because I view it as essential, and more because I'd prefer it not to take up a spot in DLC lol. Especially if we have more competition by opening up the flood-gates to flying and/or aquatic animals, I'd like to not repeat Arid/Eurasia, so I'd prefer getting most of the existing carnivorans/ungulates out of the way in base game. A pretty solid animal for filling its niche and one of my favorite antelope overall that I wouldn't want to see completely scrapped, but it definitely needs an overhaul. I could totally understand putting it as DLC too.

 

[Hugo98]

I follow the arguments of the people above and also say essential.