Your Feature Request / Idea
Yes, many of us want aquatic dinosaurs added to the game. But how could they be implemented? What kind of unique gameplay challenges could they offer if they can never escape? How would the enclosures work? I've been thinking long and hard about this today and this is what I came up with (please excuse the crude drawings):
So it goes something like this: You plop down a special aquatic creation lab, and can build free-form "Aquarium walls" connecting to it just as you would make any other enclosure. The aquarium walls are above ground level, just like any other wall. Additional utilities must be placed along the aquarium wall in order for the aquarium to function. In particular, the Pump.
Stuff about the pump:
You may also place viewing galleries alongside the aquarium walls, as well as the crane feeder and the temperature regulator.
Stuff about the feeder crane:
Stuff about the temperature regulator:
Before you can legally release an aquatic creature, the water must be at an acceptable level. As well as food, aquatic species have a space, water level and temperature need that must be met, otherwise, like all other creatures, they will attempt to escape. They can't escape (but they don't know that!)
Unhappy aquatic creatures can attack the pump, and temperature regulator (causing them to malfunction) as well as the aquarium walls, causing LEAKS.
Unlike dinosaurs, uncomfortable aquatic animals will lose health and eventually die if their water level and temperature are not at the desired level.
Stuff about water leakage:
Transporting aquatic animals:
So how deep is the aquarium, really?
Yes, many of us want aquatic dinosaurs added to the game. But how could they be implemented? What kind of unique gameplay challenges could they offer if they can never escape? How would the enclosures work? I've been thinking long and hard about this today and this is what I came up with (please excuse the crude drawings):
So it goes something like this: You plop down a special aquatic creation lab, and can build free-form "Aquarium walls" connecting to it just as you would make any other enclosure. The aquarium walls are above ground level, just like any other wall. Additional utilities must be placed along the aquarium wall in order for the aquarium to function. In particular, the Pump.
Stuff about the pump:
Placement:
Before you can legally place the pump, the game must run a series of checks to determine if an aquarium can be assigned to the plot of land. (Enclosed by Aquarium walls, terrain can be flattened, no paths, no guests etc...) when the enclosure is suitable for an aquarium, the pump can be placed and the aquarium floor becomes water (much like the lakes in the game currently).
Functions of the Pump:
Clicking on the pump gives access to two functions - Increase water level or decrease. When increasing the water level, it can visibly be seen to rise and likewise, when decreasing it can be seen to lower. The water level can never exceed the height of the aquarium walls and can never be lower than "ground level". You may also cancel raising or lowering the water level to maintain the current water level.
Some creatures may prefer different water levels to others.
Warning! Leaving a pump set to "increase" when the tank is full can cause leakage! See "Stuff about water leakage"
Weather can also affect the water level inside the aquarium. Keep a close eye on the water level during rain an storms.
Before you can legally place the pump, the game must run a series of checks to determine if an aquarium can be assigned to the plot of land. (Enclosed by Aquarium walls, terrain can be flattened, no paths, no guests etc...) when the enclosure is suitable for an aquarium, the pump can be placed and the aquarium floor becomes water (much like the lakes in the game currently).
Functions of the Pump:
Clicking on the pump gives access to two functions - Increase water level or decrease. When increasing the water level, it can visibly be seen to rise and likewise, when decreasing it can be seen to lower. The water level can never exceed the height of the aquarium walls and can never be lower than "ground level". You may also cancel raising or lowering the water level to maintain the current water level.
Some creatures may prefer different water levels to others.
Warning! Leaving a pump set to "increase" when the tank is full can cause leakage! See "Stuff about water leakage"
Weather can also affect the water level inside the aquarium. Keep a close eye on the water level during rain an storms.
You may also place viewing galleries alongside the aquarium walls, as well as the crane feeder and the temperature regulator.
Stuff about the feeder crane:
The feeder works much like any other feeder, although it must be placed alongside an aquarium wall. For refilling, the rangers may access it externally without needing to swim!
The temperature regular can be used to increase and decrease the water temperature within an aquarium. This is important because different aquatic species prefer different water temperatures. Weather events can alter the water temperature, so you'll need to check up on it from time to time to ensure the water is heated to the correct temperature.
Unhappy aquatic creatures can attack the pump, and temperature regulator (causing them to malfunction) as well as the aquarium walls, causing LEAKS.
Unlike dinosaurs, uncomfortable aquatic animals will lose health and eventually die if their water level and temperature are not at the desired level.
Stuff about water leakage:
A damaged aquarium wall will cause the water level in an aquarium to drop. Selling an aquarium wall will instantly empty an aquarium's water to the minimum amount (ground level). Rangers may repair leaking aquarium walls as well as damaged pumps and temperature regulators.
Transporting aquatic animals:
When an aquarium has been drained to minimum water level, the creatures enter a coma-like state and float to the surface (as if tranquillised). They can then be airlifted to another aquarium with the familiar transport controls. Lowering the water level can be done manually via the pump controls.
So how deep is the aquarium, really?
The water level within the aquarium walls is variable, but at the minimum water level (ground level) the depth is unknown. This allows large aquatic creatures to be able to clip through the bottom of the map and swim around in any depth without any visible derpiness.
