If you're looking at this then you have overcome the first hurdle to becoming a ZT2 Designer. Congratulations! However, before you start downloading programs, posting new topics in the forums, and pestering current designers for help, you should ask yourself a few simple questions:

1. Are you willing to spend hours trying to solve one bug?
2. Are you prepared to handle the stress of people asking you the same question over and over again?
3. Are you willing to carefully analyze and discover for your self that which cannot be easily explained on the computer?
4. Are you willing to dedicate countless hours to creating just one project?
5. Are you aware that there are limitations associated with creating that cannot be overcome?
6. Are you prepared to have your project not work the first time, or even the 20th time?
7. Are you prepared to have your download rejected an undefined amount of times before it is finally accepted?
8. Are you prepared to have other members negatively criticize your work?
9. Are you prepared to dive in, use the tutorials provided, and get through the bumpy process mostly unassisted?
10. Are you prepared to check every file multiple times before asking a single question?

If you answered "no" to any of the above questions, than perhaps making an entirely new project isn't for you just yet. If however, you still think you want to try to code something new for the game, then continue reading!

First off, a few rules of designing:

- DO NOT contact designers as a first method of answering questions
- DO NOT automatically start new topics asking for answers; you are not the first person to want to try to make something; chances are, you are not the first person with that question.
- DO NOT start a project if you intend to ask for a coder or skinner. Have these planned out before you decide that you can make a project.
- DO NOT start a current projects thread until you have actually started work on something.
- DO NOT think that you are going to get it right the first time...ever.
- DO NOT depend on untested technology to get a finished product (example: model editing)
- DO NOT use another designer's project as a base for your project unless you have written permission from that designer.


- DO use the search feature to find answers.
- DO plan on doing the coding and skins by yourself, especially from the beginning.
- DO check and recheck the files if you are experiencing problems
- DO try to solve the problem yourself first
- DO look at at other designer's work in order to figure out problems in your own

Next a few extremely helpful links

Common Problems: when you have a problem, this is the thread for you! It contains some of the most common errors that people get when they code, and should be the first place you look if you have a problem!

Animal Attribute Changing: here you will find a collection of the most common attribute changing directions. Want to change that fame level? Can't find how to change the conservation status? Wondering how to turn a meat eater into a vegetarian? This is a one-stop shop for all of the common changes.

Zoo Tycoon 2 Desinging Reference Guide: Here is a useful list of all the common file types in ZT2 designing and what purpose they serve, and many beginners might find quite useful.

Designing Programs List

Here are a list of all of the programs you will need in order to design, including downloads for some.

DXTBmp: Allows you to open and save the .dds files, the files that give color to the game.
WinRar: Allows you to open up .z2f files as well as save your projects as .z2fs as wellNotepad: Allows you to view and edit a number of files, including .xml, .dl, .bfm, .beh, and .tsk files
Xvi32: allows you edit the text in .nif files
Some sort of graphics program: You can use Adobe Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, even Paint. A free Graphics program called GIMP is also used. Whatever program you feel most comfortable using, or whichever one you can afford, is perfectly fine to use.
If you do have Photoshop, the nVidia Photoshop DDS Plugins allow you to open and save DDS files directly in Photoshop.


Helpful Programs

These programs are not necessary, but make the lives of many designers much easier.

Nifskope: Tired of waiting for Zoo Tycoon 2 to load everytime you want to test out your skin? The waiting stops now! Simply have the .nif file in the same folder as the .dds you are working on, and it will load the skin with the model, allowing you to preview it much less time than it takes for the game to load!
Flash Renamer: need to rename 20 files? This program will make it easy work. Just type what you want replaced and with what, and with one click, it does them all for you!
ReNamer: Does a very similar thing to Flash Renamer, but much more versatile and sophisticated.
Inforapid Search and Replace: actually changes words inside of files, saving you the hassle of having to replace the original codename with your codename in a bunch of different files individually

Helpful Tip

Before you begin, and while you are coding, it's a great idea to have the Reference Guide handy. It will provide very helpful information on file types and language.

Where to start?

Want to create something, but aren't sure if you are ready for an animal just yet? Based on the level of ease, this is the order that you should follow to becoming a great designer. Included under each are links to guides you may find helpful as you progress.

1. Variant

The best route is always, no matter what you want to create, to try your hand at an Animal Variant (also sometimes spelled "varient" around here). We have a great guide here, written by Penguinman and Csleesburg, called the Variant Creation Tutorial. These are the only type of file that ZA does not require a .dl for

2. Scenery Object

Park benches and trash cans might not sound so appealing, especially if you want to make an animal, but it really helps to start with something relatively simple before trying to tackle something as complex as an animal.

Penguinman's Object Creation Tutorial (OCT) is an awesome resource for making objects.
For fences, try ShenTirag's Fences Tutorial.


3. Foliage

Download Foliage Design Tutorial written by Nique to create a foliage object. These can be tricky at times, but it is a good idea to try one to develop your skills more.


4. Animal

Here is the part where most people want to be! There are not many tutorials out there, but there is an Animal Creation Tutorial in the Designer Resources area which is a good place to start. You will know the bugs when you come to them; refer to Common Problems to get them sorted out.

With help on Lang files, consult Animalover44's Lang File Tutorial.
Every file submitted to ZA must have an accompanying .dl file. For help on creating this, refer to Gibbon-Fanatic's .dl Making Tutorial
If you want to change the area from where your animal comes from (it's location) check out Penguinman's Map Location Tutorial


5. Building

Yes, a building is harder than an animal, surprisingly. As such, there is not even a tutorial out for it yet. Much like you did for the Foliage, try using OCT and an already finished project from another designer as a guide to figure it out. When a tutorial becomes available, this post will be amended.

Mesh Editing

If you are thinking that you are going to make an animal using the "Mesh (or Model) Changing Technology" please bear this in mind: it has limitations.

Also note that just because you get it to look good in Blender or 3DSMax, or NifSkope does not guarentee that it will ever appear in the game.

There is a guide for getting started with mesh editing by Gloria here.
Steenbok28 also made one here.

A Note About Starting new Designing Teams from badisbadis101

I have noticed a huge surge in the number of people wishing to create a new designing group, much like MMM and Artifex have done. I do not want to discourage the creation of these groups, as they often result in amazing downloads and increased interest in Zoo Tycoon 2. However, the vast majority of the time, these teams end in failure, due to lack of members, lack of dedication, or other unforeseen obstacles.

One of the most common threads i see started is something along the lines of "I am going to make a great expansion pack with X animals and it is gonna be called {XP Name}. All i need are some great meshers, skinners, and coders. I can do the research". I find this humorous. What the poster of this thread really wants is a group of people to make animals for him at his command. If this sounds like you, don't start a new designing group. Look around. Use the resources available to you, both at this site and others, and learn to design first. With hundreds of articles available on the subject of designing, all you need is a little dedication and you can be designing in no time. Then, you can create whatever animals you want, and after your first few projects, you could reconsider starting a design group, with you as one of the main designers.

So, lets assume you can design. That doesn't mean you are ready to start a design group. Remember how long it took you to create just one animal? Now imaging making 20, or 40, or more. What about the objects, the foliage, the graphics to go with it? Suddenly, what seemed like a great idea and a quick way to get DLs turns into a year of hard work, with members quitting, people pestering you, and no guarantees that the XP will ever be finished. Is this really what you want to get yourself into? Designing groups are hard work. Unlike individual projects, you cannot just do them at will. You have to work on them at other peoples demand, not your own, and much of your free time goes into the expansion. Consider this before starting a design group.

So, if you are a competent designer, and have lots of free time that you are willing to devote to something that make take a year or more to finish, then you can consider starting a new designing group. However, the problems do not stop there. With all the designing groups currently out there, most designers who wish to be a part of one already are. Finding members can be difficult, but you should never resort to PMing designers and asking them to join your group. Only once someone has shown an interest in joining your team should you PM them about it. I receive numerous PMs about this, and am sick and tired of it, and i am sure most other designers are as well. Anybody else caught doing this will be punished accordingly, as this falls under the category of pestering designers. If you begin a good project, and have proof that you are on to something good, people should want to join your team, and you shouldn't have to actively recruit. This is when a design team truly succeeds.

Finally, if it sounds like I am condoning design teams, i am not. I am a happy member of one such team (MMM), and have really enjoyed working with a group of great designers. However, i have neither the desire or the time to begin working with another design group, so please do not ask. Now, if you have read, understood, and taken the actions recommended above, and feel that you can do what has been mentioned to make a successful design team, go ahead, and good luck to you. Otherwise, look around. I am sure there is some design team, somewhere, that is looking for a member like you.

If you get hung up on something, I would suggest asking at the Design Center where most of these links are hosted. It is a GREAT way to get people to answer your questions. If you try to email me asking questions, I'm just going to send you that direction anyways, so you might as well not even try! If you do have just a quick question, you can email me or send me an IM through MSN/Windows Live at mikazt2skins@gmail.com. If you DO contact me and you are working on a project using someone else's model or coding as a base, please be advised that I will probe to understand the situation more. This is not meant as an insult to you.

I thought you meant like using the extinct research lab...?

Answer:

You can find them at www.AdamsAnimals.com. They have Zoo and Sea Mania pencil toppers and a bunch of other ones.