Work in Progress - More Pics

[Railroadersbrat]

So, this has been an adventure.  After going on such a download spree, I crashed the game completely, lol.  Luckily, I remembered that I can only have 'X' amount of files in dlupdate - right around 300, right?  Needless to say, I went ahead and cleared out that folder, re-installed a bunch of packs using the combined files and the game is much happier.  I'm holding fast around 304-305.  Game is still working, but probably done with downloading for a while.

 

Needless to say, this is my zoo - right now, I'm holding fast at 89% happiness of guests at 600, 93% zoo rating and 96% happiness with animals.  It's still a work in progress, I started with the large grass map and the hack that you can use to go into the .ini file (I think that's right anyway) and adjust the minimum amount of cash to $50 million.

 

Screenshots were taken before I opened the zoo, I'll post new pics later.

 

I am a slow zoo builder, I take my time with just about everything and I don't open my zoo until Year 5, all my research and conservation research is complete and I have at least ten exhibits done.  From there, I drop the admission fee to around $15 for adults, $7.50 for kids, open the zoo and I sit and watch for some time to see where I'm lacking.  Right now, I have a lot of thirsty guests so I've been adding drink and rest stations where I can. 

 

I'm also a foliage nut - my zoos end up so lush with trees that the only way I can see the guests or the animals is to turn off the foliage.  Screenshots of the area just left of the entrance both with and without the foliage for context.

 

I also don't add any animals when the in-game clock is running, I pause the game and add animals.  That was a habit I got into when I played years ago, I'm able to get the animals situated in their exhibits while their health and happiness is still high, add a zookeeper (each exhibit has one, with endangered animals getting two or three) and then unpause the game and watch for a while to make sure they stay happy.  I absolutely do this with all the big cats except lions; leopards and jaguars can be so picky when you're building their exhibit with the clock running and if you're not fast enough, once the exhibit is done and the recommendations say the exhibit is well suited, the cat is still unhappy.  I don't like my kitties upset, so when I pause the game to get them situated with their happiness still high, they tend to stay that way.

 

Right now, just the Savannah and Rainforest habitats are in my zoo, I intend to add Marine and we'll see about the Dinos and the other habitats.

 

Yes, I skipped right over Valentine's Day and went straight to Easter, I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I'm absolutely ready for spring.  I've been ready since Christmas - LOL!

 

I've named the zoo Seven Bridges, I am using Jane's bridges and I intend to get seven in there one way or the other.

 

 

[(Admin)Cricket]

I like your style!  When your zoo is complete, would you consider posting it here for us to do a walk-through?  I look forward to seeing more pics!

[Railroadersbrat]

9 minutes ago, Cricket said:

I like your style!  When your zoo is complete, would you consider posting it here for us to do a walk-through?  I look forward to seeing more pics!

I absolutely will post for a walk-through, love that idea!

 

More pics, too, both with and without foliage so you can see everything.

 

So I'm in October, Year 6. 16 exhibits total.  Animal happiness at 98%, Zoo rating at 93% and Guest Happiness at 85% with population at 747.  Still a ton of thirsty guests, I'm going to have to revamp a few things to get more drink and rest areas in somewhere.

 

The way I design my exhibits and then decorate around them is a lot to do with aesthetics, but it also has to do with animal happiness.  Now, I can't attest this will happen with everyone's zoos, but, when I pull in the observation areas by one tile, only give them so much room for the guests to come in, it helps with the flow of traffic.  I will also put a lot of foliage, statues, fountains, etc. around the outside corners of the exhibits, again with aesthetics in mind, but also for animal happiness.  That allows me to give them more privacy than those solid concrete walls, I don't know what it is about them, but I rarely, rarely use them (except for primates and even then, I try to cover them up as much as I can)because I don't like them that much.  Since doing my exhibits this way, animals like the Jaguars who have a tendency to not be happy because there's too many guests, are actually happy.  I rarely get a message from my zookeepers that a Jaguar or even a mountain lion is struggling.

 

I like to hide my exhibit gates as much as possible.  I've accidentally trapped several of my zookeepers in the exhibits because I forget where I put the gate, flood the area around the exhibit with trees and they can't get out.  Exhibits that are together because I made one giant exhibit, then split it in half, the gates are right by each other and depending on the animal, I'll put up a privacy fence in the exhibits using rock formations, trees or something like the thatched fence.

 

Taking a break to spend time with my other half and our four-legged kids, just fed everyone with some chicken and dumplings, now it's time for a big snuggle fest and maybe some gaming on the 360.  More zoo later this evening, though and of course, more pictures!

 

 

[(Admin)Savannahjan]

Oh my, your zoo is so lovely.  I build in the same manner, not that fond of the guests, but love foliage.  There are quite a lot of decorative foliage items now that can go into the exhibits without disturbing the animals, and well, I guess I can overdo that sometimes. 

 

Living in the Ozarks much be a dream, I just love the mountains.  I read in your profile that you enjoy needle crafts; I sure would love to see some of your work.  We have an old handcraft topic somewhere around here; I need to dust that off a bit.  I've started sewing and needlework again after a few years of neglecting it and would love to get our crafty members engaged in sharing again.

 

Thanks so much for showing us your wonderful zoo, it's looking great so far. 

[Railroadersbrat]

Good morning, fellow zookeepers!

 

So.  Now at July, Year 8.  Rating at 94%, animal happiness at 96%, Guest happiness at 81% with 800.  Had it up to 89% last night with roughly 960, but then it tanked when I stepped away from it for a couple of hours, thinking I had paused the game but didn't and came back to a slew of messages about animals not getting fed, animals upset and my zoo was dirty.  Everything is back to normal now, had to readjust some exhibits, fire some staff and hire new ones.

 

There are now 29 exhibits and two shows - Dolphin and Orca.  I still have a huge swath of the zoo that I've yet to touch and will be working on that later.  Today, I'm going through with more landscaping and decorating, I sometimes have a problem where I'll ditch the themed decorating, in this case, Easter and concentrate on getting exhibits, walkways, buildings and foliage in place.  Then if I get on a serious roll like I did last night and early this morning, I'll just keep going, so today, more Easter decorating and once I'm satisfied, I think I'll add a couple more tanks and maybe one more show.  Can't decide on sea lions or otters yet.  Dinos will probably go in later tonight, because I definitely have room for those critters.

 

Cricket, to answer your question about the Ozarks, yes, it's beautiful country to live in, though it is tough sometimes, too.  I don't have noisy neighbors, when it's nighttime I can hear the tree frogs and crickets sing and in late summer, depending on the brood, Cicadas will drone on and on.  Summer, spring and fall can be breathtaking, winter is the toughest to get through.  My little glimmer of happiness in the dark months is the small herd of deer that come through my front yard in the morning and evening; three females and usually touting anywhere from four to six little ones.  Our male dog has made friends with one of the young ones, when we let them outside in the early morning or evening, his friend is standing in the trees and will snort at him.  Then they chase each other around the yard.  We have to keep a sharp eye on them when they're playing, the deer is a buck and has what looks to be an impressive rack starting to emerge, he just lost his velvet but it's going to be a looker for sure.  Gorgeous male.

 

Love the idea of a thread for crafting, too!  I've got a picture of the crocheted throw I'm working on, I'll be sure to post it!

[(Admin)Savannahjan]

Looking great!

[Fern]

Would love to see some pics of the deer that visit. There is a pet thread you could post them in.

[Railroadersbrat]

9 hours ago, Fern said:

Would love to see some pics of the deer that visit. There is a pet thread you could post them in.

 

I'll do my best to get pics, it really is cute to see the two of them play.  There's a few seconds stand off, then one of them will stomp their feet and then it's off to the races.  Male will stay in the yard or on the property, they never go across the road so he's super, super smart, too because we don't allow our dogs to even get so much as a toenail on the road.