Prehistoric Kingdom News

[p]Welcome, Park Testers! [/p][p][/p][p]This PTB release addresses some of the main reported issues regarding animal health and treatment, providing some general balancing of these systems along the way.[/p][p][/p][p]As a QoL feature, we have added new game settings for 'Animal Disease' and 'Animal Injury' difficulty, which should change their contraction frequency. These settings are inherently tied to the game's difficulty for Challenge mode, but easily accessible in Sandbox mode through the options menu or New Game configuration.[/p][p][/p][p]Moreover, this new patch features First Person Mode compatibility with the newly introduced Flat Rides, so go nuts![/p][p] [/p][h3]How to Access the Public Testing Branch (Experimental!)[/h3][p]The Public Testing Branch (PTB) is a version of Prehistoric Kingdom that can be opted-into on Steam, containing experimental and potentially breaking changes. With the help of the community, we're able to hunt down various issues and gather feedback before pushing a an update to the public version of Prehistoric Kingdom.
[/p]

1. [p] Right click Prehistoric Kingdom in your Steam Library
   [/p]
2. [p] Go to Properties
   [/p]
3. [p] Betas
   [/p]
4. [p] Select 'ptb_public_testing'[/p]

[p]Please note that it is not recommended to play Public Testing Branch parks on earlier versions of the game. Please send feedback and bug reports to our Discord server's appropriate channel.

[/p][h3]Known Issues & Additional Notes[/h3][p][/p]

• [p]A little under half of all animal species are currently missing their knockdown, struggle, and death animations, which can result in janky visuals for animal sedation and demise. The animation volume for this update has been challenging, but this is something we'll keep working on and polishing until the update's release and beyond.[/p]
• [p]Currently some of the animals models are missing vertex data critical for the rendering of visual affliction symptoms, meaning some skin conditions will not be fully functional.[/p]
• [p]As a result of FSR, humans can appear smeared in motion. Turning off FSR will resolve this issue.[/p]
• [p]The side faces of the water volumes in amphibious vivarium have glitchy visuals at this moment. This is something we're actively looking to fix.[/p]
• [p]There currently are a couple of guest art issues, relating to one of the man's outfits animations and the old cashier outfits.[/p]

[p]
[/p][p][/p][h2]Additions[/h2]

• [p]Gameplay[/p]
  • [p]The Ferris Wheel and Panoramic Tower can now be accessed by First Person Mode[/p]
  • [p]Added 2 new research items to the Pathology category:[/p]
    • [p]Auto-Quarantine Range 1
      Increases the range of Quarantine Bay’s Auto-Quarantine mechanic (100m).[/p]
    • [p]Auto-Quarantine Range 2
      Further increases the range of Quarantine Bay’s Auto-Quarantine mechanic (150m). [/p]

• [p]Guests[/p]
  • [p]Visitors should now have a specific desire to visit rides and vivariums
    [/p]
• [p]UI/UX[/p]
  • [p]Added paleopedia entries for the following:[/p]
    • [p]Coelodonta[/p]
    • [p]Compsognathus[/p]
    • [p]Mammuthus[/p]
    • [p]Megaloceros[/p]
    • [p]Oviraptor[/p]
    • [p]Panthera[/p]
    • [p]Smilodon[/p]
    • [p]Yi[/p]
    • [p]La Brea Tar Pits[/p]
    • [p]Luján Formation[/p]
    • [p]Tiaojishan Formation[/p]
    • [p]Tokod Locality[/p]
    • [p]Vilyuy River[/p]
  • [p]Feeders now display a ‘Cleanliness’ statistic, similar to bedding and water troughs[/p]
  • [p]Added a ‘Call to Tranquilize’ button to the overview tab in the Animal Info Menu[/p]
  • [p]Added a ‘Call for Checkup’ button to the biology tab in the Animal Info Menu[/p]
  • [p]Added Park Issue for animals dying from Starvation or Dehydration[/p]
  • [p]Added Park Issue for vivariums having an invalid feed type[/p]
• [p]Audio[/p]
  • [p]Added new clicks for changing vivarium nature pieces[/p]

[h2]Changes[/h2]

• [p]Balance[/p]
  • [p]Halved the rate at which animals lose Wellness from Starvation and Dehydration[/p]
• [p]Gameplay[/p]
  • [p]Diseases and Injuries can now have their difficulty setting configured in the options menu, which changes frequency. These settings are inherently tied to the game’s difficulty for Challenge Mode, and are also available in the New Game configuration for Sandbox mode.[/p]
• [p]Animals[/p]
  • [p]Generally improved animations for animal collapse and death (though some species haven’t been fully set up yet!)[/p]
  • [p]Reduced chance of Retroviral Activation affliction[/p]
  • [p]General rebalance of affliction frequencies[/p]
  • [p]Contagious afflictions now have a chance to stop spreading, keeping pandemics under control[/p]
• [p]Staff[/p]
  • [p]Vets operating a quarantine should now stay crouched when working[/p]
• [p]Buildings & Scenery[/p]
  • [p]Updated glass rendering to be darker[/p]
• [p]Environment[/p]
  • [p]Updated vivarium water coloring and effects[/p]
• [p]Audio[/p]
  • [p]Placement sounds now have proper reverb when inside a vivarium[/p]

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]

• [p]Critical[/p]
  • [p]Fixed a rare bug which caused park-wide Enclosure Analysis to stall out when a baby animal was born inside an enclosure being analyzed[/p]
• [p]Animals[/p]
  • [p]Health and wellness cannot go below 1% when Animal Death is disabled[/p]
  • [p]Fixed Common Cold affliction not having any symptoms[/p]
  • [p]Treatment and Observation status should now correctly end when there are no valid afflictions to treat[/p]
  • [p]Fixed an oversight that caused small theropods to become aggressive towards their own offspring[/p]
• [p]Staff[/p]
  • [p]Tranq Gun prop now spawns and despawns at more appropriate times[/p]
  • [p]Fixed the new Cashiers retaining their old outfits[/p]
  • [p]Resolved an issue causing the old Cashiers to stroll around the park as guests[/p]
• [p]Guests[/p]
  • [p]Visitors will now correctly view Vivariums, Info Signs, and Statues[/p]
• [p]Buildings & Scenery[/p]
  • [p]Info Signs should no longer be disconnected from Visitor Nav on loading a game[/p]
• [p]UI/UX[/p]
  • [p]Fixed inconsistent accounting of known afflictions between different UI panels[/p]
  • [p]Fixed the ‘Locate Vet’ button not working on an animal’s ‘Recently Surveyed by..’ card in its Animal Info menu[/p]
  • [p]Fixed the main Animal List menu not showing any animals[/p]
  • [p]Fixed main Animal List not correctly updating to show current afflictions on animals[/p]
• [p]Rendering[/p]
  • [p]Fixed a rendering glitch causing human mesh elements (such as hair or heads) LODing out (or disappearing) before they are fully out of screen [/p]

[p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Update 16 is coming this month on December 23![/p][p]Care for 10 new exotic species with the brand new vivarium system! Hire vets, treat diseases and offer your guests stunning vistas with the Ferris Wheel and Panoramic Tower coming in Update 16.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]A limited version of this release can be played on the Public Testing Branch RIGHT NOW! The team have been gathering your feedback and bug reports, so make sure to keep sending those through on our official Discord server.[/p]

[p][/p][p]Welcome, Park Testers![/p][p]This early version of Update 16 includes animal health, disease and death, a completely overhauled vivarium system, new flat rides and a variety of other changes. We are expecting to launch this update on December 23rd. While the update remains a work in progress, we are looking for feedback in these areas:[/p]

• [p]Challenge Mode balance[/p]
  • [p]Animal affliction balance[/p]
  • [p]Animal treatment[/p]
  • [p]Financial difficulty[/p]
  • [p]Research tree experience[/p]

[p]As mentioned there have been a lot of changes since the last update, so be sure to read the full patch notes below to see everything that's new! [/p][p][/p][h2]PTB Features[/h2][p][/p][h3]Diseases, Vets & Quarantine Bays[/h3][p]The headlining feature for this update is Animal Health, Disease & Treatment! Animals can now contract Diseases with a wide range of symptoms and severities—expect changes like lethargy, fatigue, reduced appetite/thirst, sneezing/panting/scratching, reduced awareness, and even visible skin conditions.[/p][p][/p][p]Diseases progress through clear stages: Incubation → Persistence → Recovery → Resistance. Symptoms become more obvious as incubation advances, fade during recovery, and then remain dormant during resistance (preventing reinfection for a time). Some diseases won’t heal naturally and require veterinary intervention.[/p][p]Certain diseases are contagious and can spread via Transmission Vectors—between animals through contact and airborne spread, and into enclosures via contaminated feeding and bedding. Many afflictions can also progress into more severe conditions if left unchecked (e.g., Common Cold → Pneumonia → Pulmonary Edema → Respiratory Failure).[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Disease risk is influenced by the animal’s condition and environment—things like stress, injury/compounding illness, malnutrition/dehydration, dirtiness, contaminated feed/water/bedding, age, genetic immunity, swimming, and improper/insufficient vegetation. Animals also track an Immunity value affected by genetics, illness/injury, vegetation compatibility, and vitamins.[/p][p][/p][p]Enclosure modules can become contaminated over time—dirtier enclosures contaminate faster, and at 50%+ contamination you’ll see flies. Keepers will automatically clean contaminated modules, but diseased modules (marked with green particles) must be detected via Survey before a Keeper is dispatched—and any diseased food found in feeders is destroyed during cleaning.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]To properly identify illness, animals and modules must be Surveyed by a Vet. If an affliction is detected, that target is marked Under Observation, revealing all current (and newly acquired) conditions. Early-stage diseases (under 50% incubation) are harder to spot unless your Vet has the Early Detection perk.[/p][p][/p][p]Treatments may require research to unlock, and are generally faster than natural healing—often skipping persistence and reversing incubation. Treatment is delivered via Remote Medication (dart), Field Medicine (sedation and treatment within the enclosure), or Quarantine (sedation + transport to a bay for life-saving care).[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]With the right research and a Quarantine Bay placed near an enclosure, Automatic Quarantine Transport can handle transfers for you (swapping one-time transport costs for monthly upkeep). Animals can also be discharged automatically by the same proximity rules—unless they’re suffering from something you haven’t unlocked treatment for yet.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Feeders can also be configured for Supplements, consuming Medicine resources and delivered by Vets: Vitamins (higher immunity), Steroids (injury resistance), Mating Boosters/Suppressors (higher/lower fecundity), and Mutagen (more genetic variety in offspring).[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Vivariums[/h3][p]Vivariums are placeable habitat modules designed to house small or specialized animals—letting you build everything from compact reptile houses to miniature aviaries. They expand on the old Mini-Aviary concept with Terrestrial, Arboreal, and Amphibious setups, giving these species a dedicated home that better suits their scale and movement.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]To help you decorate in a smaller space, Vivariums include a quick customization system with environment-based nature presets you can mix and match, and even randomize with a seed. From the same menu, enrichment items can be easily toggled on or off, adding destinations for animals to explore— logs to jump onto or frames to glide toward.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]On top of that, each Vivarium wall comes with glass, mesh, facades, and cladding styles that can be switched out, fitting cleanly into your builds. Amphibious Vivariums benefit from a new water tech that can generate water volumes on demand, helping these exhibits look better and run efficiently.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Rides[/h3][p]The update introduces two brand-new guest rides: the Ferris Wheel and Panoramic Tower. These major attractions are designed to pull crowds and provide a big boost to your park’s appeal thanks to their high Attraction Points value.[/p][p]Both rides are operated by Cashier Staff and function with a full guest flow. Visitors will form a queue on designated waiting platforms, board when space becomes available, enjoy the ride cycle, and then disembark before the next group enters.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]PTB Changes[/h2][p][/p][p]ANIMAL TRANSPORTATION[/p][p]Moving animals outside of their enclosures now has a cost based on the animal size and movement distance. To move an animal into a Quarantine Bay, it will need to be sedated. [/p][p][/p][h2]What is NOT included in this PTB?[/h2][p][/p][p]As usual, we are still working to add the remaining features, audio and other components that'll be there when the update fully releases. All of the new Vivarium animals will be released once the full update drops.[/p][p]While the game is playable, you can expect to run into bugs, crashes or general oddities. Please send your feedback and bug reports to our Discord server's appropriate channel.[/p][p]Here are the major outstanding things not present in the PTB:[/p]

• [p]The new Vivarium species[/p]

[p][/p][h2]How to Access the Public Testing Branch (Experimental!)[/h2][p]The Public Testing Branch (PTB) is a version of Prehistoric Kingdom that can be opted-into on Steam, containing experimental and potentially breaking changes. With the help of the community, we're able to hunt down various issues and gather feedback before pushing a an update to the public version of Prehistoric Kingdom. Right click Prehistoric Kingdom in your Steam Library Go to Properties Betas Select 'ptb_public_testing'Please note that it is not recommended to play Public Testing Branch parks on earlier versions of the game. Please send feedback and bug reports to our Discord server's appropriate channel.[/p][p][/p][h3]Known Issues & Additional Notes[/h3][p][/p]

• [p]A little under half of all animal species are currently missing their knockdown, struggle, and death animations, which can result in janky visuals for animal sedation and demise. The animation volume for this update has been challenging, but this is something we'll keep working on and polishing until the update's release and beyond.[/p]
• [p]Currently some of the animals models are missing vertex data critical for the rendering of visual affliction symptoms, meaning some skin conditions will not be fully functional.[/p]
• [p]As a result of FSR, humans can appear smeared in motion. Turning off FSR will resolve this issue.[/p]
• [p]The side faces of the water volumes in amphibious vivarium have glitchy visuals at this moment. This is something we're actively looking to fix.[/p]
• [p]There currently are a couple of guest art issues, relating to one of the man's outfits animations and the old cashier outfits.[/p]

[p]
[/p][p][/p][h2]Features[/h2]

• [p]NEW FEATURE: Vivariums[/p][p]Vivariums are brand-new habitat modules designed for compact exhibit displays. Place Terrestrial, Arboreal, and Amphibious vivarium modules in multiple sizes, then decorate them with new props and scenery to create detailed exhibits for smaller animals.[/p]
• [p]NEW FEATURE: Animal Health, Disease & Treatment
  Animals can now contract diseases with distinct symptoms and progression stages. Some illnesses are contagious and can spread through transmission vectors like animal contact, airborne spread, and contaminated food, or bedding.[/p][p]To properly identify illness, animals and modules must be Surveyed by a Vet—detected targets become Under Observation, revealing current (and newly acquired) afflictions. Treatments can be delivered in the field, or in the most severe cases, in Quarantine Bays.
  
  To be moved to Quarantine, an animal must first be sedated by Staff.[/p]
• [p]NEW FEATURE: Vets[/p][p]A new Vet Staff role has been added to handle animal medical care. Vets can survey animals and enclosure modules to detect afflictions, keep sick animals Under Observation, and administer treatment. When hands-on care is needed, Vets can also sedate animals for procedures, preparing them for quarantine transport. Vets can also deliver supplements to feeders, providing improvements to animal welfare and maintenance.[/p]
• [p]NEW FEATURE: Animal Death[/p][p]Health outcomes now have real consequences. Untreated diseases and worsening conditions can become fatal, making early detection, enclosure hygiene, and timely treatment more important than ever. Additionally, animals can succumb due to the health implications of old age and unmet needs.[/p]
• [p]NEW FEATURE: Flat Rides[/p][p]Two new guest rides have been added: the Ferris Wheel and Panoramic Tower. Operated by Cashier Staff, guests will queue up, board, take the ride, then disembark—earning these attractions a high Attraction Points value.[/p]
• [p]NEW FEATURE: Expanded Modular Merging[/p][p]Modular merging has been expanded to allow for the quick collection of multiple Groups, each being now able to have a parent and a set of children. Select your preferred merging options through the Modular Group Infomenu.[/p]
• [p]NEW FEATURE: FSR 3.1 Upscaling[/p][p]From the settings menu, players with modern GPUs can now choose several levels of FSR upscaling to improve their rendering performance. This also includes a new ‘Native AA’ mode which offers smooth, anti-aliased visuals via FSR. Players with older GPUs can still take advantage of FSR 1 to improve their framerate.
  
  Please note that Prehistoric Kingdom is a CPU-heavy game, so performance gains greatly depend on your park![/p]

[h2]Additions[/h2]

• [p]Gameplay[/p]
  • [p]Added the following excavation sites to the game:[/p]
    • [p][/p]
    • [p]Fram Formation, Canada[/p]
    • [p][/p]
    • [p][/p]
    • [p][/p]
    • [p]Maevarano Formation, Madagascar[/p]
    • [p]Tiaojishan Formation, China[/p]
  • [p]Added a new Research category to the Research Menu - Pathology - containing unlockable research items that enable the treatment of most of the animal afflictions, as well as treatment facility upgrades.[/p]
  • [p]Added new research items to the Biology research tree:[/p]
    • [p]Medium Vivariums
      Unlocks medium-sized Vivariums, housing larger species.[/p]
    • [p]Large Vivariums[/p][p]Unlocks large-sized Vivariums, housing the largest vivarium species.[/p]
    • [p]Vitamins
      Unlocks the Vitamins supplement, allowing animals to heal faster from afflictions.[/p]
    • [p]Steroids
      Unlocks the Steroids supplement, allowing animals to heal faster from wounds.[/p]
    • [p]Mutagen
      Unlocks the Mutagens supplement, increasing the chances and intensity of mutations from parent to offspring.[/p]
    • [p]Mating Suppressants
      Unlocks the Mating Suppressant supplement, decreasing animal’s courtship during the breeding season.[/p]
    • [p]Mating Boosters
      Unlocks the Mating Booster supplement, increasing animal’s courtship during the breeding season.[/p]
    • [p]Improved Healing Supplements
      Increases the efficiency of Vitamins and Steroids.[/p]
    • [p]Potent Healing Supplements
      Maximizes the efficiency of Vitamins and Steroids.[/p]
    • [p]Improved Mutagens
      Increases the efficiency of mutagens.[/p]
    • [p]Potent Mutagens
      Maximizes the efficiency of Mutagens.[/p]
    • [p]Improved Mating Supplements
      Increases the efficiency of Mating Boosters and Mating Suppressants.[/p]
    • [p]Potent Mating Supplements
      Maximizes the efficiency of Mating Boosters and Mating Suppressants.[/p]
  • [p]Added new research items to the Construction & Design research tree:[/p]
    • [p]Ferris Wheel
      Unlocks the Ferris Wheel ride[/p]
    • [p]Panoramic Tower
      Unlocks the Panoramic Tower ride[/p]
• [p]Buildings & Scenery[/p]
  • [p]Quarantine Bay Small[/p]
  • [p]Quarantine Bay Large[/p]
  • [p]Added 2 brand new Flat Rides[/p]
    • [p]Ferris Wheel[/p]
    • [p]Panoramic Tower[/p]
  • [p]Added Medical Props[/p]
    • [p]Vet Lamp Large[/p]
    • [p]Vet Lamp Small[/p]
    • [p]Vet Computer[/p]
    • [p]Vet Desk 1[/p]
    • [p]Vet Desk 2[/p]
    • [p]Vet Desk 3[/p]
    • [p]Vet Ultrasound Machine[/p]
    • [p]Vet Oxygen Monitor[/p]
    • [p]Vet Oxygen Tank[/p]
    • [p]Vet Heartrate Monitor[/p]
    • [p]Vet Bin 1[/p]
    • [p]Vet Bin 2[/p]
  • [p]Added Misc Backstage Props[/p]
    • [p]Electric Cable Thin 4m[/p]
    • [p]Electric Cable Thin 1m[/p]
    • [p]Electric Cable Thin Corner[/p]
    • [p]Electric Cable Thin Junction[/p]
    • [p]Electric Cable Thin Power Boxes[/p]
    • [p]Metal Walkway 2m[/p]
    • [p]Metal Walkway 4m[/p]
    • [p]Metal Walkway Railing[/p]
    • [p]Metal Walkway Square[/p]
    • [p]Metal Walkway Stair 1[/p]
    • [p]Metal Walkway Stair 2[/p]
    • [p]Metal Walkway Stair Step[/p]
  • [p]Vivarium Amphibious - Box, Small, Medium, Large[/p]
  • [p]Vivarium Arboreal - Box, Small, Medium, Large[/p]
  • [p]Vivarium Terrestrial - Box, Small, Medium, Large[/p]
  • [p]Added Vivarium Props & Items[/p]
    • [p]Wooden Platform Square[/p]
    • [p]Wooden Platform Bridge 1m[/p]
    • [p]Wooden Platform Bridge 2m[/p]
    • [p]Beam Wooden 1m[/p]
    • [p]Beam Wooden 2m[/p]
    • [p]Beam Wooden 4m[/p]
    • [p]Beam Wooden Base[/p]
    • [p]Heating Lamp 0.5m[/p]
    • [p]Heating Lamp 2m[/p]
    • [p]Heating Lamp 4m[/p]
    • [p]Heating Lamp 6m[/p]
    • [p]Vivarium Birdhouse[/p]
    • [p]Vivarium Box Climbing Set [/p]
    • [p]Vivarium Large Climbing Set[/p]
    • [p]Vivarium Medium Climbing Set[/p]
    • [p]Vivarium Small Climbing Set[/p]
    • [p]Vivarium Hammock[/p]
    • [p]Vivarium Tree Shell[/p]
    • [p]Vivarium Faux Tree[/p]
    • [p]Rope Thin 1m[/p]
    • [p]Rope Thin 4m[/p]
    • [p]Rope Thin 4m Hanging[/p]
    • [p]Rope Thin Knot[/p]
    • [p]Rope Thin Cap[/p]
    • [p]Rope Thin Hook[/p]
    • [p]Log Hollow[/p]
    • [p]Log Hollow Short[/p]
    • [p]Stump Driftwood Roots[/p]
    • [p]Stump Tree 1[/p]
    • [p]Stump Tree 2[/p]
    • [p]Driftwood Curved Trunk[/p]
    • [p]Driftwood Curved Trunk Rootless[/p]
    • [p]Rock Hiding Cave[/p]
    • [p]Rock Lounging Platform[/p]
    • [p]Vivarium Rock Cladding Walls with 3 styling options (Wet/Forest/Dry)[/p]
      • [p]Rock Vivarium Cladding 4x4[/p]
      • [p]Rock Vivarium Cladding 4x8[/p]
      • [p]Rock Vivarium Cladding 8x12[/p]
      • [p]Rock Vivarium Cladding 12x16[/p]
      • [p]Rock Vivarium Cladding Half 4x4[/p]
      • [p]Rock Vivarium Cladding Half 4x8[/p]
      • [p]Rock Vivarium Cladding Half 8x12[/p]
      • [p]Rock Vivarium Cladding Half 12x16[/p]
• [p]UI/UX[/p]
  • [p]The animal paleopedia menu now has a ‘Diseases’ tab, displaying brief information about all the various diseases a species can contract[/p]
  • [p]Added supplement selection to the animal feeder menus, allowing players to feed their animals various supplements, if available[/p]
  • [p]Added a Vivarium filter toggle to the Animal Nursery gallery panel, giving players the ability to quickly switch animal selection between all animals and vivarium animals only[/p]
  • [p]Added a water trough selection widget menu[/p]
  • [p]Added a bedding selection widget menu[/p]
• [p]Audio[/p]
  • [p]Added more sounds to the Nursery menu to make it a more polished experience[/p]

[h2]Changes[/h2]

• [p]Animals[/p]
  • [p]Completely overhauled the models, textures and animations for both Microraptor and Archaeopteryx, now featuring a completely new navigation system tuned to work within the new Vivarium framework[/p]
  • [p]Moving animals outside of their enclosures now has a cost based on the animal size and movement distance[/p]
  • [p]Increased time between vocalisations for all sauropods as well as Charonosaurus and Parasaurolophus[/p]
  • [p]Balanced weights, costs and appeal points for all medium and large ceratopsians[/p]
  • [p]Updated Nursery icon for Charonosaurus to reflect its updated crest[/p]
• [p]Staff[/p]
  • [p]Re-designed the Cashier Staff outfit[/p]
  • [p]Cashiers’ tasks now extend to Ride operations[/p]

• [p]Environment[/p]
  • [p]Adjusted sky and atmospheric lighting to both look more cohesive and interact better with FSR[/p]
  • [p]Grass should appear thicker at a distance and slightly more varied in height[/p]
  • [p]Tropical Grass color is now a little deeper and more saturated[/p]
  • [p]Updated terrain textures for:[/p]
    • [p]Boreal Grass[/p]
    • [p]Temperate Dirt[/p]
    • [p]Temperate Grass[/p]
    • [p]Tropical Grass[/p]
    • [p]Tropical Sand[/p]
    • [p]Scrubland Sand[/p]
    • [p]Scrubland Dirt[/p]
    • [p]Scrubland Rock[/p]
  • [p]Decreased the tiling scale of all grass textures to feel more detailed when looking at small animals[/p]
• [p]UI/UX[/p]
  • [p]Increased the efficacy of the camera flashlight[/p]
  • [p]Updated various terrain texture previews[/p]
  • [p]Logistics resources will be hidden if disabled and empty[/p]
• [p]Rendering[/p]
  • [p]Geometry draw distances increased: Ultra from 1.2x to 1.4x. Cinematic from 1.4x to 2.0x. You can select a high geometry quality setting by itself with any other combination of other visual settings to get longer draw distances.[/p]
• [p]Post Processing[/p]
  • [p]Auto-exposure is now more responsive to dark areas and no longer brightens the game when looking down[/p]
  • [p]Bloom now responds better to bright highlights and has a lens dirt effect[/p]
  • [p]Color grading has a bit more contrast and saturation to make the game look less drab[/p]
  • [p]Post-processing now updates even when the game is paused[/p]
• [p]Audio[/p]
  • [p]Midtone ambient frequencies will now be slightly ducked by animal sounds[/p]
• [p]Misc.[/p]
  • [p]The base camera FOV has been made slightly tighter in order to make the player feel like they’re more “in the world” while building and managing[/p]

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]

• [p]Crashes[/p]
  • [p]Fix for a potential crash[/p]
• [p]Critical[/p]
  • [p]Fixed multiple memory leaks that could stop core systems from functioning during long sessions[/p]
  • [p]General improvements and stabilization to animal asset and texture loading[/p]
  • [p]Fixed a new modular group misalignment issue in the starting levels[/p]
  • [p]Fixed a long standing shading error causing modular selection outline to render with incorrect coloration when a selection stack contained multiple colors[/p]
  • [p]Fixed animal animation stability issues[/p]
• [p]Gameplay[/p]
  • [p]Fix for a long standing logical bug that could allow for the early research of a late-game research item, if accessed directly through link buttons throughout the GUI[/p]
• [p]Animals[/p]
  • [p]Improved animal reliability when pathing around nav boundary corners[/p]
• [p]Staff[/p]
  • [p]Improved operator saving, staff should return to their previous Cashiering/Ride Operation jobs quicker after loading a game[/p]
• [p]Buildings & Scenery[/p]
  • [p]Fixed coloring issues related to modular lighting, which should be much more consistent and stable now[/p]
  • [p]Fixed some modular pieces not being see-through for the guests, including the 4x4 Glass Wall, and the chainlink pieces[/p]
  • [p]Feeders should track their consumed food more accurately between play sessions[/p]
• [p]Environment[/p]
  • [p]Fixed an issue that caused the Coastal dirt to be lower resolution than intended[/p]
• [p]UI/UX[/p]
  • [p]Fixed a recurring bug causing the Modular Style Menu to hide away if a structure was deselected and selected back fast enough[/p]
  • [p]Fixed fill toggle layouts overflowing outside of masked GUI elements[/p]
• [p]Rendering[/p]
  • [p]Light LODs have been restored (there will be more improvement coming here)[/p]
  • [p]Fixed Light LODs culling incorrectly close to the camera[/p]
• [p]Audio[/p]
  • [p]Fixed a bug that caused ambient audio to “pop” loudly when exiting the Park Services menu[/p]
  • [p]Fixed excavations menu ambience not fading in at high zoom levels[/p]
  • [p]Fixed an oversight that could potentially cause guests to become louder than expected[/p]
• [p]Misc.[/p]
  • [p]Fixed a bug that could have prevented triggering the Noah’s Park achievement[/p]

[h2]Performance[/h2]

• [p]Strategically removed shadow casting from small or “whispy” plants to reduce batch and shadowcaster count. For players using high or ultra screen space shadows (recommended) the visual impact should be minor[/p]
• [p]Made massive CPU optimization to Scroll rects containing hundreds of elements[/p]
• [p]Significant CPU performance gains while viewing the Animal Management Menu[/p]
• [p]Minor performance improvements to the building menu[/p]
• [p]Optimized animal material batching[/p]
• [p]Minor general CPU performance gains[/p]

[p] [/p][p]Welcome to the November Development Update![/p][p]As the team will be on their holiday break in late December, this is officially our last blog post for the year. There’s quite a lot of text to get through in this one, so let’s dig right into it.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]First up, the team is trying to get Update 16 into public testing as soon as possible. While the content will be restricted and unfinished, we are aiming to start the PTB during December to gauge early feedback, fix bugs and lock down a release date. Obviously December is a busy month due to the holidays, but stay tuned for more info and we’ll do our best![/p][p][/p][h2]Funding Recap & Thank You[/h2][p]Looking back to the start of the year, we want to provide an update on our financial situation. For those unaware, PK was almost entirely out of funding as of January 2025. As you might imagine, this was a very stressful time for the team and many of us voluntarily made pay sacrifices to keep the game afloat.[/p][p]Thankfully over the last 11 months, we have been able to push out game-changing updates like breeding and seamless growth entirely thanks to your support. Whether it’s been through buying a copy or supporting us directly on Patreon, you have made an incredible difference and provided us with the security to keep going.[/p][p]While sales do fluctuate month to month depending on discounts or game updates, the overall interest in Prehistoric Kingdom continues to increase. Patreon has been a massive help when making up for dry months, so if you can spare it, we will forever appreciate supporting us there.[/p][p]Truly, thank you all so much for your help.[/p][p]- The PK Team
[/p][p][/p][h2]Vivariums[/h2][h3]New Species[/h3][p]This is Yi and Yi is basically a wyvern. Well, it’s really a dinosaur from China BUT instead of using feathers to glide, its wings were made from a bat-like membrane! Inside its mouth is a set of needle-like teeth that love to munch on insects, kibble and the occasional finger.[/p][p][/p][p]The first concept art for this fluffy fellow was drawn all the way back in 2021, with Yi originally intended to be part of the Early Access launch roster. We even had Nigel record lines for it, but due to the difficulties that came from the original Mini-Aviary, Yi was shelved until now. Revisiting the original concept was a real treat![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]From a time long before the dinosaurs, Tiktaalik is one of the oldest animals coming to Prehistoric Kingdom. This fish is what’s considered to be a transitional species, a link between land and water. Using its surprisingly sturdy limbs and muscular body, guests love to watch Tiktaalik propel itself onto the shores of their vivarium. It may not be graceful but it sure is fascinating![/p][p][/p][p]If it’s not on land, you’ll commonly catch Tiktaalik below the surface exploring its aquatic domain. It’s great exercise for grandpa![/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][h3]Making A Home[/h3][p]Since Vivariums are quite a small space to build in, we’ve designed a system that allows players to quickly add or remove nature with just a couple clicks.[/p][p]Depending on the chosen environment, there are a variety of nature presets that can be made more or less dense. These options can be freely mixed and matched or even include Mesozoic plants if they’ve been unlocked. If you’re not happy with how the items have been placed, you can even set or randomize the Vivarium’s seed, redistributing your nature pieces.[/p][p]Of course if you’re more of a sandbox builder, you can always turn off the generated nature or simply add your own touches on top of it.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]When it comes to enrichment items, these can be toggled within the same menu. Each Vivarium comes with its own predetermined enrichment spots that add new locations for your animals to explore. For example, your Compsognathus can jump up onto logs and your Microraptors can glide to climbing frames.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]All vivariums above were made using a mix of hand placement and auto-generation![/p][p]One of our favorite items is the arboreal tree. When disabled, the perch looks more like something you’d see in a real zoo. Turn it on, however, and your flyers are right at home! The vibe is up to you.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]We should also mention that ALL of these enrichment items will be available as separate decorative modular pieces![/p][p][/p][h3]Enlightening[/h3][p]And so after all that, Vivariums are almost done! We’re currently working on the management side of things and are animating the remaining species. We really like how this system turned out and love its flexibility, especially when it comes to things like the null styling and enrichment.[/p][p]To finish off the work on their customization, players can also change the vivarium’s light color! This is perfect for making reptile houses or nocturnal habitats, we cannot wait to see what you do with them.[/p][p][/p][h2]Vets & Diseases[/h2][p]Diseases and ailments can come in a variety of forms. There are over 25 different conditions, each caused by things like the weather, poor habitats or worsening sickness. Some examples include:[/p]

• [p]Common Cold
  A contagious disease potentially contracted from weather or swimming[/p]
• [p]Silicosis
  Particulate caught in the lungs, caused by a lack of plants in the habitat[/p]
• [p]Roundworms
  Contracted from eating contaminated feeders[/p]
• [p]Plant Toxicosis
  Contracted from eating plants of the wrong era[/p]
• [p]Mites
  Contracted from using dirty bedding[/p]

[p]Most diseases can be treated early to stop them developing into something much worse (e.g. the common cold into pneumonia). For this, you’ll need a special type of staff member.[/p][p][/p][h3]Vets[/h3][p]To identify and deal with disease in the park, players will need to hire vets. Their primary task is to walk around and automatically survey habitats, alerting the player to issues as they arise.[/p][p]If an animal becomes sick and they have not been recently surveyed by a vet, the player will not be aware that something is wrong until the next survey. Despite this, many illnesses will show physical symptoms such as sneezing, skin irritation, lethargy or frequent droppings. If the player notices or thinks something is wrong, they have the option to manually call a vet to visit the animal.[/p][p][/p][p]When a disease has been found, vets will medicate animals from a distance or sedate them and use the new ‘Medicine’ resource to treat them in the field. A sick animal cannot lose its survey status until all its issues have been cured.[/p][p][/p][h3]Preventing Disease[/h3][p]As vets inspect your habitats (and vivariums), they’ll also check the cleanliness of any feeders, water troughs and bedding within an area. The less spread out these modules are in the enclosure, the quicker this process will be. [/p][p]Dirty modules are a potential source of disease, so if they’re found, keepers will be called in to clean them. In the case of feeders, food will be completely thrown out and replaced if a disease is identified.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Players can also add supplements to feeders by using the Medicine delivered by vets. Once ingested, animals will receive temporary buffs depending on what the player has enabled. [/p]

• [p]Vitamins
  Animals are more resistant to getting sick, increases immunity and growth speed[/p]
• [p]Steroids
  Animals heal faster from light wounds, increases vitality and growth speed (will be useful for competitive species like Triceratops once combat is added)[/p]
• [p]Mating Booster
  Increases courtship during the breeding season[/p]
• [p]Mating Suppressant
  Decreases courtship during the breeding season[/p]
• [p]Mutagen
  Increases the chance and intensity of mutations from parent to offspring (e.g. wider variation in genetic immunity, fertility and random skins for babies)[/p]

[p]To compensate for these changes, the growth speed for animals will be lowered across the board while the courtship chance will become more varied per species.[/p][p][/p][h3]Research & Quarantine[/h3][p]While vets can deal with basic illnesses right away in the field, some advanced ailments might need the player to explore new treatment options. This first starts by researching the Quarantine Bay - a module that’s required to treat certain things like Bird Flu, Sepsis or eventually in U17, broken bones.[/p][p]Once an animal has been moved into a Quarantine Bay, this will give your vets a sterile place to work while also protecting nearby animals from any contagious disease. A Quarantine Bay must be stocked with Medicine in order to treat animals.[/p][p][/p][p]As you can see below, all of the mid-late stage illnesses either must be researched to perform treatment in the field or entirely rely on the Quarantine Bay. To prevent the worst from happening, you’ll want your vets available, habitats spotless and this research tree completed![/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]Since this is our last Dev Diary for the year, we wanted to briefly talk a little about 2026. If you’ve been keeping up with the roadmap, you’ll know that after U16, Prehistoric Kingdom will be two major updates away from full release![/p][p]There are a few features here and there that are yet to be revealed, but the biggest headliners for next year will definitely be hunting, combat and breakouts. These remaining updates are going to be substantial and very time consuming, but they’ll finally bring all the pieces together. By the end of 2026, PK should be mechanically complete. [/p][p]In terms of next year’s roster, it’s finally time for Stegosaurus! This Jurassic classic will be arriving with four different designs: two for Stegosaurus stenops and two for Stegosaurus ungulatus. We can’t wait to show you how the others look.[/p][p]The 3D model will have different proportions to the concept art.[/p][p]Its contemporary predator, Allosaurus, will also be stalking its way into the game! This ferocious predator will have four different alt species, each with their proper skull shape to make it one of the most diverse and deadly animals in Prehistoric Kingdom.[/p][p] [/p][p]Created by JKOC1115 [/p][p]Created by Sr Yepetto[/p][p]Created by Errant[/p][p][/p][p]Thank you for reading November's dev diary![/p][p]Once again, thank you so much for your support over the past 12 months. You kept PK alive and helped us create our biggest year ever. The Dev Diary will return in January with our roadmap for 2026 outlining what we hope will be an even BIGGER year filled with the things that you’ve been begging for.[/p][p]Combat, hunting, management improvements, \[redacted], \[redacted], it’s going to be great. In the mean time, we’ll be keeping you updated on U16 with hopefully some playable stuff in December![/p][p]Until next time and happy holidays,[/p][p]- The PK Team[/p]

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[p] [/p][p]Welcome to the October Development Update! [/p][p]We hope you’ve had a spOoOky month with plenty of park building to go around. In this post, we’ll be exploring more of the new content coming in Update 16 and meeting a particularly cute friend.[/p][p][/p][p]
[/p][p]As we continue to march forwards, we’ve made good progress on Update 16! Six out of the nine upcoming vivarium species have had their models fully finalized, meaning it’s time to move onto their animations and sound. You might even be able to get an early look at some of them over on the Patreon![/p][p]Our original duo, the Archaeopteryx and Microraptor, have seen some adjustments, too. While both have received a new rig and updated proportions, the Micro in particular has been given updated textures to truly make it pop. Those pants have never been fluffier![/p][p][/p][p]In October, we were also able to finally integrate FSR 3.1 into the game. For those unaware, using FSR basically allows the game to render at a lower resolution and then get scaled back up. Depending on the scene, this can greatly increase rendering performance, especially for devices like a Steam Deck. Using FSR’s ‘Native AA’ mode can also make the game look super crisp, though it won’t improve your performance.[/p][p][/p][p]
We should note that using FSR can come with some caveats, especially in motion (e.g more “ghosting” or smeared guests). Since PK is a simulation game, performance is also more closely tied to the CPU than you may think. Rendering itself is not always the biggest bottleneck![/p][p]Regardless, we hope the integration of FSR will help a number of players run the game better than before once U16 releases. There will be various levels of quality to choose from (Native AA, Ultra Quality, Quality, Balanced, Performance, Ultra Performance), as well as regular anti-aliasing options. You can get a broad sense of how the quality levels compare below (click for fullscreen).[/p][p][/p][p]Beyond this, the team’s developed the first functional prototypes for the Ferris Wheel and Panoramic Tower rides coming soon. We’re using placeholder art at the moment, but visitors are able to properly board the rides and disembark when finished. Without a cashier, a ride cannot operate![/p][p]These “landmark” style attractions have been notably absent in the zoo-sim space, so we’re super excited to finally bring them to the community. After all, who wouldn’t want to see across a dinosaur park?[/p][p][/p][h2]Vivariums[/h2][h3]Simosuchus UNLEASHED!![/h3][p]Coming soon to a park near you is the terrifying, massive-jawed… tiny… Simosuchus? This adorable "pug-nosed crocodile” was originally found in the late Cretaceous floodplains of Madagascar, sharing a formation with popular dinosaurs like the mighty Majungasaurus.[/p][p][/p][p]Despite its rugged appearance, Simosuchus was actually a herbivore! It had dozens of tiny, leaf-shaped teeth in its mouth that were perfect for stripping low lying vegetation. Thanks to the fossil record, this is another species our scientists were able to restore with a high degree of genetic accuracy![/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][h3]Big Leaps for Little Kind[/h3][p]Over the last month, we’ve managed to add leaping and flying to the vivarium locomotion. Perhaps surprisingly, one of these new features can be seen with the Compsognathus! By adding enrichment to their habitat, your Compies can see the world from a whole new perspective, jumping up onto logs or basking rocks. All of this is still very much work in progress, so please keep that in mind![/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Of course, aerial species like Archaeopteryx can also leap, fly or walk around their enclosure. Just like the Compy, enabling enrichment such as climbing structures or forage boxes will give your birdies plenty of destinations. Flight as well as their pathing will be smoothed out in the final version.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][h3]A Splashing Success[/h3][p]Using a new water rendering system, vivariums will be able to generate their own water volumes on demand. It’s fast, efficient and makes your amphibious habitats look that much more beautiful![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]This development extends to the tide pool enrichment, too! Your Spinosaur’s prey will feel much more refreshed, uh, for the moment.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]In the future, we’d love to add some fountains or dedicated water pieces that can take advantage of the new tech. It’s really great to see what nice looking water does for the environment.[/p][p][/p][h3]Vivarium Walls[/h3][p]The art for the vivarium facades, cladding and terrain have now been finished. Come November, we’ll be ready to start populating them with nature and enrichment items.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Whether or not the Terrestrial Vivarium displays burrows depends on the species inside!
The Arboreal Vivarium will also have a tree “shell” enrichment item that makes it look more like the current Mini-Aviary.[/p][p][/p][h3]Afflictions, Disease & Death[/h3][p]This month we were able to get started on a melancholy but necessary part of the game: disease. Though we’re still working on it, animals will soon be able to grow old, contract afflictions and unfortunately… die.[/p][p][/p][p]Animals will be able to develop a variety of issues stemming from things like swimming, bad weather, poor habitats or even contaminated feeders. Most diseases can also evolve into something more extreme if left unchecked by vets, for example, the common cold can go from pneumonia all the way to respiratory failure or a heart attack.[/p][p]While many afflictions can lead to a more “peaceful” death induced by a coma, not all are that lucky. In the worst case scenario, your animals may suddenly collapse to the ground and eventually pass away if they don’t receive treatment. To do this, we’re actually using some of the combat “knockdown” animations from U17![/p][p]Animals that collapse (or that are knocked over once combat is added) will struggle on the ground before they’re able to find their footing again. As you’ll also see below, animals that are too weak will never make a recovery. Despite our budget limitations, we think things like this will set Prehistoric Kingdom apart and offer a more dynamic solution to how animals respond to the gameplay sandbox.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]No matter how morbid, we genuinely can’t wait to share more about this part of the game. Diseases tend to be an overlooked aspect of zoo-sims and our planned approach to visualising various conditions and symptoms is something we think you’ll be very interested in! Stay tuned.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Update 18[/h2][p]Jumping ahead to next year, U18 will be the last Early Access update before we hunker down for the full release. While it’ll offer new gameplay in the form of breakouts, security and engineers, it’s also where you’ll finally get the wetland map! [/p][p]Alongside this new level and wetland foliage improvements, we are going to replace the painted water rendering system with the one coming to Vivariums in U16. It’ll be quite a lot of work, but it should run faster, look better and finally allow us to render pieces underwater! Builders rejoice. [/p][p]This update is still quite a ways off, but we think you’ll truly love it when it arrives. Weird and a little bittersweet to think that PK’s Early Access journey is almost coming to an end! [/p][p] [/p][p]
[/p][p][/p][p]Created by Bilaral

[/p][p]Created by CarlosG72

[/p][p]Created by Wither[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Created by blu


[/p][p]Thank you for reading October’s dev diary![/p][p]If you thought the game looked a little different in all these screenshots, that’s because we’ve been touching up the lighting and post-processing. Along with the addition of FSR, we think U16 will be one of the prettiest updates yet. We’ll be back next month for the final dev diary of the year as the team will be on break at the end of December.[/p][p]Until next time,[/p][p]- The PK Team [/p]

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