Zoo Tycoon Zoo Tycoon 2 DLC help

Great Argus

Great Argus

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
After yet another unsuccessful attempt to add user-made dlc in to my Zoo Tycoon 2, I figured it was time to get some additional input! I cannot get any dlc (other than the official) to appear in-game, despite following various instructions.

Anyone have tips or tricks for getting dlc content playable? I have ZT2, African Adventure, Edangered Species, and Marine Mania all installed, and I can get the dlc into the dlc folder as recommended. I can provide additional information if need be. Any help would be appreciated! :)
 
Which dlc are you trying to add? Only have the base game, but it's installed and ready to go if you want me to cross-check the packs and see if I have the same problems. I'll then be in a better position to try and help, if I can!
 
Ashley said:
Which dlc are you trying to add? Only have the base game, but it's installed and ready to go if you want me to cross-check the packs and see if I have the same problems. I'll then be in a better position to try and help, if I can!
Click to expand...

It's a handful of single animal packs I downloaded to the computer's files a couple years ago, but never could manage to get them into the game. Maned Wolf, American Badger, Asian Small-clawed Otter, Leopard Tortoise, and Atlantic Sailfish. Creators are mostly Penguinman and/or Exitree, if that helps.
 
@Great Argus : did you put them in the good file ?
Windows (C: ) > Programmes(x86) > Microsoft Games > Zoo Tycoon 2
And the content you download must be in .z2f
 
I've tried the american badger, leopard tortoise, and maned wolf all with just the base game and they've appear just fine simply dropping the files (unzipped) into the main Zoo Tycoon 2 folder in (x86). Couldn't find the sailfish available online.

11.png

As Matt says above that they don't play well with expansions, first port of call should be to uninstall expansions, add the unofficial animals one by one and check if each appears in the game, then all at once and see what happens. If this works out, then you may have to decide whether you want to play with official or unofficial.

At the same time, knowing that some of the unofficial stuff is for the expansions (the sailfish being one of them?) then next step would be to systematically add expansions to your game, one at a time, again, to see if you can narrow down the compatibility issue. It may be (I don't have a huge amount of experience with the expansions) that you can find some mix that plays well together, though based on what Matt's said, perhaps not. I'd start by adding Marine Mania, boot up and confirm it's working, exit, add sailfish, boot up, get in game and see if you have the sailfish.

Try the above and let us know how you get on. It could be a bit laborious, this process, but it's the only way I know to get to grips with what's rubbing what up the wrong way.

Hope that helps. Without the expansions I don't think I can do much more!
 

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Ashley said:
I've tried the american badger, leopard tortoise, and maned wolf all with just the base game and they've appear just fine simply dropping the files (unzipped) into the main Zoo Tycoon 2 folder in (x86). Couldn't find the sailfish available online.

View attachment 438639

As Matt says above that they don't play well with expansions, first port of call should be to uninstall expansions, add the unofficial animals one by one and check if each appears in the game, then all at once and see what happens. If this works out, then you may have to decide whether you want to play with official or unofficial.

At the same time, knowing that some of the unofficial stuff is for the expansions (the sailfish being one of them?) then next step would be to systematically add expansions to your game, one at a time, again, to see if you can narrow down the compatibility issue. It may be (I don't have a huge amount of experience with the expansions) that you can find some mix that plays well together, though based on what Matt's said, perhaps not. I'd start by adding Marine Mania, boot up and confirm it's working, exit, add sailfish, boot up, get in game and see if you have the sailfish.

Try the above and let us know how you get on. It could be a bit laborious, this process, but it's the only way I know to get to grips with what's rubbing what up the wrong way.

Hope that helps. Without the expansions I don't think I can do much more!
Click to expand...

Thanks for that information! Unfortunately I cannot uninstall the expansions other than Marine Mania since I have the Zookeeper Collection disc, not the base pack and then separate discs for AA and ES.
I'll try it again one by one and see if I can get anywhere.
 
Ok, when trying to drop the files into the folder on the main disc, I get this:
20200427_162945.jpg

I don't know if there's any way around that or maybe I'm putting it in the wrong spot?

However, MM I can put the files anywhere on the disc, and is even giving a "write to disc option". Any thoughts appreciated!
 

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That message would suggest you are trying to put them on the cd/dvd rom? If so, that's not where you want them. You want them in the program files folder which is found on the hard disk of your computer. Before I go on and potentially patronise you, could you confirm if that is what you've been trying to do? Also, which version of windows are you running?
 
Ashley said:
That message would suggest you are trying to put them on the cd/dvd rom? If so, that's not where you want them. You want them in the program files folder which is found on the hard disk of your computer. Before I go on and potentially patronise you, could you confirm if that is what you've been trying to do? Also, which version of windows are you running?
Click to expand...

Yes, that was what had seemed implied. If I'm looking for the files in the hard drive it might be straightforward.

No clue what version of Windows I'm running. Nothing recent, the computer itself is old (floppy drive capable :p) but considering it runs either ZT fine I assumed mods should work. Could be wrong in that I suppose.
 
Great Argus said:
Yes, that was what had seemed implied. If I'm looking for the files in the hard drive it might be straightforward.

No clue what version of Windows I'm running. Nothing recent, the computer itself is old (floppy drive capable :p) but considering it runs either ZT fine I assumed mods should work. Could be wrong in that I suppose.
Click to expand...

Okay, yes, we are onto a winner. I asked about your windows because the path to the correct directory will be slightly different depending in which version you have, but we should be able to muddle through regardless.

So, steps:
1. Open your windows start menu and look for 'My Computer' then click it.
2. When the new window opens, look for your main hard drive. It is usually your C: drive and generally the largest drive in your computer if you have more than one. When you identify it, double click to open.
3. Look through the list of folders here for 'Program Files'. Based on what I believe your windows version is, there should be just one. However, if there's more than one, you want the one with (x86) at the end. Double click to open.
4. In the next list, look for 'Microsoft Games'. Double click to open.
5. You should now see at list one folder but you.may have more depending on how many Microsoft games you have installed. Look for one called Zoo Tycoon 2 and double click to open. This is folder is where your dlc files go.

6. Open up the folder where you have your dlc files. Make sure that they don't have the extension .zip.
Assuming they don't, drag them into the zoo tycoon folder.
7. Start up the game and check to see if your animals are in!

Let me know when you've done this and, should you have any issues, screen grab the step you're stuck on and post it here. Should be able to help.

For future, there are very few situations where you will ever be asked to alter an existing cd/dvd-rom.
 
Great Argus said:
Yes, that was what had seemed implied. If I'm looking for the files in the hard drive it might be straightforward.

No clue what version of Windows I'm running. Nothing recent, the computer itself is old (floppy drive capable :p) but considering it runs either ZT fine I assumed mods should work. Could be wrong in that I suppose.
Click to expand...
Looks like Windows XP to me, which is very old at this point.
 
PaleoMatt said:
Looks like Windows XP to me, which is very old at this point.
Click to expand...

Yep. An oldie but a goodie! I've still got a machine upstairs running on xp! I use it for stuff that I can't find a way to run on 10. Haven't had to for a while, though. Closest I came was trying to run Titanic: Adventure Out of Time last year, but figured out a way to get it going in the end. My problem is I like the problem-solving element of getting something going on the new OS.

Edit: mine doesn't have a floppy drive, though, and I found myself in need of one a while back, so feeling a bit envious of Argus' setup right now!
 
Ashley said:
Okay, yes, we are onto a winner. I asked about your windows because the path to the correct directory will be slightly different depending in which version you have, but we should be able to muddle through regardless.

So, steps:
1. Open your windows start menu and look for 'My Computer' then click it.
2. When the new window opens, look for your main hard drive. It is usually your C: drive and generally the largest drive in your computer if you have more than one. When you identify it, double click to open.
3. Look through the list of folders here for 'Program Files'. Based on what I believe your windows version is, there should be just one. However, if there's more than one, you want the one with (x86) at the end. Double click to open.
4. In the next list, look for 'Microsoft Games'. Double click to open.
5. You should now see at list one folder but you.may have more depending on how many Microsoft games you have installed. Look for one called Zoo Tycoon 2 and double click to open. This is folder is where your dlc files go.

6. Open up the folder where you have your dlc files. Make sure that they don't have the extension .zip.
Assuming they don't, drag them into the zoo tycoon folder.
7. Start up the game and check to see if your animals are in!

Let me know when you've done this and, should you have any issues, screen grab the step you're stuck on and post it here. Should be able to help.

For future, there are very few situations where you will ever be asked to alter an existing cd/dvd-rom.
Click to expand...

Thank you so much for this! They all are now appearing and look correct ingame! Many thanks!! :)
 
Great Argus said:
Thank you so much for this! They all are now appearing and look correct ingame! Many thanks!! :)
Click to expand...

You're welcome. Glad you got it sorted. If you ever have any computer issues or questions (they don't have to be zoo-related) just drop me a message and I'll do what I can.
 
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