Pets and Wildlife

[Riddling Sphinx]

Wildlife I'd like to see:

Bears - large omnivores with big claws that can run much faster than you might think. Bears should hit hard and raid your camp for food. We may not have gorillas, but a 400 ton bear can do whatever they want! Especially raid bee hives!

Wild Boars/pigs - Pigmen might fill this nitch eventually. Boars are large and incredibly destructive on an environment. Also omnivores, they eat roots, they own offspring (really), and the males have sharp tusks. Lots of meat, but the destruction of resources would be a reason to kill them or keep their numbers down.

Mountain Lions/Pumas/Cougars(all different names for the same critter) - the temperate zone equivalent of leopards. They shouldn't look to bother you, but should be almost certain death to fight. Also, they would compete for beefalos (sp?) and large meaty animals. Don't ever tick them off.

Sphinx - wanders around coughing up riddles. Gives out tips or goodies for getting the right answer; just don't get the wrong answer.

##Pets##

Hawk - dive bombs monsters in a fight, giving you a small bonus. He won't be killing any for you, but he will speed things up, especially with large monsters.

Cat - Adds bonuses for using magical spells (we are getting those eventually, right?)

Weasel - Slinky and makes you stealthier. Creatures won't see you as easily.

Owl - Big eyes glare at enemies, making them think twice before attacking you. Lower lvl aggroing enemies are less likely to attack you with the owl staring at them like that. Possibly limited to night time use only.

Eagle - daytime version of owl, if owls are only usable nocturnally. Eagle sees what you're trying to do there.

Fox - basically a walking animal trap for rabbits and other animals that can be caught with a trap. Fox will catch these animals and bring you morsels if you travel with him. He's not strong enough to back you up in a fight.

Deer/mules/something you can ride: Mount that helps speed up map travel.

Unicorn - is translucent and sparkly. Stands near your garden and makes things grow faster. Skips and frolics when following you. Also fertilizes it with rainbows.

Some awesome large mythical monster - equiv of a pigman and will defend you in combat.

Jackal-ope - Makes you lucky in random things (crops grown, stuff found, etc.).

[loveminbet]

Love your ideas about adding new creatures to the game - it would definitely add an extra layer of dimension to the game. I especially like your idea about creatures raiding your camp. I thought it weird that i could leave my crops and traps with food in them and kow that they wouldn't be raided.

[Riddling Sphinx]

Also adding:

Beast of Burden - Your pack mule. Carries materials for you.

Figment (of their imagination) - Stays in your camp and intimidates creature that try to enter. Doesn't actually do anything to them (it's a figment after all), but is fairly intimidating anyway.

Raven - Brings you shiny objects. Says "Nevermore" a lot.

[mobius187]

Bears - large omnivores with big claws that can run much faster than you might think. Bears should hit hard and raid your camp for food. We may not have gorillas, but a 400 ton bear can do whatever they want! Especially raid bee hives!

A bear would be interesting, and like the beefalo they could sleep during the night.

Wild Boars/pigs - Pigmen might fill this nitch eventually. Boars are large and incredibly destructive on an environment. Also omnivores, they eat roots, they own offspring (really), and the males have sharp tusks. Lots of meat, but the destruction of resources would be a reason to kill them or keep their numbers down.

I'm happy with pig men... I don't think I need another source of ham...

Mountain Lions/Pumas/Cougars(all different names for the same critter) - the temperate zone equivalent of leopards. They shouldn't look to bother you, but should be almost certain death to fight. Also, they would compete for beefalos (sp?) and large meaty animals. Don't ever tick them off.

No mountains (poor lions). Still, I think the hounds that will be added in the next update will serve in this capacity nicely.

Sphinx - wanders around coughing up riddles. Gives out tips or goodies for getting the right answer; just don't get the wrong answer.

I wouldn't want anything to be smarter than me in the game. I'm the genius, not the sphinx! But hey, that's just my opinion.

Hawk - dive bombs monsters in a fight, giving you a small bonus. He won't be killing any for you, but he will speed things up, especially with large monsters.

Mmm. Nope. Maybe if you said song bird I would go along with it. The "pet" bird I keep trapped near my camp only keeps screeching at me and that's not very melodic... I better eat him.

Cat - Adds bonuses for using magical spells (we are getting those eventually, right?)

I'm not even getting on the topic of magic. A normal cat however might be nice... but where would it come from? And would the hounds eat it?

Weasel - Slinky and makes you stealthier. Creatures won't see you as easily.

Interesting, but I'm just not sure.

Owl - Big eyes glare at enemies, making them think twice before attacking you. Lower lvl aggroing enemies are less likely to attack you with the owl staring at them like that. Possibly limited to night time use only.

Okay, while I wouldn't want this as a pet, I think it would be cool if this were a new type of animal in the wilderness that comes out at night and lands on the tops of trees. If its pale white eyes glowed in the dark that would be just freaky. Maybe it would be out at night hunting rabbits who either stick their heads out of the holes (that happens already) and you can scare them off to steal the meat morsel (like how you currently scare off birds to steal seeds) or maybe they break open rabbit traps and steal your food.

Eagle - daytime version of owl, if owls are only usable nocturnally. Eagle sees what you're trying to do there.

As with the hawk... not really a good fit.

Fox - basically a walking animal trap for rabbits and other animals that can be caught with a trap. Fox will catch these animals and bring you morsels if you travel with him. He's not strong enough to back you up in a fight.

Like the owl, I wouldn't mind a ox if it hunted rabbits and occasionally broke into your traps.

Deer/mules/something you can ride: Mount that helps speed up map travel.

I'd prefer if we could tame the beefalo or tallbird as mounts.

Unicorn - is translucent and sparkly. Stands near your garden and makes things grow faster. Skips and frolics when following you. Also fertilizes it with rainbows.

No. Just no.

Jackal-ope - Makes you lucky in random things (crops grown, stuff found, etc.).

I keep thinking the rabbits in the game are jackalopes... odd.

[Riddling Sphinx]

No mountains (poor lions). Still, I think the hounds that will be added in the next update will serve in this capacity nicely.

"Mountain" lions don't only live in mountains. They live pretty much anywhere in the temperate zone.

Mmm. Nope. Maybe if you said song bird I would go along with it.

Song birds are boring, except maybe for a dive bombing blue jay. I'm more interested in functional pets than decorative ones.

A normal cat however might be nice... but where would it come from? And would the hounds eat it?

Unless the hounds can climb trees they're out of luck. Anyway, cats seem to find their way around. I'm pretty sure Don't Starve Land (does this place have a proper name?) has some equivalent of cats. What with them being the devil's familiar and all.

Okay, while I wouldn't want this as a pet, I think it would be cool if this were a new type of animal in the wilderness that comes out at night and lands on the tops of trees. If its pale white eyes glowed in the dark that would be just freaky. Maybe it would be out at night hunting rabbits who either stick their heads out of the holes (that happens already) and you can scare them off to steal the meat morsel (like how you currently scare off birds to steal seeds) or maybe they break open rabbit traps and steal your food.

Oh it would make an awesome wild animal, but I'd still want one as a pet.

As with the hawk... not really a good fit.

I'm not that fond of the eagle, but I did want something with the same function of owl during the day. Maybe fox would fill this role.

Like the owl, I wouldn't mind a fox if it hunted rabbits and occasionally broke into your traps.

Well, I've only been thinking of them as pets, and not necessarily available in the wild. Maybe as something that you can catch or tame by making bait for X number of days for the animal. I think fox wouldn't really replace traps as there's only one of him, so you would still need traps if you were serious about rabbits.

I'd prefer if we could tame the beefalo or tallbird as mounts.

Hadn't thought of this, but it works. Tall bird seems a bit too small to ride though.

No. Just no.

Oh, come on, none of the characters in this game are entirely sane. Imaginary unicorns are par for the course. In terms of functionality, it could speed up production of things in the camp (like crock pot). Fertilizing might not be that useful.

I keep thinking the rabbits in the game are jackalopes... odd.

They are. Which is why we get a Jackalope and not a rabbit.

[Draugur]

I don't like the idea of pets simply because it really takes away from the core element of desolation and solitude.

[Riddling Sphinx]

I don't like the idea of pets simply because it really takes away from the core element of desolation and solitude.

I don't see them as companions, more as interesting tools, which what all early pets were to humans. But I get where you're coming from.

Edited November 24, 2012 by Riddling Sphinx

[mobius187]

"Mountain" lions don't only live in mountains. They live pretty much anywhere in the temperate zone.

What? Those deceptively named bastards!

Song birds are boring, except maybe for a dive bombing blue jay. I'm more interested in functional pets than decorative ones.

But a songbird could be functional. I'm just not sure how. Oh, maybe you feed it seeds and it warns you when danger is near. Sure, danger usually doesn't just wander up, but later monsters could be more sneaky. And until then... music.

Well, I've only been thinking of them as pets, and not necessarily available in the wild. Maybe as something that you can catch or tame by making bait for X number of days for the animal. I think fox wouldn't really replace traps as there's only one of him, so you would still need traps if you were serious about rabbits.

Well if there are seasons or islands with cold biomes then maybe we'll need fur to stay warm. Sure there's beefalo fur, but fox fur would work too...

Oh, come on, none of the characters in this game are entirely sane. Imaginary unicorns are par for the course. In terms of functionality, it could speed up production of things in the camp (like crock pot). Fertilizing might not be that useful.

I don't want unicorns anywhere near me, not since watching Cabin in the Woods... Do NOT want...