Three new animals are coming to DayZ Badlands: the mouflon, dogs, and the desert monitor lizard. Bohemia Interactive published Dev Blog 8 (Week 86) for the upcoming DayZ expansion set in the desert region of Nasdara, and the update focuses on the area’s wildlife. The franchise has been a Steam survival staple since its standalone launch passed two million sales, and Bohemia has spent years documenting the game’s evolution through its dev blog series.
The blog was written by the art and marketing teams with help from the design team. It also includes an art section on the making of the desert monitor, written by artist Vaclav, with design research led by Jana Unzeitigova.
Mouflon and territorial dogs
The mouflon primarily inhabits the mountains and steppes of Central Asia, which Bohemia Interactive says fits Nasdara’s setting and environment. Dogs, however, introduce a new animal type that does not fit the mold of either predator or prey. They become the first territorial animal in DayZ.
Unlike wolves, which are roaming predators, these dogs are tied to specific locations where they reside, such as military zones. There are two dog breeds, the Doberman and the German Shepherd, with multiple variations. Players will not be able to tame these dogs or keep them as companions; that was not the design direction chosen.
According to the Steam announcement, the dogs stayed loyal to their previous owners after the events of Day Zero and remain close to them, primarily in packs. These packs act as guards for specific locations, primarily military zones, and attack if a player breaches their territory. Bohemia plans more complex behavior than a straightforward attack later, with no ETA on the timeline.
Desert monitor lizard
The desert monitor lizard is described as possibly DayZ’s first reptile. Desert monitors mostly inhabit the Dasht-e Sarman Desert and surrounding areas. When they notice a player they quickly scurry away, much like other ambient animals. Teasers suggest they can be hunted for food, and there are other interesting things to obtain from them that Bohemia will let players discover on their own.
The team focused on believable scale, coloration and camouflage patterns, and capturing the variation in the lizard’s scales. The goal was a desert varanus that feels authentic and suited to a desert map.
Bohemia said the release of DayZ Badlands is “just around the corner”. It is hard to say when the next dev blog will be published because the team is in the final stretch before release. Bohemia previously confirmed an October 15 release date for the expansion. Bohemia asks players to wishlist DayZ Badlands.
