We got a suggestion from a player that it would be cool to add a special animation for the way elk sometimes pull their heads up and back when they are alarmed and fleeing wolves. We were perplexed because this is already included in the game. But no, it turns out that this animation stopped working sometime ago and no one had caught that. So, it’s back in the game now…. And now we are getting bug reports that the elk look weird when they run! So, that’s not a bug.
But why do elk hold their heads that way sometimes? As Dr. Dan Stahler, one of our game advisors, explains:
“Elk head position during wolf pursuit probably serves a couple purposes - although these are somewhat speculative because I don't think there's any real data per se. One, due to position of their eyes on the sides of their head, it's thought to provide a little better vision on the field of view behind them when they tilt their head back. This may help with tracking the pursuing predator to anticipate evasive maneuvers or need to kick.
"When the head tilt is exaggerated, it usually accompanies a high stepping prance. This is more akin to the honest signaling you see in stotting mule deer, or the African ungulates like springbok, gazelle, etc. These are energetically costly movements for these animals, but the ability to do it is thought to be an advertisement of body condition that may cause a pursuing predator to gauge probability of capture (and risks associated with trying to do so).”
This week also released Patch v1.0.6m with lots of improvements and bug fixes. You can see all the patch notes and updates here: https://support.wolfquest.org/help/patches-wolfquest-anniversary-edition
Finally, we love all the WolfQuest screenshots people post on social media! Most people turn off the HUD for better pictures. But we actually need some shots showing gameplay with the HUD displayed. We will select our favorites to promote the game — and those players will get a free DLC pack (WQ soundtrack or the upcoming Yellowstone coat pack) in appreciation. We are looking for screenshots in Fantastic or Glorious graphics quality, 1920x1080 resolution. Please email them to [email protected]— and thanks!
EDIT: I totally forgot that we hide the HUD in Photo Mode screenshots. Ack! So with Steam, just press F12 instead of spacebar when in photo mode and you'll get the HUD in the screenshot. Sorry about that!
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WolfQuest: Anniversary Edition is available now for PC/Mac on Steam and itch.io, as Early Access. The game currently includes Episode 1: Amethyst Mountain, Episode 2: Slough Creek, Lost River: Classic, and multiplayer mode in Amethyst and Lost River. (Slough Creek multiplayer is coming soon,.) The mobile version will come after the game (including Slough Creek) is completed on PC/Mac platforms. The next episode, Tower Fall (DLC) will follow. We do not announce specific release dates. We will release them when they are ready!