I can never get started

[Undead_Hare]

I love this game and I really wanna get good at it, But I just can't seem to get started, no matter what I do I just don't have the ability to work on a zoo past building some paths for it, then I get super frustrated that they arent pretty enough and just give up on the build entirely. I want out of this cycle, I wanna know how to get into a build and be able to get through the planning to building the habitats without ripping my hair out and giving up.

[grampers62]

I usually suggest one begins with a backstory. It need not be too detailed, just enough to give a place and a theme to the zoo. As you begin to create the zoo, think about what you are doing and how it relates to the story. As your zoo develops so will your story.
As for actually creating the zoo, think small. Yes, think small!
Begin your zoo with some exhibit facilities. Don't get too excited about adding habitats yet. Instead get some zoo facilities in place. Then add a few shops. Because you are going slow it's good to start creating a theme for those facilities as you place them. remember the theme from your story?
So now that you have a few exhibits up and turning a cash profit, it's time for a few habitats. Again, keep thinking small. Small easy to keep and easy to breed species. Remember to think about how those species fit your story and how that story guides you to decorate the habitats. That will get a good flow of guests in your zoo so that soon you can start adding bigger species.
Don't get too ahead of yourself and thinking about what comes next till you wrap up what you are working on. But do think about how the zoo will grow and be sure to have large paths leading away from your entrance. It will pay off later even if it isn't busy right away. Also think about where the major habitats will be and be sure to have those big paths ready to connect up with them.

Boy that's a lot of information! But relax, it will sort of flow if you follow up on your story.

[speerbauch]

I do feel so much, what you mean. I watch youtube videos and become really motivated. And I start a sandbox zoo and place some things. And get frustrated and uninspired within minutes. And that with over 3000 hrs in the game. My resort are the comunitychallenges and franchise mode. I just don't have the creativity, ability and patience to be a builder.
What also works out a little better, is staying in a scenario zoo after finishing the tasks and build from there. I find it easier to follow a given concept than come up with one from scratch.
I enjoy watching PZ streams and videos and keep playing my ugly but good running zoos with focus on breeding.
This probably doesn't help your issue, but: you are not alone with it. And if you follow grampers ideas, you might find the hang of it. Please share your results, if you do 🙂

[grampers62]

It's also worth noting that many of us creators put building sets in the workshop. Usually they carry a theme that can be exploited to create an entire zoo without thinking up how to build things. It's just select and place from the blueprints. Often times I include the building kit that features pre-built wall sections that can be combined to create additional buildings in the the theme.
So if you find a building in the workshop you like you should check out their workshop for more things. And it can also help to subscribe to a few things in styles you like and take them apart to see how they were made.

[lPaladinl]

Paths in Planet Zoo definitely feel more complicated than they need to be. Zoo Tycoon was very straightforward by comparison.

And then once you master the paths system, it's exhibit fences that will drive you nuts when they don't want to extend to your path corners.

[spderweb]

I felt overwhelmed at first, starting a new zoo. So I made a plan to build a beaver habitat with underwater viewing. It was a big challenge. When I was finished, I started to build around it as the base for the whole park. It quickly became a North American zoo. Has three zones so far: Wetland, Forest, and Arctic.

[Gypsy464]

@undead_hare. I agree with Grampers62, use the items builders put in the workshop. I struggled with this at first too. I used to feel like using workshop items by other builders was 'cheating' or 'being lazy' but you have to work with your strengths, take your time, and when you feel ready you can break apart some of the items you downloaded to see how they are put together. Eventually you will get confident and do your own build. That's where I am at now. Still struggle and my builds are not perfect but every build I do gets a little better. I started small (focus on building a keeper hut shell only or a shell for the toilet) and use in-game blueprints for all other buildings. Also, I hear a lot of content creators talk about how they use reference photos, so google photos of 'modern' buildings or 'log cabins' and use a reference photo for inspiration and to keep you on track. Good luck!

[canis39]

If you get frustrated with pathing before you ever get to habitat-building, maybe try making a habitat first and then do pathing once it's done.

Being overwhelmed or paralyzed or frustrated with this game is pretty common, it just offers so many possibilities. I think it helps to start small, one habitat at a time, one small area at a time, and next thing you know, you've got a little zoo on your hands.

[Aethuviel]

You got a lot of great advice already, but here is my take:

I felt this a lot a couple of months ago (got the game last summer).
I have spent this time in my "test zoo", in sandbox with no guests (for now at least). I put whatever animals I want there, and try to make things pretty. After getting comfortable with the building system a bit more, I realized all my habitats look like bare-bones Zoo Tycoon building, a paddock with pretty stuff put down randomly.

So I watched a bunch of different videos on jaguar habitats and decided to make a better jaguar habitat, specifically. I'm not done with it, but I also tore up my two ungulate habitats and am just going to remake those, before I flesh out the rest of the zoo (sectioned by region, like "South America", "Africa", "India").

During all of this, I haven't built anything for guests, and staff stuff has only been plopped down with blueprints at the bare minimum. Now, after trying to mimic what I've seen in YouTube videos and real zoos, I feel comfortable to SLOWLY start fleshing it out.

And use other people's blueprints. I have a ton of spiders and other exhibit species in this zoo, but could not for the life of me set out to build my own bug house - so I used a blueprint found in the workshop, and feel comfortable customizing a bit here and there, like if I want to change out the floor or add scenery.

It's baby steps, and it's a bit like writer's block. The best thing I've ever heard about fighting writer's block is "allow yourself to write garbage", or, the next step "force yourself to write garbage". That makes you lose the fear of not doing well enough, because whatever you make will be better than that.

[clinkenstein]

Just let it look ugly, I know it's hard but the more you add to it overtime the better it will look then when you hone your skills it'll be easier to make a plan and map stuff out ect ect. I also have this problem and that's what I'm doing, I have started the same zoo over and over for more money though but it gets bigger and more detailed each time, Progress.

[wildjenmonster]

Originally posted by clinkenstein:

Just let it look ugly, I know it's hard but the more you add to it overtime the better it will look then when you hone your skills it'll be easier to make a plan and map stuff out ect ect. I also have this problem and that's what I'm doing, I have started the same zoo over and over for more money though but it gets bigger and more detailed each time, Progress.

Yes!! Let it look ugly! This is such great advice. Focus on mastering the gameplay and then bring in the aesthetic afterwards

[grampers62]

It is really all about developing skills. Most people will take a while to figure out how to do things and then a a bit more time to figure out *what they like*.
Little steps here and there...
Learn from what we don't like...
Take time to develop our own style of building and managing a zoo.

There is no wrong way or bad way as long as one learns and grows from the experience.
For a little insight on developing style just visit my workshop. Compare the things from long ago to the more recent things to see how a player can grow their style and the diversity of things. Remember that I've been doing creative things for a very long time so don't let any of it discourage you or make things you've done seem poor or bad.