Wildlife

[DSxGIIR]

I got a question, why isn't there any kind of wildlife that lives on planet Auraxis? I mean it's feels kind of weird playing a game with no kind of wildlife. I would find it interesting to see these kind of things in game. At least it makes the game feels like it has some kind of life living on the planet besides humans. It's just my opinion, but how you guys feel about it and I'm not saying to making where it PvE or anything.

[FINALCUT]

What the TR didn't kill in the raping of Auraxis for mineral resources,the VS slaughtered in their labs doing "sientific" research.

Animal lovers,rise up and fight for animal rights, join the NC.

[Greeniegriz]

I'd be alright with maybe some bird flocks flying around or maybe frogs in the swampy areas. No herds of Auraxiraptors or anything crazy.

But, gotta have bears..... ;)

Cheers,

GG

[DSxGIIR]

Lol, Lets get Peta on this ASAP!

[DSxGIIR]

I'd be alright with maybe some bird flocks flying around or maybe frogs in the swampy areas. No herds of Auraxiraptors or anything crazy.

But, gotta have bears..... ;)

Cheers,

GG

Yeah, flocks of bird or something would be cool. At least people can get a good sense of being on a actual living planet.

[Ratstomper]

As I recall, the original lore made mention that Auraxis had no natural fauna. When the TR showed up, all that was found was plant life. I don't know how much of the original stuff they changed for PS2...

[Greeniegriz]

people can get a good sense of being on a actual living planet.

This might go against the "lore" however. I mean we are talking about a war ravaged planet. There may be nothing but vermin....

Cheers.

[Blue]

I agree 100%. Birds should be put in, they don't have to be interactive at all, but just for some eye candy. And also bug/frog noises in swampy areas would be awesome!!!

[Soothsayer]

I want gigantic birds, but only as fossils.

[DSxGIIR]

This might go against the "lore" however. I mean we are talking about a war ravaged planet. There may be nothing but vermin....

Cheers.

Indeed that is true, but from the look of the bases layout and things like that, the game seems to take place Hundreds of years since planetside 1, I mean over time things do change, evolve and adapt...I think I'm going to deep into this topic, but it's just a thought.

But Flocks of birds, frogs, rats and insects would be much of a distraction but enough to know there is some form of life.

[bpostal]

My guess is most everything's been shot, bombed, burned, OS'd, run over, run through, hot dropped on, plasma'd and then shot and blown up again just for good measure :D

[Greeniegriz]

I want gigantic birds, but only as fossils.

It'd be neat having a gun fight in a Auraxi-Sephlo-Terodactyl ribcage!

Cheers,

GG

[VelRa]

Now what they should have are animal bones. and a new class that summons them from the dead to fight by their side. Necroside.

[Greeniegriz]

Now what they should have are animal bones. and a new class that summons them from the dead to fight by their side. Necroside.

Lol, thread derailment in 3...2..1...

Quick save it!

[Sledgecrushr]

Yummy wildlife.

[DSxGIIR]

They could make up a back story about the VS taking data samples from dead wildlife and cloning them, and repopulating the planet.

[Greeniegriz]

They make up a back story about the VS taking data samples from dead wildlife and cloning them, and repopulating the planet.

Solved. Isnt sci-fi fun?

Cheers.

[StumpyTheOzzie]

My guess is most everything's been shot, bombed, burned, OS'd, run over, run through, hot dropped on, plasma'd and then shot and blown up again just for good measure :D

Better get rid of all vegetation then.

Dirt, mud, ice, snow and rocks only please.

[DSxGIIR]

Lol, thread derailment in 3...2..1...

Quick save it!

LMAO, so true.

[Envenom]

Perhaps they should focus on other more important issues than silly fluff like this....

[NivexQ]

Indeed that is true, but from the look of the bases layout and things like that, the game seems to take place Hundreds of years since planetside 1, I mean over time things do change, evolve and adapt...I think I'm going to deep into this topic, but it's just a thought.

But Flocks of birds, frogs, rats and insects would be much of a distraction but enough to know there is some form of life.


PS2 is a reimagining,. Its supposedly taking place at the same time, or even slightly before the original planetside

[Ratstomper]

Indeed that is true, but from the look of the bases layout and things like that, the game seems to take place Hundreds of years since planetside 1, I mean over time thing do change, evolve and adapt...I think I'm going to deep into this topic, but it's just a thought.

The devs said, from a lore standpoint, PS2 is more of a remake of the original than a continuation of the story. I think they did it to make the empires a little less 1-dimensional, but I'm not sure how much else they decided should be different.

For instance, in the PS1 lore the ability for troops to respawn was directly related to use of the warpgates, not any technology the TR brought with them.

Exerpt from the PS1 manual: "When the first probes were sent, they found a completely habitable planet with a vast ecosphere, but no life forms other than plant. No mammals, reptiles, or insects...nothing. No strange new sentient life-forms. Not even substantially-different microbes. Just plants.

Since the devs are tinkering with the original story anyway, they could add some animals if they wanted to, so long as they're unobstrusive and don't get in the way of the fight.

BTW, you can read the original stuff here... http://planetside.station.sony.com/howto/manual_detail.vm?chapter=0

[Greeniegriz]

Perhaps they should focus on other more important issues than silly fluff like this....

Other things are certainly more of a priority, but having some non-interactive wildlife could help you feel more immersed in the world. Not that 128396 bullets whizzing by you wont...

Cheers.

[cBselfmonkey]

I dunno about animals...I get the feeling that every time you go to attack a base you'd just see all the wildlife dead in a circle around said base. The defenders looking rather sheepish with their smoking guns.

[VelRa]

Lol, thread derailment in 3...2..1...

Quick save it!

It was dead before i got here, just like the animals Of auraxis. Metaposting at its finest.

[DSxGIIR]

The devs said, from a lore standpoint, PS2 is more of a remake of the original than a continuation of the story. I think they did it to make the empires a little less 1-dimensional, but I'm not sure how much else they decided should be different.

For instance, in the PS1 lore the ability for troops to respawn was directly related to use of the warpgates, not any technology the TR brought with them.

Exerpt from the PS1 manual: "When the first probes were sent, they found a completely habitable planet with a vast ecosphere, but no life forms other than plant. No mammals, reptiles, or insects...nothing. No strange new sentient life-forms. Not even substantially-different microbes. Just plants.

Since the devs are tinkering with the original story anyway, they could add some animals if they wanted to, so long as they're unobstrusive and don't get in the way of the fight.

BTW, you can read the original stuff here... http://planetside.station.sony.com/howto/manual_detail.vm?chapter=0

Thanks for posting this now I understand, it was just a thought about wildlife. But after reading that wildlife would contradict the lore.

[Otleaz]

One of the recent back stories had mention of rats, so they are deviating from the original lore.

Though it could just be that rats were on the ships that brought them there.

[Red Beard]

Personally, I don't mind the implementation of random wildlife, as it would cause the shooter to not automatically presume that anything warm on the other end of the range is the enemy when using a thermal scope.

[Ratstomper]

One of the recent back stories had mention of rats, so they are deviating from the original lore.

Though it could just be that rats were on the ships that brought them there.

I don't think the recent backstory has actually made it to Auraxis yet. All the ones I've seen seem to be on the journey to Auraxis....unless I missed something. Although, rats stowing away on the ships seems plausible...

Still, they could change things if they wanted. I would be ok with animals, so long as they were only there as an immersion thing and didn;t have any interaction with players. That means things like birds, but not things like large (or even really small) mammals that would be milling around outside bases.

I think that's the whole reason they decided not to have animals in the original; they wanted players to be shooting other players, not petting the local fauna. :p

[QuantumMechanic]

This is an interesting read for fans of the original. Planetside 1 alpha screenshots, including some things that didn't make it in the game. Animals being one of them.

http://jratcliffscarab.blogspot.com/2007/08/planetside-screenshots.html

[Baneblade]

Auraxis is an artificial world comprised entirely of nanites. Why the cleg would there be wildlife?

[Goldeh]

Lol, Lets get Peta on this ASAP!

They kill all of their animals, actually. Quite disturbing.

[Red Beard]

Auraxis is an artificial world comprised entirely of nanites. Why the cleg would there be wildlife?

Personally, I don't mind the implementation of random wildlife, as it would cause the shooter to not automatically presume that anything warm on the other end of the range is the enemy when using a thermal scope.
.

[proxy]

It's perfectly possible that Auraxis never evolved vertebrates.

[Chowley]

What the TR didn't kill in the raping of Auraxis for mineral resources,the VS slaughtered in their labs doing "sientific" research.

Animal lovers,rise up and fight for animal rights, join the NC.

Lol that strangely kind of got to me :groovy:

[Jownzorz]

I'm sorry, but I don't want a flock of birds running in to my platoon's galaxy and taking it down... or causing a drop in FPS.

Isn't 2000 players enough for you people? Why do you need animals?!?!

[Zenben]

While random bird strikes on Galaxies that took out the engines would be entertaining, I care not for wildlife. I would rather they focus on important stuff, thanks.

[Ratstomper]

They kill all of their animals, actually. Quite disturbing.

Does this mean the annual NC kill'n'grill barbeque extravaganza is off? :(

[Sirisian]

We had an nice thread on this a while back before everyone was more hostile to new ideas. I actually recommend everyone reading it in full. It discussed a lot of the pros and cons of such a system:
Hostile and Passive Creatures (http://www.planetside-universe.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36234)
It was locked because some people in this forum can't have a reasonable discussion about gameplay mechanics. New things seems to bring out the worst in this community. That and as threads get long the community stops reading them. The poll reflects a simpler time in the community when people were willing to read things because the conversation went much slower. :lol:

That thread explains a lot of useful mechanics for allowing such a system. One of them being the use of nanites and warpgate revival through evolution to give creatures NTU powers and their ability for eternal life. (Not invincibility, just the ability to reappear after a while in zones without combat in them).

[capiqu]

I need my Auraxo-burgers

[Timey]

well, our Eearth wasn't that crowded back in the day either :)

Maybe they're just young planets..

[LightningDriver]

If we're going down this road, I want purchasable mount, a unicorn that shoots rainbows out of its horn to dazzle the enemy.

I will give up my lightning forever then.

[therandomone]

Personally, I don't mind the implementation of random wildlife, as it would cause the shooter to not automatically presume that anything warm on the other end of the range is the enemy when using a thermal scope.

Disagree. If its moving and not some shade of purple its an enemy. Even if its a bird it is probably a TR or NC spy. If animals are put on Auraxis, I will make sure they are wiped out again. I'm not very PETA friendly :D

[Sirisian]

Disagree. If its moving and not some shade of purple its an enemy. Even if its a bird it is probably a TR or NC spy. If animals are put on Auraxis, I will make sure they are wiped out again.
Just like you wiped out the TR and NC? :lol: Revival is a fun mechanic. (Everyone read the lore from Planetside 1 right?)

[WNxThentar]

Yeah, flocks of bird or something would be cool. At least people can get a good sense of being on a actual living planet.

Do you mind if they have a chance to take out an engine of your reaver?

[Sirisian]

Do you mind if they have a chance to take out an engine of your reaver?
I don't think aircraft have component based damage. People asked for it a while back. I don't think the developers wanted it. It looks like right now only tanks have a back component to do a damage modifier. Maybe later they'll add extra damage to the engines.

(I should mention I've always been indifferent to passive wildlife. Seems like a waste effort just for immersion, Hostile outside of bases is where it's at. Little to no performance impact either since all the creatures would be dead in a contested battleground. However for players entering or driving through a new area it would be something different).

[Luieburger]

Any wildlife is going to run as far away from the continents as it can get with all of the gunfire and explosions. Basically, only the fish will survive.

[Sirisian]

Any wildlife is going to run as far away from the continents as it can get with all of the gunfire and explosions. Basically, only the fish will survive.
Actually technically if the model holds true then any creature that used a warpgate at anytime in their life are immortal and will have died for thousands of years forever being imprinted and brought back into the world. Now the humans that came to Auraxis channeled the energy so they could control where their soldiers respawned.

Now using that idea instead of the creatures respawning at the warpgates the lore can be shifted so that the creatures control their revival location after years of using it.

Also with that said any creature that has died for thousands of years is essentially fearless.

[therandomone]

Just like you wiped out the TR and NC? :lol: Revival is a fun mechanic. (Everyone read the lore from Planetside 1 right?)
Never played the first one, but none the less, well played sir. And since I haven't played the first one I never had a chance to read the lore, so would you be so kind and elaborate?

Any wildlife is going to run as far away from the continents as it can get with all of the gunfire and explosions. Basically, only the fish will survive.

Not if I can help it. I'll be that asshole shooting the water to make sure that doesn't happen. Either that, or I'll go grenade fishing.

[Sirisian]

Never played the first one, but none the less, well played sir. And since I haven't played the first one I never had a chance to read the lore, so would you be so kind and elaborate?
Easier to link it (http://planetside.station.sony.com/howto/manual_detail.vm?chapter=0).

[Ratstomper]

Actually technically if the model holds true then any creature that used a warpgate at anytime in their life are immortal and will have died for thousands of years forever being imprinted and brought back into the world. Now the humans that came to Auraxis channeled the energy so they could control where their soldiers respawned.

Now using that idea instead of the creatures respawning at the warpgates the lore can be shifted so that the creatures control their revival location after years of using it.

Also with that said any creature that has died for thousands of years is essentially fearless.

Actually, it only seems to work with sentient beings, I.E humans.

"Experiments with all sorts of domesticated and undomesticated animals never resulted in a "revival". Non-sentient life forms seemed to just stay dead. So eventually, a thought-crimer was selected and killed. And he stayed dead.

The obvious assumption was that the pilot's passage through the warpgate had somehow attuned him to some planetary immortality scheme. So once again, they shoved all sorts of animals through the gates, killing them on the other side. They all died and stayed dead."

Typical TR way of doing things.

[Phellix]

Higby said in an interview it's 100% PvP and there's not going to be a single npc in the game, i'd assume this would include wildlife, from the steam there's plenty of detail already put in the game i don't think we need a few silly birds or reptiles, i'd rather them focus on things that actually matter/

[Malorn]

All native wildlife was brutally massacred and turned into fuel by the TR.
Waste not, want not.

Wildlife is a fantastic renewable resource. And if for some reason those run out, we always have NC and VS sympathizers.

[Sirisian]

Actually, it only seems to work with sentient beings, I.E humans.
Yeah I mentioned that in one of the old threads that the lore would need to be tweaked. That's why I said "shifted". I should mention as a fix I said that the creatures are just trapped in the buffers. This allows the game to update with them later. The creatures would be released from the buffers. They were placed in a stasis for Auraxis to preserve itself.

(I have a huge little story arc in my head if anyone is curious :lol: Rather fascinated with this idea for later. Click in my signature on the "My Plan" and you'll see).

[WorldOfForms]

In the original lore the entire planet was made out of nanites. So having animals isn't necessarily realistic. Auraxis itself is an alien construct built for some mysterious purpose.

PS2 lore may have changed that, of course.

[Sirisian]

In the original lore the entire planet was made out of nanites. So having animals isn't necessarily realistic. Auraxis itself is an alien construct built for some mysterious purpose.
There are plants. Also you just used the concept of nanites totally in the opposite direction everyone else uses them. "A planet was created with nanites, but animals can't be created with nanites, only flora". Most people go with "Is it possible?" "Nanites..."
http://i.imgur.com/vbX2m.png

[Meatball Mobeus]

Cool idea, but I think we should let games like Firefall worry about putting RPGish elements in our FPS. :)

[Sirisian]

Cool idea, but I think we should let games like Firefall worry about putting RPGish elements in our FPS. :)
I think you're doing the same thing people started doing in the other threads. That is relating them to other MMO games that reward experience or rewards for PvE content. Most of the people suggesting passive creature (or hostile for that matter) are suggesting treating them akin to trees. That is running into a tree is "PlayerName killed by the Environment".

I don't know of any game that has them implemented like that so it's completely foreign to most people that come from RPG games who expect they'd be part of the core gameplay. It's a different way to view the environment.

You do bring up that "role-play" concept that's absent from the FPS genre. I made a separate thread (http://www.planetside-universe.com/showthread.php?t=42719) after talking to my friend in IRC when discussion things he's seen in MMOs that are almost added separately from the core gameplay. I think that avenue of features might be confusing for FPS players who have ignored other MMO games. :confused:

[Mr DeCastellac]

What the TR didn't kill in the raping of Auraxis for mineral resources,the VS slaughtered in their labs doing "sientific" research.

Animal lovers,rise up and fight for animal rights, join the NC.

Just saying that as much as I don't support the TR, it doesn't make sense why they would have killed them in the process of getting "mineral resources" (mining, etc.).

Also, VS are a technocracy. We research alien technologies. Killing animals would just be a waste of valuable time.

The NC are the commoners who beat animals and farmers who enslave them and harvest their resources for profit. DOWN WITH THE NC! ANIMAL KILLERS!

[Meatball Mobeus]

I think you're doing the same thing people started doing in the other threads. That is relating them to other MMO games that reward experience or rewards for PvE content. Most of the people suggesting passive creature (or hostile for that matter) are suggesting treating them akin to trees. That is running into a tree is "PlayerName killed by the Environment".

I don't know of any game that has them implemented like that so it's completely foreign to most people that come from RPG games who expect they'd be part of the core gameplay. It's a different way to view the environment.

You do bring up that "role-play" concept that's absent from the FPS genre. I made a separate thread (http://www.planetside-universe.com/showthread.php?t=42719) after talking to my friend in IRC when discussion things he's seen in MMOs that are almost added separately from the core gameplay. I think that avenue of features might be confusing for FPS players who have ignored other MMO games. :confused:

I see what you're saying now. But I also understand that having them be purely cosmetic would eventually, and I'm speaking only for myself here, would prolly break my immersion. Having them have the ability to be obstacles would be kinda cool, but how much time and money would it take to make it happen?

Prolly more than it would take to add a new vehicle, weapon, or maybe even a continent. So personally, while yes I do think that would be really cool. I'd rather them just focus on the core of the game for now.

[Azren]

what kind of windlife would stick around with all the noise our guns will make?

[Satexios]

what kind of windlife would stick around with all the noise our guns will make?

Naturally the Tramellus Higbius

[Artimus]

I think wildlife would be great, but it should be done as strictly a visual like birds flying along your tank or deer darting off at the first sound of gun fire. I mean in RL were do all the animals go?

[EisenKreutzer]

If I recall correctly, the lore videos they released for Planetside 2 state that there is no animal life on Auraxis, only plant life. So all flora, no fauna.

[Canaris]

This might go against the "lore" however. I mean we are talking about a war ravaged planet. There may be nothing but vermin....

Cheers.
there is indeed vermin on Auraxis I keep stamping on cockroachs all day but the VS & NC never stay dead ;)

[Rago]

There was no sign of Live on Auraxis, watch the AGN ;)

[Marinealver]

guard rats in the generator room.

Squaek Squeak Squeeeeeeeeek.....

Cloaked enemy Detected.

but yeah keep wild life ambiant at first, flock of birds that run away and you could may do the ocasional duck hunt.

[chrislocho]

GO to youtube, watch the"road to auraxis" and ull see that they mention one of the things was that the planet had no habitats except vegatation. / thread

[Figment]

As I recall, the original lore made mention that Auraxis had no natural fauna. When the TR showed up, all that was found was plant life. I don't know how much of the original stuff they changed for PS2...

That's the revised lore.

The original lore was this:

http://www.ncsf-outfit.org/haywire/screenies/gal.php

(check out AR 1-4 at the top of the page for scans of fauna that was supposed to be in PS1).

They had even already coded herds of small dinosaurs in alpha before they did away with it.

http://www.planetside-universe.com/media/album/icrxu8yox2/ratcl02.jpg

This is an interesting read for fans of the original. Planetside 1 alpha screenshots, including some things that didn't make it in the game. Animals being one of them.

http://jratcliffscarab.blogspot.com/2007/08/planetside-screenshots.html

So uhm. Yeah. Removed on technical reasons, probably for much the same reasons there are no enter/exit animations in PS2. Sadly.

[Rago]

Are there "Nalicows" ? XD

[XenocX]

Unless I'm completely mistaken (and I might be - it's a long time since I remember seeing it) wasn't there an enormous skeleton on old Oshur?

[Figment]

Higby said in an interview it's 100% PvP and there's not going to be a single npc in the game, i'd assume this would include wildlife, from the steam there's plenty of detail already put in the game i don't think we need a few silly birds or reptiles, i'd rather them focus on things that actually matter/

No NPC on a combattive level, that's primarily refering to scripted AI to combat players over territory.

Wildlife has nothing to do with that and you could probably simply restrict its density to peaceful areas (the times when you'd have time to look around and notice wildlife) under the pretends that they'd flee warfare (hell, let them warp out of the way of combat - could even be indicators that threats are coming: startle wildlife and they flee. :P).

Unless I'm completely mistaken (and I might be - it's a long time since I remember seeing it) wasn't there an enormous skeleton on old Oshur?

Massive bird fossile, yes.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/31/psscreenshot0016.jpg

[Canaris]

oh yeah and lets not forget the Vanu brain slug worms, look that 2 types of creatures on Auraxis the fauna list growing!

[Vector]

Yeah i would like some form of "Mild Wildlife" in the game, it really gives environments a realistic feel.

[IgloGlass]

The Terran Republic had to terraform the planet when they first arrived to be able to live on it, therefore I doubt much fauna would exist.

[Rago]

oh yeah and lets not forget the Vanu brain slug worms, look that 2 types of creatures on Auraxis the fauna list growing!

See everybody knows there are no Animals, this is, as you can see a totally Brainwashed TR Guy.
Dont tell him That :D He willl just get angry because he really believes the Stuff he is telling us.:D

[Canaris]

See everybody knows there are no Animals, this is, as you can see a totally Brainwashed TR Guy.
Dont tell him That :D He willl just get angry because he really believes the Stuff he is telling us.:D

every TR child knows that the only reason why Vanuites behave contrary to normalcy is due to being infected by brain slugs, I know that's not you really talking Rago, just your worms ;)

[BlackBaron]

You see there WAS wildlife, unfortunately it was quite tasty.

[Rago]

every TR child knows that the only reason why Vanuites behave contrary to normalcy is due to being infected by brain slugs, I know that's not you really talking Rago, just your worms ;)

He Respondet as i told, you, helpless brainwash:D

[Canaris]

He Respondet as i told, you, helpless brainwash:D
poor mindless Rago :D

[disky]

In the original lore the entire planet was made out of nanites. So having animals isn't necessarily realistic. Auraxis itself is an alien construct built for some mysterious purpose.

PS2 lore may have changed that, of course.

I'm going to call /thread with this. It's the only way I will accept that an entire continent is square shaped and divided into three perfectly divided biomes. The Vanu created Auraxis to be a warzone to test capable species, and that's that. I refuse to accept that the designers created a divided, square continent and didn't think anyone would think it's silly and totally unrealistic.

[fb III IX ca IV]

Personally, I don't mind the implementation of random wildlife, as it would cause the shooter to not automatically presume that anything warm on the other end of the range is the enemy when using a thermal scope.
I like it!

An ideal level of wildlife would be like in the original Crysis-a few flocks of birds flying overhead, and some small reptiles and mammals, nothing big and overly distracting.

[GuyFawkes]

We have wildlife already in game, to many they are referred to as vs , to the tr its duck hunt season.