Maybe I already suggested that - pretty sure I have - but group dynamics is another thing that could be based on personalities and add an aditional challenge. Some zoos have to exchange members of a social group, because the personalities do not get along. Sometimes this can be very frustrating for zoos, especially when the genetics would be a perfect match. However, in situations like these they are forced to change things, change breedings, change plans. In my opinion, all play modes would benefit from this aditional challenge, but franchise would most. It would make the animal market more lively, since you are not only searching for gold animals anymore, but also for a fitting personality.
Why the animals aren't the stars of the game - and what needs to be done about it
- Thread starter Swjosdotschka
- Start date
I disagree with this one.. Getting a "good" animal on the market can be difficult for some species - adding an extra layer would make it more difficult to find a good animal. Or people unable to sell their animals for a good price because they don't have a fitting personality.. This will make to complicated for a lot of players.
Maybe in a later moment - they need to make mass-selling of animals just as easy as mass-releasing animals.
So you have enough options and maybe then add specific extra layers/personalities.
Ah, I see. To be honest, I'm not (yet) into franchise again. Speaking of the other modes, an additional layer would be good already, in my opinion. There it is just a matter of minutes untilyou have a good animal now. But of course, a feature like this would only be worth if it is across all modes. If I remember correctly, a lot of players already suggested good ideas to balance the franchise market and its functions better anyway. Mass-selling was among them.
The Sims has absolutely nothing to do with what anyone is saying. The Sims is about managing the lives of little characters, all of this discussion is talking about giving the animals variety so they are not all copies. Whether you agree or disagree, The Sims is irreverent.
Edit: The game is mentioned in the original post, but all Swjosdotschka is saying, is that that is no longer their favorite ("main") game. Turning Planet Zoo into The Sims is not mentioned.
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I started to play Franchise again yesterday amd @NL_Mutso is definately right, it's damned hard to get a good animal. That's a problem of franchise that has always been there, though. The market is... nuts.
However, I realized when I don't take the time to build interesting habitats and just build squares to let the money roll in the beginning, the missing livelyness of the animals is even more visible to me. All I had to manage was a nervous Okapi. But watching my bug herd of african buffalos (with three babies) and zebras galopping around without any destination goal and with absolutely no social interaction within the herd while I waited for money to roll in to keep going was really, really boring.
With the Okapi, walking alone in her habitat without sniffing here and their and cleaning herself and what not, it sometmes was a bit like TWD in cute ^^ Just walking, walking, walking. Lifeless shell.
However, I realized when I don't take the time to build interesting habitats and just build squares to let the money roll in the beginning, the missing livelyness of the animals is even more visible to me. All I had to manage was a nervous Okapi. But watching my bug herd of african buffalos (with three babies) and zebras galopping around without any destination goal and with absolutely no social interaction within the herd while I waited for money to roll in to keep going was really, really boring.
With the Okapi, walking alone in her habitat without sniffing here and their and cleaning herself and what not, it sometmes was a bit like TWD in cute ^^ Just walking, walking, walking. Lifeless shell.
I have stopped playing Franchise mode for now. After I have figured everything out (which animals are "starter animals", how to make sure your zoo starts making money, how to effectively deal with your staff, etc) there is nothing more in it for me. I feel there is no challenge left in the game mode itself. Every franchise zoo I have opened so far has been successful - happy animals, good profit and relatively happy guests. And since the animals are clones....well...
I have started playing sandbox and just building pretty things. It saddens me to say that I hardly observe my animals. They are literal clones of each other. Just pretty shells. I really LOVE this game, continue to play it almost every day, and I hope it will continue to improve, but I largely agree with the OP, as of now the animals are sadly not the stars of the game.
I have started to dabble into mods so shout out to all the wonderful modders who give us a bit of flavor to the game. Oh and all the wonderful workshop items!
I have started playing sandbox and just building pretty things. It saddens me to say that I hardly observe my animals. They are literal clones of each other. Just pretty shells. I really LOVE this game, continue to play it almost every day, and I hope it will continue to improve, but I largely agree with the OP, as of now the animals are sadly not the stars of the game.
I have started to dabble into mods so shout out to all the wonderful modders who give us a bit of flavor to the game. Oh and all the wonderful workshop items!
I still play every day too (if I can) and there is absolutely no game I love more. The building part actually got me so hooked, that I always think about completing my Planco edition. Which would be over 80 bugs for me, since I only have the main game. ^^ I still try to stay calm and wait for PZ to have as many pieces as Planco, though.
I guess what Planco did is, snce you could ride a coaster, you had kind of a connection to it. It wasn't just pretty to watch, it was unique because of that. So I think it's the same with the animals. If watching them would be more fun and they would actually be a real management part of the game, the whole game would feel more complete.
(By the way, the real equvivalent to riding the coasters would be feeding the animals myself, but I don't want that at all. I still want to stay in the position of the zoo manager, not the keeper).
@AlexVonHumbug I understand what your saying I too don’t want a sims zoo game. But to me some variations in coloration for all animals or at least some. Also mane variations in male lions would be nice. As far as animal personalities go I’d like to see some individualism between different animals. Our local zoo has two male lions a older male about 13 yrs old and a male about 4-5 yrs. The older male will walk down by the viewing area and is confident roaring quite a bit and defiant. The other male is shy and hesitant. Roars if he hears the others roaring but is a lot less comfortable and confident. They are separated of course so it’s not a dominance issue but just different personalities.
The first, i have never issues with not seeing good animals on the market, also building squares to let the money roll, i never do that and my zoo's run well.
The rest i agree.
Also agree with this
Impatience is my middle name ^^ I feel impatient in franchise, too impatient to build beautiful with all themes missing in the beginning. Will work on that. In sandbox this game helped me a lot to be more patient and I take my time.
Haha i can sometimes be impatience also
especially when you need to research all the items, lol In sandbox you can take all the time you need, expecially when your money had no limit. I think i wil start a sandbox with a 40k money/100 leaves, to see how that turns out when you can acces all the building items
In sandbox you can take all the time you need, expecially when your money had no limit. I think i wil start a sandbox with a 40k money/100 leaves, to see how that turns out when you can acces all the building items
Yes, thought about creating my own manahment setting in sandbox also. What I would miss is the challenge to research animals. I find that interesting, since it makes me plan where I want that fertility bonus and such.
That is true! I hope 'one day' sandbox will get more options to customize the management like that
Sooooo.... no individualism improvement in the uocoming update. But to be honest with you? With THAT kind of giant, well thought out free updates I'm willing to wait longe. Because when this company improves something based on player feed back, they are doing it more thouroughly then we are washing our hands in these times. Improvements from the ground up. 
My thoughts too! I was reading through the update and hoping for some colour variations, but I was so delighted with everything we have that I don’t mind waiting a little longer for what will, I’m sure, be some wonderful variants. We get more animations though, and I’m so insanely happy about that!Sooooo.... no individualism improvement in the uocoming update. But to be honest with you? With THAT kind of giant, well thought out free updates I'm willing to wait longe. Because when this company improves something based on player feed back, they are doing it more thouroughly then we are washing our hands in these times. Improvements from the ground up.
Plus, the new genealogy could tie into variants.
No one said they would be...
"No individualism improvements", "hoping for some color variations"
^
^
I was referring to that
Ooh cool thought! That would be awesome. We’ll be able to see with leucistics till then.