A peek at some of zone 1's wildlife

As we wrote in our worldgen introduction back in January, each zone in Hytale’s adventure mode features its own unique elements, including geology, plants, NPCs, monsters, and animal life. In this post, we’re going to give you a closer look at some of the creatures that you’ll encounter in the forested wilds of zone 1.

Arachnaphobes take note: the final image in this post depicts a spider. Stop scrolling when you see a pigeon!

Grizzly bears are highly territorial and can be found in zone 1’s forests. They become defensive when approached, but won’t attack unless you refuse to get out of their way or directly provoke them. An angry bear will give chase to intruders, but won’t pursue you beyond the bounds of its territory.

Bears like to sleep and, if wounded, will try to flee to find somewhere to recuperate. Disturbing a sleeping bear isn’t a great idea!

Frogs, meanwhile, are an example of ambient life - smaller creatures that provide the world of Orbis with a sense of life and interactivity. They don’t pose a threat in the way that monsters or larger predators do, but they help to make zone 1’s ecology livelier and more diverse.

Ducks, which can be found paddling in shallow water, are another type of ambient creature. This clip shows a couple of behavioral and animation features that help bring Hytale’s animals to life. In addition to specific behaviors like feeding, animals can also turn their heads to look at one another. Little touches like this really help to give creatures personality.

We’ve found that birdlife in particular is useful for creating the sense that you’re exploring a living, breathing world. The presence of birds in flight - like the sparrows in the clip above - creates a welcome impression of life and movement. Not everyone feels the same way, however: Trork sentries are easily distracted by passing birds and have even been known to hurl their spears at them!

Here are a few more examples of the creatures you’ll encounter as you explore zone 1:

A family of deer!

Rats!

Bats!

This noble pigeon!

Finally, a giant spider capable of climbing sheer surfaces in pursuit of prey. Lovely!

We’ll have much more to say about Hytale’s wildlife in the future, from desert-dwelling critters to the inhabitants of the deep ocean. In the meantime, why not get in touch on Twitter or Facebook to let us know which creatures you’re most excited to encounter?