Reptile Representation

[DragonNTiger]

Look man, this weird attitude you have towards the exhibit animals is not universal. You're not scoring points by making snide remarks, so why don't you just cut it out and accept that, despite what you may think, a significant portion of the community actually likes the exhibit animals?

I'm not trying to "score points" or whatever you think this is... I'm just stating the facts; robotic animals in a static box are little more than statues. We could have no exhibit animals and the game would be fine... could the same if we had just exhibit animals?

You like them, that's great for you... but that doesn't change the fact that they suck and they don't solve your issues with habitat animals... they just bring different problems.

 

[NachoB]

I like a lot of the exhibit animals, even with their limited animations. I just wish two things: that the animations were more like the system they have in PK for Microraptors and Archaeopteryx which are a number of loops but make the animals feel active and interesting to watch at least for a little bit, and that the exhibits themselves would be more customizable. I think there are improvements to be made to the exhibit system but i don't hate it as it is right now.

Also i agree animals like the gian salamanders and the snapping turtles would work fine as exhibit animals, but i would like them as habitat animals as well.

As for reptile representation in general i would like to see chameleons, more snakes and lizards and some habitat repts that re not crocs (except for the nile croc which i think we are still missing as a base game animal), such as the perentie (or monitors in general) or more tortoises. I can see how a tortoise could be not very exciting for most people though.

 

[ElectricMonk]

You like them, that's great for you... but that doesn't change the fact that they suck and they don't solve your issues with habitat animals... they just bring different problems.

Actually, it absolutely does demonstrate that they don’t objectively suck - your opinion that they ‘suck’ is not a fact it is a subjective opinion. IMO there are issues with the implementation of exhibit species (to do with too rapid breeding combined with short lifespans as well as inappropriately large boxes but the way they work) - with static poses randomly detaermined each time you focus on them is, IMO, a good way of including small, relatively inactive species without tanking performance.

 

[NZFanatic]

but that doesn't change the fact that they suck

This is exactly what I'm talking about - who are you trying to impress?

They don't suck, at all.

 

[KönigDerKaffeebohnen]

This is exactly what I'm talking about - who are you trying to impress?

They don't suck, at all.

Tbf they really do though.
They are unflexible, way to big, and not even particulary pretty.
Each exhibit animal is dead meat to me, as i simply havent used exhibits since my very first zoo.
Every animal in an exhibit large enough to be a habitat animal like the iguanas are kept hostage by a system that gors against the strenghts of the game, customisation and creativity.
I really dont think its a stretch to say that they suck, it might be technicaööy a subjective opinion, but have you really thought with excitement over the next exhibit animal or do you even regulary make use of them?
Exhibits are for many players a dead feature and for everybody else a flawed one, which while not great could be excusable for something niche, which they are, but not if they have over 30 animals exclusive to that feature.
Idc how they do it, eventhough my favourite way would be to make everything thats large enough a habitat animal and everything else into a prop, so that we can have full creative freedom.
Frontier propaply wont do that, but until they did some major overhaul this feature will sadly stay in my opinion the biggest missed opportunity in planet zoo

 

[NZFanatic]

Tbf they really do though.

No they don't. They're essential to building a realistic zoo. As far as I'm concerned, any zoo that doesn't have them isn't a complete zoo.

The models all look fantastic. We can all agree they need some upgrades, but it's arrogant as hell to just say "they suck" and expect everyone to be on board with that.

 

[ElectricMonk]

Tbf they really do though.
They are unflexible, way to big, and not even particulary pretty.
Each exhibit animal is dead meat to me, as i simply havent used exhibits since my very first zoo.
Every animal in an exhibit large enough to be a habitat animal like the iguanas are kept hostage by a system that gors against the strenghts of the game, customisation and creativity.
I really dont think its a stretch to say that they suck, it might be technicaööy a subjective opinion, but have you really thought with excitement over the next exhibit animal or do you even regulary make use of them?
Exhibits are for many players a dead feature and for everybody else a flawed one, which while not great could be excusable for something niche, which they are, but not if they have over 30 animals exclusive to that feature.
Idc how they do it, eventhough my favourite way would be to make everything thats large enough a habitat animal and everything else into a prop, so that we can have full creative freedom.
Frontier propaply wont do that, but until they did some major overhaul this feature will sadly stay in my opinion the biggest missed opportunity in planet zoo

As I said earlier - I really don’t agree that they suck - at least not in a way that that couldn’t be fixed by automating or otherwise controlling population sizes and introducing smaller versions rather than being inherent in their design. Even with these issues, yes, I regularly make use of them… as NZFanatic says, they’re necessary to create a realistic zoo.

EDIT: In fact, thinking about it, I’d actually be more likely to use some animals (e.g., dwarf caiman) if they were exhibit animals than I currently do - their habitat requirements (which are to some degree unavoidable because of hitboxes) render them virtually unusable.

 

[NZFanatic]

I’d actually be more likely to use some animals (e.g., dwarf caiman)

Me too. The dwarf caiman is such a great animal, but it always looks ridiculous in such a huge habitat when you know that in a real zoo it would probably be in a 3mx3m enclosure within a reptile house alongside iguanas and snakes. Not to mention that in real life they don't move much anyway. Hell, I've seen American alligators kept in smallish indoor habitats because they're so stationary.

They're ambush predators. Waiting around for prey is the game, so they don't actively hunt. In a zoo they're practically hand-fed so it's even less motivation to do a lot of exercise. Most commonly crocodilians are seen basking, or floating, generally always at-rest, either digesting a meal or waiting for the next one.

Of course I wouldn't expect the alligator or any of the other larger crocodilians to be made into exhibit animals - at a certain point it becomes silly - but the dwarf caiman could definitely pass as one. My theory is that it wasn't because of the precedent; the 'rule' seems to be "crocodilians are habitat animals, no exceptions". I imagine this is the same for monitor lizards and tortoises, too.

 

[Firestar97]

I wonder if a second Type of Exhibit (in different Sizes) could work where you just select the Base Biome and only get Ground and Water in there, with the Ability to customize it by somehow connecting Stuff like Logs, Rocks and Plants to it

 

[SanRazo618]

I personally like exhibits and use them a ton. They’re really helpful in franchise and you really can’t make a realistic reptile house without them.

 

[Spiderhawk]

I recently finished an all reptile zoo
It is as best it can be with all features and designated areas for type of reptiles
Unfortunately it doesn’t make a lot of money every year.
Guests do leave happy and educated but typically no more than 2500 guests at a time as if there isn’t enough interest in the zoo.
Thinking on it, I believe the next dlc would do well to give us a new reptile.
Other then Komodo dragons in deluxe and the skink in Australia, we have only gotten crocodilians for dlc, therefore I think it is time for a new habitat reptile.
I would also really like if there were more exhibit critters or at least the option to have them on the workshop
A sea turtle of some type would be nice
Perentie would work well as a habitat lizard
I also am not interested in anymore crocodilians or tortoises

 

[yoav_r]

In the habitat animals section, our needs are very clear and limited:

1. African crocodile
2. Australian monitor
3. African spurred tortoise
4. Large freshwater turtle

In terms of exhibit animals, we need a dedicated exhibit pack to get even close.

 

[yoav_r]

the fact that they suck

This is the definition of an opinion.

I get that you dislike the exhibits. I personally love them, I just wish there were more of them and they were more customizeable.

 

[yoav_r]

Me too. The dwarf caiman is such a great animal, but it always looks ridiculous in such a huge habitat when you know that in a real zoo it would probably be in a 3mx3m enclosure within a reptile house alongside iguanas and snakes. Not to mention that in real life they don't move much anyway. Hell, I've seen American alligators kept in smallish indoor habitats because they're so stationary.

They're ambush predators. Waiting around for prey is the game, so they don't actively hunt. In a zoo they're practically hand-fed so it's even less motivation to do a lot of exercise. Most commonly crocodilians are seen basking, or floating, generally always at-rest, either digesting a meal or waiting for the next one.

Of course I wouldn't expect the alligator or any of the other larger crocodilians to be made into exhibit animals - at a certain point it becomes silly - but the dwarf caiman could definitely pass as one. My theory is that it wasn't because of the precedent; the 'rule' seems to be "crocodilians are habitat animals, no exceptions". I imagine this is the same for monitor lizards and tortoises, too.

Even in nature, a caiman can spend his entire life in one small pond given food is always available. I saw one like that in a village in Peru.

I will always be annoyed that we didn't get the Spectacled caiman in the aquatic pack, and then we could get an african croc in the Wetlands pack.

 

[DragonNTiger]

This is the definition of an opinion.

I get that you dislike the exhibits. I personally love them, I just wish there were more of them and they were more customizeable.

In which case they'd still be only have a tiny fraction of the versatility and customization options as habitat animals... which is one of the biggest reasons they suck... ... ...also, wow, did we really need to bump this old thread?

 

[DarthQuell]

I recently finished an all reptile zoo
It is as best it can be with all features and designated areas for type of reptiles
Unfortunately it doesn’t make a lot of money every year.
Guests do leave happy and educated but typically no more than 2500 guests at a time as if there isn’t enough interest in the zoo.
Thinking on it, I believe the next dlc would do well to give us a new reptile.
Other then Komodo dragons in deluxe and the skink in Australia, we have only gotten crocodilians for dlc, therefore I think it is time for a new habitat reptile.
I would also really like if there were more exhibit critters or at least the option to have them on the workshop
A sea turtle of some type would be nice
Perentie would work well as a habitat lizard

Totally, man. We need a lot more exhibit animals in the game

 

[Marvinb]

Totally, man. We need a lot more exhibit animals in the game

True but the dilemma is that most people would rather have more WE animals going forward. And while i would absolutely like more exhibit reptiles i have a hard time justfing their inclusion as the exhibit spot when i know that we could get more WE animals instead, especially when we can potentially see 5 species at once.
And it kinda breaks my heart as a reptile keeper irl to say that.

I dont know how realistic or likely it is but a Exhibit booster pack outside of the regular DLCs would be nice.

 

[YesIndeed]

In the habitat animals section, our needs are very clear and limited:

1. African crocodile
2. Australian monitor
3. African spurred tortoise
4. Large freshwater turtle

In terms of exhibit animals, we need a dedicated exhibit pack to get even close.

4 animals.
Sounds ripe for a reptile house pack to me.

 

[YesIndeed]

True but the dilemma is that most people would rather have more WE animals going forward. And while i would absolutely like more exhibit reptiles i have a hard time justfing their inclusion as the exhibit spot when i know that we could get more WE animals instead, especially when we can potentially see 5 species at once.
And it kinda breaks my heart as a reptile keeper irl to say that.

I dont know how realistic or likely it is but a Exhibit booster pack outside of the regular DLCs would be nice.

Imo the only exhibit (non walkthrough) animals I want period are a chameleon and mabey a frill necked lizard. With this reptile discussion I think the main focuse leans more to habitat reptiles.

Granted I'm biased towards them but I still think most players would like having an aboreal habitat lizard, an African crocodile and a freshwater turtle.

 

[Marvinb]

Imo the only exhibit (non walkthrough) animals I want period are a chameleon and mabey a frill necked lizard. With this reptile discussion I think the main focuse leans more to habitat reptiles.

Granted I'm biased towards them but I still think most players would like having an aboreal habitat lizard, an African crocodile and a freshwater turtle.

Yeah i know. Just wanted to mention my optinion on the matter when exhibits came up.
The habitat reptiles i wanna see are
-Argentine B&W tegu
-a smaller tortoise like red footed or radiated tortoises
-a true medium size crocodilian of some sort to brigde the cap between the tiny and rather small dwarf and spectacled caiman and the hulking brutes

While i could live without them, i know the community heavily request:
-an african croc
-australian monitor
-sulcata tortoise