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Simmerville's avatar
Simmerville
Seasoned Ace
2 months ago

Is there a ZOO in your game?

I just built a Zoo in Ciudad Enamorada, and it was so much fun planning and testing it! I just posted about it on my blog, but I'd also like to hear about other zoos out there, and to discuss possible improvements to mine.

I chose to build it on a residential lot, and just pretend it is a full community service. This way he zookeeper family can reside there. I think it's more fun actually trying to keep up with chores than to just visit. Now, a family can visit the keeper family and then look around as if they visited a community lot zoo. I need to test m ore with visitors, though :) While playing the keepers household, they can attract a few visitors by running a backyard sale. 

The little zoo shop is also a way to bring in money, based on produce from the zoo (eggs, honey, milk, wool etc).

It's a bit hard to add special animals, as we don't have that many. So, there are basically farm animals, and a couple CC additions and a couple deco animals. I plan to add animal clothes eventually. There is a room for exhibitions, where I plan displaying photos/painting related to wild animals.

Do anyone know if it would be possible to add the animated snake from Selvadorada?

Pls share about your own zoo or possible ideas ;)

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  • elliebreton's avatar
    elliebreton
    Seasoned Ace
    2 months ago

    I never thought of making a zoo. We have quite a few animals now, even without cc. Horses, cows, sheep, llama, goats, foxes (small dog), rabbits, birds, racoons (cat) and chickens. That's quite a few for one Lot! There's also that event - Ranch Gathering - to show off the animals. I've never had one but it sounds like it might be a good way to get visitors to attend.

    Awww, you've set my imagination off now, I want to build one! The occupying family could be dressed in zoo uniforms and if I play as a visitor it would give a chance to horse ride without owning a horse.

    UPDATE: So... initially I was thinking of the Watson Lot, Olde Mill Hill, which is a 64x64 in Henford and has a nice division already in place for animals. I don't know if it looks too housey though and not commercial enough. There's also no room left for racoon and fox pens unless I start doing some major overhauling.

    I wish we could edit the lot type of the centre park in San Myshuno - I'd like to make a commercial style city zoo and that would be an awesome spot for one.

    • Simmerville's avatar
      Simmerville
      Seasoned Ace
      2 months ago

      Oi, that looks very nice! And on the 64x64 you got more space. My two horses have a decent stable but the outdoors is real small. I was planning to allow visitors riding, but wish there was some more space for that. In the town there is traffic right outside the main fences, but you can benefit from the endless countryside.

      I think a zoo won't need all facilities from day one. It will be fun making adjustments eventually, perhaps one new attraction every so and so. Your sheep and goats sections seems rather spacious, I'd easily squeeze in a small themed exhibit area (insect farms?) there.

      And I see you remembered the bird tree, which I totally forgot! It is quite small so even my zoo should find a free spot for i :)

      What's your main plan for income?

    • Simmerville's avatar
      Simmerville
      Seasoned Ace
      2 months ago

      Forgot to mention - the Ranch Gathering sounds interesting! I never tried that before, i rarely throw any events at all. I gotta test this one! :)

      • elliebreton's avatar
        elliebreton
        Seasoned Ace
        2 months ago

        I haven't tried any ranch events either - let me know how it goes! I didn't think about insect farms - yes, I could put those in too, and bees. I would think the income can come from all the produce sold - there will be milk from the cow and goats, wool from the llama and sheep, honey and beeswax from the bees, eggs from the chickens, and fish from the pond if it was stocked with decent-priced ones. If there was time, there could also be horse racing, though just looking after so many animals will take up lots of time!

  • crocobaura's avatar
    crocobaura
    Seasoned Ace
    2 months ago

    If you add the fox lot challenge you can also have foxes in your zoo. You could pretend they escaped their enclosure. Also, there's swans and crocodile effects for the ponds. 

  • Bonxie_MCCC's avatar
    Bonxie_MCCC
    Seasoned Veteran
    2 months ago

    You might have a look at Bakie's mods at MTS. They "freed" a loot of animated animals which are usually only a part of the environment and not available for the user. Don't know whether this is the snake you're looking for, but at least it is an animated snake:
    https://modthesims.info/d/658398/animated-placeable-reptiles-desert-snake-lizard.html

    The Macaws might also be a good addition to your zoo:
    https://modthesims.info/d/610197/animated-placeable-birds-macaws.html

    There are also more animated objects/animals available on their MTS site:
    https://modthesims.info/m/3751119

    • Simmerville's avatar
      Simmerville
      Seasoned Ace
      2 months ago

      Ah, thanks! I used several of Bakie's mods in the past, they always work well. Already have the rabbits and some birds, but will check out the snake+reptiles and macaws! Birds taking off and landing will probably be weird in a cage, though.

      It's a pity the biggest lot in CE is not a 64x64. My zoo has no room for larger installments. Would be fun if visitors stood by the fence waiting to get a glimpse of the animal in the distance, perhaps behind those shrubs, wasn't that something moving? Is it coming this way?!!!  :)  But no, the plots are just too small to exhibit something that nobody ever got to see :)

      • Bonxie_MCCC's avatar
        Bonxie_MCCC
        Seasoned Veteran
        2 months ago

        I guess it won't look weird if the macaws are not caged but free to fly on the lot. Quite the opposite.

  • rosemow's avatar
    rosemow
    Hero
    2 months ago

    Your Zoo is very creatively great! 🙂 You have designed it so well! Very nice layout. The animal areas  are great and very nice bee exhibition. It is very nice that there is a zoo shop where sims can buy items produced at the zoo.

  • EmmaVane's avatar
    EmmaVane
    Seasoned Veteran
    2 months ago

    You might consider using the "Ranch Animal Day" event from Horse Ranch as a way to attract visitors/earn money while playing as the Zoo Keeper. It's basically designed as a way to run a petting zoo:

    > You can invite random unknown sims, which for a public venue would make sense. This is a feature of the 2 events that came with HR.
    > Guest/Helper Sims will interact/care for animals autonomously, so the animals get some socialisation and some needs met.
    > Reward/Prize for hosting event is cash, so it pays for upkeep/improvements.
    > You can host them whenever you want, so can take time off from hosting as needed, or add in market days for the produce sales.
    > Friends of the resident can also host parties on Residential lots, so you could also host them from "guest" households (who have met and befriended the Zoo Keeper and added them to guest list) and then gift some/all of the prize money to the Zoo Keeper for upkeep.

    • Simmerville's avatar
      Simmerville
      Seasoned Ace
      2 months ago

      Awesome! This will be brilliant for a zoo run on a residential lot. Thanks!

  • K-bobster's avatar
    K-bobster
    New Scout
    2 months ago

    That is sooo cooool. I never thought of doing that. Is it on the gallery?

    Do you think the animated snake is in debug?

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