What should I do first?

[alex]

I just got this game and I really like it so far! I've only done the first 2 campaign missions but I wanted to jump into sandbox mode now to build my own zoo.

However, I don't really know where to start... Is it okay to start in sandbox mode? Or is franchise better for beginners?

I think I'm trying to do too much at once and I feel a little overwhelmed at what to do in the beginning stages of building. What do you usually do first when starting a new zoo? Where do you put your facilities and first habitat and all that stuff?

I think I probably just need to jump in and experiment a little bit and not really worry about making it look fancy right now but I'm not sure where to start.

[j-klim]

I like franchise because it helps me focus my attention- since there is an economy, it makes it so you can't initially get too hung up on one thing because you need to split your focus and generate income.

If you're super interested in building/designing very detailed things, then sandbox would be the place to start because you won't have the pressure of trying to make money to fund your builds.

I think I did about half the campaigns to start and then went into franchise. The campaigns were a little dry at first but I ultimately did find them helpful in learning the system.

[Mattsauria]

If you're a beginner, then I think sanbox is best to plan what you want to build, and use for franchise mode. But I Personally recommend sanbox, franchise is better due to how you have to decide about certain things.

[MissedHurry]

I like playing in both sandbox and franchise mode. When you are messing around in sandbox mode, it's good to make blueprints of things like clusters of shops or staff buildings, or clusters of trees, plants and rocks, so you can easily lay them down in future builds. Use the multi-select to select several buildings and landscape items and then create a blueprint. You can also make a blueprint of a finished habitat by clicking on the barrier and choosing to save the habitat as a blueprint from that menu.

When you play in Franchise mode, you can eventually use your blueprints, but you need to have your mechanics and vets research the build items and enrichment items before the game will unlock those blueprints for you. What I find most entertaining and useful in franchise mode is actually focusing on breeding animals, trying to breed better and better quality offspring, and trading them on the market. The market lags a lot, because it's online and has issues, but that seems to be the draw for a lot of people Also, keep in mind, in franchise mode you can have multiple zoos, too, so there's no harm in experimenting with more than one at a time, to try out different strategies.

[Banisha]

https://steamcommunity.com/app/703080/discussions/0/3101263284806106519/

[Just Kevin]

I got bored after a few levels of Career and Challenge. Some of those zoos are such a mess. But once opened and saved they can be transferred to the Sandbox, but the small area of some of those zoos is also transferred to the sandbox.
Note the large number of Settings in the Gameplay part for the sandbox. Very handy.
I don't create buildings, I just like basic zoos, as many in the UK are, where the animals are more important than huge expensive posh buildings. I do sometimes modify some existing blueprints.
I also like building habitats, to see how diverse they can be, so I no longer save any as blueprints. Trying to get the blueprint habitats to 'bed in' can be a problem, anyway.
The other modes are great, Career and Challenge, and do help you learn what does what, and why, but the sandbox can be just as educational, without restrictions, and a massive size. Rule One >> click on everything to see what it does. If you don't have Mouse-Over description turned on on your machine, turn it on. (Is it on by default in Windows? I forget.)