Fall Month: 2 
Day 
[Jay's]
Realistic Pack Challenge
Let's get one thing squared off: WolfPlay is known for its fantastically fun elements, not for its correctness when it comes to real life wolf behavior. So why not try to combine both?
The Realistic Pack Challenge, or RPC, will modify your WolfPlay experience and will put you at the head of a more realistic wolf pack. In this guide, underlined phrases will reference real wolf pack behavior.
Ready to dive in? Let's get started!
R e q u i r e m e n t s
Let's begin with the first requirement to kick off the RPC, and that's a free space for another pack on your IP. The rules state that you can have a max of 3 Basic accounts in your households, and unlimited Premium accounts. If you have space to create another pack, read on.
Alright, so you have space, and you're going to create your RPC pack. First off is your pack name. Real packs are named based on their location. So pick a spot on a map and choose your name! I highly recommend checking out the names of popular wolf locations in national parks, especially Yellowstone National Park, to narrow your selection. Once you've completed the registration, continue forward.
The next thing is your wolves' names. Realistic wolf names have an ID number and either M or F next to it, representing their gender. An example of this is, say, 205M for a male wolf. When creating your wolves, use this random number generator [ https://www.random.org/ ] and set it to choose a number between 1 and 999. Whatever it falls on will be your wolf's number, and put either M or F next to it for its gender. Put this ID in [brackets] and then name your wolf as you usually would. Like this: [205M] Phantom. Whenever you name wolves and pups, use this style of naming.
T h e P a c k
A real pack typically consists of one family. The pack you will create in the RPC is a family pack, meaning the vast majority of your wolves will be related. Related? you may ask. Won't that cause inbreeding?
Well, there's a method to it. First off, only the dominant pair of the pack may be bred. This means that one of your betas will be related to the alphas, and another beta will be bought from the Trading Post, Sanctuary, auctions, etc. To get more wolves, you must breed your alpha pair together. No buying any wolves except for a beta! You also cannot put up wolves for stud or breed to wolves outside of your pack.
When feeding wolves, you can do a pecking order if you've the patience to do so - alphas first, then betas, then omegas, of course. This isn't mandatory, and the Feed All option doesn't have to be ignored for the sake of realism.
When wolves mate, they mate for life. Think of the saying "'til death do us part." Wolves seem to be rather fond of this. If one of the dominant pair happens to die, go to the random number generator and set the generator to choose a number between 1 and 2. If you hit 1, the other dominant wolf will stay in the pack and take on a new mate (which CAN be purchased). If you hit 2, the other dominant wolf must leave the pack, leaving the next generation to lead.
When referring to your pack, don't say "alpha," beta," "omega," etc. Real wild wolf packs do NOT have a rigid hierarchy like wolf packs in captivity. Since a pack is essentially a family thriving together, there is no need for a hierarchy. Refer to your alphas as the dominant pair and omegas as simply subordinates. The beta pair can be called the next-in-line pair, but there is no official name for them. Juveniles and pups can stay the same.
J u v e n i l e s a n d P u p s
Pups are going to be bred. A LOT. If you choose to make your RPC pack Premium, the Breeding specialization will come in handy. Do not sell pups until they are juveniles. Some wolves act as babysitters in a pack, so if you're going exploring and you have pups, keep at least one wolf back at the den.
Wolves tend to disperse from their birth pack at age 2. So when your pup becomes a juvenile, use the random number generator. Set the generator to choose a number that's either 1 or 2. Should the chosen number be 1, you will keep the wolf. Should the chosen number be 2, you will Free Range the wolf. If that wolf appears in the Sanctuary, you may take it back.
F o r a H a r d e r C h a l l e n g e . . .
Want a greater challenge? Want to push your limit? Want to see your pack struggle? Read on.
It should be obvious that wolves don't craft or use potions and other items. Explore without the use of any additional items. If your wolf is injured, it's injured. Wait for its health to get back up. If it's at 1, refer to the section three paragraphs below.
Wolves have a high chance of dying when they have an injury. If your wolf has an injury that requires a potion, go back to the random number generator and set it to choose a number between 1 and 2. If it lands on 1, you may treat the wolf. If it lands on 2, you must retire the wolf.
Not all pups make it to adulthood. At the first month of every season, go back to the random number generator and set it to choose a number between 1 and 2. If it lands on 1, your pup survives. If it lands on 2, you must retire your pup.
Not all wolves survive each and every hunt. Unless you're fighting off rabbits and other small prey, there's a high risk of wolves dying when facing larger opponents. If a wolf suffers a severe injury in the real world, they will likely die from their injuries. If your wolf's health hits 1 while exploring, go back to the random number generator and set it to choose a number between 1 and 2. If it lands on 1, your wolf has survived and may be healed. If it lands on 2, your wolf has died from their injuries and must be retired. (Thanks to Oopsi!)
