Planet Zoo update 1.3 has just launched as a free update. The new Planet Zoo update has brought tons of new features and items to help make your zoos even better.
Frontier Developments are once again showing us that they listen to the community by adding new features that have players have been shouting out for.
Animal Color Variations:
You’ve always been able to name animals which is a great way to make your animals feel more individual. Now that’s been taken a step further with colour variations.
Frontier has stuck to natural color variants that can be found in the wild or zoos in real life. One of the things I love about Planet Zoo is the realism and attention to detail in the animals.
You can now see specific colors and patterns for animals from the animal market to help you with breeding.
Personally I find this to be one of the most exciting Planet Zoo updates to date. I really enjoy the ability to make a unique and lively looking zoo.
The Planet Zoo patch notes specifically mentioned the following new color genes for the species below:
- 6% (approx.) of the Jaguar population are now Black Jaguars
- Bird and Reptile Albinism or Leucism are now more likely than before; in-line with natural results
- Llama color morphs are extremely common, and follow the same breeding rules as albinos, with an additional set of colour variations
Exhibit animals have not had any color updates. Frontier has said they do not feel with the density of exhibits that the updates would be overly noticeable.
Animal Food Management Page:
Food management has been one of the most frustrating things about Planet Zoo for me. Planet Zoo 1.3 updates new food management and it’s an absolute breeze.
Everything you could need to see about animal’s food care is all under one easy to use window.
- The projected food costs for the year
- How many keepers are assigned to look after your animals in a habitat
- How much time has passed since your animals were last fed
- Whether your animals are hungry or not
- The total cost per year for feeding all of your animals.
- The total number of keepers in the zoo
- The total number of keepers assigned to habitats
- The total number of keepers not assigned to habitats
As well as seeing all this data, you can also make changes like lowering or increasing the food quality.
New Planet Zoo 1.3 Sandbox Map:
“A brand new landscape set in a location to be revealed soon! With new terrain textures, surroundings and sky.”
— Frontier Developments – Planet Zoo
A very vague patch note has been added about a new sandbox map that has been included in the free Planet Zoo 1.3 update.
Timed Scenario in Estonia:
An interesting timed scenario based in Estonia in which you don’t just try and complete the timed challenges, but must also keep and maintain the challenges or they will become considered incomplete again.
Vending Machines:
Vending machines are something I’ve really been wanting to see in Planet Zoo. So when I saw these had been added in the patch notes, I couldn’t wait to get on and try them out.
The idea of being able to increase revenue without actually taking up too much space is a great way to micro-manage your park space while maintaining a steady revenue.
The vending machines do not satisfy food and drinks needs for guests as much as shops do, but still, they are a great cheaper alternative for your guests.
Vending machines work the same way as bins and benches do and do not connect to a path in the same way as a shop does.
Staff Management & Multi-Select:
Again, another update allowing us to manage on mass. This time it allows us to select multiple members of staff for training, promotions and work zones:
- Train multiple Staff at once
- Give multiple Staff pay rises (in increments of $10)
- Assign multiple Staff to work zones
- Fire multiple members of Staff at once.
This was another thing about the game that I found myself forgetting to do, mostly due to the fact that once my zoo had grown, the staff management was a daunting task. Now it can be done in mere moments.
Quality of Life Updates:
Dismiss Zoo Alerts:
Remember all those annoying alerts? While they are meant to be helpful, some of them, to be honest, were just really annoying. Well, now we can use the trash icon to get rid of them.
Scenery Light Toggle:
You can now pick what time you want lights to come on or turn off, instead of them just coming on at night and turning off in the morning.
New Scenery Items:
I tend to buy all of the DLC’s when they come out, simply because I love the new scenery items. So when I hear they are coming out in a free Planet Zoo update, this makes me even happier.
We’re thrilled to bring you additional creativity with new scenery assets! The foliage includes plants and smaller sapling trees to compliment their larger cousins, while we’re adding in three new paths, and the free rocks have been made to complement our new Biome.
Frontier Developments – Planet Zoo
New paths are a welcomed addition, if you are anything like me, I love making separate themed areas in my Zoo. Having new paths will be a great addition to really making these areas stand out.
