Welcome to Issue 2 of This Week in Planet Zoo - May 12-18.
TWEETS FROM PLANET ZOO TWITTER
TWEETS FROM PLANET ZOO TWITTER
1) On Monday an animated gif of a clip from the announcement video was released.
Source: https://twitter.com/planetzoogame/status/1128008287105036289
2) On Wednesday a new twitter poll was posted:
Source: https://twitter.com/PlanetZooGame/status/1128705910937931777
3) On Friday our
Source: https://twitter.com/PlanetZooGame/status/1129441213810130944
4) Also on Friday a tweet about Endangered Species Day was posted.
Source: https://twitter.com/PlanetZooGame/status/1129325765982605313
DEVELOPER POSTS FROM THE OFFICIAL FORUMS
The highlight of the week was a post from Bo Marit, the Lead Community Manager. She posted the first ever Planet Zoo Developer Journal. These journals according to Bo “We'll be taking you behind the scenes, introducing you to some of the wonderful people working on Planet Zoo, and discussing what you can expect when the game comes out!” This Developer Journal interviewed Producer Felix Von Wolfersdorf, Gameplay Lead James Lockett and Senior Environment Artist Joanne Taylor about what's it's been like developing Planet Zoo for the last two years.So click the link to read this wonderful article.
Here is some other post from the developers:
1. Introducing New Animals to Already Established Exhibits?
Paul Crowther stated:
2. This Week in Planet Zoo - May 5-11, 2019
Bo Marit informed us:
3. Planet Zoo Alpha/Beta?
Paul Crowther commented:
4. Does developer team size matter?
Chante Goodman said:
COMMUNITY DISCUSSIONS
1) What is that circular “grate” or “vent” on the ground was a matter of great discussion on the reddit and on YouTube videos (see YouTube video section below). What do you think they are?
Here are some links to what the community had to say:
- I think the "drains" we saw in the newest screenshot are used to produce artificial fog from time to time as seen in the screenshot from the bear exhibit.
- Temperature control vent?
- Artificial Fog confirm !!!
Some have mentioned there is no animals. But what is being highlighted is not the animals but providing for the well-being of the animals. Thus, the caption says “Animal well-being is at the heart of Planet Zoo. Be sure to take all of their needs into account when creating their perfect habitats!” So what is in this picture that would provide for the well-being of your animals. My thoughts are
- The cave with bedding. A place to sleep and be protected from the elements. (The layer of brown over the bottom of the cave seems like it could be ploppable bedding, maybe it will be how we set resting areas?)
- A wooded grass carpeted environment with rocks. A place that maybe bears would enjoy.
- Water. Notice the water is dirty. Would this in fact cause unhappiness to your animal. (Dirty Jobs - Cleaning the Bears water.)
- A fallen tree. Does this add ambiance that enhances they animals’ happiness? Is if animal enrichment?
- The vents on the ground. What do they do to enhance the animal’s environment? Well click the links in section above that discusses this and join in the discussion.
- What looks to be lighting on the bottom of the trees. Is this more for the benefit of the visitors to the zoo or for the animals?
What you think? Let me know in the comment below.
3) An interesting Post that illustrates the engine of Planet Zoo may be like was posted on reddit.
4) From Planet Zoo discord. A picture was posted by Kye. In it we see a train (the red circle). But do you notice the three jeeps (the darker blue circles).
Is there a track for the jeeps in the picture (light blue lines)? Is this another transportation tour or attraction? What do you think?
4) Is this a picture of a small animal enclosure? This picture was posted on Planet Zoo discord again by Kye.
Is that a scorpion or spider display? What do you think?
5)
What are your thoughts on this? Post what you think in the reddit post or in the comments below.
Edit: This quote was changed for clarity. It now says:
6) A new picture surfaced from Gaminformer that created much discussion. It another view of the hippopotamus exhibit.
Several posts were created to discuss this new picture.
- Bad quality but thought I’d share a photo from Gameinformer magazine.
- Better Quality Gameinformer Screenshot
- Hippo exhibit screenshot (different angles)
- Another screenshot has surfaced!
- Also there are many YouTube discussing this picture, they are linked below in the YouTube video section.
Also creating much discussion was this quote from Gameinformer:
Also the article talked about building shelters so animals could "seek comfort form rain and frost." It continued by saying if your animal loves winter and your zoo is located in a warm area of the world "you must shell out for cooling pads to lay out beneath their pen."
As regard to animal behavior and appearance Gameinformer said they looked at a pack of Zebras that "look convincing and quite detailed" with every Zebra having "minor deviations in individual behavior" and pattern of strips all dependent on their genome. Many of the animals have a pack mentality. It states that wolves "have an alpha whose whims they follow." It sums up the look of the animals by stating "I've rarely seen animals in games come off as realistic as the ones in this demonstration."
Also Geekism (see link to his video in YouTube section below) made some nice observations about the above screenshot which were echoed by some other YouTube videos:
- There is variation of path levels. While Planet Coaster and Jurassic Park Evolution had set pieces that tell guest where to look, it seems that in Planet Zoo if a path has visual access to an exhibit guests can stop on it and look at the animals.
- The fence system looks like the system used in Jurassic Park Evolution.
- While not completely confirming full dynamic water yet, more is going on with water than in Planet Coaster and Jurassic Park Evolution. Depth of the water, shadows going into the water, maybe shadow of hippo in water, etc.
YOUTUBE VIDEOS DISCUSSING PLANET ZOO
1) There was a lot of discussion from YouTubers regarding the screenshot released Saturday.
- Geekism
Temperature Vents, Dirty Water & More! | Planet Zoo Update #05 - Pause Games
Planet Zoo Spotlight #6 | New Screenshot | Terrain Caves Confirmed & BBQ/Grill? - BeyondDrewTV
New Items Revealed! | Planet Zoo Update - BestInSlot New Zoo Items Revealed! Grizzly Bear Exhibit Examined | Planet Zoo Update
- Rudi Rennkamel Drainage, Staff Facility and Water Refreshment! PLANET ZOO Update (Follow up)
- Sdanwolf New Planet Zoo Screenshot! | Very Clear Water
2) Sunday, Callado Brothers released a video talking about their thoughts about Planet Zoo.
3) Are you interested in zoo design? Well Jim Weir released his second video on Tuesday about zoo design using the Brookfield Zoo. This time highlighting the cats.
4) On Thursday we had a treat. Gamer Empire released the third video in the series Planet Zoo: Predictions and Wishlist. This time the subject was Tropical Rainforest. Take the time to watch and enjoy this video.
5) On Friday, as we know, a new picture from Gameinformer (see it above) surfaced and as you would expect our favorite YouTubers had much to say about it. Click and enjoy these wonderful videos.
- Water, Water, Everywhere! | Planet Zoo Update #06
- Underwater Viewing Areas?! New Screenshot Reveal! | Planet Zoo Update
- SWIMMING HIPPOs are happy Hippos! Planet Zoo Update
- Planet Zoo Spotlight #7 | New Screenshot | Fence Tools and Water Updates?
ZOO SPOTLIGHT – THE BROOKFIELD ZOO
Our first zoo of the series will be the Brookfield Zoo. Of note is that Jim Weir is doing a zoo design series featuring the Brookfield Zoo. You can find his post here.
The Brookfield Zoo is located in Brookfield, Illinois and opened on July 1, 1935. Covering 216 acres (87 ha). This zoo houses about 450 species of animals.
According to Wikipedia the zoo “quickly gained international recognition for using moats and ditches instead of cages to separate animals from visitors and from other animals. The zoo was also the first in America to exhibit giant pandas, one of which (Su Lin) has been taxidermied and put on display in Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History. In 1960, Brookfield Zoo built the nation's first fully indoor dolphin exhibit, and in the 1980s, the zoo introduced Tropic World, the first fully indoor rain forest simulation and the then-largest indoor zoo exhibit in the world.”
For a taste of what the zoo is like here is a link a video. Brookfield Zoo Walkthrough.
The zoo is home to many exhibits and attractions which are listed below along with some of the animals housed in them:
- Australia House. Featuring animals of Australia. Animals: Bennet’s Wallaby, Emu, Rodrigues Fruit Bat, Short-Nosed Echidna, Southern Hairy-Nosed Wombat, Western Gray Kangaroo, Woma Python.
- Big Cats. The area to see Big Cats. Animals: African Lion, Amur Leopard, Amur Tiger, Snow Leopard
- Butterflies. A place to discovery the wonderful world of butterflies featuring a ‘pupa room’.
- Feathers and Scales. Lush rain forest habitat. Animals: Andean Condor, Gambel’s Quail, Roadrunner, Tawny Frogmouth
- Fragile Desert. North African exhibit. Animals: Bat-eared Fox, Black-footed Cat, Caracal, Meerkat, Naked Mole Rat
- Clouded Leopard Rain Forest. Asian Rain Forest. Animals: African Giant Millipede, Binturong, Clouded Leopard, Fishing Cat, Prevosts Squirrel.
- The Great Bear Wilderness. North American animal exhibit. Animals: American Bison, Bald Eagle, Grizzly Bear, Mexican Gray Wolf, Polar Bear
- Habitat Africa! The Forest. Home of the okapi. Animals: Okapi, White-bellied Pangolin
- Habitat Africa! The Savannah. The African savannah habitat. Animals: African Painted Dog, Klipspringer, Red River Hog, Reticulated Giraffe
- Hamill Family Play Zoo. Here, children will have the opportunity to have a hands-on experience. Animals: Cockatiel, Domestic Rabbit, Ring-tailed Lemur
- Hamill Family Wild Encounters. Hands-on experiences that include opportunities to touch and feed animals, including parakeets and goats. Animals: Alpaca, Bennet’s Wallaby, Llama, Nigerian Dwarf Goat, Parakeet, Red Panda, Reindeer
- Hoofed Animals. See animals with hooves here. Animals: Addax, Bactrian Camel, Grevy’s Zebra, Przewalski’s Horse
- Living Coast. Home of fish, corals, and even sharks. Animal: Humboldt Penguin
- Pachyderm House: Housing pygmy hippos, tapirs and rhinos. Animals: Black Rhinoceros, Pygmy Hippo
- Pinniped Point. Up-close and underwater views of sea lions and seals. Animals: California Sea Lion, Grey Sea
- Regenstein Wolf Woods. Home of the Mexican Grey Wolf. Animals: Mexican Gray Wolf
- Reptiles and Birds. Birds and Reptiles Asia and South America. Animals: Bali Mynah, Crested Wood Partridge, Macaw, Micronesian Kingfisher
- Salt Creek Wilderness. Plants and animals native to Illinois. Animals: Trumpeter Swan
- Seven Seas. The place to see dolphins. Animals: Bottlenose Dolphin
- The Swamp. Swamplands exhibit. Animals: Alligator Snapping Turtle, Little Blue Heron, North American River Otter, Orinoco Crocodile
- Tropic World. Explore Tropic World of the world. Animals: Asian Small-Clawed Otter, Black-Handed Spider Monkey, Callimico, Colobus Monkey, Cotton-top Tamarin, Giant Anteater, Orangutan, Two Toed Sloth, Western Lowland Gorilla, White-Cheeked Gibbon
Link to Brookfield Zoo Website.
Next week we will visit the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha.
Let me know what your favorite zoo is in the comments below or in the forum post favorite zoo's.
LINKS TO MY OTHER POSTS
- Planet Zoo - Animals and Features (A post were I gather all the information we know about Planet Zoo)
- Links to YouTube videos featuring Planet Zoo
- Google Sheet - All the animals in Zoo Tycoon games, Wildlife Park games, and Planet Zoo
- Links to zoo master plans for more zoo design ideas
- Chart of Animals From the Zoo Tycoon games and Known Planet Zoo animals
- List of Zoos in the United States for inspiration as you wait for release of Planet Zoo
Can you let me know. Do you like the tweets showing up in the post or do you like links to twitter itself. Same with YouTube videos do you want me to show the main videos in the post or do you just like links to the video? Let me know in the comments.
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