Depending on the version of Zoo Tycoon 2 you own, the mod install directory might be different. The type of file you want to install might be important as well. Try these out and see which works for you.

Table of Contents

• Important
• Method 1
• Method 2
  • Step 1
  • Step 2
  • Step 3
• Installing Zoos and Maps
• Questions?

Important

1. Turn off the game: Though it shouldn’t cause any issues if we were to install a mod while your game is running, it makes sense to have it shut down so that any changes show up on a re-launch.
2. Unzip your files: All files on ZooBerry are in .zip format and will require access to a zip utility. Below are resources that can get you started.
   1. Zipping/Unzipping files with the default Windows zip utility
   2. Zipping/Unzipping files with 7-Zip
      1. Download 7-Zip
      2. How to use 7-Zip

Method 1

Method 1 is the easiest way to install mods and amounts to a simple drag and drop. Place your extracted .z2f files in here:

C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Games/Zoo Tycoon 2

Method 2

Many legacy mods from ZooMania and the Zoo Tycoon 2 Design Centre contain .dl files alongside the main mod files. These files were usually included because they credited the mod author and allowed for the mod to appear as a ‘download’ within Zoo Tycoon 2. This section is a bit more involved, but is still worth understanding if you wish to have the original mods set up the way they were originally meant to be seen. It is also a great method because it allows to organize your mods a bit more within subdirectories. See ahead for details.

Please note that this does require displaying hidden files on Windows, so if this is a non-negotiable option to you, feel free to stick to the above install method.

Step 1

Folders are hidden on Windows by default. We need to make them visible to see the install directory.

To display hidden files and folders on Windows XP, Windows 7

• Open Folder Options in Control Panel.
• Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
• Click Appearance and Themes, and then click Folder Options.
• On the View tab, under Hidden files and folders, click Show hidden files and folders.

To display hidden files and folders on modern Windows systems

• Open a File Explorer window
• In the submenu up top, click on View > Show > Hidden Items

Step 2

Drop your .dl files inside of the following directory:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft Games\Zoo Tycoon 2\downloads\zootycoon_com_zt2_1033

This directory should already be populated if you have official DLC installed.

Step 3

Drop your .z2f files into any one of the folders denoted by a four-digit number.

Installing Zoos and Maps

Zoos and maps are essentially save files and will go into the save folder. Open up a File Explorer on Windows and enter the following line into the address bar:

%appdata%

This will convert into a proper file-system address that will have several folders named after applications installed on your computer. From here, go to the following path:

Microsoft Games > Zoo Tycoon 2 > Default Profile > Saved

This is where you will drop your .z2f save file.

Questions?

ZooBerry doesn’t have a discussion community of its own. Please visit the links page for other Zoo Tycoon websites that can help with installation problems or shoot me an email if you would like to report a bug. See the contact page for more info.