Games PC ZOO TYCOON User Manual

Quick Start

Build a Zoo in Four Easy Steps

The first thing your zoo needs is an exhibit for animals to
live in. Let’s build it!

1 Click the Construction button.

This button opens a panel with a bunch of tabs
on it. The tab with a fence on it should already be selected
for you—click it if it isn’t. Then click one of the fences.

2 Move the cursor to the grassy area. Click and drag the cursor

to construct a section of fence, and then release the mouse
button.

Do it again until you’ve made a
closed-in area.

You’ve built an exhibit! Click OK to
accept the displayed name or type a
new name in the box that pops up.

Now you need to place an animal inside your exhibit.

3 Click the Adopt Animals button.

This button opens a panel showing lots of animals
to pick from. Click one of them.

4 Move the cursor to the exhibit, and

then click anywhere inside the exhibit
to place your animal.

That’s it!

You’re ready to start building a bigger
and better zoo. Adopt more animals, hire staff members, and
accommodate the needs of your guests.

No animals were harmed in the making of this game.

X08-30459

M

SAFETY WARNING

About Photosensitive Seizures

A very small percentage of people may experience a seizure when exposed to certain
visual images, including flashing lights or patterns that may appear in video games.
Even people who have no history of seizures or epilepsy may have an undiagnosed
condition that can cause these “photosensitive epileptic seizures” while watching
video games.

These seizures may have a variety of symptoms, including lightheadedness, altered
vision, eye or face twitching, jerking or shaking of arms or legs, disorientation,
confusion, or momentary loss of awareness. Seizures may also cause loss of consciousness
or convulsions that can lead to injury from falling down or striking nearby objects.

Immediately stop playing and consult a doctor if you experience any of these
symptoms. Parents should watch for or ask their children about the above symptoms—
children and teenagers are more likely than adults to experience these seizures.

The risk of photosensitive epileptic seizures may be reduced by taking the following
precautions:

••

• Play in a well-lit room.

••

••

• Do not play when you are drowsy or fatigued.

••

If you or any of your relatives have a history of seizures or epilepsy, consult a doctor
before playing.

Information in this document, including URL and other Internet Web site references, is
subject to change without notice. Unless otherwise noted, the example companies,
organizations, products, domain names, e-mail addresses, logos, people, places and events
depicted herein are fictitious, and no association with any real company, organization,
product, domain name, e-mail address, logo, person, place or event is intended or should
be inferred. Complying with all applicable copyright laws is the responsibility of the user.
Without limiting the rights under copyright, no part of this document may be reproduced,
stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means
(electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), or for any purpose,
without the express written permission of Microsoft Corporation.

Microsoft may have patents, patent applications, trademarks, copyrights, or other
intellectual property rights covering subject matter in this document. Except as expressly
provided in any written license agreement from Microsoft, the furnishing of this document
does not give you any license to these patents, trademarks, copyrights, or other
intellectual property.

2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

©

Microsoft, MS-DOS, Windows, Windows NT, DirectX, and Zoo Tycoon are either registered
trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other
countries.

Developed by Blue Fang Games, L.L.C. for Microsoft Corporation.
BLUE FANG GAMES and the Blue Fang Games logo are trademarks of Blue Fang Games, L.L.C.

Zoo Tycoon

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of
their respective owners.

Getting Started

2

Playing Zoo Tycoon

Using the Zoo Tools

Construction ................................................................................................................................................. 5

Modifying the Zoo Terrain .......................................................................................................... 10

Adopt Animals ............................................................................................................................................ 14

Buy Structures ........................................................................................................................................... 18

Hire Staff ....................................................................................................................................................... 21

Managing Your Zoo

Undo Previous Action Button.....................................................................................................22

Clear Objects Tab ..................................................................................................................................22

Message List Tab .....................................................................................................................................22

Research and Conservation Tab .............................................................................................. 23

Scenario Information Tab ............................................................................................................. 23

Game Options Tab ................................................................................................................................ 24

Map ........................................................................................................................................................................25

3

4

22

Accessing Information About Your Zoo 26

Pause/Resume Game Button ....................................................................................................... 26

Current Date Bar ................................................................................................................................... 26

Available Cash Bar ................................................................................................................................ 26

Zoo Status Button .................................................................................................................................. 27

Animal List Button .............................................................................................................................. 28

Animal Happiness Bar....................................................................................................................... 29

Guest List Button .................................................................................................................................. 29

Guest Happiness Bar .......................................................................................................................... 30

Exhibit List Button ............................................................................................................................. 30

Staff List Button .................................................................................................................................... 31

Table of Contents

Animal, Guest, and Staff Information Panels 32

Animal Information Panel .............................................................................................................. 32

Guest Information Panel................................................................................................................. 34

Staff Information Panel ...................................................................................................................35

1

Getting Started

Playing Zoo Tycoon

Welcome to Zoo Tycoon™. You can now build your ultimate zoo!
Stock it with all kinds of exotic animals, put in tons of
objects, and include all sorts of attractions to attract more
guests as you build your perfect zoo.

To install Zoo Tycoon

11

1 Insert the Zoo Tycoon disc into your CD-ROM drive.

11

The main Setup screen will appear.

Note: If Setup does not begin automatically when the
disc is inserted, right-click My Computer, click Open,
double-click the CD-ROM drive, and then double-click
Setup.exe.

22

2 Click Install, and then follow the instructions that appear

22

on the screen.

When you first start Zoo Tycoon, you’re given a tutorial to
follow. After you complete the first tutorial, or after you exit
it on your own, you will be given the following options at the
Main menu.

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zoo objects from Microsoft or other players via the Internet or
from sources like a CD-ROM. If you connect to a Microsoft
server, the game will compare the Zoo Tycoon files on your
hard drive to the latest versions on the Microsoft server and
update the files, if necessary.

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Freeform Game Zoo Maps

If you’re new to Zoo Tycoon, choose a small zoo because it
will be easier to manage. You can preset how much money
your zoo will have before you start playing. The less money
you have when the game starts, the more challenging the
game will be.

Playing Zoo Tycoon

Zoo Tycoon

32

Using the Zoo Tools

Design exhibits that keep the animals happy. A well-cared-for
animal is more likely to frolic and generally seems “happier”
to guests. Guests will stay longer in your zoo if they see
playful animals in attractive exhibits. This means more money
for your zoo because guests buy more food, beverages, and
gifts the longer they stay in the zoo. More money allows you
to build bigger and better exhibits and to stock them with
more exotic animals.

Construction

Building a good exhibit means giving the animals
adequate space, allowing guests to see the animals clearly,
stocking the exhibit with the right foliage and terrain
features, and making sure that zookeepers have easy access
to the animals. Clicking the Construction button opens a
panel containing a set of zoo tools that allows you to do
all of these activities.

Using the Tools

A good zoo manager:

Constructs exciting exhibits.

••

•

••

Makes animals and guests happy.

••

•

••

Manages funds effectively.

••

•

••

Hires hardworking staff members.

••

•

••

Oversees research and conservation programs.

••

•

••

Makes the zoo beautiful.

••

•

••

The zoo tools help you perform all
of these tasks. The Zoo Tycoon
interface has four large buttons,
located along the upper-left side
of the screen. You will use these
buttons in building your zoo.
Names and descriptions of each
button follow.

Click the right

mouse button

to deselect any

tool you’ve

chosen.

Construction

button

Undo

Previous

Action button

Fences tab

Zoo Paths tab

Foliage tab

Rocks tab

Ter rain Ty pe
tab

Terra in Hei ght
tab

Manual Gate
Placement
button

Zoo Tycoon

4 5

Fences Tab

Fences define the boundary of
an exhibit. The fence must fully
enclose an area in order for the
exhibit to house animals. The
outside back cover of this manual
contains instructions for building
a fence.

Guests prefer a fence that gives them an unobstructed view
of the animals in the exhibit, as well as one that allows them
to feel close to the animals. Some animals, however, like the
privacy that a solid fence provides. You will have to decide
which fence type is best for each exhibit and animal.

As exhibit fences age, they wear out and must be replaced to
prevent animals from escaping. Maintenance workers repair
fences, or you can replace them yourself.

Fence Type s

You can choose to build tall or
short fences. Tall fences keep
big animals from escaping but
are harder to see past than short
fences. Short fences won’t restrain
big animals, but they’re easier to
see past. Short fences will not
hold back animals that can climb
or jump.

Exhibit fences are used to contain
animals. You can also build
decorative fences that will beautify your zoo.

Everything

placed within

the fence

becomes a part

of the exhibit.

Some animals can

escape over certain

types of fences.

You may need

to build natural

obstacles, such

as moats, to

keep animals in

their exhibits.

Exhibit Space

Most animals are happier with
larger exhibits, but large exhibits
are expensive to build. You must
judge for yourself how much space
is adequate to keep the animal
from becoming unhappy. You can
start with a small exhibit and then
make it larger by adding additional fence segments later.

Some animals require more space than others, with cheetahs
requiring the most space and chimpanzees, gazelles, and
wildebeests requiring the least.

Six fence

segments per

side is a good

start for a

basic exhibit.

Exhibit Gates

The exhibit gate is used by zookeepers to enter exhibits so
they can care for the animals. You can get information about
the exhibit by clicking the gate, which produces the Exhibit
List panel (see page 30). The game automatically puts a gate
in the exhibit’s fence, or you can place it yourself.

To place a gate in a new location

Click the Manual Gate Placement button, and then

••

•

••

click the segment of fence where you want the gate to
be located.

The closer exhibit gates are to each other, the more efficient
the zookeepers will be in tending to the animals. Don’t block
the exhibit gate with objects; zookeepers need to easily get
in and out of the exhibit.

Using the Tools

Zoo Tycoon

6 7

Zoo Paths Tab

Fol iage Tab

Guests will become lost if they don’t have paths to
follow. Staff members don’t need paths.

To build a path

11

1 Click the Zoo Paths tab, and then click the type of path

11

you want.

22

2 Move the cursor to the area of the zoo where you want

22

the path to start, click and drag the cursor to build a
section of path, and then release the mouse button to
end the path.

If you’re not satisfied with the path you’ve built, you can
remove it by clicking the Undo Previous Action button.

Paths will connect with each other as long as the terrain
is flat or slopes gently. If it doesn’t, you may be left with
a broken path (see illustration below). If there are sharp
inclines or cliffs, smooth the terrain with the terrain leveling
tools (see page 13).

Clicking the Foliage tab gives you
access to a variety of trees and
bushes that are important to the
happiness of the zoo animals.
Check the selected plant’s habitat
and location information (located
at the bottom of the Foliage
panel) to make sure an animal will
like the foliage in its exhibit.

To p i a r y

Topiary (plants shaped to look like
animals) is expensive but worth it
if you’re interested in beautifying
your zoo.

Don’t put a tree next to

a fence if you

have animals

that can climb—

they’ll use the

tree to escape!

Try not to place trees

in front of areas where

guests are likely

to stop to view

the animals. If

guests can’t see the

animals, the guests

will become unhappy.

Flowerbeds

Colorful flowerbeds add to the
beauty of your zoo and please guests.

Rocks Tab

Some animals enjoy climbing on rocks. If an animal
likes rocks but doesn’t find any—or enough—in its exhibit,
it may not like the exhibit and become unhappy.

Note that both foliage and rocks can be placed in an exhibit
for animals—but foliage and rocks can also be placed around
the zoo grounds to beautify them.

Using the Tools

Broken path

Zoo Tycoon

8 9