Ways I Would Improve Planet Zoo

[Lycaon8]

Here are some ways I believe would greatly benefit Planet Zoo:

(NOTE) This is WIP, and is pretty incomplete.

Animals

• For sandbox mode, the ability to customize animals would be very nice. By customizing their skin type, size, genetics, age, and even if they’re related to another animal or not. I believe this would be a very nice addition to sandbox mode.
• The ability to house animal siblings together would be nice (i.e if you wanted to house 2 bear brothers or 3 tiger sisters together).
• Heavily change space requirements so that they’re more accurate to real-life zoos (i.e 500 sq. meters + 150 sq. meters per animal for polar bears).
• Size down the hitboxes of the animals so they can fit through tighter spaces.

Habitats

• Size down the gate hitbox. The gate hitbox can be very frustrating to work around when designing smaller habitats.
• Add the ability to put in multiple habitat gates. This way, you could give keepers access to hard-to-reach areas of a habitat.
• Add animal gates that can be scaled/customized to allow certain species to go through, and to keep out other species.

 

[Terry Silver]

Here are some ways I believe would greatly benefit Planet Zoo:

(NOTE) This is WIP, and is pretty incomplete.

Animals

• For sandbox mode, the ability to customize animals would be very nice. By customizing their skin type, size, genetics, age, and even if they’re related to another animal or not. I believe this would be a very nice addition to sandbox mode.
• The ability to house animal siblings together would be nice (i.e if you wanted to house 2 bear brothers or 3 tiger sisters together).
• Heavily change space requirements so that they’re more accurate to real-life zoos (i.e 500 sq. meters + 150 sq. meters per animal for polar bears).
• Size down the hitboxes of the animals so they can fit through tighter spaces.

Habitats

• Size down the gate hitbox. The gate hitbox can be very frustrating to work around when designing smaller habitats.
• Add the ability to put in multiple habitat gates. This way, you could give keepers access to hard-to-reach areas of a habitat.
• Add animal gates that can be scaled/customized to allow certain species to go through, and to keep out other species.

For the multiple Habitat gate situation I'm pretty sure I've seen around that devs have said it's impossible but you have some cool things like different gate sizes would be cool

 

[NZFanatic]

The ability to house animal siblings together would be nice (i.e if you wanted to house 2 bear brothers or 3 tiger sisters together).

You can do this in Sandbox by turning off social requirements.

Heavily change space requirements so that they’re more accurate to real-life zoos (i.e 500 sq. meters + 150 sq. meters per animal for polar bears).

Unfortunately I don't see this happening - it was already a huge debacle getting the polar bear space requirements to where they are now. When they were first added the polar bear required 3x as much space as it now requires, and it's still pretty huge.

Size down the hitboxes of the animals so they can fit through tighter spaces.

The hitboxes are based on an animal's ability to turn 360 degrees, so they are as wide as the animal is long. There are mods which reduce it but I don't know how effective they are - the reason Frontier made them so large (ostensibly) is to prevent an excess of clipping through scenery when animals turned around. I think most people would agree with you that a change would be nice, but given that it isn't particularly game breaking I don't think it will be a priority.

Add the ability to put in multiple habitat gates. This way, you could give keepers access to hard-to-reach areas of a habitat.

This is unfortunately flat-out impossible. A habitat is only determined by a habitat gate - adding a second gate would mean adding a second habitat overlaying the first one. It would cause chaos in terms of escapes, work zones, etc. Frontier has said it isn't possible on the current game engine (perhaps if they ever do a sequel this is something they'll try and build into the game at launch or something, as it's been a popular demand since 2019).

 

[Lycaon8]

You can do this in Sandbox by turning off social requirements.

Good point.

Unfortunately I don't see this happening - it was already a huge debacle getting the polar bear space requirements to where they are now. When they were first added the polar bear required 3x as much space as it now requires, and it's still pretty huge.

Yeah, and as is the previous one, I could just do it in Sandbox mode.

The hitboxes are based on an animal's ability to turn 360 degrees, so they are as wide as the animal is long. There are mods which reduce it but I don't know how effective they are - the reason Frontier made them so large (ostensibly) is to prevent an excess of clipping through scenery when animals turned around. I think most people would agree with you that a change would be nice, but given that it isn't particularly game breaking I don't think it will be a priority.

Yeah, I think this might also be a bit similar to my animal gate ideas as well.

This is unfortunately flat-out impossible. A habitat is only determined by a habitat gate - adding a second gate would mean adding a second habitat overlaying the first one. It would cause chaos in terms of escapes, work zones, etc. Frontier has said it isn't possible on the current game engine (perhaps if they ever do a sequel this is something they'll try and build into the game at launch or something, as it's been a popular demand since 2019).

This one is likely never going to happen, you're right.

 

[Lycaon8]

Another idea I have is to give animals more life stages (infant, younger juvenile, older juvenile, young adult, adult, and elderly). This is so the game can be more realistic.

 

[Lycaon8]

It could kind of be like this (with an orangutan as an example):

Infant:

(Credit: San Diego Zoo)

Younger Juvenile:

(Credit: naccsworld on ZooChat)

Older Juvenile:

(Credit: Woodland Park Zoo)

Young Adult, Adult, & Elderly:

(Credit: St. Louis Post Dispatch)

Some animals grow in a very unique way, and it would be cool to see Frontier take it on.

 

[NZFanatic]

Another idea I have is to give animals more life stages (infant, younger juvenile, older juvenile, young adult, adult, and elderly). This is so the game can be more realistic.

Hate to be a negative narwhal but they've also previously said this will never happen - it would require fully building and animating new rigs for every species, and then building new animations for existing models to interact with the new ones. A huge undertaking.

Just to head it off, eggs are also not going to happen.

Elderly could be more possible, because in that case it doesn't necessarily require a whole new model, just altered skin, but I still don't think it will happen.

 

[KönigDerKaffeebohnen]

I know that they said they wouldnt, but i would personally adore inbetween teenager stages for larger animals.
While the change in size is suddle enough for small creatures like meerkats, for larger animals like elephants and rhinos it would be great to have that inbetween stage to not just go from dog size to house size

 

[Firestar97]

Add animal gates that can be scaled/customized to allow certain species to go through, and to keep out other species.

I'd really like that. It's a Shame that I need to have a giant Hole in the Wall during Winter for Animals like Gorillas

Other Things I'd like would be:
Escaped Carnivores attacking other Animals instead of just ignoring them

And Server created Animals in Franchise Mode shouldn't just always be labeled as coming from Frontier Zoo but also be able to appear as rescued, former Pet.....
I know this is not a really big and important Change but some People prefer to play Franchise Mode and it would add more Variety in Animal Backstorys and would allow Franchise Players to build proper Rescue Centers. Maybe also add the Ability to appear as former Lab Animal to some Animals like Primates

 

[coatifan]

suddle

* subtle. It’s a toughie!

 

[Lycaon8]

Hate to be a negative narwhal but they've also previously said this will never happen - it would require fully building and animating new rigs for every species, and then building new animations for existing models to interact with the new ones. A huge undertaking.

Just to head it off, eggs are also not going to happen.

Elderly could be more possible, because in that case it doesn't necessarily require a whole new model, just altered skin, but I still don't think it will happen.

Some of this would probably be better off for a sequel or something.

 

[Lycaon8]

I know that they said they wouldnt, but i would personally adore inbetween teenager stages for larger animals.
While the change in size is suddle enough for small creatures like meerkats, for larger animals like elephants and rhinos it would be great to have that inbetween stage to not just go from dog size to house size

That's mainly what I was thinking of, new life stage rigs for animals like apes and elephants. But then again, it'll likely only happen in a sequel.

 

[Lycaon8]

Another thing I'd love to see: Brachiation! It could give Frontier a reason to finally add gibbons (along with a new orangutan rig, but that likely won't happen). It would definitely add a lot to the game!

 

[MicHaeL MonStaR]

For the habitat-space needed, are you suggesting for them to require more or less?... Or just more realistic depending on the animals?...

Cause I find that you can get away with pretty small habitats, yes. Which sadly would be rather accurate to real life, in a lot of parks.
But when I'm planning out habitats, especially being newer to the game, I find that I easily and quickly overshoot the area of land necessary compared to what I had in mind.
And yes, too large will also be more inefficient, probably, for the Keepers and such to clean and so on, but that can still be considered.

The problem is, however, and someone might have mentioned this, if you're going to change the requirements now, so many player their parks are going to be screwed over in case some of the requirements become greater and they've built it right on the line. - I've built most habitats quite generously so far, but there are also at least a few that are on the tighter side and have no space to expand because it's all neatly laid out with pathing and everything. Those parks or those areas could all be scrapped as I'd have dissatisfied animals and alerts all over the place, and I wouldn't be the only player.

I agree way more with the hitboxes of animals, as I've found they really quickly stop from being able to navigate a lot of land because of things like trees being a little close together. - I get they might do that to make sure they go around things and prevent them from just moving through things, but indeed giving them somewhat tighter hitboxes or something would probably be fine.

There are a dozen or two things that could use significant improvements, though, such as the GUI. Your list is very kind.

 

[MicHaeL MonStaR]

I agree way more with the hitboxes of animals, as I've found they really quickly stop from being able to navigate a lot of land because of things like trees being a little close together. - I get they might do that to make sure they go around things and prevent them from just moving through things, but indeed giving them somewhat tighter hitboxes or something would probably be fine.

I'd actually add that the hitboxes of people should be made (somewhat) larger, so that they don't just go through everything.
I know it's probably done so that they don't have as much trouble in crowded areas, but it just looks ridiculous how they try to push and phase through each other anyway. They should just be programmed to avoid each other at least somewhat in the first place. Perhaps they should just use the principle of staying on the right of paths, as most humans (except the Great Britains) in the world would. And considering Bins are actually programmed to face "forward" (or towards people) when they're placed on the right of a path, I don't really see the point since guests just blindly walk all over the place.
What's more is that they constantly stand through path-railings. They even cut corners and go off-path sometimes, like I had posted a video of before. - I wish they were programmed to avoid railings and/or curbs and would never go over edges of paths, which they're obviously already programmed to stay on anyway (except when they can cut corners for some reason).

 

[Lycaon8]

For the habitat-space needed, are you suggesting for them to require more or less?... Or just more realistic depending on the animals?...

Cause I find that you can get away with pretty small habitats, yes. Which sadly would be rather accurate to real life, in a lot of parks.
But when I'm planning out habitats, especially being newer to the game, I find that I easily and quickly overshoot the area of land necessary compared to what I had in mind.
And yes, too large will also be more inefficient, probably, for the Keepers and such to clean and so on, but that can still be considered.

The problem is, however, and someone might have mentioned this, if you're going to change the requirements now, so many player their parks are going to be screwed over in case some of the requirements become greater and they've built it right on the line. - I've built most habitats quite generously so far, but there are also at least a few that are on the tighter side and have no space to expand because it's all neatly laid out with pathing and everything. Those parks or those areas could all be scrapped as I'd have dissatisfied animals and alerts all over the place, and I wouldn't be the only player.

I agree way more with the hitboxes of animals, as I've found they really quickly stop from being able to navigate a lot of land because of things like trees being a little close together. - I get they might do that to make sure they go around things and prevent them from just moving through things, but indeed giving them somewhat tighter hitboxes or something would probably be fine.

There are a dozen or two things that could use significant improvements, though, such as the GUI. Your list is very kind.

Yes, I did mean making the size requirements more suitable to real life.

 

[Firestar97]

I know it's probably done so that they don't have as much trouble in crowded areas, but it just looks ridiculous how they try to push and phase through each other anyway. They should just be programmed to avoid each other at least somewhat in the first place

I agree with this so much. Who likes it to be pressed like that against all these Strangers? Guests should definitely automatically move away from each other if the Area they are in gets too crowded

 

[MicHaeL MonStaR]

I agree with this so much. Who likes it to be pressed like that against all these Strangers? Guests should definitely automatically move away from each other if the Area they are in gets too crowded

Yea, they're definitely pre-pandemic people...

But I suppose some people would chalk it up to "Well, you should just build wider paths and expand your park then!", but that's not really the issue, cause they will still behave as such even then. - That their individual "visitor groups" are so clumped together, it's weird, but OK. But then also each group just seems to ignore other groups and... well, the other objects like railings and curbs that I mentioned. - At the same time, animals are programmed to indeed just avoid things like trees like the plague and makes it difficult for them to navigate as the original poster pointed out. - It's inconsistent and illogical.

 

[Firestar97]

Yea, they're definitely pre-pandemic people...

So People are only here so mentally ill and try to spread their Diseases as much as possible?
They are even worse since there are also Monkeypox

 

[eviltiger13]

Here are some ways I believe would greatly benefit Planet Zoo:

(NOTE) This is WIP, and is pretty incomplete.

Animals

• For sandbox mode, the ability to customize animals would be very nice. By customizing their skin type, size, genetics, age, and even if they’re related to another animal or not. I believe this would be a very nice addition to sandbox mode.
• The ability to house animal siblings together would be nice (i.e if you wanted to house 2 bear brothers or 3 tiger sisters together).
• Heavily change space requirements so that they’re more accurate to real-life zoos (i.e 500 sq. meters + 150 sq. meters per animal for polar bears).
• Size down the hitboxes of the animals so they can fit through tighter spaces.

Habitats

• Size down the gate hitbox. The gate hitbox can be very frustrating to work around when designing smaller habitats.
• Add the ability to put in multiple habitat gates. This way, you could give keepers access to hard-to-reach areas of a habitat.
• Add animal gates that can be scaled/customized to allow certain species to go through, and to keep out other species.

I do like that addition to sandbox. More customisation.

I would like to see this reflected on how well your zoo is doing for example release x lions and you could get a wee bump in genetic make up