My visitors are always thirsty

[chasing.lucid]

No matter how many drink shops or vending machines are around, thirst is always in the yellow. It's driving me crazy because I am trying to finish The Bernie Goodwin Memorial Zoo. The only thing left is the 75% Visitor Happiness. I'm in like year 54. I've maxed out the education boards, speakers, and conservation screens everywhere. People don't seem to be overly hungry. They aren't shopping at the souvenir places. There are over 3400 people. I got it to 4000 this afternoon, but I had to close the zoo and empty it out bc my computer could not handle that many people. I just need like 1900 or so people and a happiness rating of 75%. I got to 74% and then it rained for a year, but thirst never got over 66% and now it's back down to 59%. I just don't know what to do to get over this bump.

[Firestar]

I think Guests get more thirsty if it is hot, which explains why it wasn't that bad when it rained all the Time. I assume it might help to use Coolers on the Paths. Don't know if it's also possible in Career Mode but there should be a Option in the Settings to limit the Number of Guests that can enter the Zoo at once

[author]

Yes, I had the same issue, the percentage hovered at 74% for decades, but wouldn't tick over to 75. I kept plunking down more drink shops and was thinking of lowering the drink prices or adding more free extras like ice, but then it suddenly ticked over to 75 and I was done. Also be sure there is an ATM near the shops so they can get more money to spend on drinks.

[Jaggid Edje]

Make sure you don't just have "enough" drink shops, but that they are pretty evenly spread throughout the whole zoo. Having a lot of them "over there" doesn't help with thirst in a section of the zoo where you don't have enough. And as already said above, make sure there is an ATM or two nearby.

Also, it can help to reduce the amount of foods that make visitors thirsty. Monsier Fritas (or whatever that french fry shop is called) makes visitors very thirsty if you add salt to the fries, for example. Several of the other food shops have similiar extras.

Another thing that helps is to cool off the visitors. Place the "coolers" that are for habitats throughout your zoo on the paths set to 70 degrees or lower. This doesn't even cost anything if you are using green energy sources.

[Jaggid Edje]

Originally posted by k.biehunko:

Don't know if it's also possible in Career Mode but there should be a Option in the Settings to limit the Number of Guests that can enter the Zoo at once

Unfortunately that setting is disabled in career mode.

[chasing.lucid]

Thanks, everyone, for your advice. I finally completed the gold! :D

In case anyone wanders in wondering, here are the steps I took:

1. I closed the zoo again bc it was reaching 4000 people (and down to 66% happiness) and it was crawling on my laptop. (My next one will def be a gaming laptop. :P But I don't make much so it'll be a while.)

2. While probably not related, I took the time it was emptying out to put lighting in EVERYWHERE, including inside closed staff hallways, rooftop flower beds, and habitats. It's gorgeous at night and in the rain now.

3. I got rid of all the vending machines except 1 bc they were losing money. The one I kept had a huge number of customers -- it's the milkshake one of all things.

4. I got rid of any shops that were losing money. I replaced them with high demand shops and 1 extra info booth.

5. I put coolers on the paths.

6. I made sure all the animals were happy. Any without mates, got some. Except the Aldabra Giant Tortoises. I put the parents on the pill. They had like 20 children and none of them were mature yet.

7. I added more education and conversation boards. (I also have 4 talk stands) Educated guests are happier. Ignorance is not bliss.

8. I let people back in.

9. I busied myself releasing animals into the wild and replacing animals as they died. (It was like year 60+ by then. )

This all took about 3+ hours bc I struggle placing things still. I was actually surprised when the gold popped up. In fact, I had just remembered I meant to turn on the PR perk in the staff rooms and was about to do that when it popped up.

Good luck to whoever follows. :)