Zoo Tycoon beta

[pukkie]

yeah me too they are so boring without them

[jbl89]

(reincluding the image in this post, because it's easier to see the things I mention below, since we're on a different page)

 

 

I think it's only a line in each of the .AI-files of the foliage that needs to be changed/added to allow the foliage in the show tank.

It did look better in my humble opinion, but I think they removed it mostly to allow one show tank for multiple animals. Haven't tested it yet, but I assume that e.g. the foliage for dolphins (kelp?) could make e.g. the sea lion unhappy.

 

Plus, I kind of assume that they also were slightly lazy (not meant in a bad way, I'm a "lazy" programmer too :p ) and didn't want to make the show toys float OVER foliage. Obviously the plants would limit the amount of useful space for toys if overlapping was impossible. It's only a theory though :)

 

I really like the fact that with one "theme" you have 3 pieces: door, wall, and [which I like a lot] the piece on the right (obviously turned around... notice the different direction of fins).

 

I just noticed other unusual things in the screenshot which no one seemed to have realized yet. It makes this screenshot a whole lot more interesting!

1) There are NO show toys, yet with the grand stands, it must be a showtank.

2) Not sure about this, but the Marine Specialist is in the other tank in the screenshot. Can he be there in time? I mean, guests get up very soon after the marine guy gets off his (show) platform.

3) Even with the left part of the tank hidden from us... there could never be a connection to a regular tank.

4) the foliage is a lot tinier. Look at the kelp. 1/4th of a square compared to normal. Did they dumb down the concept? (I have always been wondering why most MM foliage was 1 square).

5) Probably no reason or another cover up: but why is there a double edge at the right of the tank? (two "fences" next to each other). Was there a tank first, but deleted? Or was it just built by "accident"? Also something similar going on in the top tank, at the platform. If it's two tank walls next to each other... the first one should be lower, I guess, since the tank is never completed?

 

 

 

Not sure if this counts, but no tank filters to be seen. Where they not placed, not available yet in the game (I think by default it takes 6 months?), or not developed?

Makes no sense at all: the ladder for the platform is.... IN the tank, underwater?! (actually, this is in the final version as well: sink tank => ladder still visible on the outside of the tank, which is... underground...)

 

So I'm led to believe that this must be a screenshot from a very, very early beta. I'm surprised it even became an official screenshot on the website after MM had been released.

 

 

I've yet to discover anything about the DD beta. Shame the DD / MM betas didn't leak to the internet, as far as I'm aware. On the other hand, fewer things had to be tested I guess (at least compared to the original game). I wonder if they ever had the same amount of beta testers as ZT1. My hunch is that for ZT1, the beta was spread as publicity stunt rather than hoping for feedback. To make the ZT1 title (original) known to people who love this kind of games. Or maybe the ZT1 beta was spread very well, but Blue Fang didn't get the amount of feedback they hoped for and decided to make DD/MM betas less/not public. Again, in my own experience I also had a program out there with lots of volunteers to beta test, but only a few actually gave valuable feedback and lots just wanted to try it early with no comments at all.

[jbl89]

A very similar, but slightly different screenshot:



To be noted:
* slightly different tank filter, so it seems? In the other screenshot, it might have been hidden by the palm tree. So filters were implemented.
* something weird going on in the middle of the tank... flat shark? Or stuck to the tank floor?





* beta kelp (one square)
* possibly a different gate (tank to show tank), would have to confirm that.
* dolphin statue: looks the same as final version.

* NO foliage in show tank? Which makes us wonder: did the great white shark, with almost no tricks, just stay in their own regular tank?
* toys!



* slightly different foliage in the regular Orca tank, nothing else seems remarkable

* top: combined exhibit, looking rather shallow and empty


* foliage: 1/4th of a square. Seems to confirm the "dumbing down".
* again, no foliage in the show tank. Different showgate (based on type of fence)


* top: seems like a mixed-up mixed exhibit. The shared edge seems to be too high. In the final, it reverts back to its original (non striped) form if I'm not mistaken.

* yellow stars: fight happening, but only depicted by the stars?

* manta ray exhibit: shelter, tank seems to be lacking a lot, suitability was definitely not important for screenshots. A bit more plants in the tank would have been nice. Also seeing the crustacean house, doplhin statue, and part of a hippopotamus (middle, bottom screenshot).

[Firehawke]

It's really interesting to see the changes! I really like the hexagonal tank portal!

[Fern]

I would love to get my hands on that beta

[(Admin)Savannahjan]

In that last shot, look at that weird tall sign looking thing in the front of the flower bed. It seems to be facing front, rather than the usual skewed facing. It's great to see these early screens. I wish you could get your hands on it too Fern; what a buried treasure.

[Fern]

In that last shot, look at that weird tall sign looking thing in the front of the flower bed. It seems to be facing front, rather than the usual skewed facing.

Have a closer look Jan.....It is the santa, reindeer and sleigh that flies over at Christmas

[pukkie]

:24: Too funny

[jbl89]

Nice to see I'm not the only one interested in this kind of changes. It's incredible how much you can notice on screenshots (see prior remarks).

I do have Dinosaur Digs as well, but I rarely created dino parks, so I wouldn't be able to spot differences on DD beta screenshots.

 

I'm afraid we'll never get our hands on beta content, UNLESS, and I doubt they would be willing to give it to us unless they're sure they wouldn't get into trouble for it (copyright stuff etc), it comes from an inside source (former Blue Fang employee). As I mentioned, the original ZT1 beta was widely spread, but then again there was a lot more to be tested and they had to try to build their fanbase (so yeah, interesting strategy there!). For DD and MM, I can't recall anyone mentioning they had been invited to test it out, or got their hands on it in a different way.

 

I'm always interested in things that could have been, as in: were actually planned but scrapped for some reason. E.g. the text strings I mentioned earlier in ZT1, things like the binoculars, the umbrella table etc.

 

 

As for the terrain... I see the graphics, even of some scrapped terrains, are still in ZT1! So you can easily replace the graphics of an existing terrain. I didn't stumble (yet) upon a config file where it is determined which terrains show up in the terrain tab. Note: the blue floor of show tanks is known as terrain "gunite". But apart from basic config options, I did not notice a property which disables it in the terrain tab. Same thing applies to "trampled". So I'm assuming it's either hard coded or hidden in some other file which determines which terrain types can actually be put in place by a user. There's also even a leftover of the config file for the binoculars, which also expected .TGA-graphics.

[StickyFeet]

Very interesting discovery. Im sure most of you already knew this but at one point in time (I'm not sure if its this way anymore), but Zoo Admin had a few of the beta items up as downloadable. Items such as the binocular stand, an elephant statue, and the lion statue.