And this, ladies in gentleman, is proof of how you can make literally anything sound bad through phrasing alone. Like, I guess you have a point, but you could say this about literally every year after the aquatic pack came out.
Spring 2024 DLC Speculation
- Thread starter The Carcharodontogenius
- Start date
Another species of waterfowl, tbh. Swan might be all we get.
Exactly the point they were making
Dude calm down, it's just a game, I really don't get why you get so worked up about it.
Nothing of what I said was meant as belittling and I'm not going to apologize for it because you took it that way, that's on you.I stand with what I said earlier. I don't see how an exhibit based system with birds is different than with bats in terms of gameplay. Like, there's nothing to it that would be new in terms of building, it would just be decorating an exhibit like you decorate the current exhibit. Yes, it would be a variation on what we have already, but it wouldn't be completely new gameplay.
To your other point, Marine Mania obviously was a much bigger change in gameplay because the game didn't have any kind of mechanic like that before,whilst Planet Zoo already has several of those mechanics and at this point basically just lacks a way to make a fully water filled habitat; other than that we already have everything we need. Now if something like shows would be introduced and you had to manage those, set up a "setlist", hire trainers, provide training areas etc. That, that would be an entire new gameplay feature that currently does not exist in the game. But realistically, if we were to get birds or aquariums, chances of it falling well within the current systems are much higher than such features being added.
My whole point was nuanced to the actual building mechanic of the game. If aquariums and aviaries fall within the current systems present in the game, there is no drastic new way of building process that comes with it. That's what I mean when I'm talking about gameplay. That's why I mentioned the other stuff, because those things do change something about the way you play the game itself.
Of course nobody here would disagree with the fact that birds and aquariums are obviously necessary in a zoo and that it obviously will affect the final look of your zoo. But that was not the point that was being made nor what was being talked about. I genuinely do agree with you that a zoo game is never really complete without aquariums and aviaries. But whilst the end result of my zoo would certainly look different, I wouldn't really be playing the game in a new way. Those two things can co-exist, not everything has to be black and white.
I really disagree with that last sentence. I think there are new stuff which could be introduced ; mainly because both exhibit system are very, very rigid and they could be made way more flexible.
For the classical exhibit, instead of having pre-made biomes with little customization, you could just be given all of the exhibit logs and branches and every single piece, really, to build those biomes yourself. You could choose the size and the shape of your exhibit (to be able to do, for instance, round exhibits). I don't see any reason why this wouldn't be realistically possible in a zoo game.
I think that's quite important for small aquarias - for instance if I want to make a coral aquarium in my zoo I want to place the small coral pieces myself.
For the walthrough exhibit, I'd say the same kind of thing but with another scale. I want to be able to make it smaller and not-walkthrough because this would be the most common kind of aviary (still with looped behavior, that's fine by me) ; and I'd like to be able to make a different pathing as well (eg if you want an aviary people can enter in but can't fully cross).
And in particular, for birds, I'd like to be able to build mega-aviaries ; here in France, they are really common in many zoos (Beauval, Doué, Sigean, Villars-les-Dombes). So if you look at pictures of Doué's South American aviary, for instance, what you see is not single birds but a flock of birds. I'm pretty sure you could have this kind of mechanics in a zoo game, even with looped behaviour like those walkthrough exhibits, but on the scale of a flock of birds instead of a single bird.
I think this last point can realistically be covered in terms of building habitat ; yet isn't really covered at all.
To be clear, I don't think those are realistic expectations for Planet Zoo's DLCs, but I think there could very clearly be mechanical innovations in terms of exhibit (both classical and "walkthrough") building in a Planet Zoo 2. Especially in terms of modularity.
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That's why I specifically mentioned habitats and not exhibits, mainly because the game does make the distinction between the two.
I do agree that the exhibits could be way more flexible without loosing the optimization that it has right now. A system similar to the gift shops would work well for the smaller exhibits; and with enough time and resources I'm sure that aviaries could also perfectly work within the habitat system.So I do agree with you on that front; but to me that's bringing the exhibit system closer to the habitat system and that in itself is not a new way of playing the game either. It's an optimization of an existing system rather than introducing something brand new to the game; which is what I've been trying to convey with my last few posts, which is where I think the game can still grow.
And if you ask me, that's mostly the management aspect. We have almost 85% of all the tools to make our zoos look like zoos; with some new management options I feel the game could be made so that they also start to feel like zoos.
Since we seem to be debating over my original point of view, I'll say that both @Iben and @Narwhaler are right. Gameplay for me is be viewed in 2 different perspectives, one influences how a person approaches a new zoo and plans out the kind of habitats and scenery to build for the zoo. This does entirely affect the gameplay as an aquarium, aviary or african safari zoo widely differ from each other all requiring different approaches to building. Sure its still the "same gameplay" but honestly tell me is building an aquarium the same gameplay as building a African savannah habitat?
The second view is game mechanics including financial management, catering to guests, providing education etc. I know someone will argue that gameplay is the management and building sides at once but honestly I treat them as two different games within the same game. For me as a sandbox player who does not care less about the second view, I view that as new gameplay considering I haven't messed around with zoo management since 2019. Introducing new mechanics in regards to zoo management, new ways to manage guests and their needs like education should be viewed as much as new gameplay as allowing us to build fully aquatic habitats.
The second view is game mechanics including financial management, catering to guests, providing education etc. I know someone will argue that gameplay is the management and building sides at once but honestly I treat them as two different games within the same game. For me as a sandbox player who does not care less about the second view, I view that as new gameplay considering I haven't messed around with zoo management since 2019. Introducing new mechanics in regards to zoo management, new ways to manage guests and their needs like education should be viewed as much as new gameplay as allowing us to build fully aquatic habitats.
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Oh yeah sure, those are different, I wouldn't argue with that. The way I see it, if we'd ever get aquariums, they'd most likely be exhibit boxes. It's the main reason why I mentioned "within the current systems", because realistically, that will most likely be it. And then if you ask me, the difference between building an aquarium and for instance a reptile house is much much smaller. Because it's the same we've been doing so far, just with different animals and a different theme.
Which then leads me back to the point you were making earlier. If you really want to bring people back, it's going to have to be more than just that. It would have to be more than just the current systems, because people who got bored of those will get bored again; and most likely faster.
Oh and just for the record, I'm not in that camp of people who would get bored.
I didn't get bored with the DLCs we've gotten over the years, even though I also have to admit that the vast majority didn't really introduce "new ways of building habitats". But I can totally understand the other side and put myself in their shoes.
Wow I lost so many things over this time . So aviaries and aquariums are here again? I can already see the thread burning in less than a week.
(offtopic I love the new @Captain Callum profile picture, it's basic and amazing)
. So aviaries and aquariums are here again? I can already see the thread burning in less than a week.(offtopic I love the new @Captain Callum profile picture, it's basic and amazing)
This is a good take, and I agree, I think "game changing" can be viewed either way and varies person to person.
As much as I"m animal focused more than management or building focused, I don't feel like any particular animal additions are "game changing," not even flying and marine animals. You get them from the market, you build a habitat for them, you put them in a habitat, and then you manage their needs and population. Granted, some of those steps can be switched around but it's the same four steps. Yes, the habitats you build are different, but if someone already does or doesn't like this part of the game right now, any additional types of animals are unlikely to change that at least in the long run. Sure, people might feel different for a few weeks after such additions but ultimately most will go back to feeling just the same as they do now.
Game changing for me is more core mechanics of the game and its general themes: overall zoo management and options, overall animal management, overall building management. First one of those relates to financials, guest and staff happiness, education, and probably most impactful the change to how the entire market system works. Second one - the animal management, is not individual management like the above paragraph, but the first person zoo keeper mode and animal care mode. Third one, for building, the main thing I could think of is the ability to scale building items, which to me would probably be the most game changing, odd again since I'm more focused on animals than building.
I’m really hoping 2024 has mini dlcs in between major dlcs. Say like an exhibit dlc of 4-6 reptiles, amphibians and insects . Totally optional to purchase and they DO NOT take over our 4 big dlcs of the year. I have to say it like that as people in the past misread it as if I’m saying that should be the new formula even though I explain.
Lizards
Frilled lizard
Basilisk lizard
Tegu
Leopard Gecko
Jackson’s chameleon
Tokay Gecko
Snakes
Black mamba
King cobra
California mountain snake
Cottonmouth cobra
Sidewinder
Copperhead
Cottonmouth
Emerald tree boa
Mangahan vipers
Amphibians
Blue dart frog
Tiger salamander
A fire bellied toad
Hellbenders
Idk
Idk
If they can make this happen this year I’d be happy
Remember this is an optional dlc that comes out between our seasonal dlcs
Lizards
Frilled lizard
Basilisk lizard
Tegu
Leopard Gecko
Jackson’s chameleon
Tokay Gecko
Snakes
Black mamba
King cobra
California mountain snake
Cottonmouth cobra
Sidewinder
Copperhead
Cottonmouth
Emerald tree boa
Mangahan vipers
Amphibians
Blue dart frog
Tiger salamander
A fire bellied toad
Hellbenders
Idk
Idk
If they can make this happen this year I’d be happy
Remember this is an optional dlc that comes out between our seasonal dlcs
If they put my beloved tegus in the exhibit im gonna cry
That's me with no cobras or chameleonsIf they put my beloved tegus in the exhibit im gonna cry
Interesting, but does it come radiated?
After we get a very unique third giant tortoise
Is there any giant tortoise species left?
Honestly red footed and radiated are about equal to me since both have neat advantages.
Red footed is a new habitat reptile for SA and something small to include in SA tropical houses, something were desperately need more of. Imo its one of, if not the best possible clone options for a a South/Latin america themed pack.
Radiated is also awesome as it provides something for madagascar that isnt a lemur or the fossa, an Islands pack seems like a good fit for it, although idk how reasonable it is due to losing all of its headliner animals in 2023.
Red footed is a new habitat reptile for SA and something small to include in SA tropical houses, something were desperately need more of. Imo its one of, if not the best possible clone options for a a South/Latin america themed pack.
Radiated is also awesome as it provides something for madagascar that isnt a lemur or the fossa, an Islands pack seems like a good fit for it, although idk how reasonable it is due to losing all of its headliner animals in 2023.
I think it's just other species/subspecies of the same island giant tortoises we already have. Obviously red footed tortoise are far more appealing.