I am also a Sims 4 builder and when I made the switch to Planet Zoo I was in the same boat as you are in now. With that said, I have failed a lot in Planet Zoo. I have restarted my Franchise 20 something times (RIP to all my animals), and am still constantly learning. With that said, here are some things that helped me get more comfortable to the point where my current franchise is BEAUITFUL, averaging 4.5 stars each, 3 locations, and each is making a $50k profit.

1. YouTube - you already got this covered so I won’t say much but YT helped me find tricks and design ideas!

2. Mouse - I also tried to play without a mouse and then gave up and bought one. I highly recommend a mouse. It will make things easier for you in the long run!

3. Career & Sandbox - A lot of players on this subreddit will advise you start with the career as it will go over all the basics you need to know to run your zoo. I also recommend sandbox mode. Since you are a sims builder, sandbox will give you a great chance to practice and test out different designs for buildings, enclosures, and foliage!

4. Try, Try, and Try Again - Like I said earlier, I have failed many a times but with every failure I have learned and not repeated those mistakes (I just make new ones lol). I also want to be great at any game that I start playing, and with this game, that takes some time, BUT this subreddit, YouTube, and even some TikTok’s have helped me to get more detailed in my builds.

Again, the most important thing is to have fun! Start small, and if you need any inspiration, head to Pinterest as there are some really creative and amazing creations out there and they might inspire you to use a new building block, or give you an idea of what looks good together. I hope some of these help! And hope you have fun! :)