Planet Zoo 2 Sandbox Mode
Sandbox removes the economy, not the simulation. Welfare, barriers, temperature and terrain still check exactly the same values.
Sandbox is where most building happens, and where most wasted time happens too: without an economy there is nothing to stop you placing a species in an enclosure it cannot live in. The Zoopedia values still bind.
What Sandbox turns off
- Conservation Credit pressure and market scarcity.
- Accreditation gating of the species list.
- Scenario objectives and failure states.
What Sandbox keeps
| Rule | Still enforced |
|---|---|
| Barrier grade and height | Yes |
| Temperature band | Yes |
| Terrain mix percentages | Yes |
| Space values (land / shelter / deep water) | Yes |
| Group size and per-sex cap | Yes |
Sandbox-specific fixes
1.0.4 and 1.0.5 both touched Sandbox: 1.0.5 fixed the 'Terrain Only' option when exporting a career scenario to sandbox, and 1.0.4 fixed terrestrial animals being removed when exporting a career or franchise zoo as a sandbox map.
Using Sandbox to test a build
- Place the species and open its care table — barrier, temperature and terrain values.
- Paint terrain inside the published ranges, then check welfare before adding enrichment.
- Add the enrichment categories from the species page and watch which items the animal actually uses.
- Export what worked and copy the blueprint into the mode you actually play.
FAQ
Common questions about this topic.
Does Sandbox remove welfare?
No. Welfare checks run; only the economy and progression pressure are removed.
Can I use Sandbox builds in Franchise?
Yes, via blueprints and exports, subject to the fixes listed in 1.0.4 and 1.0.5.
Why is a Sandbox animal still unhappy?
Because the same values are enforced: temperature, terrain, space, social and enrichment.