🐾 Planet Zoo - Update 1.9 coming 12 April 🐾

[Pentoleaf]

I am SO onboard for this update. I was just about to start a new Asian Temperate Trek area, and having functional hotsprings for the Macaques will be amazing

I bet the new mist function will be great for making realistic looking swamps and rain forests as well.

Also the educators! I've been wanting more educational stuff for guests since day one, and update after update with the education stations and the editable billboards, the devs have been adding new things. THANK YOU!

Plus, more love for exhibits (will we get a null option as well one day?) My fingers are now crossed for more aquatic exhibit animals.

And last, but not least, FIRST PERSON POV!!! I'm going to be having so much ZT2 nostalgia.

Thank you devs! I'm so hyped for finding out more on Monday.

 

[Evolution]

Thank You Frontier!!! The update looks really nice! I really look forward to being able to be a guest without having to use tegidcam now. Also, I hope "fingers crossed" that this means we get a Tropical or Asia dlc so we can potentially get Gibbons even if they just use an enrichment item to trigger the brachiation animation. I know I sound like a broken record player, but I really want Gibbons in PZ so bad! Please make it happen Frontier! I would be heart broken if they are never included in PZ! Anyways...I will probably be using the educators more now that they will be more useful as they educate guests while they are roaming around the zoo.

 

[iloveyourzoos]

Fantastic! I'm marking April 12 on my calendar now.

Really looking forward to the creative managerial freedom that the roaming educators will give us. Educators are a feature I've been wanting to use much more, but was never able to figure out the right balance for them to work properly in the past. The roaming versions and more flexibility on whether and how many fixed station talks are needed, really opens this up for me. I can imagine setting up work zones by region or houses, and can even imagine (in my head canon) that there might be a botanist or conservationist or regionalist in the mix.

I play in franchise mode, and use the conservation education boards quite a bit when starting a new zoo, to boost those education levels right at the start. So adding this roaming version as another option is great for me.

 

[SotF]

You know, I wonder if there will be more to the Explore Camera Mode than is being said.

Something like being able to visit other active zoos, modifying the way that the "players" appear in the zoos already as visitors, just making them, or some of them, into actual visitors touring your zoo rather than just a guest using a random players clothing options.

 

[peafowl]

You know, I wonder if there will be more to the Explore Camera Mode than is being said.

Something like being able to visit other active zoos, modifying the way that the "players" appear in the zoos already as visitors, just making them, or some of them, into actual visitors touring your zoo rather than just a guest using a random players clothing options.

I really hope there will be zookeeper options like feeding and cleaning and transporting animals. That would be so good

 

[iloveyourzoos]

I too am interested to see what the explore camera mode means, and to what extent it can be used for those of us who play the management side. Whenever I've tried going into tegidcam mode, the management aspects of births/deaths/fighting/maturing either mean that I have to jump out of it quite often, or else risk taking a big hit to the animal welfare of my zoo. I've often wished there was a way to "pause" the management/finance/welfare side and take a break, but still somehow allow for guest and animal movement so I could wander through and get a feel for the experience as a guest, without freezing all animation so that it's just a still picture. So pausing the management without pausing the animations, and then being able to easily come back and play the full game when my break is over, picking up on the management where I left things.

I'm not familiar with how this mode works in other games, and it sounds like it may mostly be toggling a camera mode, rather than a toggling a play mode. And if so it may not be something I'm able to use very often. (Though am still be glad that others are getting, for zoos that don't require such heavy maintenance).

But at the same time the post does specifically mention being able to "edit" your zoo from this level -- which could theoretically mean a number of different things. It focuses on being able to build and decorate at the guest level, so it could only be building edits that they mean. But I'll be interested to see if it's also possible to do management edits while remaining at the guest level too. And/or if there's an easy hotkey or place to click that lets us get back into this perspective easily enough to make toggling back and forth make sense.

 

[JanH25R]

On my birthday too. You didn't have to do that just for me

Very excited to see this in game and curious what the DLC is. Lookin forward to the stream next week

Congratulations! It was my birthday too . Unfortunately missed the news, too busy partying

 

[Firestar97]

Such a amazing Update.
Roaming Educators sound really nice. I'm probably going to hire lots of additional Educators in my Zoos then. Also won't need 10000 Penguin Talk Points in my Research Center then anymore
Also really happy about the Fact that we can stream from the Burrows. Still hoping though that way more Animals will be able to use Burrows (Wolves, Hyenas, Polar Bears....)
It's also really nice (even though I don't know if I would use this Feature that often) that we will be able to adjust the Water in Exhibits because this might be the first Step to making them even more customizable.
Besides the roaming Educators, the Hot Springs are the Thing I'm most excited about. Finally no Fake Hot Springs with Bedding hidden in Rocks and Water Effects anymore. I wonder if this might hint at something like a Japan Pack or a Pack that includes the Capybara (are there also other Animals that use Hot Springs?). Hopefully we'll also be able to create shallow Bathing Ponds that will actually be used by our Giant Tortoises someday.

 

[Firestar97]

Better question: can I use the hot spring? It's like a Jacuzzi

Reminds me of the first Version of my antarctic Research Center. Built a Bath House there, next to the Japanese Macaques

Also the burrows being used by smaller animals, i'll be so happy for that, been hoping Meerkats, prairie dogs get to use these, maybe the foxes should aswell? (fennec and arctic?)

Absolutely agree that the Foxes should be able to use the Burrows too. There are so many Animals in the Game that should be able to use them (but in Case of the Polar Bear only Mothers with their Offspring)

desperately dreaming of Przewalski's horses.

Really hoping for those too

Btw has any of our botanists/architects spotted something new in screenshots/videos ?

Didn't think about it this Time. Definitely need to search for new Plants

Rice terraces, hot springs, Japanese macaques... I'm guessing an East/central Asia animal pack !
Here are my predictions: Amur leopard, Przewalski horse, Red crowned crane, Tanuki/racoon dog, Japanese serrow, Takin, Wolverine. Exhibit : Chinese Giant Salamander.
It's gonna be awesome anyways !

This would be such a great Selection of Animals. I want to almost completely renovate my japanese Zoo someday (the awesome Entrance definitely stays) and the Crane, Tanuki and Serrow would be perfect for it

love that except i wouldnt put a 1.15m to 1.8m (3.8ft to 5.9ft) Salamander in those small exhibits, they can grow as large as the giant otters we have ingame, it would be to large to put them in those small boxes. otherwise im loving that list but id like to add Hoolock Gibbon somewhere.
but also loving someone else remembers japanese serrows.

I'm still hoping for bigger Exhibits (also smaller ones but bigger ones are more important for me) and I agree that we need to get Gibbons (really hope they'll be able to add Brachiation)

However, I hope that doesn't mean they can swim now. Because they are in a habitat with a water moat as barrier in my Zoo and I really don't want to change it. Hope the devs have thought about that and that the macaques can only go in very shallow water...

Japanese Macaques are able to swim, so it would make the Game more realistic
If they give them the Ability to swim, you could try keeping them in by adding a Rock Edge or something similar that can't be traversed

They mentioned rice terrace?

They've mentioned it as a Example for what else we can do with the new Terrain Tool. Makes me wonder if we might get Rice Plants

I just realised that there's no mention to more shop stalls. I hope we are still getting those even if they are not on the spotlight.

Really hope they won't be just forgotten like the Aardvark being able to use the natural Termite Mound

WHAT!?!? I cannot wait to see walruses for the next DLC!

Rails? Quick, everyone! Who cares about the update-- in fact, who cares about this game at all! Let's all talk about our favorite trains!!

My favorite Train is the Planet Zoo Train If you change nothing except making the red Parts black

I bet the new mist function will be great for making realistic looking swamps and rain forests as well.

New Mist Function? Did I miss something?

I can imagine setting up work zones by region or houses, and can even imagine (in my head canon) that there might be a botanist or conservationist or regionalist in the mix.

Would be so nice if we could connect Educators to those Things (forgot what they are called) that let Guests look at specific Objects. I love making Plant Exhibitions

I really hope there will be zookeeper options like feeding and cleaning and transporting animals. That would be so good

I want to wash Elephants with a Hose

 

[Orque41]

Awesome nice update

Thank you to the whole team for continuing to make beautiful updates

What I like about this update. It's that meerkats and prairie dogs can use the burrows and the Flatten to Terrace brush already seems incredibly useful, as I've always struggled with creating shallow pools in the game that our zoo can see and can completely customize the water color in any exhibit.

I can't wait to be April 12.

Thanks to the whole team

 

[HeatherG]

Congratulations! It was my birthday too . Unfortunately missed the news, too busy partying

Sounds like you had a good one!
Happy Birthday

 

[Swjosdotschka]

Happy belated Birthday, dear @HeatherG ! I read it wrong at first and thought your birthday will be on Update release day, sorry for being late. hugs

 

[HeatherG]

Happy belated Birthday, dear @HeatherG ! I read it wrong at first and thought your birthday will be on Update release day, sorry for being late. hugs

oh It is on the release day. You didn't read it wrong

 

[Iben]

Alright, now that I had some time to let the update sink in, I'm going to give my personal honest thoughts.

I must admit, this is a good update. A first-person mode was requested by many, so I'm happy for those who wanted it. The smaller burrows and the roaming educators address feedback both of these features have gotten in the past, and I'm really glad that those things continuously keep being taken into account with every new update.

Bathing and the terrace tool are a bit harder to wrap my head around, as it's hard to imagine what it's going to be like ingame. I can see the macaques sitting in the water, but is there more to that? Are there special behaviors we'll get to see? Are there more animals that are going to be using it? It sounds like animals will do more in water than just traverse it, which is already a great step forward, but I really find it hard to know what I'm supposed to expect. Same goes with the terrace tool, I honestly can't picture what it's actually going to be ingame

But, if I'm really honest, I do also have to admit that I'm left with hunger for more (as they say it in Dutch). Looking back at the previous updates of last year, for me there isn't something in this update that makes me go "oh cool, I need to go back to this and this area in my zoo to update it". Last updates brought things like restaurants/shop counters, education seating/path barriers, vistapoints and billboards/water colors; all of which were features that immediately made me want to go into the game and made me want to update specific areas. This time around, I don't have that urge at all.

As I said though, these are my personal thoughts and I still think this is a good update. There's not much in it for me, but there doesn't always have to be for it to be a good. Looking forward to what the DLC will bring though!

I do have one piece of overall feedback though. I wish there were more pictures in these update posts. Looking at JWE2's update announcement (albeit also DLC announcement), almost every feature gets its own picture and it helps us visualize what we're going to get. In this update post, it's extremely hard to form an idea of what the update is going to be. I can't for the life of me imagine what the terrace tool is going to do, and I think a simple picture would have helped a lot with that.

 

[Aramar]

I have a feeling that the biggest thing in the update is going to be new new terrain tool for making shallow water with the terraces. I think this is going to be as game-changing as the new waterfalls we got with the aquatic pack. I always have trouble when I try to make a pond in my habitats and I end up with a deep pond where all my animals swim like crazy. Or if I manage to create a shallow lake, then there's a big gap between the water and the ground and the animals look weird when entering the water. So, I'm really looking forward to seeing how this new tool works, but I have a good feeling about it.

 

[Hugo98]

I have a feeling that the biggest thing in the update is going to be new new terrain tool for making shallow water with the terraces. I think this is going to be as game-changing as the new waterfalls we got with the aquatic pack. I always have trouble when I try to make a pond in my habitats and I end up with a deep pond where all my animals swim like crazy. Or if I manage to create a shallow lake, then there's a big gap between the water and the ground and the animals look weird when entering the water. So, I'm really looking forward to seeing how this new tool works, but I have a good feeling about it.

I definetely agree to this. This feature could be a game changer. I think those shallow pools can be also useful for smaller animals like the giant tortoises which enjoy to take a bath from time to time in reallife.

 

[sockeyejo]

I have a feeling that the biggest thing in the update is going to be new new terrain tool for making shallow water with the terraces. I think this is going to be as game-changing as the new waterfalls we got with the aquatic pack. I always have trouble when I try to make a pond in my habitats and I end up with a deep pond where all my animals swim like crazy. Or if I manage to create a shallow lake, then there's a big gap between the water and the ground and the animals look weird when entering the water. So, I'm really looking forward to seeing how this new tool works, but I have a good feeling about it.

I hope it will be useful for making gentle slopes using the smooth tool as I keep making alpine climbs without realising.

 

[Orque41]

I have a feeling that the biggest thing in the update is going to be new new terrain tool for making shallow water with the terraces. I think this is going to be as game-changing as the new waterfalls we got with the aquatic pack. I always have trouble when I try to make a pond in my habitats and I end up with a deep pond where all my animals swim like crazy. Or if I manage to create a shallow lake, then there's a big gap between the water and the ground and the animals look weird when entering the water. So, I'm really looking forward to seeing how this new tool works, but I have a good feeling about it.

Totally agree with you

But I ask as I like a question, since now we will have to create shallow waters. Will healers be able to cross shallow water?

 

[Swjosdotschka]

oh It is on the release day. You didn't read it wrong

Ahhh, I see. In germany we don't congratulate before, I always forget that other cultures say "Happy Birthday" in advance, that's why I'm always confused

 

[Swjosdotschka]

Alright, now that I had some time to let the update sink in, I'm going to give my personal honest thoughts.

I must admit, this is a good update. A first-person mode was requested by many, so I'm happy for those who wanted it. The smaller burrows and the roaming educators address feedback both of these features have gotten in the past, and I'm really glad that those things continuously keep being taken into account with every new update.

Bathing and the terrace tool are a bit harder to wrap my head around, as it's hard to imagine what it's going to be like ingame. I can see the macaques sitting in the water, but is there more to that? Are there special behaviors we'll get to see? Are there more animals that are going to be using it? It sounds like animals will do more in water than just traverse it, which is already a great step forward, but I really find it hard to know what I'm supposed to expect. Same goes with the terrace tool, I honestly can't picture what it's actually going to be ingame

But, if I'm really honest, I do also have to admit that I'm left with hunger for more (as they say it in Dutch). Looking back at the previous updates of last year, for me there isn't something in this update that makes me go "oh cool, I need to go back to this and this area in my zoo to update it". Last updates brought things like restaurants/shop counters, education seating/path barriers, vistapoints and billboards/water colors; all of which were features that immediately made me want to go into the game and made me want to update specific areas. This time around, I don't have that urge at all.

As I said though, these are my personal thoughts and I still think this is a good update. There's not much in it for me, but there doesn't always have to be for it to be a good. Looking forward to what the DLC will bring though!

I do have one piece of overall feedback though. I wish there were more pictures in these update posts. Looking at JWE2's update announcement (albeit also DLC announcement), almost every feature gets its own picture and it helps us visualize what we're going to get. In this update post, it's extremely hard to form an idea of what the update is going to be. I can't for the life of me imagine what the terrace tool is going to do, and I think a simple picture would have helped a lot with that.

Thank you for voicing your honest opinion. I have to say, I get the "hunger for more". It's conveient that we don't have to use tegidcam anymore and I imagine it being smoother than tegid cam (hopefully), so expieriencing zoos from other players might also be more interesting.
The terrain tool, I totally don't get, so I can neither see it as game changing nor as convenient as of yet.
Educators and hot springs are, in all honesty, rather cosmetic for me and especially hot springs I don't see me use often. I can so far only think of two animals (one not even in-game yet) that would realisticly use those and from a zoo standpoint, they aren't very common (hot springs I mean, not the animal). An enrichment item would have done it for me, if I'm honest.
Bubbles sounds like soap for me and that's also something I don't see zoos use with their animals often, especially not as a constant habitat enrichment.

All in all I'm missing the "big bang" in this update, but for me the last one was the first update that didn't have one. That's only personal though, as I didn't find shelless shops that appealing, I understand the majority of the community, especially those with a heavy building focus, were extatic about it.

I see my own neutral to dismissive feelings for the update like this: I have some features I really, really, really want and need in this game for me to feel complete or rounded up. However many updates there still might come, with every new update the chance of actually getting these features get smaller. So my enthusiasm in the past for anything is just not as big anymore. I feel sorry for the devs, as this sounds like I'm not appreciating their work. I do. But the last update and this one still feels to be like "only" filing on the game but not adding to it, if that makes sense.