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Revision as of 00:18, 19 October 2007
Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct Animals is an expansion for Zoo Tycoon 2 released October 17 2007[1]. This expansion pack follows the other expansion packs, Endangered Species, African Adventure and Marine Mania. Extinct Animals also follows the similar Dino Danger Pack premium download.
Confirmation
In 2006, in a similar way to how the African Adventure expansion was first confirmed, Amazon.com listed a strategy guide for Extinct Animals under its listings. Curiously, it was listed as Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct (working title) , showing Blue Fang Games were still in very early production and had not yet thought of a title.
Nevertheless, in January 2007, Windows Vista released its 2007 gaming lineup as well as a promotional video featuring a few seconds of footage. During April, Games for Windows added an Extinct Animals page to their website and revealed several new pieces of information such as box art and animal confirmations. The text that was shown was in fact the same as in the previous Endangered Species expansion[2].
Finally, on May 24, 2007, a press release was released on the official Zoo Tycoon website revealing that Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct Animals will be released in Fall with a total of 30 animals, making it the largest Zoo Tycoon 2 expansion pack to date.In June 2007 another press release said it will be released on the 17 October 2007 in the UK and all of Europe.[1]
When E3 2007 arrived, Games for Windows and Blue Fang Games released a 2nd promotional video of several new features and a set of screenshots on GameSpot. The Extinct Games for Windows page was also edited with screenshots and new information. The Zoo Tycoon website, however, was still not updated for E3.
In August, Blue Fang released an official trailer showing many of the main features of the expansion, including sonar detection for fossils and minigames to clone animals, as well as confirming several animals.[3]. In the same month Blue Fang representatives on several fansites began releasing new information, confirming a total of eight unseen animals,This product will not be available until October 17. [4]
Finally, after almost a year of the game being confirmed, the official Zoo Tycoon website added a section on Extinct Animals, confirming the remaining animals and features. An online minigame, animal escapades, fansite kit, and wallpapers were also made available. The game trial version was released a few days later.[5]
Gameplay
Minigames
Several new minigames (similar to the trick training games in Marine Mania) are included. These are, as follows: locating fossils, curing diseases, cloning animals, building skeleton jigsaws and tranquilizing dinosaurs.[6]
Dino rampage
This mode is only available when a dinosaur becomes upset with its living conditions. This causes it to go on a rampage, where it will destroy its exhibit, then break out and attack the zoo guests. However, the player can prevent such disasters by locating the problem and then entering tranquilizer mode. In this mode the player is holding a tranquilizer gun and can aim at the problemed dinosaur. The player must wait for the gun to charge up, whilst keeping a steady aim. Once the gun is fully charged, the spacebar can be used to temporarily put the animal to sleep. If the player was to move the gun off target whilst still charging up or fully charged up the gun, the charger will begin to move down again. Once the aim is re-established, the player can fire.
This feature puts Zoo Tycoon 2 under the first-person shooter category of games, possibly demoting it slightly from its fame among the family friendly world, although moving it up into the teen section. The gun itself is a large gun with an exaggerated ammo tank, which, in the earlier screenshots, had CO
2 painted on the tank. However, this was later removed.
The other option for the player is to hire a "Dino Capture Team". The team come in the form of a large building with two golden dinosaur statues on its roof. Upon a dinosaur to lose control, the team will leave their building and set out to tranquilize the problem. The team consist of three units; the "Dino Capture Robot", and two other unnamed (as of yet) employees. The robot will begin beeping and distracting the beast whilst his allie shoots it with a tranquilizer. Once the dinosaur is restrained, the third unit will approach the dinosaur and crate it, ready to be released back into its enclosure.
Creating animals
The player can create extinct animals or can hire a paleontologist to perform the wicked task.
Fossil finding
To begin, the player must purchase an Extinct Research Lab, and then enter 'fossil finding mode'. The player must then find fossils using a handheld sonar device, which beeps when a fossil is nearby. Once the player has achieved the required number of bones, one must return to the Research Lab for the next step.
Fossil building
Then the player can re-enter the lab and put the fossil together like a jigsaw puzzle. Using the '<' and '>' keys, the player can rotate each piece of fossil to fit into the skeleton. Once completed, the player can then move on to the cloning stage.
Extinct animal creation
This is then followed by the cloning stage, also within the Research Lab. This minigame is more similar to Marine Mania's trick training game. The player uses a scanner to analyze the DNA, while pressing the left mouse button and arrow keys. Once this is completed, the player can clone the animal in question for no price at any time, but must repeat the DNA minigame to do so.[3]
If the player gathers a low score in the DNA minigame, one will receive a giant bullfrog instead of the animal of choice. If the player achieves more than 90% accuracy, one will receive a "super" version of the animal, that is larger and more immune to diseases.
Disease curing
Occasionally an animal will catch a (completely fictional) disease. The player is requested to enter 'disease curing' mode, a mode where the player must help cure the disease. The player must take a sample of the infected animal by pushing the spacebar. The player must locate the cause of the disease, generally in or near the animal exhibit. The player then takes a sample of the object. Meanwhile, the research lab "scientists" will start researching the problem, while the player can gather tips from them by pressing the 'H' key. The player can then find the cure and inoculate the affected animal(s).
This process can also be done for the player with the help of a zookeeper.
Animals
There is a total of 34 animals in this expansion pack, plus an unlockable animal, the first game in the Zoo Tycoon 2 series to have one. All of the Dino Danger Pack animals are included, and all are updated.
Super animals
When in the Extinct Research Lab, once fossils have been pieced together, during the DNA minigame, if 90% or higher accuracy is achieved, a super animal will be created. The name of the animal will be 'Super' followed by the animal name and number. Super animals are slightly larger than their original size, get ill less often and instead of the regular circle around the animal when it is selected, a DNA symbol with a star surrounds the animal. Also by the gender of the animal, a test tube symbol will signal a super animal.
Animal biomes
As explained by Blue Fang employee Keith Carpentier on a Zoo Tycoon fansite, "extinct animals aren't fully happy with correct biomes". As Carpentier stated, "since extinct animals have not been around for quite a while, the climates in your zoo just are not quite what they are used to, so even when they are placed in their recommended biome, their environmental need won’t quite be satisfied." The animals require "temperature-changing" objects to be placed inside the animals' exhibit. These are tar pits to raise temperatures, glaciers to lower temperatures, and mist fountains to raise humidity. These will work for non-extinct animals as well as their extinct counterparts. According to Carpentier, the items will "give the player a lot more options when it comes to making mixed animal exhibits."
Objects and items
Along with the new animals, Extinct Animals includes a various array of new object and building features. Like most other previous expansions, Extinct Animals contains new themed items to add decoration to the player's zoo. One of these objects is the 'size comparison mural', which gives the guests a feel of the size of the animals. The extinct themed shops have a caveman as a shop assistant to add to the theme.
Along with these employees, the player can also hire paleontologists to find extinct animal fossils and educate the guests on them, similarly to the educator from Zoo Tycoon 2. In the event of a dinosaur escape, a 'Dino Capture Team' can be hired. They usually remain stationed at their post, but in the event of an escape, the three staff exit their building in search of the problem. Once found, a 'dancing' robot is used to distract the dinosaur, whilst another staff member tranquilizes him. Once the sedative takes effect, another employee will crate the dinosaur.
The other members of staff are entertainers, who are men dressed as extinct animals who perform acts such as breakdancing and puppet shows.
Other features
Extinct Animals also includes the ability to dive under water , as well as interact with ball enrichment items (both included in Marine Mania). The expansion also includes the variant skins feature from Endangered Species, which has been included in all Zoo Tycoon 2 expansions since its release.
References
- ^ a b "Zoo Tycoon - Zoo News - October 18, 2007". Retrieved 2007-06-02. Cite error: The named reference "PressRelease" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ "Extinct Animals - Games for Windows". Retrieved 2007-06-02.
- ^ a b "YouTube - Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct Animals". Retrieved 2007-05-25.
- ^ "The Official Zoo Tycoon Forum - Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct Animals". Retrieved 2007-08-23.
- ^ "Zoo Tycoon - Demos". Retrieved 2007-08-23.
- ^ "Zoo Tycoon Unlimited Forums - Blue Fang Rep Notes". Retrieved 2007-05-25.
See also
External links
- Official Site
- Extinct Animals official trailer
- GameSpot Page
- E3 2007 Games for Windows trailer
- Games for Windows Extinct Animals page
- Games for Windows 2007 Promotional Video