Zoo Tycoon 2

Zoo Tycoon 2
Zoo Tycoon 2
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Developer(s)	Blue Fang Games
Publisher(s)	Microsoft Game Studios
Engine	Gamebryo
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows, Mobile Phone, Macintosh
Release	November 2004
Genre(s)	3D Simulation
Mode(s)	Single player

Zoo Tycoon 2 is a simulation computer game in which the player must successfully create and run a zoo, by managing its finances, employees and animal exhibits. The goal is to become a "zoo tycoon".

It was developed by Blue Fang Games and produced by Microsoft Games in competition with Zoo Empire.

General game play

Freeform

A freeform game in Zoo Tycoon 2 allows you to create the zoo of your choice, the only restriction being space. The player's money supply is unlimited, and all items are available from the beginning of the game play (Except those that can only be unlocked in Scenario and Challenge games). Freeform games begin with an empty zoo, to which the player adds animal exhibits and guest facilities (such as restaurants and bathrooms), hiring employees to staff and maintain them.

Challenge

Challenge games are the equivalent of previous Zoo Tycoon freeform games. In this type of game, the player's money supply is limited, and not all items are ready for immediate use and stocks of an animal species are limited. Game play is the same as freeform, except that the player must make a profit in order to keep the zoo running, and certain items must be researched before they become available for use.

This mode will occasionally give the player extra challenges. Some of them will involve creating habitats for specific animals. Other photo challenges will involve snapping a picture of a designated animal doing a specific behavior, such as running or hunting.

When a specific number of regular challenges, endangered species challenges (Endangered Species expansion required), or photo challenges are completed, a specific theme for buildings are available, allowing versions of the player's restrooms, food stands, scenery, and other items to be constructed altered for that theme.

Campaign

A campaign is a game form in which the player must complete a goal to win. Each campaign gives the player a certain task to achieve (such as constructing a particular exhibit or gaining a specific award), and when the goal is met, the player moves onto the next.

Campaigns can range from simple construction tasks to creating and managing a popular zoo for several years. As the player progresses through the campaign, the scenarios become harder. After the player completes the last scenario, a reward is obtained, usually a new building, or allowing the player to take on an entirely new campaign.

Animals

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A Screenshot from the game of the Giant Panda.

These are all of the animals from the original Zoo Tycoon 2 (without expansions). There are more in expansions and downloads.

Ambient Animals

Bonus Downloads

Bonus downloads can be added to the game for free either by downloading them via the in-game menu, or by the 'extras' section of the official website. The Asiatic Black Bear is only accessible to those with the Mobile Phone version of the game; when photo challenges are completed, a website to the download is provided.

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The bonus download Asian elephant.

Another animal download is due to come out sometime this year.

Expansions

Endangered Species

In October 2005, Microsoft released the Zoo Tycoon 2: Endangered Species expansion pack. This expansion pack adds more rare animals, including the komodo dragon, scimitar-horned oryx, and orangutan, as well as a number of new forms of transportation, including sky trams, jeep tours and elevated paths. The expansion also has a feature called "variant skins", which means that when the player adopts an animal, it may look different from normal members of its species (such as a Bengal tiger being white).

With the addition of this expansion pack, the player can create a Jeep Wrangler or Commander tour through the zoo's exhibits, or a sky tram route. Elevated paths allow visitors to walk right above the exhibits, giving a very good view of the animals, and even allow food courts to be built above enclosures. It also introduces Grassland animals.

The new maps included in the expansion all have conservation areas where you can't put in non-natural objects, with the exception of enrichment items.

African Adventure

Zoo Tycoon 2: African Adventure, released May 2006, adds various new African animals such as the bongo, secretary bird, and the meerkat, allows the player to drive through savannah exhibits with African-themed jeep tours to get closer to them. The expansion pack also includes new maps based on well-known African locations, as well as new desert-themed buildings and lizard live food, and a new set of challenges and campaigns. The Jeep vehicle tours originally included in Endangered Species are featured in this expansion, with the addition of the new Jeep Liberty.

One of the biggest features of the expansion is the herding and pack hunting behavior. A lone lion attempting to take on a herd of wildebeest will get attacked if it wanders too close. On the other hand, a pride of lions against a lone wildebeest will work together to hunt it down.

Marine Mania

Released on 17 October 2006, Zoo Tycoon 2: Marine Mania features 20 new aquatic animals, such as the California sea lion, goblin shark and short-finned pilot whale. The expansion also includes marine plants, the ability to build tanks, animal shows, minigames to train your animals tricks,and 4 new aquatic biomes (reef, coastal, pelagic,and benthic), and new scenarios. Changes have been made to the original method of biome layout.

Extinct Animals

Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct Animals, is planned for April 2007. Confirmation of animals has not yet occurred, but it has been confirmed that there are 20 of them, and what can be presumed to be a Coelodonta (wooly rhinoceros) and a Smilodon (sabre tooth cat) or possibly a Thylacine (tasmanian tiger) were shown in a promotional video. The video also shows an entertainer dressed as a tiger, most likely a new staff member, and some kind of mammoth statue, fountain or skeleton.

Premium Downloads

The following are not true expansion packs, but are mini-packs available on the official site. They aren't counted as bonus downloads because they're not free.

Dino Danger Pack

The Dino Danger Pack was released at the end of July 2006. It is only available as a "Premium Download" on the official Zoo Tycoon website. It adds four new animals to the game. They are Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops, Carnotaurus, and Styracosaurus. There is also a new animal enrichment item, two new food items, the King Sago Palm, and a new Challenge and Campaign. It includes a new type of fence suited for dinosaurs as well.

The Dino Danger Pack can be purchased for $4.99 and downloaded at Zoo Tycoon Premium Downloads

(More mini pack will appear this year or maybe 2008

Zookeeper Collection

Zoo Tycoon 2: Zookeeper Collection was released in October 2006. It includes the original game as well as the Endangered Species and African Adventure expansions. It includes some Marine Mania features, such as the new mode of biome layout.

Competition

Since the release of Zoo Tycoon in 2001, many other companies have imitated the gameplay, and the concept of running a zoo. The followers since include Rollercoaster Tycoon 3: Wild!, Wildlife Park 2, and Zoo Empire. All of these have different gameplay and content, but all have the same basic concept.

User Objects

Thanks to certain tutorials and good thinking, one with certain abilities can create objects of his/her own, such as new animals, packs, objects, buildings, plants and gifts purchased by guests.

Most user made downloads are the same as the entity they were made from with an edited texture, but 'mesh editing' allows one to change the 'model' of the object. Mesh editing is new and full of glitches, and can be done using a program like Blender and 3D Studio Max.

Miscellaneous Facts

Without any expansion, Zoo Tycoon 2 has 30 species of animals, and with all the expansions and downloads, 98.
The very first bonus download for Zoo Tycoon 2 was the black leopard and stuffed prey dummy.
Zoo Tycoon 2 has ten biomes, but four more are included in Marine Mania.
The animals required for five stars in all expansions are the giant panda, Florida panther, Ethiopian wolf, Tyrannosaurus rex, orca, and white shark.
There is also a Macintosh and Mobile phone version of Zoo Tycoon 2, however, none of the second version expansion packs are available for these platforms.

Cheats

From Menus

Screaming: In the menu, if you click on freeform, campaign, or challenge mode and spin the globe around in there really fast, you can hear people screaming.
More money: On the main menu when you're about to play a challenge or campaign game, hold the 'up' arrow key over the starting money and your budget will shoot up.in Marine Mania, this cheat was removed.

In Game

Crouch: While in guest mode, hold down the 'X' key to crouch down for good photos and to get a better look at smaller animals.
Run: To walk in Guest mode, either press the up arrow or the left mouse button...but to run, hold both down together at the same time.
Dive: While in Guest mode and in a water tank, scroll up with your mouse wheel.
Rise to surface: While in Guest mode and in a water tank, scroll down with your mouse wheel.
Jump: While in guest mode on land roll your mouse wheel to jump.
Getting Rid of poop: If you press open/put in crate botton really fast you will get an empty crate, then when you put the crate over poop the poop will disapear.

External Links