Planet Zoo 2 Speculation and ideas

[Eletan888]

I mean if they would give them us for free, then why not include them in the base game from the get go.

I imagine it's not importing them from one game to the other that is the cause of the problem. It's selling new DLCs when you milked most of big, selling mammals in the first game.

As I said before, I would be fine buying old animals again, as long as they have been updated/reworked. For example, I wouldn't mind missing out on Oramgutan in base game, as long as that means we're getting the updated animations and model in some "Islands DLC" or smth like that.

I guess I was also thinking cost of labor. Sure, it wouldn't be the most time consuming thing (not a developer in the slightest, just repeating what I've heard), but by trickling the animals in through free updates over time, it'd be a way for Frontier to bulk up free updates. This way all the animals return, but at a bit of a cost to the playerbase. Essentially, less new free QOL updates for new species.

Tbh, apart from the big things like aviaries and aquariums, there aren't a ton of features that i feel we're missing out on in PZ1. Even things like modular or multisize exhibit boxes seem like something that would be released at launch. I mean, animal feedings are a pretty big thing missing I guess.

Would i rather have everything from the get go, 1000000%. But I'm just a little skeptical of it happening.

 

[Stressed Primate]

It's selling new DLCs when you milked most of big, selling mammals in the first game.

For the carnivorans and ungulates, yeah (and even then I feel like there are big holes in the roster, pinnipeds in particular feel underrepresented imo and obviously we don't have any cetaceans), but primates for instance are still lagging far behind.

 

[AmazonHippo28]

- Flying birds and aquatic animals. The aquarium could either be a habitat or a tank type exhibit. With the aviaries I think it could be a custom mesh aviary made by the player, but also for not experienced players who couldn’t dream of building a structure like that, maybe an aviary blueprint that they could just place down.

-Let’s say the PZ starting roster is 175 animals (a realistic number in my eyes) including 100 original PZ1 animals (hopefully with some remodels), perhaps 5 new but essential animals (Spider monkey, tamarin, grey crowned crane come to mind), 40 flying birds perhaps, 5 habitat aquatics and 25 exhibits/ tanks.

-A new exhibit system would be much appreciated:
-A range of exhibit box sizes
-All the existing exhibit preset scenery, but also just a ‘blank’ exhibit where you can add foliage and even stretching it, have a separate scenery and terrain palette for exhibits so you can create realistic environments with small hills, smaller plant etc
-Not just reptiles and amphibians in exhibits, but also a greater range of invertebrates, fish in the previously mentioned tanks and small mammals like rodents and hedgehogs
-The ability for some exhibits to also be able to be habitat animals e.g. iguanas. This would also apply to all the exhibit fish if there was like a mixed aquarium


-Improved pathing e.g. the ability to change if the path automatic path snapping for when building paths close to each other that aren’t meant to connect. Also very narrower paths would be good, as well as a true null path so that rope bridges and stepping stones are truly possible. To go the extra mile, maybe a vertical bend in paths for like realistic rope bridges

-Have the ability to create maps without importing an image, benefiting PC players but even more so console players

-Maybe including animal experiences. Practical in franchise and a nice touch in sandbox.

-Real life zoo network should be at least an option. I mean how cool would it be to share a breeding programme with San Diego or help in the pangolin breeding research with Leipzig. Additionally, you can create sister zoos in PZ now, but it’s not exactly functional, so maybe to actually create a sister zoo or zoo association like ZSL with your own zoo, but also with existing zoos.

-Playgrounds. We’re going for realism here.

-Scaling

-Pls sort out hitboxes! I hate having to make the entrance to a backstage 5 metres wide so something much smaller can fit through it

 

[Milurian]

What are people's thoughts on if Frontier sprinkled the low demand DLC animals from PZ1 in PZ2s free updates? Kind of the same way themes from the first PC are returning for PC2.

As much as I would love all the animals we have now to return in the base game, I dont think its super likely.

simple I would not support the game. I am tired of the standard for sequels being to go backwards and its not a given that they would all make it back. Until pz2 has all the animals from pz1 I will not support or interact with it at all.

 

[Swjosdotschka]

What are people's thoughts on if Frontier sprinkled the low demand DLC animals from PZ1 in PZ2s free updates? Kind of the same way themes from the first PC are returning for PC2.

As much as I would love all the animals we have now to return in the base game, I dont think its super likely.

In theory I would like that. The only problem I have: The themes in PC2 that were ported over from PC1 weren't really touched again. Some of them are lower in graphic. If the same happened to PZ1 animals, we would have a quality drop throughout some animals and it maybe would be bigger than now.

I still think expecting EVERY animal we have back in the base game is not only unrealistic but also unfavourable for us. Lets be real: Most animals we got in base game and still a lot in the DLCs nieed a touch up. And PZ2s graphic will be different (even though I hope not too much like PC2, as I hate it). So they would need to work on all animals. The more animals they port over for base game, the less time and effort goes into every single animal - so we would get animals of lesser quality. And we could not eben blame Frontier, because deadlines have to be met and cost have to be reasonable.

Plus: 200 medium quality animals give me nothing when the rest of the game is basically non-existent (like PC2 at release).

So NO. All animals we would have now in PZ2 base game would be a nightmare disguised as a dream.

Apart from that: Frontier needs some of those animals to sell DLCs. And no DLCs would mean no steady income for the game and no steady income for the game would mean less free support.

 

[PlanetJameson]

Instead of having to scroll through the same wall pieces for all the different building sets, it would be so cool if they could have the menu list each wall piece just once and then add a dropdown menu to select which theme you want to assign.

 

[Markiz]

Instead of having to scroll through the same wall pieces for all the different building sets, it would be so cool if they could have the menu list each wall piece just once and then add a dropdown menu to select which theme you want to assign.

Yes!

 

[The_Riot22]

What are people's thoughts on if Frontier sprinkled the low demand DLC animals from PZ1 in PZ2s free updates? Kind of the same way themes from the first PC are returning for PC2.

As much as I would love all the animals we have now to return in the base game, I dont think its super likely.

I like the idea, as I think it's very likely we don't get more than 150 of PZ1 animals in a PZ2 base game(remember, a good 100+ will need significant improvements to the models, as well as hopefully tinkering with things like hitboxes, climbing glitches, etc.). Resources and time are finite. So adding a few in here with free updates would give them extra time work on "base game" animals.
My only hesitation is that undoubtedly some of the resources going to free updates would be used to remodel these animals, meaning the free update content would be lesser. The FU was the thing I eventually looked forward to the most.

But I highly doubt Frontier would go this route. Adding in 1-3 animals with every free update would take away some of the energy for DLC animals - and I think it's inevitable DLC sales would suffer slightly.

 

[yoav_r]

I think the PZ2 base game should be a mix of the must haves with new models (lions, zebras, Giraffe....) and the species from post-Europe pack DLCs that have great models. The earlier species can come in DLCs with new models to bring them up to standard alongside new species.

 

[yoav_r]

@Swjosdotschka @Mjmannella @Iben @SanRazo @Artemisya @Aramar @NZFanatic

Tagging random collection of people in the PZ2 roster discussion so we wouldn't derail the dlc discussion

 

[Swjosdotschka]

I am such an inconsequent person for saying I am stepping back and thenm still participating..
Okay, I will now, but I will completely ignore the "we should get everything" nonsense

Has anyone ever calculated how many percent were scratched from JWE3 (as far as I know) compared to the overall roster? Because that might give us an actually intersting view on PZ2. Not just pure numbers.

 

[leehonglocal]

I think the PZ2 base game should be a mix of the must haves with new models (lions, zebras, Giraffe....) and the species from post-Europe pack DLCs that have great models. The earlier species can come in DLCs with new models to bring them up to standard alongside new species.

But will Planet Zoo 2 have ALL animals including dlc packs as Base Game and Deluxe like or similar to Jurassic World 2 having all from 1 as Base Game and Deluxe along with new ones?

 

[Frogstrich]

I am such an inconsequent person for saying I am stepping back and thenm still participating..
Okay, I will now, but I will completely ignore the "we should get everything" nonsense

Has anyone ever calculated how many percent were scratched from JWE3 (as far as I know) compared to the overall roster? Because that might give us an actually intersting view on PZ2. Not just pure numbers.

Assuming All Of The Base Game Slots Go To Old Species (Personally I Think We Will Get 10 New Ones) And Taking Into Account Thanatosdrakon And Concavenator, We Get 31.147541% Of JWE2's Roster Is Cut From JWE3'S Launch.

 

[Swjosdotschka]

But will Planet Zoo 2 have ALL animals including dlc packs as Base Game and Deluxe like or similar to Jurassic World 2 having all from 1 as Base Game and Deluxe along with new ones?

The answer of that is litterally in the sentence you quoted. Read again. " The earlier species can come in DLCs with new models"

@Frogstrich : Not sure if I understood that sentence right, but that means roughly 69% is making it back, right?
Honestly, I would not consider that bad for PZ2 either, as the rough 30% rest could be birds. (I am not fully sold on aquariums in PZ2, as it feels that the demand for it came up rather late)

 

[NachoB]

Expecting just 80 species for PZ2 isn't realistic either. I think over 100 is possibly where they would start. Otherwise it would be just like PC2. Going from a game with over 200 animals to one with less than 80... I think it would make people angry and would be a flop just like PC2.

I agree a bunch of animals would be ok to get later on in DLCs. There are some must have from the get go like lions, zebras, giraffes, hippos, elephants, etc. but would indeed needs improvements from the current versions. But then there are some that while i think must come at some point could be pulled back as DLCs material if they come in greater quality (orangutan, okapi, snow leopard, siberian tiger, spotted hyena, african wild dog, etc).

And then i don't think we need ALL of the post-Europe DLC species. Some i won't miss at all (coyote, pig, for examples) and others while they are nice looking or good to have now aren't really a priority to me if they have to cut things out (saiga, wisent, lechwe, donkey, cuvier's dwarf caiman, etc).

 

[Swjosdotschka]

Expecting just 80 species for PZ2 isn't realistic either. I think over 100 is possibly where they would start. Otherwise it would be just like PC2. Going from a game with over 200 animals to one with less than 80... I think it would make people angry and would be a flop just like PC2.

Yes, over 100 I would also find very realistic, as it is also a great marketing sentence. "Over 100" or "100+ animals" just sounds good. "Over 100 animals walking, fliying, swiming and crawling in our new upcomming zoo simulation."

 

[yoav_r]

Expecting just 80 species for PZ2 isn't realistic either. I think over 100 is possibly where they would start. Otherwise it would be just like PC2.

If those 80 species come with like 50 new aquatics/aviary species and an overhaul to the exhibit system that makes them actual meaning ful species to add, I can see them starting with that number.

 

[PlanetJameson]

I don’t play the game, but I read the JWE3 flying dinosaurs can now land on the ground and walk around vs previously only being able to either fly or land on a perch.

Aviaries in PZ2 are going to be so freaking fun to make.

 

[NachoB]

If those 80 species come with like 50 new aquatics/aviary species and an overhaul to the exhibit system that makes them actual meaning ful species to add, I can see them starting with that number.

If out of 80, 50 are new aquatic and bird species you are leaving only 30 species from our current game into the sequel. That would be even more outrageous lol i can't see that being a success sorry lol

 

[Swjosdotschka]

If out of 80, 50 are new aquatic and bird species you are leaving only 30 species from our current game into the sequel. That would be even more outrageous lol i can't see that being a success sorry lol

I think they made additionally 50.

As Iben said in the other thread, birds etc. are actually not that popular as this community thinks, Frontier will not lean THAT heavily on them.