Much of the focus of Planet Zoo is spent on making animals happy, however the guests are just as important as they are your sole source of income. Keeping your guests happy isn't the easiest of tasks, and their unhappiness can be fatal to your zoo. So what are your guests needs and how do you meet them?
Toilet
The most basic of guest needs will be their desire to use the bathroom (toilet, restroom, loo, whatever your preference). Placing restrooms throughout the zoo is really the only way to satisfy this need. You do have the option to charge guests for using the restroom, however they will be happier if you don't.
Thirst
As guests visit your zoo, chances are they will get thirsty. How thirsty they get and what kind of drinks they want will depend on the biome your zoo is in. Gulpee Soda is usually the most popular in any biome. In the hotter biomes, Pipshot water is also a popular choice. To better quench your guests thirst in the warm temperatures, increase the amount of ice in their beverages. In biomes with colder temperatures, Streetfox Coffee will help keep your guests warmer in the cold.
Hunger
Much as guests will get thirsty, they will also want something to quiet their stomach rumblings. Chief Beef usually tops the charts for profits. Guests also enjoy a Cosmic Cow Ice Cream Cone on a hot summer day.
Energy
Guests will start to get tired exploring your zoo. There are a few ways you can replenish their energy so they can continue viewing animals, making purchases, and donating to your zoo. Place picnic and regular benches throughout your zoo so guests can sit and have a rest. Guests will also rest on one of the several different rides you can place around your zoo. Lastly, they can grab a Gulpee Energy drink to get a boost.
Education
Guest education is not something you can immediately fix. Education increases as guests spend time in your zoo. If your zoo is small, they won't be able to spend the amount of time it takes in order for education to increase. There are things you will need to do in order to offer ample learning opportunities to your guests.
Add multiple education boards and speakers to habitats, making sure speakers don't overlap. Focus on areas that attract lots of guests.
Add education boards and speakers to exhibits
Research Animals fully
Place Conservation Boards throughout the zoo. Don't forget to place them near the entrance so that your guests educational experience begins as soon as they enter the zoo.
The bigger your zoo, the more time guests will spend in it. The more time they have, the more they will learn and their education rating will increase.
Happiness
Guest happiness is an accumulation from all of the above in addition to a great many other factors. It is the guest need that fluctuates the most and can be the hardest to raise. All of the following are factors that can have an affect, either positive or negative, on guest happiness and may not be all-inclusive (some I will go into more detail in future posts):
Views of the Animals
Animal Welfare
Animal Variety
Scenery
Rides
Litter
Full Bins
Vandalized objects
Staff Facilities
Ticket Prices
Food/Drink/Souvenir Prices
Lack of ATM's
Size of Park
Line Queues
Untrained Staff
Balloons Popping
Weather
Lack of umbrella
Crowds
Incorrect Education Boards
Overlapping Education Speakers
Protesters
So how can we manage so many different happiness factors? While the task may seem daunting, it is best to take it one step at a time. First of all, check the guest tab of the zoo
menu for the most pressing issues. If 50% of your guests are complaining about litter, add bins and hire caretakers. That number will go down and you can address the 20% of guests complaining of vandalized objects.
Once you have tackled the top
complaints, head to your heat maps.
Cycle through animal welfare, habitat cleanliness, negative impact on guests, vandalized objects, guest education, and guest needs to look for problem areas. Hire staff, build facilities, lower prices as necessary to increase happiness. Unhappy guests will mean more vandalized objects, more protesters, and less money in your bank account.
Please Let me know if you have any questions regarding guest happiness, and remember to follow me on Twitter for blog updates @MamaZooana.
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