Spring 2024 DLC Speculation

[Fallax]

I'm going to manifest a duck into the next DLC, mallard, mandarin duck, wood duck, white-faced whistling duck, pochard, tufted duck, shelduck, pintail duck, ringed teal give me all of them please but I'll take any if we are to get just one.

 

[jcp011c]

A duck model would do wonders for post-official support community content. I''ll admit, as big of a proponent as I've been for habitat birds I only recently got on the duck hype train once I realized how useful it could be.

 

[Doran]

If normal pack, then SA scenery pack is no brainer.
And since Frontier thanks to their bias became mostly predictable its easy to point out roster: coati, ocelot, random monkey of their choice, deer and two-toed sloth as exhibit species.
Average, mediocre, basic just like most past packs have been. Also to much birds lately. Feels like next pack wont feature one. It is how it is.

 

[jcp011c]

If normal pack, then SA scenery pack is no brainer.
And since Frontier thanks to their bias became mostly predictable its easy to point out roster: coati, ocelot, random monkey of their choice, deer and two-toed sloth as exhibit species.
Average, mediocre, basic just like most past packs have been. Also to much birds lately. Feels like next pack wont feature one. It is how it is.

Thing is we've already had a South American scenery pack. Shifting that elsewhere to a different part of fhe Latin region makes some sense, at least in my mind. Caribbean theme would be great but would be short of animals that could show up as the game is now. Patagonia and Andean regions might could work, but not as well as Central American, again at least in my opinion.

 

[Milurian]

We got packs featuring halloween and christmas themes, I don't see why we couldn't get a bunny and easter theming and a turkey with thanksgiving theming.... Like at least a few items as part of a larger pack, I think that would be nice.

An easter pack could have the bilby and a rabbit so I am all for this.

 

[Doran]

Thing is we've already had a South American scenery pack. Shifting that elsewhere to a different part of fhe Latin region makes some sense, at least in my mind. Caribbean theme would be great but would be short of animals that could show up as the game is now. Patagonia and Andean regions might could work, but not as well as Central American, again at least in my opinion.

Doesnt matter, which part of SA they will chose. SA, LA, CA, Amazon, Americas whatever... mostly exact same roster will play out of it anyway since coati and monkey should be their goal.

 

[jcp011c]

Doesnt matter, which part of SA they will chose. SA, LA, CA, Amazon, Americas whatever... mostly exact same roster will play out of it anyway since coati and monkey should be their goal.

True enough on the animals but if we're talking a scenery pack that would make a different. Since the South America pack had a theme that fit well with the amazon, I can't see them revisiting the Amazon as the building theme. I can see it has an animal pack though.

But I suspect you're right about the roster for a potential SA/LA/CA/Amazon etc pack- Coati of some species (can fit in LA/SA/CA), Ocelot (can fit in LA/SA/CA), Howler Monkey species could fit in LA/SA/CA depending on the species. Fourth habitat animal is a bit trickier, but they could bring in another primate (as unlikely as that may actually be), or use the American Flamingo if they want to stick to Central America. Or, just use Latin America as the pack name, and go with the CA as the theme, and include something else. Obviously pulling for the Spectacled Bear here for that, but the Rhea or Mara would work. Or delve back deeper into the Amazon for that fourth species.

I think there's a lot of different directions they could go for the pack, even if half the roster would probably be the three obvious picks I already mentioned (Ocelot, Coati, Howler)

 

[RightWhale]

I'm going to manifest a duck into the next DLC, mallard, mandarin duck, wood duck, white-faced whistling duck, pochard, tufted duck, shelduck, pintail duck, ringed teal give me all of them please but I'll take any if we are to get just one.

View attachment 386465

I will also be manifesting duck! MORE DUCKS! IF WE CAN GET TWO ANTELOPE IN ONE DLC WE CAN GET 2 DUCKS!!!!

 

[RightWhale]

Also to add on to the conversation earlier, if the final dlc is really gonna be the regular scenery pack I’ll be disappointed. We are all talking about what animals we want left, it’s a zoo game and animals are the most important part. I think it should give us as much animals as possible.

If it’s more than one pack left I get having a scenery pack, I just want more animals.

 

[CharlieXGaming]

I agree with what has been said earlier, I think that if it’s a regular pack it will be scenery pack, specifically focusing on either Central or Latin America, more counting on Latin.

Latin America can combine the bright colours everyone’s looking for from a Caribbean set while also bringing in the classy limestone vibes, ultimately a mix of Oceania and the New World theme. Also ties into the Europe pack theme too.

As for animals, I think Latin America provides the most options for frontier to choose, so if they do choose to have a wildcard (which they always do) they have more options.

The coati being at the top of the meta wishlist and a monkey being, well a monkey, are pretty much guarantees for this kind of pack. The coati is extremely unique and while I’m not sure if it requires a new rig or if it can somehow be used off of the red panda or raccoon, it seems pretty set in stone.

As for what monkey they choose, it depends on how much work the coati needs, but I honestly believe that the howler and spider monkey are neck and neck. They both are achievable and have the rigs to go off of and need adjustments, and both represent the area extremely well. As far as which one makes the better addition, gotta give it to spider hands down, moves more unqiue plus uh it’s fricking GORGEOUS.

Onto the other 2, I say for 1 I’m going against the grain and not saying the Ocelot, but instead the Spectacled bear. We got 2 pigs back to back, countless ungulates back to back, 2 birds in one pack, crazier things have happened than getting 2 bears back to back.
It’s in the top 10 of the meta wishlist and is an easy direct clone, sure the ocelot could also take this spot but it’s not in the top of the meta wishlist, and we didn’t get a cat in Eurasia when everyone expected it so we shouldn’t be so quick to expect the Ocelot imo.

And for the final one which would be a true wildcard solely picked by frontier, I would think they would choose either the pudu or the tamandua. Was gonna choose the bush dog but then 3/4 are carnivores and that doesn’t seem right to me. Moreso leaning towards the pudu here because I know the tamandua isn’t a direct clone because of its climbing behaviors and we don’t know how much time they have to work on this so the pudu seems more probable and it’s an ungulate which we know is frontiers go to clone animal for a time crunch.

For the exhibit, following the pattern of every other pack getting a walkthrough animal, it makes sense that we get another WTE, and since we got a bat clone… it only makes sense we get a second sloth, unless we get really lucky and get a bird which would skyrocket frontiers sales - but I mean come on why would they want that

But as a side note, this week I’ve went to a tropical walkthrough exhibit with toucans and it was amazing, just your average tropical greenhouse type building with toucans flying branch to branch, why frontier can’t do this I have no idea, it’s completely safe and realistic but whatever.

TLDR:
Coati, Spider (or Howler) Monkey, Spectacled Bear, Pudu and Two Toed Sloth = realistic LA pack.

 

[AndyZoos]

Maybe the "scenery" could be all of the objects we see in the staff facilities, now placeable wherever we'd like!

That could be fun! I would hope for at least a bit more though. Smaller, generic things could go a long way. Flexicolor variations of existing assets, hot wire, maybe some new mesh pieces at angles, etc.

Also I’m surprised that out of all topics we’ve covered on here we haven’t actually talked about if the next pack is scenery or animal if it’s a regular pack.

Scenery follows the pattern, but animal because we got a lot of building pieces in the winter, more so leaning towards scenery personally.

Probably because, with all the evidence we have right now, it feels like a "last pack" I think a lot of people are expecting it'll have both. Of course, there's also the scenario where they give us an animal pack with a whole mess of scenery in the free update. That feels reasonable too.

If it's a final pack, though, I'm hoping it's either an animal pack or a animal pack + scenery regardless how we get it.

Anything but a standard 4-habitat animal scenery pack, please!

I think, since it's potentially the final pack...there are so many uncertainties with the release. When? How Many animals? will it actually be the last or is there maybe a little more? What theme? Will "my"(you, ours, community, the royal "we") favored animals make it into the game in this possible last chance for them to get it?

THEN you throw in the Console release causing further uncertainty.

Seems like the only thing that's certain is that the DLC cycle is winding down but we still don't know if it's 1 more, 2 more, or (if fate should be so incredibly kind no matter how unlikely it is) one final year's worth of content?

To your question though....I think with that uncertainty, and talk of a larger than normal pack as a finale pack, there's flatout general denial at even the possibility of it being a scenery pack. Unless it's not the last pack and we do have another. I've talked it before though of course not my idea. If it's a scenery pack and not the final pack, a Central American pack would work well. It would give us 5 more Latin American animals and they could then put another one or two animals in some kind of finale pack.

Yup, there's a lot of uncertainty! But I'd tend to agree with you that if it isn't the last pack... It's going to be a scenery pack.

Reflecting on it a bit, too, a cross-platform Latin America scenery pack would work nicely. Especially if the theories are accurate about the May DLC for console being a Tropical/South America combination. It could flesh out the rep for that region in a fuller way.

...And it would open up slots for whatever the final (probably animal) pack might be! Now you really got me thinking. Haha.

 

[Iben]

it’s a zoo game

It's a zoo building and zoo management game though, I still think that scenery/enrichment items/plants are as important to it as animals are. Especially given that the game to this day still lacks a lot of fundamental items to actually build realistic zoos with. There's so much in terms of enrichment items and feeders for instance that I'd be more than willing to sacrifice not having every single animal that I'd want

True enough on the animals but if we're talking a scenery pack that would make a different. Since the South America pack had a theme that fit well with the amazon, I can't see them revisiting the Amazon as the building theme. I can see it has an animal pack though.

Eeeeeeh. The Africa pack heavily featured scenery that was not connected to the majority of the animals in the pack. Whilst it sure faced some criticism, I don't think it's the worst thing because it allowed us to have two very different themes in the game for a continent that really needed it; so I'd be completely fine with another pack that features scenery that isn't directly connected to the animals within the pack.

Honestly I'm fine either way, I just want my coati

 

[KönigDerKaffeebohnen]

To sumarise my thoughts on the last few pages:
1. Am i gonna go get Console edition?
No im not a fan of burning money by buying a worse version of something that i allready have for a worse version of what i allready have. In general consoles on the playstation end feel like a scam as the games are 90% on steam and the consoles are barely cheaper then buying the pieces for a pretty decent gaming pc

2. Will the next dlc be underwhelming?
With all you peoples expectations for sure it will be lol
My expectation is at the same time more hopefull and more realistic with a simple scenery pack of decent quality and more support following it.
Last years scenery Themes were pretty lit so even if i wont 100% agree on the animals im sure the scenery will make me pretty pleased.

3. What Pelican?
Any Pelican

 

[Thylaco]

I agree with what has been said earlier, I think that if it’s a regular pack it will be scenery pack, specifically focusing on either Central or Latin America, more counting on Latin.

Latin America can combine the bright colours everyone’s looking for from a Caribbean set while also bringing in the classy limestone vibes, ultimately a mix of Oceania and the New World theme. Also ties into the Europe pack theme too.

As for animals, I think Latin America provides the most options for frontier to choose, so if they do choose to have a wildcard (which they always do) they have more options.

The coati being at the top of the meta wishlist and a monkey being, well a monkey, are pretty much guarantees for this kind of pack. The coati is extremely unique and while I’m not sure if it requires a new rig or if it can somehow be used off of the red panda or raccoon, it seems pretty set in stone.

As for what monkey they choose, it depends on how much work the coati needs, but I honestly believe that the howler and spider monkey are neck and neck. They both are achievable and have the rigs to go off of and need adjustments, and both represent the area extremely well. As far as which one makes the better addition, gotta give it to spider hands down, moves more unqiue plus uh it’s fricking GORGEOUS.

Onto the other 2, I say for 1 I’m going against the grain and not saying the Ocelot, but instead the Spectacled bear. We got 2 pigs back to back, countless ungulates back to back, 2 birds in one pack, crazier things have happened than getting 2 bears back to back.
It’s in the top 10 of the meta wishlist and is an easy direct clone, sure the ocelot could also take this spot but it’s not in the top of the meta wishlist, and we didn’t get a cat in Eurasia when everyone expected it so we shouldn’t be so quick to expect the Ocelot imo.

And for the final one which would be a true wildcard solely picked by frontier, I would think they would choose either the pudu or the tamandua. Was gonna choose the bush dog but then 3/4 are carnivores and that doesn’t seem right to me. Moreso leaning towards the pudu here because I know the tamandua isn’t a direct clone because of its climbing behaviors and we don’t know how much time they have to work on this so the pudu seems more probable and it’s an ungulate which we know is frontiers go to clone animal for a time crunch.

For the exhibit, following the pattern of every other pack getting a walkthrough animal, it makes sense that we get another WTE, and since we got a bat clone… it only makes sense we get a second sloth, unless we get really lucky and get a bird which would skyrocket frontiers sales - but I mean come on why would they want that

But as a side note, this week I’ve went to a tropical walkthrough exhibit with toucans and it was amazing, just your average tropical greenhouse type building with toucans flying branch to branch, why frontier can’t do this I have no idea, it’s completely safe and realistic but whatever.


TLDR:
Coati, Spider (or Howler) Monkey, Spectacled Bear, Pudu and Two Toed Sloth = realistic LA pack.

If the Tropical & South America packs are coming to console soonish, it sort of seems weird to be the closest in time to Latin America. Granted they could market it as a drier sort of theme if it's Mexican scenery.

If new packs are exclusive to PC for a while, then I guess similar old packs make sense as a consolation prize. "You don't need it, we have Latin America at home"

Mexican stuff:

Spoiler: Buildings & Scenery

 

[SivatheriumGuy]

I'm going to manifest a duck into the next DLC, mallard, mandarin duck, wood duck, white-faced whistling duck, pochard, tufted duck, shelduck, pintail duck, ringed teal give me all of them please but I'll take any if we are to get just one.

View attachment 386465

This might be a "just me" obsession but I'd love it if the duck was a species you could find as a "featured" species at a zoo, basically an endangered duck. Baer's pochard, Chinese merganser, Laysan teal, White-headed duck, Marbled teal, White-winged duck, Bernier's teal, Meller's duck,... would be really neat picks for a zoo game, and they are pretty common throughout zoos. You can only find blue ducks in New Zealand zoos but I wouldn't be upset if we got them either.

 

[nutrit]

Interesting news from JWE2 - Secret Species Pack (PDLC 9) was probably not the last one.
Mentions of PDLC 10 was just found in the game code so there is a good possibility that it would be released later this year.

Maybe it would be similar with PZ even though the report mentioned only one DLC in this financial year.

 

[SivatheriumGuy]

Interesting news from JWE2 - Secret Species Pack (PDLC 9) was probably not the last one.
Mentions of PDLC 10 was just found in the game code so there is a good possibility that it would be released later this year.

Maybe it would be similar with PZ even though the report mentioned only one DLC in this financial year.

 

[Narwhaler]

Interesting news from JWE2 - Secret Species Pack (PDLC 9) was probably not the last one.
Mentions of PDLC 10 was just found in the game code so there is a good possibility that it would be released later this year.

Maybe it would be similar with PZ even though the report mentioned only one DLC in this financial year.

Oh this just proves my point even further, lets cross fingers the same applies to PZ.

 

[Marvinb]

It will also be interesting to see if the Planet Zoo DLC will also be revealed and released on a short notice like the JWE one was

 

[SivatheriumGuy]

It will also be interesting to see if the Planet Zoo DLC will also be revealed and released on a short notice like the JWE one was

I hope not, I like the week of anticipation.