Something New on the Menu: Mule Deer!

Find out what we're doing and thinking as we develop WolfQuest 3: Anniversary Edition and the Tower Fall expansion!

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Something New on the Menu: Mule Deer!

Post by loboLoco » Fri Jun 09, 2017 11:55 am

[vimeo]220998275[/vimeo]

Mule deer are coming to the menu later this year! But you’ll have to be fast to catch them, as they escape from danger with a speedy bouncy four-legged gait called stotting or pronking.

Video link:

Why did we choose mule deer and not white-tail deer? Though both are present in Yellowstone, mule deer are far more common, especially in the summer. Mule deer live in more varied habitats – brushy areas, grasslands and coniferous forests –so you’ll will see them throughout the map. As fellow ungulates, mule deer are similar to elk in many ways. They don’t live in herds but they are “variably gregarious” so they do hang out in groups sometimes.

As Tower Fall begins in July, bucks will be busy growing their antlers in preparation for the fall mating season. Does will be raising their fawns and trying to keep those pesky predators at bay. Fawns stay close to their mothers, who put up a fierce defense.

Later in the episode, mule deer will give your growing pups some hunting practice, even if they can’t bring down a deer yet. While adult deer are fast and fierce (don’t underestimated those hooves!), young hunters might have some luck with fawns. Just hope they watch out for mom.

Mule deer have more than wolves to worry about in WolfQuest. Other predators like coyotes, cougars, and bears enjoy a meal of venison too. Of course, your competition is also more than happy to let you do the hard work and then try to steal your meal from you. You best eat quickly and bring back a deer haunch to the family.

We will add mule deer to all maps in the existing game, as well as to Tower Fall.

Interesting Facts about Mule Deer

A few months ago, our WolfQuest Giveaway Contest asked for three interesting facts about mule deer. Here are some of the highlights that players shared:
  • Mule deer got their name because their long ears look like mule ears.
    Mule deer are found throughout the entire western United States.
    The size of a buck’s antlers is determined by age, genetics, and nutrition. Mule deer antlers are bifurcated; they "fork" as they grow, rather than branching from a single main beam. Antlers grow in the summer months and are soft, coated with velvet. Females do not grow antlers.
    Mule deer have no upper teeth, only a hard palate.
    Mule deer stand 40 to 42 inches tall at the shoulders and weigh an average of  92 kg (203 lb). Males, or bucks, are larger than the females, known as does.
    Like many prey animals, mule deer eyes are on the sides of their heads so they have a 310 degree view.
    Mule deer can run up to 45 miles per hour and can change their running direction with a single bound. They often use a distinctive bounding leap called stotting (or pronking) which allows them to cover uneven terrain efficiently. Some scientists also think stotting allows them to look around as they run and perhaps serves as demonstration of their strength and vigor, thus discouraging predators.
    Mule deer can live 9-11 years in the wild.
    Mule deer females usually give birth to two fawns, although first-time mothers often have just one.
    Some biologists estimate that a mule deer's sense of smell is up to 1,000 times stronger than a human's.
    They are most active mornings and evenings. At night they bed down in beds' of flattened areas of grass or leaves.
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Re: Something New on the Menu: Mule Deer!

Post by SolitaryHowl » Fri Jun 09, 2017 12:01 pm

Looks really nice!

Will the Mule Deer be added in the AM, SC (and LR?) maps too? Or only TF?

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Re: Something New on the Menu: Mule Deer!

Post by loboLoco » Fri Jun 09, 2017 12:11 pm

All of them (just added a note to clarify that).
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Re: Something New on the Menu: Mule Deer!

Post by Pegasos » Fri Jun 09, 2017 12:24 pm

These deer just looks so beautiful! I love this!

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Re: Something New on the Menu: Mule Deer!

Post by paperpaws » Fri Jun 09, 2017 12:33 pm

For those who like me find themselves on a device that won't show the video embedded within the post:

Looks really cute! Look at them go, peacefully hopping along. For now. I'm interested to see how the dynamics with the other predators will work.

Nice foreshadowing with the fact hunt as well; thank you for sharing all of this!

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Re: Something New on the Menu: Mule Deer!

Post by rowantobias » Fri Jun 09, 2017 12:39 pm

Really exciting to see all the new work being done for the new episode - very promising!!

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Re: Something New on the Menu: Mule Deer!

Post by HowlerOfTheWolves » Fri Jun 09, 2017 5:27 pm

So excited, thanks for all these updates!

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Re: Something New on the Menu: Mule Deer!

Post by Jeames » Sat Jun 10, 2017 2:43 am

That mule deer looks so wonderful! I'm so absolutely happy! WolfQuest team is doing such a great job omg!
Keep up that amazing job! It's so good to see WolfQuest active again! :'D

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Re: Something New on the Menu: Mule Deer!

Post by Timber-Wolf-at-Dusk » Sun Jun 11, 2017 7:26 am

Awesome job! Can't wait! :wolf:

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Re: Something New on the Menu: Mule Deer!

Post by Koa » Sun Jun 11, 2017 8:51 am

rene-frankie wrote:will you ever add white tail deer?
Considering the team chose mule deer over white-tailed deer, I don't know if adding white-tailed deer would be a priority in the future or something that would be planned. Like with all potential animal additions to the game, we'll have to see.

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Re: Something New on the Menu: Mule Deer!

Post by wolf567 » Sun Jun 11, 2017 11:36 am

Looks awesome! You and the team are doing a fantastic job Dave! So excited for it to all be released :wolf:
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Re: Something New on the Menu: Mule Deer!

Post by Sunfrost23 » Sun Jun 11, 2017 8:05 pm

Literally spazzing out about all this new stuff. There are no words for how excited I am for Tower Fall!

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Re: Something New on the Menu: Mule Deer!

Post by 7KodaWolf7 » Mon Jun 12, 2017 12:47 pm

Whoooa! This is really neat! I love their design and everything! :moose:
I love their movement. The mule appears to have a bit of a hiccup in its stride when its hooves hit the ground, though. I'm not positive about how to make it appear smoother, but making that work somehow would be a nice touch. It really does look great. :)
Last edited by 7KodaWolf7 on Tue Jun 13, 2017 10:57 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Something New on the Menu: Mule Deer!

Post by Wolvencall » Mon Jun 12, 2017 1:47 pm

They wont always be pronking right? They do walk regularly at times in game? The mule deer look amazing!!:D

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Re: Something New on the Menu: Mule Deer!

Post by Phasoli » Tue Jun 13, 2017 11:25 am

They're beautiful! I can't wait to experiment different hunting tactics with the adults and the young.

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