Planet Zoo New Planet Zoo Player Please Help!

[Sarus Crane]

So on Sunday other day I just migrated from ZT2 to Planet Zoo &........... I think I'm regretting it. I got the Ultimate Edition pack off the Steam store and I'm having problems. I will admit I am completely new to the game. First I'll tell my ZT2 story:

Last year I installed my Amazon-bought Zoo Tycoon 2 Ultimate Collection on my PC (Alienware) via an external disc drive that had previously worked on my Samsung Windows 8 PC running on compatibility mode. It worked like a charm so I figured it should work on my newer Alienware right???? In June 2020 my Samsung died and I tried to start it up on my new Alienware PC and everything was installed where it should be on the machine. However, this error box popped up:

"The application was unable to start correctly (0xc000007b). Click OK to close the application."

I simply figured that I had to try and run it in a sort of compatibility mode so I tried all the options but no result. I looked up answers on YouTube and it certain videos said to try and install a bunch of .dll files to make the game run. That didn't work. I contacted a friend who works with computers and they said that since it's an old game ZT2 isn't able to run on Windows 10. Therefore I stopped trying to fix it. Recently this past weekend I was able to install an equally antique game RollercoasterTycoon 3 and it runs no issue at all. So I don't know what's going on with ZT2. I just didn't feel safe messing up my machine because I don't want to do something that'll prevent my Adobe Premiere & Photoshop from working.

Ok now onto the real issue of this thread. So on Sunday night I paid for Planet Zoo Ultimate Edition via the Steam store for $125 and it downloaded to my system and it worked. However, I tried to start building and I find it a lot different from ZT2. For some reason, I can't build on a grid which is really frustrating. I got Planet Zoo to build zoos with cool architecture like the old days (Philly, Bronx, London, etc...). Also, I notice that immediately my PC starts heating up so fast even before I really even build anything. For the first time, I had to plug in my heat cooling pad to run its fan but it didn't really do anything to help cool it down so I quit the game to let it cool down. I'm afraid my laptop is going to overheat.

I tried to install modded animals like how @Leaf Productions and others show how to do on their channels. The main reason I got the game is that the animals that attracted me to it are mods not originating in the game itself (Gaur, Banteng Javan Rhino, Eld's Deer, Flamingo Pack, storks, cranes, ibises etc...). I downloaded the ones I wanted and installed ACSE like how it says under Nexus Mods in my main PZ ovl folder. They installed and worked, but I added other ones today. These required 1.9 More animal Name Languages that somehow makes them compatible. However, PZ crashed and I removed those downloads that said they needed that and if they had bugs with them. The game is still hot when I load an empty sandbox and it's extremely difficult like I said before to build buildings and other architecture as I want to build on a square grid like in ZT2 because its so much easier to line things up that way. I'm having serious doubts about the game. Is it safe to continue playing or will the heat fry my computer? Is there a way to place items on a grid evenly like ZT2 or not? I have enough space on my PC to play it (220 GB free) and I have the 16 GB of required RAM. Things that I really like about the game are the day/night settings and how realistic the animals and plants look. I hope I can find a solution so that I didn't waste $125 on it!!!

 

[Great Argus]

I simply figured that I had to try and run it in a sort of compatibility mode so I tried all the options but no result. I looked up answers on YouTube and it certain videos said to try and install a bunch of .dll files to make the game run. That didn't work. I contacted a friend who works with computers and they said that since it's an old game ZT2 isn't able to run on Windows 10. Therefore I stopped trying to fix it. Recently this past weekend I was able to install an equally antique game RollercoasterTycoon 3 and it runs no issue at all. So I don't know what's going on with ZT2. I just didn't feel safe messing up my machine because I don't want to do something that'll prevent my Adobe Premiere & Photoshop from working.

I still run ZT2 heavily modded on Windows 10, I don't think that should be your issue. Same Amazon download as you used; I have an HP laptop for it though, but that shouldn't make a difference. Not sure what to suggest offhand, sorry.

These required 1.9 More animal Name Languages that somehow makes them compatible. However, PZ crashed and I removed those downloads that said they needed that and if they had bugs with them.

This is almost certainly an error in how you installed something, I'm using the same mod without issue. (Also the mod doesn't make them compatible - the animals will still work fine, just will all be named "Unknown" if you don't have the mod) You're not using anything labeled 1.8 or older in terms of animal mods right?

Is it safe to continue playing or will the heat fry my computer?

Could be a few things for this one - my computer gets hot as well, PZ is pretty intensive graphic-wise and so it does take a lot of power. My past experience has been when my laptop is routinely getting over hot I need to clean out the fans, dust and debris builds up over time in there; one time it was the battery going bad and it was fine once I got a new battery in it.

Is there a way to place items on a grid evenly like ZT2 or not?

Yes and no. There is no base grid on the map, but once you place a gridded item all grid props will snap to it accordingly if selected to form a group. Non grid props you have to tweak and add on to the grid. The build system is a real learning curve for most of us and takes awhile to get good at using, takes practice and playing with it. You can also do paths on a grid, and some of the terrain sculpting to an extent. After playing ZT2 for years I was really clumsy on adjusting to PZ's controls, it took me a long time to get a good handle on how stuff works and I'm still figuring some stuff out. I'd encourage you to not give up on it and just mess around figuring out how the build controls work, it's a fun game once you get the hang of it.

 

[Varanus the Unbelievable]

You will need to make sure your processor/CPU and graphics card are able to run Planet Zoo smoothly. The graphics card will determine how well the game's visuals will display as the name implies but a strong processor is needed especially once guests start crowding your zoo - the amount of guests your game can handle and how smooth it will run is dependent on your CPU. Planet Zoo is a very hardware intensive game. I personally use an intel i5-11400H CPU with a GeForce RTX 3050 GPU (these were both the default hardware on my laptop which is specifically built for gaming) and the game runs smoothly, in contrast with my old laptop which was not able to run Planet Zoo smoothly at all. If you are already experiencing slow performance on an empty sandbox zoo, IMO it is a sign that your computer will probably not be able to run the game as once you start to get guests in your performance will tank hard.

I tried to install modded animals like how @Leaf Productions and others show how to do on their channels. The main reason I got the game is that the animals that attracted me to it are mods not originating in the game itself (Gaur, Banteng Javan Rhino, Eld's Deer, Flamingo Pack, storks, cranes, ibises etc...). I downloaded the ones I wanted and installed ACSE like how it says under Nexus Mods in my main PZ ovl folder. They installed and worked, but I added other ones today. These required 1.9 More animal Name Languages that somehow makes them compatible. However, PZ crashed and I removed those downloads that said they needed that and if they had bugs with them.

I am not too familiar with mods for Planet Zoo; however, if I'm correct, the mods will not work because as of the Conservation Pack which was released on the 21st of June, the game is running on version 1.10. Essentially, this update renders all current mods null as they run on version 1.9. You will have to wait until the modders update the mods to run on version 1.10.

If you are having trouble with creating buildings you can use the Steam workshop to download blueprints made from other users. The learning curve for creating your own designs and buildings is really steep in this game - I like to make my own animal habitats but a lot of the buildings I just download from the Steam Workshop. Playing the first three tutorial levels will also help a lot for getting a good foundational knowledge of the game. There is a lot more management involved with PZ than in Zoo Tycoon but practice makes perfect with this game. Hope this helps!

 

[Great Argus]

I am not too familiar with mods for Planet Zoo; however, if I'm correct, the mods will not work because as of the Conservation Pack which was released on the 21st of June, the game is running on version 1.10. Essentially, this update renders all current mods null as they run on version 1.9. You will have to wait until the modders update the mods to run on version 1.10.

While normally true that updates screw with mods, it has already been confirmed no mods broke this go around. All 1.9 mods are fine to continue using. I've already got mine back installed with no issues.

 

[Sarus Crane]

So I watched some more videos online to learn and I started building. This is my first custom building.... a giraffe barn in progress. Here's some pics. I'm modeling it on this church called Mary Magdalene in Willen England. I saw it a couple years back while looking for Baroque architecture and thought "That is the perfect building for a giraffe barn!" Due to the lack of size in the game I had to add more windows.



As you can see I want it to be so that visitors can come in and see the Rothschild Giraffes and get up close with a taxidermy Reticulated along with reading labels and signs. I'm having some difficulty with paths. Do I have to have a path to get visitors eventually inside the building??? What you're seeing is stone flooring and I used the one fence turned 90 degrees into a giraffe barrier. for the roof I used painted terracotta roof tiles. Is it possible to get wallpaper on the inside of the building? It'd be nice to have it as a yellow or lavender color. Now I'm trying to get the exterior white stone/bricks into the brick to give it that "look". I'm also trying to frame a door to get into the barn so it's not just a rectangle people enter through. I'd appreciate any feedback. Thanks!

 

[Great Argus]

Due to the lack of size in the game I had to add more windows.

Not sure what you mean here, most wall pieces are either 1m, 2m, or 4m. Roughly 3, 6, and 12 feet respectively. Thus it's not too hard to assess size.

 

[Sarus Crane]

How do you put in custom billboards correctly? I followed all the instructions to create a 9:16 billboard that is 256px wide by 456px tall in photoshop and when I put it on the 2 meter billboard it stretched to fit it sideways instead of right side up. What is wrong???