More challenge in gameplay

[Jeeminee]

I love to build, and love the extra options that came with the last update. The game is letting everybody free in building and playing around and I like that very much.

But......what I really miss are options to make playing more challenging.
For me starting a new zoo is nice..but to easy when you want some real gameplay.
Even in hard mode I don't have any problem to get my zoo up and running.

To give myself a challenge I thought to start a new zoo yesterday; starting with no money, and no research .
Find out that isn't possible!
In sandbox the reseach is always done already and there seems no option to turn research on/off.
In challenge mode you always start with 40.000 dollars,even in hard mode. which is way to much to be a real challenge at all.

Who is thinking the same way?
Have you any idea to make the gameplay more challenging? Maybe you have an idea for the whole gameplay, only one playmode ( challengemode for example)
or for a better hard mode than it is right now.

I'm very curious how you all think about this.

 

[Nioell]

Completely agree! I too miss the research option in sandbox and it's really easy to get everything set up, no matter the difficulty. The so called challenges in challenge mode are so easily completed and give so little of a reward they can simply be ignored. I really wish they were more like the challenges you got in ZT2 challenge mode, where you had to take in animals, staff went on strike, photo missions etc. and which actually had an affect on the park if something went worng or if you mastered it.

In general I really wish we could get a scenario editor like we got for PC, still don't really get why that wasn't included in the first place, then we all could create the perfect setting for our play styles.

 

[Jeeminee]

Now you mention it; my staff is never lazy, I don't have to fire them ,and they never risign. Maybe that is because I never have far too many (or too few) employees, I don't know. It just doesn't happen. The challenges can be ignored in challengemode yes, but they are also just more of the same : breed two new animals..and later thats becomes three and so on.
While the timed scenario's are too much of a challenge in easy mode, there is a lack of it in the other modes.
(BTW, I never played PC, so I don't know what the scenario editor was like in that game.)

 

[Pinup-doll]

I agree it is far too easy and can start to become a little repetitive when your not being challenged/ zoo is up and running so easily, firstly for me I would love to see a new challenging career mode or at least non timed challenge mode. I know not everyone wants this but I feel the story can be expanded, perhaps new characters to work with? For other modes franchises ect I would love to see more obstacles in our way, damage from bad weather, option to adopt an animal from another zoo/bred us centre that needs a lot of care. Particularly picky guests ect, what do you guys think?

 

[shirandhak]

I love to build, and love the extra options that came with the last update. The game is letting everybody free in building and playing around and I like that very much.

But......what I really miss are options to make playing more challenging.
For me starting a new zoo is nice..but to easy when you want some real gameplay.
Even in hard mode I don't have any problem to get my zoo up and running.

To give myself a challenge I thought to start a new zoo yesterday; starting with no money, and no research .
Find out that isn't possible!
In sandbox the reseach is always done already and there seems no option to turn research on/off.
In challenge mode you always start with 40.000 dollars,even in hard mode. which is way to much to be a real challenge at all.

Who is thinking the same way?
Have you any idea to make the gameplay more challenging? Maybe you have an idea for the whole gameplay, only one playmode ( challengemode for example)
or for a better hard mode than it is right now.

I'm very curious how you all think about this.

If I remember correct, you can choose in sandbox-mode, if your research should be done or not. And you can choose, if you want to play with limitless money or without. You can even choose the amount of money to start with (but I don't know, if you can start from zero money). Just look at your options in sandbox.

P.S. I just looked it up: You can start with 0 money and 0 leaf-currency. But the checkbox for research is gone with the new menu. So you are stuck with a fully researched zoo in sandbox.

 

[JBQ]

Was there a reason given for taking this option away from players?

 

[shirandhak]

No. My theory is, that they took the chance to "clean up" the sandbox-menu as to make it easier to find everything, but forgot to re-add the options which don't fit in the new submenus.

 

[iloveyourzoos]

I'd love to see these options. Some can be self-imposed (setting ticket price to zero or not putting in donation boxes to make the economy harder, for example. Or focusing really closely on temperature and shelter requirements when watching the weather. Or self-imposing rules about which quality animals you'll allow yourself to buy), but I'd love to see more.

Oddly, I've come to treat some of the game's bugs and glitches as if they were challenges (even when I'm hoping they'll get fixed someday). I treat the climbing bug as if they were broken items that need repair, or unrealistic escapes as random events.

I'm hopeful that we might actually get some of these management/gameplay options expanded going forward. I suspect that Frontier got a lot of feedback in the past from players who wanted to build without any management. Since the last update achieved much of that by allowing sandbox players to turn most things off (something that I support them being able to do, by the way), I'm hopeful that in future updates the range can also be extended in the other direction -- enabling more management options/challenges for those who wish to turn these on.

I've seen a lot of building players say that TMTK is a Planet Coaster feature that they're fairly certain will be ported over eventually, so I think that PC's Scenario Editor might be equally possible for those who play the management side.

 

[yoav_r]

We really need research back in sandbox

 

[Jeeminee]

I just submitted the issue in the issue tracker. Hopefully they put the option back.

Pinupp- doll , you've got a few nice ideas!
iloveyourzoos: okeeee..that's right..playing without donation boxes could be a thing too! Never thought about that! Gonna try that one out!
I was thinking about putting all the warnings off....that can be quite a challenge when the zoo gets a little bigger probably.
Fot the time being I can live with that.
But ingame challenges are really needed.

Well..some brainstorming now:
What to say about staff that is quitting because they have found an other job elsewhere that is paying better or costs less energy? or that you can give a warning to a very lazy staffmember who's not doing his work . 3 warnings = fired?
maybe this one goes too far but it seems a funny idea:
A staffmember who does his best but he just can't do the job and would rather have an other function? Can he go to 'school' and switch jobs? ( like the training)

Energy: solarpanels giving more energy during summertime, and somtimes you can sell some overproduction? but at the other hand you have to buy extra energy in winter(and that is more expensive? Wind energy: stormy weather giving more broken turbines? ( a storm doesn't have to be in weatheranimation, but just can be given as a warningsign)
Turbines in deserts less usefull?
And more influence from guest on eco friendly /not friendly aspects in the zoo? ( not only for the energy but maybe the green trashcans giving a postive vibe, or some new ones that have recycle options?

 

[Laura_91]

I wouldn't mind some challenges similar to the community ones but not for the community. I play franchise pretty much all the time and I'm at the same point. I know how to get the zoo and dont struggle now I know. The little challenges there is isn't enough for me.

 

[PeppyPepp]

I would be very excited if we got a scenario editor. Remember those scenarios in ZT2 where you had a run- down zoo with animals in habitats way too small for them and the finances in shambles? Oh man, I would love to be able to play something like that in PZ.