Any Zoo Tycoon Fans?
<div class="IPBDescription">ZT2 is quite cool</div> I loved Zoo Tycoon (the origional and all of the expansions), but I didn't think my computer could handle the new version. I decided to get it and try it, and it doesn't need an uber computer to function (yay!). (My comp is turning 3 soon, so it's a little slow, but it still looks pretty.)
The game is based off of biomes, so it is arguably educational for little ones (I'm using that to sell the game to my dad for my 4th or 5th grade sister in bio). It seems to have about the same number of animals, there is a larger variety of consession stands, amd a smaller variety of decorations (though you can unlock more by completing campaigns). All in all I think it is definately a good buy, especially for animal lovers.
<b>Highlights: </b>If you want to be cheap you can do the zookeeping and maintence tasks yourself. There us also a Safari picture taking option thing. Fences don't deteriorate overtime. Animal who are supposed to have litters or multiple births do, and it is really easy to create natural exhibits in mere seconds with the "biome brush," which is effectivley spray on terrain (with rocks, trees wtc built in). Also you can build waterfalls. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> Oh, and all the paths are the same price (which makes sense because the guests aren't effected by the paths at all).
<b>Negatives:</b> In campaign mode you start with only 3 animals (unless there are specific cirumstances / objectives), and you need to increase in 'fame' (animal, and guest happiness among other things factor into this) in order to get more animals and other items. This can be a cool thing because it is something to work towards, but if you have favorite animals it might take awhile before you are able to get them into your zoo. You also only start with 2 path options, and even though you get more later I don't like mixing path colors throughout my park, so I find that to be annoying.
<b>Wierd thing: </b>Campaigns have unlimited time now.
So does anyone else like zoo tycoon, or has tried zt2?
The game is based off of biomes, so it is arguably educational for little ones (I'm using that to sell the game to my dad for my 4th or 5th grade sister in bio). It seems to have about the same number of animals, there is a larger variety of consession stands, amd a smaller variety of decorations (though you can unlock more by completing campaigns). All in all I think it is definately a good buy, especially for animal lovers.
<b>Highlights: </b>If you want to be cheap you can do the zookeeping and maintence tasks yourself. There us also a Safari picture taking option thing. Fences don't deteriorate overtime. Animal who are supposed to have litters or multiple births do, and it is really easy to create natural exhibits in mere seconds with the "biome brush," which is effectivley spray on terrain (with rocks, trees wtc built in). Also you can build waterfalls. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> Oh, and all the paths are the same price (which makes sense because the guests aren't effected by the paths at all).
<b>Negatives:</b> In campaign mode you start with only 3 animals (unless there are specific cirumstances / objectives), and you need to increase in 'fame' (animal, and guest happiness among other things factor into this) in order to get more animals and other items. This can be a cool thing because it is something to work towards, but if you have favorite animals it might take awhile before you are able to get them into your zoo. You also only start with 2 path options, and even though you get more later I don't like mixing path colors throughout my park, so I find that to be annoying.
<b>Wierd thing: </b>Campaigns have unlimited time now.
So does anyone else like zoo tycoon, or has tried zt2?
Comments
But if it is I might consider picking it up..
....like, people actually buy this stuff?
If you like rct and animals, it is a must buy!
(it's the first computer game I've bought for myself since half life)
zoo tycoon was okay i guess... not as good as rct
Oh, and Black and White does run on Windows XP. I've got mine working (although I'm not quite sure where the CD is at the moment). I do remember one thing I did to make it work: You copy the CD's contents onto your Hard-drive, so you can install it from their and run it as Windows98/95 compatible. Mine kept giving me dirty disc and read errors. You can try this, might work for you.
[I never bothered getting past the second island, however...well, maybe I got to the 3rd, but I didn't play it.]
It was always fun to build a nice lion cage and then purposly remove it <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Although after a while (especially an big maps) the game starts slowing down, even on a 3ghz cpu the amount of visitors becomes too high to be playable. These are the moments you close the park and release the Lions again <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Lets just say that after releasing the lions your visitor count falls through the floor <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
About a 'sandbox' mode try Arid Heights I think it is in the Corkscrew Follies expansion (but it's $10 now to buy the origional and both expansions together so there is no reason you shouldn't own all three), it is a very large dessert map where fund are unlimited. It is essentially a sandbox mode, it's very helpful if you like creating your own roller coasters especially. You can play campagins multiple times, so once you unlock it (which doesn't take too long) you have a freeform option. Plus since funds are unlimited it essentially is like letting you pick any map because you can put down any terrain you want, and change the elevation at will (I normally go for grass and leveling everything, except for my pond for the boat rides.
I really didn't like Black and White, I could just never get into it.
I liked B&W but got stuck on some fireballs-ever-burning-yer-village-iland. Fun part was when you got an allie I got his villagers to belive in me instead of him. Also if you were REALLY fast with picking upp stuff outside "belief-area" you could take the enemys villagers and sacrifice them, or drop posion in their food. B&W 2 is prolly gonna be great with villager warriors. But what I really loved was to teach your pet to do all spells (escpecially strength in combat, looking all beefed up against the enemy pet).