Territorial Animals

[STARKILLER04]

I would love if territorial animals would be a thing. Where in for example, a pride of lions defending their territory from other territorial animals. And also the A.I. of the animals should know where certain animals territories are. To make it easier for players, there should be a way to view a certain group/solitary animals territory. Speaking of Solitary, are there and have Solitary animals been announced? Not really sure.

In a similar way, I hope the carnivores don't randomly decide to kill other animals for no reason. If they do kill other animals, there should be a reason, like hunger or territorial reasons. Like in Frontiers Jurassic World Evolution, the carnivores just keep fighting/killing the other dinosaurs for no reason whatsoever making balanced ecosystems impossible to make. Speaking of fighting, do some animals in the Planet Zoo have fighting capabilities?

What do I plan on doing with this mechanism? Well in sandbox games with animals/living creatures, I like making beautiful Sanctuaries and Ecosystems, and if the Carnivores are just gonna kill every living being in this game, then doing that will be impossible.

So yeah. This would be a great way to add immersion and make Sanctuaries.

 

[eulemur]

Well, bengal tigers and bears are typically solitary animals. As are most species of reptile that have already been announced. Male elephants can be solitary, too. Rhinos for sure, they only really congregate for breeding purposes and spend most of their life wandering alone.

With that in mind I hope it isn't like ZT2013 where we were forced to have at minimum 2 of pretty much every animal, even those that really should be solitary (like komodo dragons). I suspect it'll be more like JWE, where solitary animals are perfectly happy alone or in groups of 2-3 but not much more than that before they start fighting.

 

[STARKILLER04]

Well, bengal tigers and bears are typically solitary animals. As are most species of reptile that have already been announced. Male elephants can be solitary, too. Rhinos for sure, they only really congregate for breeding purposes and spend most of their life wandering alone.

With that in mind I hope it isn't like ZT2013 where we were forced to have at minimum 2 of pretty much every animal, even those that really should be solitary (like komodo dragons). I suspect it'll be more like JWE, where solitary animals are perfectly happy alone or in groups of 2-3 but not much more than that before they start fighting.

I really really really hope the animals (specifically the carnivores) don't fight/kill for no reason. Because it would be soooooo immersion breaking and annoying, like I said above.

 

[LN]

I don't think putting lions with other animals (be it carnivores or herbivores) is a good idea in general, obviously that would lead to a fight/kill.
That is what their territorial instincts trigger.

I don't think the game is in any way going to be designed to make "sanctuaries".

Even Safari Parks don't mix carnivores, because they know what will happen eventually.

 

[eulemur]

I really really really hope the animals (specifically the carnivores) don't fight/kill for no reason. Because it would be soooooo immersion breaking and annoying, like I said above.

Unfortunately solitary animals fighting is often not 'for no reason', even in zoos. The enclosure becomes their territory and they'll be territorial over it. There are many incidents of animals being introduced for the first time and immediately starting to fight. We already know that male lions will fight if there are multiple within a social group (though we don't know if groups of bachelor males is possible or if this is only when there are females present) but also that we can keep certain animals such as bears in pairs, at least in male/female potential breeding pairs.

I understand if this is not what you would prefer. I'm hopeful there'll be an option in sandbox to turn it off as there was in JWE, but personally I don't think it's unrealistic for animals to fight solely because they don't like the other animal being there. For me that does not break immersion at all. That's just what animals do. As long as it doesn't happen within pre-established groups (like your two tigers that got along swimmingly for years suddenly deciding they hate each other and must fight to the death), I'm fine with it. Aggression when the social group changes is normal and expected in a lot of animals.

My current expectation is that animals being aggressive/fighting may happen when the social groups aren't 'adequate' for that animal/when there is a need for dominance hierarchies to change (as with lions), but fighting to the actual death is rare unless a hungry carnivore is going for prey. I do agree with Luuknord, though, and I don't think this game is going to be designed with building open nature reserves in mind (it is mandatory, to my knowledge, to have everything fenced off and the whole area within the fence be the right environment - which may clash for some species)

EDIT: I'd also like to note we've seen a screenshot with like 7 cheetahs, a solitary animal, all living together. I don't know if this was exclusively a gimmick for marketing reasons on that post or if it's possible ingame, but if it's possible then there's an indication we can have lots of carnivores living together without fighting.

But I don't think we can expect to be able to have lions + african wild dogs, for example, in the same enclosure and expect them to get along, because they don't, even in the wild.

 

[STARKILLER04]

I don't think putting lions with other animals (be it carnivores or herbivores) is a good idea in general, obviously that would lead to a fight/kill.
That is what their territorial instincts trigger.

I don't think the game is in any way going to be designed to make "sanctuaries".

Even Safari Parks don't mix carnivores, because they know what will happen eventually.

Ofcourse I won't mix them in career mode.
(Maybe sometimes I will) I will be doing it in Sandbox mode. Turning that entire space into a beautiful sanctuary for both Carnivores and Herbivores to live in a balanced ecosystem with minimal human interference is one way I'll be using Sandbox mode. Maybe I'm the only one that will be doing that, but either way, it's very natural that Carnivores won't fight/kill if not needed to.

 

[LN]

But the game will probably not be developed to have a balanced ecosystem.

I understand your wishes, and if they where granted, .

 

[STARKILLER04]

Unfortunately solitary animals fighting is often not 'for no reason', even in zoos. The enclosure becomes their territory and they'll be territorial over it. There are many incidents of animals being introduced for the first time and immediately starting to fight. We already know that male lions will fight if there are multiple within a social group (though we don't know if groups of bachelor males is possible or if this is only when there are females present) but also that we can keep certain animals such as bears in pairs, at least in male/female potential breeding pairs.

I understand if this is not what you would prefer. I'm hopeful there'll be an option in sandbox to turn it off as there was in JWE, but personally I don't think it's unrealistic for animals to fight solely because they don't like the other animal being there. For me that does not break immersion at all. That's just what animals do. As long as it doesn't happen within pre-established groups (like your two tigers that got along swimmingly for years suddenly deciding they hate each other and must fight to the death), I'm fine with it. Aggression when the social group changes is normal and expected in a lot of animals.

My current expectation is that animals being aggressive/fighting may happen when the social groups aren't 'adequate' for that animal/when there is a need for dominance hierarchies to change (as with lions), but fighting to the actual death is rare unless a hungry carnivore is going for prey. I do agree with Luuknord, though, and I don't think this game is going to be designed with building open nature reserves in mind (it is mandatory, to my knowledge, to have everything fenced off and the whole area within the fence be the right environment - which may clash for some species)

EDIT: I'd also like to note we've seen a screenshot with like 7 cheetahs, a solitary animal, all living together. I don't know if this was exclusively a gimmick for marketing reasons on that post or if it's possible ingame, but if it's possible then there's an indication we can have lots of carnivores living together without fighting.

But I don't think we can expect to be able to have lions + african wild dogs, for example, in the same enclosure and expect them to get along, because they don't, even in the wild.

I give you my respect. But I still want this though, maybe not in career mode if no one wants it. Having it as an option in sandbox would be fine by me. I just really like making Ecosystems and Sanctuaries. Sorry if no one wants it

 

[eulemur]

I give you my respect. But I still want this though, maybe not in career mode if no one wants it. Having it as an option in sandbox would be fine by me. I just really like making Ecosystems and Sanctuaries. Sorry if no one wants it

Of course, I mean no disrespect for your wishes! I would like an option to turn it off in sandbox too, so we can make the social groups we want rather than working with predetermined rules on what can/can't live together. I liked doing this in zoo tycoon 2 and it would be fun to try it out here, if it's possible

 

[STARKILLER04]

Hopefully a dev will reply to this and clear everything up for both sides of this argument-ish thread.

 

[STARKILLER04]

Of course, I mean no disrespect for your wishes! I would like an option to turn it off in sandbox too, so we can make the social groups we want rather than working with predetermined rules on what can/can't live together. I liked doing this in zoo tycoon 2 and it would be fun to try it out here, if it's possible

Not completely turn it off though, because in the E3 gameplay of Planet Zoo, they confirmed breeding and when and how they do it (If a group of for example giraffes social requirement is not met, then if they have high enough PH they will most likely breed)(Atleast thats what I understood with my 12 year old brain)

By the way, I thought of this idea because of the breeding mechanism so killed and eaten animals will, in a way, automatically be replaced.

This is the full idea I have in my head (Because I think I made what I wany a bit unclear): You can have Carnivores, for example a Lion couple in the same place with for example a herd of maybe 10 Gazelles (5 male, 5 female) The Lions will not fight/hunt the Gazelles if none of them are hungry. If they do attack atleast one of them and succeed, you wouldn't have to replace the Gazelle because the other Gazelles will just breed and make more.

As for the Territorial part: If a for example a pack of wolves enter Lion territory on purpose (Maybe to hunt, or even to take over that territory) then there would be a high chance of a fight. If the Wolves go there only to hunt, then maybe the first sight of a Lion or group of Lions will scare them away. But if they went there to take the territory, then the first sight of Lions should trigger territorial fighting. If the Wolves succeed to kill or scare away the Lions, then that territory is theirs. And thus the "view territories mode"

The territorial fighting should only trigger when a group of any animal (even herbivores) intend to take over that territory. But if a herbivore's intent is just to graze, then whichever animal that territory will leave them alone (unless its a group of hungry carnivores, a very territorial species, or an angry Solitary animal)

That's my Idea of what I want to do. Minimal interference and Maximal naturality.

Edit: Sorry if I still didn't make things clear in this reply, and sorry if some things a wrote didn't make any sense or unnatural in a natural environment, because I only base this on what my 12 year old brain knows Correct me if I said anything unnatural PLEASE.

 

[nightcat]

I think what you wish for is more a wildlife-park-ish game and not so much a zoo game. The game mechanics sound nice, don't get me wrong, but also just not what I would expect in a zoo-game.

 

[STARKILLER04]

I think what you wish for is more a wildlife-park-ish game and not so much a zoo game. The game mechanics sound nice, don't get me wrong, but also just not what I would expect in a zoo-game.

I'm not requesting for a completely new mechanic to change the game, I'm asking for more natural A.I. behaviors (Based on my 12 year old knowledge) Like everything I mentioned above, so it still keeps the "Zoo game" essence.

 

[Masteradstriker]

Territorial animals...

Practically every animal in the world is territorial, humans included. From little mantis reef squabbling for a hole in the sand, to hippos warding off intruders, everyone needs some personal space. Don't you like it when some guy suddenly decided to call your front yard home? I don't think anyone would allow that to happen (unless they feel sorry for them coz they're homeless) Even herd animals like buffalo don't really enjoy their companion intruding their space. They'd butt the trespasser's butt awaay (get it...)