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# 10 - March
Topic Started: Mar 2 2014, 09:44 AM (1,738 Views)
Orca Freak
Member Avatar
Killer Whales rule the World

Posted Image[anchor]top[/anchor]

[anchor]intro[/anchor]Posted ImageWritten by: Orca Freak

Hey everyone,

It's been a short month with a lot of contests, which are still running, and not much news. But we are going to get to know some members of our community a little bit better through interviews with intriguing questions. And our game section has got a new challenge.
So get those brains spinning, sit back, relax, and enjoy!

  • [go2=intro]Introduction[/go2]
  • [go2=events]Events[/go2]
  • [go2=awards]Awards[/go2]
  • [go2=features]Features[/go2]
  • [go2=spotlight]Spotlight[/go2]
  • [go2=staff]Staff Discussion[/go2]
  • [go2=news]Community News[/go2]
  • [go2=animal]Animal of the Month[/go2]
  • [go2=questions]Questions[/go2]
  • [go2=poll]Poll[/go2]
  • [go2=game]Game Time[/go2]
  • [go2=cc]Community Challenge[/go2]
  • [go2=help]Help Out[/go2]


[anchor]events[/anchor]Posted ImageWritten by: Orca Freak

February has been a quite month when it came to big events. But we had some nice contests. Make sure to vote for your favorite entry.
And TRT organized its very first designing contest:
Posted Image
Subscribing is no longer possible, but we are looking forward to see what our designers are going to pull out of their magic hat.

But rumors are growing, people are whispering: a big event is coming.

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[anchor]awards[/anchor]Posted ImageListed by: Orca Freak

Our contests for this month are still running. So, this means that, for this month, we don't have a list of winners to celebrate. But we are looking forward to see who's the best Aquarium Builder, or who took the nicest picture on their trip to the zoo. Or even who's going to win our very first designing contest here on TRT.

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[anchor]features[/anchor]Posted ImageListed by: Orca Freak

This month, we have some new arrivals in our Gift Shop:
A beautiful goldfish Posted Image
And a young red-eared slider Posted Image that grows into this big guy Posted Image
Make sure to check them out, and even gift one to your favorite friends.

Some of you may already noticed it, but the Tutorial Section has been vanished for a while. This because the staff has been updating this section with new categories and new tutorials. So we now have a nice tutorial database on our beloved TRT.

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[anchor]spotlight[/anchor]Posted ImageInterviewed by: Zoocrazy

This month we turn our spotlight on zerosvalmont, a brilliant designer and a great addition to our long list of active community members.

1. When and how did you first become involved in the ZT community?

I started playing ZT2 back in 2008 and in 2009 i grow an interest in the communities (mainly because of the downloads :P ). I think that my favorite forums back then were ZTV, ZTABC and ZTDC, but because of the obvious language barrier, the only forum I was really active was zoosdelmundo (an small Spanish forum)

2. When did you start designing and what was your first project?

I started designing back in June 8th 2010. My very first project was a sperm whale reskin that you can see by yourself clicking at this link: [link]
Like most of the designers I began making reskins and then I improved little by little. Now I can do almost everything designing wise, so I encourage everyone who wants to design to do it and don’t feel ashamed to start with the simple things. That is how you can learn.


3. How has the community changed you as a person? Have you allowed it to?

Well, I think I’ve made good friends over the years and i learned a lot of new things about fauna. I also found a new hobby to help distract me from my RL when I need too.

4. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose to live?

The place I would choose to live in, without any doubt, would be Costa Rica. That country has a nice warm and tropical weather, a large diversity of animals and you can visit beaches which shores are wash by two different oceans, just by taking a one hour trip between them. Also they speak Spanish, what else can I ask for? xD

5. What are your favorite animals?

There isn’t a specific answer to this question really. I love all kind of animals (some more, some less) but in the end it would be impossible to choose one.

6. When did you develop your love for animals?

Hmmm… well since I can remember… or even before that! There are pictures and videos of me as a kid in which I appear with different kinds of animals, so I guess is a natural feeling for me. Is something I born with xD

7. What do you want to be when you grow up?

Is kind of late for that to me. I’m already a grown up at my 26 years of age xD. But actually, I already am what I wanted to be (or kind off). I’m a veterinary nurse and I work on rehabilitation centers… and I love it, so I can’t ask for anything else.

8. Are you a morning person or a night owl?

I like the night time more, but my age force me to have a more or less normal routine schedules.

9. Want to share any sneak peaks of anything?

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Thank you, zerosvalmont, for participating in our newsletter. And we’ll definitely keep an eye fixed upon your Project Thread.

[go2=top]Back To Top[/go2][anchor]staff[/anchor]
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Written by: Orca Freak

The team:

Again some changes were made to our Staff Team. We are sorry to have to inform you that our beloved admin Zoocrazy decided to leave our Team. We will miss you :( But he promised to stay active, so we’ll see you around ZC.
However this also means we are welcoming back some former Staff Members: Zebrasorus took up the position of admin, and Dylan joined our Team was again as a moderator.

Zebrasorus -----> Admin
Julien (a.k.a. Crookedjaw) -----> Pointies Manager
Fridooh -----> Pointies Manager
Orca Freak -----> Pointies Manager / Newsletter Manager
Imp -----> Download Manager
Hudson -----> Download Manager
Furka -----> Encyclopedia Manager
Snoopy -----> RTZI Manager
Hippopotamus. -----> RTZI Manager
Rafael -----> Moderator
Franco -----> Moderator
Dylan (a.k.a. Sheather) -----> Moderator

Behind the Scenes:

It’s been a rough couple of weeks behind the scenes of our beloved forum. A few unexpected changes to the Staff Team. And the newer members of the Team are currently experiencing firsthand what it is to organize a grand event.
Yes, you read right: the Staff is preparing a grant event; that, with a little bit of luck, will start on March 3th and will last 4 weeks. Can you guess what it is?

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[anchor]news[/anchor]Posted ImageReporter: Orca Freak

A short month, so not much news to tell.

Our beloved Round Table just launched it’s very first designing contest: Wild Pacific. Goal of this contest: design an animal and a plant endemic to one of the many islands in the Pacific Ocean. Subscribing was necessary, just to avoid two or more people entering with the same animal or plant. And now we have to wait to see how all those lovely fauna and flora is going to look like when transformed into ZT2 animals and plants.
Looks like we’re going to see al lot of new downloads in the upcoming weeks.

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The voting for their Design Competition: Australian Fauna is not even over yet, and ZooHispania launched already another design contest. This time you have to make decorations for aquaria. Make sure to check it all out at ZooHispania. And don’t forget to vote for your favorite Australian animal.

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Even after many weeks the updates on Gaia haven’t slowed down. They reorganized their entire Zoological Society with new features and challenges. A new Zoo Tycoon Building Contest has started: Creatures of the Night. Where you have to make your very own nocturnal house. Check it out at Gaia.

And one last thing: some of you may already have noticed, but for those who haven’t:
DANNY IS BACK!
At least for a short period of time. But you never know, maybe we can convince him to stay a bit longer ;)

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[anchor]animal[/anchor]Posted ImageWritten by: izzibob
Banner: Orca Freak


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Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinoterygii
Order: Osteoglossiformes
Family: Arapaimidae
Genus: Arapaima
Species: A. gigas


Posted Image


Range:

Posted Image

Arapaimas are found throughout the Amazon and Orinoco River in South America. However, their distribution within these areas is limited, as they cannot navigate turbulent waters such as rapids and waterfalls.

General:

The arapaima, also called pirarucu, is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world, with mature individuals growing several meters long. These giants are an ancient species, having not changed much in over 13 million years. They are an important food source to people living in and around the habitat of this massive fish, who also use it’s large scales in jewelry and it’s spiked, or ‘toothed’ tongue as sandpaper and as a medicine. Arapaimas use this tongue to crush prey between their toothed tongue and the bony roof of their mouth after catching it. Unlike most fish, the arapaima breathes air, surfacing every 10-15 minutes to take a deep breath before swimming off again. Because of this, they are usually found just below the surface of the water, however, the newly hatched young have fully functioning gills, but they lose their function in just over a week. They are covered in extremely hard, green to brown scales, enabling them to live even in piranha-infested waters. Around their tail, the scales are interspersed with bright red ones, and the underside often has a pink tinge.

Habitat:

Within the Amazon basin, the arapaima is found in several different types of habitat, such as the floodplain lakes of this region, the large tributaries of the Amazon river including the Rio Madera and the Rio Machado, and the varzea or forest. The pirarucu inhabits both white water and clear water. Much of the water that comprises the pirarucu's habitat is also oxygen deficient, as it is located in swampy areas of the rainforest.

Diet:

The arapaima feeds on a large variety of food, usually consisting of freshwater crustaceans, fish and even small terrestrial animals that wander too close to the water.

Threats:

Due to it’s large size, habit of staying close to the surface, and deliciousness of it’s meat, the arapaima is widely hunted. In some places, overfishing has become a serious conservation issue, however, it is difficult to document this large fish’s population, so the effect this overfishing has on the species is still not entirely known. The Brazilian Government has banned commercial fishing of the arapaima, and a fish must be one and a half meters long before it can be killed. Due to the fact that, when filleted, it produces boneless steaks, it is considered a delicacy, and between 1918 to 1924, seven thousands tons of meat were taken, when commercial fishing of this species was at it’s height.

Weight & Length:

The arapaima usually grows to two and a half or, in some cases, three meters, however, the recorded size was 4.52m, or about 15ft. Unfortunately, due to it’s demand for consumption, in the wild it is uncommon to find individuals more than two meters in length. (15ft 7in). It is unusual for an arapaima to weigh over 100kg (220lb), but the heaviest individual was weighed at over 2oo kilograms. (440lb)

Zoo Guidelines:

Arapaimas are often kept in captivity, sometimes even sold as pets, but obviously their large size means that they require a very large volume of water. Individuals can grow a meter a year, so the size of the tank is very important. They also require a large amount of food, and access to open air to breathe. If an arapaima cannot stick it’s head out of the tank to take a breath, it will drown.
The reproductive cycle of arapaimas relies heavily on the seasonal water levels in the wild, where half a year there is an abundance of water, then another half a year where there are drought conditions. Usually, during the dry season, a pair of arapaimas dig a large hole in which the female lays her eggs, which are then fertilized by the male. Due to this, it is uncommon for arapaimas to reproduce in captivity.

Pointies Animal:

Posted Image
This magnificent fish is now available in our Pointies Shop.


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[anchor]questions[/anchor]Posted ImageInterviewed by: Mastodon28

For this month’s interviews we have chosen for two newer members of our community: izzibob and fridooh, and one veteran: Dylan, better known as Sheather.

Personal:

1. What sport do you like to play with friends during recess?

To be totally honest, I hate sports. Completely. I'm more of a stay-at-home-and-play-on-the-computer types of person. But most of the time, I just hang out with my friends just generally doing stupid stuff. ~ izzibob

Well, I haven't had recess since I was about 12 years old, but I remember I liked football a lot! And the classic "tag, you're it!", maybe not a sport but I remember the whole school participated so it was really fun! I'm not much for sports really :) ~ fridooh

I don't play any sports actually, they're just not an interest of mine. :P ~ Dylan


2. Are you an introvert or extrovert person?

With my friends, I am a completely crazy, loud person. My big mouth often gets me into trouble. But with strangers and people I don't know very well/am scared of, I am as quiet as a mouse. ~ izzibob

I would say I am a introvert person. I've had a lot of problems with this growing up, in school for example. I've never been able to speak in class, so when the teachers asked questions, I always pretended I didn't know the answer. They must have thought I was really dumb :P but I'm studying at home now, and it fits me a lot better! I'm not good at making new friends, probably because I'm really shy. But when you get to know me, I'm not shy at all :) ~ fridooh

I really don't know anymore. I used to think an introvert but I seem more sociable now than when I was younger, so maybe a bit of both? A neutral-vert maybe? ~ Dylan


3. Are you happier reading or playing videogames?

It depends on my mood. Sometimes I just want to curl up with a good book, but at other times I prefer to play games such as zt2 (obviously), limbo and the sims. ~ izzibob

That's a hard question. I've always loved video games, I love my play station 3 xD I also play a lot of computer games, such as ZT2 (obviously) and the sins 3, also world of Warcraft. I love reading too, but I must say I'd rather play video games :) ~ fridooh

Reading! I don't even play videogames. xD ~ Dylan


Nature:

1. Do you see many animals in your local area?

Well, not as many as in other countries I think, but still quite a few. We usually get tui, sparrows, blackbirds, pigeons, seagulls, and sometimes moreporks at night. ~ izzibob

Yes, I do! Besides the domestic animals such as horses, dogs, cats, cows, I also see a lot of foxes, badgers and deer. Deer are usually in my yard every morning. If I'm out walking, I almost always see a fox or badger. Foxes are really common here, but many if them have scabies and has no fur on most parts of their body. It happens sometimes that I see a healthy fox, and it always makes me happy! And lets not forget all the birds. I see several different bird species every day, but most common is raven and seagull! ~ fridooh

I see a fair amount, especially deer. We've also been seeing lots of coyotes lately, and many sorts of birds. ~ Dylan


2. Which animal would you like to see the most on safari?

Probably an elephant, rhino or leopard. Maybe a hunting dog. Basically I 'd be really happy to go on a safari, let alone see anything! ~ izzibob

Maybe not a surprise, but any big cat would make me happy. What cat depends on where the safari is, but if it was an African Safari for instance, I'd love to see an African leopard, lions or a cheetah. It would be even better if they had cubs, I'd probably go crazy with my camera :) ~ fridooh

I would probably die if I saw a cheetah or even more, a mother cheetah with babies. p_p ~ Dylan


3. What are your favorite natural spots?

I really like cathedral cove, a place in NZ where they shot a scene from Narnia; it's really beautiful. I also once went to this place in Fiji, it was a beautiful, clear pool of water in a massive hole in the ground. The only problem was the ladder to get to it was scarily slippery and steep. ~ izzibob

Hmm natural spots.. Maybe the wildlife preserve an hour away. The area contains a large beautiful lake, a large field and also a large forest where all kind of wild animals roam. They've build watching towers where you can spend a day photographing birds. If I'm lucky, I might even get some shots of deer :) ~ fridooh

I really like New Zealand, Yellowstone National Park, and the Serengeti. ~ Dylan


Community:

1. What has been the most memorable experience for you in the community?

Probably the first time I entered a competition. I am pretty new here, so wasn't around for marathon 2 or anything, but I do remember my first competition entry! It was the indoor complex contest, and I was so happy that I came third. (Actually I came forth but then MiBound pulled out.) ~ izzibob

That's such a hard question. This site has given me so much, I'm so happy to meet amazing people with the same interests as myself. People around me always thought I was crazy about animals and zoos, no one ever shared the same joy of visiting a zoo as I did. That's probably what I cherish the most from TRT, finally meeting people I can relate to :) ~ fridooh

My most memorial experience was probably playing around in Gaia's spam forum when I first joined the community, where I made amny of my lasting friends to this day. ~ Dylan


2. Do you prefer designing or zoo-building, and why?

I haven't really tried designing, so zoo building for me. I love the freedom you have now, as oppose to the original, without all the downloaded content. It's amazing how realistic some of these zoos you see being built are. ~ izzibob

Right now, I'm more in to zoo building. But I'm learning to design. I have so many ideas, so I really want to be able to actually design the stuff I come up with! I have a lot to learn, but in a while, I'll probably be able to design great things :) as for the zoo building, I'm so amazed of what some zoo builders can make. I'm not a great zoo builder compared to many other people here! ~ fridooh

Zoo-building, because I don't know how to design at all. I prefer landscaping ingame to building structures though. I hate buildings. xD ~ Dylan


3. Do you prefer designing or zoo-building, and why?

Here, at TRT! It's really the only site where I am active, apart from the odd visit to places like Gaia and Feral. ~ izzibob

I've always been a lurker. I've always been around, looking for downloads and inspiration. I think the first site I joined was tesara, or maybe environ.. I was lurking around at NS too, haha! TRT is the first site I'm active in the community :) ~ fridooh

I believe I joined Northern Skies first, but I was active at Gaia. ~ Dylan


Thanks a lot for the interviews guys.

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[anchor]poll[/anchor]Posted ImagePoll by: Orca Freak

Like every time, we had a poll with a number of interesting questions, and even more interesting answers.
Here are the results:

If you were stuck on an uninhabited island, who would you take with you?

An unknown person who knows how to escape from there - (52.0 %)
Girlfriend/boyfriend - (24.0 %)
Best friend - (12.0 %)
Your favorite animal - (8.0 %)
A family member - (4.0 %)

Do you think you're weird?

Yes, all the time - (37.5 %)
Yes, sometimes - (37.5 %)
My other half is - (12.5 %)
No, never - (8.3 %)
No, but other people call me that - (4.2 %)

Would you rather?

Be able to talk to animals - (50.0 %)
Be able to read minds - (19.2 %)
Be able to fly - (15.4 %)
Become a dragon - (11.5 %)
Be a world famous person - (3.8 %)

The next animals are facing extinction. You have the power to save only one. Which species to you save?

The mighty Siberian tiger - (45.8 %)
The human race - (29.2 %)
A deep sea squid - (12.5 %)
None, let them all die out - (8.3 %)
The graceful bald eagle - (4.2 %)
A creepy, highly venomous spider - (0.0 %)

You have to money and power to build the ultimate zoo in real life. Which animal will definitely be in it?

An okapi - (45.8 %)
A blue bird-of-paradise - (20.8 %)
A bottlenose dolphin - (12.5 %)
A green mamba - (8.3 %)
A grizzly gear - (8.3 %)
None, I refuse to keep wild animals in a cage - (4.2 %)

What would you do if you could travel back in time?

Study the past, but change nothing - (48.0 %)
Make a lot of money on betting - (24.0 %)
Prevent wars from ever happening - (12.0 %)
Invent stuff earlier, so evolution progresses faster - (8.0 %)
Save the dinosaurs from extinction - (8.0 %)

New questions have been put up, so make sure to check them out: [Here]

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[anchor]game[/anchor]Posted ImageCreated by: Orca Freak

Here are the answers to the riddles of the previous Newsletter:

1. The stars
2. A stapler
3. The house is on the North Pole, so the bear is white.
4. One’s heart
5. Empty


Congratulations Mastodon28, Zoocrazy, Okeanos, Zebrasorus and Flower to find all correct answers. And congratulations izzibob for finding four out of five. Well done, guys.

This month we're going to test your math skills. Do you think you know the answer, make a topic in the Staff PM Box with the Title: "Newsletter 10 - Riddles: Your username". You never know, you might get something in return.

1. 11 – 13 – 17 – 25 – 32 – 37 – 47 – 58 – ?
Which number comes on the place of the question mark?

2. 1 – 1 – 2 – 3 – 5 – 8 – 13 – 21 – ?
Which number comes on the place of the question mark?

3. Posted Image
Which number comes on the place of the question mark?

4. How can I get the answer 24 by only using the numbers: 8, 8, 3, 3
You can use add, subtract, multiply, divide, and parentheses.

5. Posted Image
What is the missing number in Triangle Four?


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[anchor]cc[/anchor]Posted ImageWritten by: Mastodon28

Tutorial Database

The tutorial section is one of the most helpful areas on the forum. There you can find lots of useful tutorials, which include things unrelated to ZT2, like art or even making games! Making tutorials allows members to learn things that might come in handy for them.

For this month, your challenge is to learn at least one skill from a tutorial and put it into practice. And why not create a tutorial yourself? If you like building zoos, why not make one with tips and strategies about it? Or, if you´re a designer, you could explain how to mesh, code, rigg or skin. So get ready, and pick up skills at the tutorial section!

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[anchor]help[/anchor]Posted ImageWritten by: Farkle

Interested in helping out the forum? Well there are several things you can do to help us out!

1. Join the Newsletter Team! All the above posts were written this month, and next month you could be one of the writers! Pm the Newsletter Manager and let him/her know that you would like to help.
2. Report stuff. If you see something that is against the site rules, then just click that little report button so that we can see it ASAP. We can't be everywhere at once, so the sooner you let us know about it the better
3. Assist. If you see someone who needs help, has a question, or isn't following the rules, kindly help them out if you can. Often times a staff will still follow up behind you, but we always appreciate seeing members helping each other out.
4. Be active. The more you post, and make topics, the more others can post and that will open more doors for you to post!
5. Be friendly. PM people, welcome people, and be patient with everyone, especially newer members. Remember, if you're kind to people, its very likely they'll be kind to you
6. Submit Downloads. We have a nice download center so we mine as well get as many downloads as we can in it. We also have good download managers, so we had mine as well keep them busy too
7. Offer your help in the Staff PM Box. Let us know if you are available and we may just have something for you that would take a lot of pressure off of us.


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Edited by Orca Freak, Mar 2 2014, 11:56 AM.
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