Hayo Zookeepers,
The sun has set on summer once again and with it come some Planet Zoo news! We hope you enjoyed the announcement of Sounds of Summer, a musical experience of 12 chill-hop tracks to enjoy for all the lo-fi fans out there. If you missed it then fret not, you can find all the information you need here.
However, that's not all! Introducing the 1.11 free update which will be making its way to you on 18 October. Keep on reading below to see what you can look forward to!
Educator Exhibit Demonstrations
Ever wanted to get up close and personal with your exhibit animals? Well, now you can - or your guests can, at least!
As of Update 1.11, Educators will be able to take exhibit animals out and hold them for display and demonstration when giving talks to guests. This will be available for a wide variety of species but not all, as very large, dangerous and/or unsafe species will not be included (such as the Common Death Adder and the Golden Poison Frog). After all, we want to keep both your Educators and guests safe!
During Talks, an Educator will proceed to showcase them to guests, before resuming the talk as normal. Educators will either hold them one-handed, two-handed, or on their shoulder depending on species, so play around and see how your favourites are held!
Alongside this, Animal Talk Points will now display an image on their base of the animal that is being spoken about to make it easier for you to know what's happening at a glance.
Customisable Exhibit Backdrops
Your Exhibits are getting another upgrade too with the addition of customisable 2D backdrops! Now you can change the background image of your Exhibits to anything you want, allowing you to personalise and theme your Exhibits in an entirely new way! Do you have a themed area of your Zoo that you want to add a design for? Or maybe you just want to feature your own pictures from your favourite Zoo trips - anything is possible! We can't wait to see what designs you come up with.
As a default option, all of the 4 current 2D facades will be available to use on any exhibit so you can change their theming to suit the area instead of the species if so desired.
Exhibit Population Management
Thought that was all? Nope! Exhibits are getting a management upgrade with the new Population Management Tab.
We know the rate at which Exhibit animals reproduce can be....quite fast! So now you will be able to automatically handle the overpopulation of your exhibits. With the ability to set different rules for the males and females of the species, you'll be able to ensure your Exhibits are properly maintained. Set your max population count for each, your priority filters (such as if they should be removed by oldest first), and then decide what to do with the excess - put them in storage, sell them, or release them to the wild.
If you have friends in your Exhibits that you're worried about, don't fret! You can set custom exemptions on specific animals that will override your management filters, so your favourite animals are safe and sound.
Exhibit Camera Improvements
Last, but certainly not least, your Exhibit Cameras are getting an upgrade.
The Interior Camera has been improved to allow you a better view of inside your Exhibits, and you can get up close and personal with your animals with the all-new Orbit mode. This will be familiar as it works similarly to the Habitat Camera and will lock on and track whichever animal is selected.
New Biome Skirts
Your maps are getting an upgrade too with a set of brand new biome skirts!
Create a new look for your zoos with 12 new biome skirts and 1 reskin design to allow you even more variation when determining the look of your landscape.
Ramp Terrain Stamp
To allow you even more terrain variation (and an easier time producing it!) we're also introducing a brand new Ramp Terrain Stamp!
This terrain modification tool will allow you to easily create ramps, both as upward hills, and downward slopes. With the ability to customise the length, width, and slope of the ramp, it'll be easier than ever before to customise your layout - and easier to create inclined paths!
Piebald
Piebaldism describes patterns of unpigmented spots across an animal's skin or coat, resulting in some really unique-looking variants. This rare genetic expression is added as a new colourmorph to some species in Planet Zoo. As of Update 1.11, you'll be able to discover and enjoy this look on your Nyala, Pronghorn Antelope and Springbok!
New Animal Behaviour - Escapes!
Escaped animals will now get up to even more mischief, with a range of new behaviours that will diversify the way escaped animals act. For example, escaped animals will now have the ability to attack bins! If an animal of large enough size escapes, they will proceed to knock over bins they come across and eat the garbage inside - ick! Don't worry though, as the trash is just food waste left by guests, it won't cause a disease risk to your animals. However, it still isn't healthy for your animals and will impact the quality of their last meal. Make sure to quickly return them to their enclosures and provide them with a safe and healthy snack from the comfort of their habitat.
Sounds of Summer - Speaker Upgrade
We're continuing the celebration of Sounds of Summer by bringing it to your Zoos! As of Update 1.11, you'll be able to play any of the tracks from Sounds of Summer through your in-game Speakers. Allow your guests to relax with 12 new chill-hop tracks inspired by the Planet Zoo soundtrack, and enjoy a lo-fi experience as you kick back and relax and build your Zoo.
That's not all! From today you will be able to find Sounds of Summer on multiple streaming services! Just search for "Planet Zoo: Sounds of Summer" and enjoy. You can find it in places including, but not limited to:
To our very talented Planet Zoo content creators, you'll be delighted to know that these tracks are also entirely DMCA-free, so you can use every single track on your Planet Zoo livestreams and YouTube videos without worrying about content strikes. (Make sure it’s Planet Zoo though!)
For full information on Sounds of Summer and to listen to all of the tracks, head on over to this post.
On top of all of this, Update 1.11 will come with various bug fixes and improvements as always. You'll be able to read these in full in the patch notes upon release on 18 October.
Lastly, tune in later today for a special livestream on our Twitch and Youtube with some of the CM team! We'll be going live at 17:00 BST, don't miss out!
Never miss any Planet Zoo news by keeping up on our social media. You can find us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. We also have our usual community streams every Tuesday at 17:00 BST on Youtube and Twitch.
What are you most looking forward to in Update 1.11? Let us know below ⬇️