The Cougar Snacks Back

[loboLoco]

We’re making more progress on predator attacks at your den, so today’s devblog looks specifically at cougars. While it’s not especially common for cougars to attack wolf pups, it has been known to happen — and probably happens more without any humans knowing about it. Cougars are ambush predators, so instead of charging in like a wolf would, they hunker down nearby and wait for their opportunity — sooner or later, one of your pups (probably a bold one) will wander their way. Then they’ll dash out and grab it — both to reduce competition for themselves and their kittens, and as a quick snack.

Each predator will require the player to respond in a different way: Last week we showed how players have to chase eagles as they circle around and swoop down to grab a pup. For cougars, players must spot a cougar hiding amidst the foliage and startle it into fleeing. Cougars can be hard to spot, but once you do, they’re easy to startle — as long as you get to them before one of your wayward pups does!

Learn more about cougars in WolfQuest in the Wolfopedia: https://www.wolfquest.org/wolfopedia/competitors/cougar

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We have released the first episode of WolfQuest 3: Anniversary Edition (Amethyst Mountain) for PC/Mac on Steam and itch.io, as Early Access. While in Early Access, we are updating the game frequently with more features, multiplayer, and ultimately the Slough Creek episode with pups. The mobile version will come after the game is completed on PC/Mac platforms. We’ll then resume development of the next episode, Tower Fall (DLC).

[elkhunter123456]

I'm quite liking these videos about the predator attacks. My guess is that the next devlog will be another predator that trys to attack the pups. This video defently makes me want to choose a den thats more in an open and flat area.
I'm defently switching from accurate to challengin when I reach Slough creek! Balancing hunting and feeding and bonding with the pups as well as defending them and marking territory sounds tough! Somebody should put together a compilation of loboloco messing up in wolfquest . wwill the cougar drop the pups carcass if you manage to bite it?

[SophieTheAiredale]

Poor jenny xD

Okay, this is looking super cool! But I did have an idea for the "not intrusive alert". So, When the predator is upwind, (and it's a threat to your pups,) You might receive a notification in the bottom right corner saying something like: "You smell a 'insert predator name' , at your den, better make sure it doesn't harm your pups!" or something to that effect. Also, it wouldn't stop your wolf from moving, so you don't have to click it THEN run to your pups.
Anyway, the game is looking amazing! I'm so glad that the cougar chases away somewhat easily, I'm gonna have enough trouble with everything else that wants to eat my family.

Keep up the awesome work and stay safe!

[spruce56]

I suppose one of the problems is that wolves would become aware of predators through smell, but as a game, you only really have access to sight and hearing.

I'm leaning towards a music/sound effect cue that represents the alert reaction to a predator smell - similar to the old version, but without the zoom-in visual, so that you don't immediately know which direction to go in.

It would also be cool to have the mate go on alert - ears, sniffing the air, etc, even if it falls to the player to locate and chase off the predator. Will the mate ever bark to warn the pups to get back into the den?

[BlackMetal]

It's really amazing how the game evolves. I am really looking forward to Slough Creek and hope that my pups will live long enough to see Tower Fall. It would be very sad if my pups won't survive until Tower Fall comes out.

Keep up the good work and stay safe and healthy WQ-Team!

[DinoDogDude209]

It's great to see how much better the predators will be in Slough Creek in WolfQuest Anniversary Edition. I'm glad that the cougars will be simpler to chase off in the new game, in 2.7 it was a pain just to catch up to them so you could chase them away. Of course, cougars are probably going to be the least of our worries when raising pups now, I'm sure that stranger wolves, bears, and coyotes won't be as easy to chase off. Regardless, I can't wait to see how the other predators in the game will react to our pups and how we will deal with them.

This is also going to be the last devblog I'll be able to watch for a while now, I'm going on vacation for the next two weeks and will get to spend a few days visiting Yellowstone during that time! Hopefully I don't miss any important devblog posts during the long trip. It will definitely be nice to finally visit Yellowstone myself after having played WolfQuest for so long. I have been binge-watching all of the old videos from the WolfQuest research trips lately and it has just made me more excited to see it myself! I'm not sure whether I will get to visit any of the key locations that are yet to be depicted in WolfQuest AE like Slough Creek or Tower Fall, but I do know that I will be visiting the Lamar Valley, so that should be fun! I'll make sure to post some photos from the trip on the official WolfQuest Discord.

Best wishes to the team, keep up the great work!

[TimberRaven]

This is also going to be the last devblog I'll be able to watch for a while now, I'm going on vacation for the next two weeks and will get to spend a few days visiting Yellowstone during that time! Hopefully I don't miss any important devblog posts during the long trip. It will definitely be nice to finally visit Yellowstone myself after having played WolfQuest for so long. I have been binge-watching all of the old videos from the WolfQuest research trips lately and it has just made me more excited to see it myself! I'm not sure whether I will get to visit any of the key locations that are yet to be depicted in WolfQuest AE like Slough Creek or Tower Fall, but I do know that I will be visiting the Lamar Valley, so that should be fun! I'll make sure to post some photos from the trip on the official WolfQuest Discord.

Hey, that sounds great, @DinoDogDude209! Have fun and stay safe!
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Wow Dave!! So that's Jimmy, Jainy, and Jenny gone now? I wonder what you named the other pups I'm glad the cougars will be much easier to chase off (once you locate them). I was kind of nervous that they would be even harder to turn away than they are now. I would like to see some multiplayer updates too!

[Thomaso0898]

Its cool and I have a Idea for the game!I will tell it on the email and I hope it goes good or im telling it here(Im gonna tell on both):
Idea:
You could add like teleporters to maps like in Lost river you could add a teleporter to Amethyst Mountain or to Slough Creek(I hope Slough creek starts snowy)and it would be fun!

[AStrangerOnline]

Wow, I love how much more realistic everything is! If I was paranoid during 2.7 pup-raising, I'm going to have fun with Anniversary Edition

This is also going to be the last devblog I'll be able to watch for a while now, I'm going on vacation for the next two weeks and will get to spend a few days visiting Yellowstone during that time! Hopefully I don't miss any important devblog posts during the long trip. It will definitely be nice to finally visit Yellowstone myself after having played WolfQuest for so long. I have been binge-watching all of the old videos from the WolfQuest research trips lately and it has just made me more excited to see it myself! I'm not sure whether I will get to visit any of the key locations that are yet to be depicted in WolfQuest AE like Slough Creek or Tower Fall, but I do know that I will be visiting the Lamar Valley, so that should be fun! I'll make sure to post some photos from the trip on the official WolfQuest Discord.

Lucky! I've always wanted to go there, as it is a beautifully diverse park. I hope you enjoy your trip there.

Edit: I have been reading a few comments on YouTube yesterday and I saw something that mentioned bird calls and alerts like that. It would make it perhaps a little less difficult, but I do like the 'hide 'n seek' effect with the cougars.

[TimberWolf0450]

I love how the player will need to choose different actions for the different predators that arrive at the den. It definitely won't be as repetitive as the old game was, now that each predator is different