The Final Game Enhancements Poll!

[WQ Coordinator]

As mentioned in the previous announcement topic, we are holding a follow-up poll for the Game Enhancements portion of the WolfQuest 2.5 Design Contest. Here's what was said:

What about the Game Enhancements finalists? Well, after much discussion, we’ve decided to have a follow-up poll for the Game Enhancements. Because everyone voted on three of their favorites, we want to give everyone one last chance to choose their ultimate favorite idea, out of the top ideas decided by the last poll. We also discussed the implementation of what had been the top idea in the Game Enhancements poll, and we feel that, with the available funding we’d realistically have leftover from the Weather and Time idea, choosing between calves or cubs would be a better way to spend the money. Rather than adding both calves and cubs but not being able to implement them as well as we’d like, we thought it would be better to allow one of these choices to really affect gameplay, assuming one of these options is still the top choice.

So here are your new options for this poll; descriptions listed as replies.

• •Calves
  •Cubs
  •I Need a Rest
  •Pups/Dens

Do not reply to this topic; the poll will be open until Monday, July 19. Please remember, we request no discussion of the Game Enhancements suggestions (on this topic or others) until this final poll is over. Thank you for your cooperation.

[WQ Coordinator]

Calves

Description: Since spring and summer is when just about everything is born, the elk should be accompanied by young. They should be easier to kill, like the cow calf, and the elk calves should provide about as much meat. It would add to player enjoyment if the babies had simple play animations (stinking calves - an animation that could be rather similar to playing puppies), but if the money is not at hand, that can always be added at a later time.

Spring and summer are the times when offspring are born. The lack of diverse offspring makes the game less accurate because most vertebrate behaviors revolve around the production and care of offspring. In this case, extreme changes to the behaviors of already established species in the game can be overlooked. However, overlooking the next generation in other species can send a message that indicates a lack of importance in non-target species. Adding more diverse offspring allows for more hunting opportunity, which tends to be true during late spring and summer.

Having the opportunity to hunt easier prey that still provides enough food to feed pups would reduce player stresses and provide more enrichment in the form of being able to observe the universal nature of play among mammals at the very least. The addition of calves that can be hunted provides a greater sense of realism, and also, to a lesser degree, a sense of biodiversity.

[WQ Coordinator]

Cubs

Description: Since spring and summer is when just about everything is born, the bear sows should be accompanied by young. Bear cubs can just be adorable, although the sows should be hyper aggressive if approached. It would add to player enjoyment if the babies had simple play animations (tumbling bear cubs, etc), but if the money is not at hand, that can always be added at a later time.

Spring and summer are the times when offspring are born. The lack of diverse offspring makes the game less accurate because most vertebrate behaviors revolve around the production and care of offspring. In this case, extreme changes to the behaviors of already established species in the game can be overlooked. However, overlooking the next generation in other species can send a message that indicates a lack of importance in non-target species. Male bears are not the only danger that wolves face; when females have cubs, they can be quite aggressive. While wolves tend to avoid sows with cubs, sometimes they encounter them unexpectedly, or are chased away from kills.

If bear sows and cubs are added, this will demonstrate that adult wolves are not invulnerable to attack from bears. While bears tend to ignore wolves unless their kill is being usurped or there are pups present, a sow with cubs is a different story, and should be a danger to look out for while hunting.

[WQ Coordinator]

I need a rest!

Description: This is for both, role play AND regaining stamina. When you press the L key, you sit down and regain stamina a little bit quicker. And when you press L again, you lie down rest, regaining stamina even quicker. Just standing to wait takes longer, about 2 minutes to fully regain. Sitting down takes 1 minute, and 30 seconds for lying down, and even quicker when under shade, like a tree.

It would improve the education, but mainly scientific accuracy, that if wolves run, or walk under the sun for too long, they get tired and need to rest.

It would improve role play for when players eat a big meal after a hunt, like after eating a brought down bull male elk, and they would still be tired from the long hunt, so they would need to sit down and/or rest. Also for when players feel like it.

[WQ Coordinator]

Pups/Dens

Description: Well, basically I think it would be a neat thing if you made it so that puppies could actually go into the den when danger is around, like a bear. If the mom and dad wolf drops the pup off at the mouth of the den then the pups should go into it until the parents have chased the danger off. Bears wouldn't be able to get the puppies because they are underground but a coyote could because it could fit in the den. I know that the puppies episode has been released already but this is really just an improvement you could add for the next episode.

Well, I'm sure that real wolf pups don't keep walking around when danger is near, they either run to the den or an adult wolf takes them there.

It would be more realistic and make things a smidge easier for new players who are just starting out.

[WQ Coordinator]

The announcement for the Game Enhancement finalists and winner has been added to the Big Idea winner announcement, here: http://www.wolfquest.org/bb/viewtopic.p ... 5#p1396675.