Small Mammals As Exhibit Animals: Do You Think It's Possible?

[ReptoMin]

I'm pretty sure that several small mammals can only be done as exhibit animals in order to work.

The Naked Mole Rat, for example, is one that a LOT of zoos have on display in what are exhibits and pretty much need that in order for people to actually see them

Just FYI, we already accept such Mammals on the Exhibit Animals Meta-Wishlist, which are otherwise impossible in Habitats. Any Cross-Section Exhibit type Mammal is accepted. Here in this discussion I wanted to ask what people think about regular, active, above ground Small Mammals, like Mice, Hamsters and Shrews.

 

[Iben]

This is probably the only part I couldn't agree with. As it is my area of expertise I can safely comment on it. It is a matter of species in question rather than size, that determines the level of activity. It also depends on the setup you give the animal which helps determine its level of activity. For instance, one of the largest Freshwater Turtles, the Alligator Snapping Turtle, is also one of the most lethargic animals you can find in a zoo. Same thing applies to the Giant Salamanders. Both Giant Salamanders and Alligator Snapping Turtles will spend more time standing still than their smaller relatives. Of course giving them a more enriching enclosure will encourage more activity. Then there are other species that will remain very active even in the most boring of setups. A good example to this would be Terrapins and Sliders. Even when they don't have much space to move around, they might constantly swim against the glass as if they were on a treadmill.

Of course completely agree with that, but I'm talking about it from a zoo guest experience here. After all, this is a zoo game first and foremost, so it should be about representing animals in a zoo setting. When you ask an average zoo guest which animals moved the most, they'll always refer to the bigger animals. When you ask them about frogs, they'll say that they hardly moved.

So that's why I like the exhibit box system at its core, small animals that you don't see moving a lot in zoos ( because let's face it, they're not the animals most people spend a long time watching) can easily be done by just doing a looped animation, because in real life you wouldn't really see them do more than that unless you spent more time with them.

Of course, it's a game, so it's generalization to a point, because games always have to compromise.

 

[ReptoMin]

Of course completely agree with that, but I'm talking about it from a zoo guest experience here. After all, this is a zoo game first and foremost, so it should be about representing animals in a zoo setting. When you ask an average zoo guest which animals moved the most, they'll always refer to the bigger animals. When you ask them about frogs, they'll say that they hardly moved.

So that's why I like the exhibit box system at its core, small animals that you don't see moving a lot in zoos ( because let's face it, they're not the animals most people spend a long time watching) can easily be done by just doing a looped animation, because in real life you wouldn't really see them do more than that unless you spent more time with them.

Of course, it's a game, so it's generalization to a point, because games always have to compromise.

Yes, I do understand. Which is why my comment was within the scope of a zoo setting. Even if you allocate 10 seconds to view a small Turtle or Terrapin and half an hour to the Alligator Snapping Turtle or Giant Salamander, you are likely to only see the smaller Turtles move, unless it is their feeding time. It is even possible to find those two in the exact same spot when leaving the zoo hours later.

Speaking of habitat reptile activity, even Crocodilians in the game are way more active than they should be. I wish they spent more time idling and basking. Underwater resting animations would also add a lot of immersion to these species. They shouldn't really be pacing their enclosures like Monitor Lizards and Tortoises.

 

[Veah]

It's probably possible, but the only word on mammals and birds in exhibits is that they're not within the purview. If the developers don't want to do something, then I don't think there's much we can do about it.

Sorry for making a small necropost, but it is worth noting that Bo's famous sentence, which buried lots of hopes of having exhibit animals, has been solved for good. Any small mammal can now be in the game, either habitat or exhibit animal.

 

[ReptoMin]

Sorry for making a small necropost, but it is worth noting that Bo's famous sentence, which buried lots of hopes of having exhibit animals, has been solved for good. Any small mammal can now be in the game, either habitat or exhibit animal.

It does indeed. Me and @DarthQuell are weighing in on updating the Exhibit Meta-Wishlist rules to allow for all possible Exhibit Mammals that are not allowed in @random goat's thread. Level of Activity no longer seems to be a constraint, as Flying tops all kinds of activity. Although I rather see it in the game first.

 

[Veah]

It does indeed. Me and @DarthQuell are weighing in on updating the Exhibit Meta-Wishlist rules to allow for all possible Exhibit Mammals that are not allowed in @random goat's thread. Level of Activity no longer seems to be a constraint, as Flying tops all kinds of activity. Although I rather see it in the game first.

If you want to hear my opinion, I would rather start a 3rd wishlist, as both Exhibit and Animal wishlists have been around for years with hundreds of people participating without adding flying birds or exhibit mammals. So there is no way those animals reach the first places if they are allowed now, lots of people registered in the forum just to participate and they may never come back.

 

[ReptoMin]

If you want to hear my opinion, I would rather start a 3rd wishlist, as both Exhibit and Animal wishlists have been around for years with hundreds of people participating without adding flying birds or exhibit mammals. So there is no way those animals reach the first places if they are allowed now, lots of people registered in the forum just to participate and they may never come back.

I did try running a separate thread just for Small Mammals some time ago. But even with the inclusion of quite Popular Animals already accepted on Random Goat's thread, participation wasn't very high. That makes me doubtful whether turn out would be high enough if we allocate a Full Thread to just one Subcategory. When you consider that Birds might be added to Exhibits soon, this would mean another thread as well. So instead of creating Separate Threads for each, we can maybe add Additional Spoilers in the existing one for the New Categories. Like one extra spoiler for Small Mammals and one for Birds. It is one of the options we are considering. There are pros and cons to each Approach, but we are trying to find the most Optimal Solution. Starting all over again is another possibility, but the Problems outweigh the Advantages in that one. Recommendations are most welcome.

 

[NZFanatic]

Sorry for making a small necropost, but it is worth noting that Bo's famous sentence, which buried lots of hopes of having exhibit animals, has been solved for good. Any small mammal can now be in the game, either habitat or exhibit animal.

If this is because of the bat, you can't really say it's representative of a pattern or things changing. It's not a kangaroo rat or a hamster or a naked mole rat; it's a flying animal and to get it in the game they had to create a whole new exhibit for it.

 

[ReptoMin]

If this is because of the bat, you can't really say it's representative of a pattern or things changing. It's not a kangaroo rat or a hamster or a naked mole rat; it's a flying animal and to get it in the game they had to create a whole new exhibit for it.

There is definitely no guarantee that we will keep getting more Exhibit Mammals, but at least this last Pack proves that it isn't impossible.