Elevation

Elevation is a difference of height level in the terrain height. In Zoo Tycoon it is referred to as "cliffs or hills" in the Zookeeper/Scientist recommendations Some animals require elevation in their exhibit. A related, but different mechanic is depth, which affects bodies of water, such as tanks in Zoo Tycoon and deep and shallow water in Zoo Tycoon 2.

Elevation also appears in Zoo Tycoon 2, but does not have much impact on animal happiness.

Cliffs and hills[]

In Zoo Tycoon there is a difference between elevation with a steep and gradual incline and they are referred to with different terminology.

Hills and valleys have a gradual incline, in Zoo Tycoon they change the surrounding squares, in Zoo Tycoon 2 only the selected area is affected in most cases, exceptions may occur when objects are located on the selected area.

Cliffs and moats have steep inclines and so not change surrounding squares unless an object that can only be placed on a flat surface is affected. In Zoo Tycoon 2 moats are referred to as ditches.

Elevation and depth[]

Elevation and tank depth are similar, having both to do with the terrain height. Depth is however only partially defined by the terrain height, wheras the elevation is completely dependant on terrain height. Depth is how far the terrain height is removed from the surface of the water.

In game[]

Zoo Tycoon[]

Zt1 elevation tiles — In Zoo Tycoon, a tile can take up various shapes depending on the elevation.

In Zoo Tycoon there are 25 levels of elevation, meaning hills can be a maximum of 24 units high and cliffs a maximum of 24 units deep.

With the terrain height tool the player can create hills, cliffs, moats and valleys. The terrain height tool has four modes, which do not have official names but do have an in-game description. With the first mode the player can drag up or down to create hills and valleys. With the second mode the player can drag up and down to create cliffs and moats. The third mode allows the player to expand a valley or hill keeping the same height in any horizontal direction. The fourth allows the player to expand cliffs and moats in the same way as tool 3. The terrain height tool has five different available sizes, from 1 single square up to a 5 by 5 square.

It costs $8 to modify one square by one height level, whether it is up or down. Tiles that don't fully belong to one level, such as slopes, are still counted as if increasing or decreasing a full level when calculating the price.

The generalised function to calculate costs of terrain height modification is as follows:

${ c ~ = ~ 8Ah }$

with ${c}$ being the cost, 8 being the price per square per level, ${A}$ being the affected area and ${h}$ being the height in height levels. When using the hill or valley tool it becomes a bit more complex as not every square is modified the same amount of levels.

This following equation works for rectangular hills:

${c = 8 \times x \times y + 8 \times \sum_{n=0}^{h-2} \{(x+2+2n) \times (y+2+2n)-4 \times \sum_{k=0}^{n} k\}}$ ^[1]

$x$ and $y$ are the dimensions of the top layer and $n$ is the layer $k$ is what is being cut out.

Tankelevation — If there is enough space underneath, a newly created tank will dig 4 levels deep into the ground, otherwise it digs until it reaches level 0.

Another way to change the elevation in Zoo Tycoon is by placing a tank, which lowers the height level by 4 levels if there is enough space. Once a tank is placed the base of the tank can be adjusted, which costs the same were it modified with the terrain height tool, only the initial -4 terrain height is free, excluding the construction costs of the tank.

Clean elevation landscaping[]

Hillswatertrick — surrounding an exhibit with water prevents the area around it from being affected by hill modification.

A way to minimise damage to paths or adjacent exhibits is to place water around your exhibit. the water will keep all the terrain height modifications inside the exhibit.

Cost efficiency[]

A single tank wall costs $125 and is worth $100 when recycling. The only exception is Black Bar And Glass, which costs $130 and returns $104 when recycled.

A tank will decrease the terrain height level by 4 levels if there is room.

Ignoring the fact that creating a tank changes all the tiles within the tank to sand and possibly having additional terrain modicifaction costs. There is a point where it becomes cheaper to build a tank and then recycle the tank rather than using the terrain height tool.

Wolframalpha-tankdigging — ${32x ~ = ~ 100 ~ \times ~ \sqrt{x}}$

using the formula:

${c ~ = ~ 32A}$

where ${c}$ is the total cost of the terrain modification and ${A}$ is the affected area when using the terrain height tool.

And comparing it to the formula:

${c ~ = ~ 100 ~ \times ~ \sqrt{A}}$

for a square shaped tank.

We get a result of ${A ~ = ~ \dfrac{625}{64}}$ , which is roughly 9.765625.

This means any square-shaped tank with a size above 3 by 3 will be cheaper than it's terrain height tool equivalent.

Unfortunately there are no animals in Zoo Tycoon which require that much sand and this specific amount of elevation, if much of the existing terrain before placing the tanks already matches the animal's biome this method will not be cost efficient. This method has a more practical use in decorative landscaping.

A cheap way of lowering the terrain height more than 4 levels is by removing only one part of the tank wall and replacing it on the same position, altering the base of the tank by another maximum of 4 levels for the price of $25 (or $26 in the case of Black Bar and Glass)

Animals[]

Checkerboarded-serow — A Japanese Serow exhibit with a checkerboarded area.

Animals may require elevation in their exhibit as part of their animal Needs. In this context, elevation is determined by the amount of tiles that are adjacent to tiles of a different elevation. The most effective ways of modifying elevation for a higher suitability involve raising or lowering single tiles one single level, an example is when the raised tiles are alternated in a checkerboard pattern.

A list of animals that require elevation.

Zoo Tycoon 2[]

Zt2elevation — Different elevation levels in Zoo Tycoon 2. Smooth (left) and by Cliff increments (right)

In Zoo Tycoon 2, elevation does not affect animal happiness. Alpine animals can live in a completely flat enclosure and have a suitable habitat.

Altering the terrain height in Zoo Tycoon 2 is free and can be done in the Habitat Editor Tools tab. There are a total of six tools available.

Although the amount of possible height levels is more difficult to determine, the Create Cliff and Create Ditch tools will lock onto one of 7 possible set heights.

Unlike in its predecessor, in Zoo Tycoon 2 fences do prevent terrain modifications from overflowing to the other side. Fences can be used in a way to more accurately control applying terrain height modifications. Holding Shift while using elevation tools surpasses the partitioning effect of fences.

Yellowmarkedpaths — Paths and fences placed on a steep incline will be marked with a yellow tint.

If a fence or path is placed on a steep incline, the object will turn yellow to indicate the object is placed on a too steep incline and entities may not be able to use them properly.

Zt2ditchasenclosure — An enclosure made with a ditch. This enclosure also has a waterfall.

Ditches can be used without fencing as a way to enclose animals, this is an unsafe method though, not because animals will escape, but rather guests may fall into the exhibit.

A cliff can be combined with two bodies of water to form a waterfall.

Ever since Zoo Tycoon 2: Marine Mania the Habitat Editor tools can be used on bodies of water that are not fully enclosed tanks. The depth of fully enclosed tanks can still be modified but is limited, because the whole level of the tank is kept flat, similarily to tanks in Zoo Tycoon.

Tools[]

icon	cursor	description
		Create Hill is a tool used for creating smooth hills and sharp peaks alike.
		Create Valley is a tool used for creating smooth valleys and pits with a deep incline alike.
		Create Cliff is a tool to raise up the terrain height to one of 7 set levels, based on the current height of the terrain.
		Create Ditch is a tool to decrease the terrain height to one of 7 set levels, based on the current height of the terrain.
		Smooth Terrain is a tool used to smoothen out terrain height differences.
		Flatten Terrain is a tool used to flatten an area where height differences meet.

Zoo Tycoon DS[]

Ztds elevation — Elevation in Zoo Tycoon DS.

Ztds elevation menu — Terrain height options in Zoo Tycoon DS.

In Zoo Tycoon DS there are 5 terrain height levels. As well as 4 slope pieces. The game also has corner pieces, but those are not placeable by the player.

Unlike in Zoo Tycoon, changing one tile height always costs $8, regardless on how many levels the height is changed.

The function for calculating terrain height modification costs is a follows:

${ c ~ = ~ 8A }$

with ${c}$ being the cost of modiying the terrain height, 8 being the cost of modifying one square and ${A}$ being the affected area.

References[]

↑ By courtesey of Marcel Vos

[Marcel_Vos-1] By courtesey of Marcel Vos

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