Brookfield Zoo
- Thread starter wowman
- Start date
Francesca Falcini
Senior Community Manager
Lets move onto the next big cat...the snow leopards. Here is a real early stage of this habitat taking shape. General shape and paths are placed as well as a few scenery items. I wanted to cover this habitat with netting as in real life in this zoo that's how the snow leopards are because they can leap so far. Well, it proved to be very difficult to configure it correctly and custom build all the net supports and netting...and I just didn't like the way it was looking...so I went with "this is a game and it doesn't have to be totally realistic"...and went with a more traditional habitat look and feel.
Being a hot blooded Australian - this photo just captures why I think we need glass on the transport rides and options on ride vehicles and why I don't like the snow - I would literally die on this ride. But great Zoo - although I get goosebumps looking at these pictures - and would have to bring a change of clothes, a thermos, a complete Japara outfit and even then I would still be frozen solid.
and then the rains started
Well - I will be trying to build a recreate of a real zoo outside the Chicago area called Brookfield Zoo...but I will be using a future master plan version of the zoo that I will be working from as the inspiration for this zoo. I'm sure I may have to take some liberties in some areas, but will try to follow the master plan as close as I can. I really hope that this turns out to be a good thread and that you will enjoy it.
Great thing is the plan has a sky lift ride in it and what a great surprise the they included a gondola type ride in the game release - - make me so excited.
Anyway...here is a shot of what the plan looks like.
And here is a link to a thread I had that went into more detail on this zoo, the history and the design growth if you are interested.
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threads/zoo-design.510768/
Brookfield Zoo should be simple. Don't don't seem to want to carry animals anymore and instead just put up signs about them. They also have a lot of "PLANS" but nothing moving forward. So just leave lots of open spaces in your zoo like they have or puts exhibits mainly.
In the last 25+ years I've been a member they have reduced Animals people actually want to see (Elephants, Tigers, Lions, Bears etc.) and are now substituting more of them or better habitats with adding a few birds or a few new insects or a snake. Not really the idea kids have when going to a zoo or in this case a "world class zoo" just because they donate a lot to conservation doesn't make them world class and I dropped the membership finally as a result
In the last 25+ years I've been a member they have reduced Animals people actually want to see (Elephants, Tigers, Lions, Bears etc.) and are now substituting more of them or better habitats with adding a few birds or a few new insects or a snake. Not really the idea kids have when going to a zoo or in this case a "world class zoo" just because they donate a lot to conservation doesn't make them world class and I dropped the membership finally as a result
You're entitled to your opinions and I have no idea how good Brookfield is, but to many this is a bonus. Zoos are kind of like films -- just like how people who watch lots of movies like weird, unique films, people who go to lots of zoos get tired of the same elephants, lions, and bears. I love Smithsonian, which has no rhinos, hippos, giraffes, leopards, penguins, and grizzlies, no large African savannah, and few heavily-themed habitats. If the zoo is well-designed and does a lot for conservation, that's always going to be a priority over having well-known animals (and a few rare species is actually quite a bonus for many).
Your right that we are entitled to our opinions and I respect that. I'm just so frustrated with watching them over the years reducing and cutting back stuff but they continue to raise the price at an astounding rate. The last big project they made was almost 10 years ago. With no real plans in process for much else. They have a lot of ideas but no action. It wouldn't be to bad in my mind but again massive rate hikes and they also get state and local money plus corporate sponsors and money donated in people death wills. When I started going it was free a long time ago. Yes its much improved now but also they had more animals. They now have more money streams than ever before but relative to the money coming in....very little to show for it. What I don't like is they hired just in the last 10 years over 8 board members and several consulting specialists each with $100,000 -$325,000 per year (not including benefits and perks).....that could have been some great exhibit and such.....
Thanks for letting me vent about this
