What kind of outside expertise goes into the creation of a pack like this? And of course, we are all fascinated by the new Conservation Pack animals! ![]() Kilian: There are several favourites in the development team – Berni, our scenery lead enjoys flamingos (because they’re pink), Kai, one of our animators, loves all things seals as their body shape is so unique and expressive to animate. With such a diverse roster of animals now available for Planet Zoo, which have become some of the favourites among the development team? In the Conservation Pack, the Siamang was an interesting animal to work on, with a unique locomotion set, its inflating throat sack, and our new brachiation and animal chorus features. ![]() Some animals or behaviours are certainly trickier than others, which is always a great opportunity to push our systems and bring something exciting to the game. Throughout this entire process, we do reviews of model and animations to ensure they’re ready for launch. Towards the end of the process, when all animations and behaviours are ready, the sound designers apply and tailor their researched and prepared assets to the animal. Unique behaviours are scoped into a system that can be supported by the game, which is then coded by the code team. The model is then created by the character team, rigged by our riggers, and then the animation team works on getting all of its animations and interactions set up. We start by making a selection of animals from a wider pool that fits the theme, which are then researched with the help of external researchers and zoos. The process of designing an animal from conception to release goes through pretty much all departments of the team. Kilian: It’s really important to us that we’re representing each animal in a way that feels authentic to their real-world counterparts. What can you tell us about the process of digitizing animals for Planet Zoo? Out of the pool of eligible animals for the Conservation pack we explored, these five animals were the perfect fit for our criteria: these species are all either at the brink of extinction or considered extinct in the wild, and are managing a comeback thanks to the work of zoo breeding programmes. ![]() We always choose animals with their populations in zoos, conservation status, popularity and unique behaviours and animations in mind. Kilian: Conservation is an important element of Planet Zoo, and with this pack we wanted to further highlight the important work zoos do for species survival. How did the idea to focus on conservation come about? Planet Zoo’s previous expansions mostly focused on geographical regions in the world. We wondered how the developers approached these topics during the making of the new expansion too, so we had Kilian Schmitt (Game Designer) Marc Cox (Art Director) fill us in on their perspective – which we’re sharing with you below. These elements are at the forefront of a new scenario-driven campaign as well – one which puts you in charge of a wildlife orphanage where conservation and running a sustainable zoo is your key to success, as well as an insightful journey in and of itself. ![]() What we’ve enjoyed about playing with these animals isn’t just that their rarity makes them real crowd-pleasers, but also that you can use the included scenery elements to also add touches of sustainability to other parts of your (existing or new) zoo, sending a message through the use of eco-friendly materials and crops. A challenge that spans all corners of the globe, it’s a pack that brings together the Przewalski’s horse, the amur leopard, the scimitar-horned oryx, the siamang, and the axolotl. Join us as we explore the conversation pack and have a chat with two of the developers behind the game – game designer Kilian Schmitt art director Marc Cox.Īfter a series of expansion packs that focused on geographical areas of the world, the Conservation Pack focuses our attention on another role that zoos have in the animal kingdom: caring for species that are in very fragile state, sometimes even on the brink of disappearing forever. We’ve been enjoying Planet Zoo and sharing our thoughts on it ever since its initial release in 2019, so we’re thrilled to be able to share a very special early look at its latest expansion with you.
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