The timed scenarios are horrible and defeat the most enjoyable part of the game, which is to take time and make parks beautiful and beneficial for the animals. If there were an option after completing the regular career to start a timed challenge, that would be fine. ALL of the newest DLC ONLY have timed scenarios. I would have loved to see a story behind those maps and complete a regular career scenario there, but no, those maps go unused and I've lost interest in the game as a result. I really hope to see some development in this aspect soon, I may come back to playing this game then.
Timed Scenarios are AWFUL and ruin the enjoyment of the game
- Thread starter SamBeanie
- Start date
Well, no one forces you to play those scenarios and I for one quite enjoyed taking on this different approach and challenge and I'm sure others did as well.
You can also load those maps in the regular challenge and sandbox mode btw, so you can still use them if you don't like the scenarios as they are.
I do agree that some new career scenarios would be great, those are a lot of fun as well and I really miss some new ones.
And something else that'd be really great to have is a scenario editor like we got for PC, that way we could create our own scenario maps however we wanted.
You can also load those maps in the regular challenge and sandbox mode btw, so you can still use them if you don't like the scenarios as they are.
I do agree that some new career scenarios would be great, those are a lot of fun as well and I really miss some new ones.
And something else that'd be really great to have is a scenario editor like we got for PC, that way we could create our own scenario maps however we wanted.
I don't like the stress of timed scenarios either.
But hey, nobody forces us to play them
I do agree that I love the normal scenarios and would like to see more of those in future updates...
OR the option to create our own scenarios! Upload them to the workshop, download them from others. That would be awesome.
But hey, nobody forces us to play them
I do agree that I love the normal scenarios and would like to see more of those in future updates...
OR the option to create our own scenarios! Upload them to the workshop, download them from others. That would be awesome.
Even experienced players arent able to solve them in gold in their first try. maybe not even reaching silver or bronze. You need at least a few tries to learn the tweaks you have to focus on and where youve got optimize and so on. Thinking about the time you have to spent for this in each scenario for me its not worth the time. i prefer spending 5-10 hours in my own zoos than spending this time for playing one and the same scenario again and again just to reach this gold star.
But hey, everyones free to do what they like. The managing part in PZ aint that challenging so its ok to bring some Challenges in the game by this way.
But hey, everyones free to do what they like. The managing part in PZ aint that challenging so its ok to bring some Challenges in the game by this way.
Not true, I managed to finish all of them in gold the first time around and I know others did as well. The only exception was the Goodwin one and that was only because the animal market never stocked any lions at all when I first played it, which you need for that scenario. The second time around the market did work right and stock them so that wasn't a problem either.
I can totally see how these scenarios aren't for everyone, though and it's perfectly fine to go for other modes instead. That's actually one of the things I love most about this game, it offers so many modes there's something in there for everyone.
You mean the approach of "shove anything anywhere and make it look stupid"?
They're at complete odds with what the rest of the game promotes - nurture and care of animals.
While I understand some enjoy them, when they're the only scenarios that come in a DLC, it devalues that DLC for quite a lot of people.
Last edited:
"No one forces you to play those scenarios" That is a valid argument especially consindering these scenarios are not tied to Steam achievements. But on the other hand it might very well be that we get these timed scenarios (that I have not even tried yet, because not my cup of tea.) instead of careers scenarios in the DLC.
So in that perspective the OP has a valid complaint.
Last edited:
I have zero interest in the timed scenarios, have never played one and probably won’t - to say that it ‘devalues’ the DLC is just weird though… they don’t devalue anything, they just don’t add value (for me).
No, I mean the "I gotta check my goals then find the best strategy to set up my park to make it work in time" approach. If I wanna make everything look great for my eyes as well from the beginning I can go play sandbox or any of the other modes if I don't mind waiting for all the research to complete. But like I said I enjoy the race angainst the clock and the stategy aspcet of it from time to time as well.
And just so you know basic and simple looking =/= bad animal care and neglect. I keep a bunch of snakes e.g. and of course I want their terras to look good but that's for my eyes and not because they need all that expensive, natural looking stuff to be fine. I could just as well throw ugly plastic hides and paper rolls in there and they'd still be perfectly happy with that because all they want is something to hide in, the need to make everything look pretty comes from us. So it really doesn't go against the whole take good care of animals and fulfil their needs thing if you set up something that doesn't look like a freaking temple or what not but still caters to every need the animal has.
And as far as dlc go it's just the same old can't please everyone speech I guess. Make normal career scenarios (which I'd love to see more of as well btw) and people start screaming "don't need those want x instead"...they add x the other half starts going on about how they rather want y and so on and on. I for one think we got a nice balance for all modes so far and whatever they throw in next is fine by me.
I see them as part of a spectrum of game options. In Sandbox, you can turn off management and only play the narrow build part if you'd like, and in timed scenarios you can turn off your aesthetics and focus on the narrow management aspects if you'd like.
I have a love-hate relationship with timed scenarios that definitely leans toward the hate side of the spectrum.. but with that said, I do feel like they offer something of value that little else provides in this way, especially for the more management and gameplay focused player.
I personally have completed the main campaign on hard mode and found that to be good frustrating fun. This is a natural evolution of this part of the game. The timed scenarios however do need a level of trial and error that I think many people experience as ‘loosing’ rather than learning. Progress can only really be gauged by your end point and it can feel very easy to then feel back at square one or like you wasted a session, which is quite sour for those with less time to play I imagine. It feels far more punishing and thus, less accessible or desirable.
You really have to be in the right mindset to appreciate this mode, looking to get better at this one specific situation without necessarily completing it or expecting to actually win. Rather, do as much damage this time as you can and hope it was better than last time and use that to tweak your approach.
However, Considering we get one or two per dlc, it would be quite sad if we only got two hours or so from each of these.. so the replay it requires is arguably a perk!
My Tips:
Overall though, I get it. This is not for everyone and isn’t the mood I’m in every time.. I’m surprised there aren’t more guides out there of people doing them in real-time to give folk a jumping- in strategy. I appreciate its hard to know if you’re starting strong or not..
I personally have completed the main campaign on hard mode and found that to be good frustrating fun. This is a natural evolution of this part of the game. The timed scenarios however do need a level of trial and error that I think many people experience as ‘loosing’ rather than learning. Progress can only really be gauged by your end point and it can feel very easy to then feel back at square one or like you wasted a session, which is quite sour for those with less time to play I imagine. It feels far more punishing and thus, less accessible or desirable.
You really have to be in the right mindset to appreciate this mode, looking to get better at this one specific situation without necessarily completing it or expecting to actually win. Rather, do as much damage this time as you can and hope it was better than last time and use that to tweak your approach.
However, Considering we get one or two per dlc, it would be quite sad if we only got two hours or so from each of these.. so the replay it requires is arguably a perk!
My Tips:
- The first attempt should really be about gaining a feel for the level. This goes again if it’s been a while since you’ve played a level. - jump in with the view of restarting in 15 mins once you’ve seen what can be sold, what’s here and what it wants you to do and you’ve decided your first steps.
- Try something new if you’re not making progress between attempts - Think: Which animals are you placing first? which goal could you prioritise instead? What would happen if you prioritised different things (money, research, wealfare specific species?)
- Play them as if they were career episodes if you’re finding yourself giving up as it becomes apparent you aren’t going to get gold. When you forget about the timer, they are essentially new scenarios and just as enjoyable.
What to feel out the first few times: - What species are in the trade centre?
- Which areas could space be created by altering? - The map given to you isn’t necessarily the most appropriate way to tackle these goals - get demolishing!
- What goals would be benefital to go for first, and which could be ticked off last?
- Could some blueprints help decrease your construction time? Even if it’s just a few education boards or staff facilities grouped!
Overall though, I get it. This is not for everyone and isn’t the mood I’m in every time.. I’m surprised there aren’t more guides out there of people doing them in real-time to give folk a jumping- in strategy. I appreciate its hard to know if you’re starting strong or not..
TBH, I have a job and responsibilities. I can only play PZ every once in a while, for a short time. It worked well with the regular scenarios, but the timeemd scenarios really don't work for me. I can't just play PZ for a full on hour and a half.
I hear you - I’m very much in the same boat these days with full time work. With working from home at the moment, the desk is the last place I want to be at the best of times too..
Usually on the rare times I do have that time and I want to be playing, I’d rather sink it into a franchise. That said, on the odd day when time falls in my lap, or I’m not feeling creative, at least we knows it’s sat there as an option. It’s also an option for those with the time to spare that they’re growing bored of the usual offering. Variety is nice.
I feel like had they released them as as non narrative scenarios and then added a timed mode option for them with a leaderboard or something, we’d strike a better balance..
(I haven’t even attempted every timed scenario at this point myself! How the real world can blow..)
Timed Scenarios worked for ZT1/2, and for RCT1-3, but not for Planet Zoo. The system is WAY too clunky and facetious to actually get real work done in a proper amount of time. Plus the real scenarios are so much better anyways lol
Remind me what was in ZT2 timed scenarios?
Here's my idea
Let us make custom scenarios with...
Our own maps
Let us determine what properties the map has such as what animals are available or what kind of restrictions the player has
Custom voice lines (IMO, the commentary from the characters was endearing so it'd be great if we could add our own)
etc.
If you have any ideas, let me know below
Let us make custom scenarios with...
Our own maps
Let us determine what properties the map has such as what animals are available or what kind of restrictions the player has
Custom voice lines (IMO, the commentary from the characters was endearing so it'd be great if we could add our own)
etc.
If you have any ideas, let me know below
Two sides of the same coin.
I see scenarios as being part of the DLC. If the DLC comes with 1 scenario and three animals and is £4 - that means £1 for each element.
If the scenarios are timed versions, then the DLC is devalued (perhaps value for money is a better phrase here) as I'd be paying that extra £1 for something I won't use. I don't expect everyone to understand it in the way I do, but whenever I buy anything, I try and make full use of it. If the product comes with something I won't use, that's clearly a part of the product* then I'll feel part of my money has been wasted.
* wallpapers in the deluxe version wouldn't count with this as they don't really add much, if anything to the deluxe version.
I understand where you're coming from but I'd also say please point me in the direction of some screenshots showing an acceptable looking zoo that has hit the gold in timed scenarios. In all the videos I've watched of them and the three times I tried the first level, things are just anywhere and everywhere to try and get them in the time limits.
I understand a "nice looking zoo" isn't the aim of the scenario here but as I say, that put together with the animal care aspect seems to be at odds with what the theme of the game is about.
I haven't seen anyone who would seem to complain if there were normal scenarios instead of timed ones... not one.
If people don't care about scenarios, they don't bother to complain. Only a very small percentage of players has completed all scenarios in bronze, so not many people bother with those. I think the scenarios we have in the game are too easy and if they added scenarios with the same difficulty, that would be a waste as well. As mentioned, custom scenarios would be a good option.
First off, it's a videogame.
I completed a most timed scenarios in gold but nice looking is debatable (very basic). The habitats themselves looks decent and the animal welfare is good, so animal care aspect is covered.
The amount of scenarios/storylines/career missions in the base game are very limited and if you are looking for a more lineair game, PZ doesn't offer much. Except for scenarios, every mode is a sandbox.
Only the scenario has required (mission) objectives and you can complete all scenarios in gold in a few hours.
Every scenario can be completed in 30-45 minutes, maybe even faster.
At the least the timed scenarios offer something new and if you don't make it in time, you can try again to optain gold. The normal scenarios don't invite that.