🐾 Planet Zoo: Southeast Asia Animal Pack arriving 30 March 🐾

[Troopermatthew]

I think maybe since they spent the first four packs adding over 850 new building pieces, they and everyone who doesn’t play the game solely to build things have earned a break from what seemed for ages to be the opposite problem from what you’re describing: what felt like too much focus on building and not enough on the animals. Which are, ya know, what the game is actually about. What you think of as “balanced DLCs” were never balanced; they leaned much more heavily to the builders and scenario players. This isn’t Planet Coaster.

Then up the price and do 8 animals plus building pieces. I'm saying it doesn't have to be one or the other.

You may disagree it's a building game like Planet Coaster but that's just how you play it. There is a large community of builders in the game who get nothing of any real substance now for six months. Then this pack does really well and they decide to do it again and we get to 9 months and so on...

I'm stressing don't leave out a section of the community. I know you felt it wasn't balanced before but you lost out of potentially four animals before. We just lost out on potentially 250 pieces. There has never been a point so far where one side of the community didn't get represented in a DLC. It kinda stings and I'm just representing what may be the minority but it's a minority that exists.

 

[MrHappy]

You haven't lost out on 250 new pieces because they were never there. You haven't missed out because none of us has any pieces that you don't have. It is what it is. Maybe a future DLC will have no animals but a million trees plants and building pieces.

 

[FoxyDee]

It would be nice if in those packs, when there is a new animal that usually have certain style of enclosures irl, would also add those pieces to build with. Like they did in aquatic pack, the artificial rocks are often used for semi aquatic enclosures. It is true that this pack would be a perfect oppurtunity to introduce mesh pieces because of the clouded leopards. I dont mind if we dont get pieces to build shops and stuff, we have many of those, but pieces to build enclosure with would be always welcome.

Borrowing this picture from another thread, this would be perfect for clouded leopards enclosures and also for monkeys. This is a must have piece for a Zoo game.

Not saying we need 250 pieces, but those basics for example 10 pieces for enclosure building + some new enrichment items would be a nice balance to have with the animal packs!

 

[LindaBroer]

Then up the price and do 8 animals plus building pieces. I'm saying it doesn't have to be one or the other.

You may disagree it's a building game like Planet Coaster but that's just how you play it. There is a large community of builders in the game who get nothing of any real substance now for six months. Then this pack does really well and they decide to do it again and we get to 9 months and so on...

I'm stressing don't leave out a section of the community. I know you felt it wasn't balanced before but you lost out of potentially four animals before. We just lost out on potentially 250 pieces. There has never been a point so far where one side of the community didn't get represented in a DLC. It kinda stings and I'm just representing what may be the minority but it's a minority that exists.

I'm sorry but can't you be happy with what they are giving us? I also like building, but I happen to really like the animal side of things as well. That's why I play Planet Zoo and not Planet Coaster. There should be a balance. I'm glad they are going for more animals. And we already have a signficant number of building pieces in the Asian theme that came with the base game. So it makes sense that they focus more on the animals now. I was already working on an Asian themed zoo and these animals will fit right in. It will look cool without me having to redo the entire zoo because there are new building pieces that would look out of place in the existing zoo.

Do I want more building pieces in the future? Yes. Would I pay for a pack with only building pieces? It's highly likely that I would, yes. Do I hate this current pack just because it's only animals? Hell no.

 

[Swjosdotschka]

I really don't get what is so problematic about @Troopermatthews statement.

Believe it or not, everyone plays this game different and while it is a challenge to always cater all playstyles, it should at least be tried. And guess what? I am an animal nerd, all previous DLCs were ALWAYS lacking on that part for me. It was desperately needed to include more animals.
But: I am BOTH. I am a builder and an animal nerd. And as my current projects all don't really fit with animals that are often kept indoors in a tempered area, this pack basically offers me nothing to make it an instant buy. But with building pieces included there are always those 3-5 items I need right away.

I think Frontier misses out on money by doing exclusive X or Y packs, instead of just making bigger packs at a higher price point.

 

[Troopermatthew]

You haven't lost out on 250 new pieces because they were never there. You haven't missed out because none of us has any pieces that you don't have. It is what it is. Maybe a future DLC will have no animals but a million trees plants and building pieces.

Again I wouldn't want that. These DLCs dont gave to be black and white. It's frustrating that you and others don't understand this. I don't want just animal packs but I also don't want just scenery packs. I want packs that cover the Planet Zoo game as a whole.

I know I am part of the minority but it doesn't mean we dont exist and if we don't make a little noise in the corner then we arnt arnt represented. Let us be dissapointed and let that be ok.

 

[Troopermatthew]

I'm sorry but can't you be happy with what they are giving us?

Do I hate this current pack just because it's only animals? Hell no.

I don't hate it. I just don't like the model. I'm going to get flack here because it's not the preferred opinion but people are allowed to not like it. I'm not going to just be happy with what they give us because Frontier is a company. A company I like a lot but I'm not going to just blindly love something they make. If I'm dissapointed I should be able to voice that.

 

[LindaBroer]

I don't hate it. I just don't like the model. I'm going to get flack here because it's not the preferred opinion but people are allowed to not like it. I'm not going to just be happy with what they give us because Frontier is a company. A company I like a lot but I'm not going to just blindly love something they make. If I'm dissapointed I should be able to voice that.

Fair enough. I was more thinking along the lines of that Planet Zoo isn't nearly as popular as Planet Coaster and that's because zoo games are a niche market. A lot more people like theme parks than zoos. It makes sense for them to focus on the animals to cater to that niche audience that prefer zoo games over theme park games.

I too hope they'll provide more building options in the future, but I also understand that they want to keep those players that play for the animals happy. After all, they have been very vocal for the last year or more that just 4 new habitat animals per DLC just isn't enough.

 

[Tobs]

Again I wouldn't want that. These DLCs dont gave to be black and white. It's frustrating that you and others don't understand this. I don't want just animal packs but I also don't want just scenery packs. I want packs that cover the Planet Zoo game as a whole.

I know I am part of the minority but it doesn't mean we dont exist and if we don't make a little noise in the corner then we arnt arnt represented. Let us be dissapointed and let that be ok.

It was kinda expected at some point Frontier would give us an animal only pack. They did the same with Planet Coaster, with an only rides pack.

That's what happened this time. Only animals. Will they do only animal packs from this point onwards? I highly doubt it.

In my case, I like building, and I love each piece. Every time there was a new pack, I would analise from all sides each new building piece + new foliage. However, I also like animals. At the end of the day, it's a zoo simulator, that relies mostly on animal diversity - and I truly welcome this animal only pack.

 

[Troopermatthew]

Fair enough. I was more thinking along the lines of that Planet Zoo isn't nearly as popular as Planet Coaster and that's because zoo games are a niche market. A lot more people like theme parks than zoos. It makes sense for them to focus on the animals to cater to that niche audience that prefer zoo games over theme park games.

I too hope they'll provide more building options in the future, but I also understand that they want to keep those players that play for the animals happy. After all, they have been very vocal for the last year or more that just 4 new habitat animals per DLC just isn't enough.

I'm not mad at all. The majority of the community wanted this animal only dlc. The free update is INCREDIBLE as well but these are both results of community feedback and I'm just over here giving feedback from the other part of the community who just wanted a few barrels and a new wall set to go with that fancy tapir.

 

[NL_Mutso]

I really don't get what is so problematic about @Troopermatthews statement.

Me neither,
I do think the content in the free DLC (slightly) "compensates" for that but if new building pieces is your thing, you have to wait 6 months for new content.
Don't think an only building pieces DLC will appear in May/June, ofc.hope to wrong on this one.
An only animal pack now and then, shouldn't be a big issue imo. Especially when the theme is already in the game.
Almost every DLC had a mix and this one doesn't. I really understand his POV.

There is a large community of builders in the game who get nothing of any real substance now for six months. Then this pack does really well and they decide to do it again and we get to 9 months and so on..

The Australian pack building pieces weren't interesting to me and never use them, so i somewhat can relate to this.
And when you see people comment "I hope this becomes the new standard for DLC", which i doubt will be - I understand those concerns.

While the animals in that Aussie pack were great, the animals alone weren't enough to keep interest for that period.

 

[Swjosdotschka]

An only animal pack now and then, shouldn't be a big issue imo. Especially when the theme is already in the game.

For me personally that is the case with this one. I can see we have enough pieces for these region. However, if I think about a North America pack or an European Pack with no building pieces OR only 4 animals, it's both a little nightmare.


And what should not be forgotten: It's not only "regional" pieces we miss, but basic zoo pieces as well. The fake rocks were a good start, but I agree that we need netting, more backstage pieces and such. Honestly, if there were some decorative buckets with food in this pack or anything random like that, my building-side would win over and this would be an instant buy again. From a merketing perspective, I would always try to trigger as much "needs" of a player as possible.

 

[Tobs]

Me neither,
I do think the content in the free DLC (slightly) "compensates" for that but if new building pieces is your thing, you have to wait 6 months for new content.
Don't think an only building pieces DLC will appear in May/June, ofc.hope to wrong on this one.
An only animal pack now and then, shouldn't be a big issue imo. Especially when the theme is already in the game.
Almost every DLC had a mix and this one doesn't. I really understand his POV.


The Australian pack building pieces weren't interesting to me and never use them, so i somewhat can relate to this.
And when you see people comment "I hope this becomes the new standard for DLC", which i doubt will be - I understand those concerns.

While the animals in that Aussie pack were great, the animals alone weren't enough to keep interest for that period.

IMHO, building themes are over. Frontier showed us that with the Aquatic pack it was already very thin in the building aspect of the game. Yes, the faux items + flexicolour wood wall set was welcome, but it was hardly a theme per se. I predict that future building pieces will go on that direction, because broadly speaking, worldwide themes are in the game:
Asia: East Asia Theme
Europe: Classic Theme ("old world")
North America: "new world" Planet Zoo modern building set
South America: obvious
Africa: obvious
Australia: obvious
[Arctic: LOL]

[[Before you attack me, yes, I am well aware that's very broadly speaking and regions are big, and theme varies widely within the same continent, but broadly speaking, that's what we got. I also didn't include a Middle East region... but I think it's not worth for Frontier]].

I think we can expect basic zoo-building pieces in future DLCs, especially whenever the Birds/Flying DLC drops (if that happens, it's a big question, I hope it does!). But theming like we got with Arctic/SA/Australia is, IMHO, not high on the list anymore.

If Frontier gives us brachiation, Europe, North America and Africa animal only packs, a Flying/Birds pack with basic zoo building pieces... where do I have to sign?

 

[NL_Mutso]

And what should not be forgotten: It's not only "regional" pieces we miss, but basic zoo pieces as well

Yeah, some basic zoo pieces would be nice. I think you can easily mix an animal list with those. Maybe not even a theme, just some random animals like 1 from each continent.

For me personally that is the case with this one. I can see we have enough pieces for these region. However, if I think about a North America pack or an European Pack with no building pieces OR only 4 animals, it's both a little nightmare.

With this announcement, i can see them doing this also to an African DLC.
North America & Europe would be nice with building pieces.

 

[PeppyPepp]

I'm glad there's a healthy discussion going on, but I feel like some of you are missing the point of this pack (and the free update).

For the past year, the majority of the community has been begging Frontier to give us more animals. There have been threads upon threads, each reaching multiple pages of us discussing if we'll ever get more than 5 animals per pack. And not just here on the official forums, everywhere you looked players have been requesting more animals. Now we finally get a full animal pack (and with 8 animals for the same price!) only and people are...disappointed? Isn't this what we have wanted all this time?

What I will take away from this update and DLC is the fact that Frontier listened. They watched and they read all of our feedback. Our opinions mattered and I am sure with providing more feedback in the future our opinions will continue to matter. I honestly don't have a single complaint about this pack as it's everything I have wished for (and then some!) and the free update addresses some of our requests (especially for us, franchise, and challenge mode players). I will gladly take more animals over scenery pieces any day and I say this as someone who absolutely loves to build in the game. After 10 building themes already in the game, I think it's fair we give the spotlight to just animals.

I was one of those Debbie Downers who didn't believe we'll ever break from the 4+1 format, but here we are.

 

[sockeyejo]

I'd be happy to have packs with at least one animal from each continent along with a range of scenery and props (rather than just building pieces) that can be adapted to fit almost any continent or era.

 

[FoxyDee]

The thing is, there will always be someone unhappy, its simply not realistic to expect everyone would be in for this kind of DLC as a part of community consist of builders. They are obviously different people than those who wanted animals only packs so its makes sense some "complains" (I would rather use the word constructive critisism) would show up.

Since this is the first animal only pack, Frontier might just be testing is this a way to go, so all opinions are probably valuable to them. As I said earlier, I am happy with this format and if I were something to improve, it would probably add a few (say 10) pieces to build enclosures with as I suggested above.

 

[Troopermatthew]

Now we finally get a full animal pack (and with 8 animals for the same price!) only and people are...disappointed? Isn't this what we have wanted all this time?

That's what I'm trying to say though. A lot of the community wanted that but not all of us. We are disappointed because we either didn't have a problem with the original dlc layout or we were happy to pay more for the extra animals not pay the same for extra animals at the cost of the building pieces. Those pieces mean as much to us if not more than any new animal and we have a pretty long dry patch ahead of us now with nothing new to play with. 6 months is a long time in a game with an estimated 3 year support cycle.

Let us be disappointed We arnt frothing at the mouth because yeah...8 new animals are awesome and the free updates something special but for the first time since the game launched it didn't have anything for the builders and we don't want that to become to norm which is very much could be.

 

[Tobs]

The thing is, there will always be someone unhappy, its simply not realistic to expect everyone would be in for this kind of DLC as a part of cumminity consist of builders. They are obviously different people than those who wanted animals only packs so its makes sense some "complains" (I would rather use the word constructive critisism) would show up.

Since this is the first animal only pack, Frontier might just be testing is this a way to go, so all opinions are probably valuable to them. As I said earlier, I am happy with this format and if I were something to improve, it would probably adding a few (say 10) pieces to build enclosures with as I suggested above.

I think Frontier missed an opportunity here. A welcomed approach would have been to make the yellow Indian set flexicolour. That would be a massive improvement, because there are so many useful and nice pieces,... but the yellow colour.

 

[NL_Mutso]

Now we finally get a full animal pack (and with 8 animals for the same price!) only and people are...disappointed? Isn't this what we have wanted all this time?

A lot of people wanted more animals but not at the expense of building pieces (or not like this)
I don't think this is what everyone wanted.
The fact that more people are commenting about this, means that building pieces are important.
It's very common that people only voice their opinion/concern, when something changes. When something is working for you, you don't bother to comment.

IMHO, building themes are over. Frontier showed us that with the Aquatic pack it was already very thin in the building aspect of the game. Yes, the faux items + flexicolour wood wall set was welcome, but it was hardly a theme per se. I predict that future building pieces will go on that direction, because broadly speaking, worldwide themes are in the game:
Asia: East Asia Theme
Europe: Classic Theme ("old world")
North America: "new world" Planet Zoo modern building set
South America: obvious
Africa: obvious
Australia: obvious
[Arctic: LOL]

I think that already started with the Aussie DLC. I know that a lot of people were struggling to suggest what building pieces they should add.
And Aquatic, some building pieces really gave some new building options/building look.
Personally think that would be a shame, the planet games have a lot of focus on building and I think a lot of players would lose interest if no building themes would show up.
I know some people watch YT creators, i don't think it would be interesting to watch content creators using the "old" pieces over and over.