Possible Squirrel Mecanics

[pulsar dagger]

As you know Squirrel Hunting is a long-standing community request, however it was only about "We want squirrels" or "please place squirrels", without any details on how to hunt them where to find them.
It was repeated many times that the game mechanics make it difficult to recreate the usual behaviour and the way to hunt this species since they are arboreal and the trees in the game do not have support points where the animals can climb or stay.
However, I think there could be a couple of options to make them work, although it would not recreate the exact wild behaviour of the species, it would allow them to be hunted within the game.

1st Option

Since the trees don't have support points then why not place some?

A few days ago a colleague posted an image of a Canada Goose perched resting on a Tree Stand, this suggests that if there is a structure placed the animals could use it, that leads to this first option FEEDERS and CALLER using the Ancient mechanics of the Geese…
Remember that mechanic where Geese weren't on the map but Appeared on the horizon when lures were placed?
Why not recreate that mechanic by reducing the spawn range to a 100m radius around a feeder?
In the same way and in the same place where the Tree Stands are placed, it would be possible to place these feeders and use the caller so that the Squirrels appear and congregate or climb the feeder (similar mechanics where the raccoons climb the buckets of trash) …

2nd Option

This option entails a less arcade mechanic and more natural behavior for the animals, using the mechanics of the European Rabbits only that instead of Burrows they would have an Old Fallen Trunk or A Lonely Tree as a spawn point, the walking range could also be extended Squirrels to move away from the nest tree, perhaps 50 or 75 meters away, a behavior that we have already seen briefly in European Rabbits that was later corrected...

[raw spindle]

Honestly, all they would need to do is rework the old squirrels (and mink) the game had when it was released (though the mink where on Medved-Taiga). They just frolicked around on the ground, causing you to think there was another animal nearby. You could shoot them even, though you could not harvest them. That being said, if they could work out a way for them to run in trees, that would be great.

[pulsar dagger]

The problem is that the trees are not objects, they are part of the rendering terrain of the graphic engine, there is no way to modify it :S

[charred fern]

Well we really don't know what capabilities they have so lets not assume that it cant be done. As the OP mentioned we have proof that an animal (goose) can sit on a tree stand object in a tree. So it seems that based on that then invisible perch points can be placed in a tree where birds or squirrels can climb and sit ... So it seems certain that it can be done but at what cost and how labor intensive would it be to add these invisible perch points to the already exiting climbable trees .... That is a question that only the devs can answer ....

One thing I don't want to see is just having squirrels running along the ground like rabbits. If they can't do it right then I would rather not have them .

[pulsar dagger]

The point of the suggestion is not to add invisible perches to the trees, we know it's impossible, is that the hunter can manually place the Feeder just like a Tree Stand so that animals can use them

[charred fern]

The title for this suggestion is possible squirrel mechanics. Feeders are just one mechanic .... You list other options as well . Is no one else able to offer up possible mechanics on how squirrels might be implemented? If this is only about feeders then I may remove my support and ask that the title be changed ...

[pulsar dagger]

Feeders with the Old Geeses mecanic is one option, using the European Rabbits mechanic is the other...
Those 2 are the "possible" game mechanics that can currently be adapted without having to design another one.
If anyone finds another mechanic that could be used that would be great, because having Squirrels running around the map and climbing trees by themselves will Never happen, they already clarified it many times throughout these years...

[weak shuttle]

Where I come from, squirrels, especially red squirrels, are shot on site, and the county pays for the tails. Known pest animals, and good eatin'.

[queen pine]

Make this for racoons too

[pastel lagoon]

Also adding the ability for dogs to tree them for an easier shot. Could add the ability for dogs to tree raccoons as well.

[grim dragon]

Yes

[pulsar dagger]

Some time ago I also posted a possible option to overcome the problem of tree climbing xD
#1071107633571963031 message

[pulsar dagger]

The tree stands definitely have hit-points for the animals xD

[pulsar dagger]

bump

[paper hornet]

If we get tree squirrels, it'll probably be on a new map made specifically for them. If there would be special trees on such a map that are specifically there to be climbed by squirrels, they could sort of act as rest zones for them, and there could also be feeding sites on the ground for the squirrels.

That being said, there are species in the squirrel family that don't live primarily in trees, like marmots, prairie dogs, and ground squirrels. These species would be burrowing animals like the European Rabbits, so they would probably be quite a bit easier to add with the existing mechanics. I might make a post detailing all the different types of ground squirrels that can be added to COTW

[pulsar dagger]

That's right, it would be possible to use the same mechanics that rabbits have for any ground squirrel or burrowing species without problems.
Even using that mechanic to replace the burrow with a climbable tree (physical tree, no render) where squirrels climb and hide like in my 2nd option

[charred fern]

I'm sorry I just cant get excited about hunting Chipmunks .... Thats a ground squirrel where I come from

[prisma marsh]

Bump

[modest root]

I'm would be fine with squirrels being added. I do not like that you get hunting pressure with small game. Makes me not really hunt them. I hate the idea of feeders in the game. 1. They are illegal in the areas I've hunted for most large game. Obviously there are some exceptions (hogs and bears in some areas)realize that you are only suggeating it for squirrels but it kind of opens a box for it in general. 2. Hunting over bait is one of the most unethical things a hunter can do IMO.

[pulsar dagger]

bump

[prisma marsh]

Bump

[charred fern]

Over a year later and we have already seen the devs do things that they previously said could not be done .... squirrels would be awesome .....

It's quite possible to have tree climbing squirrels .... They already have some trees designated as climbable with tree stands .....

So they would need to adapt that mechanic for the squirrels .... Possible but I wouldn't ever say easy ....

[pulsar dagger]

Bump

[pulsar dagger]

After seeing the new Beaver physics, I think this is now really possible.

Even climbable trees could appear without the need to place structures

[lean knot]

Said so

[vestal wing]

This is a good way to implement squirrels im no game developing expert but from what I've seen this is probably the best way to implement it