Social arena encounters are territorial encounters or disputes with stranger wolves during the single-player campaign.
In WolfQuest: Anniversary Edition, the social arena is defunct. It has been replaced by a new courtship communication (via emotes) system. Unlike its predecessors' counterpart, this social system is used exclusively between the player-wolf and NPC dispersal wolves of the opposite sex (whether group or solitary) encounters.
In Classic, the player-wolf can interact with any idle wolves who spawn inside wolf territory zones in Amethyst Mountain and Lost River by approaching them, entering into a social arena encounter. These encounters are a turn-based "mini-game" in which the player and the NPC wolf take it in turns to choose one out of four dialogue options per turn, with choices ranging from friendly, neutral, submissive or aggressive. The encountered NPC always makes the first move with either an aggressive greeting or a neutral greeting; the player-wolf always makes the second follow-up move. How wolves respond to the player's dialogue choices differs between rivals (strangers) and dispersals.
Stranger-rivals are not interested in leaving their pack and so will often act hostile, starting new encounters off strong by choosing confrontational dialogue. Most will only resort to submission at low health. Dispersals are ready to leave their natal pack and will always act in a passive non-confrontational manner, starting new encounters with neutral dialogue and never using aggressive or submissive dialogue, though they may reject the player-wolf and leave the encounter if there are no bonding hearts after hostile or submissive options are used against them.
Unlike Legacy versions, players are not required to visit each territory and at least one wolf within each first; instead, for dispersal wolves to spawn, the player's wolf must first gain some experience. As experience is now saved to individual wolf files instead of relying on the map save, a player with sufficient experience is not required to repeat the hunting task.In Legacy versions of WolfQuest, the player can interact with any idle wolves who spawn inside wolf territory zones in Amethyst Mountain by approaching them, entering into a turn-based social arena encounter. The player and the NPC wolf take it in turns to choose one out of four dialogue options per turn ranging from friendly, neutral, submissive or aggressive. The encountered NPC always makes the first move with either an aggressive greeting or a neutral greeting; the player-wolf always makes the second follow-up move. How wolves respond to the player's dialogue choices differs between rivals (strangers) and dispersals.
Social encounters are a requirement to progress. The player must visit all three (3) wolf territories and encounter one (1) stranger wolf in each. Progress will be counted towards the "visited territory" objective regardless of whether the player chooses to stand their ground and fights to dominate the wolf or submits to the wolf and runs away. Entering a territory without encountering the wolf occupying the area will not flag the encounter for progression. After visiting all three (3) Amethyst wolf territories, dispersal wolves of the opposite sex will have a chance of spawning in any wolf territory.
Dialogue
Within the social arena, the player can choose four dialogue options to command their wolf throughout the encounter.
In the Anniversary Edition, there is no dialogue between the player-wolf and hostile rival stranger wolves. Crossing paths with rival wolf packs are real-time fight-or-flight encounters typically instigated by trespassing into established rival territory. Same-sex dispersers share similar behavioral traits as non-dispersed rivals.
Rivals fought in rival territory risk weakening their own claim within the hex where a skirmish took place if they lose to the player-wolf and strengthens it if they win.
In Classic, dialogue between the player-wolf and stranger wolves is never friendly.
Dominant Attack |
Submissive Submit |
No action Wait |
Flee Leave |
---|---|---|---|
I want to be boss | I'm not boss | I'm waiting | I can take a hint! |
I'm boss, back off | I give in! | It's your move now | I've got to go |
You're not my family | I'm no threat to you | I can wait | I'm out of here |
Get going! | It's cool | I'll stay put | OK, I'll leave |
Leave now! | Take it easy | N/A | I'll be going now |
Do I know you? | N/A | N/A | N/A |
In Legacy versions, dialogue between the player's wolf and stranger wolves is never friendly.
Dominant, Attack | Submissive, Submit | No action, Wait | Flee, Leave |
---|---|---|---|
I want to be boss | I'm not boss | I'm waiting | I can take a hint! |
I'm boss, back off | I give in! | It's your move now | I've got to go |
You're not my family | I'm no threat to you | I can wait | I'm out of here |
Get going! | It's cool | I'll stay put | OK, I'll leave |
Leave now! | Take it easy | N/A | I'll be going now |
Do I know you? | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Bonding
- For the guide, see Amethyst Mountain#Guides.
The following options are only available during dispersal wolf encounters.
- Main article: Courtship#Anniversary Edition
In Classic, dispersal wolves of either sex are casual during any socialization and will never use dominant or aggressive options when encountered. If the player responds aggressively, those of the same sex will become submissive and will leave of their own accord. If the player responds to a potential mate aggressively after starting to "befriend" them, the wolf will immediately lose interest and leave. The player can only court wolves of the opposite sex to their own wolf; those of the same sex to the player-wolf will part ways shortly after meeting them to continue their own personal search for a mate of their own or to give up and go home.
The table below shows the correct sequence of dialogue as well as studied outcomes. A five (5) heart rating is necessary to have the dispersal join the player-wolf's pack as their mate:
Action | Bonding Effect |
---|---|
Hello there | Increases if used at 0 hearts. Decreases after greeting. |
I like you | Increases if used at 1-2 hearts. Decreases if used at 4 hearts. |
Let's start a pack! | Increases if used at 3 hearts. Decreases if used at 0-2 hearts. Must be used twice after 3 hearts. |
You're OK | Increases if used at 0 hearts. |
Let's play! | Increases if used at 2 hearts. Decreases if used at 3 hearts. |
Let's hang out | Increases if used at 2 hearts. Decreases if used at 3 hearts. |
Let's be friends | Increases if used at 3 hearts. Decreases if used at 1 heart. |
Don't go away | Increases if used at 1 heart. Decreases if used while at 0-3 hearts. |
In Legacy versions, dispersal wolves of either sex and any color are not aggressive towards the player. Any socialization they make is casual before they leave the area to continue their own search for a mate or to go home. If the player responds to them aggressively, those of the same gender will become submissive and will flee if prompted. If the player responds to a potential mate aggressively after starting to "befriend" them, the wolf will immediately flee. The player can only woo wolves of the opposite sex to their own wolf; they cannot woo same-sex wolves.
The table below shows the correct sequence of dialogue as well as studied outcomes. A five (5) heart rating is necessary to have the dispersal join the player-wolf's pack as their mate:
Action | Bonding Effect |
---|---|
Hello there | Increases if used at 0 hearts. Decreases after greeting. |
I like you | Increases if used at 1-2 hearts. Decreases if used at 4 hearts. |
Let's start a pack! | Increases if used at 3 hearts. Decreases if used at 0-2 hearts. Must be used twice after 3 hearts. |
You're OK | Increases if used at 0 hearts. |
Let's play! | Increases if used at 2 hearts. Decreases if used at 3 hearts. |
Let's hang out | Increases if used at 2 hearts. Decreases if used at 3 hearts. |
Let's be friends | Increases if used at 3 hearts. Decreases if used at 1 heart. |
Don't go away | Increases if used at 1 heart. Decreases if used while at 0-3 hearts. |
Version Differences
In Classic, social arena encounters only occur in Amethyst Mountain and Lost River.
Episode 2
Encounters were phased out of Slough Creek and have been completely removed. They are considered to have been superseded by the territorial group of wolves patrolling their land behind a barrier to ensure the player-wolf and their pack do not trespass while they travel towards the rendezvous site near the end of the Final Journey, as well as predator wolves. There is no way to socialise with spawned wolves, no matter what their intent is. Along with these changes, even the patrolling wolf is no longer in-game.
Because the player-wolf's mate cannot die, dispersals go unused throughout the duration of the second episode.
In Legacy versions, social encounters differ between somewhat between episodes.
Episode 2
Encounters will be possible anytime during the Slough Creek episode, with appearances all over the game map during the first and second missions. Encroaching trespassers may also begin to appear within the vicinity of the pack's home after wolf pups are born; the likelihood of an intruding wolf increases when the territorial quality indicator reaches 35% or falls below this threshold if the player does not maintain upkeep of their pack's territorial claim. Fortunately, these encounters are considerably more neutral than those experienced in Amethyst's rival territory or those randomly found in Slough Creek's open meadows. It appears the stranger wolves share similar mechanics with those found in Amethyst Mountain except for a few minor changes to their AI that allows certain wolves to fight to the death when they did not previously. Stranger wolves behave differently; some do remain headstrong and will choose to fight regardless of where they were encountered.
Slough Creek encounters do not occur in the cattle ranch and will stop spawning after the final mission is started. Because the player's mate cannot die, dispersal wolves make no further appearances after the first episode.
This episode introduces a unique non-interactable, non-social-encounter wolf in the form of a sentry who acts as a lock-on pursuer during the final mission to prevent the player's pack from cutting through their territory travelling towards their summer home.
Gallery
Classic Gallery
Contributions for Social arena in Classic are welcome in this gallery!
Legacy Gallery
Contributions for Social arena in Legacy versions are welcome in this gallery!
Bugs
Anniversary Edition Bugs
Classic Bugs
Classic and Legacy Trivia
Legacy Bugs
- Social arena spawns could take place underwater, or sometimes on top of deep water. This was later fixed.
- An improperly placed spawn node in the Soda Butte Vista wolf territory has a chance of spawning its wolf out-of-bounds.[1] Because the wolf is unreachable, it will be impossible to interact with it. Should you encounter this bug, leave the wolf territory, sleep to another time of day, and retry. Repeat as many times as this occurs.
- While debatable whether glitch or unintended feature, after finding a dispersal in wolf territory, backing away until it disappears and then moving forward again to make it reappear will change its coat. This can be exploited to find a desirable coat.[2]
Trivia
Classic Trivia
- Visiting all three territories was phased out in favour of experience points effective as of 2.7, and will carry over indefinitely into newer releases.
- The first and last actions of the bonding process with a potential mate are always the same.
- Certain wolves can be successfully tricked into a fight to the death.
- A Druid Female (Lamar Canyon 856M coat in Classic) will often fight to the death.
Classic and Legacy Trivia
- The perception of wolves having different "personalities" and stats is speculative. At no point in time has any WolfQuest developer (whether current or former) ever confirmed or denied NPC wolf configurations.
- It should be assumed that all wolves have different tolerances affecting their performance in social encounters. Ultimately, there's nothing to suggest stats are at play.
- Wolves met in social encounters — whether they left the encounter alive or were killed — will reappear. It is likely that the wolves themselves are hardcoded.
Legacy Trivia
- Slough Creek social arena spawns appear to have no clear boundaries. Sometimes they occur around or inside of elk hunting grounds, or along the river.
- Druid wolves are a common encounter throughout the second episode. This may be an intentional reference to the real life Druid wolf pack in Yellowstone losing its territory to the Slough Creek pack in Lamar Valley.[citation needed]
- In the player's territory, stranger wolves are much less aggressive. A large amount of the time, discovering either wolves, either the black Druid male or the tan Druid female, they will be passive and will submit if the player poses themselves as aggressive/dominant. Occasionally, when a black Druid male is found, it will say, "I'm not sure about this," like it was a Dispersal wolf. This has no affect on the encounter, and this wolf will always be passive.
- Certain wolves can be successfully tricked into a fight to the death.
- A Druid Female (Tawny coat) will often fight to the death. Applies to AM and SC.
- A Druid Male (Black coat) will fight to the death.
References & External Links
Episodes | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Gray Wolf | Yellowstone | Episode 1 • Episode 2 | ||
Non-Episodic | Lost River (Modern, Classic) | |||
Multiplayer | Pack Life • Raise Pups | |||
Objectives | Quests • Subquests |
Lost River | ||
---|---|---|
Revisions | Modern • Classic | |
Wolf packs | Modern | Lucky • Lost River • Van Winkle |
Classic | Lost River • Van Winkle • Elevation | |
Other | Dispersal wolves (groups) • Stranger wolves (packs, territories) | |
Exploration | Landmarks | Allison Acres • BCE Facility • Cemeteries • Crooked Creek Ranch • Dams (human, beaver) • Downtown • Grant's Glen • Hank's Ditch • Hilltop • Hunting Lodge • J.J's Cabin • Lil' Yellowstone • Lost Luck Mine • Templeton • The Two-Step |
Miscellaneous | Achievements • Buildings • Collectibles • Easter Eggs (MotL) • Homesteads • Houses • Human Influences • Theories & Speculation |
Single Player | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Exclusive Content | Anniversary Edition | Courtship • Dispersal wolf • Mate | ||
Classic | Cattle Ranch • Dispersal wolf • Mate • Social arena encounters | |||
Legacy | Cattle Ranch • Dispersal wolf • Mate • Pups • Social arena encounters • Stranger wolf (packs & territories) | |||
Story | Campaign | Episodes • Saga Amethyst Mountain • Slough Creek • Tower Fall | ||
Other | Lost River (Modern, Classic) |
Technical | ||
---|---|---|
Configuration | Graphics Quality • Launcher • Shaders | |
Features | Accounts • Achievements • Age perks • Customization • Elder wolf • Experience points • Friends • Human Impacts • Multiplayer • Pack • Rest • Sleep | |
Game Files | Add-ons • Audio • Models • Music • Textures | |
Game Mechanics | Affinity • AI • Auto-save • Companionship • Death • Difficulty • Fondness • Scent view • Spawners • Weather | |
Interactive | Animations • Carcass • Courtship (Anniversary) • Den sites • Emotes • NPCs • Hunting • Map • Pack Rally • Rendezvous sites • Social arena (Classic/Legacy) • Time • Zones | |
Interfaces | User Interfaces • Heads-up Display • Pack Stats (Legacy/Classic) • Pack Info (Anniversary) • Tutorial | |
Miscellaneous | Bugs and Glitches • Cheats • Development builds • Developer shortcuts • Skybox • Troubleshooting | |
Operating Systems | Linux • Macintosh • Windows • IOS • Android • Kindle • Storefronts | |
Versions | Legacy (1.1.0-2.5.1) • Classic (2.7.X) • 10th Anniversary Update history • Hidden updates |
Anniversary Edition Wolf Packs | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Family & Packmates | Single-player | Breeding Pair | Player-wolf • Mate | |||
Offspring | Pup • Yearling • Subadult • Adult (dispersal) | |||||
Multiplayer | Packmates | |||||
Shared | Companionship • Fondness • Home Sites • Territory (hexes, scent posts) | |||||
Activities | Commands • Courtship • Hunting (scavenging) • Pack Info (known wolves, roles) | |||||
NPC Packs & Wolves | Hostile | Established Rivals (stranger wolves, predator wolves) • Rival Territory (home hex) • Wolf Packs | ||||
Neutral | Disperser Groups (dispersal wolves) | |||||
Locations | ||||||
Amethyst Mountain | Established | Rescue Creek • Lamar Canyon • Wapiti Lake • Mollies • Rival Pack 4 • Rival Pack 5 | ||||
Replacers | Pending Data | |||||
Dispersers | 8 Mile • Beartooth • Biscuit • Canyon • Cinnabar • Hayden • Hoodoo • Madison • Pahaska • Prospect Peak • Quadrant • Rosebud | |||||
Slough Creek | Established | Junction Butte • Prospect Peak • Oxbow • Crevice Lake • Rival Pack 4 • Rival Pack 5 | ||||
Replacers | Baronette • Bison Peak • Frenchys • Hornaday • Silver Tip • Wolverine Creek | |||||
Dispersers | Avalanche • Beartooth • Castle Creek • Emigrant • Fishtail • Fridley • Lake Surrender • Lebo Peak • Quadrant • Rim • Slip n' Slide • South Fork • Toadflax | |||||
Tower Fall | Established | Unknown • Placeholder | ||||
Replacers | Unknown • Placeholder | |||||
Dispersers | Unknown • Placeholder | |||||
Hellroaring Mountain | Established | Unknown • Placeholder | ||||
Replacers | Unknown • Placeholder | |||||
Dispersers | Unknown • Placeholder | |||||
Lost River | Expansion | Established | Van Winkle • Elevation • Templeton • Badlands • Lucky • Lost River • Rival Pack 4 • Rival Pack 5 | |||
Replacers | Pending Data | |||||
Dispersers | Avalanche • Calamity • Desolation • Eclipse • Elements • Ghost • Renegade • Requiem • Rogue • Salvage • Shadow • Solace • Stardust • Stargazer • Stormcloud • Sulfur • Tumbleweed • Windstorm | |||||
Classic | Established | Lost River • Van Winkle • Elevation | ||||
Replacers | Pending Data | |||||
Dispersers | Calamity • Delta • Desolation • Eclipse • Ghost • Renegade • Requiem • Shadow • Stormcloud • Tumbleweed • Windstorm |
Classic & Legacy Wolf Packs | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Family & Packmates | Single-player | Breeding Pair | Player-wolf • Mate | |||
Offspring | Pup | |||||
Multiplayer | Packmates | |||||
Shared | Den Sites • Rendezvous Site • Territory (wedges) | |||||
Activities | Hunting (scavenging) • Pack Stats • Social Arena | |||||
NPC Packs & Wolves | Hostile | Stranger Wolves (packs, territories) • Predator Wolves | ||||
Neutral | Dispersal Wolves | |||||
Locations | ||||||
Amethyst Mountain | Druid • Slough • Specimen | |||||
Slough Creek | Identities Unknown | |||||
Lost River | Elevation • Lost River • Van Winkle |