Why the changes to Community Challenges??

[FearAndLoathing]

As a newcomer to the game, I've really enjoyed the last two community challenges I was able to get involved in. But I've been wondering, why did Frontier scale back on the every week community challenge?

Its become one of the driving reasons I play franchise mode, and I would love to hear from people as to the reasons having at least one every week was too much for people (as suggested by the post in the link).

Ideally, I'd love it if there were multiple and persistent community challenges - the usual premier one with higher rewards, but also more frequent and perhaps shorter term ones that yield less rewards but keep my zoos goal driven. The framework is already all there, and it would significantly increase immersion - and also vary the constant Franchise mode runs on whatever animals surround the singular challenge we have presently, plus make well-rounded zoos more desireable. As it stands, theres really very little reason for me not to make small, specialized zoos just to mitigate any lag.

Anyway, incredible game just curious as to thoughts.

 

[Arrakai]

I really like the changes to only one challenge every two weeks. I tend to get pretty invested in the challenges, so if they were every week I would only do them and nothing else. But as it is now, I can be fully focused on the challenge when it is up, and then spend my "free" week working on other projects and zoo's

 

[Wistala]

I was fine with how it was before. Now it kinda feels empty? I mean the challenge last for a few days and then nothing for quite a while.

 

[hems303]

I was fine with how it was before. Now it kinda feels empty? I mean the challenge last for a few days and then nothing for quite a while.

Same as Elite Dangerous Horizons© ... All crafted 'active' engagement with players has ceased completely. It seems FDev are now crafting their (empty) games/sims to be procedurally generating bare toolboxes for the player to dabble with, without any feel for the environment being a living, breathing or interactive experience. Somewhere at the top of the company a decision has been taken to reduce any ongoing input by any of the Dev Team who are now tasked on new IP's coming along. All focused on the bottom dollar, same as any other game software company.

 

[NL_Mutso]

I like how it is now. Was a fan of the change and the challenges after this update were more fun to me.
Want to participate in the challenges to earn the rewards but the community challenge was basically the main focus when I play franchise (I mostly play Franchise)
At least now I can focus on building my zoo in the Franchise and mix it with the community challenge.

Also I think they switched to this system because you'll most likely end up repeating the challenges/rewards too soon.

My solution would be improving the personal challenge and add elements from the community challenge to the personal challenge.
That one feels a bit neglected with only $ rewards - I really don't care about those challenges except when starting a new zoo.

 

[Chante Goodman]

We had a lot of feedback from our community that having a challenge every week was too overwhelming for the more causal players - people who wanted to take part, but only had a limited amount of time to play every week. So, to help more of our community get involved and earn rewards, we decided we would reduce the challenges to run once every two weeks instead, meaning that the causal players had more time to play in other modes too. After the changes, the feedback was much more positive and we see more participants, so we think it's worked out for the better!

 

[FearAndLoathing]

We had a lot of feedback from our community that having a challenge every week was too overwhelming for the more causal players - people who wanted to take part, but only had a limited amount of time to play every week. So, to help more of our community get involved and earn rewards, we decided we would reduce the challenges to run once every two weeks instead, meaning that the causal players had more time to play in other modes too. After the changes, the feedback was much more positive and we see more participants, so we think it's worked out for the better!

I can definitely understand that, and I appreciate the response. Even though its optional I can clearly see why having them up at all times might force unidirectional play focus. All that said, its having an interesting impact on player stats, taking a quick look just at steam numbers they are decidedly spike-y since the changes, but perhaps not enough to warrant a shift.

 

[NL_Mutso]

I check steamdb on a regular basis but spike-y is pretty normal behavior for a game.

Not saying your findings are incorrect (ofc) but with a lot of games there's a drop (people just lose interest) and followed by spike-behavior.
Except for games with almost no replayability or a bit too hyped - something like Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order

 

[Averalorax]

I enjoy Planet Zoo and I do enjoy the Community Challenges - I try to particiapte in each of them, some more and some less but I try. When it was every week, I started feeling that all I was doing was trying to do the challenge and nothing else. Now, I get one week of working in my zoos, trying new ideas, or just taking a break and doing other things. Then a week of more focused play as I attempt to get, for me, an acceptable contribution.

For example: This week, I am focusing on keeping my Oragutans happy and breeding but it is also showing me that I need to take a better look at my current (1st franchise) zoo, and rotate some of the animals around. I am getting too many "died of old age" to not feel the need to do some "maintanance and viability" work next week.

 

[FearAndLoathing]

I check steamdb on a regular basis but spike-y is pretty normal behavior for a game.

Not saying your findings are incorrect (ofc) but with a lot of games there's a drop (people just lose interest) and followed by spike-behavior.
Except for games with almost no replayability or a bit too hyped - something like Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order

Sure, but you can judge the data yourself - theyre almost identical weekly spikes starting exactly when the policy was implemented (mid february) and not existing prior. You can see the larger play percentages underlying them going up and down based on expansions and sales, I'm assuming, but the spikes are existing on top of that.

 

[NL_Mutso]

Sure, but you can judge the data yourself - theyre almost identical weekly spikes starting exactly when the policy was implemented (mid february) and not existing prior. You can see the larger play percentages underlying them going up and down based on expansions and sales, I'm assuming, but the spikes are existing on top of that.

Yes, I know and I did. Tbh, I clicked Steamdb instead of Steamcharts. (must've been a long day at work)
And i'm repeating the same - it's similar to a lot of different games. The week high and low spikes are pretty common for most games.

But to prove my point with just 2 examples from Steamcharts : I highly doubt the change community challenges for PZ caused the same spike-y behaviour for PC and JWE.

And for something that has more data (and not relying on only the 1st of the month for november/december/january)
This is the one for PZ - besides the lower activity after introduction and the increase during Covid-19 (starting from March) - a very regular spike pattern:

 

[FearAndLoathing]

Yes, I know and I did. Tbh, I clicked Steamdb instead of Steamcharts. (must've been a long day at work)
And i'm repeating the same - it's similar to a lot of different games. The week high and low spikes are pretty common for most games.

But to prove my point with just 2 examples from Steamcharts : I highly doubt the change community challenges for PZ caused the same spike-y behaviour for PC and JWE.
View attachment 172330
View attachment 172332


And for something that has more data (and not relying on only the 1st of the month for november/december/january)
This is the one for PZ - besides the lower activity after introduction and the increase during Covid-19 (starting from March) - a very regular spike pattern:
View attachment 172331

Great points man, I retract the earlier points I was making hahaha

 

[NL_Mutso]

Great points man, I retract the earlier points I was making hahaha

Haha, no problem. Like I said, I picked steamdb and it took me another glance at your graph to see that you used another site.
I thought I was crazy because I saw very normal stats but it's a good lesson for me as well - don't rely on 1 site.
(Luckily Steamdb was more reliable but could easily be the other way around)

I'm glad we figured this one out. While I like the change, I hope they use (parts of) your suggestion for the personal challenge (my suggestion).

I'm thinking of a Pokemon Go setup.
Smaller tasks to complete 1/8 (themed),

• Task 1 - breed 20 asian animals, make an X amount of profit, have no-crime for 3 in-game months (small reward)
• Task 2 - breed 20 african animals, add 2 habitat species to your zoo, have 80% visitor happiness for 6 in-game months (small reward)

when you complete all 8/8 - you'll earn a big reward. (gold medal animal or decoration statue)

Or a 3 day challenge, there a multiple options.

 

[Horser01]

We had a lot of feedback from our community that having a challenge every week was too overwhelming for the more causal players - people who wanted to take part, but only had a limited amount of time to play every week. So, to help more of our community get involved and earn rewards, we decided we would reduce the challenges to run once every two weeks instead, meaning that the causal players had more time to play in other modes too. After the changes, the feedback was much more positive and we see more participants, so we think it's worked out for the better!

I'm a casual gamer, and this has actually had the opposite affect on me. Before I looked forward to coming home from work and working on the challenge. Now I think about playing PZ and think "What's the point"? It's boring to me now. When there are challenges, I log in half way through because I don't remember what day they start on. By the time the challenge is 3-4 days in it's completed and I don't get to participate anyway. So now (as far as I'm concerned), there might as well not be a challenge at all. Either the challenges need to be harder to complete (giving more of us a chance to earn those "more rewards"), or there needs to be some way to opt in or out of more challenges. I mean, if they don't want to play a challenge, why not just play a challenge setting game instead of franchise?

I understand you went with popular demand, and I'm happy for the people who like it. But I have to admit, I kind of feel like the rest of us got punished.

 

[ShadowLilly]

Now I think about playing PZ and think "What's the point"? It's boring to me now.

Planet zoo is/has so much more than just community challenges.

 

[paul78]

@LillidarAn couldn’t agree more. As a matter of fact I will play challenge to get the outfit but quickly bore of this and return to the creativity that sandbox mode has to offer. From a realism and zoo building point of view sandbox simply can’t be beat imo. I get some people like the challenge and to each their own. As far as the latest challenge went I actually struggled with this one and cut my losses lol. I understand the purpose of the post was not to compare sandbox to franchise or the challenges ect. But planet zoo truly does offer so much more then community challenges. I can’t speak for career as I’m yet to play this mode but the game is simply amazing.

 

[ShadowLilly]

@paul78 I agree.. I like the diversity.. you can be as creative as you want in sandbox, in franchise there is a little challenge to keep everything running and career (although the hard mode in both is still to easy in my opinnion ), and then you have community challenges, and the last one was a true challenge but fun

 

[Wistala]

I am all for including casuals and give them things they can do. But I am wondering if there will be anything for the a bit more hardcore players? At the moment it seems the game is based around casual players, and while I LOVE them being included, since I sometime go casual myself. It would be nice if the bit more hardcore players had something they could work towards. But yeah.

 

[Arrakai]

I am all for including casuals and give them things they can do. But I am wondering if there will be anything for the a bit more hardcore players? At the moment it seems the game is based around casual players, and while I LOVE them being included, since I sometime go casual myself. It would be nice if the bit more hardcore players had something they could work towards. But yeah.

The changes does not only benefit the so called "casual" players. Since I have around 1500 hours played atm, I wouldn't really call myself casual, and I really really like the changes to the comunity challenge. And there are still alot you can work towards even when a challenge isn't up, it all depends on what you like in the game. You can do all the careers, make cool zoo's in sandbox, or like me, try and breed perfect babys of all animals in the game (just a few examples). I guess a few players only play for the challenge, but I think most of the players actually like more aspects of the game and for us, the comunity challenges are only a part of what we do in the game.

 

[Wistala]

The changes does not only benefit the so called "casual" players. Since I have around 1500 hours played atm, I wouldn't really call myself casual, and I really really like the changes to the comunity challenge. And there are still alot you can work towards even when a challenge isn't up, it all depends on what you like in the game. You can do all the careers, make cool zoo's in sandbox, or like me, try and breed perfect babys of all animals in the game (just a few examples). I guess a few players only play for the challenge, but I think most of the players actually like more aspects of the game and for us, the comunity challenges are only a part of what we do in the game.

True and I do those as well, already gotten 100% babies, doing a "cool zoo" but in franchise on hard difficulty etc. I'm just an oddball who'll like more XD