Game update: 29/07/15

We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo. How about you, you, you?

Notification for Zoo Crate

For the third time in six weeks, it's a box update, with the Zoo Crate costing 24 gems and resulting in one of a number of floor decorations being given at random.

So what's going on here?! Following on from the Roses Crate and the Gelato Crate in recent weeks, it's another gem sucking box. And prior to this there had only been two new boxes all year! It's certainly unusual, but I'm not going to get my knickers in a twist. After all July has had five updates, so there was always going to be something unorthodox thrown in. The fact it turned out to be an extra box is obviously underwhelming, but that's the game for you - not everything is going to be perfect.

Focusing on this box in particular, I do like the theme. The zoo (and wild animals in general) are actually quite under-represented in Restaurant Story, so this does feel like something of an untapped market. And yet there are a few items here and there which this crate's contents would fit in very nicely with. For starters there's the Jungle Tour and Hanging Monkey from a mixed bag update last September, plus the Tropical Elephants limited time offer from November 2013.

If I weren't gem-strapped right now I'd be very tempted to build a safari theme. It would be an expensive venture, but could look fantastic if you bring together all the right elements. For a glimpse of all the goodies contained within, have a look at this image from the Storm8 Blog:

Items from update as shown on Storm8 Blog

As per usual with a box update, I'm now going to fashion together a distribution list, which may be wildly inaccurate!

First Prize (1% chance)

• Butterfly Garden

Second Prize (10% chance)

• Lion's Den
• Sloth Tree

Third Prize (35% chance)

• Giraffe Pair
• Zoo Gifts

Fourth Prize (54% chance)

• Lemur Log
• Zoo Keeper
• Zoo Treats

I have to wonder if there may only be eight items in the box, rather than the standard nine. In fact, if you look back, the last three crates have all included only eight decorations in their respective teaser images. And following each release, there's a single question mark has remained unresolved. So perhaps the gamemakers have reduced the number of pieces a box holds.

Update: This is indeed the case! The last four boxes now are all confirmed to contain only eight prizes - there are only three fourth prizes instead of three.

With regards to the Zoo Crate, the surprise to me are the dimensions of some of the supposedly lower ranked prizes. The Lemur Log is a fourth prize despite it being 2x2 in size. And the Lion's Den, Zoo Gifts and Giraffe Pair are all 3x3, yet only the former is a second prize.

Turning to the aesthetics, the Butterfly Garden is definitely a worthy first prize. No expense has been spared in its design, with lots of features packed in. The bright colours and cheery outlook are refreshing, while the lack of wild animals ensure this piece is suitable in any outdoor scene. I think it would look particularly impressive in Spring alongside the likes of the Blossom Grove and Spring Garden.

Elsewhere I've got to give a thumbs up to the Lion's Den. The two lion cubs look very much like Simba from The Lion King, which I have no qualms with as it is probably one of the greatest films ever made! The father is wearing a very happy and playful expression which makes for a real feel good item.

The same can be said for the Giraffe Pair where one of the giraffes has been distracted while nibbling at a branch by a royal purple butterfly. With the other giraffe relaxing under the trees, this is a cute decoration which is a must have for any comprehensive safari themed diner.

The Sloth Tree depicts a yellow furred sloth clutching to a branch. The wooden swing beneath is a nice touch and leaves me wondering if our sloth has perhaps been swinging too high and got stuck in the tree!

Even the less substantial Zoo Keeper is a decoration with merit. Okay, she's never worth 24 gems, but she would help fill out a safari themed section. With an official looking uniform, this girl appears to be a trained professional. And she needs to be - the pink bird she's handling looks like it may be a very rare species!

The remaining three items we've seen are the ones I'd want to avoid in this box. The Lemur Log is quite sizeable for a fourth prize, but the lemurs don't look cute in any way for me. I'm not sure if it's the contrast created by the particularly bright white tone used, but those lemurs don't look all that friendly in my opinion.

Then there's the Zoo Gifts which may be tall and imposing (it's as tall as the giraffe!) but is obviously the one decoration you wouldn't find on safari. I guess you could come across something like this in the souvenir shop, but otherwise I'd be pretty disappointed to pick this one up from a lucky dip.

Lastly there's the Zoo Treats which is the real bogey prize. It basically consists of a wooden pillar with shelves which are home to cupcakes of various designs. For 24 gems it's pretty atrocious.

In the main though I do like this box, and that's saying something when you consider that I'm not really an animal person. Usually the presence of animals leaves me questioning how they are relevant to a restaurant, but with a bit of creativity I think you could incorporate an eatery around the wildlife.

The one other addition in this update is a temporary one, with the Pirate Fountain back for a limited time.

Pirate Fountain LTO

This 4x4 item was originally offered as an LTO nearly two years ago, and it was available for 23 gems. Then it made a brief appearance on Black Friday last year for 17 gems. So at 45 gems this is a pretty rubbish deal. However it may be the last opportunity to ever get hold of this fountain, so there is that to consider. I'll be politely passing.

Let's go back in time now, all the way to Friday, when another Value Pack popped up for iOS players.

Limited time Value Pack including three removed beach items

This pack contained the Crab Grill, Pier Fishing and five Shore Tables, all for £7.99 (in the UK) which is equivalent to 50 gems. Once again it's a shocking price tag! These pieces were only removed last week, with the Pier Fishing being the only one that was valued for gems. Having to pay such an extortionate fee will surely have put off most players, even if this was their first chance to get hold of these decorations because they weren't around at the time of the beach goals in 2014.

I ranted at length when a similar re-release occurred with the removed blossom content earlier in 2015, so won't get too deep, but I do think Storm8's business strategy here is shocking. The premise of removing these old goal items and then re-releasing them for gems is not a problem for me, but the very small window between the two is. There is no attempt to camouflage the fact that the game's developers are out to make money, and that is unforgivable. If Storm8 had waited a couple of months before doing a re-release they'd probably have been more likely to receive praise for it as it would look less like a business decision and more like an action for the good of the players.

Anyway, let's put that behind us and look ahead to next week. It'll be the first Wednesday of August, and that probably means a set of goals. The big question: will they require gems to complete? That was the fate of the Bakery Story community in July, and there is widespread fear that a similar fate could befall Restaurant Story. I certainly hope the backlash in the sister game results in no gem surprises next week, but I'm braced for the worst!