With the custom challenge mode update, we have the ability to play a challenge game with tranquilizer darts needing to be researched.
The need to upgrade tranquilizer dart potency, as well as security fencing, makes choosing which species of dinosaur to invest in more engaging and something I enjoyed in the recent custom challenge games.
With that said, my only issue is that the small carnivores really suffer when it comes to whom you could house in your park if tranquilizer research is enabled. You could either go for the weak level 1 scavenger or jump directly to level 5 small carnivores. And unless you have the Camp Cretaceous DLC, there are no small carnivores in between security levels.
Above are all 9 small carnivores that could climb fencing. Of those 9, eight are given a security level of 5, which means they are effectively uncontainable if they ever go out before the appropriate tranquilizers get researched. By the time you acquire the level 5 tranquilizer research, you also are able to access the level 5 fencing anyway, making the challenge of these small carnivores completely out of hand if incubated before 2.5 stars, or a cakewalk after reaching 2.5 stars.
I would like for this to be rebalanced so that the security to contain these dinosaurs feels more gradual, yet tempting to contain these animals in your park.
First, let us rebalance the security requirement for these 9 small carnivores.
By changing the dilophosaurus and proceratosaurus security level to 3, players could have a bit more variety when it comes to housing small carnivores early on. You only need to reach 1 star to access the security level 3 tranquilizers, so players have the option to house these two dinosaurs in their parks. This is a nice entry point for the climbable dinosaurs if players do not have access to the Camp Cretaceous DLC, as the monolophosaurus is the only one that is defaulted to level 3.
Herrerasaurus and Deinonychus could be given a level 4 tranquilizer requirement, as they are tempting with their higher appeal and early access to research, but the level 4 tranquilizer research is not available until the player has reached two stars. This would make for a nice Gotchya moment for players biting more than they could chew when it comes to containing these two, and not being patient enough to reach the level 2 star rating.
The remaining 4, Atrociraptor, Austrelovenator, Pyroraptor, and Velociraptor suit the 5-star requirement as they are some of the highest rating dinosaurs in the game per pack, and fit the more dangerous presence most of them give off in the Jurassic Park franchise.
At least this way, players have more options to choose from when it comes to small carnivores when playing custom challenge mode with tranquilizer research enabled. It would feel more gradual to be able to contain certain species of climbable small carnivores per star rating instead of being locked out until you reach a park rating of level 3.
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Finally, the research requirement for fencing also needs a minor update to their research requirements.
As is, this is how access to fencing is in JWE2 when it comes to the default research path:
Level 2 fencing:
0-star rating (starting fence option)
Contains 28 dinosaurs without issue (32% terrestrial roster)
Level 3 fencing:
0.5-star rating for research
Contains 43 dinosaurs without issue (50% terrestrial roster)
Level 4 fencing:
1.5-star rating for research
Contains 58 dinosaurs without issue (67% terrestrial roster)
Level 5 fencing:
2.5-star rating for research
Contains 78 dinosaurs without issue (90% terrestrial roster)
I feel this is way too convenient when it comes to researching fencing that provides better security. From my experience, reaching a park rating of level 2 is like having the research tree open up for players to have access to more attractions, quality of life for your guests, more popular dinosaurs, as well as access to aviaries and lagoons. With this in mind, simply jumping to 2.5 stars with an additional half-a-star rating and having access to the best fence research could provide kinda remove a lot of challenges containing dinosaurs. Players are effectively able to have the most secured fence possible halfway through challenge mode.
Fencing has been updated in JWE2 where dinosaurs could only break out of fences below their security level. By having a level 5 security fencing so early at 2.5 stars, players are able to contain 78 of the current 86 terrestrial animals in the game. 90% of the roster is containable without any worry at 2.5 stars, and that removes a significant amount of challenge leading up to 5 stars.
Indominous rex, Indoraptor, Spinosaurus, Tyrannosaurus rex, Acrocanthosaurus, Giganotosaurus, Carcharadontosaurus, and Ankylosaurus are the 8 species of dinosaur with a security rating of 6. They are the only ones to break out of an enclosure with level 5 fencing, provided they are uncomfortable and agitated enough to warrant a breakout, as players who are mindful of the dinosaur needs could contain any dinosaur with level 1 fencing. These 8 species are late-game research that requires large investments of time and money and proving high appeal for the effort to acquire them. More often than not, they are not necessary to reach 5 stars, as the player could use the remaining 78 species of terrestrial dinosaurs to reach that goal.
Have the research requirement for fencing be like this instead:
Level 2 fencing:
0-star rating (starting fence option)
Contains 28 dinosaurs without issue (32% terrestrial roster)
Level 3 fencing:
1.5-star rating for research
Contains 43 dinosaurs without issue (50% terrestrial roster)
Level 4 fencing:
3.0-star rating for research
Contains 58 dinosaurs without issue (67% terrestrial roster)
Level 5 fencing:
4.0-star rating for research
Contains 78 dinosaurs without issue (90% terrestrial roster)
The star rating required to access better security fencing to contain the terrestrial dinosaurs feels more gradual this way. Instead of securing 90% of the roster with no issue at a 2.5-star park, it feels more fitting to contain them when the park reaches level 4, as that final stretch to add the extra 1 star would feel more gratifying once you get access to the level 5 fencing.
Level 3 and level 4 fencing are not bad, they are still very effective. Despite dinosaurs like the Ceratosaurus, Carnotaurus, Therizinosaurs, and Nasutoceratops having a security level of 5, they still require effort to break out of the level 3 and 4 fencing. As I mentioned earlier, they could be contained in lower security fencing provided their comfort levels are in check. It is the knowledge that they COULD escape is an aspect that makes them exciting to house in your park, as being able to research level 5 security early on with a star level of 2.5 eliminates that excitement.
I hope that it could be considered to update the research requirement for the fencing, or at least have it be a togglable custom challenge mode setting similar to the more difficult research for feeders in the settings section before launching the game.
------------
The security levels of the small carnivores that could climb fencing, as well as the early access to fence research are noticeable with custom challenge mode. I have been having fun with custom challenge mode with all of the new settings brought in the recent update to have a more challenging and fulfilling journey reaching 5 stars with my parks. I hope the tweaks I presented in this post can be considered in a later update so that the growth to reach 5 stars is more rewarding, by having players be more resourceful with the security assets they have and making the ability to research higher security fencing much more rewarding.
Let me know what you think of this suggestion. I want to hear your thoughts on this, and if such tweaks could add to or hinder the experience containing the more dangerous dinosaurs in JWE2.
Thanks for reading!
The need to upgrade tranquilizer dart potency, as well as security fencing, makes choosing which species of dinosaur to invest in more engaging and something I enjoyed in the recent custom challenge games.
With that said, my only issue is that the small carnivores really suffer when it comes to whom you could house in your park if tranquilizer research is enabled. You could either go for the weak level 1 scavenger or jump directly to level 5 small carnivores. And unless you have the Camp Cretaceous DLC, there are no small carnivores in between security levels.
Above are all 9 small carnivores that could climb fencing. Of those 9, eight are given a security level of 5, which means they are effectively uncontainable if they ever go out before the appropriate tranquilizers get researched. By the time you acquire the level 5 tranquilizer research, you also are able to access the level 5 fencing anyway, making the challenge of these small carnivores completely out of hand if incubated before 2.5 stars, or a cakewalk after reaching 2.5 stars.
I would like for this to be rebalanced so that the security to contain these dinosaurs feels more gradual, yet tempting to contain these animals in your park.
First, let us rebalance the security requirement for these 9 small carnivores.
By changing the dilophosaurus and proceratosaurus security level to 3, players could have a bit more variety when it comes to housing small carnivores early on. You only need to reach 1 star to access the security level 3 tranquilizers, so players have the option to house these two dinosaurs in their parks. This is a nice entry point for the climbable dinosaurs if players do not have access to the Camp Cretaceous DLC, as the monolophosaurus is the only one that is defaulted to level 3.
Herrerasaurus and Deinonychus could be given a level 4 tranquilizer requirement, as they are tempting with their higher appeal and early access to research, but the level 4 tranquilizer research is not available until the player has reached two stars. This would make for a nice Gotchya moment for players biting more than they could chew when it comes to containing these two, and not being patient enough to reach the level 2 star rating.
The remaining 4, Atrociraptor, Austrelovenator, Pyroraptor, and Velociraptor suit the 5-star requirement as they are some of the highest rating dinosaurs in the game per pack, and fit the more dangerous presence most of them give off in the Jurassic Park franchise.
At least this way, players have more options to choose from when it comes to small carnivores when playing custom challenge mode with tranquilizer research enabled. It would feel more gradual to be able to contain certain species of climbable small carnivores per star rating instead of being locked out until you reach a park rating of level 3.
-----------------
Finally, the research requirement for fencing also needs a minor update to their research requirements.
As is, this is how access to fencing is in JWE2 when it comes to the default research path:
Level 2 fencing:
0-star rating (starting fence option)
Contains 28 dinosaurs without issue (32% terrestrial roster)
Level 3 fencing:
0.5-star rating for research
Contains 43 dinosaurs without issue (50% terrestrial roster)
Level 4 fencing:
1.5-star rating for research
Contains 58 dinosaurs without issue (67% terrestrial roster)
Level 5 fencing:
2.5-star rating for research
Contains 78 dinosaurs without issue (90% terrestrial roster)
I feel this is way too convenient when it comes to researching fencing that provides better security. From my experience, reaching a park rating of level 2 is like having the research tree open up for players to have access to more attractions, quality of life for your guests, more popular dinosaurs, as well as access to aviaries and lagoons. With this in mind, simply jumping to 2.5 stars with an additional half-a-star rating and having access to the best fence research could provide kinda remove a lot of challenges containing dinosaurs. Players are effectively able to have the most secured fence possible halfway through challenge mode.
Fencing has been updated in JWE2 where dinosaurs could only break out of fences below their security level. By having a level 5 security fencing so early at 2.5 stars, players are able to contain 78 of the current 86 terrestrial animals in the game. 90% of the roster is containable without any worry at 2.5 stars, and that removes a significant amount of challenge leading up to 5 stars.
Indominous rex, Indoraptor, Spinosaurus, Tyrannosaurus rex, Acrocanthosaurus, Giganotosaurus, Carcharadontosaurus, and Ankylosaurus are the 8 species of dinosaur with a security rating of 6. They are the only ones to break out of an enclosure with level 5 fencing, provided they are uncomfortable and agitated enough to warrant a breakout, as players who are mindful of the dinosaur needs could contain any dinosaur with level 1 fencing. These 8 species are late-game research that requires large investments of time and money and proving high appeal for the effort to acquire them. More often than not, they are not necessary to reach 5 stars, as the player could use the remaining 78 species of terrestrial dinosaurs to reach that goal.
Have the research requirement for fencing be like this instead:
Level 2 fencing:
0-star rating (starting fence option)
Contains 28 dinosaurs without issue (32% terrestrial roster)
Level 3 fencing:
1.5-star rating for research
Contains 43 dinosaurs without issue (50% terrestrial roster)
Level 4 fencing:
3.0-star rating for research
Contains 58 dinosaurs without issue (67% terrestrial roster)
Level 5 fencing:
4.0-star rating for research
Contains 78 dinosaurs without issue (90% terrestrial roster)
The star rating required to access better security fencing to contain the terrestrial dinosaurs feels more gradual this way. Instead of securing 90% of the roster with no issue at a 2.5-star park, it feels more fitting to contain them when the park reaches level 4, as that final stretch to add the extra 1 star would feel more gratifying once you get access to the level 5 fencing.
Level 3 and level 4 fencing are not bad, they are still very effective. Despite dinosaurs like the Ceratosaurus, Carnotaurus, Therizinosaurs, and Nasutoceratops having a security level of 5, they still require effort to break out of the level 3 and 4 fencing. As I mentioned earlier, they could be contained in lower security fencing provided their comfort levels are in check. It is the knowledge that they COULD escape is an aspect that makes them exciting to house in your park, as being able to research level 5 security early on with a star level of 2.5 eliminates that excitement.
I hope that it could be considered to update the research requirement for the fencing, or at least have it be a togglable custom challenge mode setting similar to the more difficult research for feeders in the settings section before launching the game.
------------
The security levels of the small carnivores that could climb fencing, as well as the early access to fence research are noticeable with custom challenge mode. I have been having fun with custom challenge mode with all of the new settings brought in the recent update to have a more challenging and fulfilling journey reaching 5 stars with my parks. I hope the tweaks I presented in this post can be considered in a later update so that the growth to reach 5 stars is more rewarding, by having players be more resourceful with the security assets they have and making the ability to research higher security fencing much more rewarding.
Let me know what you think of this suggestion. I want to hear your thoughts on this, and if such tweaks could add to or hinder the experience containing the more dangerous dinosaurs in JWE2.
Thanks for reading!