Which mode have you built your main zoo in?

[DrAkula87]

I originally started in franchise mode, but after ~80 hours, I changed something about the layout and some balance updates hit, and suddenly I could not get the zoo back in the comfortable green numbers it had before. (At least without compromising heavily on the way I wanted to build.)

I started my current zoo (which, considering the size of my plans and the "speed" at which I progress, will most likely be the only zoo I'll ever build) in sandbox afterwards. I have never looked back. I just want to build whatever I feel like in peace.

 

[sockeyejo]

Mostly Franchise for me. I enjoy the management and especially the market with other players, and I actually try to play it as a franchise of multiple zoos, meaning that I'll take animals from one of my franchise zoos and move them to another to maintain a breeding pool, or if a species in one of my zoos is starting to get crowded, I'll build them a second habitat in one of my other zoos to move the extras to.

For me, the diversity of possible tasks has been key for my enjoyment. So if I'm tired of building or just don't have any inspired ideas, I can focus on guests or animals for a while. The balancing of these different elements is part of what keeps me coming back, and keeps any one of those tasks from becoming too repetitive.

But in another sense, the mode I play on the most is "Pause". With so many things going on, "P" is probably the key that I use the most, to stop things and see what needs taken care of.

Same, which is why I switched the hotkey to the space bar!

 

[Cocolori]

Franchise pretty much exclusively although I've also done the campaign and almost all the timed scenarios. I like the sharing between zoos and the market and I want the economic challenge. I'm thinking of branching out to challenge mode a bit for more 'themed' challenges e.g. a rescue zoo where I randomise what species I have to get or where I can't breed the animals they all have to come from the market. If Frontier ever give us a challenge editor where we can effectively create our own challenge maps (like they did with Planet Coaster) then that will be high up the list!

 

[lunavinceres]

Franchise pretty much exclusively although I've also done the campaign and almost all the timed scenarios. I like the sharing between zoos and the market and I want the economic challenge. I'm thinking of branching out to challenge mode a bit for more 'themed' challenges e.g. a rescue zoo where I randomise what species I have to get or where I can't breed the animals they all have to come from the market. If Frontier ever give us a challenge editor where we can effectively create our own challenge maps (like they did with Planet Coaster) then that will be high up the list!

I play franchise mode for the economic challenge too - I just wish there was a challenge. Even hard mode is too easy. I do love the shared market concept as well, it's not always perfect but I like it.

I've never really played sandbox but that's because I know from other games with sandbox mode it's not for me. I've also not tried challenge mode.

 

[Jaggid Edje]

I don't have a "Main Zoo"...,I have many different zoos with different themes and Biomes, and don't really favor any of them. They are all built in Franchise mode, other than a single Sandbox zoo that I use for building/constructing things to eventually use in my franchise zoos and for checking out downloads from steam workshop before I decide whether to keep or scrap them.

I also tend to start a brand new Franchise zoo after every game DLC, because all of my other zoos are "done" insofar as my original plans for them.

I also have played all of the scenarios, both career and timed, to get all the statue rewards....my actual opinion on the timed scenarios is not positive though. I also wish I could use the scenario maps in Franchise mode. Not necessarily the pre-built stuff, but it would be darn cool to be able to use the natural terrain maps of some of them.

 

[Karen F]

I started the game in sandbox because it is the ideal mode for learning the game. And i was too impatient to do all of the tutorials. Then after some months i thought it would be Fun to have a challenge. So i started a zoo in challenge mode only to discover it was no challenge at all. Now i only play sandbox. I never tried franchise because i don't like my zoo to be dependent on the server and i read about People losing their zoos in franchise..

 

[Lailantie]

I started with sandbox, then had one franchise zoo which was interesting, but kindof limiting. Also I hadn't known about contraception at the time, so my warehouse filled with animals I couldn't release or sell. I was kindof shocked that this warehouse even transferred to my next franchise zoo. I think there should be a way to transfer all animals to somewhere where they have a happy life. I didn't like about franchise that you have to hide and/or extensively decorate all staff facilities. I think this is totally exaggerated, and I for one would be interested to see the staff buildings if I went to a zoo. In addition the electricity and water cleaning radiusses (?) are very small, so you have to place those facilities everywhere.

At the moment I feel very comfortable to play on sandbox with almost default sandbox settings including infinite money. My changes are that my whole zoo is powered and all waters remain clean, and my animals can't escape. In my previous zoo I learned to build quite a lot, so I set animal live range to five times longer. In my new project they age at a normal rate, but I build on pause mode mostly. I like management games, but this one offers so many possibilities for building and landscaping that I like to focus on this aspect for now.

 

[Cornicula]

Sandbox - I only like sandbox mode
I' ve never been into scenario games, I prefer the non-stressfull gaming, without having to worry about money, time or the non-availability of stuff. I tried the tutorial-scenario once, but that's just not my cup of tea. Maybe someday, when I get bored with sandbox mode. But I don't really see that yet.