Zoo Tycoon: Known game play issues

This article lists the known game play issues with Microsoft Zoo Tycoon.

General Issues

• The leftovers from buildings are masking the game statistics that are displayed in the lower right corner of the window. There is no workaround for this issue.
• Maintenance workers cannot be assigned any jobs nor do they have any duties assigned. To resolve this issue, remove and then reinstall the game on a clean booted computer.
• During some seasons, the game designers created special effects that you may notice. For example, on October 31st you will see witches flying on broom sticks, and the people in the zoo will all have orange shirts.

Specific Configuration Issues

Blinking Pointer

If the Display Pointer Trails check box is selected in the Mouse Properties dialog box before you play Zoo Tycoon, the pointer will blink when you are playing Zoo Tycoon. To stop the Zoo Tycoon pointer from blinking, click to clear the Display Pointer Trails check box in the Mouse Properties dialog box.

Building Sections Disappear

When you have a line of buildings that run from the upper left to the lower right of the screen and put a building perpendicularly near that line and then move your view of the game screen so the newest building is near the top of the screen, the building may not be displayed correctly. This is merely a display issue. The building will function correctly. To view the building normally, move your view of the game screen so that the building is toward the center of the screen.

Saved Games Are Not Deleted When You Remove Zoo Tycoon

When you move Zoo Tycoon saved games to a folder other than the Saved Games folder, those saved games will not be deleted when you remove Zoo Tycoon. To avoid this, keep your saved games in the Saved Games folder in the Zoo Tycoon folder before you remove Zoo Tycoon; otherwise, delete your saved games manually from the folder you saved them in.

Empty Adopt Animals Panel

When you play a game that has gained animals through research and conservation programs, quit that game, and then start a new game, the Adopt Animals panel may be blank. To resolve this issue, scroll to the top of the Adopt Animals panel, and the animals that are available in the game that you have just started will appear correctly.

New Content Causes Crash

When Zoo Tycoon closes immediately after startup after you load new content (animals or buildings), it is likely that you loaded a corrupted file. To repair your installation of Zoo Tycoon, delete the corrupted file from the Updates folder in the Zoo Tycoon program folder.

Restart the Game After You Add New Items

After you add new items to Zoo Tycoon by using the Zoo Tycoon built-in feature for adding new items, a message appears that states that Zoo Tycoon will restart automatically. If Zoo Tycoon does not restart automatically, restart the game manually.

Reinstall Zoo Tycoon

When you must reinstall Zoo Tycoon or move it to a new computer and you want to preserve your progress in the game, save the Zoo.ini file (located in the Zoo Tycoon root folder) from the game that you plan to remove. This file records the progress that you have made in Zoo Tycoon scenarios. After you have re-installed Zoo Tycoon, replace the new Zoo.ini file with the one that you saved. When you do not save the Zoo.ini file yourself, your progress through the Zoo Tycoon scenarios will be lost.

Remove Updates from the Main Menu

You may add updates and additional content to the Zoo Tycoon game from the main menu in Zoo Tycoon, but Zoo Tycoon will not delete them for you. To remove additional Zoo Tycoon items, you must delete them from the Updates folder in the Zoo Tycoon folder.

"Caretaker Having Trouble Getting to Exhibit name" Message

This message may appear when you have built a zoo that requires an animal caretaker (zookeeper, scientist, or marine specialist) to walk a long distance from exhibit to exhibit. The exhibit gates and paths may be clear, but because the caretaker may have to walk around many buildings or scenery, it may take a long time for the caretaker to reach an exhibit. This causes the message to appear. To prevent the message from appearing, assign caretakers to specific exhibits to keep them from walking too far from exhibits, pick up and move caretakers closer to exhibits yourself, or build exhibits so they are close to each other, thereby minimizing the time it takes for caretakers to walk through the zoo.

Cancel Setup During Game Installation

When you cancel Setup during the installation of Zoo Tycoon Expanded, some files that must be removed manually may be left behind. If you cancel Setup and find that you are having problems playing, remove Zoo Tycoon Expanded and reinstall the original Zoo Tycoon and any Zoo Tycoon expansion packs.

Triceratops Escape after You Install Zoo Tycoon: Dinosaur Digs Expansion Pack

If you unlocked the Triceratops in the original Zoo Tycoon, you will find that after you install Dinosaur Digs, the Triceratops will break out of its fence. To resolve this issue, enclose the Triceratops by using dinosaur-strength fence types.

Cannot Use Hotkeys After You Minimize the Zoo.exe File

When you minimize Zoo Tycoon by pressing ALT+TAB and then maximize it by double-clicking the Zoo.exe file, you cannot use the hotkeys.

Not All Game Content Is Available After You Play Tutorials

When you complete the last Marine Mania tutorial and choose to continue playing, you will not gain access to all the available content. Close the tutorial and open a freeform or scenario game to gain access to all Dinosaur Digs content.

Not All Items That You Must Have for Dinosaur Happiness Are Visible When You Use the Dino Only Filter

The content filters at the top of the item purchasing windows will permit you to see original Zoo Tycoon content, new Dinosaur Digs content, or both. However, not all items that you must have for dinosaur happiness (such as certain rocks) are visible with the Dino Only filter. Use the All filter to view all available content.

No Zoo Visitors Occupy the Bleachers That You Create Next to an Exhibit

When you create a set of bleachers next to an exhibit, you may notice that Zoo visitors never occupy them. This may occur if you create the a double-width path leading to the bleachers. If you delete one width of the path, Zoo visitors will start to use the bleachers.

Restart Your Computer By Using a Clean Boot Procedure

When you start Microsoft Windows, typically there are a number of programs that start automatically and run in the background that may interfere with the game. These programs may include antivirus and system utility programs. When you perform a clean boot, you prevent these programs from starting automatically.

You must be logged on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group to complete this procedure. If your computer is connected to a network, network policy settings may also prevent you from completing this procedure.

To restart your computer by using a clean boot procedure, follow these steps if you are using Microsoft Windows XP:

Note You may experience a temporary loss of some services functionality when you follow these steps. Restoring the settings restores the functionality, but the original error message or behavior may return as a result.

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type msconfig, and then click OK.
3. On the General tab, click Selective Startup.
4. Under Selective Startup, click to clear the following check boxes:
   • Process SYSTEM.INI File
   • Process WIN.INI File
   • Load Startup Items
5. On the Services tab, click to select the Hide All Microsoft Services check box, and then click Disable All.
6. Click OK, and then click Restart.

To perform a clean boot procedure, click the Play button to view this streaming media demonstration.
To return from a clean boot state, click the Play button to view this streaming media demonstration.
For additional information or to view steps for other operating systems, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: