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Other Projects => Other Games => Play With Your Buddies => Topic started by: SQman on January 07, 2022, 11:08:22 am

Title: Zoo Tycoon 2 - Maple Bay Wildlife Park/Al-Khalij Zoological Gardens
Post by: SQman on January 07, 2022, 11:08:22 am

The game: Zoo Tycoon 2
The goal: build
The gimmick: tons of custom content
Let's rock!

Spoiler: Maple Bay Ep.1 - Welcome to Maple Bay (click to show/hide)

(https://i.imgur.com/L4zAcdy.png)

This is Maple Bay Wildlife Park, not actually located in Maple Bay, Vancouver Island, Canada. As it is now, there is nothing to it except for basic amenities for guests, but my anonymous benefactor had requested that I fill it with various animals from all around the world, from all across time. Of course money does not matter at this point.

The first animal for today is... Sicilian Dwarf Elephant (Palaeoloxodon falconeri). Curiously, in the game it is incorrectly referred to as Elephas falconeri

(https://i.imgur.com/wk2cTWZ.png)

This road leads to the exhibit. You see that brick wall? That is where we are going right now.

(https://i.imgur.com/9Rhc9VD.png)

This is the viewing area where the guests can sit down and watch the elephants do elephant things such as trumpeting, stomping around, and harassing poor dwarves. Come to think of it, do dwarf elephants still hate dwarves, or are they more peaceful?

(https://i.imgur.com/2MxTJax.png)

From the watching area we can see one pachyderm menace going to chill under a thatched shade structure. As the park owner I am not satisfied with watching them from the viewing area though.

(https://i.imgur.com/eDSpwE5.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/Y41jeL9.png)

Second only after dwarven blood, one of the elephant's favorite foodstuffs is lettuce, preferably ripped straight from inside of a disemboweled tree trunk. Crazy how nature make dat.

(https://i.imgur.com/zslLH58.png)

How about that? The enclosure is a bit small for elephants, but not for the tiny ones. They have plenty of space to prance around and even splash like it's no one's business.

Okay, now that the elephants are done, let's do another roll: and it's gemsbok (Oryx gazella). I'm feeling daring, so how about a mixed exhibit? It's... Hippidion (Hippidion devillei), a south american horse with a protrudung nasal bone. Let's get this started.

(https://i.imgur.com/z8WEdES.png)

Just behind the elephant enclosure is an exhibit with oryxes and horses. Hippidions prefer temperate grassland biome, but they do tolerate semi-desert just fine.

(https://i.imgur.com/WCyAcUA.png)

Stone troughs fit the aesthetics better than wooden ones imo.

From up close you can see the Hippidion's head with bulging nasal bridge, something unique to this genus as far as I know.

Gemsbok 1 IS contained; it's just the game being weird as it tends to be. Seriously, it can get really wonky sometimes.

(https://i.imgur.com/Jvcql2a.png)

Here's the evidence that the gemsboks are all here with their horse friend. Hippidions and gemsboks wouldn't meet in nature, but that doesn't mean they can't be good pals.

(https://i.imgur.com/tXMAVhq.png)

And that's what it looks like: sparse tree cover and plenty of grass makes the exhibit a comfortable living space for grazing animals.

(https://i.imgur.com/kbcLj4g.png)

We've got plenty of space, unlimited funds, unlimited possibilities. Next time: more building!

Currently I choose animals by closing my eyes and scrolling the croll wheel like a madman. If anyone has any animal requests, I'm more than willing to consider them.

Title: Re: Zoo Tycoon 2 - Maple Bay Wildlife Park
Post by: Enemy post on January 07, 2022, 02:19:27 pm

Hippidion are new, what modded animals are you using?

Title: Re: Zoo Tycoon 2 - Maple Bay Wildlife Park
Post by: EuchreJack on January 07, 2022, 04:31:46 pm

1) Dwarf Elephants hate Dwarves more than normal Elephants, for There Can Be Only One Dwarf Species!
2) I like how when animals are roaming around the guests, the game's chief concern is that the guests aren't viewing the animals.
I mean, do the animals become invisible when they're gnawing on the legs of the guest?
Also, zero concerns about guest safety.  It isn't "Oh no our Guest is going to die" but rather "Oh no our Guest will die without meeting our viewing quota!"

Title: Re: Zoo Tycoon 2 - Maple Bay Wildlife Park
Post by: King Zultan on January 08, 2022, 05:46:17 am

This game seems to be lacking zebras!

And when comes having a pen filled with dwarves?

Title: Re: Zoo Tycoon 2 - Maple Bay Wildlife Park
Post by: EuchreJack on January 08, 2022, 05:54:37 pm

Quote from: King Zultan on January 08, 2022, 05:46:17 am

This game seems to be lacking zebras!

And when comes having a pen filled with dwarves?

They have a pen filled with dwarves already.  They have long noses and big floppy ears.

+1 more zebras

Title: Re: Zoo Tycoon 2 - Maple Bay Wildlife Park
Post by: SQman on January 19, 2022, 08:27:38 am

Sorry for being quiet for so long, but first the game crashed due to faulty download,then Imgur pissed me off when it refused to cooperate, then I got the ligma variant of the big 'rona and I was unable to do anything productive for a few days, then I got addicted to Binding of Isaac big time.

Quote from: Enemy post on January 07, 2022, 02:19:27 pm

Hippidion are new, what modded animals are you using?

I'm using more custom content than I could hope to remember. I've been downloading everything that looks good, hoping nothing would break too hard.

Spoiler: Maple Bay Ep.2 - Turkeys and Stripes (click to show/hide)

(https://i.imgur.com/KCbp4Yg.png)

A new entryway has opened in Maple Bay! Could it be an interdimensional gate? No, it's just a rather stylish arch leading to yet another wing of the zoo. One of the new animals can already be seen, the big lumpy thing.

(https://i.imgur.com/Fs9vbZY.png)

Is that wat I think it is? Of course it is, I was the one who built the exhibit. Anyway, the striped horses out there are definitely zebras of the plains variety (Equus quagga), while the giant hairy thing from earlier is a Megatherium (Megatherium americanum), a giant ground sloth from South America. Those two animals, obviously, wouldn't have met in nature due to the Atlantic Ocean being in the way.

Vanilla Megatherium is bipedal for some reason, which is really weird considering that it was quadrupedal in the first game. A remake corrected the oddity. Also, the sloth probably should be hairless, but it's still up to debate, I believe.

(https://i.imgur.com/4aONu9a.png)

I can't say I'm a big fan of Radical Remake's savanna dirt, so the exhibit is mostly grass. With some shrubs and the likes it came out looking pretty good.

(https://i.imgur.com/wfzEGwz.png)

Sloths seem to like banaenaes despite having never been able to encounter them in the wild back in pleistocene, ice block aside.

(https://i.imgur.com/plijUf8.png)

Zebras were also subjected to Radical Remake which made them more realistic-looking. No, my shitty laptop can't run Planet Zoo; I have to make do.

(https://i.imgur.com/ldaE0eW.png)

Frens

(https://i.imgur.com/umhQhbu.png)

Here's the bird's eye view. I consider myself a decent designer when it comes to animal enclosures. The foliage no-grid hack helps a lot with making larger patches of plants or planting stuff near rocks.

Anyway, let's roll for a new animal. It's the eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris). I don't know much about turkey other than that they taste good.

(https://i.imgur.com/Xurk1yE.png)

My uncle used to raise turkeys. They were kinda fun - if you gobbled convincingly enough the entire flock would gobble back at you. Ahem, back to the game. Turkeys are small animals with small needs, just a bowl of water, a perch, and a handful of berries. Do turkeys eat berries? Maybe they prefer worms or something? For all I know they could eat exclusively mashed potatoes and gravy.

(https://i.imgur.com/PTDTumM.png)

What I know is that turkey are the favored species of domestic poultry for egg industry. Giant chameleons are better, but getting your hands on them is tricky.

(https://i.imgur.com/ls5DBH9.png)

The proper way of observing a wild turkey is hiding in bushes while clutching a shotgun in your hands. Bringing hunting gear to a zoo is generally frowned upon, so the bushes thing will have to be enough.

(https://i.imgur.com/HyJbvYC.png)

Thanksgiving came early, but I'm gonna pardon those turkeys. I love them alive as much as I like them on my plate.

(https://i.imgur.com/Fd5ddTf.png)

This enclosure is small and sweet. I don't see why guests should be kept away from the fence, so I haven't even made any buffer zone.

What would you guys say if I made another one? Let's roll. Oh, it's ocellated turkey! Just kidding, it's actually Hermann's tortoise (Testudo hermanni), a popular pet in home terrariums. They are also endangered, and most probably come from illegal sources, like most reptiles.

(https://i.imgur.com/fSgObyH.png)

If you squint you can probably see a few tortoises in there. They are sorta cute? I guess?

(https://i.imgur.com/DqsphGK.png)

Yeah, they are kinda neat. To be honest I have little experience with tortoises and limited knowledge about them. I know they are slower than average animal, eat dandelions, and sleep under lamps.
I used to want one of these, but I thought a red-eared slider would be more fun. I was wrong, because I got myself a smelly, bitey bastard that outgrew its tank in a matter of year.

(https://i.imgur.com/JaxPwZk.png)

As you've probably already noticed, I have very little to say about those little guys. I know that turtles and tortoises are deceptively strong, that's why solid concrete had to be used. Actually I just wanted to use seal fences, and they fit nicely with concrete fences. Well, a bit of roleplay never hurts, unles it's BDSM roleplay, but that's not it this time.

Title: Re: Zoo Tycoon 2 - Maple Bay Wildlife Park
Post by: EuchreJack on January 19, 2022, 01:24:36 pm

Turtles are vital to everyone. They keep your crime levels down.

Title: Re: Zoo Tycoon 2 - Maple Bay Wildlife Park
Post by: King Zultan on January 20, 2022, 03:13:37 am

Turtles occur naturally where I live and if I'm lucky I can grab me one, not sure why I would but I could if I wanted to!

Also you know what this zoo needs is a bigfoot.

Title: Re: Zoo Tycoon 2 - Maple Bay Wildlife Park
Post by: SQman on January 20, 2022, 07:25:13 am

Quote from: EuchreJack on January 19, 2022, 01:24:36 pm

Turtles are vital to everyone. They keep your crime levels down.

The Foot Clan will stay away from Maple Bay at least. Oh wait, those are tortoises not turtles. We are screwed.

Quote from: King Zultan on January 20, 2022, 03:13:37 am

Turtles occur naturally where I live and if I'm lucky I can grab me one, not sure why I would but I could if I wanted to!

Around here we have pond turtles, and invasive painted turtles and red-eared sliders. Turns out American turtles do better in Europe than the European ones. At least local snakes are dooing well.

Spoiler: Maple Bay Ep.3 - Sasquatch is real and he tried to... (click to show/hide)

(https://i.imgur.com/Mp5Hy6f.png)

What is that building? Could it be a viewing area for a new exhibit? It seems so,considering this is a zoo and all that. Hey, what is that ape thing out there? It's something requested by one of our benefactors.

(https://i.imgur.com/LGfG39x.png)

Those animals are sasquatches (Dinanthropoides magnipus), also known as bigfeet. They are the most famous cryptids next to the Loch Ness monster and chupacabra. Those omnivorous apes are notorious for always appearing blurry on photographs, but we have developed a new technique called print screen.
Congrats to gemsbok 2 btw.

(https://i.imgur.com/Do0Ctcc.png)

Sasquatches are bipedal, however they do get on all four to eat and drink. They seem to be able to dislocate their shoulders to do so.

(https://i.imgur.com/fg6Ik7P.png)

Blueberries are the staple of a bigfoot's diet, the rest being worms. Actually, that's just what we feed them in Maple Bay. Is it good for them? Nobody knows for sure.

(https://i.imgur.com/HhF6IEk.png)

The guests are euphoric seeing that we're displaying something other than farm animals and common household pets. Not that there is something wrong with turkeys, but they have nothing on literal cryptids that shouldn't even exist.

(https://i.imgur.com/SbN6lgI.png)

The fog machines are essential to create a mysterious atmosphere. Frankly, they are rather underwhelming. They do their job though!

(https://i.imgur.com/hBOvnri.png)

Looks okay to me, great even!

So, what's next on the menu? Let's see, how about...

(https://i.imgur.com/Or7peAo.png)

Something big and thick skinned? Something with horns that will NOT make your PP hard no mather how much you snort? Yes, it's a rhinoceros, one of the indian kind (Rhinoceros unicornis), this one from Dürer's famous woodcut.

(https://i.imgur.com/qRsIjCz.png)

The general setup is not much different than the dwarf elephant enclosure, and that's not an accident - it's right nearby; those two exhibits are connected, actually.

(https://i.imgur.com/sw1QbVZ.png)

Here he is, taking a leak in the tall grass while I'm giving him a bath. Stuff like that happens every time with rhinos, trust me. It's not like I would invade his privacy while he's the most vulnerable.

(https://i.imgur.com/eQwYZHg.png)

The African species of rhino always seemed more interesting to me for some reason. Maybe it has to do with the number of horns? That's gotta be it.

(https://i.imgur.com/2sHtaCW.png)

Not much to say here, it's a small enclosure housing a single rhino, built to look good near the elephant place.

(https://i.imgur.com/kbzU8xJ.png)

This is the current map. We still have a long way to go to fill it with all kinds of animals, plants and minerals. For now it's good enough though.

Title: Re: Zoo Tycoon 2 - Maple Bay Wildlife Park
Post by: King Zultan on January 21, 2022, 04:22:47 am

How many modded animals have you added to the game?

Title: Re: Zoo Tycoon 2 - Maple Bay Wildlife Park
Post by: EuchreJack on January 21, 2022, 12:43:57 pm

Quote from: King Zultan on January 21, 2022, 04:22:47 am

How many modded animals have you added to the game?

Apparently all of them

Title: Re: Zoo Tycoon 2 - Maple Bay Wildlife Park
Post by: King Zultan on January 22, 2022, 03:09:52 am

Quote from: EuchreJack on January 21, 2022, 12:43:57 pm

Quote from: King Zultan on January 21, 2022, 04:22:47 am

How many modded animals have you added to the game?

Apparently all of them

That's the best way to play a game, just keep adding stuff until it crashes.

Title: Re: Zoo Tycoon 2 - Maple Bay Wildlife Park
Post by: SQman on January 25, 2022, 02:52:04 pm

That's how I play most easily moddable games: Rimworld, Binding of Isaac, Dwarf Fortress, Stellaris, Minecraft, you name it. Zoo Tycoon 2 breaks with enough downloads, and funnily enough, I actually had to delete some stuff because I broke it. Maple Bay might have become corrupted a bit, and fixing it all would be more work than starting over, so...

Welcome to Al-Khalij Zoological Gardens!

Spoiler: Al-Khalij Ep. 1 - Al-Khalij (click to show/hide)

(https://i.imgur.com/lCtTPZp.png)

Al-Khalij Zoological Gardens are located in the Sahara desert, an inhospitable land of sandy dunes. Despite that, I have decided to turn it into a major tourist destination in Algeria.
So far we have a guest area where people can enjoy a shish kebab and some ice cream. I made sure to order some of those sonic ice cream with misaligned gumball eyes. There's also a reptile house with a chameleon of some sort, a cobra, and a turtle that's probably a red-eared slider, judging by its markings.

(https://i.imgur.com/1wLPBiH.png)

You hear a low boom.
You hear a metallic ching.
No, it's not a bronze colossus heading our way, it's the first animal I've rolled to display in the zoo - a kakapo (Strigops habroptilus)! Actually two kakapos since we're participating in a breeding programme for those critically endangered parrots. I had to warn the zookeepers that kakapos like to mate with people's heads. They are flightless, so they do not require an aviary.

(https://i.imgur.com/YgzWF9N.png)

Keeper Hodges is currently engaging in filling a water dish while being observed by one of the kakapos. Hodges' head is in danger, yet he is commited to his duty, stoic and unwavering. Meanwhile the other kakapo is digging for worms in the provided pile of dirt as they usually do when they're hungry, which means most of the time. You know, birds have really fast metabolism. Kakapos are an exception, but they don't know that.

(https://i.imgur.com/p2v2wm6.png)

Most parrots have vibrant colloration so that people want to have them as pets and teach them swearing. The kakapo knows its species doesn't have a bright future, so it prefers to be dull green and hide in the vegetation where it can breed with its own kind instead of being tempted by sexy human heads.

(https://i.imgur.com/tJjrKgD.png)

The parrots like to chase each other around, however one of them doesn't know it should run away, not towards its partner. Parrots, due to their intelligence and longevity, are one of the contenders to replace humans in far future. The kakapo, while it can live up to 120 years, isn't particularly smart for a bird, let alone for a parrot.

(https://i.imgur.com/ihC9qd1.png)

Another animal I've rolled is the Scelidotherium (Scelidotherium leptocephalum), a large ground sloth from Pleistocene. It is a mylodont rather than a megathere, with closer relation to two-toed sloths than to the famous Megatherium or the three-toed sloth.

The exhibit is not exactly of traditional design. There is a roofed segment where the ice age sloths can hide from the scorching sun of Sahara. Let's see the enclosure from another angle:

(https://i.imgur.com/gbt9wjw.png)

Both the hideout and the animals are visible. Scelidotheres apparently enjoy playing around in water. I feed them a healthy combination of tree branches and bugs. The Scelidotherium had an elongated muzzle, perhaps good for sticking it to places where bugs gather.

(https://i.imgur.com/st1wERu.png)

Termites like to hang out in hollowed out logs, a perfect place for a long, sticky tongue of a ground sloth. Ground sloths used to be regarded as obligate herbivores that feed on leavesand such, but lately it's been widely accepted that they were in fact omnivorous. Admittedly, sloths don't make for great predators; scavenging, however, does not require chasing down prey, and insects aren't too fast, especially entire colonies.

(https://i.imgur.com/Jlxzmea.png)

Caves provided shelter for our ancestors, and so do they provide it for Scelidotheres. Unlike parrots, ground sloths are unlikely to take humanity's place as the dominant species though, but that's only because they are already extinct. Oh well.

(https://i.imgur.com/OLSEj1U.png)

The next enclosure is not for a little babby herbivore or even a large babby herbivore. What we've got here is a true blue predator that used to rip camels and horses to pieces in Miocene Florida.

(https://i.imgur.com/x0HqJE5.png)

It's the Barbourofelis (Barbourofelis fricki) a false saber-toothed cat, not at all closely related to true saber-toothed cats, in fact not even a real cat. They had tiny brains but gigantic teeth. I mean, what else do you really need? Florida is full of old people, easy to hunt if not exactly nutritious.

(https://i.imgur.com/TYHnKHE.png)

Hungry girl. It's the first time we're displaying a real carnivore; I'm surprised I haven't rolled a lame one like a small snake of some kind. You can argue that the kakapo is a carnivore, but worms don't count as meat in my book, regardless of what hippie journos try to tell me.

(https://i.imgur.com/c2ZA0is.png)

It's nice to see guests enjoying themselves, but they seem to like the sloths too much. Go watch Barbourofelises, you low-poly nerds!

(https://i.imgur.com/QzIgasp.png)

Ah shit, she pierced her own head with her claws! No wonder the guests don't wanna see that!

(https://i.imgur.com/0LG4C65.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/Ky3VxHV.png)

Al-Khalij Zoo isn't much right now, and because the map is only medium-sized it will never be a lot, but it can be glorious. Let's make it so! But not today.

Umm... in the end it turned out that Maple Bay is not actually corrupted and I can play it normally. I could alternate between these two parks, and in fact I will.
Stay fresh.

Title: Re: Zoo Tycoon 2 - Maple Bay Wildlife Park/Al-Khalij Zoological Gardens
Post by: King Zultan on January 26, 2022, 03:37:35 am

I like the addition of the head humping parrots, and I was just thinking about the zoo's lack of head humping parrots and here they are!

Title: Re: Zoo Tycoon 2 - Maple Bay Wildlife Park/Al-Khalij Zoological Gardens
Post by: SQman on January 27, 2022, 03:58:49 pm

DOUBLE WHAMMY TODAY!

Spoiler: Al-Khalij Ep.2 - Beach Episode (click to show/hide)

(https://i.imgur.com/jsG277M.png)

What? A new zoo section just dropped? Looks tropical, I wonder what it can be? I mean, it should be pretty apparent anyway...

(https://i.imgur.com/6Z3ItwZ.png)

Yes, it's greater famingos (Phoenicopterus roseus), pink birds from coasts of Africa and Asia! Two of our flamingos are not exactly what I would call pink, but that's just because they're nervous to make their first public appearance.

(https://i.imgur.com/vwMXF6J.png)

The flamingos have a nice, big water hole where they can attend to their flamingo business which consists of wading, swimming and eating shrimps. They don't do much, do they? They won't even climb provided rocks because they aren't that kind of bird.

(https://i.imgur.com/Alk6oW3.png)

Here we have keeper Nash channeling his inner flamingo so he can get to know his new caretakees. I know it's probably not a real word, but English is flexible enough for it to be a real word.

(https://i.imgur.com/5BUMYrA.png)

And here we have it, the flamingo area with a tropical theme. Island Excursions is one of older content packs, yet many things other than animals still hold up.

(https://i.imgur.com/9AOaqts.png)

This time we've got something special, something hand-picked, something that requires an aviary (not in game, but that would actually make sense).

(https://i.imgur.com/iQnzrP9.png)

Pteranodon (Pteranodon longiceps) is the most famous of all pterosaurs. While not as large as Quetzalcoatlus or Hatzegopteryx, it is still a huge animal, enormous for a glorified seagull. Because that's what it essentially is.

(https://i.imgur.com/HLvdrWS.png)

Look at the size of that turd! Keeper Scardelis couldn't believe either, and that's why he sprinted here like a madman. Of course he'll be the one raking it all up.

(https://i.imgur.com/T03jzdm.png)

Zoo Tycoon 2 was never supposed to have flying animals. Sure, flamingos, secretary birds and Protarcheopteryx (for some reason) have flying animations, but they fly close to the ground never changing altitude. The Pteranodon is no different, unfortunately. Making new animations is a relatively new thing in the modding community.

(https://i.imgur.com/1Uvd4gb.png)

Still, we can pretend our magnificent pterosaurs can soar through the sky like their life depends on it, as it would be the case in the wild.

(https://i.imgur.com/2mnfQig.png)

And that concludes our short excursion to Al-Khalij for today. The coastal area stands out in the sandy dunes of Sahara, bringing in a gust of fresh air to the zoo. Notably, we've acquired our first Mesozoic animal and built the first aviary.

Is it the end for today...?

Spoiler: Maple Bay ep.4 - Come to Brazil (click to show/hide)

(https://i.imgur.com/q5lnyCJ.png)

Meanwhile in Maple Bay Wildlife Park, the sasquatch observation area has received a light makeover. It is no longer an ugly rock bunker with mismatched roof, but instead an elegant, modern building.

(https://i.imgur.com/VLZarEZ.png)

This lady with her face color not matching the rest of her body is already digging it. See those windows up there? Truly sublime.

Enough of the old stuff, now it's the time to focus on the future, and the future isn't looking too bright - we're going to Brazil.

(https://i.imgur.com/U2X5fsp.png)

What kind of savage beast would require a tall brick and glass wall like this? Jaguars? Anacondas? Manatees? No, it's...

(https://i.imgur.com/OXlUsTp.png)

...Brazilian porcupines (Coendou prehensilis). Those South American rodents are closely related to the North American porcupines as one would expect, rather than to the REAL old world porcupines. They have prehensive tails, spines on their backs, cute pink noses, everythig one may need to survive in unforgiving Amazon rainforest.

(https://i.imgur.com/NqeDiWB.png)

The porcupines feed on leaves, twigs and fruit, all of which are abundant in the forest. They seem to have it all figured out, those porcupines - no trouble with food, spikes to repel predators, cute pink noses.

(https://i.imgur.com/v69mMWA.png)

Is this a new animation? This particular animal was created by one of the best modders so no wonder. As I've said before, creating new animations was an unreachable dream. I even remember when Extinct Animals animations were impossible to access. We've come a long way as a species. Unlike porcupines that are quite an old lineage.

(https://i.imgur.com/GXeoZUc.png)

Sheesh, there's enough branches for both of you; there's no need to assume fetal position on the ground. Rodents, with the exception of rats, are not known to be smart.

(https://i.imgur.com/2bwGHKF.png)

It was a very simple build, almost brutalistic, but it does have some charm. Not all enclosures need to be gigantic aviaries.

(https://i.imgur.com/QZJJnhC.png)

Compared to this one, the last exhibit was extremely complex. Why? We're moving from the tropical rainforest to desert. I'm bringing a part of Al-Khalij to Maple Bay.

(https://i.imgur.com/9NoAexa.png)

The new addition to the collection is a pair of striped hyenas (Hyaena hyaena). One of four species of hyenas, and the one best adapted to arid deserts of Northern Africa and middle east. They are probably the nicest of the bunch other than the aardwolf that can't really afford being nasty because of its size. In fact, striped hyenas can be tamed and trained, easier than the more social spotted hyena; they may even make better pets than hamsters, though this could also be said about seagulls and bedbugs.

(https://i.imgur.com/MIoVwNb.png)

Hyenas are scavengers, which really shouldn't be new to anybody. In their arid habitat they have no choice but to eat what they can get - rotting meat, tendons, bone marrow, even bones themselves if vultures get to the carcass first. Fortunately we in Maple Bay can provide them with fresh meat from sources that shall remain unnamed. Back in college they taught me to avoid confrontation with hippies, so my official statement is that it's human flesh.

(https://i.imgur.com/8juL40V.png)

The pair is resting comfortably in their cave as they should be. They are nocturnal animals after all. The game does not care about that though.

(https://i.imgur.com/oorYDTV.png)

This enclosure doesn't really bring anything new to the table, but it's desert, so come on! Hyenas, however, are the first carnivores in Maple Bay. Al-Khalij got its large predators on day one! Eh, it's no point complaining if everything is up to chance. Interesting that we haven't had aquatic animals yet though.

(https://i.imgur.com/VCeFgx6.png)

This is the map as it is now. The northern part has expanded a bit, the one building in the zoo has received an update, and one of the turkeys is pregnant. We've achieved so much.

Title: Re: Zoo Tycoon 2 - Maple Bay Wildlife Park/Al-Khalij Zoological Gardens
Post by: King Zultan on January 28, 2022, 05:12:53 am

Oh damn two updates at once, we must have all been really good this year.

Title: Re: Zoo Tycoon 2 - Maple Bay Wildlife Park/Al-Khalij Zoological Gardens
Post by: SQman on January 31, 2022, 06:53:08 pm

Good? This is supposed to be a punishment.

Anyway:

Spoiler: Al-Khalij Ep.3 - With no survivors! (click to show/hide)

(https://i.imgur.com/ZagFLcH.png)

Was there always a path behind the guest center? No, definitely not. But where does it lead?

(https://i.imgur.com/OHG425w.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/nZXvTld.png)

Okay, that viewing area looks a little ghetto, I agree. Maybe it will look better with more stuff around, or maybe it will be remade in the future. I dunno —\_(ツ)_/—. But what about this enclosure?

(https://i.imgur.com/AbqzVRC.png)

It's the second vanilla animal in Al-Khalij, the Doedicurus (Doedicurus clavicaudatus). It's a glyptodont with a hard shell, as armadillos tend to have, and a spiked tail club for beating each other relentlessly.

(https://i.imgur.com/ZjIoVJG.png)

I love those planter feeders. They come in three varieties - grass, ferns, horsetails. The Doedicurus looks extremely happy with them too.

(https://i.imgur.com/gwC7S39.png)

Just like the Earth it stomps on, the Doedicurus is completely hollow. Not really, but it makes you think: did people back then use shells of glyptodonts as makeshift houses? I would if I was a South American caveman.

(https://i.imgur.com/siw0TSv.png)

Look at this bugger running. It's like two tons in weight, yet it's prancing around like a graceful gazelle. Being imprisoned in a small enclosure in the middle of desert doesn't sound like something I would be so cheerful about. Let's not get too deep into this issue.

(https://i.imgur.com/SUxp9Yr.png)

I dunno, I wanted to use those brick and wood fences in some way. The rocks are there because Doedicuruses are good at harvesting stone. Or was it flint? Nevermind.

(https://i.imgur.com/uuryAUp.png)

But what is that which sprouted just behind us as we were appreciating the previous exhibit. It's a hole in the ground, but what's inside?

(https://i.imgur.com/gbFpKhF.png)

Creeping slowly through the undergrowth is the sworn enemy of all dwarves, the Japanese badger (Meles anakuma). The main difference between these and their mainland cousin is that they are more brown.

(https://i.imgur.com/gazfQPA.png)

Badgers are mustelids, and as such they are borderline agoraphobic. They feel the best when they are underground or wedged where they don't belong, like under the giant fallen tree over here. They ambush their prey from their hideout, entering a state of rage when a humanoid being gets close. Fortunately my badger costume is convincing enough for me to safely get into the enclosure. It's NOT a fursuit.

(https://i.imgur.com/aB4JtJ5.png)

Plants, given appropriate conditions, are excessively hard to kill. This tree survived being torn apart by badgers, and now has to serve as a shelter during the day when badgers normally sleep. That's despite the blazing heat of Sahara pouring from above, and soil that's likely way too sandy. For a moment there I wanted to praise Wildlife Park games for taking into account temperature and soil type,but then I remember those games are kinda crap.

(https://i.imgur.com/daZ19FI.png)

Those people are way too excited to see badgers. Some of them are even clapping, for God's sake? Those must be American tourists, the kind that claps at the movie theater.

(https://i.imgur.com/XsgWQHN.png)

I've wanted to do a submerged enclosure for a while now, but I haven't rolled a suitable animal until now. They used to have an enclosure like that (but worse) for badgers in the local zoo, which served as a sort of inspiration for this one.

(https://i.imgur.com/4aMbhFK.png)

There's now an area for kids to play and let their parents rest for a while, watch badgers, eat a hotdog... I could go for a hotdog actually; the entire time I was quarantined I had cravings like that, yet now that I can go out freely I suddenly deny myself delicious fast food.
Enough about me; let's talk about the part of the mysterious new enclosure that's visible in the left part of the screenshot.

(https://i.imgur.com/wkiywwr.png)

Haven't we had those dudes in Maple Bay? These guys seem a bit smaller than those though. That's because they are not striped hyenas at all, but aardwolves (Proteles cristata), the smallest species of hyena, entirely insectivorous. Even when presented with a carcass, an aardwolf will just lick off maggots and beetles before moving on to search for termites.

Before we take a closer look at the aardwolves, there's an important matter to attend:

(https://i.imgur.com/cezRBhT.png)

Our kakapos became parents! This exotic looking nest is actually three nests clipping through each other. In reality kakapos lay eggs into holes in the ground, and don't build mounds like those; this is way too much work for a kakapo. These look like tiny flamingo nests, though I'm not an ornithologist.

(https://i.imgur.com/u9N4uzA.png)

Back to the current matters. The aardwolves seem to have a custom animation where they sleep on top of each other like this. It's kinda cute actually. Those critters live in pairs, sleeping in their burrows during the day, eating termites at night. They have pretty hard lives, but at least they have each other.

(https://i.imgur.com/9s8QeLJ.png)

The Pteranodons start to piss me off. Probably because of the rocks they get bugged and either complain about the lack of space or they can't find their way to the land. I'll try to solve it peacefully for now, then we'll see what happens.

(https://i.imgur.com/XoLAGJb.png)

This, however, is not a problem at all. Kakapo breeding program is going great, so far having resulted in three chicks. Parrots usually hatch unfeathered and generally unable to fend for themselves, but these three hatched with adult plumage and ready to hump human heads.

(https://i.imgur.com/K0WpOzo.png)

Back to the aardwolves. I'm not exactly proud of this enclosure, but at least I've learned something about an obscure animal. Truth be told, I just didn't have much in terms of inspiration with this one.

(https://i.imgur.com/1Awlmyd.png)

That small clump of hair out there? That's a baby Scelidotherium. Newborn sloths are about that size, but I'm talking about the three-toed sloth, not a giant ground sloth. Oh well.

(https://i.imgur.com/fo5TBUO.png)

Wait, another one? Better believe it, 'cause I'm on fire baby! But... it's another weird one, isn't it?

(https://i.imgur.com/GrN3Erk.png)

Yes, it is a weird one, from the same pack as the aardwolf, in fact. This is the binturong (Arctictis binturong), a bizarre palm civet that looks like grandma. It is a slow omnivore that mostly eats bugs and figs.

(https://i.imgur.com/46EbOur.png)

A wretched existence, that of a binturong - while its cousins are agile predators or can shit expensive coffee, the binturong's most notable trait is that it smells like popcorn. Would you like to be known for only for your smell, and even that being a stretch?

(https://i.imgur.com/8EN9pYu.png)

They do be drinking. But wait, something is going on on the other side of the park!

...

And the game crashed. Damn. Forget about binturongs then.

Title: Re: Zoo Tycoon 2 - Maple Bay Wildlife Park/Al-Khalij Zoological Gardens
Post by: SQman on February 05, 2022, 01:49:40 pm

Spoiler: Maple Bay Ep.5 - Oops, I Did It Again and Again and Again (click to show/hide)

While making this update my shitty fucking laptop turned off for no reason whatsoever. I hate this piece of junk so much you wouldn't believe.

Whatever, we're in Maple Bay again, looking at new addition to the zoo. And believe me, there's some to be seen.

(https://i.imgur.com/BQEyWGk.png)

What is this? I can't see any animals despite standing two meters away from the enclosure. This is a really bad sign, let me tell you.

(https://i.imgur.com/xUEB1k2.png)

Are those goddamn hamsters? Or voles or whatever crappy rodents these could be? Those are not hamsters or voles, but northern bog lemmings (Synaptomys borealis). They would be at the bottom of the food chain if it wasn't for their appetite for slugs. Honestly, if I had no integrity I would have rerolled.

(https://i.imgur.com/9a6dr3L.png)

I gotta be honest, lemmings are far less interesting than bog vegetation. The pitcher plant of a larger variety could capture a whole ass lemming no problem. Mine managed to catch a small beetle once when I put it outside. I was so proud of my green babby.

(https://i.imgur.com/fEvvt2d.png)

Sundews are somewhat more effective at bug control, but they can only catch smaller prey; bigger bugs may be too strong to stick to the leaves. Round-leaved sundew like these ones are common throughout the wetlands of the northern hemisphere, but other species can be found in the south. I have a total of three different African species on my windowsill: Alice sundew, Cape sundew and Madagascar sundew. They seem to be more fragile than pitcher plants, but still more sturdy than the venus flytrap.

(https://i.imgur.com/xGcS9b7.png)

Enough about plants. Let's welcome our new ungulate friend - a babby gemsbok.

(https://i.imgur.com/vXIyqTa.png)

I really don't have much to say about those vermins. They were a part of the bog pack; I wouldn't have downloaded them if they were standalone. Seriously, I could have got something really worth it instead of  hamsters but inferior.

(https://i.imgur.com/RH1Kw55.png)

The place doesn't look like much, but once I build some more stuff it will be much better, trust me guys. Actually, I can prove it, can't I?

(https://i.imgur.com/i8QbPp3.png)

An actual building of a sort, and a jungle exhibit too. I'm sure it will be exciting! Frankly, everything seems exciting after a mud pit full of lemmings.

(https://i.imgur.com/ZwHt3Mq.png)

It's the Owston's palm civet (Chrotogale owstoni), a small critter related to the binturong. They are terrestrial vermivores, interestingly more graceful than the arboreal binturong. Evolution makes some strange choices sometimes. Could they swap lifestyles maybe?

(https://i.imgur.com/MSMLFZH.png)

Despite spending most time on the ground, those civets can and will climb trees to escape danger or to search for insects. They can also have nests in trees, but they are also happy with crevices in rocks, and abandoned burrows.

(https://i.imgur.com/Cc4TkUf.png)

I'll be completely honest - there were koalas in there before civets, but the game crashed a while after I finished with them. The civet exhibit is pretty much the same except for the glass thingies on the top. Overall, I like the building much better than its content, but I don't really enjoy making places for small animals. Ironic, since about a half of Maple Bay's animals are of the small variety.

(https://i.imgur.com/wwiEJaf.png)

Gobble gobble, poult alert! While Al-Khalij breeds critically endangered parrots and extinct ground sloths, Maple Bay breeds common antelopes, literal turkeys, and in a while there will be babby tortoises that are common household pets.

Anyway, the next enclosure is going to be something else entirely.

(https://i.imgur.com/JCvwr8a.png)

Tree ferns, giant Lepidodendrons, this gotta be something ancient doesn't it? Saber-toothed cats? Even more ancient. T.rex? No, further back. Dimetrodon? Not so far.

(https://i.imgur.com/KAqPPHO.png)

This is in fact a Dilophosaurus (Dilophosaurus wetherilli), a crested dinosaur from early Jurassic. Back in its time it was a real monster even without the frill andspitting venom. While it lacked a powerful bite of the T.rex, it could rip and tear small prosauropods with its toothy jaws just fine. Here they are covered in hair-like protofeathers which it could have well had, who knows?

(https://i.imgur.com/47X4i17.png)

I have a mod that changes those silly giant dono nuggies into actual dinosaur meat. I'm not saying that dilos wouldn't enjoy dino nugs, but come on, we're running a realistic zoo here; just don't think too hard about dinosaurs and sasquatches being here.

(https://i.imgur.com/ObAXpTP.png)

I'm happy with how the pond turned out. Water lillies didn't exist in Jurassic and neither did pitcher plants, and lepidodendrons had already turned into coal deposits by the beginning of Mesozoic, but this is not important right now; those dilos were grown in a vat in some laboratory, they don't know anything about palaeobotany.

And the game shat itself again. Forget about Dilophosauruses then, we'll replace them with, like, iguanas or some shit next time.

Jesus Christ, I'm gonna go ape.

Title: Re: Zoo Tycoon 2 - Maple Bay Wildlife Park/Al-Khalij Zoological Gardens
Post by: King Zultan on February 06, 2022, 04:02:46 am

Well dang that doesn't bode well for the future of the zoo.

Title: Re: Zoo Tycoon 2 - Maple Bay Wildlife Park/Al-Khalij Zoological Gardens
Post by: Enemy post on February 11, 2022, 10:58:54 am

Where did you find the sasquatches?

Title: Re: Zoo Tycoon 2 - Maple Bay Wildlife Park/Al-Khalij Zoological Gardens
Post by: SQman on February 12, 2022, 07:33:45 am

I more or less know what the source of those crashes were: the binturong crash was caused by the birth of baby Barbourofelis, the koala crash was not a crash but my laptop turning off like it does sometimes, and the Dilophosaurus crash was caused by the tall grass that I like using so much being placed densely and generously.

Quote from: Enemy post on February 11, 2022, 10:58:54 am

Where did you find the sasquatches?

Here (https://thezt2roundtable.com/sasquatch-yeti-t26330.html). Apparently they use vanilla Megatherium animations.

Spoiler: Al-Khalij Ep.4 - Renovations (click to show/hide)

(https://i.imgur.com/5aH3Lp0.png)

Keeping in mind how bad stuff happens over and over again, I've decided to make steps towards preventing further catastrophes, first step being releasing a pair of Barbourofelises on an unsuspecting South American ecosystem.

(https://i.imgur.com/bCeWE4X.png)

A smaller forest exhibit in the place of the Barbourofelises, huh? With how my rolling goes lately maybe it would be good to lower your expectation for this one.

(https://i.imgur.com/cwkzf4w.png)

Sike, it's dinosaurs! Kulindadromeus (Kulindadromeus zabaikalicus) is a fuzzy ornitischian dinosaur from Jurassic Russia. Its closest relatives were ornithopods such as the Hypsilophodon. It was discovered an entire decade after Zoo Tycoon 2 was released, and yet here we go.

(https://i.imgur.com/gA66CLd.png)

The protofeathers on those little buggers among some others might imply that simillar structures appeared as early as in the last common ancestors of dinosaurs and pterosaurs, and believe me that's early.

(https://i.imgur.com/rf8MLWF.png)

As we all know, the Kulindadromeus coexisted with animals such as the red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), a common Jurassic mammal. There's no way it would eat cycad leaves though.

(https://i.imgur.com/Dj3bLKx.png)

Say what you want about the enclosure, but at least with all the lavender it won't have trouble with mosquitos anytime soon. Or was it moths? I think catnip was for mosquitos. I'm sure there is something in the desert that is repelled by lavender, let's just hope it's not dinosaurs.

(https://i.imgur.com/Tl7qKSK.png)

It's hardly the most impressive enclosure, but the game itself said I can't use tall grass. Again, we've lost large predators for this.

(https://i.imgur.com/8ypztGw.png)

The second part of the Barbourofelis replacement, looks vaguely oriental. Is it pandas?

(https://i.imgur.com/0MVHBmA.png)

Not quite, just goats. It's actually japanese serows (Capricornis crispus) which are, well, just goats. As far as goats go, those are pretty nice ones though. I guess? I don't think you can milk them, but I can be wrong.

(https://i.imgur.com/DNgd7Cj.png)

Umm... mind moving out of the way while I refill your water? Apparently serows like bathing. This is not a clear mountain spring, but a rock trough is better than nothing, I'll tell you that.

(https://i.imgur.com/IhBtvHz.png)

This thing normally floats in the air like it's nobody's business, but with some clever engineering I could make it somewhat presentable. Actually it was made to be used like this, don't tell anyone, I wanna sound clever.

(https://i.imgur.com/CDEoTda.png)

Grazing, huh? Too good for the grass I'm providing you with, huh? No good jabroni goat has no respect for superior species. Just kidding, I don't consider myself better than a goat.

(https://i.imgur.com/ip8ev9N.png)

I quite like this exhibit. A bit more gimmicky than the last one, with its sheer rock walls and bamboo and all that.
But here we go, we've replaced terrifying predators with fuzzy dinos and goats. Now the most predatory animals in the zoo are badgers, which honestly isn't that bad considering how nasty badgers can be. They ate Gordon Ramsay's sex dwarf for god's sake.

(https://i.imgur.com/cFydaUj.png)

Now prepare your booties everyone because here comes the real star of the show. A real big bastard, the terror of the Triassic era, the croc, the myth, the legend...

(https://i.imgur.com/8JCG4nV.png)

...Fasolasuchus (Fasolasuchus tenax), one of the largest terrestrial predators of its time. While dinosaurs were yet to join the ranks of megafauna, monsters such as these were the rightful rulers of the land.
The name Fasolasuchus comes from Polish fasola (bean) and Greek suchos (crocodile), making it a bean croc. I;m thinking about thos bean crocs. Actually it was named after Tomas H. Fasola, an Argentine palaeontologist, but I like my version better.

(https://i.imgur.com/66Xd7Pk.png)

It looks so peaceful when it just lies like that, alsmost as if it wasn't made to swallow dinosaurs whole.

(https://i.imgur.com/rcqFmFe.png)

I like using prehistoric foliage even if the time period doesn't mach with the animal. The Williamsonia, as primitive as it looks, actually apeared later than Fasolasuchus. The Araucarioxylon in the back was actually contemporary to the croc, and was an actual tree related to the modern monkey puzzle tree. The cactus-like Madagascar ocotillo is not actually a prehistoric species, but I like it a lot.

(https://i.imgur.com/Cq1NMtW.png)

In this enclosure I intended to recreate Triassic environment as well as I could, but I'm not a palaeobotanist, geologist or an exterior designer. Still, it turned out really well.

(https://i.imgur.com/1z63IZf.png)

We're anime now. It would be a real shame if one of our flamingos were to fall in love with a Kemono Friends flamingo girl cutout.

(https://i.imgur.com/ZS7QaAJ.png)

The last exhibit in Al-Khalij for today is this funky little building. Granted, it's not a marvel of architecture, but the animals inside are not marvels of animal kingdom either.

(https://i.imgur.com/FpeJnmo.png)

Those are beech martens (Martes foina), extremely common predators native to Europe and Asia. They are universally disliked by people who raise rabbits and chickens because those furry little fellas aren't afraid to get close to human settlements. My old dog managed to catch and kill two of these while they were on the hunt for tasty, tasty rabbits.

(https://i.imgur.com/yA7QwTS.png)

Those people are way too excited to see those weasely buggers. They are cute, but these are hardly exotic animals. Well, maybe they are for the locals.
Hey, some of those people have plushie badgers!

(https://i.imgur.com/ScGCrn3.png)

While the martens were technically the last new exhibit for today, there's one more change that needs to be mentioned. The pteranodons were pissing me off big time with their constant bugging out, so I've got rid of them and built a huge tank where teir aviary used to be.

(https://i.imgur.com/BVqWWlb.png)

The tank houses two species. the manta ray (Mobula alfredi) and the Archelon (Archelon ischyros). Mantas are giant plankton-eating rays that swim around tropical oceans; pretty well known stuff. The Archelon is the largest tortoise that ever lived, a member of Cretaceous megafauna.

(https://i.imgur.com/Mdf4mf8.png)

This may be because of Radical Remake, but marine animals are easier to see from up high. You can sort of see that the Archelons have hard shells instead of leathery ones, which is wrong as far as i know.

(https://i.imgur.com/NLfaQzN.png)

I was never a big fan of marine enclosures, and that applies to both Zoo Tycoon and Zoo Tycoon 2. They require some serious work to make look good.
Oh, by the way, Archelons and mantas were hand-picked just like the Pteranodons were.

(https://i.imgur.com/Pmcy1nI.png)

And there we have it! Al-Khalij is over halfway done. Pteranodons and Barbourofelises were replaced with Kulindadromeuses and KJapanese serows to avoid bugs, while the Fasolasuchus and beech martens are completely new additions.
Next time we'll tackle Maple Bay. I'm supposed to be doing stuff right now, so this is it.

Title: Re: Zoo Tycoon 2 - Maple Bay Wildlife Park/Al-Khalij Zoological Gardens
Post by: Enemy post on February 12, 2022, 10:23:09 am

Thanks for the answer regarding the sasquatches.

Title: Re: Zoo Tycoon 2 - Maple Bay Wildlife Park/Al-Khalij Zoological Gardens
Post by: King Zultan on February 13, 2022, 04:41:17 am

What even is a sex dwarf?

Title: Re: Zoo Tycoon 2 - Maple Bay Wildlife Park/Al-Khalij Zoological Gardens
Post by: Enemy post on February 13, 2022, 10:58:15 am

Could we add some spotted hyenas? Always liked them.

Title: Re: Zoo Tycoon 2 - Maple Bay Wildlife Park/Al-Khalij Zoological Gardens
Post by: SQman on April 07, 2022, 03:27:23 am

Quote from: King Zultan on February 13, 2022, 04:41:17 am

What even is a sex dwarf?

Spoiler: It's a reference to this gem of a headline (click to show/hide)

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pcZHrCDfhjA/TlfCiXUksxI/AAAAAAAAaU0/g9nEXWfcRjY/s1600/Gordon%2BRamsay%2Bsex%2Bdwarf.jpg)

Every celebrity should have a dwarf porn star look-alike, if you ask me.



Anyaway, sorry for being quiet for so long, but I got a new laptop a while ago, and I didn't feel like transfering all the game files, or rather booting up the old laptop. I'm on it now, and I'm telling you, that old piece of junk is barely working; it was DEFINITELY a right choice to upgrade.

The hiatus is soon coming to an end, is what I wanted to say.

Title: Re: Zoo Tycoon 2 - Maple Bay Wildlife Park/Al-Khalij Zoological Gardens
Post by: King Zultan on April 07, 2022, 03:57:29 am

Quote from: SQman on April 07, 2022, 03:27:23 am

Every celebrity should have a dwarf porn star look-alike, if you ask me.

Your saying what everybodies to afraid to say out loud.


Also huzza this is coming back.