Haha, cool.
imo, 2 things could happen:
- blocking this type of modding
- the second part of your comment will be added in paid DLC.
And in the worst case scenario, shorter support because of this. Which imo is unlikely.
Planet Zoo Mods?
- Thread starter stdape2011
- Start date
imo, 2 things could happen:
And in the worst case scenario, shorter support because of this. Which imo is unlikely.
Off topic, but check out the Restorers. Their mods add animals from ZT1 to ZT2 (and bonus animals), and they're designed to match the original ZT2 roster
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I both support and don't support mods. I think that mods shouldn't be used until the game itself is completed, that way the company is happy, the fans are happy, then we can add whatever else we "need" to be even happier. Also, that way we won't accidentally ruin the files of the game. Like, I'd never play PZ with mods, but JWE and SimCity 4 I would use mods (Former: better skins. Latter: easier and more buildings)
As with everything in life, don´t do something unless you know what you are doing. If you are uncomfortable about modding and mods "breaking" your game - don´t do it! Learn about it first! But stop mis spreading information.
FYI, games cannot be "broken" permanently in Steam - it takes literally a couple of seconds and a few clicks to set the game files back to "factory files". It´s a fully reversible process: if you see that a mod did "break" something, it´s just temporary. Again, it takes a couple of seconds and a few clicks to restore your game files. Thank you Steam.
Using mods, or not using them, is a totally personal choice. It´s also a personal choice to use only the ones you want. I, for instance, only use the ones I´m interested in. The ones I´m not interested in, I don´t use. I won´t use mods I don´t "understand" either - i.e. I need to understand how the mod is created and how the mod is implemented. I don´t need to know exactly each step, but I need to understand the reasoning behind how the mod was created and how it is implemented in-game.
At the end of the day, we all know that Frontier is not able, capable or enthusiastic enough to deliver all animal biodiversity. Some users might be happy with that. And that´s totally fin and I totally respect that. Others are so enthusiastic and passionate about the game that they actually want to build the "zoo of their dreams", and this is based on diversity and with hand-picked, curated, animals. I want a black ruffed lemur, a Sumatran tiger and a Masai giraffe. Frontier won´t deliver them, but the mods will - eventually. And that´s why I am totally supportive of the modding community. Will I stop supporting Frontier Planet Zoo development and buying DLC? No - I will carry on doing what I´ve done from the beginning.
If you play Planet Zoo as a building and landscaping simulator, then you probably won´t care that much whether it´s a Masai giraffe or reticulated giraffe. But if you are passionate about zoo´s and biodiversity, then, you do care. And that´s why, IMHO, the steps achieved by the modding community are paramount to expand biodiversity within Planet Zoo.
FYI, games cannot be "broken" permanently in Steam - it takes literally a couple of seconds and a few clicks to set the game files back to "factory files". It´s a fully reversible process: if you see that a mod did "break" something, it´s just temporary. Again, it takes a couple of seconds and a few clicks to restore your game files. Thank you Steam.
Using mods, or not using them, is a totally personal choice. It´s also a personal choice to use only the ones you want. I, for instance, only use the ones I´m interested in. The ones I´m not interested in, I don´t use. I won´t use mods I don´t "understand" either - i.e. I need to understand how the mod is created and how the mod is implemented. I don´t need to know exactly each step, but I need to understand the reasoning behind how the mod was created and how it is implemented in-game.
At the end of the day, we all know that Frontier is not able, capable or enthusiastic enough to deliver all animal biodiversity. Some users might be happy with that. And that´s totally fin and I totally respect that. Others are so enthusiastic and passionate about the game that they actually want to build the "zoo of their dreams", and this is based on diversity and with hand-picked, curated, animals. I want a black ruffed lemur, a Sumatran tiger and a Masai giraffe. Frontier won´t deliver them, but the mods will - eventually. And that´s why I am totally supportive of the modding community. Will I stop supporting Frontier Planet Zoo development and buying DLC? No - I will carry on doing what I´ve done from the beginning.
If you play Planet Zoo as a building and landscaping simulator, then you probably won´t care that much whether it´s a Masai giraffe or reticulated giraffe. But if you are passionate about zoo´s and biodiversity, then, you do care. And that´s why, IMHO, the steps achieved by the modding community are paramount to expand biodiversity within Planet Zoo.
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Shout it from the rooftop!
IF a mod breaks anything, it is in most of the time user error. And in 21 years of using mods, most of them manipulating game files way more than new species in PZ do, I never broke a save.
I don't think he means it like that. In the worst case: you'll have to reinstall your game again.
I think he means like savegames/progress, 9 out of 10 mean that with mods "breaking" files.
And there are countless stories with people losing their entire progress because a mod doesn't work anymore.
Really depends on what level: Items are just removed from your save, game can't find the files so doesn't want to load the savegame anymore or just constant crashing.
Also depends on how heavily scripted a mod is or what a new update does to existing features.
You are right, if you are worried about mods. Don't use them. And for those who do, know that are certain risks involved. (especially when there's no offical support)
Yes. Another factor is that no 2 games are the same. You can't add mods the same way to JWE like you did with JPOG. Like, JPOG you can add slightly new gameplay, but there are 3 or 4 files you have to add/change/delete. With JWE, all you do is go to 1 file to replace a skin.
I once "broke" JPOG and had to turn it back to the original because I accidentally deleted the wrong file (fortunately I had a backup). As everyone's saying, and as the games themselves say: "do it at your own risk". Are mods bad? No, not really. They can enhance a game further. A classic example is KOTOR 2, with the Sith Lords Restored Content. That added most cut content back into the game. All you gotta do is know what you're doing. But there are tons of tutorials everywhere for, not only adding mods, but making them yourself (I haven't made one, yet, unfortunately)
I once "broke" JPOG and had to turn it back to the original because I accidentally deleted the wrong file (fortunately I had a backup). As everyone's saying, and as the games themselves say: "do it at your own risk". Are mods bad? No, not really. They can enhance a game further. A classic example is KOTOR 2, with the Sith Lords Restored Content. That added most cut content back into the game. All you gotta do is know what you're doing. But there are tons of tutorials everywhere for, not only adding mods, but making them yourself (I haven't made one, yet, unfortunately)
Notwithstanding the fact Frontier is capable, able (and recurringly) to break your save files as well. There´s extensive evidence for that. Frontier, I´m watching you... next update is around the corner... please don´t do it again.
But as I said, if you know what you are doing with modding, you understand, and you have educated yourself enough, you minimise the risk. Do not do it blindly.
Well, indeed, after the last updates and after release countless of save broke. Completely without mods. And while using mods is at your own risk, these warnings never come with official updates. 
I agree, personally would've added early access for the first months after release.
Experienced this too: Wasn't able to access my 1st zoo for several weeks in the first months either, after an update able to access again.
Only seen a few broken save files threads in recent months. but Frontier definately knows how to break/bug their own features in their game. To me, that's an entirely different discussion.
Didn't see any people (on this forum) who lost their entire zoo or unable to access their zoo because of the last 2 big updates - there's improvement on that part
Which was an issue in the first months.
Also depends on your own pc, I think some people are able to add more modded animals than others - just because they got a clean pc with more memory and yes, also knowing what they are doing. I know some people were running 500 mods in Skyrim, while others were struggling to add 50 or 100.
Also depends on the quality of work of modders. There are some really bad modders out there
Not everyone can mod reliable.
In the short term, like the next couple of months, I’m very excited to see us hopefully get animals such as black-and-white ruffed lemurs, Caribbean flamingos, guañacos, Malayan tapirs etc.
Animals that wouldn’t require too much effort in terms of model readjustments or new skins, that would help out with in game biodiversity immensely.
Animals that wouldn’t require too much effort in terms of model readjustments or new skins, that would help out with in game biodiversity immensely.
This. It also wouldn't confront much with Frontier's future animals release schedule, given that the devs will most likely not focus too much on 'clone'/obscure/not too popular animals. Take the meerkat, gibbon or sea lion as examples of what shouldn't even be attempted to be modded, in my opinion. Their rigs and animations would definetely be off.
I'm more than happy to wait one or two years to get the official versions of these ones. In fact, regardless of mods being reskin animals or not, I'll keep preferring official stuff without a doubt.
Exactly. And even if there would be an overlap in species, all molders I know would discontinue their version and I sure would switch to the official animal.
Users will always prefer "developers created content" to "user created content". There´s a good track record on many many other games.
The good thing is, if you want to, you don´t have to rely anymore on the very limited animal roster Frontier provides. With that I don´t mean that Frontier doesn´t provide a good animal stock for many players, but for others, who prefer a much curated selection, there´s now a way forward.
Everything should be attempted to be modded. We have no clue what´s cooking in the Planet Zoo kitchen - and at this point, I honestly, do not care anymore. I´m sorry for CM, coz I genuinely believe they would be willing to share more information, more info behind the scenes,... but with the restrictions imposed from higher levels, just make the CM so sterile.
I will create/use the tools I want, not the one Frontier provides. If modders want to mod a gibbon, fantastic, I will support it. Does Frontier create one as well? I will support it as well... but I will not wait until "Frontier finishes PlanZoo development to see what can, or not, be modded" - life is just too short for that. In fact, Frontier will never say: "alright folks, it´s over for Plan Zoo - have fun!"
The good thing is, if you want to, you don´t have to rely anymore on the very limited animal roster Frontier provides. With that I don´t mean that Frontier doesn´t provide a good animal stock for many players, but for others, who prefer a much curated selection, there´s now a way forward.
Everything should be attempted to be modded. We have no clue what´s cooking in the Planet Zoo kitchen - and at this point, I honestly, do not care anymore. I´m sorry for CM, coz I genuinely believe they would be willing to share more information, more info behind the scenes,... but with the restrictions imposed from higher levels, just make the CM so sterile.
I will create/use the tools I want, not the one Frontier provides. If modders want to mod a gibbon, fantastic, I will support it. Does Frontier create one as well? I will support it as well... but I will not wait until "Frontier finishes PlanZoo development to see what can, or not, be modded" - life is just too short for that. In fact, Frontier will never say: "alright folks, it´s over for Plan Zoo - have fun!"
Yeah, don't get me wrong, every animal is welcome, from whatever source they come. And of course, the sooner, the better. So if we get unofficial gibbons, meerkats etc. first that's totally fine. But chances are they will never even come close to Frontier quality. Maybe the textures will, but not the animations and accurate rig. I guess that's not a problem for many people; they'll welcome and use any animal regardless of their animations looking a bit lame. But there's also a decent number of people (including myself here) who would rather wait for a meerkat with proper rig and animations instead of getting one based on a lemur's rig and animations.
But oh well, at the end of the day, it's not on our hands what animals get or not get created. Right now, afaik there is only a handful of people that know how to bring new animals to the game. Hopefully some ZT2 veterans will join the 'party' at some point so we finally don't have to use implied enclosures or animal substitutions in our zoos.
Also, let's not forget that, this whole thing could even increase the company's sales as a majority of people (from what I've been reading in the last days) will keep getting official content and some unofficial animals will need specific DLCs to work.
I’ll admit some of the mods look great and some meh... I guess pretty decent for lacking the proper tools. Me personally I definitely prefer frontier quality. I personally have nothing against mods I used them for yrs in zt2 but if the animations,sounds, and rigs aren’t spot on I really don’t want them. I don’t need a shell of a animal just for the need to want more animals. It kinda reminds me of snakes in zt2. Some really nicely done but as far as realism for everything else not so much.
Well for now I guess the best mods will be those of same species like e.g. if moders bring to Planet Zoo different tapir or even new kind of otter. Despite their requirements who could differ, animations I guess should be pretty much the same, so it would be more believable then other animal who uses rig and animations from different specie.
I am totally for what Tobs have said. If people wants black ruffed lemur or Malayan tapir and mods can bring them let them do that.
Also there is no way that anyone will choose something else over official released animal.
I am totally for what Tobs have said. If people wants black ruffed lemur or Malayan tapir and mods can bring them let them do that.
Also there is no way that anyone will choose something else over official released animal.
I think we all should remember that we are still at the beginning if the era. In all games I know mods were first medium to low quality, but gradually became better and better. I think it's to early to judge overall quality of mods as of now.
As far as updates making mods break, it has been said by someone who understands how this new modding method works that they believe updates will not break them. But I suppose we’ll know soon enough.