Use Different Genera as Exhibit Animals

[DarthQuell]

I know the title is confusing, because I'm confused myself, but ok.

So, we are severely lacking in exhibit animals, y'all. So, I got to thinking, what about getting different genera of snakes as our choices?

For example, we have the western diamondback rattlesnake. What if we got the Crotalus genus as our option?

Like, instead of western diamondback rattlesnake, it's called Crotalus, and the different patterns/skins could represent different species. That way, instead of a specific species, we can represent the western diamondback, but then another representing the timber rattlesnake.


Or, another example, we can have Bothriechis, the palm-pitvipers. We can different colors/skins for the different species, like the eyelash viper and then also Mexican palm-pitviper.


It's just a thought about how we can get more species without using up slots

 

[Marvinb]

Definitely a neat idea and hopefully the snakes will get updated along the way because dear good most snakes in PZ are so bad the lion look like a masterpiece in comparission.
I theory the could extend this to certain habitat animals aswell. Like certain subspecies or localities that look almost identical, sumatran tiger come to mind as an example here

 

[Chuditch]

I know this idea is mainly based on how we typically only get a single exhibit animal per DLC, but if they've gone to the effort of making skins for each species, why not just make them separate species? It'd require no extra work aside from a couple more Zoopedia pages, and the butterflies have already set the precedent for having multiple exhibit animals in one DLC as long as they have the same/similar model and animations.

 

[DarthQuell]

I know this idea is mainly based on how we typically only get a single exhibit animal per DLC, but if they've gone to the effort of making skins for each species, why not just make them separate species? It'd require no extra work aside from a couple more Zoopedia pages, and the butterflies have already set the precedent for having multiple exhibit animals in one DLC as long as they have the same/similar model and animations.

Yeah, true. But I was thinking more along the lines of that we only get one. So, since we may not get the butterfly treatment for standard exhibits, then this could sorta be that. Having the genus would mean we get, like, dozens of "new" species.

Of course, I'd prefer the butterfly treatment

 

[SalamAnders]

If they can give us five butterflies at once (which are even not in the same genera), then they can also give us five poison dart frogs at once or similar.

Different species of the same genera also won't always be suitable for the same biomes and such. And currently, that can't be changed in the boxes.
And if they then add color morphs for the different species too, then it is going to be really confusing. What is a morph, and what is a species? And what about breeding?
I think most people are just going to see it as one animal with a lot of color variations, and it doesn't sound like the intention with this.

 

[DarthQuell]

If they can give us five butterflies at once (which are even not in the same genera), then they can also give us five poison dart frogs at once or similar.

Different species of the same genera also won't always be suitable for the same biomes and such. And currently, that can't be changed in the boxes.
And if they then add color morphs for the different species too, then it is going to be really confusing. What is a morph, and what is a species? And what about breeding?
I think most people are just going to see it as one animal with a lot of color variations, and it doesn't sound like the intention with this.

Ugh, man, your points are valid, but all you did was remind me that the exhibits need a huge update, like changing the interior biome

 

[SalamAnders]

Ugh, man, your points are valid, but all you did was remind me that the exhibits need a huge update, like changing the interior biome

The exhibits need lots of love. I'm personally a bit surprised that we haven't seen null options yet, considering they came with the WE from the start. It felt like a logical next step.
But in the end, I think we should see the two exhibits as filling the same role even though they look different.

They compete for the same spot in the DLCs. Animals for both setups are in the same market, they are managed more or less the same way, breed the same way, and so on.
So if we can get multiple species at once in one option I believe we should be able to in both. The question is just how big differences there can be between the species, which limits how many times multiple species could happen. But I have a hard time believing something like multiple poison frogs should be much more complicated than butterflies. And if they are more complicated they could do 2-3 species instead of 5. Not that I think we will ever see more poison frogs, just a good example.

 

[DarthQuell]

But in the end, I think we should see the two exhibits as filling the same role even though they look different.

Do you mean, like, for example, in a single pack we get a WE species (let's say Indian flying fox) and a standard exhibit species (like, say, blue poison frog)?

Because that'd be great, because having a unique exhibit animal and then a clone exhibit would help flesh out the exhibit animals

 

[SalamAnders]

Do you mean, like, for example, in a single pack we get a WE species (let's say Indian flying fox) and a standard exhibit species (like, say, blue poison frog)?

Because that'd be great, because having a unique exhibit animal and then a clone exhibit would help flesh out the exhibit animals

No, we have only seen multiple exhibits at once when they can be housed together, so I wouldn't assume that would change. So I meant that I think they could do multiple similar species at once in the old exhibit the same way we saw it with butterflies in the WE.

 

[NachoB]

That would be a nice option. Or just a basic body plan like cobras or chameleons or geckos with model tweaks. I don't think you need too specific about the taxonomy.

 

[Cynogale bennettii II]

I must personally admit that, with the arrival of five very similar butterflies (but not identical, it is important to note - the wing shapes of the five species all differ), I am feeling a little robbed that there weren't at least a few multi-species sets of animals from earlier packs.

Take, for instance, the red-eyed tree frog of the South America Pack - it would have been excellent if we'd also got a few other species of South American tree frog to add variety or alternatives. Some could have been almost reskins of the red-eyed tree frog, such as the lemur leaf frog and tiger-legged leaf frog, while others could have been made with some minor changes in size or shape, such as the clown tree frog and Amazon milk frog.

 

[NachoB]

I must personally admit that, with the arrival of five very similar butterflies (but not identical, it is important to note - the wing shapes of the five species all differ), I am feeling a little robbed that there weren't at least a few multi-species sets of animals from earlier packs.

Take, for instance, the red-eyed tree frog of the South America Pack - it would have been excellent if we'd also got a few other species of South American tree frog to add variety or alternatives. Some could have been almost reskins of the red-eyed tree frog, such as the lemur leaf frog and tiger-legged leaf frog, while others could have been made with some minor changes in size or shape, such as the clown tree frog and Amazon milk frog.

Or even the poison dart frogs from the base game. Some of those exhibit animals should get this treatment even now in a future update. Is a nice way to add species variety to standard exhibits without wasting DLC slots and for something people wouldn't be so keen on paying for anyway.

 

[SalamAnders]

I also still miss an exhibit animal in the Arctic pack. Adding that now could maybe even help sell it to more new players.

 

[leehonglocal]

If you're talking about elephants being genera of African elephants and Asian elephants, then this would be my wishlist listed in genera.

1. Toad (there were frogs, one salamander and one newt)
2. Chameleon
3. Cobra
4. Small fish like clownfish and piranhas (water filter for cleaning water could be new items)
5. Small rodents like mice and rats
6. Were there any zoos that housed mantises?