The Planet Zoo 2 path tool feels strange coming from the first game, because it isn't a line builder any more. It's a node-based stamp system. Once that clicks it's far more powerful.
Core concepts
- Draw tool: draws curved or straight path outlines that fill as plazas. Right-click removes the last segment; you can switch between curved and straight mid-draw.
- Stamp tool: squares, circles, octagons and other shapes stamped onto the ground.
- Advanced mode → Edit widgets: every path has draggable nodes. Drag a node to reshape, drag from a node to extend, merge nodes to clean up curves.
- Rounding tool: sets corner radius. Zero gives sharp corners.
Terrain and snapping modes
When stamping or drawing you choose how the path interacts with the ground:
| Terrain mode | Effect |
|---|---|
| Flatten ground | Flattens terrain to the path height |
| Fill ground | Builds terrain up underneath the path |
| Tunnel | Aggressively cuts terrain away |
| Snapping | Effect |
|---|---|
| Automatic | Game decides |
| Grounded | Path hugs the terrain |
| Suspended | Path floats at its set height (with supports) |
Grounded + fill ground follows hills best. Suspended is ideal for boardwalks and for building precise shapes without disturbing terrain.
Fixing gaps and nubs
Little triangular gaps appear where two pieces don't quite meet. Grab the widget in that corner and snap it onto the neighbouring node. Two nodes need to sit together exactly.
Copy, paste and precise shapes
- I opens the selection tool; Ctrl+D duplicates, Ctrl+C / Ctrl+V copy and paste, and Ctrl+X copies from the origin.
- Turn on move snap (e.g. 4 m or 2 m steps) and angle snap (5°, 45°) for exact geometry.
- Merge / cut through existing path lets one path style paint over another. Turn it off to stack a stamp on top without merging.
- Double-click an existing path to copy its exact style. Keep a little "palette" of styles somewhere in your zoo.
- Work from the outside in: stamp the outer style first, then the inner one.
Perfect circles
Three ways:
- Drop a round exhibit (or a large cylinder piece) onto the path and delete it. The game leaves a perfect round cut-out.
- Rotate copies of a thin segment around a centre with angle snap, then round the result.
- Save cut-outs as blueprints and reuse them as circular stamps. Community stamp packs on the Workshop help too.
Fill a cut-out with gravel or tree bark path and a tree to make a planter. Stand curbs vertically around it, or place bins, so guests don't walk through.
Railings and curbs
- Railings can be painted on one edge only, a big improvement on the first game. Brush carefully along the outer edge.
- Railings and path curbs can be recoloured. Some railing types: old wooden rail, wooden log rail, modern wood and metal, low metal and concrete, west wooden rail.
- Curbs discourage guests; guest barriers forbid them.
Stairs and ramps
- Raising a path segment steeply turns it into stairs automatically. Keep slopes shallow on main routes for accessibility.
- Hotkeys while building stairs: U to go up, J to jump down.
- Spiral stairs/ramps: snap copies of a short curved segment on top of each other, then smooth. It comes out clean.
- Lower a whole path network at once: multi-select with the paths only filter, then use advanced move.
Ride queues
Train and boat stations connect only to the ride queue path (next to the path tunnels button), not to a normal path.
Plazas and food courts
- Use the square or octagon stamp at a large size as the centre of a plaza. Octagons make it easy to branch paths off in several directions.
- Put a different path style in the centre of a plaza and frame it with an outer style.
- Add round cut-outs for planters and trees (see the circle tricks above).
- Leave the edges for shop counters, and keep the middle clear for walking.
- If a plaza ends up on a slope, use grounded + fill ground so it follows the terrain, then tidy the edges with the edit widgets.
Path costs
In Franchise mode every path segment costs money, and deleting it refunds you. Big empty plazas are one of the main reasons new zoos run out of cash. Build the paths you need now and widen them later as crowds grow.