How Long Do You Play A Zoo For?
- Thread starter SnaileyX
- Start date
I need to work on that!
Playing franchise, I have a few zoos for each biome. When I finished building in every biome, I have increased my builiding skills so much that didn't like the first zoo I've built anymore. So I deleted it and built it again with my new skills. When finished, I deleted and rebuilt the second biome zoo. When I have rebuilt the very last zoo, my building skills increased again and I don't like the first zoo anymore, so I will delete it and build it again... and this is how it goes on forever since that day. [imagine Elton John singing the Circle of life]
Only zoos I've finished have been a couple mini-zoos (never managed to keep motivation with a bigger zoo, which is something I'm hoping to improve), but I find myself revisiting them quite regularly. Usually I just pop back in to observe the animals and maybe take some screenshots given that's something I really enjoy doing (while I like building cool habitats in the end I play for the animals), but if new content is added that fits the previously completed zoo I will usually search out a space to squeeze it in. For example, after the Twilight Pack was released I added the wombat to my Australia Pack mini-zoo (as I did with the platypus back in April) and the bat to my Africa Pack mini-zoo.
I don't try to "stop" playing any of my zoos. I visit them all from time to time. There is one zoo that's massive that I don't really have any room to expand it except for the Oceania section, so I've pretty much stopped adding to it, except for that. But it's my best zoo work so far and I like to visit it to look around. There's another zoo that I really designed myself into a corner - there's no way natural way to expand it between habitat layout and terrain, and I haven't really visited that one in a while.
But I don't really consider any of my other zoos completely finished, even though a handful of them are very large and take a lot to run.
But I don't really consider any of my other zoos completely finished, even though a handful of them are very large and take a lot to run.
I've been playing for a little over 2 years and I finally finished my first franchise zoo to a satisfactory level a week or so ago, I've been building it up slowly since the release of the Wetlands Animal pack. I did that in case other animals or features came out in future DLCs which did happen in both the Conservation and the Twilight packs(I still need to add little things like foliage and decor but animals are done). Did the same with a second franchise zoo, just need to finish the food court area and put in an Alligator farm area and it will be done too(aside from the decor). I took a break from Franchise mode a little over a year ago and did the Career and timed Scenarios.
I usually take a little time off or reduce playing time in between DLCs. When I come back after a new DLC, I pop into a franchise zoo or sandbox and quickly check out everything new and try to conceptualize what I can do with the new content quickly in current zoos or implement them into new zoos down the road, make note of it then go play the new scenario(s). Then go back to Franchise and add the new stuff.
I usually take a little time off or reduce playing time in between DLCs. When I come back after a new DLC, I pop into a franchise zoo or sandbox and quickly check out everything new and try to conceptualize what I can do with the new content quickly in current zoos or implement them into new zoos down the road, make note of it then go play the new scenario(s). Then go back to Franchise and add the new stuff.
I play all of my franchise zoos… even my main one with how slow and buggy it is at this point.
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Also predominately a franchise player and I have 5 zoos on the go all at various levels of maturity. One is done but only in the sense that I can't add much more without super lag. It's my oldest and I still regularly work on it, mossy often when there is a community challenge and I am improving whilst I am waiting for animals to release or breed. I never have a fixed plan with zoned areas by continent or family of animals, my themes are usually broad like the story of evolution or a rescue centre etc. so that let's me swap out species and repurpose habitats etc. I like having to redesign my zoos because the shy species is now too close to the entrance etc.
Well I try to finish my zoos until finish , most of my zoos are actually done however I may put a zoo on hold of I get bored of it. How long do I play, well takes me about half a year-a year for big zoo completion. I should note of course that I recreate real zoos because I have little to no inspiration so all the planning stages are technically done for me
For my completed zoos, I will take a zoo tour to experience the zoo from a first person view like I'm touring the actual zoo then either upload to the workshop or get started on the next one. Overtime I may add additions as skills improve or new animals added that enhance the animal collection.
For my completed zoos, I will take a zoo tour to experience the zoo from a first person view like I'm touring the actual zoo then either upload to the workshop or get started on the next one. Overtime I may add additions as skills improve or new animals added that enhance the animal collection.
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With my more established zoos in franchise I tend to invent reasons to modify them if the gameplay isn't forcing me to do it and the nice thing about franchise is that because animals transfer I can shut down a habitat in one zoo and move the animals to another. So sometimes I might build a new enclosure in a newer zoo and that leaves me a space in my old zoo that I can repurpose for another animal. I do also spend time following different guest groups to work out if my logistics are working ok - do I need a new entrance? Have I got lengths of fairly boring scenery? Are my transport rides effective? Where are the guests viewing the animals from and is that where I want them to?
I think it is the big advantage of not be a realistic or detailed builder who plans ahead - the idea of finishing a zoo or it being fully built never really enters into it and i don't worry about ruining stuff I've done because my building skills aren't up to much so I'm not usually super attached to any of my habitats.