Spring 2024 DLC Speculation

[jcp011c]

It would bring choice! Even though one zoo doesn't usually have more than one type of giraffe. However, zoos don't all as a whole have only reticulated giraffes. It's kind of lame that every single zoo we build (that we can share on the forums) HAS to have the same exact giraffe... When in reality zoos don't always have reticulated giraffes. I don't care what the second giraffe would be although I think Masai would be a good choice.

That is precisely my point, thank you for summing it up so well. Not every animal needs a couple of options, but the animals that are super iconic should have at least a second option, where possible. plus, Giraffes are super unique and look like nothing else in zoos, so it's not like we can replace it with a different but similar option.

I wouldn't be opposed to a second option for all of these:
Giraffe
Lion
Zebra
Gorilla
Flamingo
Ostrich
Peafowl
Kangaroo (though some may debate the Wallaby is close enough)

That's really about it for what I would consider top tier and super iconic zoo animals. I realize some of these would just be separately named populations since they're not even subspecies, but my point holds to that.

 

[NachoB]

Giraffe, lion, zebra agree. Massai, Asiatic and Grevy's are different enough that would be useful. And a new lion (or new tiger) would give us versions with updated models so i'm for it.

On the other hand gorilla, peafowl, flamingo, kangaroo are all straight up clones with slight recolors or name changes and they are a complete waste of a precios slot in what are very possibly the last couple of DLCs.

And i specially don't want another ostrich when we don't even have a rhea still.

 

[Aramar]

The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of an arboreal pack, which could fit well the Spring season and the standard format. For building pieces, I can see a tree-house wooden set and a lot of new foliage. They could also bring the ziplines from Jurassic World Evolution for the update.

An alternative for the tamandua could be the American Black Bear or the Spectacled Bear since they are arboreal too.

 

[NachoB]

The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of an arboreal pack, which could fit well the Spring season and the standard format. For building pieces, I can see a tree-house wooden set and a lot of new foliage. They could also bring the ziplines from Jurassic World Evolution for the update.

View attachment 379668

An alternative for the tamandua could be the American Black Bear or the Spectacled Bear since they are arboreal too.

Beautiful line up

 

[Orkan]

The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of an arboreal pack, which could fit well the Spring season and the standard format. For building pieces, I can see a tree-house wooden set and a lot of new foliage. They could also bring the ziplines from Jurassic World Evolution for the update.

View attachment 379668

An alternative for the tamandua could be the American Black Bear or the Spectacled Bear since they are arboreal too.

Frontier:

Money Money Money!

 

[Chuditch]

Giraffe, lion, zebra agree. Massai, Asiatic and Grevy's are different enough that would be useful. And a new lion (or new tiger) would give us versions with updated models so i'm for it.

On the other hand gorilla, peafowl, flamingo, kangaroo are all straight up clones with slight recolors or name changes and they are a complete waste of a precios slot in what are very possibly the last couple of DLCs.

And i specially don't want another ostrich when we don't even have a rhea still.

I don’t see what the distinction is that makes another lion, zebra and giraffe different enough to be useful while another peafowl, flamingo and kangaroo are wasted clones aside from personal preference. Of the species mentioned I’d rather another peafowl (green is my favourite though the Congo peafowl is even more distinct) and kangaroo (eastern grey) over everything else, they feel the most distinct to me.

 

[jcp011c]

The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of an arboreal pack, which could fit well the Spring season and the standard format. For building pieces, I can see a tree-house wooden set and a lot of new foliage. They could also bring the ziplines from Jurassic World Evolution for the update.

View attachment 379668

An alternative for the tamandua could be the American Black Bear or the Spectacled Bear since they are arboreal too.

I would absolutely love this...but..my only thinking in why it would not happen is the work involved for each animal. The Howler Monkey might be the least amount of work and that would still be a lot. From a general roster distribution standpoint though it's realistic - we have a carnivore and only one primate.

 

[Aramar]

I would absolutely love this...but..my only thinking in why it would not happen is the work involved for each animal. The Howler Monkey might be the least amount of work and that would still be a lot. From a general roster distribution standpoint though it's realistic - we have a carnivore and only one primate.

That's why I was considering putting a bear instead of the tamandua, to make it easier to create.

 

[jcp011c]

That's why I was considering putting a bear instead of the tamandua, to make it easier to create.

That could work. That would give us two unique and difficult to do (or so I assume) animals with the Coati and Tree Kangaroo. They're also greatly requested as is the Howler Monkey. And both bears are requested a good bit even though not in the top reaches of the lists.

 

[NachoB]

I don’t see what the distinction is that makes another lion, zebra and giraffe different enough to be useful while another peafowl, flamingo and kangaroo are wasted clones aside from personal preference. Of the species mentioned I’d rather another peafowl (green is my favourite though the Congo peafowl is even more distinct) and kangaroo (eastern grey) over everything else, they feel the most distinct to me.

TBH i agree. I don't want any of these animals before other kinds. But, lions and tigers would provide updated models to base game animals that really need a remaster. The male lion is unusable for me. I don't personally want another giraffe or another zebra but i can see how they could be different enough, specially the Grevy's zebra ( and tbh zebra model could also do with some rework).

I haven't consider the Congo peafowl. I'll be down for that one.

I don't understand how the grey kangaroo is that distinct from the red but i'm not from Australia, maybe they are as important to you as the rhea is for me.

 

[jcp011c]

TBH i agree. I don't want any of these animals before other kinds. But, lions and tigers would provide updated models to base game animals that really need a remaster. The male lion is unusable for me. I don't personally want another giraffe or another zebra but i can see how they could be different enough, specially the Grevy's zebra ( and tbh zebra model could also do with some rework).

I haven't consider the Congo peafowl. I'll be down for that one.

I don't understand how the grey kangaroo is that distinct from the red but i'm not from Australia, maybe they are as important to you as the rhea is for me.

To be fair at my own list of what I would be okay with, the Peafowl, Ostrich and Flamings would be super iconic zoo animals and as such, a second option would be good to have. They also would be additional habitat birds, even if they're not unique birds, so I actually don't understand the backlash against them. Also to be fair, a second Giraffe and second Kangaroo are really the only ones I would consider priorities, followed closely by the Zebra and Lion.

 

[Orkan]

I’ve seen gray Roos and they look almost identical to the gray red Roos.

 

[Chuditch]

I’ve seen gray Roos and they look almost identical to the gray red Roos.

I think that reflects inexperience with roos more than anything else, the two aren't even in the same genus. They have a different headshape, fluffier and softer grey fur, different proportions and overall are about as much of a clone of a red kangaroo as a white-tailed deer would be of a red deer. More importantly they'd have a different niche in-game as a kangaroo from temperate and tropical environments rather than deserts and drylands.

Eastern greys and western greys (which are distinct species), now they're much more difficult to tell apart lol. I can distinguish them pretty easily given my experience with seeing both countless times in the wild but they can present a challenge to a novice (good tip is to look at the ears, the ears of western greys always look distinctly silvery and contrast with their more brownish overall colour).

 

[Orkan]

I think that reflects inexperience with roos more than anything else, the two aren't even in the same genus. They have a different headshape, fluffier and softer grey fur, different proportions and overall are about as much of a clone of a red kangaroo as a white-tailed deer would be of a red deer. More importantly they'd have a different niche in-game as a kangaroo from temperate and tropical environments rather than deserts and drylands.

Eastern greys and western greys (which are distinct species), now they're much more difficult to tell apart lol. I can distinguish them pretty easily given my experience with seeing both countless times in the wild but they can present a challenge to a novice (good tip is to look at the ears, the ears of western greys always look distinctly silvery and contrast with their more brownish overall colour).

Ah I see it now. I’ve never seen them side by side before. I’ve seen western grays, not eastern.

 

[CharlieXGaming]

There are a lot of reasons someone would want a certain clone, but for me, these would be the ones I think would deserve a spot:

• American Flamingo. Not saying I would prefer this over a spoonbill or ibis, however it would still give SA rep and adds variety for one of the most common and diverse animals in zoos.
• Masai Giraffe. We have so much diversity for African ungulates yet we only have 1 species of giraffe. Players can choose between 3 species of gazelle, 2 species of oryx, but are forced to use the only species of giraffe. Masai are different enough from reticulated to be a worthy inclusion.
• Asiatic Lion. We’re not gonna get a remaster on the base lion cause it’s not a DLC animal, so getting a second lion would at least do the base game one justice.

Rest of them I don’t really care too much about, I would accept them but I don’t really need them. A second zebra would be fine but it’s the same size as regular antelopes which we have plenty of, meanwhile the giraffe is unique on its own. Peafowl, Kangaroo, Ostrich, Gorilla or even a second orangutan I see as not useful to the games roster.

 

[CharlieXGaming]

Bro never skips arm day

 

[NachoB]

I see now. Grey's are like oversized wallabies. Reds are Hulk.

 

[jcp011c]

Greys are also generally more docile and are what's used for in person encounters in zoos than Reds. I'll understand the opinion of one considered we already have a smaller clone of a kangaroo with the wallaby, but you can't tell me that the Red and Greys look almost the same. I mean sure, they have the kangaroo shape - hello, kangaroo! But there's a number of differences as already pointed out.

 

[The Carcharodontogenius]

Giraffe, lion, zebra agree. Massai, Asiatic and Grevy's are different enough that would be useful. And a new lion (or new tiger) would give us versions with updated models so i'm for it.

Just out of curiosity, why did Frontier choose the West African Lion?

 

[Orkan]

Just out of curiosity, why did Frontier choose the West African Lion?

They made a lot of… questionable decisions on base game animals, mostly making them specific subspecies, like with the HBB, Indian Elephant and the FBB. They could’ve just done the EBB, Asian Elephant, and Asiatic Black Bear, but they chose to be ultra-specific for no apparent reason.