Namibia Reserve (African Desert Map with many iconic African animals)

[vestal flicker]

I think that a map set in Namibia has a lot of potential to be one of the best maps in the game. Namibia is one of the most hunter-friendly countries in Africa, and also has some unique landscapes. There's a lot of different species that could be included on this map, which would make it a great map for players who want a totally new experience.

Here are the species that could potentially return from Vurhonga:
Springbok (with a rework for their TruRACs)
Warthog (rework + size increase)
Blue Wildebeest (with TruRACs + better textures)
Gemsbok (with TruRACs + more rare variations)
Lion (model rework + new Great One)

Here are the essential new animals that should be included if we get a map based in Namibia:
Meerkat (Class 1)
Helmeted Guineafowl (Class 1)
Steenbok (Class 2)
Caracal (Class 2)
Honey Badger (Class 3)
Brown Hyena (Class 3)
African Cheetah (Class 4)
Black-Faced Impala (Class 4)
Common Ostrich (Class 6)
Greater Kudu (Class 6)
African Leopard (Class 7)
Brown Fur Seal (Class 7)
Plains Zebra (Class 8)
Southern White Rhinoceros (Class 10)
African Bush Elephant (Class 10)

Here are some other animals that are non-essential but would still be great additions to this map:
Rock Hyrax (Class 1)
Burchell's Sandgrouse (1)
Egyptian Goose (1)
Cape Fox (2)
Klipspringer (2)
Black-Backed Jackal (2)
Blesbok (4)
Red Hartebeest (6)
Black Wildebeest (6)
Common Eland (9)
Angolan Giraffe (Class 10)

That is 31 species in total, with most of them being new and only 5 repeats. All of these are species that can be hunted in Namibia. Obviously, not all of them need to be included, this list is just to give a general idea of what is possible.

I believe this reserve should come with two new weapons, a 9.3x74R over-under double barreled rifle (Class 5-9) and a .416 Rigby bolt action rifle (Class 9-10). More info on these two weapons can be found in the thread.

This would be an awesome and incredible location to hunt in COTW, and I hope that we will see it added someday!

Here are some pictures to give you some ideas for what the landscape of this map would look like

Here's a couple more landscape pictures

The terrain of this map would primarily be a combination of open grasslands, arid open woodlands, and the dry open sandy landscapes of the Kalahari and Namib Deserts

[opaque depot]

While I personally would trade out the Meerkat for one of the Sandgrouse species this is a fantastic species list with a focus on plains game hunting it seems

[vestal flicker]

Thank you! I understand the appeal of the sandgrouse, but I wanted to include a Class 1 species that wasn't a bird, so I chose the Meerkat instead. I also just find Meerkats to be really cool little critters, and they could also use burrows the same way that the European Rabbits do.

[opaque depot]

Fair enough, the burrowing is why I included Marmot on my Canadian Arctic reserve. I also just remembered that Springhares live in Namibia, but the reasoning for having meerkats is a good one, there better be a multimount with a warthog and a meerkat to replicate Timone and Pumba

[gloomy halo]

Just make sure to allow console players to turn off heat haze and you have my upvote.

[outer pollen]

I don’t think cheetahs are legal to hunt but nice suggestion

[opaque depot]

Actually Cheetah can legally be hunted in Namibia

[outer pollen]

ok

[vestal flicker]

I did some digging, and I think I found a good option for a weapon to add alongside this map.

I think that the ideal weapon for this map would be a 9.3x74R over-under double barreled rifle, for classes 5-9. It would be essentially the same as the one from theHunter Classic (hence why I will post a picture of that one down below).
This rifle would use the same rifle ammunition as the drilling combination gun. It would have two rifle rounds ready to be fired in quick succession, in case you need a quick follow-up shot, along with a quick reload. It would be possible to use the Hyperion and Argus scopes on this rifle, greatly extending its effective range. This rifle would be a very good option to carry on this map, because this map would have a lot of animals that could be taken with it.

The 9.3x74R rifle caliber is popular in Namibia as an alternative to calibers that are used in other regions of Africa. It is a versatile weapon for a variety of animals. It would be perfect for dispatching an aggressive leopard, or for hunting various large plains game. This rifle would not be very effective for long range hunting. However, if you need a versatile close-range hunting rifle, accept no substitutes.

[opaque depot]

One of my favourite rifles from the hunter classic, I am sold

[vestal flicker]

It's one of my favorites too

[mental prawn]

https://discord.com/channels/393040947006406657/1070109503447646350.
Some one made another good post of an Africa map idea. Here is the link.

[kind sleet]

Great location, great species lineup. Can you verify that all these species are legal to hunt?

Desperate to see a new map that’s not based in North America, you get my vote!

[vestal flicker]

Yes, all of these species are available to hunt in Namibia. As far as I'm aware, Namibia is one of the only places where the Giraffe and Cheetah can be hunted.

[kind sleet]

Epic

[kind sleet]

Any ideas for what the map weapon would be?

[mental prawn]

I would think a 6-9 class weapon would work well. Like a 8mm ultra mag. It's the parent case to the 375 H&H mag.

For a big game cartridge you can do the 500 Jeffery round. Or the 416 Rigby.

[kind sleet]

I would salivate over the Rigby

[mystic hamlet]

The only things missing from this list for Africa 2.0 are Hyppos and Crocs.

[kind sleet]

^

[vestal flicker]

For those asking about a weapon for this map

[vestal flicker]

the only places in Namibia that have hippos and crocs are in the Caprivi Strip. At that point, you might as well have the map be in any number of other countries in southern Africa.

[mystic hamlet]

The thing is ... if we get an Africa 2.0 there is a good chance that we'll get the 3.0 many many years later (not soon, or might even be never) so it would be better if hyppos and crocs are on this list too ✌🏻

[raw yew]

Since there's cheetah on this map here's some possible rares for them

[kind sleet]

They all look awesome

[kind sleet]

You can shoot giraffe is SA aswell

[slate patio]

I want all of them XD

[mystic hamlet]

GO Cheetah ideas

[raw yew]

Definitely could be

[vestal flicker]

The type of environment I had in mind for a Namibia map would be desert/dry grassland with scattered water sources. That's not ideal habitat for Hippos or Crocs, which would be better for an African map with lots of rivers and wetlands.

Africa is a very large continent with a variety of environments and wildlife in different regions, so theoretically we could get 3 more African maps and all of them could be very different from one another. There's no need to cram all of the popular African species onto one reserve.

[analog glacier]

The problem I see with this suggestion is that Vurhonga Savanna is essentially located in the same area ("southern Africa"), or right next door. So other than the additional desert biome, and a slightly different species list, I don't think it brings enough new sufficiently different to the game. (Just as if a British Columbian reserve would essentially be Layton Lakes or New Mexico would be SRP but drier.) I'd rather see an area with significantly different biomes and animals (Congo? Morocco? Kenya?) It's a huge continent so I am sure there can be a lot done with it.

[vestal flicker]

I understand your concern, but I personally think that the desert landscape would make it sufficiently different from Vurhonga.

If the close proximity is an irreconcilable issue for you, someone else had an idea for a map based in Cameroon. That might be a map idea that you'd prefer because it's a very different region of Africa.

Here's Kiwihound's Cameroon map idea, I think this would be a great potential alternative if you really want something different
#1083250843136036885 message

[willow oar]

King Cheetah is a perfect mission animal ngl

It’s one of the rarest animals on the earth, with an estimated 10 animals left in the wild

[vestal flicker]

That would be interesting

A melanistic leopard (also known as a "Black Panther") could also be a cool mission animal

[raw yew]

That's a good idea actually

[willow oar]

I looked at Namibia when I was making mine but Tanzania ended up having more of the animals I wanted, but everybody was helpful and found some other potential locations

[mental prawn]

I love the chinchilla cheetah the best

[sage glade]

New weapons: .375 H&H Magnum. Class 9: Hippopotamus, Angolan giraffe, cape buffalo. Class 8: gemsbok, Class 6: Nile crocodile, African leopard, blue wildebeest, class 5: greater kudu, plains zebra Class 3: Impala Class 1: Egyptian goose, spur winged goose, African black duck, cape teal. Id imagine the story could have a mission about a specific giraffe (diamond) and you would need to kill it because it was killing smaller bulls new trophy lodge similar to safari but 2 floors and rooms with xxxl mounts new multimounts Cat fight: 1 lion (female) 1 leopard (male). big issues (3 lions 2 female 1 male) 1 giraffe (female) The chase 1 leopard (female) 1 springbok (male)
.
This dlc could be a few bucks more expensive because it could include the lodge or the lodge could be seperate.
.
Post made by @shrewd steppe made made 1 month ago had 15 👍 could help with this one

[shrewd steppe]

W

[kind sleet]

Sounds Awsome

[kind sleet]

Are there any rough ideas for questlines OP?

[vestal flicker]

I haven't considered that very much yet, however I have a few ideas.

The first few missions would probably involve opening outposts and hunting animals to provide food for local villages. I would expect that some of the missions would probably have something to do with investigating reports of poaching, sort of like Vurhonga's storyline.

Towards the later end of the missions for this map, there would be a mission-specific animal. Maybe it could be a black leopard that has been known to have killed several humans (sort of like the albino brown bear from the Medved missions).

[green halo]

I wish 👍 we had zebras in vurhonga, it makes me pissed we have lions but no zebra 😂

[vestal flicker]

One more species that could potentially be included on this map is the Cape Fox. This species would be yet another Class 2 species, but it would still be an interesting species to include on this map because it's really only found in southern Africa and it's the only "true fox" in sub-Saharan Africa. Here you can see an image of one feeding on a Guineafowl, and I think that could make for a really interesting multimount idea.

[kind sleet]

Love it

[vestal flicker]

I went and edited my original post to include a couple more species in the animal list. If anyone has any questions about this map idea or suggestions for other map ideas, let me know!

[umbral stratus]

add nile crocs?

[mental prawn]

The other African map. I think

[reef lantern]

I think since Nile crocs are so big they can be bumped up to class 9,if an Aussie reserve gets released salties can be class 9.Dik-Dik would be a cool small game species and Bles book would be super cool as well.

[vestal flicker]

My original map idea here was intended to be based in more of a desert environment, and Namibia's deserts don't really have rivers that exist year-round, there's really only seasonal rivers that dry up during the dry season. Therefore, this map would not be an ideal environment for species like crocodiles or hippos, and I won't be adding species like those to the species list for this map concept. King of the Kwaks19 reposted a separate Namibia map idea in this thread that included hippos and crocs, but that really isn't what I'm going for here.

The purpose of this map idea is to focus more on small game and plains game species, so the big and dangerous aquatic species like Crocodiles would not fit in with it.

[vestal flicker]

I might consider including the Kirk's Dik Dik within a different map idea in the future, but for this one I think they'd be a bit too similar to the Steenbok, which I'd prefer to see included here. I might add the Blesbok to this map idea, not sure about that one yet.

[vestal flicker]

Here's a few more examples of what the landscape of this map would look like, just to help you visualize it a bit better.

[kind sleet]

Looks Awsome

[tulip yew]

Isn’t vurhomga south west Africa too

[vestal flicker]

I'm a bit late, but Vurhonga seems to be based in South Africa. It's a different environment from what I have in mind for this reserve, and it's not in the same country (though it is in a neighboring country).

[tulip yew]

Ok I assumed it was southwest Africa because the species on it mainly living in Namibia

[tawny sand]

Eland, Greater Kudu, and Leopards would be REALLY nice to have ingame

[vestal flicker]

Agreed. Those are some of the main species I want on a potential Africa 2, so that's why I included them in this map idea

[lunar warren]

If you would let me, could I help brainstorm some multi mounts with you @vestal flicker?

[vestal flicker]

You can go ahead and suggest some if you want to.

I think one really neat idea for a multimount would be a Cheetah chasing a Springbok. I think it could be called something like "The Purrsuit" (cat pun)

Another one could be a male Leopard pouncing on / attacking an Impala. Not sure what the name for that one would be. Again, I'm open to any suggestions

Another idea I had was a "Two Wildebeest Types" multimount, with a Black Wildebeest and Blue Wildebeest standing next to each other. Basically a larger version of the "two turkey types" multimount that we currently have in the game

[lunar warren]

Multimounts for Namibia:

1. Impala Down: If EW does add a bit foliage to trophy mounts, I’d like to see a leopard laying in a tree with an Impala in its mouth.
2. The Purrsuit: As suggested by , a cheetah closely chasing a springbok and maybe even tripping it
3. Rapid Flight: A male caracal spooking 3 Guinea fowl into the air, one male, two females

[vestal flicker]

Here's another multimount idea
Winner Winner, Guineafowl Dinner: A Cape Fox killing and/or eating a Guineafowl, like the one in this picture

There could also be a "Thundering Hooves" multimount with three Zebras running together in a stampede

[lunar warren]

4. Necking It: Two male giraffes in an intense fight in which they smack necks together
5. Watering Hole: A zebra, an impala, a springbok and a giraffe huddled around a small pond
6. Hakuna Matata: A small male meerkat annoying a male warthog

[reef lantern]

I’d love to see a leopard falling Claws and teeth first into an impala

[lunar warren]

7. Final Struggle: A female giraffe being taken down by one male lion and two female
8. Stampede: Two zebras, one black wildebeest, and one blue wildebeest charging

[reef lantern]

Love these mounts

[lunar warren]

Thanks!

[tawny sand]

the Leopard and Impala mount could be called "Death From Above"

[lunar warren]

Nice!

[reef lantern]

Bump

[vestal flicker]

I just want to get a little opinion poll here, since this thread hasn't been active for a while. I have a few other ideas for new maps - one for a general British Columbia / western Canada map, one for a map in the Swiss Alps, and one for an East Africa map. Which of these ideas would you like me to post next?

[tight robin]

Don’t we have an East africa map suggestion with Ethiopia? Also my vote goes to the Swiss Alps

[plain crystal]

I would like to see Swiss Alps as well

[fallow imp]

Swiss Alps

[vestal flicker]

Alright, Swiss Alps it will be then. I'll do a little more research on what animals live in Switzerland and which ones can be hunted, and start coming up with a concept. Expect to see that posted in #1067511606373785730 within the next couple of weeks

[vestal flicker]

Over 100 upvotes! Thank you for all of your support for this map idea! It really gives me hope that we might see a Namibia map get added someday.

If anyone has any ideas or suggestions for what to name this hypothetical reserve, feel free to drop your suggestions in this thread.

[tight robin]

My hypothetical reserve name is just Kalahari Sands Game Preserve

[reef lantern]

I’d love to see a mission similar to the three cuatro wolves,Lions With the fur types of Strawberry blonde,Albino,Melanistic you could replace cheetahs with lions because it is legal to hunt a Cheetah in Namibia, the United States, as well as some other countries, do not permit the importation of a Cheetah hunting trophy.

So you could say,there’s is a pride of all male lions highly sought after,And are in critical condition for what ever reason and you need to cull them

With this I’d want a Lion huddle

[vestal flicker]

I was thinking something Kalahari related would be the easiest way to name it, but I want to see if I can find anything better.

[vestal flicker]

I don't want to remove Cheetahs from the species list for this reserve because this is one of the only places where Cheetahs can be hunted and I really want to include them here. That being said, I could add lions to the species list just to have one more returning species.

Would anyone else support adding Lions to the species list? React with 👍 if you support adding Lions and 👎 if you don't support it

[plain crystal]

With Leopards already on the the list I would like to see some lions.

[tight robin]

We already have Caracals, Cheetahs, and Leopards on the list. I wouldn’t mind Lions, but four cat species may be a bit much.

[reef lantern]

Perfect for a litterbox multimount

[vestal flicker]

Yeah that's true, but I guess they could be separated into different sections of the map

I'll add lions to the list since the idea seems to have been mostly well-received

[opaque depot]

Could probably have the Cheetahs and Caracal in the areas dominated by the desert and the 2 Big Cats in the areas with more cover

[vestal flicker]

That would make the most sense, yeah

That reminds me, I was going to make a map of what this reserve would theoretically look like in the game... if I have enough time when I'm not working this week, maybe I'll try to make one

that would help people visualize what the different regions of the map would look like a bit better

[stiff gorge]

Africa being massive and only having 1 reserve is straight criminal

[opaque depot]

For sure

[vestal flicker]

Agreed. We could theoretically get three or four more Africa maps at this point.

[stiff gorge]

Ethiopia, Namibia and Cameroon

[vestal flicker]

Tanzania as well

[solemn plover]

I really want a africa 2.0 theres so many animials they could add and think it could be the second best map.

[stiff gorge]

Africa needs many maps

[solemn plover]

true sadly alot of the animals are protected there so wont be added

[plain crystal]

This an excellent list 👍

[vestal flicker]

Thanks, I tried to include a good variety of species.

[opaque depot]

I’m kind of surprised the Red Hartebeest is a Class 4 animal despite being just as tough as Wildebeest, I thought it would qualify for Class 6, otherwise a wonderful species list

[reef lantern]

Yeah,Red Hartebeest are really tough,I’d say class 6 as well

[vestal flicker]

I did a little more digging online and it does seem like they're tougher and heavier than I thought, so I'll change their class to 6.

I think I'll move the Greater Kudu down to Class 6 as well because they don't seem as tough as I thought, and they're not much heavier than the Sambar we have in the game which are also Class 6

[outer pollen]

why the heck are elands class 9 💀

[opaque depot]

They are rather large antelope and can get over 900kgs in weight

[outer pollen]

I don’t care

they should be class 8

[opaque depot]

That would be up to Fuzion then

[reef lantern]

Yeah they are just barely smaller than a moose

[opaque depot]

The moose in game max out at 620kgs (700kgs for Great One), meanwhile the largest confirmed moose was 820kgs/1808 pounds (bigger supposedly exist)

A Bull Eland apparently weigh between 400 to 942kgs (882 to 2077 pounds)
The Cape Buffalo for reference max out at 950kgs in game

[reef lantern]

I read the weights wrong.My bad,they are some tough Antelope.

[vestal flicker]

While the Common Eland could maybe be moved to Class 8, I think the fact that it's the second largest antelope species (only the Giant Eland is bigger) warrants its inclusion as a Class 9 species. Also, as MooseDragon pointed out, the bull Elands can weigh as much as a Cape Buffalo, so it would only make sense to include them within the same weapon class as the Cape Buffalo.

[vestal flicker]

I also did some more research to see if any more antelope species can be hunted in Namibia (because I want this map to have an emphasis on antelope species and other plains game). Apparently the Blesbok is available to hunt in Namibia, and I think this is a very unique-looking species, so I will be adding it to the species list. Based on weight, I think the Blesbok would be a Class 4 species.

That brings the total species count for this map up to 22, so this is probably the last animal I will add to the species list for now. I don't want the species list to get way too big.

[reef lantern]

Yesss,I’d love to recreate my Blesbok kill

[kind sleet]

Bump

[reef lantern]

Bump!

[kind sleet]

Bump

[vestal flicker]

Now you may be wondering how the different regions of this map will be distinct from one another?

Well for starters, the eastern region of the map would be based on the drylands of the Kalahari Desert. The landscape here would mostly be open desert with some areas of scrubland and very few trees. There would be very few water sources here, mostly just small watering holes where animals would congregate. This would be an area with plentiful Gemsbok and Springbok, and would also be home to Blue Wildebeest, Warthog, Caracal, Cheetah, Burchell's Sandgrouse, Meerkat, and Cape Fox, along with some other animals.

The central regions of the map would cover a variety of terrain, but would mostly be a mix of semi-arid grassland and plains, farmland, and lightly wooded grassland and dry savanna. However, these regions would become slightly more brushy the further north you go. There would be a few small seasonal rivers running through this area, offering good locations for thirsty animals to stop and drink. Species found here include both species of Wildebeest, Warthog, Impala, Greater Kudu, Zebra, Leopard, Eland, Giraffe and Steenbok, along with Blesbok and Red Hartebeest in the most open areas. Some areas in these regions would have Lions as well, but that would mostly be in the more open grassland areas, whereas Leopards would be found in the more brushy and wooded areas.

[vestal flicker]

The westernmost region of the map would be based on the Namib Desert, with many large sand dunes, dry open desert plains, and even some small salt pans. There would be very little life in this area, mostly just dry open desert plains with occasional rocky outcrops or stands of Quiver Trees, with the occasional watering hole to provide much needed water to the local wildlife. The species that inhabit this region would include the Gemsbok, Springbok, Blue Wildebeest, Cheetah, Giraffe, and many other smaller animals that do well in this desert environment.

[vestal flicker]

Also, I know that I said I probably wasn't going to add any more species to the species list, but I feel like I have to include the Common Ostrich in this map idea. This species is the largest living species of bird and I was surprised to learn that it can be hunted in Namibia. Since they are so big, I would guess that they'd probably be a Class 6 species. This species wouldn't need to be included on this map, but I'd still love to see it added to the game at some point because of their unique status. I'll add it to the species list simply as a potential species, because it would probably be a lot of work to add it to the game (there's nothing else like it in the game currently) and this map idea already has so many species in it.

I also just think hunting an Ostrich in this game would be really cool, it would literally be the closest thing to hunting a dinosaur in this game without becoming unrealistic.

[kind sleet]

Bump

[reef lantern]

There seems to be Crocodile hunts in the north so perhaps a small swampy portion in the north of the reserve.

[mystic hamlet]

I hope this map happens one day, cause this is sooo cool

[foggy laurel]

I would be down for an African desert map for call of the wild.

[vestal flicker]

Here's the full animal list with images of each species, both old and new:

Meerkat, Burchell's Sandgrouse, Helmeted Guineafowl (Class 1)

Cape Fox, Steenbok, Black-Backed Jackal and Caracal (Class 2)

Springbok (Class 3)

Impala, Blesbok, and Warthog (Class 4)

Cheetah (Class 5) and Common Ostrich (Class 6)

Red Hartebeest, Black Wildebeest, and Blue Wildebeest (Class 6)

Greater Kudu (Class 6) and African Leopard (Class 7)

Gemsbok and Plains Zebra (Class 8)

Common Eland and Angolan Giraffe (Class 9)

Lion (Class 9)

Along with this map, several old species could be reworked. The Springbok could get a slight rework to their TruRACs and fur types, the Warthog would get a size increase for their model (they're a bit small in the game currently), and the Blue Wildebeest and Gemsbok could get TruRACs as well.

[kind sleet]

Bump

[sage glade]

Leopard Impala greater kudu a line up I would hunt the living hell out of

[vestal flicker]

Me too! I've wanted Leopards in COTW for a long time

[mystic hamlet]

This where Leopards and Giraffes are the showstoppers and a map where crocs and hippos are showstoppers will complete Africa in cotw imo

[opaque depot]

I did include Hippos & Crocodiles to my #1099469747323670729 reserve, and now that I think about it I might go through and trim the species list just a bit

[mystic hamlet]

Yea we fr need at least 2 more African maps

[vestal flicker]

yeah, one that's arid and one that's a bit more wet/tropical

[vestal flicker]

bumping this one up. We gotta get another Africa map at some point, so why not this one!

[lavish raptor]

This Would Easily Be The Best Southern African Map Idea. This Is What Vurhonga Should Have Been. Would Be Another Great Idea https://discord.com/channels/393040947006406657/1171559200342687764 Or https://discord.com/channels/393040947006406657/1132780319058174073 Would Also Be Great.

[vestal flicker]

Here's the original post so everyone can read it without scrolling for so long

[vestal flicker]

gonna keep bumping this one up. I'm not seeing very many new Africa map ideas anymore and I think we need to make it very clear to EW that the community still wants more Africa maps.

[vestal flicker]

Namibia Reserve (African Desert Map with many new species)

changed the post title because the old one was very basic and not very descriptive

[opaque depot]

Fear not, a New African Reserve Concept just dropped: #1183613914773200906

[reef lantern]

I mean,we have covered most of the African countries that allow hunting,I’ve done Morroco,South Africa,Botswana,Mozambique,I’m thinking about the doing the Congo,Zimbabwe and maybe Angola too,there’s not many other countries that are that different people could make reserves with tons of different animal combinations.

[opaque depot]

I have heard of attempts to reopen Angola to hunting but nothing seems to have worked out so Angola is still closed to hunting

[reef lantern]

Ah,that’s rough.

[strong ivy]

This is a terrible idea

[strong ivy]

Very abd Idea

[strong ivy]

@buoyant wigeon

[reef lantern]

Ok…

[lavish raptor]

Ok Then Dude, If It’s So Bad, Explain Why

[lavish raptor]

Here Is My Idea Of What This Could Look Like. The Green Is The Woodlands, They Yellow Is The Arid Plains/Grasslands, And The Orange Is The Sandy Desert/Dunes.

[strong ivy]

Praat jy afrikaans?

[lavish raptor]

Moenie goed praat nie

[strong ivy]

ok

[sage glade]

🤔

[reef lantern]

Less water in the dunes perhaps??? Think like small nearly dried creeks and ponds.

[lavish raptor]

Yeah, I Kinda Wanted 1 Large Lake (I Imagined It Being In A Basin) But I Really Couldn’t Create Wadis Because They’d Be Too Small To Fill.

[kind sleet]

Would be a great mix

[vestal flicker]

Nice concept, although I was planning on making my own potential concept for the map of this reserve at some point and that one would look a bit different.

[lavish raptor]

I’d Love To See That Too! This Was Just My (Very Poorly Drawn) Idea, And I’m Sure That Your Idea Would Be Much Better.

[vestal flicker]

I want to make my own at some point. Maybe I'll start to work on that after I get back from vacation next week.

[kind cairn]

Good looking map

[buoyant wigeon]

Praat jy Afrikaans?

[strong ivy]

Hy doen

[lavish raptor]

Baie min

[buoyant wigeon]

Nee maar lekker Ouens

[lavish raptor]

I Do Not Know What That Means, I Really Only Know How To Say “Not Well” And “Don’t Speak Well”, But Also “Hi” And “Goodbye”

[vestal flicker]

I think I know what program I'll use for making the map concept. I just don't have time to do it justice currently because I'm busy getting ready to leave for vacation. I'll be coming back from vacation next Wednesday and if I get some extra time between then and Christmas, I will make a rough concept of what the layout of this map would be.

[lavish raptor]

Sounds Good. My Maps Are Normally Very Poorly Drawn Because I Don’t Have A Ton Of Time To Draw Them, But I’m Trying To Put More Effort Into Them.

[opaque depot]

You could add the Southern White Rhinoceros since they are considered only "Near Threatened" on the ICUN Redlist, and Namibia is one of the 2 countries to allow rhinoceros hunting

[vestal flicker]

I don't think this map would necessarily be the best one to introduce Rhinos or Elephants on, because the weapon I chose for the reserve would be a bit underpowered for them and not everyone has access to the .470 NE from Vurhonga. It's also a map more based around plains game and small game. For now I will add the White Rhino to a "potential species" list (meaning that they'd be optional and not essential for this map), and if there's a large enough amount of demand for it then I will consider adding it to the main species roster.

[opaque depot]

Fair enough

[reef lantern]

I’d love to see a reference to the Marula fruit tree myth,really funny myth if anyone would like to look into it!

[kind sleet]

Bump

[vestal flicker]

I think I'm gonna dig back into this idea soon and make a potential map to show what it would look like. I will probably also go through and make some adjustments to the species list while I'm at it.

[vestal flicker]

I've also decided that if Rhinos, Giraffes, and Elephants are included with this map (certainly possible), then there would have to be a second weapon that comes with this map specifically for hunting these huge animals. In the event that this happens, the second weapon that I'd like to see included with this map would be the CZ 550 American Safari chambered in .416 Rigby.

This would be a weapon for Class 9 and 10 animals. It would have a magazine capacity of 5 rounds, and would be able to quickly take down even the biggest animals with a single well-placed shot at close to medium range. Unlike the .470 from Vurhonga, this rifle would have the same effective range as most other big game rifles in the game (zeroing distances would be 75, 150, and 300 meters), and would also be able to use the Hyperion and Argus scopes. The only downsides to this rifle are the heavy weight (as heavy as the .470 NE) and its slower rate of fire than most other bolt action rifles because of its strong recoil. However, it would be the most powerful bolt-action rifle in the game and a very reliable rifle for heavy and dangerous game. If you're going after a thick-skinned pachyderm, this rifle will get the job done nicely.

[vestal flicker]

Here's my own rough idea for what the map of this reserve would look like. The tan area would be based on the Namib Desert, the brown areas would be open savanna (which would be broken up by small mountain ranges), the orange area would be based on the Kalahari Desert, and the green area would be a mix of open woodland and more dense brushy areas. All of the light blue areas are bodies of water, including lakes, watering holes, oases, and the shallow seasonal rivers that run through the reserve. The pale areas are open salt pans.

[vestal flicker]

I tried to give some of the regions Afrikaans names for a little bit of authenticity, hopefully I didn't mess anything up, Afrikaans is a language that I'm not very familiar with.

[kind sleet]

Sounds Awsome!

[vestal flicker]

Two more animals that could be potential species to include on a Namibian map would be the Egyptian Goose and the Honey Badger. Neither of them are essential to include on a Namibian map because a map set in another part of Africa could also easily include them. However, they are also a possibility here, so I wanted to give them an honorable mention.

If included, the Egyptian Goose would be found at some of the larger lakes on the map as well as the seasonal rivers. The Honey Badger would be found in small numbers throughout the open savannas and grasslands in the central regions of the map.

[sage glade]

I would loveeee to have Egyptian geese

[vestal flicker]

I also made this map that shows the various subregions of the map - solid lines indicate the boundaries between regions, dotted lines indicate the boundaries between subregions

[vestal flicker]

Here's an overview of the various regions and their subregions:

Kalahari Oases: As the name suggests, this region is based on the Kalahari Desert, with the occasional oasis providing much-needed drinking water to the animals here. Only animals that are well-adapted to life in the desert will survive here.

Subregion 1: Gemsbok Oasis (images 1 - 3)
This part of the Kalahari Desert is very hot and dry. Food and water are both scarce, so the local animals tend to congregate in areas where they can find one or both of these resources. Luckily, this area has a few oases, which provide both food and water to the large herds of Gemsbok that call it their home. Keep a close eye on those high sand dunes as well, because solitary animals often travel across them in search of food and water.

Subregion 2: Jagluiperd Basin (Images 4 - 6)
A dry, flat, open landscape with occasional trees and bushes scattered across it. Here, Cheetahs track their prey across the red desert sand. Expect to find groups of Meerkats scattered throughout the open desert. If you plan to hunt in this area, then hopefully you brought some sunscreen and a high-powered scope, because you're going to want them both in this area.

[vestal flicker]

Volstruis Savanna: An open landscape where the Kalahari Desert transitions into arid grassland and then into savanna. Heavily populated with ostriches, small game, various types of antelopes, and predators both large and small.

Subregion 1: Bergwind Savanna (images 1 and 2)
This area is named for a special type of weather pattern that occurs in Namibia during Winter. When Bergwind (German for "mountain wind") or Oosweer (Afrikaans for "east weather") occurs, a hot dry wind blows from the inland to the coast of Namibia. As the area along the coast is a desert, these winds can develop into sand storms, leaving sand deposits in the Atlantic Ocean that are visible on satellite images. When this area is not producing weather events that sometimes lead to Bergwind, the open grassy plains are home to a variety of wildlife for hunters to pursue.

Subregion 2: Leeu Valley (images 3-5)
A valley to the west of the Kalahari, this region is a mostly open grassland with occasional acacia trees dotted around the landscape. A few old farms are located here, although they have mostly been converted into camps for hunters. The tall dry grass here is perfect camouflage for the many Lions that call this area home. Where predators abound, prey animals are abundant as well, so expect to see Ostriches, migrating herds of various antelope species, and Plains Zebras.

[vestal flicker]

Koedoe Bosveld: This region's name roughly translates to "Kudu Woodland", because this is the region of the map where Greater Kudu would be most abundant, and also where the African Leopard would be most abundant as well. Several seasonal rivers cut through the region, which is an area with many open woodlands, savannas, plateaus and hills.

Subregion 1: Bushveld Plateau (Images 1 and 2)
An area that contrasts sharply from the otherwise mostly arid landscape of the reserve, Bushveld Plateau is a plateau surrounded by seasonal rivers on two sides. This plateau is quite wooded and is a great place for small animals to hide. It is also home to antelopes like Impala and Greater Kudu that like to stick to more woodland areas. The terrain is a bit challenging, but the occasional opening up of the woodlands acts as a good place to ambush feeding animals.

Subregion 2: Refuge Kopje (Images 3 -5)
Here, shallow seasonal rivers that form during the rainy season cut through the open landscape, providing life-giving water for thirsty animals to drink. Between the rivers are open woodlands, savannas and high rocky hills called Kopjes. While this may seem like a paradise, do not let your guard down. This place is a refuge for thirsty herbivores, but it's also a home for many African Leopards, which may be seen prowling around the landscape or resting among the nearby trees and rocks.

[vestal flicker]

Renoster Hills: Located in the west of the reserve, Renoster Hills is a rugged landscape. Here, savanna slowly transitions into a more arid climate as you go further west and approach the eastern edge of the Namib Desert. The region is named for the rough landscape that is reminiscent of the rough nature of a Rhinoceros (Renoster means Rhinoceros in Afrikaans). Mountain ranges run through this area, bringing in some harsh changes in elevation. The further west you go, the more desolate the landscape becomes as it transitions back into a desert climate.

Subregion 1: Olifant Lake (Images 1 and 2)
This lake is actually a seasonal lake that dries up during the dry season. Olifant means Elephant, and the dried lakebed used to be a place that Elephants would migrate across during the dry season, which gives the lake its name. During the times when the lake is full of water, it is a great place for thirsty animals to go to, and it is also an important source of water for local villages and communities. Animals from all over the surrounding area come here to drink, even crossing over small mountain ranges to come to drink from the lake when it is full.

Subregion 2: Wildebeest Ranges (Images 3 and 4)
The namesake mountain ranges of this region run along its west side, separating the Namib Desert from the more hospitable regions further east. West of the mountains lies the desolate and dry Namib desert. Directly East of the mountain ranges, the landscape is open grassland and very good for hunting a variety of plains game. Wildebeest herds live on both sides of the mountain range but cannot cross it, separating eastern and western populations. The mountains themselves are home to very few animals other than the mountain-dwelling Klipspringer and the Rock Hyrax, although Caracals can occasionally be seen traveling into parts of these mountains.

[vestal flicker]

Namib Dunes: As the name suggests, this region is heavily based on the Namib Desert of western Namibia. A dry, sandy and hot environment, this region would be vast, with only a few watering holes scattered around it.

Subregion 1: Great Salt Pans (Images 1 - 4)
This area is dominated by massive sand dunes that overlook flat salt pans and open desert. The sand dunes here are some of the largest in the world. Warm air from the Atlantic Ocean causes temperatures to fluctuate from time to time and brings fog and moisture, allowing the few plants in the region to survive the aridity. The wildlife of this area consists of the hardy animals that are adapted to this environment, like Gemsbok, Springbok, Ostriches, and Meerkats. Lions can be seen in parts of this area occasionally.

Subregion 2: Quiver Tree Plains (Images 5 - 7)
This bizarre and exotic area is characterized by flat open landscapes, occasional rocky outcrops, and the presence of the unique Quiver Tree. This species only grows naturally in a few parts of South Africa and southern Namibia. In this strange landscape, one can find many desert-adapted animals. Among the many rocky outcrops, the Rock Hyrax can also occasionally be seen.

[vestal flicker]

A couple more species that could be included on this map are the Rock Hyrax (Class 1) and the Klipspringer (Class 2). I realize now in hindsight that this map previously didn't have many species to populate the higher elevation rocky areas, and I think that would be a serious mistake. Both of these species are common in Namibia.

Rock Hyraxes look like rodents but aren't actual rodents. They live in rocky areas, meaning that they would be found in the Koedoe Bosveld, the mountainous areas of Renoster Hills, and around rocky outcrops in the Quiver Tree Plains. Klipspringers are more of a mountain-dwelling antelope, so they would primarily be found in the mountains of Wildebeest Ranges and the mountains around Olifant Lake.

They're both really interesting and unique species.

[vestal flicker]

This map shows where mountain ranges would be on this map (here they're shown in dark brown). They would all be in the Renoster Hills region, primarily in the Wildebeest Ranges subregion, although there would be some mountains in the southern part of the Olifant Lake subregion as well. These dark brown areas are the only areas where players would be able to find the Klipspringer.

Region names and boundaries are in black, subregion names and their boundaries are in white on this one to make things easier to understand.

[vestal flicker]

Here's the original post with the full species list, so that people don't have to scroll up as far.

[neat compass]

Only the King and Spotless variants are actually real-world examples, the rest are pretty speculative. (Though the erythristic and cream ones make a lot of sense!)

The cream ones could potentially be some sort of leucistic?

[reef lantern]

Looks Erythristic to me.

[neat compass]

While that is a completely valid guess I personally lean towards a diluted coloration (leucism) because the markings seem less bold than a normal cheetah, especially considering the markings at the tip of the tail are gone. If this was a truly erythristic individual, the markings would remain as bold as they originally were, albeit a different color, just like an orange tabby.

[vestal flicker]

My guess is that the rares for the Cheetah will definitely include the King and Spotless variants. Something like a cream-colored one would be totally possible as well. I wouldn't be surprised if EW throws in a melanistic and albino too even if they probably don't exist in real life.

[vestal flicker]

Here's the essential animal species list for this map, with the animals sorted by what regions they would be found in:

Entire Map except for high mountain ranges:
Helmeted Guineafowl
Warthog
Blue Wildebeest

Arid/Desert and Savanna/Grassland areas:
Meerkat
Burchell’s Sandgrouse
Cape Fox
Black-Backed Jackal
Springbok
Cheetah
Common Ostrich
Gemsbok

Savanna/Grassland and a few arid/desert areas:
Honey Badger
Brown Hyena
Lion
Namibian Giraffe
Elephant

Only Savanna/Grassland areas:
Steenbok
Blesbok
Red Hartebeest
Black Wildebeest
Plains Zebra
Common Eland
White Rhinoceros

Woodlands and adjacent Savanna/Grassland areas:
Impala
Greater Kudu
African Leopard

Only along rivers/lakes:
Egyptian Goose

Only Arid/Desert Areas and mountainous areas:
Caracal

All rocky areas:
Rock Hyrax

Only mountain highland areas:
Klipspringer

Only the western coastline:
Brown Fur Seal

[lavish raptor]

They Threw In The Grey And Melanistic Pumas Despite Neither Of Them Having A Recorded Sighting In Real Life.

[vestal flicker]

yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if they did the same sort of thing with the Cheetah, even though I'd prefer it if we'd stick to only fur types that exist in real life.

[vestal flicker]

Now I want to address the Potential Species. All of these are either unlikely to be included, or could be easily be included on Vurhonga or another new Africa map instead.

The Egyptian Goose, if included on this map, would be a Class 1 waterfowl species inhabiting the lakes, large watering holes and seasonal rivers.

The Honey Badger, if included, would be a small, tough, and aggressive species, and would likely be Class 3 because of its ferocious and tough nature. It would primarily be found in the grasslands and open savannas. Perhaps there could be a trophy lodge multimount featuring a Honey Badger facing off with a larger predator like a Lion or Leopard.

The Blesbok would be a Class 4 species. It is an antelope that could be found roaming in the open grasslands and savannas of this map. There would be a large number of Blesbok in each herd, but only a small number of herds of this species on the map, making them a more elusive animal to hunt on the open plains.

The Black Wildebeest would be found in the open grasslands and savannas of this map, roaming in medium to large herds. They would be less numerous than the Blue Wildebeest on this map, making a large Black Wildebeest a more prized trophy. Speaking of which, this species could have a multimount with the Black Wildebeest called "Two Wildebeest Types", similar to the "Two Turkey Types" multimount.

The Angolan Giraffe, also known as the Namibian Giraffe, would be the tallest species on this reserve if it were included. Living in the the open savannas and grasslands along with the desert regions, the Angolan Giraffe's tall silhouette would be a sight to behold in the open landscapes of this map. This would be an unlikely inclusion because it is so different from any other animal in the game, but I would still love to see it on this map.

The Rhino and Elephant will be explained in my next post.

[vestal flicker]

Finally we have Southern White Rhinoceros and African Bush Elephant, rounding out the species list. Both of these species would be very controversial animals to include, and their large size would require a lot of work to make them look good in the game, so they're less likely inclusions (despite being a very popular request). That being said, Namibia does allow limited hunting of these two species, and the only other country I know of that allows Rhino hunting is South Africa, so there is great potential for these species to be included.

Both of these species would be Class 10. In terms of their levels, they would both max out at level 9 Legendary (diamond level).

If either or both of these species are included on this map, I would want them to be included in a way that is as respectful to the real-life animals as possible. Therefore, I have created a special system for hunting them:

Hunting for these species would be limited to only mature "trophy" males in the game, meaning that only males that are level 7 or above (mature males) can be hunted. For a male White Rhino or Elephant that is level 7 or above, their name would be displayed as “Southern White Rhinoceros - Trophy” or “African Bush Elephant - Trophy”, which would show that the particular animal can be killed and harvested.

The females and younger males of both species would be protected and would not be huntable, and would have a red “Protected” tag next to their species name, and they would give the “invalid target” message if a player tried to shoot one. In addition, the mature huntable males of both species would also be the only ones capable of going aggressive and charging at players, to avoid the issue of players getting charged by animals that they can’t defend against.

If these species were to be included on this map, the in-game story would explain these hunting regulations as a conservation measure, one that is intended to help these species' populations recover in the area.

[vestal flicker]

On this map, White Rhinos would be found in the open savannah/grassland areas of the map. Small herds or "crashes" of mainly female rhinos would roam across the open plains, while males would be mostly solitary.

Elephants would primarily be found in the open savannahs and grasslands, but there would also be a few in the woodland areas, and even some small populations of them in the desert areas of the map. They would live in herds, with a few solitary males scattered around as well.

[opaque depot]

The system behind making sure only males that are level 7 and above is a pretty good system I can get behind should we get elephants and rhinos in the game as part of a future African Reserve

[reef lantern]

I think a great way to balance out elephant hunting even further is having them on a constantly moving convoy about the reserve on a set route with check points at lakes/drink zones(sometimes they’d skip lakes entirely as elephants rarely drink),dense forests for sitting/sleeping(this is probably when you’d hunt them the easiest),and feeding(the other time you’d hunt them the easiest).

[vestal flicker]

If I recall correctly, I believe that would be kind of like how Reindeer are in theHunter Classic, where they have many small herds that spawn in each session and migrate across the map over the course of each game session. I'm not sure if it would be possible to do that in COTW (especially with the game's engine limitations) but that would definitely be an interesting feature for certain species.

[vestal flicker]

Something I wanted to mention is that the Bergwind Savanna subregion would be primarily based on Namibia's iconic Etosha National Park, meaning that it would probably be the most biodiverse area of the map. It would actually be based on what Etosha looks like in/right after the rainy season, meaning that there would be a large area of water here that is meant to emulate what the Etosha salt pan looks like in the rainy season.

This map could give players the opportunity to enjoy Africa's great biodiversity in a truly unique way. Here's some photos (from Google) of animals at watering holes in Etosha to give you an idea of what I'm talking about.

And of course, when the animals aren't drinking at watering holes, they would be feeding out on the wide open savanna and plains, where you can take some very long-distance shots on a variety of plains game.

Of course, if all the plains game is a bit too much for you, you can always try to do some wingshooting for the Helmeted Guineafowl, or try to shoot some Meerkats before they spot you and run back to their burrows.

With the Lion being included on this reserve, there would almost certainly be a rework to the Lions in the game.

Along with the reworked Lion, there would be three new felines on this map: the Cheetah, African Leopard, and Caracal. These species could potentially join the Lion in the ultimate feline slam multimount, called "The Litterbox".

[mystic hamlet]

The next map is confirmed to not be this 😞 (apperantly we don't make enough volume ...)

[vestal flicker]

That just means we need to keep on talking about it!

Speaking of Africa maps, I've been brainstorming some new African map ideas. I have an idea for what I think will be the ultimate African map suggestion, expect to see that posted sometime before the end of this month.

[mystic hamlet]

Let's get this to 200 club!!

[kind sleet]

Glad to hear that they are open to big 5 hunting, given they do it right

[vestal flicker]

Yeah, that gives me hope that we might get Elephants and Rhinos on this map if it gets added eventually. That would be so awesome.

[kind sleet]

If they just added new species to Verhonga I’d be happy tbh

[lavish raptor]

Well Elephants And Rhinos Are Both Explained To Be Fully Extinct Within Vurhonga, So Those Are Out Of The Question.

[kind sleet]

Not really, the ingame lore can be changed. It’s not a story driven game by any means

[reef lantern]

Why change what has been established for Years now all for what??? A new species that doesn’t really work on the map.

[kind sleet]

Respectfully we play this game for the hunting, not the half effort story boards.

[reef lantern]

Maybe you play this for hunting but I like to have life in my game,and If you are hunting somewhere like Emerald Coast,Parque,or any National Park like Te Awaroa or Medved you’ll need life because I find it highly unlikely you’ll just go in there rarely talking to the warden in the real world.

[kind sleet]

I get that fully, I find my immersion comes from the sounds and visuals rather than backstory.

That being said I really enjoyed the poacher hunting mission on verhonga

[reef lantern]

Backstory ties into sounds and visual’s because if it wasn’t for backstory you wouldn’t be hearing what you are hearing and you most definitely wouldn’t be seeing what you are seeing,no Piccabeen palms,no lupines,no dwarf birch without a story.

[kind sleet]

#📢︴game-news message. Africa fans!
Now is the chance to throw in some support for a new map, as well as new African species on the survey. 🇿🇦 🇨🇲 🇿🇲 🇹🇿

[kind cairn]

Tanzania or Namibia for sure gotta get it eventually down the road

[vestal flicker]

I totally agree, both are very popular regions for hunting in Africa.

[kind cairn]

Would be a vibe honestly Africa, Asia, Arctic and Colombian mountains are top 4 threads for me I've seen from you guys

[vestal flicker]

Tbh I want three more African maps at this point. I want to see one based in West Africa (like Cameroon or some other region of West Africa), another map in Southern Africa (whether that's Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana etc.), and a map based in East Africa (Tanzania, or Ethiopia).

[kind sleet]

Absolutely, if we have 5+ America reserves we can easily have the same for the African continent, while not having many repeating species.

[vestal flicker]

I've come up with some ideas for the side missions on this map. Here's a few examples of what some of them could be like.

Plains Game Culling:
Because the populations of various plains game species have been growing rapidly in the reserve, we need someone to cull them to keep them from overgrazing the limited vegetation or spreading disease. All meat from every kill will be donated to local villages that are suffering from food shortages. To make things more interesting, use special types of weapons for each species.
Objectives
Harvest 1 Greater Kudu taken with a Bow
Harvest 2 Common Elands taken with a Rifle
Harvest 3 Black Wildebeests taken with a Shotgun
Harvest 4 Red Hartebeests taken with a Bow
Harvest 5 Ostriches taken with a Rifle
Harvest 6 Springboks taken with a Handgun
Harvest 7 Impalas taken with a Shotgun
Harvest 8 Gemsboks taken with a Bow
Harvest 9 Plains Zebras taken with a Rifle
Harvest 10 Blue Wildebeests taken with a Bow

Small Game Cull:
To prevent ecological imbalance and conflicts with local farmers, we sometimes need to cull smaller species of animals in the reserve. To make things more interesting, use special types of weapons for each species.
Objectives
Harvest 2 Cape Foxes taken with a Rifle
Harvest 3 Steenboks taken with a Bow
Harvest 4 Caracals taken with a Handgun
Harvest 5 Black-Backed Jackals taken with a Shotgun
Harvest 10 Helmeted Guineafowl taken with a Shotgun

Predator Culling:
Predator populations have been on the rise in the reserve, which will inevitably lead to more conflicts with humans. We have to do something about it before any animal attacks occur. Use special weapons for each species.
Objectives:
Harvest 1 Cheetah taken with a Handgun
Harvest 2 African Leopards taken with a Bow
Harvest 3 Lions taken with a Rifle

[vestal flicker]

Here's the original post with the map overview so that people don't have to scroll forever to get to it.

Namibia Reserve (African Desert Map with many iconic African animals)

[plain crystal]

If we get an Africa map these are the type of biomes I want

[vestal flicker]

Is there any other species that anyone wants to see on this map? The main species list is full but I can maybe put a couple more in the potential species list.

[plain crystal]

With the potential Species you have already I think you pretty much knocked it out of the park already. This should be the highest upvoted Africa suggestion in my opinion. Best biomes with all the big game possibilities

[vestal flicker]

thank you

[kind sleet]

Bump

[mystic hamlet]

3 more

[vestal flicker]

200! Let's go!

[solemn plover]

Congrats on 200! 🎉

[solemn plover]

Congrats!

[vestal flicker]

bumping this one back up again.

[sage glade]

Doing a bump

[vestal flicker]

I have now went and changed the original post so that all of the former "potential species" have been added to the main species list. This is just a hypothetical map concept anyway, so I'm not too worried about making sure that every species is easy to create and add to the game. I also made some class changes, moving Gemsbok down to Class 6 (to reflect the recent official change made to them) and also moving the Giraffe up to Class 10, because this species is a little bit big for a Class 9 animal in terms of height and overall toughness.

I also added info about the two new weapons to the original post.

[kind sleet]

Boost for Namibia 🇳🇦

[last granite]

@vestal flicker I absolutely would love to have Namibia as a map with Tikkamoon Plains being placed in Namibia and it being abit disappointing but not surprising either having a COTW Namibia map would be so cool it's my 2nd favourite African country and I love the Biomes and Species of it

[vestal flicker]

Yeah hopefully we get a Namibia map in COTW at some point, it would be a dream come true for me. This post has over 200 upvotes now so I'm sure EW has seen it and is (hopefully) considering it for a future map at some point.

[tight robin]

This would definitely work as a possible Big Five map, since Namibia is one of the only two places in Africa where you can legally hunt said Big Five.

[opaque depot]

bump

[mystic hamlet]

Bump

[vestal flicker]

If we can get a Nepal map with Tigers and Snow Leopards, I think we can definitely get an African map with Elephants, Rhinos, Giraffes and Cheetahs

[ancient fiber]

Bump for Namibia 🇳🇦

[vestal flicker]

I decided to move the Cheetah down to Class 4, since they're a bit too lightweight to be Class 5

[vestal flicker]

Bump for the Greater Kudu and African Leopard.

[lavish raptor]

Another potential species (assuming this map would have a coastline) could be the Cape Fur Seal. There is a yearly available harvest in Namibia of 8,000 bull fur seals.

[pearl plover]

i WANT THIS IN THE GAME it would be AMAZING to see a freaking giraffe, rhino and Elephant on the same map

[vestal flicker]

When I made the hypothetical map for this reserve (you can scroll up a little way to find it), I did not include a coastline area on the map because the setting I was going for is a bit further inland than that. If EW makes a Namibian reserve and decides to include part of Namibia's Western Coast on the map, I would love to hunt seals there. For this reserve idea however, the coastline where the Namib Desert meets the Atlantic Ocean wasn't part of my original plan for the map.

[vestal flicker]

Ok, so I decided to add a coastline section to the Namibia map that I already made a while back, which is broken up into two new subregions but is still part of the Namib Dunes primary region. I had to expand the map westward, which is why the image is sort of an awkward size now. I also added some more salt pans (the pale spots) to the Great Salt Pans subregion, and some more mountains in the northwest (dark brown).

[vestal flicker]

Namib Dunes expansion: This region now has two more subregions in the west, both based on the Atlantic coastline of western Namibia.

Boneyard Coast (Images 1-4): This coastline is littered with the ruins of old ships and the skeletons of dead whales. The beaches here have some flat gravelly sections in the south, while to the north the beaches are just tall sand dunes overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. There are a few areas along the coast where Brown Fur Seals congregate together on the beach. Further inland from the beaches, various land animals wander through this area. These include Elephants, Giraffes, Lions, Gemsbok and Springbok, along with various other species. Thick fog comes off of the ocean in the morning, spreading eastward across the rest of the reserve. The moisture from this fog allows the local plants in the area to survive. This same extreme fog caused many of the shipwrecks along the coast. This fog can also be a major hazard for hunters in this area, who can easily get ambushed by prowling lions because of the poor visibility in the morning. (This subregion is inspired by the Skeleton Coast, in case you couldn't tell).

Pelsrob Shores (Images 5-7)
This subregion is named for its large numbers of Brown Fur Seals. Here, large numbers of these pinnipeds come together on the beach, filling an otherwise desolate beach with marine life. Some sections of the beach here are a smooth transition from the high sand dunes to the west, which meet the endless ocean here. Other sections are very rocky and rough. These pristine beaches contrasted by the tall sand dunes create a unique environment to explore, and many tourists visit this area every year.

Of course, the biggest draw of these two subregions is the Brown Fur Seal, a pinniped species that is legally hunted in Namibia in real life. This would probably be a Class 7 species because of their large size. These seals can be seen sunning themselves on the various beaches along the coastline, in rest zones, similar to the Alligators and Crocodiles we have in the game currently. They would flee into the ocean and dive down under the water if they are spooked.

[vestal flicker]

Bear in mind that this is only a hypothetical map to give a general idea of what the different regions of this reserve might be like.

[vestal flicker]

Should I add the Brown Hyena to the animal list for this map? I feel like we already have a lot of carnivores in this map idea, but Brown Hyenas are primarily scavengers so they probably would not spook larger animals, unlike the larger predators I've included on the potential species list. Namibia is one of the few countries that have them so I think they might be a good addition to the potential species roster. React with 👍 if you support adding them to the species list, react with 👎 if you are against it.

[coral owl]

yes, it looks interesting.

[lavish raptor]

I feel like since the map now has a coastline, the Hyena could have a predator-prey interaction with the Fur Seals. Perhaps a small population of Brown Hyenas on the map would be a nice addition.

[opaque depot]

A smaller population of lions would work to since both species have been documented hunting fur seals

[vestal flicker]

Ok, based on the feedback in this thread, I have decided to add the Brown Hyena to the reserve's species list. They would probably be a Class 3 species since they're similar in size to various Class 3 species.

[vestal flicker]

I'm also thinking about making some versions of this map that would show where each potential species in this idea could be found

it's going to take some time though

[vestal flicker]

Here's the range map for the Burchell's Sandgrouse and Cape Fox

Here's a hypothetical range map for the Meerkat, Black-Backed Jackal, Springbok and Gemsbok

And here's what the range map for the Common Ostrich and Cheetah would look like - Cheetahs would have a similar density across the map to Tigers on Sundarpatan

There will be more range maps when I'm done with them.

[vestal flicker]

Honey Badger Range Map

Brown Hyena range - scattered throughout all open areas of the map. Their feed zones would all be carcasses of larger animals, like fur seals on the coast, and wildebeests or zebras in other areas

Lion range map - their population would be broken up into lion prides, and there would be about 5-8 lion prides in the map which each have their own homeranges that they roam in. These prides would feed, drink, and rest together like a pack of wolves. A few lions would roam alone or in pairs (mostly rogue males) on the outskirts of the larger prides' territories.

[vestal flicker]

African Bush Elephant and Namibian Giraffe range map. The elephant population would be broken up into several large herds, with a few rogue males roaming around as well. Both Elephants and Giraffes would be more abundant in the central grassland areas, and less common in the northern woodlands and the desert areas in the west and east.

Steenbok and White Rhinoceros range map.

Red Hartebeest and Common Eland range map

[vestal flicker]

Blesbok and Black Wildebeest range map - they would mainly be in the Leeu Valley subregion of the map, but also the southern part of the Kalahari Oases region. As reintroduced species, these two animals would be less abundant than other ungulates in the reserve, because their populations aren't as well-established here.

Plains Zebra range map

Impala, Greater Kudu and African Leopard range map - African Leopards in particular would be most abundant in the Koedoe Bosveld region in the north-central region of the map. In this region, African Leopards would be the only large predator, and would be about as abundant there as Pumas in Parque Fernando currently. In other areas of the map that African Leopards inhabit, they would be about as common as Snow Leopards in Sundarpatan.

[vestal flicker]

Caracal range map

[vestal flicker]

Rock Hyrax range map

Klipspringer range map - all of the purple areas are more mountainous/higher elevation and rocky areas.

[vestal flicker]

Egyptian Goose range map

Brown Fur Seal range map

and with that, all of the animals on this map's potential species list have range maps.

[vestal flicker]

Here's the original post

[neat compass]

Definitely my favorite of the African map suggestions!!

[vestal flicker]

Thanks!

[twilit flame]

Very good map suggestion! Tons of detail on this one.

[vestal flicker]

Thanks! It's really just a proof of concept, but I still like the way that it turned out. I definitely hope we can get a new map like this one in the future.

Also, if you like this map idea, please consider checking out some of my other map concept ideas:
#1118713888410706042
#1203008616802684959

#1126572984509931592

[mild sable]

The #1325971453023354881 on this would be black faced Impala btw my favorite subspecies

[vestal flicker]

will change that in the original post, thank you for pointing that out

[ancient fiber]

Bump

[vestal flicker]

I've updated the original post again to make it clear that not all species on the list would need to be included, it's just meant to give a general idea of the nearly endless possibilities that this reserve would have.

[kind cairn]

Should also have more upvotes tbh

[vestal flicker]

I totally agree

[vestal flicker]

bump for Namibia 🇳🇦

[arctic badge]

Some possible zebra rares, there are so many possible options I'd love to see these in game and grind for each one!

[vestal flicker]

that reminds me: there's a lot of really cool rare animals that could come with this reserve

Erythristic African Leopard (also known as a Strawberry Leopard)

there's also Melanistic Leopards, which look awesome

[vestal flicker]

So I went back through and reworked the species list in the original post to once again separate it into essential and non-essential species. Species that aren't very highly requested or could potentially be included on other future maps are now on the non-essential species list.

I would still really like to see at least a few of these non-essential animals on the map, but I made this change because I recognize that having a full 31 animal species on a map is probably not possible with the way that the game works currently.

[vestal flicker]

decided that the Brown Fur Seal should still be considered an essential species for this map, because I figured that if they're able to find a way to make Rhinos and Elephants work, then surely they'll be able to find a way to make fur seals work too.

[vestal flicker]

besides, can you imagine just how popular a map with Rhinos, Elephants, Leopards, a Great One Lion, tons of plains game, and Fur Seals would be? It would be the most popular map by far.

this could be EW's future if they decided to release this map next year

[vestal flicker]

that's if they haven't already released an Arctic map by the time this one gets released, in which case, that pile of money could probably be 2x as high

all joking aside, they really should look into whether they can pull off a map like this, if they did it right they could make a ton of money off of it. Any new Africa map would probably bring back a lot of players to this game.

[green goblet]

King and spottless cheetahs please

[vestal flicker]

Yes, it would be awesome to have those as rare variations

[scarlet smelt]

I think this should replace Vurhonga Savannah

An African map that doesn't have all the big 5 but rich in plains game

[gleaming vale]

BUMPINGGG!!!!

[vestal flicker]

just saying, this is still true ⬆️

[scarlet smelt]

I'd have this map in conjunction with an Africa 2.0 (either Tanzania or South Africa) and then have the big 5 not be as common, except for buffalo and maybe some elephants

Make them a treat, especially the cats and rhinos

[vestal flicker]

bump for the Angolan Giraffe 🦒

They look amazing

[vestal flicker]

bump for Namibia 🇳🇦

[kind cairn]

What's the animal list for this concept again

I need a refresher and an adult 😂

[vestal flicker]

I'll re-post the full species list with images of each of them at some point

[raven marlin]

I really want to see a Namibia map. Was there on a 9 day hunt in 2018 in the khomas highland

[mild sable]

Tell us more about that experience if you want

[raven marlin]

Went there with my Father in law. Been only hunting for a year at this Point. But He wanted a Last Trip before he felt to old.

We had an amazing experience, great Guides and i was able to shoot a warthog, a Red harte beest and a Jackal (with my Compound bow)

[vestal flicker]

That's awesome, I'm glad that you were able to go there!

[kind cairn]

Aye someone want to run the species list for this map off of me again

[vestal flicker]

I'm going to post pictures of every species in this map idea just for the sake of having everything in one place

All returning species:

Springbok (ideally with a rework to their TruRACs)
Warthog (would need a model rework and size increase)
Blue Wildebeest (would get TruRACs and improvements to their models and textures)
Gemsbok (would get TruRACs + new fur variations)
Lion (would get a model rework + potentially a new Great One)

now I'll start posting photos of all of the new species that I think are essential for a Namibia map

Meerkat (Class 1)

This is a small species of mongoose native to southern Africa. They're an animal that would hide in burrows, similar to European Rabbits. When alerted they would stand up and look around for a better view.

Helmeted Guineafowl (Class 1)

This game bird is native to sub-Saharan Africa and lives in a variety of habitats. They would be a good addition for players who enjoy upland game bird hunting.

Steenbok (Class 2)

This is a very small species of antelope that is native in parts of southern and eastern Africa. They would be the smallest antelope species on this map.

Caracal (Class 2)

This is a small wild cat species that is native to Africa and parts of Asia. It would be similar in terms of behavior to other small cats that are already in the game like the Bobcat and Eurasian Lynx.

Honey Badger (Class 3)

This tough mustelid is native to Africa and Asia and known for its ferocity. It would be a small but very tough and aggressive predator.

Brown Hyena (Class 3)

This is a species of Hyena that is only found in southern Africa, and it inhabits desert areas, semi-desert, and open woodland savannah. They are mainly scavengers.

African Cheetah (Class 4)

The fastest land animal on Earth, the Cheetah lives throughout many parts of Africa. However, Namibia is one of the only countries where they can be hunted.

Black Faced Impala (Class 4)

A specific regional variety of the Impala, mainly found in Namibia. It is known for its large black marking on the face, which is where this subspecies gets its name.

Common Ostrich (Class 6)

This is a species of flightless bird that inhabits certain regions of Africa. The Common Ostrich is the largest living species of bird.

Greater Kudu (Class 6)

This is one of the most commonly hunted species of antelope in Africa. They are known for their large spiral horns, which make them a popular trophy.

African Leopard (Class 7)

Common throughout Africa, the African Leopard is known as one of the "Big Five" of African dangerous game hunting.

Brown Fur Seal (Class 7)

This large pinniped lives along the coastal regions of southern Africa. On this map it would inhabit the western coastline.

Plains Zebra (Class 8)

The most common and geographically widespread species of Zebra. The Plains Zebra's habitat is generally treeless grasslands and savanna woodlands.

Angolan Giraffe (Class 10)

This variety of Giraffe is also known as the Namibian Giraffe. It is a species or subspecies of giraffe that is found in northern Namibia, south-western Zambia, Botswana, western Zimbabwe, and in Angola.

Southern White Rhinoceros (Class 10)

The most common and widespread species of Rhino in Africa.

African Bush Elephant (Class 10)

Also known as the African Savanna Elephant, this is a species of elephant native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is the largest living land animal.

Those are all of the essential new animals for a map in Namibia (in my opinion)

Now I'm going to post some species that are not essential for a map set in Namibia, but would be nice additions regardless

Class 1:
Rock Hyrax
Burchell's Sandgrouse
Egyptian Goose

[gusty burrow]

ROCK HYRAX

[vestal flicker]

Class 2:
Cape Fox
Klipspringer
Black-Backed Jackal

Class 4
Blesbok

Class 6:
Red Hartebeest
Black Wildebeest

Class 9
Common Eland

I wouldn't expect to see all of these non-essential species on the map, but they would be a nice bonus if EW could find a way to fit more species onto it

[vestal flicker]

here's the original post, which has all of the essential information in it

[vestal flicker]

if both the Common Eland and Greater Kudu are included on this map, it might be interesting to include a Kuland (a Kudu-Eland hybrid) as a rare spawn or as a mission animal

here's a picture of a Kuland, they look really neat

[kind cairn]

NGL @vestal flicker I like my plains game more so like elands, and the other antelope species that are a maybe for your map of like way more than giraffe, elephant and rhino

That being said it's your map and that's just my preference don't change anything

[vestal flicker]

I was mainly trying to have as many iconic African animals on this map as possible, and I have nothing against antelopes, but I know they aren't as iconic as certain animals like Giraffe, Rhino, Elephant, Ostrich, Cheetah etc.

that being said, I love antelopes too. It was hard choosing which ones to include on the essential species list and which ones to list as non-essential, but I did the best that I could.

[kind cairn]

Oh yeah the icons are great and I get why people want them in game

Just not for me I like my antelope with the gnarly horns more myself

[vague helm]

If i’d ever see this in cotw, i’d be dreaming because my xbox would be literally on fire

[vestal flicker]

along with this map, it would be nice to have animals kicking up dust when running as a new feature, sort of like how the snow collecting on animals' fur was added with the Askiy Ridge update. Here's a separate post that covers that feature:
#1227768021775290492

[vestal flicker]

the effect could be sort of like what you can see this ostrich doing here

[vestal flicker]

and that feature would also be nice to see on other dry/arid maps with lots of sand and dust, like Rancho, Vurhonga or the drier outback areas on Emerald Coast

[vague helm]

Would be very cool

[vestal flicker]

yes, and it would really add to the immersion too

[vague helm]

Dude if you have played woth on the Africa map you already know it looks awesome, imagine that on cotw like it would be insane

[vestal flicker]

yeah Tikamoon Plains in WOTH is pretty similar to what I'd hope for in a Namibia map in COTW

(in terms of the landscapes, that is)

These screenshots I've taken on that map are great examples of what I'd want a Namibia map to look like in COTW. Nice rolling sand dunes in the desert areas, along with mountainous and rocky areas, and open arid savanna

just imagine a map like that in COTW but with all of the iconics that WOTH didn't include, like Cheetahs, Leopards, Rhinos, Elephants, Giraffes, Zebras, Ostriches, etc.

that would honestly be a dream come true for me personally

[vague helm]

Yes but maybe obviously they do it in their uniqe way so it doesn’t look like a straight out copy, just stating the obvious. Also ostriches is my dream hunt in cotw

[vestal flicker]

oh yeah for sure, it's just kind of an example to show what it could be like

[vague helm]

of course

[opaque depot]

So here is a potential Cheetah variant

[vestal flicker]

that would be a really neat rare fur type

[vague helm]

It’s like the cheetah variant of the stripeless tiger

[vestal flicker]

yeah pretty much

[vestal flicker]

This is the map showing the possible locations of all the outposts on this map. Note that the Vulture's Rest, Foggy Pass, and Seared Barrens outposts would have both a cabin and a lookout tower, meaning that each of them would be a combined outpost and lookout point.

also, every outpost that is a "camp" would not have any permanent structures, just tents and campfire rings, sometimes a lean-to as well just for shelter.

also the "Silent Sanctuary" outpost in the northwest would be a wildlife sanctuary with captive animals in fenced-in areas. It would be just like the one on Emerald Coast, except this one would be a sanctuary for animals like Impala, Gemsbok, Cheetahs and Lions.

[mild sable]

That's an amazing map

[vestal flicker]

thanks! I had a bit of trouble coming up with names for the outposts, but I think they ended up coming out pretty good!

[scarlet smelt]

I like it when people make their own maps

[vestal flicker]

I mainly just do it to give people some idea of what a particular map could theoretically look like in the game. That being said, it's actually pretty fun!

[vestal flicker]

After careful consideration, I have decided to take the Angolan Giraffe off of the essential species list and move it to the non-essential species list. Giraffes are just so tall (as you can see in these images) that I'm not sure if they would fit very well into the existing trophy lodges. They're actually significantly taller than Elephants and Rhinos. There's definitely places in the existing lodges where their heads would be clipping through the ceiling if they're in an upright pose, which is how I imagine most players would want to mount them just to show off how tall they are. Unless we get another lodge with higher ceilings throughout it, I just am a bit afraid that they're going to be more of a hassle to add than it's worth for EW. On top of that, they also aren't nearly as heavily requested as other iconic animals like Elephants, which I think should really be the highlight of any future map that includes them. I really think Elephants, Giraffes and Rhinos all together might be too many huge iconic African species for one map.

I do still want to see them added to the game in the future, but they just aren't as high on my wishlist anymore, so I'm moving them onto the non-essential species list for now.

[mild sable]

Thats a reasonable choice

[vague helm]

I’d be okay with elephants and rhinos, giraffes would be cool but i wouldn’t consider them a mainly hunted animal

[vestal flicker]

now that we no longer have the Giraffe on the essential species list, I feel like it's appropriate to consider moving one other non-essential species onto the main roster, in order to take its place. What species would you guys like to see moved to the essential species list? The four contenders that I'm considering are the Klipspringer, Red Hartebeest, Black Wildebeest and Common Eland, but I'm open to any other suggestions that anyone might have.

[vague helm]

Black wildebeest

[mild sable]

Well I'd say the eland but honestly what you call essential species would make a perfect map but I wouldn't say it's essential, picture this, Namibia map

Jackal
Conmon eland
Plains zebra
Steenbok
Impala
Cheetah
Croc
Kudu
Springbok
Cape hyrax
African pygmy goose
Harlequin quail

That's just 13 species but it's 10 new species and 3 remodels which is quit a lot and I'd think a lot of people including me would be very happy about a map like that, I'd rather have Africa 2.0 without elephants rather then not have it at all especially in a country not that big on big 5 hunting like namibia

[vague helm]

I’d be happy with that too, along with a great map, but the team knows what they’re doing in that department at least. I do think EW is going for bigger even if we are satisfied with a suggestion like yours

[mild sable]

If love something bigger but like I think we should start treating Africa as a normal continent getting normal maps instead of this mistique foreign land only Beeing able to be satisfied by a revolutionary map with 30 new species

[vague helm]

Well that’s how people see Africa mostly, which is not it, honestly i’d like them to do a deep dive into African countries and do a series of regular maps like they did North America

[vestal flicker]

I totally agree, the problem is that most of the community (and EW themselves) seem to think that Africa 2.0 must be the elephant map, and that it will probably be the final map as a result. If the normies could just get it through their thick skulls that Africa is a vast and varied continent that isn't all just the exact same open savannah with the same animals, then we could potentially get seven more African maps with at least a dozen new species on each of them. But unfortunately, most people just see all of Africa as one big monolithic continent that's all the same, a strange exotic land that's somewhere "over there". Because of the extreme ignorance of the average COTW player and EW themselves, we're forced to all just cross our fingers and hope for as many animals as possible for a second Africa map, because we might not get another one, and we have to accept that many of the species we want in the game are probably not going to make it onto a second Africa map.

Frankly all of this could be avoided if people would actually educate themselves about real geography, biology and culture. But nobody wants to actually do the necessary research for that, because that might force them to actually think about things that exist outside of their own tiny little corner of the world.

TLDR: I would love to completely remake the potential species list for this map idea and make the list a bit shorter to allow some of the species to be saved for other future maps, but at this point I don't feel like explaining every little animal choice I make to a bunch of ignorant people who probably don't care anyway.

Here's a picture showing the lower 48 of the U.S. along with Alaska overlayed on a map of Africa. Mind you, the U.S. has five maps in the game (Layton, Yukon Valley, Silver Ridge Peaks, Mississippi and New England Mountains). Africa has 1, ONE map. Africa has significantly more land area yet the U.S. has five times more maps in the game. Something's not right here.

I'm very frustrated about this if you couldn't tell lol

[opaque depot]

A lot of the concerns you have about Africa 2.0 are concerns I also have, especially when I look at the one African map we do have being riddled with mistakes caused by the line of thinking you described perfectly

[vague helm]

Yeah i hope at least we get two more Africa maps, with remodels to the older animals as well, and maybe more fur types. Other than that i’d be happy, ik i said i’d like a series of Africa maps being released, reconsidering it though since i think it’s better to release maps all over the world on after the other, like how we got Sundarpatan (Asia), Salzwiesen (Europe) and now Askiy Ridge (North America) which is fine because we got to see other continents as well. They just need to include Africa there and further ahead South America

[celest yoke]

This seems awfully patronizing. EW doesn't favor africa out of the 7 continents which is why people want the next one to be grand, as there's no telling if we'll get another.
Not sure about 30 species but what most us that are hardcore on africa want is to see the dangerous 6. I think two maps would be much better because then it can be split with 3 on two different maps, but again, we get ambitious because EW is allergic to africa (lol), so everyone wants it to "count" with the majority of the most popular dangerous and plains game if they end up revisiting the continent.

People want a safari experience that has the same quality of the new maps