Thoughts and speculation about birds (habitat/exhibit) and New World primates

[jcp011c]

Given that birds, both for habitat appropriate and potentially exhibit-possible flying birds with looped animations, and the near lack of New World primates, are two of the more notable lacking groups of animals in the game, what are thoughts that Frontier may actually do something special with these?

Like dedicated packs or something? I'm less and less thinking we'll get an avian exhibit dedicated pack, but a mix of exhibit and habitat birds would be welcome by many players. The fact new world primates were not included in the Tropical pack was frankly a shock. Do you think there's actual potential for an Amazon-centric pack or Primate pack?

Looking at the metalist, there's certainly a good number of animals that don't fall into these two groups, but I really think that there needs to be some kind of focus on birds and new world primates. If support were to end right now, which thankfully it won't, but if it did...what makes my zoo feel incomplete are the relative lack of birds, and the South American sections will always feel empty with only one primate for representation.

 

[Doran]

Most likely frontier is going to do nothing with it. This game will end up with one more primate it being some sort of baboon and kiwi. Extra one monkey and bird will appear if fate will say so.

 

[yoav_r]

I think the game will end as is with very few monktys and birds, and in a few years we may see a sequel with aviaries and aquariums ala JWE2

 

[SalamAnders]

These days it feels like there are several new bird- or monkey-related threads popping up every week. Which is great. If Frontier pays any attention to their own forum, they must notice this is what we are concerned about.

I always go back and forth with how likely a bird pack is. Considering it can't feature Carnivorans and every 13 packs has featured that so far, there really is no reason to expect it. But if we look at what well-known (not necessarily on a species-specific level) animals we got left, there is just more to come for among birds these days.

The argument used to be that a habitat-focused bird pack couldn't compete with the popular mammals. But we are getting into niche territory with the mammals now. So I don't think there is much truth in that argument anymore.

More people would recognize a swan and a pelican over a Tasmanian devil and a wolverine. And you can still add in some of the more unusual creatures like kiwis and shoebills which I imagine are popular among people who are also very into the before mentioned mammals.

While birds deserve an animal pack, a scenery pack should at least be considered by Frontier by now.

-A Pelican
-A Waterfowl
-An ''odd'' bird like kiwi, shoebill, or secretary bird
-And then we probably need something easy like a flamingo, rhea or crane
-Put our first flying bird in the exhibit, probably something exotic-feeling like lorikeets or hummingbirds.

Make a scenery set with a complete mesh building set for easy aviaries, stuff for building fake nests, and new enrichments with birds in mind. Maybe even an incubator or something. Feathers for decorations and so on.

I highly doubt this is going to be the worst-selling DLC, as some people think a mammal-free DLC would be. Some will probably be disappointed that it doesn't only focus on flying birds. But every pack disappoints someone.

Sadly I doubt Frontier will ever do this, even though it would do wonders for the game.

 

[yoav_r]

If Frontier pays any attention to their own forum, they must notice this is what we are concerned about.

Frontiers have been bombarded by requests for birds and aquariums since the game was announced. Literally under every social media post you'll find a variation of "BIRDS WHEN????".

They are aware demands exist, and if they don't bring birds in it wouldn't be for lack of demand.

 

[SalamAnders]

Frontiers have been bombarded by requests for birds and aquariums since the game was announced. Literally under every social media post you'll find a variation of "BIRDS WHEN????".

They are aware demands exist, and if they don't bring birds in it wouldn't be for lack of demand.

But earlier in the game's life those demands where more focused on flying birds.

I think more and more people are realizing now that none-flying habitat birds are better than no birds at all. And with the W-Exhibit still being a new thing, small flying birds are first now really realistic to consider a possibility.

So while the demand for birds have always been there, the way we request them have changed.

And with more and more well-known mammals in the game, more people notice that some very obvious none-complicated birds just haven't showed up yet.

 

[jcp011c]

But earlier in the game's life those demands where more focused on flying birds.

I think more and more people are realizing now that none-flying habitat birds are better than no birds at all. And with the W-Exhibit still being a new thing, small flying birds are first now really realistic to consider a possibility.

So while the demand for birds have always been there, the way we request them have changed.

And with more and more well-known mammals in the game, more people notice that some very obvious none-complicated birds just haven't showed up yet.

Exactly. My stance on birds has definitely shifted the last two years -prior to that there were still so many mammal needs I didn't put much focus on it aside from a handful of species. It's gone from:
Wanting habitat birds that can fly.
Accepting that won't happen and getting some exhibit birds that fly in loops in standard exhibits with some species still being habitat appropriate, something that was intensified by the addition of the Red Crowned Crane.
Seeing the walk through exhibits and hoping and kind of thinking that we'd see flying birds iwth looped animations in Walkthrough/non-walk through exhibits, with still some habitat appropriate birds.
Where am I at now? As much as I really still hope that we'll get birds in the Walkthrough/nonwalkthrough exhibits, I'm starting to wonder if we will. If that be the case, desperately wishing for at least 5-6 habitat appropriate birds, like the Secretary Bird, Shoebill, Spoonbill, Swan and any other birds that fit that pattern (though not having to start with S ) And the Kiwi of course, which shouldn't really be an issue period.

Will I miss not having smaller birds, especially eagles, Toucans, and Macaws? Absolutely, but I'll gladly take the habitat type birds over not having them.


New World Primates on the other hand, I'm not personally invested in, but I absolutely see the need for them, and acknowledge the representation of only one in the game so far is befuddling.

 

[conthauberger]

Well. I am curious of the flying birds. This Table features the Aviary Birds, which are allowed to fly freely. Meaning they can fly around the area opened in a habitat, identical to the habitat animals in the open enclosures. Sandbox mode can prove the limits of how high the birds can fly, and land on the very top of a high pole. And just like other habitat animals, Aviary Birds can have animations of interactions, such as playing, nuzzling, or even fighting.

African Gray Parrot
African Sacred Ibis
Anhinga
Bald Eagle
Barred Owl
Black Necked Crane
Blue and Gold Macaw
Brown Pelican
Californian Condor
Canadian Goose
Cattle Egret
Swan Goose
Common Loon
Common Raven
Sulphur Crested Cockatoo
European Griffon Vulture
Fischer's Lovebird
Golden Eagle
Gray Crowned Crane
Great Blue Heron
Great Hornbill
Great Horned Owl
Great White Pelican
White Stork
Southern Ground Hornbill
Harpy Eagle
Hyacinth Macaw
Kori Bustard
Laughing Kookaburra
Mallard Duck
Mandarin Duck
Mute Swan
Northern Red Billed Hornbill
Osprey
Peregrine Falcon
Red-Tailed Hawk
Rosette Spoonbill
Rüppell's Vulture
Scarlet Macaw
Secretarybird
Snow Goose
Snowy Owl
Toco Toucan
Turkey Vulture

 

[TheDuckKnight]

As the architect of new Bird Meta-Wishlist, I feel like I should chime in here.

I started playing the game in early 2021, when birds really seemed like a pipedream. Not to mention, there were still many, many zoo staples missing - meerkats, sea lions, gibbons, moose, African rhinos, foxes, rodents to say a few.

But as that year went on, "zoo essentials" filled up and we eventually got the crane.

But everything really changed with the bats.

THAT was our first, truly tangible indication flying birds were finally in the realm of possibility.

But they through us for a loop with the butterflies. Still, now a multi-species element was added.
It seemed like if we were ever to get birds, they'd be added piece meal in the WEs with each new DLC, potentially.

But a second surprise - the sloth. I can't fault Frontier too much for this one.
There is no animal more requested by both the deeper community and casual players than a sloth.
But as the Developer's Diary explains, the WE was really the only viable solution for their inclusion. So birds had to take the hit this time.

With that said, I think that highlighted the fundamental issue I and many others had with the Tropical Pack: it should have been an Animal Pack. You'd get three open slots for a New World monkey, a habitat bird (ibis, spoonbill, junglefowl, something) and probably a coati. But they went the other way.

Ultimately, the way I see it, the future of birds is completely dependent on the Summer DLC.

If we get our first flying birds in the WE, well, there it is. We did it! Huzzah!

If we get no flying birds in the WE, I'm throwing in the towel and concluding they're not coming.
We can certainly push for more habitat birds, but if by DLC Number 14 - and with the existence of flighted animals - Frontier's position will be explicitly clear: They are either unable or unwilling to include flying birds.

But hey! I could be wrong!

I'd be ECSTATIC for an Avian pack - @SalamAnders pitch is PERFECT for a habitat-based bird pack. But I'll admit an ideal world pack like Birds is just that, in an ideal world. But I do think it's still in within the realm of possibility, especially if support goes into 2024.

And I promise to do everything in my power to keep the new Bird Wishlist updated and the thread alive.
We're gaining traction now. Heck owls and ducks alone have enough votes to compete with the Top 50 contenders of the Meta-Wishlist.
The desire is there!

So vote here: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threa...bird-meta-wishlist-habitat-and-aviary.615472/

As for monkeys, I foresee three things:

1. An Amazon/Central American/Americas Animal pack which features at least one or two front and center
2. A Children's Zoo Pack - Squirrel Monkeys, Tamarins, would be good contenders here
3. A monkey as the 4th Anniversary Animal

Salud, and remember VOTE.

 

[RightWhale]

I really hope Frontier does something about this soon, as crazy as it sounds the lack of birds is killing my drive to make zoos in the game. I love making diverse zoos, and while I can easily do it with mammals, I can’t with anything else. I love frontier and the animals they add, but the lack of viable habitat birds is silly. I and a bunch of other people could make a list of “non-flying” birds that would be perfect for habitats, but in the past year we only got two new birds in the game.

It’s starting to feel intentional, if not almost silly. I can understand if frontier can’t get flying birds to work in walk through exhibits (though if they could do bats and butterflies I am not sure what the issue would be) but the lack of habitat birds? Pelicans, penguins, cranes, storks, waterfowl, pheasants, game birds, etc. there is a huge wealth of options to choose from.

Frontier could even make larger “flying birds” but just having them move very little. Most birds in zoos like to chill out on a perch, just do what they did for ZooTycoon on the Xbox. Flying birds were on a loop, but I would rather have the animals in game and on a loop than none at all. Also I don’t even think small animals looping in animation is that bad.

I’m hopeful for birds, I’m sure frontier is aware of the lack of them in game and everyone voicing their opinion. They are a great development team and I love their games, so I think things will turn out for the better. Also it’s a zoo game without parrots I’m sure Frontier is aware of the “issue”.

I’m more hopeful for a new South American monkey, we have a rig already, we just need a squirrel monkey.

 

[nutrit]

I’m not sure. I think that this game still has so much potential that it doesn’t need a sequel. For me every update is like a small sequel. I hope really long life for this game and I think that at this point anything is still possible.
Of course some of the base animals could use a redesign but this is also doable. The sims graphics are so not up to date and the DLC’s still sales great.
Some may say that we don’t have that much animals left that would boost up the sales but if you’d count fully aquatics and flying birds the possibilities and potential for at least 2-3 more years seems infinite.