Where are my bears?

[Vorpal+5]

Damn it, I knew I should not have complained in 0.33 about the sea of bears we had to fight.

Now in 0.34, it seems lairs (aka Bears factories) are unable to output any new bears! I don't think (and I watched with lot of parrots) I ever saw a lair spawn something.

So may I ask our blessed devs to double check if they have not set the variable to zero or something like that, by inadvertance ?

 

[Sarisin]

I guess it depends on your game Vorpal and the options you choose because every game I have played in .34 (6 or 7) has featured the usual plethora of Bears until the AI expands and kills them off completely.

Also, I have had units killed by Bear Dens that spawn a Bear right next to the unit.

I wish I would have taken a screen shot of my last game when I sent a Beastmaster out into the Field of Bears. Quite an XP farm!

 

[MiKa523]

I agree that Bears do spawn, but either slower than before or there are additional factors now, which keep the Bear Dens from spawning Bears. For instance when another barbarian unit guards the Den.

I think Animals should get a defense bonus when defending their Den. This would help to keep the AI from killing all Dens early, especially on high difficulties.

 

[Turinturambar]

I think the problem is that there is a hard limit on the number of barb units that can be in the game at any given time.

With goblin forts having three defenders and barbarian city defenders, it is quite possible that the number of barbarian units is already at the cap.

 

[Vorpal+5]

I'm playing with 'standard animals', not with 'double animals' options.

I think there is a separate count on animals and barbs but that must be the answer. Somewhere, on a separate island, hundreds of bears await me. Aaaah, the Fabled Bear-land, where you start newbie and finish at 100 xp!

must ... find .. bears .. now!

 

[Psychic_Llamas]

you bear addict you what happened to your BA meatings?

 

[Kael]

Bear dens will stop producing once there are a certain amount of animals in the area. I dont remember the exact amount, but its effected by game options and barbarian activity. They are still working, but there shouldnt be roaming herds of bears like their used to be.

 

[Polobo]

Will a bear den spawn if it is located within someones cultural borders? I'm thinking not as I had a bear den next to one of my cities for a couple hundred turns and never had a bear spawn - but I'm curious regarding the intent.

 

[MagisterCultuum]

I've noticed that barrows within my border never spawned anything either. Maybe spawning within boarders was disabled.

 

[jrandrew]

Somewhat OT, I know, so please forgive me... But it relates to Magister's last comment.

I have had "in-border" spawning of barbarians from lairs, etc., but my latest game was with the "no barbs" option. In that case nothing ever spawned, I think intended behavior.

Except... Orthus! I understand why the horsement would spawn even in a no-barbs game, they are thematically not "barbarians" in the same way that Orthus and the other hordes of orcs and goblins in the early game are.

However, it seems to me that Orthus shouldn't spawn in a no-barbs game...? I know there is another option for "No Orthus" but it just seems a bit inconsistent to me to have Orthus with "No Barbs."

 

[Annex]

Somewhat OT, I know, so please forgive me... But it relates to Magister's last comment.

I have had "in-border" spawning of barbarians from lairs, etc., but my latest game was with the "no barbs" option. In that case nothing ever spawned, I think intended behavior.

Except... Orthus! I understand why the horsement would spawn even in a no-barbs game, they are thematically not "barbarians" in the same way that Orthus and the other hordes of orcs and goblins in the early game are.

However, it seems to me that Orthus shouldn't spawn in a no-barbs game...? I know there is another option for "No Orthus" but it just seems a bit inconsistent to me to have Orthus with "No Barbs."

Some people may want to play without the barb nuisance but still want Orthus in the game. If you dont want either, just check both options.

 

[Merddyn]

It's all for the axe ^_~

 

[slowcar]

but there shouldnt be roaming herds of bears like their used to be.

but, but... that's totally unrealistic! bears are known herd-animals!

 

[Vorpal+5]

Sadly. We went from an extreme to another somehow.

 

[slowcar]

Sadly. We went from an extreme to another somehow.

i tend to disagree. there could be more variety - building the grand menagerie takes a terra map most of the time - but animals per se are sufficient.
it would be great if they would spawn longer - by the time you get hunting most of them are gone. and the wonder that makes them stronger - i doubt that it ever found any that were not utterly isolated.

 

[Sarisin]

Honestly, I've found the Grand Menagerie not that hard to build now. Yes, it does take some luck as do many of the achievements in the game. However, I find the event offering you an animal to purchase to be very helpful. You don't always get this event, of course, but like some events, you just never know - I got it 3 times in one game and several times in another. That event is perfect for snagging a Gorilla, which, for me anyway, is always the hardest critter to corral.

Tigers used to be tough, but now you can get them summoned for you by a FOL Priest.

Also, a new possibility is the animals that sometimes emerge from explored dungeons/lairs. You usually have to kill their 'boss' companion, but I once got 3 Tigers this way when I had two Hunters with subdue animal on the lair. I've gotten wolves the same way. You can also get plenty of Wolves by going to war with the Doviello who will surely use their WorldSpell on you creating many candidates for your wolf cages.

I think I have played 6 .34 games so far and gotten the Grand Menagerie in 3. Like anything in the game, you have to set a goal of going for that rather than other things. I really think that Wonder is worthwhile to pursue, but, again, luck certainly enters in.

Generally, I have no complaint about the lack of animals in .34.

 

[Caradoc]

I've noticed that barrows within my border never spawned anything either. Maybe spawning within boarders was disabled.

I'm playing Orbi now, and what I'm seeing is that Lairs within borders will replace the guardian if lost but will not spawn additional animals.